Carroll Corbin of Chesterville receives the 2023 Gary A. LaGrange Community Impact Award from United Way Executive Director Kendra Baker. Submitted photo

United Way of the Tri-Valley Area annually seeks nominations for the Gary A. LaGrange Community Impact Award. This award recognizes an individual or couple that goes above and beyond to significantly impact Greater Franklin County through their volunteer efforts.

Carroll Corbin of Chesterville, this year’s award recipient, is a retired Farmington firefighter and a current Chesterville selectman. He received his award at United Way of the Tri-Valley Area’s campaign celebration May 24 at Ayuh Cidah in Farmington.

Corbin’s commitment and passion for the community are evident in his day-to-day actions. He keeps a list of veterans in Chesterville and makes sure they are recognized when they move to town and at local events honoring veterans every year. He also helps execute the Wreaths Across America ceremony at his local cemetery, according to a news release from Nichole Ernest with the United Way chapter.

He has a history of driving community members to appointments, picking up things that require a truck or a trailer, or hauling items like campers and horse trailers. He provided a new three-wheeled bike to a local resident who collects cans and bottles, after the man was hit by a car. They then worked out a system, the man collects trash, Corbin pays him per bag and picks up larger items, and takes it to the transfer station every week.

Corbin helped new friends relocate beehives onto his property. He also leaves his back field to grow so a local farmer can have extra hay to get through the year.

Recently he borrowed equipment to help a single mother tear down, burn and prepare her land for a mobile home, after an uninsured house fire.

He takes in local stray cats and donates to the animal shelter if an animal is taken there from Chesterville.

Lastly, he frequently comes out of retirement to help the town or a friend by operating equipment, driving a dump truck, or plowing the roads when there is no one available to do it.

Corbin loving calls Chesterville “The Best Little Town in America,” and many community members believe it is partly because of him.

He was selected from a field of candidates. Also nominated were Johnny Wakefield of Rangeley; Mike Pond, Heavens Cupboard Food Ministry, Farmington; Kevin Frost, Shining Star, Farmington; and Linda Myhaver of Farmington.

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