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Greenwich Inauguration for Camillo, Rabin and Oberlander a Night to Remember

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Fred Camillo gets sworn into office as the Town of Greenwich First Selectman. (John Ferris Robben photo)

By: Liz Leamy

Last Sunday night, the weather may have been treacherous with all of the snow and rain showers, but the climate inside at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, the grand brick structure based on Field Point Road, was markedly different as Fred Camillo, the longtime Connecticut State Representative of District 151 and dedicated lifelong resident, was sworn in at a moving and memorable inaugural ceremony declaring the commencement of his position as First Selectman.

By all counts, the mood of this inaugural event, in which Lauren Rabin and Jill Oberlander (Fred’s opponent in the election for the First Selectman position) were also sworn in as Town Selectmen, represented a stark contrast to the state of the weather outside that evening, as the energy at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich was one of palpable optimism, unity and enthusiasm and light.

This prolific and heartwarming ceremony, which drew hundreds of attendees, was by all accounts, an affair to remember, as all of those on hand, including dozens of state and local politicians, members of the Greenwich Police force and the Greenwich Fire Department, religious leaders, leading Fortune 500 company executives, local business owners and so many others collectively helped create what could best be described as an electric atmosphere at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich.

That night, some of the individuals on hand to honor Camillo, Rabin and Oberlander included Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who is a Greenwich resident, Peter Tesei, longtime First Selectman who Camillo is succeeding, John Margenot, the venerable iconic First Selectman from the 1980s, Jim Heavey, Chief of the Greenwich Police Force, Peter J. Siecienski, Greenwich Fire Chief, Jim Himes, U.S. Representative for Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District, Scott Frantz, the former Connecticut State Senator from Riversided, Joe Siciliano, Head of the Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department and renowned radio personality, Gary Dell’Abate, among many others.

Meanwhile, dozens of local ‘celebrities’ were on hand at this event as well, including Randy Caravella, Angelo Pucci, Jimmy Capparelle, all of who are local business owners and longtime friends of Camillo, as well as Michael Mason, BET member and Linda Moshier, a dynamic and dedicated resident, along with so many others who helped make this evening an incredible one.

Essentially, this event turned out to be an experience in which the entire community seemed to come together more powerfully than ever making for an experience that seemed to be a predilection of sorts in regard to what might be on the horizon with Camillo, Rabin and Oberlander taking office this month.
Moreover, the personality and overall demeanor of Camillo and his colleagues seemed to have a profound effect upon the atmosphere o, indicating indeed how much of a presence and impact he, Rabin and Oberlander possess as a individuals and most importantly, as leaders of the town.

Clearly, Camillo’s heart and palpable level of humility have been and continue to be a potent and vital element in regard to his persona, role and accomplishments, something that also rendered much of the wonderful and hopeful tone at this inaugural event.

In my many years of knowing Fred since the days when we had both attended Cos Cob Elementary School together, he has always been kind, loyal, consistent, driven and there for people, which so much of the reason as to why he is such an optimal fit for the all-important position as First Selectman. With Fred Camillo, the genial and genuine person you meet is exactly the person he is, which is what makes him such a good friend as well as influencer on so many levels, I believe.

On another note, as Camillo was being sworn in on the stage of the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich gym that evening, a portrait of his father, Alfred Camillo, reputed to be a beloved town icon who sadly passed away in 2010, was displayed nearby, making for quite a heartwarming and stirring sight.
Somehow, it was as if Mr. Camillo, a Greenwich native who had lived in town for most of his life, was standing there right by his son, beaming and proud.

This, along with so many other things from that evening, designated this as a truly special experience in so many ways.  Perhaps more than anything, it was moving to see so many people from town and the surrounding area come together to honor its newly elected leaders in such grand and teamlike fashion, indicating that unity among this community seems to be as strong as ever.

Unity, as Camillo has expressed in so many of his sentiments over the years, is key, and much of the reason, in my opinion, Greenwich, with its decades of great leadership and its mainstay role in the New York metropolitan area leading up to the very present, has the reputation of being such a storied and extraordinary locale where dreams can indeed come true.  That said, this chapter for the town looks to be another bright and golden era and based on that in itself, I believe we are all very much blessed.

 

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