2015 PARISH COUNCIL CANDIDATES
These are the 2015 Candidates who have been nominated and have agreed to be on the ballot for our Parish Council
Election. The election will take place on May 9th and 10th. We are selecting six parishioners to replace the current
Council members rotating off the Council. Below is the information that each candidate has submitted. Please vote
for six candidates to fill these vacancies. Thanks to everyone who is willing to volunteer their time to our Church!
Tom Giordano I have been a member of St. Timothy’s Parish since 2005. Prior to
joining St. Timothy’s I belonged to Notre Dame in Durham where I worked with
the youth group and was an usher. Since joining St. Timothy’s I have been part of
the Outreach Committee for five years and have actively participated in all
phases of the scheduled drives. I was also part of the original “Mass” Safety
Committee. I am always ready to volunteer when the need arises. I live in
Bloomfield with Pat, my wife of 30 years. I have three daughters, who fortunately
live in CT, along with nine grandchildren. I have successfully worked, for the past
14 years, as a sales rep for a label and packaging company out of South Dakota
and have no immediate plans to retire.
Amy Zeleznock I have been a member of St. Timothy’s Parish for almost 4 years.
A native of Northeast PA, born in Hazleton (hometown of Cubs manager, Joe
Maddon) I graduated from Ithaca College (NY) in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science
in Television/Radio Production. I first became very active in parish ministry when
I was at Ithaca, being involved in lectoring, Eucharistic ministry and social events.
Prior to joining our parish, I was a member of St. Augustine Church (Culver City,
CA) where I was involved as a lector and chairperson for our annual parish fiesta
for 2 years before relocating to Connecticut. My role as chairperson of the fiesta
involved me being in charge of planning the entertainment, coordinating with
the ride company and working with a core-planning group to organize food and
games booths. I am currently serving as a lector and an active member in the
Outreach and Communications committees. Since 2011, I have been an Editorial
Graphic Producer at ESPN, working on SportsCenter, NFL Live, and ESPN Goal
Line among other productions in Bristol. Remember those great flyers for the
Baby Drive in December and the Stations of the Cross? Those were done by yours
truly. I feel my youth, organizational skills, friendly personality and diverse
background would be a great asset to the parish council.
Thomas A. Waller I have been a parishioner of the Church of St. Timothy for
over 30-years. I am an active member with the Knights of Columbus, currently
serving as the Grand Knight. Since October 2014, I have been an ex officio
member of the Parish Council representing the Knights of Columbus. For several
years, I have been involved in Pro-Life activities, and have practiced these
principles in both my personal life and in my professional life as a Registered
Nurse. I am the proud father of five daughters: Monica, Maureen, Margaret,
Mary-Eileen and Megan. I have five grandchildren of whom I am also very
proud: Nicolas, Ryan, Kevin, Dayna and Kylie.
Linda Markiewicz I have been in the St. Timothy parish for 7 years. I’m involved
with four ministries: Eucharistic Minister, Funeral Team, Partners in Prayer, and
Prayer Shawl. I also volunteer for Foodshare’s Retail Pickup Program and
brochure/poster distribution and the Friends of Heublein Tower. I’m a retired
nurse who worked at CT. Children’s Medical Center, Anthem Blue Cross Blue
Shield and Hartford Insurance Group. I have an RN and BS in Nursing as well as a
Certificate in Advanced Biblical Studies from the Archdiocese of Hartford Catholic
Biblical School. I enjoy many hobbies including biking, golfing, birding, walking,
travel, oil painting, and sitting by the ocean.
David Terne I am honored to have been nominated to serve on the parish
council. My wife and I along with our son have attended St Tim's since moving
up from Philadelphia 12 years ago. I currently work for The Hartford as an
Actuary. We found the parish to be open and welcoming. So welcoming in fact
that I was moved to go through the adult RCIA process several years ago and join
the faith, converting from the Quaker religion. I think St Tim's is a fantastic
community that has given me and my family so much that it is only fair I try and
give something back. I would be humbled if you would consider me for council.
Thank you and God Bless.
Barbara Blanchfield Carpenter My grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John C. Blackall,
were benefactors of St. Timothy Church. Many days, I would accompany my
grandmother to the building site of the church and watch the construction. In
1990, my uncle Fr. Randall Blackall served as Assistant Pastor to Fr. Cody. Years
later, I was teaching at Aiken School and found it a blessing to be able to attend
daily Mass. It was Fr. Cody’s commitment to the poor, warmth and spiritual
insight that drew me back to this wonderful church community. My involvement
and commitment to the church has grown. Presently, I am serving as a Eucharistic
Minister and as a member of the Outreach Committee, Environment Committee
and RCIA Team. I attended St. Thomas the Apostle School and Northwest
Catholic High School. I hold a B.A. and M.A. from St. Joseph College in special and
elementary education and a Sixth year degree from Central Connecticut State
University. Recently, I retired after 38 years of teaching in the West Hartford
Public Schools. I served as a member of the West Hartford Town Council.
Married to Kenneth Carpenter, I have twin daughters, Jill Devor and Kelly Habif.
My grandchildren Leah and Sarahjane Devor and Luke Habif are members of St.
Timothy. Jesus is truly amazing and through serving on the Parish Council, I hope
to continue the mission of St. Timothy, which is to spread the good news of his
love and compassion.
Pat Gerity For years you’ve seen me at weekend mass, sitting somewhere on the
right side, with my wife Tricia, and our four kids, Tommy (18), Kathleen (16), and
the twins, Sara & Bobby (13). Often, we are also with my wife’s parents and one
of her sisters or a brother or two. We’ve been registered members of St. Tim’s
since 1998, the year we moved to West Hartford and just as Kathleen was born,
but we’ve called St. Tim’s home for even longer than that -- Tricia and I were
married at St. Tim’s 25 years ago; Tricia and her family have been part of the St.
Tim’s school or parish community for nearly 50 years. I have had the distinct
pleasure over the last eight years of being a member of the RCIA (Rite of
Christian Initiation of Adults) team here at St. Tim’s. I have also served as a
catechist for a number of the eighth grade and confirmation year classes.
Born and raised just west of Cleveland, Ohio, my faith formation was strongly
influenced by my parents, the Catholic elementary and secondary schools I
attended, and by the Jesuit influence ingrained in my undergraduate and law
school degrees from Georgetown University. In my professional life, I am an
attorney and practice at Day Pitney, LLP in the areas of energy, regulatory, and
administrative law. I have coached, and treasured my many years, on the youth
baseball and soccer fields.
It’s humbling to have been nominated for the Parish Council ballot. If chosen I
would bring to this important parish ministry a commitment to study and reflect
prayerfully, to recognize and respect the viewpoints of others, and to make
practical recommendations intended to move us, as many parts of one body, to
be witness to God’s unconditional love, and to spread, through the grace of the
Holy Spirit, Christ’s presence in our community.
Barbara Schwartz A little bit about myself, I taught CCD for four years at St.
Timothy’s Middle School. I also was on the Homeward Bound committee which
gave assistance to the homeless. I had a business in West Hartford Center where
I created many new friends and family in the community - “Nanny’s Children
Attire.” I was appointed by Governor O’Neil to the State of Connecticut Arts
Commission for two terms.
I’m very active at St. Timothy Middle School as well on the Environment
Committee at St. Timothy’s the last four years. My goal is to help the Parish
Council in “whatever it takes” to make the Parish flourish in all ways needed.