About County Assemblies

Our Mission

The County Assemblies, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity that promotes inter town friendliness and each year holds The County Assembly Charity Ball for high school juniors and The Red and White Charity Ball for high school seniors. The charity donates net proceeds through a grant application process to organizations serving children and teens in need in Fairfield County.

History

The Counties Assemblies, Inc. was founded by Mrs. Willem Schilthuis in 1938 and originated with the planning of a Christmas Dance held at the Red Barn for a group of young people from Westport.

Over the years it has grown into a not-for-profit charity, operated for the benefit of youth in the State of Connecticut, with particular emphasis on youth from Fairfield County, Connecticut. Promoting a sense of inter-town friendliness, Mrs. Schilthuis brought volunteers from the surrounding towns together to run this charity which now includes the towns of Easton, Fairfield, Redding, Weston, Westport and Wilton (the “Member Towns”).

Each year, this group of volunteers organizes two dances: “The Red and White Charity Ball” for high school seniors from the Member Towns, and “The County Assembly Charity Ball” for high school juniors from the Member Towns.

Proceeds from these events, along with any additional donations received during the year, are then allocated to local tax-exempt organizations that benefit children and teens.

In an effort to bring charitable giving to the forefront of young minds, each year there are Student Ambassadors appointed from each town who are given the honor of allocating a portion of the proceeds from the dances to a qualifying organization of their choice located within their respective town. Please see our Grants page for the list of our current recipients.

Board of Directors

Candace Banks
Brandi Briggs
Robin Charron
Jessica Christ
Gretchen Goldstein
Renee Grenier
Francesca Grodin
Natasha Gross

Liz Heyer
Lisa Hill
Shannon Joerchel
Melissa Johnson
Sandra Krenzer
Lynsey McCloskey
Aimee McDonald
Joanna Mitchell

Michele Modugno
Johanna Salvino
Jenelle Scanlon
Deborah Schultz
Elizabeth Smyth
Paula Spremulli
April Worshek
Robert Worshek

If interested in becoming a Board Member, please contact us. We would love to talk with you about The County Assemblies.