Todd Davis graduated from Thornton Academy with the Class of 1981. Giving back to his community was not something he waited to do.
Public Service Award
Linda Valentino is serving her second term in the Maine Senate representing Senate District 31 which includes Hollis, Limington, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and part of Buxton. She is currently on the Appropriations & Financial Services Committee. During her first term, Linda was the Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Right to Know Committee and Maine's Workforce and Economic Future Committee, and was a member of the Transportation Committee.
Linda has served as a tremendous role model, mentor and friend to thousands of young women of Saco, and to her peers in the twirling community. Fifty-One years later, the Saco Jets origination is still alive and strong with Linda (Zello) Ladakakos ‘63 still at the helm. She is honored and humbled to be part of so many of our youths lives over the years and has no plans of retiring anytime soon. Congratulations Linda!
The recipient of the 2012 Public Service Award is Gene R. Libby. Gene graduated from Thornton Academy in 1970 and shortly after graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Kerry Libby. They have four children, Jessica, Katie, Matthew, and Lindsay, all Thornton Academy graduates. On March 7, 1997, Mary lost her battle with a rare form of aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphoma called Burkitt’s Lymphoma. In 1999, Gene and his family founded Mary’s Walk in memory of his late wife. Mary’s Walk is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation that has raised and donated $1.8 million dollars to the Maine Cancer Foundation for Maine-based cancer research and cancer patient support programs. Mary’s Walk celebrated its 14th event this March with a record breaking year.
The Thornton Academy Alumni Association presented its 2009 Public Service Award to Dr. Demitroula Kouzounas ’74. She is a dentist and the eldest daughter of Greek immigrant parents who came to American in search for a better life. Kouzounas has helped to expand programs that provide dental care to some of the most needy in Maine.
