The Willimantic Victorian Neighborhood has chosen Horizons, Inc., as the 2019 winner of its annual Gillard Award.
The Gillard award, a woodcut painting of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Grant House created by local artist, Annie Wandell, is presented by the Victorian Days Committee each year to a business or group which has demonstrated an overwhelming commitment to historic buildings in Willimantic and has worked to ensure the continued success of the Victorian Home Tour and other projects. The award is named after Bob Gillard of the O. L. Willard Company, the first recipient of the award and a charter sponsor of the Home Tour.
Horizons was chosen based on their on-going preservation of the Judge John Manning Hall mansion, which they have operated as a group home for people with developmental disabilities and opened for the Home Tour this year and in several years past; for the Kerri Art Studio and Gallery, housed in an historic Willimantic Main Street storefront; and for their many contributions to the Windham/Willimantic community.
Susan Mauer (right) accepted the Gillard Award on behalf of Horizons from Jean de Smet (left) of the Victorian Home Tour Committee at the opening reception for the 2019 Victorian Days in Willimantic Home Tour.