Wili AM

THE RAYS OF SUNSHINE

All of us can think of special individuals who always manage to find time to help other people. 14/WILI and the Mohegan Sun have a name for those special people. They are Connecticut's RAYS OF SUNSHINE, and together we're paying tribute to them. Hear acceptance interviews with many of our Ray of Sunshine winners by clicking here. To nominate someone, simply email wayne @ wili.com or snail mail your entry to WILI Ray of Sunshine, 720 Main Street, Willimantic, Ct. 06226 with a few details on why your nominee is special.

AnnMarie Poudrier (center) with nominator Charlie Wynn, her husband Phillip, her mother Sally Ireland and her father Bill Ireland

AnnMarie Poudrier of Chaplin is our latest Ray of Sunshine Award winner. Charlie Wynn's nomination letter said:

I would like to nominate AnnMarie Poudrier for the Ray of Sunshine Award.

AnnMarie Poudrier is a forty-six year old mother of two adopted biracial children, a foster mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was born with spina bifida and has had to undergo surgery seventy-six times.

In spite of these impediments, Annie has grown into a beautiful lady who graduated from Parish Hill High School and has two years at a local community college. Much of Annie's time and energy is devoted to helping coordinate her children's activities in school, sports, scouts, music, drama, and church. She is a longtime active member of the Organizing Committee of the Windham Invitational Special Olympics Swim Meet, volunteers at other Special Olympics activities, Relay for Life, Windham Theater Guild, and four different senior centers as volunteer Bingo caller. In addition, she supports many activities of her sisters, brother-in-laws, and nieces and nephews.

What is truly remarkable about Annie is that she manages to do most of these good deeds while confined to an electric wheelchair.

AnnMarie Poudrier is an excellent role model for all of us.

The Current Ray of Sunshine is AnnMarie Poudrier