2022 Honorees

Guild Civic Champion Award - Bill Coleman on Behalf of BeKind
Awarded to a corporation, organization or individual in recognition of superior service to the greater good of the community, which service is aligned with the Guild’s mission of providing hope and dignity for all.

 In August 2021, Bill Coleman organized a service project for teens which resulted in 684 rice and bean meals being donated to Mt. Carmel Guild.  As a member of the Robbinsville Hamilton Rotary Club, he has since coordinated several food donations for the Guild.  Bill is also the co-founder of Be Kind, a Robbinsville based charitable organization that has provided clothing and food to area nonprofits, including MCG.

Bill has graced the Guild with truck-loads of non-perishable food & beverages through the 2021-2022 year. He is a life-long Hamilton Township resident, who graduated Steinert High School. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, best friend, and soulmate, Heidi Peoples Coleman for 38 years.  He worked as a Clerk for the United States Postal Service for 26 years until medical conditions forced him into Disability Retirement.  Bill & Heidi are the parents of four children, Megan, Elise, Casey Lynn and Jake.  However due to a series of fatal birth defects, Casey Lynn (Age 24) is our sole surviving child.  She and her fiancé, Alex Schmaus reside in the City of Philadelphia, PA. 

With the loving support of his wife, his daughter and family, Bill has the privilege of dedicating his life to helping others.  Since the outbreak of Covid-19, much of his focus has been in the fight against food insecurity.  He is the Co-founder and Vice-President of the non-profit Be Kind Joy of Giving.  He serves Rotary International District 7475, the Rotary Club of Robbinsville Hamilton (Past President) and the Hightstown Elks Lodge #1955. He enjoys volunteering with Project Linus Central New Jersey Chapter, the Miracle League of Mercer County and The Salvation Army Trenton Citadel Corps where he was recently awarded “Volunteer of the Year – 2021”. 

With Be Kind Joy of Giving, Bill and his team have been involved in Mission Jersey 2021 and 2022 helping teens from around the Diocese pack meals such as rice and beans.  Mount Carmel Guild was the recipient of these efforts for the past two years.

We are grateful to Bill for his heart of gold and all of his efforts to serve all of our care receivers.

Good Neighbor Award - Eet Gud Bakery
Awarded to a corporation or group that provided extraordinary support in the areas of monetary donations, in-kind donations, volunteer services or a combination thereof to The Guild.

          A long-time Hamilton Township institution, Eet Gud Bakery, has been a constant source of food donations to the Guild over the past three years.  Particularly during the pandemic, Eet Gud provided delicious baked goods that were always eagerly anticipated by the Guild’s care receivers.
            The award will be accepted by the owner, Tracey Destribats.    

            Tracey Destribats has been active in her community for many years.  Her commitment to “giving back” is apparent as soon as you meet her and she begins talking to you about Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, I Believe in Pink or one of the other many organizations that have been a recipient of her many contributions.

             Tracey serves as one of the founding members of the Board of Trustees of Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy and also served as the Director of Advancement at Trenton Catholic Academy.

              When the third-generation owner of Eet Gud Bakery, Donna Gorish decided it was time to sell this 90-year establishment, Tracey stepped forward.  This historic establishment remains a staple on Hamilton Avenue and is noted for their famous long-john doughnuts, cakes and trolley buns.  Eet Gud is proud to celebrate their 94th year in business this year.
 
               Every Tuesday, Eet Gud Bakery makes a delivery to the Mount Carmel Guild Food Pantry.  Our care receivers are treated to wonderful treats and bread.  We are so grateful for her generosity that would not be affordable to those we serve.

Community Service Award - Michael W. Herbert, Esq.
Awarded to a volunteer in recognition of remarkable service to The Guild.

Michael Herbert has been serving on the Board of Trustees since 1993 and also served in the capacity of Chair.  He currently serves as assistant counsel to the Diocese of Trenton. He often guides Mount Carmel Guild through legal matters and is currently assisting with the implementation of our Planned Giving initiative.
 
Following in his father's footsteps, Michael is a second-generation government and land use attorney representing government and private clients in the areas of state, county, and local government entities in bankruptcy and civil rights litigation, as well as representing various religious and other non-profits. Michael prides himself in guiding his clients through the complicated world of government law including the fast-growing world of affordable housing. 
 
Michael is a graduate of Rider University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Seton Hall University School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate.  Currently, Michael is a shareholder at Parker McKay, PA where he concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal law and land use law and related civil litigation in State and Federal Courts.

                  Michael and his wife, Christine have four daughters: Amy, Melissa, Margaret and Giana.

           

Bishop Thomas J Walsh Award - Dick and Nancy Smith
Awarded to an outstanding individual(s) of the year

Two Recipients

For many years, Dick and Nancy Smith have been involved in the community of St. Paul’s School in Princeton. They have both served on the Board and assisted with fundraising efforts.  Their children attended the school where Dick served as the Athletic Director and basketball coach along with guiding the development of their strategic plan.

Nancy returned to St. Paul’s School years later to volunteer in the Cafeteria. 

Nancy and Dick are active members of St. James Parish where Dick served on the Parish Council and Nancy was involved with the Social Justice ministry.

Dick has been active at Norte Dame High School for many years and currently serves as the Chairperson for the Norte Dame Board of Governors.  He has supported many activities of the Diocese of Trenton including Faith in our Future and currently serves as a trustee for the Catholic Education Fund.

At Mount Carmel Guild, Nancy has been a volunteer since 1998.  She took a significant role in establishing the Gala as we know it today, 27 years later.  She helped to make Mount Carmel Guild become a more visible Name in the World of Non-Profits.  Over the years she has supported the Guild through volunteering, recruiting friends and family members to volunteer and become actively involved in the Mission of the Guild. 

Currently, Nancy is on the Development Committee and the Gala Committee.

Dick became involved at the invitation of his wife in 2003.  They have assisted in the Thanksgiving Food Drive, Santa’s Toy Shop, sorting and packing food and he continues assisting with the planning of the Annual Gala.  Dick helped develop a strategic plan to improve the Guild’s visibility and increase fundraising activities.

Nancy and Dick have found that their time, talent and treasure have helped to make a difference in the lives of our care receivers and feel blessed for the opportunity.

Guild Appreciation Award
Awarded to individuals for outstanding and consistent dedication to either the Guild or their local parish community.

Two Recipients

Hawkins and Christabelle Sutter, a senior and junior at The Lawrenceville School, have been wonderful supporters of Mount Carmel Guild. Hoping to find an uplifting way to bring families together after the difficulties of Covid, they launched a puzzle collection in St. Paul School of Princeton, YMCA, Princeton Public Library, and other collection sites in the Princeton community for new or gently used puzzles. Hawkins and Christabelle came to the Guild in person to share their love of puzzles, distributing throughout the summer and during the Christmas season. Using funds they received from the Welles Award (a Lawrenceville-based foundation), they purchased new sets of children's pajamas, which were greatly needed in this year’s chilly winter.

They love volunteering on site, assisting care receivers with their selections and offering tips and tricks on the best way to puzzle. To this day, they continue to distribute puzzles to the Guild and hope to expand this puzzle collection!