MANCHESTER — Timothy Devanney, winner of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's Community Achievement Award, told members Wednesday that kindergarten provides important lessons about life.
The president of Highland Park Market said kindergarten teaches lessons such as sharing, and holding hands and sticking together.
``In a civilized society, you have a moral obligation to help others,'' Devanney told a group of about 140 local business people and community leaders at the chamber's annual meeting Wednesday. ``Everybody has an obligation to make this world a little better than when they came in it.''
Devanney is an incorporator of the Savings Bank of Manchester, and is active with the St. James School Foundation, Boy Scouts, the Lutz Children's Museum, and other groups.
Last June, the Manchester Rotary Club presented Devanney with its Paul Harris Award for Community Service, the second time in the club's history that someone outside the organization was given the award.
``Tim Devanney, Highland Park Market, are an institution in Manchester,'' Mayor Stephen T. Cassano said in presenting the award.
The Manchester Highland Park Market was founded in 1886 as a general store. Devanney's father bought the store in the 1950s, and Tim Devanney took over the operation about 15 years ago. Highland Park Market has since expanded with stores in Glastonbury and Farmington.
Devanney told the crowd that he was honored to have been put in the company of business leaders who have won the award before him: Bernie Apter, owner of Regal's Men's Shop; Laurie Prytko, the executive director of MARC Inc.; and Richard Meduski, president of the Savings Bank of Manchester.
Devanney, who was joined by four of his six children, his wife of 22 years, Mary, and his in-laws, said that it would be great if everyone could have warm cookies and milk, take an afternoon nap and clean up their own mess.
``It's still important, when you go out in the world, to hold hands and stick together,'' Devanney said.