Brass Torch 2004-2009

STAYWELL MOVING
StayWell Health Center purchased The Phoenix Professional Plaza earlier this year and will merge the 232 North Elm Street with the existing site at 80 Phoenix Avenue to form one larger North End site. Wednesday, November 15th will be the last day patients will be seen at the 232 North Elm Street site and StayWell will begin moving into their new site on November 16th.

There will be limited services available from November 16th until November 18th during the move and patients who have urgent medical needs are encouraged to call (203) 756-8021. On November 20th, the new North End site located at 80 Phoenix Avenue will be open for all services and appointments. The telephone number for the new North End site will remain (203) 756-8021.

 

STARS FOR BOB
The last thing Bob Veillette did before he suffered a massive stroke in April was give a performance on the piano, something he had done for almost every week for years at Waterbury area venues and events. The stroke left Veillette, 62, an accomplished jazz pianist and longtime managing editor at the Republican-American newspaper, cognizant, but completely paralyzed. With this rare condition, known as “locked-in-syndrome”, he can still see, hear, smell, feel and think, but cannot move and can communicate only with great difficulty using eye movements.
To celebrate his life – and the music he loves – his friends and co-workers have organized a night of musical entertainment featuring an array of top-flight performers. “The Stars Come Out for Bob Veillette” will be held Thursday, November 16, with a 6:30 p.m. reception and performances that begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Mainstage Theater at the Naugatuck Valley Community College, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury.
Michael Barakat, an award-winning baritone who made his debut with the New York City Opera Orchestra, will be one of many performers in ‘The Stars Come Out for Bob Veillette’ on Nov. 16 at NVCC.
The evening will feature performances by several artists, including: Brooke Tansley, who recently became the first Waterbury actress to play a lead on Broadway since Rosalind Russell in 1953 when she appeared as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast.” Tansley will soon be appearing as alongside Hugh Grant in the upcoming feature film “Music & Lyrics By”; Michael Barakat, an award-winning baritone who made his debut with the New York City Opera Orchestra as a featured soloist in its “Showcasing American Composers”; Semina De Laurentis, the artistic director for Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury whose performing credits include the original off-Broadway cast of the musical comedy “Nunsense”; Thirzah Bendokas, a concert cellist who has been a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, as well as virtually every symphony in her native Connecticut. Brooke Tansley, the first Waterbury actress to play a lead on Broadway since Rosalind Russell in 1953, will be one of many performers in ‘The Stars Come Out for Bob Veillette’ on Nov. 16 at NVCC.Additionally, Tom Chute, who has starred in many local and professional stage productions and is a radio personality on WATR-1320 AM, will perform and be master of ceremonies.
   The evening will also feature Carol O’Shaughnessy, a noted Boston cabaret singer and the Bob Mobilio Swing/Jazz septet, led by Mobilio, a noted pianist and vibraharp player. And, because Veillette is a self-taught Shakespeare scholar, Shakesperience Productions, the Waterbury repertory troupe will also perform.
   “It will be a night of good music and good cheer,” said Jonathan Kellogg, who is organizing the event and is executive editor at the Republican-American. “It will be a celebration of the music Bob loves and a chance to recognize the contributions that he’s made to the community by volunteering his talent to countless charitable events over the years.”
   Tickets are $30 and are now on sale. Advanced purchase is encouraged. To buy tickets over the phone, call the Seven Angels Theatre box office at (203) 757-4676. Credit card purchases through Seven Angels will be assessed a $2 surcharge. Tickets may also be purchased in person with cash or a check at the Republican-American newspaper at 389 Meadow St., Waterbury. Tickets will also be available at the door for cash or check. For more information, call (860) 945-3140 or visit www.nvcc.commnet.edu/stars.

PROJECT CELEBRATION
Juan A. Figueroa, president of the statewide non-profit Universal Health Care Foundation of CT will be the keynote speaker at Naugatuck Valley Project’s (NVP) annual meeting November 3. Figueroa will speak on his experience of grassroots organizing as an agent of change.
   “Especially during this political season, we are excited to have someone with Mr. Figueroa’s reputation and experience address our convention. I encourage everyone to come out and learn more about the power of grassroots organizing as it relates to the future of healthcare”, said Bud Behlman, President of NVP.
   The meeting begins at 6 p.m. with registration at First Congressional Church in Waterbury followed by dinner and the meeting. Tickets are: $12 adults; $6 children 7-12; family $30 (children under 6 are free). The public is invited to attend, and childcare is available. Call NVP at 203-574-2410 to register.
   Figueroa, a former adviser to the Clinton Administration of affirmative action, judicial appointments, and Latino public affairs–was general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Educational Fund in New York City, before he assumed the helm of the Universal Health Care Foundation. The Foundation seeks to expand health coverage and serve as a catalyst for changes in health policies and the health care system in Connecticut.

BOYS WELCOME GIRLS
The transition will become official with the unveiling of the new signs at the Club’s 1037 East Main Street location. The ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a celebration cocktail party at the Villa Rosa.
   Robert Generali, the Club’s fourth executive director in the Club’s 118 year history, said “The Club has been servicing girls for a few years but has been unable to make the official change until the facilities were upgraded. Locker rooms and bathrooms had to be renovated to service girls; although programs have supported the servicing of both boys & girls for some time.”
   McGrath said the change is “more than symbolic; besides adopting our new name to align with our national Boys & Girls Clubs organizations to which we belong, the change will allow the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Waterbury to seek funding on a broader scale.”
   The sign unveiling on November 10, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. will include city and state officials, board members, Club members, Club alumni and families of our members. For tickets or information regarding this historic event please contact Robert Generali at 203-756-8111.

NVCC CHOIR HONORS VETS
The Naugatuck Valley Community College Choir will celebrate the contributions of our soldiers and veterans in “Comfort and Strength,” a performance Saturday, Nov. 4, in Waterbury.The performance begins at 8 p.m. in Saints Peter & Paul Church, 67 Southmayd Road, Waterbury. Admission is free, but a suggested $10 donation will be accepted at the door to help support NVCC music programs. A baroque orchestra will accompany the choir and the program will feature “Chandos Anthem, As Longs the Hart for Flowing Streams” by George Frideric Handel, as well as “Cantata 80, Ein Feste Burg” by Johann Sebastian Bach.
   “As Longs the Hart for Flowing Streams” was one of Handel’s lifelong favorites and he re-used the themes and movements in other works. Bach’s “Cantata 80” has a long history of use in military, political and theological arenas. Members of the NVCC Choir include both music students, as well as highly talented local residents who make music an integral part of their lives. As a result, choir members range in age from 18 to 70.

