Congratulations to Newport volunteer, activist, KN poster
(http://tinyurl.com/cpvuw7), and nice guy Dave Wixted for winning a 2009 Newport
Daily News Community Service Award.

Moderator


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Former teacher committed to education, other causes

By James J. Gillis
Daily News staff

NEWPORT — When David Wixted retired from teaching, he decided it was time to put
his philosophy into practice.

"I've always believed that if you live in a democracy, you should be involved in
your community," he said. "That's what I told my students. So for me it was time
to put up and shut up."

Wixted and his wife, Ellen, moved to Newport full time 10 years ago, after
spending a number of summers here. "We'd been coming here for a long time and
just fell in love with the place," he said. "It's a wonderful place to live."

Wixted wasted little time getting involved, jumping into the successful 1999
campaign for a bond issue to renovate and rebuild Thompson Middle School and
serving on the Newport Planning Board, as president of the Rose Island
Lighthouse Foundation and president of the Newport Public Education Foundation
and as a member and former secretary of the Citizens Concerned About Casino
Gambling, among other ventures.

He also volunteers in the Books Open Life's Doors program at Sullivan School,
working one-on-one with youngsters, helping them with reading.

"I had a lot of time, being retired, and I wanted to put it to good use," he
said.

Wixted is one of three winners of the 2009 Newport Daily News Community Service
Award, which will be presented during a banquet on Tuesday, April 21.

FULL STORY:
http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2009/04/08/general_interest/doc49dcbdef\
6b324083250555.prt