The 2012 Branford Festival's Father of the Year committee chose Casey Allen's essay about her father, Steve, as the winner for this year's Father of the Year Essay Contest. Committee chair Traci Knapp said students from schools across Branford submitted entries. Allen has allowed Patch to reprint her essay here.
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There are many fathers in Branford, but I think my dad is the best! He is a hard worker, loving and caring. My dad is such a hard worker. He builds houses.
But he has also had some surgeries along the way. He has had knee surgery and a heart surgery. But he is still alive and well.
My dad is also very loving. He doesn't care about himself. He cares about other people. One time I fell off my bike. We were miles away from home. I scraped both of my knees and he still carried me home.
He is also very caring. Not just to people but to animals too. He has adopted a number of rescue pets.
He is the best dad anyone could have. Any time my mom can't pick me up from an event, he is right there, and early too. When I was little, wheneer I couldn't fall asleep he would always read me Llama, Llama, Red Pajama, then play a song on his guitar, and I would fall right asleep.
He also helps me with school stuff too. He helped me build a guitar out of a broomstick.
I love my dad so much, and he means so much to me. That's why I think my dad deserves the Father of the Year award. Between making my life the best it can be, for always being there, for always cooking my favorite dinner. Also for loving me so much.
He has gotten me everything that I needed. Braces, clothes, food, violin and more. You have dads for a reason, and this is why I don't know what I would do without my dad, because he means so very much to me.
He has also taught me how to play basketball, softball and soccer. He went to every game and cheered me on. If anything needs to be done in the house, count on my dad.
I love my dad and he is the most loving and caring person on the earth.
Steve and Casey Allen will both receive bicycles; Steve's bicycle was donated by Zane's and Casey's by the Branford Community Foundation. Steve will also receive a watch from Branford Jewelers and a complementary haircut from Salon Refuge. The Allen family as a whole will receive a $200 gift certificate from Lenny's Indian Head Inn and a family photo session from Trish Bowen photography.
