Tonight is the big night – the 30th annual Prescott Bush Awards Dinner.  Hundreds of Republicans from all over Connecticut will descend on Stamford for the yearly event, where the Party will honor three long-serving members who have distinguished themselves through their dedication and hard work to the Connecticut Republican Party.

The Fenton P. Futtner Award is given each year to honor the memory of Fenton P. “Pat” Futtner, a former Executive Director at the State Party.  This year, Eric Janney of Stonington will be given the award on behalf of his long service to the Connecticut Republican Party. 

Eric has been at the center of Republican politics in Southeastern Connecticut for more than thirty years.  He served as the Moderator of the Groton Republican Town Meeting, distinguishing himself as the youngest RTM Moderator in Groton history.

He has worked for Republican candidates for State House, State Senate, and U.S. Congress – most recently as the Campaign Chairman for former U.S. Congressman Rob Simmons from 2000 to 2006.

The Frederick K. Kiebel Lifetime Achievement Award is being awarded to Lynn England of Rocky Hill.  Lynn started her activity in politics as a Member of the East Hartford Republican Town Committee – doing everything from bake sales and poll watching to phone banks and door-to-door campaigning.

In 1973, Lynn went to work in the House Clerk’s office as a session employee and retired in 1997 as the Journal Clerk for the House of Representatives.  She served Democratic Speakers James Kennelly, Ernest Abate, Irving Stolberg, Richard Balducci, and Moira Lyons, in addition to the late Republican Speaker R.E. Van Norstrand.

After departing the House, State Party Chairman Chris DePino recruited Lynn to work at the Connecticut Republican Party.  Since that time, she has served five State Party Chairmen – DePino, Herb Shepardson, Bill Hamzy, George Gallo, and Chairman Chris Healy.

The Prescott Bush Award is the highest honor that the Connecticut Republican Party awards to a member of the Party.  This year, the award will be given to Wallace Barnes of Bristol.  Wally was a State Senator from Bristol from 1958 to 1962, and 1966 to 1970.  He was the Republican nominee for the First Congressional District in 1954 and ran for Governor in 1970, losing the primary to future Governor Thomas Meskill.

His wife, Barbara Hackman Franklin, is a former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the 2002 receipient of the Prescott Bush Award.