We had the honor this week to meet Rick Dalla Valle, a veteran from Torrington, Connecticut and the winner of our annual Veterans Day giveaway of a year's supply of cheese.
Rick told us his life story on the phone this week. As he told us his stories, we kept thinking of a single word: Service.
There was the time that Rick lost his leg, not in battle, but as longtime director of a community emergency response team in Torrington in 2011. During a historic winter storm that year, Rick bunkered at the firehouse for several days and nights, coordinating rescue workers, helping people find safety. During that time he ran out of insulin and got an infection. By March of the next year he had lost his leg. As he recovered the day of his amputation, he remembers filling out FEMA paperwork on deadline so that his community could receive promised recovery funds.
There's the fact that his first ever trip on a plane — his first ever major trip outside of Connecticut, really — was as an enlistee at 17, shipped off to Germany to an overseas base. He worried for his family. He grew up the oldest of five siblings in a single-parent household. His mother worked three jobs to keep them afloat. He worked and then he enlisted. As he witnessed neighbors and friends with good hearts helping his family, he vowed that one day, given the means, he too would help others.
There's his ongoing relationship with his local food shelf, which he helps by coordinating and soliciting donations from local shops and food producers, and by donating his own time and food. Even now, with severely limited mobility from a recent fall, he shows up, motivated by a desire to serve those in need.
There's the time that, hearing about young people stuck at home without many safe places to gather, he spearhead the creation of a local park for children and teens to have a safe place to skateboard and bicycle.
There's his service to several town committees. The City Council. Child Advocate boards. And so much more.
And finally, there is his own home life, where he lives as a helper and life companion to his wife, Cecilia, who lives with Stage 4 cancer.
Rick said he was honored and humbled to receive a years supply of cheese. He said he'll be distributing the winnings to others in need throughout his community. Still motivated to help others after a lifetime of service.
A special thank you to Rick's daughter, Nicole Herman, who submitted his nomination, and to all of you who nominated deserving veterans. We are so thankful to them all.
Happy Veterans Day to all who have served.
The Cheese Brothers team