MATTATUCK GALA
This year the Mattatuck Museum will wrap up its annual Festival of Trees finale with a spectacular Gala to be Held on Friday December 1.
   This year’s theme “Silver Bells in the City” will pay homage to the sights and sounds of glamorous Hollywood and our favorite holiday movie classics of the 1940’s and 1950’s. During the evening guests will be transported back to a time of nostalgia, sophistication & celebration. The Harold Zinno Band will kick off the evening festivities, along with a various roster of surprise entertainment which will further enhance the splendor of the gala. A neutral palette of black white and silver, popular during this time period will grace our dining hall as our guests feast on an “Oscar Winning” dinner by Bay leaf gourmet. A silent auction, fit for Hollywood royalty, will commence throughout the evening. Guests are encouraged to join in the fun by donning their most luxurious holiday finery! This interactive event will be THE gala of the year to attend. For more information and reservations, please call  The Mattatuck Museum at 203-753-0381 ext. 10

STUDENT NEWS
Babson College announces the following local residents qualified for he spring semester Dean’s List, which recognizes outstanding student scholarship; Navjot Kaura, of Naugatuck and Marci McCormack of Wolcott.
   The following students earned a degree from the University of West Haven; Michael Guisto of Waterbury in Fire Science, Stacey Kee of Waterbury in Psychology, Visar Marku of Waterbury in Criminal Justice, and Jonathan Perez of Waterbury in Management of Sports Industry.

MISS WATERBURY
The Miss American Organization is the lead provider of scholarships for young women in the world. Each year, the organization makes available more than $40 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance.  The winner of Miss Waterbury’s Outstanding Junior and Teen Pageant will receive a crown, sash, trophy, gift certificates and prizes. She will also appear with Miss Waterbury on appearances throughout the state.
   For more information call 860-274-5996 or visit www.misswaterbury.org
FLU SHOTS
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) again this year will offer flu shots to people who have any of more than 40 neuromuscular diseases the Association covers in its research and services programs.
   MDA has provided tens of thousands of flu shots nationwide for decades. In Connecticut, MDA has 3 clinics, including the University of Connecticut Health Center, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and the Yale School of Medicine where shots may be obtained.
   Influenza is a much greater risk for people whose progressive neuromuscular disease damages muscles associated with lung function. Flu is particularly hazardous for those with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
   For more information about how to obtain a flu shot for someone with a neuromuscular disease, call the MDA office at 203-777-1273 or visit www.mda.org

MASSAGE AT THE DENTIST
Dr. Perry Kest and Trish Eastwood have teamed up to create a win win situation for everyone involved at Dental Office of Dr. Kest and Dr. Gallo in The Commons on Main St. South in Southbury.
   When patients walk into the reception area, after being checked in, they are greeted by licensed massage therapist Trish Eastwood. With an ergonomically designed massage chair by her side and a big smile on her face, Trish offers patients a complementary  neck, back and shoulder massage, compliments of Dr. Perry Kest. Patients are pleasantly surprised to realize they will be fully relaxed and smiling before their appointment, having had a wonderful unexpected massage. For more information call 203-264-0371.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Mattatuck Museum of Arts & History Center is making preparations for the 16th Annual Festival of Trees and Traditions. This year’s theme will be Main Street USA! The entire museum will be elaborately decorated with festive displays, decorated trees and wreaths, the Webster Bank Train Depot and more! The Festival will be open on Friday, November 24 and will run though Saturday, December 3.
   Volunteers are needed to help “deck the galleries” and to decorate a wreath, tree or gift box. School classes, teachers, community groups and businesses are invited to submit an entry to the Festival and consider it a wonderful way to give back to the community and share in the holiday spirit of giving. Proceeds go to support community and educational programs at the museum.
   Anyone wishing to decorate a tree, wreath or gift box may call the museum for a Festival Contract, or download one of the museum’s website at www.MattatuckMuseum.org. Volunteers are encouraged to use the theme “Main Street USA” and the colors of blue, red and silver.

DEER ACCIDENTS
Each year, car collisions with deer account for more than 150 human and nearly one and a half million deer fatalities. October-December is the high season for the crashes, since it is a time for both wandering deer and shortened daylight hours.

NVCC AUCTION
The Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation is launching its second annual online auction on Monday, Nov. 6, to raise money for student labs and tutoring.
   The auction will feature items like tickets to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, and a luxurious $1,500 spa weekend at Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield, N.H.
  “State funding covers only about 50 percent of the basic costs associated with Connecticut community colleges,” said Audrey Thompson, associate dean of resource development at NVCC. “As a result, private donations, tuition and grants help pay for basic instruction and services, like student labs and tutoring.”
  The auction is open now for browsing, and bids can be made from Nov. 6 through Dec. 15, allowing for holiday gift purchases. Additional items will be posted daily over the next four weeks.
   So far, more than 120 items have been donated by local businesses, supporters and celebrities. In addition to trips, jewelry, dining, celebrity and sports memorabilia, the auction includes things like golf foursomes to area country clubs, and a limited edition Walt Disney serigraph cell of “Pinocchio” from Barker Specialty Co. Other items include:
   An original script from the “Attack of the Killer Aunt” episode of the “Newhart Show,” autographed by Bob Newhart; A $200 gift certificate for any ticket purchase during the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra’s 2006-07 season; A 14-karat gold necklace and earrings featuring freshwater coin pearls and genuine peridot gemstone donated by Onyx II Fine Jewelers, valued at more than $500; Autographed photos of celebrities like golfer Arnold Palmer, country music legend Charlie Daniels, funny man Dom DeLuise, singer Neil Diamond, actress Elizabeth Taylor and actor John Travolta.
  Registration and a credit card are required in order to bid in the auction. Early registration is encouraged. To register, or to see what’s available to bid on, click on the “Online Auction” button at www.nvcc.commnet.edu. For information, or to donate an item, call (203) 575-8045.
  The NVCC Foundation raises money throughout the year to help pay for labs and tutoring, scholarships, new program initiatives and enhanced instructional materials and equipment.
   An adult deer can weigh more than 200 pounds and a car striking one can not only result in the death of the deer, but also incure, on average, two thousand dollars in damage to the vehicle.
   There are many things that can be done to reduce your chances of striking a deer. Scan a wide swath of the roadside, slow down when approaching a deer standing near the side of a road and be prepared. Be alert for more deer than you may see at the moment, there are often nearby. In many cases its best not so try to swerve around it because the deer may move in the same direction. Be particularly careful at dawn and dusk and when driving either over a hill or around a curve where visibility is limited. Also, deer whistles or ultrasonic deer avoidance systems attached to vehicles have never been proven to work by independent studies and may give drivers a false sense of security.

