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Serving the Town of Wilton, Connecticut
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aoconnell@wiltonvillager.com
WILTON — Wilton High School will soon receive solar panels for its roof, but to the Wilton resident who is donating the panels, the array is more than a gift, it's a living memorial.
Ron French, president of Solar Works, Inc., is donating a $77,000, 9.6 kilowatt solar electric system to the schools in the name of his wife, Sherry French, who died a year and a half ago of breast cancer. The gift is apt — Sherry French was a strong supporter of renewable energy.
"She beat it into my head for the 28 years we were married," said French. "She was just a really, really strong believer in it."
The gift, which was accepted last month by the board of education, was given to the school on two conditions.
French is asking that the money saved on energy annually by the school as a result of the array is put into a scholarship fund. The $2,500 scholarship will be awarded every year to a science student in the name of Sherry French.
"The savings is targeted towards a scholarship (which will be offered) for 10 years," said Wilton High School principal Timothy Canty.
He is also asking that the school use the solar panels for instructional purposes, incorporating renewable energy into the science curriculum at the high school.
The idea of teens getting excited about renewable energy would have thrilled Sherry French, said her husband.
"The students would be learning about renewable energy, which she would absolutely love," he said.
The gift is from Ron French personally, not from his company, Solar Works, Inc., but French has installed many solar panels on private schools and is pleased to be able to put one on a public schools.
"What I see going in on very expensive private schools... is not quite available to public schools because towns haven't allocated the money to do that," he said. "It's time has come."
The solar array will be installed after the high school installs its new heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, according to Canty.
The system is warranteed for 25 years and is estimated to save the schools $37,500 over that time period.
Science teacher Jim Lucey is expected to work the solar panels into the schools' curriculum.
French is pleased that he can help the school, but even more pleased when he thinks of what his wife would have thought of the project.
"If she thought a child is encouraged by this, she would be happy," he said.
