Avon Honors Jerry Galant with Community Service Award

It doesn’t take long to realize that lifelong Avon resident, Jerry Galant, isn’t one to talk much about himself. What he prefers doing is – helping others. In fact, one could say that helping others has become the mission of this U.S. Army Vietnam veteran.

On any given day, you’ll likely find Galant in his woodworking shop behind the home he shares with his wife, Judy. The shop is a woodworker’s dream, filled with machinery and all types of lumber, waiting to be transformed into something beautiful, useful – or both. And once he’s completed a project, Galant’s greatest satisfaction often comes from giving it away.

When he’s not crafting in his workshop, Galant is often at the local VFW Post 7035, or visiting fellow veterans, sometime sharing coffee and conversation with those in area care facilities. He’s also a driving force behind maintaining the county’s Blessing Boxes – large wooden structures placed throughout the area, including behind Avon’s police and fire departments. These boxes provide a place for residents to donate food and supplies to those in need, and Galant ensures they stay in good shape year-round.

His dedication extends to the classroom as well. Galant regularly volunteers at Avon schools, teaching students the art of woodworking. Whether it’s birdhouses, feeders, or raised planters for vegetables and flowers, his hands-on guidance has impacted hundreds of young learners. Over the past five years, he’s helped create dozens of garden and pollinator beds at three local schools. At one school alone, he worked with students to build more than 40 birdhouses.

Neely Fisher-Power, a parent involved in the school garden projects, said Galant’s influence has been immeasurable. “Without him, we wouldn’t have what we have,” she said. “Think about all the kids whose lives he’s touched.” She recalled visits to Galant’s’ workshop, where moms and kids learned to build together. “Some of those kids had never touched a power tool before that,” she added. To Fisher-Powell, Galant is happiest when he’s giving to others, a belief shared by many who know him.

Galant recently received a well-deserved recognition: he was selected to participate in 2025’s Purple Heart Project, which brings peace and healing to combat-wounded veterans through traditional hand-tool woodworking. As part of a small group that traveled to Canada, Galant worked alongside master craftsman Rob Cosman. The opportunity was especially fitting, given Galant’s background, years as a carpenter and custom cabinet maker, including running his own business, Avon Cabinet Shop.

Still, he admits to a small regret, the trip fell over Memorial Day, a time he typically spends with his fellow veterans in Avon. His bond with them runs deep, as does his connection to the city where he’s spent nearly all his 75 years – aside from his time in the military.

Galant fondly recalls childhood adventures in the woods near his childhood home, a site now occupied by the entrance ramp to Interstate 90 at Center Road. Today, that former forest is home to The Home Depot in Avon Commons. When the state acquired their house to make way for the freeway, Galant’s family relocated to a tree-lined street where he still lives. While standing in his driveway, he can point to the home across the street where his mother lived for many years.

As a student at Avon High School, Galant played football and ran track. After graduation, he began working for Bob Schmidt Homes as a carpenter, though only briefly, as he was soon drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968. Like thousands of other young men, Galant was sent to Vietnam following Basic Training. He underwent advanced infantry training and was assigned to the Army’s First Infantry Division, “the Big Red One”, stationed 50 miles north of Saigon.

While on patrol, Galant was injured when a fellow soldier stepped on a landmine. Shrapnel tore into his hip and leg, causing life-threatening injuries. He was treated in hospitals in Saigon and Japan before being transferred to a facility in Philadelphia, where he began extensive rehabilitation. Over the years he has undergone multiple surgeries, with another scheduled for this summer. Though he rarely speaks of his pain, Fisher-Powell notes that it is constant. Instead, Galant talks about the soldier who lost his life that day.

About a year after his injury, Galant returned home to Avon. He resumed work at Schmidt, shifting to interior carpentry since climbing ladders was no longer an option. Later, he joined a cabinet company before launching his own business.

Eventually, he was recruited by the city of Avon to serve as a building inspector, later taking on the newly created role of Parks Director, a position that let him share his love of the outdoors with the community.

Although technically retired for the past 20 years, Galant’s version of retirement is anything but restful. He remains deeply involved in community projects, stays connected with family, including two daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and maintains close ties with fellow veterans and the many students and families he has inspired.

Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen summed up Galant’s impact best: “Jerry Galant is truly an extraordinary individual. After all he has endured, his resilience, compassion, and unwavering dedication to others continue to inspire everyone around him. Just a few minutes in Jerry’s presence is enough to lift your spirits. The fact that he still gives so much of himself to his community is a powerful testament to his strength of character and deep sense of service. And I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him without a smile.”