STOP IMMEDIATELY
(The Observer recieved this e-mail the other day)
Have you noticed that stairs are getting steeper.  Groceries are heavier. And, everything is farther away. Yesterday I walked to the corner and I was dumbfounded to discover how long our street had become!
And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones. They speak in whispers all the time!  If you ask them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they’re red in the face!  What do they think I am, a lip reader?
I also think they are much younger than I was at the same age.  On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am.  I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn’t even recognize me.
I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning, and in doing so, I glanced at my own reflection………well, REALLY NOW – even mirrors are not made the way they used to be!
Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days!  You’re risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them.  All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.
Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days.  Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20?  Do they think no one notices?
The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank.  Do they think I actually “believe” the number I see on that dial?  HA!  I would never let myself weigh that much!  Just who do these people think they’re fooling?
I’d like to call up someone in authority to report what’s going on — but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too: they’ve printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there!
All I can do is pass along this warning: WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! Unless something drastic happens, pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these awful indignities. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN  GET THIS CONSPIRACY STOPPED!

HOUSING COST RISE
Waterbury area residents are increasingly burdened by rising housing costs, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost 35% of Connecticut homeowners are seeing 30% or more of their incomes eaten up by rising housing costs according to the report released today. Connecticut renters are hit even worse with close to 45% dedicating 30% or more of their incomes to pay the rent.  
  Communities United to Strengthen America, a middle-class advocacy group with offices in Waterbury called on Rep. Nancy Johnson to relieve the housing squeeze on the middle-class by passing a middle-class agenda that would give tax relief to working families, such as a $1,500 first-time homebuyer’s tax credit and doubling of the tax credit for child care costs. Congress should also enact proposals that crack down on predatory lending schemes and provide relief to sourcing health care costs.
   “Homeownership is part of the American dream and it is a dream that is becoming harder and harder to obtain.” said Desiree Tunstall, director of the Waterbury Resource Center. “Rising housing costs and low wages are making homeownership impossible for many Waterbury families. Congress needs to work to implement a tax-credit for first time homebuyers to make homeownership more attainable for the middle class.”
   Ms. Tunstall called on Rep. Johnson to follow Communities United’s “Middle-Class Agenda,” which includes a $1,500 credit for first-time homebuyers, a doubling of the child care tax credit, and provisions to control soaring health care costs.
   The “Middle-Class Agenda,” released last week by Communities United, is a seven-point plan for how Congress can stop the middle-class squeeze. Congress ended its session last weekend without addressing any of these issues. The full seven-point plan is available online at: www.communities-united.org/middleclassagenda

COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR
St. Michael Church in Waterbury will be holding a Community Health Fair on Saturday, November 11th from 10am until 2pm in the church hall. This is a first time event for the parish, and there will be lots to offer, with NO admission fee. Parking is free and a door prize will be given.
  Visitors can have various health screenings, including free vison screenings provided by the Waterbury Lion’s Club,and blood pressure screenings provided by the Waterbury VNA.  Flu shots will also be available, as will cholesteral and glucose screenings. Informational booths will include Heart Center of Greater Waterbury,St. Mary’s Wound Healing Center, Kidney Foundation of Connecticut, Waterbury Hospital Emergency Services,  Breast Center from Southbury, REACT physical Therapy, Dr. Jim Albino chiropractor, podiatrist Dr. Mullen, Campion Ambulance, Laura Castrione, physical therapist,  and more.
Several health professionals will give have short discussions on interesting topics, such as importance of recognition of heart attack/stoke symptoms and diabetic wound care.
   The church is located on 62 St. Michael’s Drive, off Bucks Hill Road in Waterbury.
For info, call Charlotte Scaviola  203 758-5711

BIG CHANGE
Children’s Community School and Wendell Cross Elementary School in Waterbury to Collect Pennies for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. A little change can make a big change. That’s the lesson students at Children’s Community School and Wendell Cross Elementary School in Waterbury will study beginning October 23 when they participate in Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts’ six-week “Pennies for Change” program.  Students will be asked to bring pennies (and other spare change) to school to help RMHC in its mission to help children lead happier, healthier, more productive lives. Students who participated in the “Pennies for Change” program over the past two years raised more than $13,000.
   Over the years RMHC of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts has awarded grants to many organizations, including schools and PTAs for various projects from literacy programs to computer labs to school playgrounds. Since kids are so good at helping other kids, RMHC of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts asked elementary schools throughout the area to participate in a penny drive. Now, thousands of students will see how just a few cents can add up and make a difference in other children’s lives. 
   For more information about RMHC and/or “Pennies for Change,” visit rmhc.mcconnecticut.com or call (860) 659-0514.

WATERBURY SYMPHONY
The 69th Season of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra continues on November 19th , with a 3:00 PM concert at the Naugatuck Valley Community College Fine Arts Center . The concert is a tribute to Beethoven, and features Filipina Pianist Cecile Licad performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 during the first half of the concert. The second half feature’s Beethoven’s Third Symphony, known as the Eroica symphony.
   Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 highlights the dramatic and emotional abilities that Ms. Licad has shown to audiences around the world. The Washington Post stated, “With a singing tone as exquisite as her appearance, she combines the poetry of a Myra Hess with the easy power of a Gina Bachauer.”
   The acclaim that Ms. Licad has received began at an early age, with the honor of being one of the youngest musicians to receive the prestigious Leventritt Gold Metal in 1981 at the age of 20. Since that time Ms. Licad has received numerous other awards and recognitions throughout the world.
   The second half of the concert features the heroic Symphony No. 3 by Beethoven. Known as the Eroica symphony, the grandiose piece will provide a great opportunity for the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra to highlight the technical and passionate playing that they are known for.
   A glimpse of the popularity of Ms. Licad can be seen with the free public piano recital that she will be performing in on Friday, November 17th . The recital is taking place in Walker Hall at the Taft School in Watertown and the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra has already given out all of the tickets for the show.  So, be sure to get your tickets fast for the concert!
  Ticket prices are $40, $30, $15 and $5 for students, and can be purchased by calling the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra office at 203-574-4283 or on their website: www.waterburysymphony.org .

BREAST CANCER NEWS
Many of the more than 2 million U.S. women who have been treated for breast cancer and many of the 2,600 Connecticut women who are expected to be diagnosed with the disease this year assume that their diagnosis immediately makes them ineligible for insurance coverage, such as life insurance or disability income insurance, leaving them and their loved ones potentially exposed.
  In fact, due to the positive long-term survival benefits of early detection and new treatments, women can qualify for coverage, an important fact that they – and even women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer — should know in order to take steps now to protect themselves and their families from potential future unnecessary hardship.    
   Fact: Breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today. Tip: Due to increased incidence and improved detection techniques, the chances are increasing that more women will be diagnosed with this disease some time in their lives, making better financial preparedness extremely important to both them and their loved ones.
   Fact: Since 1990, the death rate from breast cancer in women has decreased. Not only are women living longer after diagnosis of breast cancer, but also are leading active, productive lives. Tip: Because detection and treatment have improved, it’s more important than ever for women to consider disability income insurance to replace a portion of lost income due to absences from work related to treatment and recovery.
  Fact: Some insurance companies regularly review and update their underwriting guidelines due to advances in detection and treatment of breast cancer. Tip: Changes in eligibility mean breast cancer survivors may qualify for life insurance, and for many, it is less expensive than before. Make sure your insurance carrier’s underwriting guidelines are current.
  Fact: More than 40,000 women died in 2005 from breast cancer. While treatment improves and survivability increases, breast cancer is still the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Tip: Life insurance is one important way that women can protect their family and loved ones from the impact of future unforeseen life events, such as premature death from breast cancer.
   Fact: Women carry only half the amount of life insurance coverage that men carry and are generally underinsured. Tip: It’s important for women to periodically review their financial plans to determine if they need insurance, what kinds they need, and how much they should purchase. Although breast cancer survivors can qualify for insurance coverage, the ideal time to apply is before any health complications occur.

CANCER TIPS
1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
   Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.
   Diox in chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.
   He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
   Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and h eated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
   Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

SUGAR PLUM TEA
Donna Bonasera, ArtisticDirector, invites children from all over the region to join Connecticut DanceTheatre’s 10th annual Sugar Plum Tea Party.  This fundraising event will take place on Sunday, November 19, 2006 from 1-4 p.m. at CDT studios, 523 Main Street,Watertown, CT 06795.   Kicking off the holiday season, theSugar Plum Tea Party will include children’s crafts and face painting, a Nutcracker boutique to purchase all favorite Nutcracker gifts, raffle prizes,and a special appearance by the Sugar Plum Fairy partnered with SantaClaus.  Visit the Lands of the Sweets and enjoy pastry treats from different Countries such as, Spain, Arabia, Russia, and China.  Tickets are $10.00.  Reservations are required.  For more information and reservations callCDT Studio’s at 860.274.0004. CDT is a non-profit artsorganization dedicated to high caliber dance training and professional levelperformances.  CDT is committed tobringing a Love of Dance to the People of Connecticut.   
LOWRY PROMOTED
Lisa Lowry, above,  has been promoted to the assistant general manager of Skye Cable XIII. Lisa has been an employee of the cable access station for 15 years, the last 8 as production manager and educational access manager. A native of Prospect Lisa graduated from Holy Cross High School and then graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a BA in communications/mass media. As the producer of Skye’s annual election coverage her keen organizational skills and outgoing personality help make the evening special for everyone passing through the studio
NVCC EXPANDING
Naugatuck Valley Community College held a ceremonial groundbreaking Nov. 2, to celebrate the beginning of construction of its $31.4 million Technology Building, the first new building on campus in 17 years.
   In addition to NVCC President Richard L Sanders,speakers included James T. Fleming, commissioner of the state Department of Public Works; state senators Louis C. DeLuca and Joan V. Hartley; Waterbury Mayor Michael J. Jarjura; Louise S. Berry, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the state community college system; and Marc S. Herzog, chancellor of the state community college system.
   The three-story, 100,000-square-foot Technology Building will be located on the eastern half of NVCC’s 110-acre campus next to Ekstrom Hall. Work began on the site earlier this year with the demolition of seven temporary modular structures called the “Terrace” buildings, which were erected as a stopgap measure in 1972 in anticipation of a building similar to the Technology Building being approved for construction at that time. However, budget concerns and other issues forced NVCC to continue using the temporary buildings for 34 years.
  The new Technology Building will allow NVCC to consolidate all of its technology-focused curriculums on campus and under one roof. It will be home to several programs, including automotive technology, engineering technology, hospitality management and horticulture. Due to space constraints on campus, the college has been leasing off-campus space on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury to house its automotive technology program.
  When it is completed in February 2008, the new Technology Building will contain 10 computer classrooms, four computer-aided design laboratories, a number of engineering technology laboratories, 10 general classrooms, an automotive technology center, kitchen and dining facilities for NVCC’s hospitality management program, and a freestanding greenhouse laboratory for its horticulture program.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Waterbury has broken ground for a three bedroom ranch style home on Waterville Street in Waterbury. The home is suitable for a family of three to six members with an income between $25,908 and $49,382.
Request forms for applications are available at local merchants, banks and other community sites throughout the eleven community area of Greater Waterbury. Applications can be requested also by calling the Waterbury Habitat office at 203-596-0014, and by email at www.waterburyhabitat.org. Applications must be completed and returned by November 16 to: HFHGW, PO Box 1881, Waterbury, CT 06722.
Successful applicants must be willing to provide “sweat equity” hours by participating in the actual construction of their home. 
Register now for the NEBA 06/07 winter hitting league at New England Baseball Academy. Open to ages six to high school age. 6-8 Rookie Division, 8-12 Little League Division, and 13 and up Woodbat division. League begins in November and runs through the end of February. Teams consist of 4 players. Weeknight play for 6-12 year old teams and Sunday afternoon play for woodbat teams. Registration forms available at www.newenglandbaseball.com or call 203-881-9096. In other news, Dana Cavalea will visit the academy in an effort to educate youth and collegiate baseball players and coaches nationwide on the advances of Strength and Conditioning for baseball players. This clinic is best suited for athletes age 13 and up.
   Athletes, parents and coaches who participate can expect a high energy evening that will be extremely comprehensive, both from an educational and practical standpoint. Each attendee will have a chance to ask questions and most importantly participate in the same protocols used in the major league level.
   Cost will be $50.00 per person and is limited to 30 participants. For more information call 203-881-9096 or visit www.newenglandbaseball.com
WATERTOWN BAZAAR
On Friday, November 3 their annual fall roast beef supper will be served in two settings, the first at 5:15 p.m., and the second at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 10 years of age. Reservations are required and may be obtained by calling the church office at 860-274-3785. Take-out orders will also be available by phone reservation, and the pick up time will be at 6:30 p.m.
Open hours for the Bazaar-A-Rama are 6:00-8:00 pm on Friday, November 3 and 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, November 4. Luncheon will be available starting at 12 noon on Saturday in Fellowship Hall of the church.
Starting on Friday evening, the upstairs assembly hall will be filled with tables displaying a large variety of gifts and handmade items. Jewelry, baked goods, candy, wood items, stuffed toys, flowers and wreaths, as well as a very special boutique booth will vie for attention. A table with attic treasures proved to be popular last year and is being repeated.   Plenty of parking is available at the rear of the church and parsonage at 305 Main Street, at the intersection of Routes 6 and 63. The church is handicap accessible, and there is an elevator to the second floor. For additional information call 860-274-3785.
ALZHEIMER’S OPEN HOUSE
The new headquarters of the Alzheimer’s Association, CT Chapter will be open to the public on Wednesday, November 15, and Thursday, November 16, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm both days.   The Association is located at 279 New Britain Road In Kennsington. Directions can be obtained by calling our toll free number 866-363-6679 or 860-828-2828 or visiting our web site, www.alzct.org.
   Staff will be available to answer questions on our core services – information and referral, care consultation, educational programs, safe return, and support services.  These services are free to the public.  Visitors can learn about signs of Alzheimer’s disease, how to help your loved one, safety tips, respite care, research initiatives, and a variety of other topics. Brochures are available free on many important subjects.
     November is National Alzheimer’s Month.  Please join us for an important learning experience.  Enroll a loved one in our national Safe Return program for those who wander, become lost, and with our help are returned safely.  Learn how your organization can book Alzheimer’s staff to speak at meetings and present lunch and learn programs at their workplaces.  We look forward to greeting you!!

FOR BOB
Bob Veillette, the longtime managing editor of the Republican-American newspaper in Waterbury, suffered a massive stroke in April that left him cognizant, but completely paralyzed. With this rare condition, known as “locked-in syndrome,” Bob can still see, hear, smell, feel and think, but cannot move and can communicate only with great difficulty using eye movements. Just 25,000 people worldwide suffer from this condition. Because Bob, 62, a Naugatuck resident, was a distance runner who participated in many road races, his co-workers are holding “The Bob Veillette 5K Road Race and Family Halloween Costume Walk” on Sunday, Oct.  22. Proceeds will be used to help cover Bob’s medical expenses, which run into the thousands each week.
   The event will be held rain or shine. It begins in Waterbury’s Library Park at Grand and Meadow streets and will use downtown streets. Registration begins at noon. The road race begins at 1:30 p.m. The costume walk begins at 2:30 p.m. Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.
    Pre-registration is encouraged. The first 300 people to register will receive a T-shirt and goody bag. Prizes, trophies and medals will be awarded to the top finishers in the 5K (3.1-mile) road race. Candy from Peter Paul-Hershey in Naugatuck will be provided to everyone who participates in the one-mile Halloween Costume Walk.
    Bob worked at the Republican-American for more than 40 years as a reporter, city editor, and managing editor. In addition to being a respected journalist, he is a veteran and is well known in Greater Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley as an accomplished pianist, performing for numerous charitable causes.
   For information on “The Bob Veillette 5K Road Race and Family Halloween Costume Walk,” or to register or volunteer, visit www.Bob5K.com, call (203) 574-3636, ext. 1416, or send an e-mail to bobroadrace@yahoo.com.
   For those who wish to contribute to this cause, but are unable to participate in the event, donations may be made to “The Locked In 5K Road Race,” 389 Meadow Street, Waterbury, CT 06722.

PALACE MARQUEE
The Palace Theater’s long awaited marquee is set to be installed during the last week of October and will be revealed at an official unveiling ceremony event, November 10 at 7:00pm.
   Dubbed Marquee Moments, the event will celebrate the unveiling of the Palace Theater’s new state-of-the-art marquee fully equipped with 2 large LED message boards, large block lettering and  in a style reminiscent of the grand interior of the Palace.
   In addition to the ceremonial unveiling, an official lighting of the marquee will take place and its technical capabilities will be featured as contest winners share their own Palace Theater “Marquee Moments”, (those “headline” moments in their life that happened at the Palace Theater, such as becoming engaged, first date, etc.) via video broadcast on the LED message boards, much like the famous marquee in Times Square. “The Marquee is an iconic element for the theater much as people’s personal Palace stories represent important moments in their lives that the theater played a role in”, said Frank Tavera, executive director of the theater.
   Immediately following the unveiling ceremony, guests will celebrate good times and some of the most memorable music of the past four decades via a musical reunion concert on the historic Palace stage. Featuring some of greater Waterbury’s most talented musicians, memories and nostalgia will reign. From the popular local bands Stonehenge (70’s soft rock with deep local roots, to the musical memories evoked  from the  vocal stylings of local entertainers, Cathy Bochicchio, and Tom Chute: and the smooth jazz of Marty Q’s sax,  the genres of  Big Band, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, will be well represented.  This moment in time will be an evening to remember –re-uniting old friends and celebrating the Palace’s historic past, while creating new marquee moments to savor for the future.
   The concert is a fundraiser for the Palace and was the brainchild of Bochicchio, who is producing the stage show. She gathered together some of her local musician pals that she’s performed with over the last several decades who were willing to perform without their usual compensation. Bochicchio stated, “I had a dream to perform a show on the Palace stage with some of this area’s most talented musicians as a fundraiser for this beautiful theater. Now it’s coming true and I am thrilled!”
   The Marquee unveiling is free and open to the public. Tickets to the concert are $25 and can be ordered by calling the box office at 203.755-4700 or on-line at www.palacetheaterct.org.
   As part of demonstrating the capabilities of the new state-of-the-art marquee fully equipped with 2 large LED message boards, the theater is holding a contest dubbed “Marquee Moments”. They are looking for people’s recollections of their personal “headline” moments in their life that happened at the Palace Theater, such as becoming engaged, first date, kiss, first rock concert attended, meeting a celebrity, etc. Five to ten entries will be picked to be videotaped for inclusion on the marquee display, during the unveiling event. To enter  simply write in 50 words or less your “headline moment  that happened at the Palace. Send entries to: Sheree Marcucci, Palace Theater, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702 or e-mail to: marcucci@palacetheaterct.org.
TRAINING PROVIDED
The Marrakech. Inc. Academy for Human Services Training is offering a FREE 12-week training program to area residents. This unique training program combines both classroom and internship based training, prepares individuals to work with people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. The ultimate program goal is to place graduates in full time employment within the human service field. Area residents that are unemployed, under employed, out-of-school youth (18-21), and in need of job training are strongly encourage to apply. Interested candidates should call 203-754-5298 for more information.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The American Lung Association of Connecticut needs volunteers to help answer calls on the Flu Hotline during the months of October, November and early December. The Flu Hotline will operate at the lung association’s office at 45 Ash St., East Hartford between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
   Hotline volunteers answer statewide toll free number and give information to callers about where flu and pneumonia shots are available in their communities. Training will be provided. The shifts are either 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
   To sign up or to get more information, please call the American Lung Association of Connecticut at 1-800-LUNG-USA or www.alact.org.

NEIGHBORHOOD AWARDS DINNER
The Waterbury Neighborhood Council will be holding its 7th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, November 2nd at the Villa Rosa (Ponti Club).  There will be a cash bar from 6:00pm to 7:00pm with dinner starting at 7:00pm.  Price per person is $45.00.  For tickets please call Michael Ptak at 754-9311; Antoinette D’Almedia at 755-6924 or any of the neighborhood associations presidents.
   These awards are give to individuals who give their time and talents to make Waterbury a better place to live.  Some are paid and others are strictly volunteers. but all have one thing in common and that is their pride in the City of Waterbury.  We have all seen Waterbury take its hit in disasters; both from nature, such as the Flood of 1955 and through man made disaster such as corruption scandals.  The people of Waterbury have “taken their lickings but kept on ticking” because of individuals such as the ones we honor this year.  This year the Council is honored to award the following individuals for their work within the community:
   This year’s Person of the Year will be Mr. Carl Rosa.  Mr. Rosa heads the Main Street Waterbury program which has been very effective in bringing to light the needs of the downtown merchants and developing programs to help revitalize the downtown district.  He writes a monthly article for the Waterbury Observer to help keep the public aware of what Main Street is doing and what plans are being developed for the future.  He also lists the ten most littered properties in the downtown area.  He works with the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce and with the WDC to help promote Waterbury to potential investors.
   This year’s Legislative award is being presented to Mr. Reggie Beamon who is retiring from serving his district and city for twenty years in the State Legislature.  Mr. Beamon has been very instrumental in bringing funding that was needed into his district and working with the other members of the state delegation to provide a strong and united voice in promoting the city’s needs at the state level.  He has always been there for the constituents of his District.
   This year’s Education award is being given to Ms. Robyn Apicella, Principal of Wilby High School.  In 2002, Ms. Apicella took over as principal of Wilby High School, which was in danger of losing its accreditation after failing in seven out of seven categories following a NEASC inspection of the school.  In the past four years, Ms. Apicella and her staff have turned the school around and is now fully accredited with NEASC and has been acknowledged by Fordham University as one of the most changed urban schools in the country.  The strides made at Wilby High school with her dedication and that of her staff make her very worthy of this award.
   The Council is also pleased to award one of its City Service awards to Edith Reynolds and her husband Dan Gaeta.  Edith and Dan are the owners of the John Bale Book Company located on Grand Street.  They are very active in the Main Street Program and have helped organize various events for the children and adults to help show the positive side of downtown Waterbury.  John Bale Book has over 20,000 volumes of books on their shelves and more that 60,000 through their online service.
   Another City Award honoree is Nancy Stokes.  Nancy was very instrumental in getting the Main Street Waterbury Program organized and getting the body overseeing the selection process to see the benefits of having the program in Waterbury.  Nancy has also volunteered her time to various other projects in the City of Waterbury.  She has spent countless hours promoting the many positive things that have happened in the city.
   Finally, the last City Service award is being given to Mr. John Sarlo for his many years of service to the City of Waterbury.  John has served as a member of the Board of Aldermen; attended many of the neighborhood groups meeting to see what was important to the members.  He also serves on the Veterans Committee and can be seen at all of their events and many others in the city taking pictures to commemorate the events. 

CHOSING MERCY
The University of Connecticut Litchfield County Writers Project will host the controversial writer Antoinette Bosco on October 18 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM.  As part of the Writers Project’s fall lecture series “Writers of Litchfield County: Nonfiction and Memoir,” Bosco will discuss her book Choosing Mercy: A Mother of Murder Victims Pleads to End the Death Penalty . The event will take place in the Francis W. Hogan Lecture Hall within the M. Adela Eads Classroom at the University of Connecticut Torrington Campus . The event is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing will follow.
  Antoinette Bosco’s son and daughter-in-law were murdered in 1993 yet, in time, her grief transformed into forgiveness.  Widely known as the leading proponent against the death penalty, she has forgiven her son’s killer and, for over a decade, visited regional prisons to speak to inmates about the consequences of action and the personal fight against recidivism.  As a syndicated columnist with the national Catholic News Service for years, Bosco has penned over 200 magazine articles and several thousand newspaper stories, mostly on the subject of capital punishment.   
   Antoinette Bosco was honored with the Wisdom Award sponsored by the Wisdom House retreat and conference center in Litchfield , CT for her contribution to the community.  A Brookfield resident, Bosco was Executive Editor at The Litchfield County Times from 1982 to 1995.  When she last spoke at UConn Torrington, Bosco described the murder of her son and daughter-in-law to an English class. Her initial reaction was retribution, but Bosco remarked in an article in The Register Citizen that “In this country of ours we nurture violence and to me the death penalty is another form of violence.  I’d rather have a society where we have punishment, not vengeance and where we don’t kill.”
    “ Choosing Mercy is a book that I regard as one at the intersection of the memoir genre and nonfiction, specifically current affairs, dealing with the issue of capital punishment,” says Litchfield County Writers Project Director and Lecturer Davyne Verstandig.  “I am both honored and delighted to welcome back to the UConn Torrington Campus Toni Bosco, a long time member of the advisory board of the LCWP .
   Recipient of the Walter Everett Humanitarian Award for her work in the advancement of human rights, prize-winning journalist Antoinette Bosco has authored over a dozen books.  She holds an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the College of St. Rose in Albany, where she received her Bachelor degree.  She was also awarded the college’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  Bosco is a member of several human rights groups, including Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty.  

BALDRIGE AWARDS
Chuck Kellogg of Hubbard-Hall was named the 2006 recipient of the Waterbury Regional Chamber’s Malcolm Baldrige Community Award, the Chamber’s prestigious award for contributions made in the area of economic development.
   Since 1995, the Malcolm Baldrige Community Award, named for the former chairman and CEO of Scovill, Inc., has been presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to enhancing the overall economic growth of the greater Waterbury region, creating new employment opportunities, and playing a role in initiating or developing new business within the region.     
   Chairman and CFO of Hubbard-Hall, a distributor of industrial chemicals and manufacturer of specialty products for the metals finishing industry, Kellogg first joined the 150-year-old family-run business in 1957. He was elected vice president of the company in 1964 advancing two years later to company president. At that time he also assumed the role of Director of the Connrex Corporation, the parent company of Hubbard-Hall until 1971 when the subsidiary reestablished its owner-management structure through a leveraged buyout.  Once incorporated Kellogg was named president, treasurer, director and CEO of Hubbard-Hall, Inc.  In 1991 he was appointed Chairman of the corporation and in 1999 he took over as CFO while continuing as Chairman and treasurer.
   Current community activities for Kellogg include participation on the Waterbury Financial Planning and Assistance Board; co-chairmanship of the Leavenworth Society, United Way; mentoring at the Driggs School in Waterbury and serving as Treasurer for Northeast Chemical Distributors Council since 1976. He additionally serves on the boards of Community in Schools, the Waterbury Regional Chamber and the Connecticut Junior Republic. Among his former affiliations, Kellogg has served as director of the National Association of Chemical Distributors; Century Brass Products, Inc.; American Bank, Waterbury; New Opportunities for Waterbury ; United Cerebral Palsy and many other organizations.  In 1996 he received the Distributor of the Year Award from the National Association of Chemical Distributors and was recipient of the Metal Finishing Suppliers Association’s Munning Award in 1974.
   Richard O’Brien is being honored for the Leadership Award in recognition of his assiduousness and unfailing commitment to the Chamber while serving as its First Vice Chair, a position he’s held since 2004 and since he stepped up as Acting Chair throughout much of 2005.  A graduate of the first class of Leadership Greater Waterbury, O’Brien additionally serves on the Boards of the Waterbury Development Corporation, Central Connecticut Chambers and Central Connecticut Revolving Loan Fund. He is a Corporator at Bristol Hospital and the YMCA of New Britain.
   Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at Webster Bank, National Association, where he has managed a commercial loan group for the past 12 years, O’Brien’s primary responsibility has been serving the banking needs of businesses located from Hartford to Danbury along I-84; and Winsted to Seymour , along Route 8. O’Brien started his career as a management trainee with Hartford National Bank, successors of which were Connecticut National Bank and Shawmut National Bank.
   Volunteer Award recipient Robin Sills joined the management staff of Naugatuck Valley Radiology Associates in 2003. Her responsibilities include patient care services and marketing coordination. She provides community outreach programs including symposiums and support groups in collaboration with various area agencies.
   Sills has been a volunteer for the American Cancer Society since 1989 and currently serves the Greater Waterbury Unit Council President. She also serves on various committees with The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center including the Annual Breast Health Symposium and National Cancer Survivors Day. In 2004 Robin was elected to serve on the Health Care Council Board and the Business Women’s Forum committee of the Waterbury Regional Chamber.

I-84 INVESTIGATION
State Representative Selim Noujaim (R-Waterbury) today expressed shock and disgust over revelations that poor reconstruction work on Interstate 84 by Waterbury will further delay an already overdue project, and continue to interfere with the commute of motorists in the Waterbury area.
   Federal authorities are currently investigating the numerous problems with the project such as faulty drainage, cracked piping and other inadequate work.  The deficiencies were not properly inspected by the private engineers hired to do so.
    Representative Noujaim contacted the office of state attorney general Richard Blumenthal requesting legal action.  The Attorney General issued a statement today indicating that there is an ongoing investigation into the issue in cooperation with the Department of Transportation.
   “With the news that portions of interstate 84 between Waterbury and Cheshire would be dug up again to repair drainage problems on the newly widened highway, Waterbury once again absorbs the brunt of a state project being badly managed and inexcusably delayed,” said Noujaim. “I am truly distressed by the lack of responsibility on the part of the workers, engineers, and inspectors. Waterbury residents have suffered the agonies of traffic congestion and delays on interstate 84 for too long with no end in the foreseeable future. The guilty party must be identified, held accountable, and face legal action.”
   The cost of making repairs to the $52 million project is not yet known.

CJR ELECTIONS
The Connecticut Junior Republic’s Board of Directors held its annual meeting and election of officers and directors earlier this month.  Charles E. “Chip” Roraback of Goshen was elected President.  A member of the CJR Board of Directors since 1994, Mr. Roraback is an attorney in the Torrington, Connecticut–based firm of Roraback and Roraback.  Mr. Roraback succeeds Gregory S. Oneglia of Litchfield as President of the CJR Board of Directors.
   Anne J. Fitzgerald of Watertown was elected Vice President.  Mrs. Fitzgerald serves as Program Director of the F. & P. DeRosa Memorial Fund, a New Jersey-based foundation providing scholarships to inner-city middle school and high school students in New York and New Jersey.  She also serves as a part-time cataloger for the Watertown Library Association.
   Joseph J. Greco of Litchfield was elected as Treasurer.  Mr. Greco is President of the First National Bank of Litchfield.  Carol G. Bramley of Litchfield was re-elected as Secretary.  Ms. Bramley currently serves on the boards of The Greater Litchfield Preservation Trust and Connecticut Preservation Action, and is a member of Litchfield’s Design Review Advisory Committee.  She is the assistant treasurer of the Litchfield Aid of CJR, and also a past president of the Aid.
   The CJR Board of Directors also elected J. Thomas Bouchard of Litchfield as a new member.  Mr. Bouchard has held executive level positions within major American corporations, including International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), United Technologies Corporation (UTC), and U.S. West, Inc.  Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for IBM.  Mr. Bouchard holds a BBA degree in Industrial Relations from Loyola University at Los Angeles, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Nordstrom fsb, Manpower, Inc., and HealthNet of Connecticut, Inc.
   Founded in 1904 through the bequest of Litchfield resident, Mary Buel, the Connecticut Junior Republic has served troubled and at-risk young people for more than 100 years. Today, the organization provides residential and community-based care, treatment and education for boys and girls from communities throughout Connecticut. In addition to its residential campus in Litchfield, CJR operates a group home in East Hartford and community programs in Danbury, Torrington and Waterbury.  Last year, the organization helped nearly 1,100 boys, girls, and their families through its various services. For further information, please contact Hedy Barton, Director of Development and Public Relations (860) 567-9423.

NVCC FACELIFT
The Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association (CNLA) is donating more than $35,000 worth of plants and labor as part of the largest improvement project ever to the grounds at Naugatuck Valley Community College. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, workers from a dozen or more CNLA-member firms converged on NVCC’s Tamarack Arboretum as part of the association’s annual “PlantConnecticut” program.
   The program selects one site somewhere in Connecticut to receive complimentary landscaping in an effort to focus attention on the value of Connecticut-grown plants and encourage planting around the state. The 110-acre grounds at NVCC have never been the subject of such large-scale improvement project — one that will involve more than 250 plants and trees — because the campus was built in phases and never reached the landscaping phase. All of the landscaping that exists in NVCC’s Tamarack Arboretum, which includes most of the campus’s plantings, has been donated over the years by student clubs and the college. Currently, there are about 200 different species of trees and shrubs in the arboretum, which is used by students in horticulture, field biology and botany courses for species identification and other purposes.
   “We’re bringing a team of volunteer landscapers and hundreds of plants to the NVCC campus and arboretum because we think they’ve got a great horticulture program,” said Bob Heffernan, executive secretary for CNLA. “With more than 100 varieties of new trees and plants, these gardens will become in-the-field study aids for the students for years to come.”
   NVCC is only one of two colleges in Connecticut that offer a degree in horticulture, which is designed to prepare students for to further their education at a four-year university or find jobs in landscaping, greenhouses, garden centers and related businesses. The University of Connecticut is the only other college in the state that offers a horticulture degree. In 2004, the two schools announced an agreement that allows horticulture graduates from NVCC to seamlessly transfer to UConn to earn a bachelor’s degree. More than 500 students have received horticulture training at NVCC and have gone on to start their own businesses.
Also, in 2005, NVCC’s horticulture program became the first in Connecticut to be accredited by the nation’s largest trade association for landscape professionals, the Professional Landcare Network. PLANET’s accreditation means the association believes NVCC’s horticulture curriculum more than meets the needs of the landscape industry by meeting its rigorous set of educational standards.
   “CNLA’s decision to select our campus for this year’s project will not only benefit the students in our horticulture, field biology and botany programs, but all students and staff alike, as well as the greater Waterbury community,” said Bonnie Simon, director of NVCC’s math/science division.

WIN TICKETS TO AIDA
WATR 1320AM and the Palace Theater want to put one lucky contestant in the lap of luxury during their month long Royal Treatment Contest campaign, starting Sunday, October 1st through November 15. Contestants over the age of 18 can enter to win two orchestra seats to the opening night performance of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Tony Award-winning musical, Aida, on Friday, December 16, at 8:00pm. The Royal Treatment also includes limousine transportation to and from the Palace, reservations for a lavish pre- show feast at the theater’s exclusive Poli Club; and relaxing massages & facials for two from Viso Bello Spa in Middlebury.
The winning entry will be randomly drawn and announced live on the air November 16, by WATR’s King of Culture, Tom Chute, and Palace Executive Director Frank Tavera. Entry forms are available at the Palace Theater Box Office, located at 100 East Main Street in Waterbury, or online at www.palacetheaterct.org. No purchase necessary. One entry per household. Tickets for Aida cost $56.25, $51.25 and $46.25 and are on sale now. Groups of 20 or more receive a 10 percent discount. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 203-755-4700 or online at palacetheaterct.org. Aida is part of the Webster Bank 2006-2007 Series.

GRANT DEADLINE
Connecticut Community Foundation, in cooperation with the League of Women Voters of Connecticut,  is offering grants of up to $2,000 for communities to have public forums about early childhood education. Community Conversations are opportunities for residents to discuss issues affecting preschool children in their communities. During the conversations, trained moderators will present topics to participants and guide small group discussions. The League of Women Voters trains the organizers and moderators, and funding from the Community Foundation covers incidental costs. The deadline to apply is Oct. 27. Grants are available to organizations in Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Cheshire, Goshen, Litchfield, Middlebury, Morris, Naugatuck, New Milford, Oxford, Prospect, Roxbury, Southbury, Thomaston, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott and Woodbury. Applications are available online at www.conncf.org. For more information, contact Carol O’Donnell at 203-753-1315 or codonnell@conncf.org.
   Community Conversations is a program of LitLinks, a grant-making initiative of the Connecticut Community Foundation to strengthen early childhood literacy skills in the region. The initiative supports two programs: Community Conversations and Motheread/Fatheread, a reading program for parents of young children.
   Founded in Waterbury in 1923, Connecticut Community Foundation serves 21 towns in the Central Naugatuck Valley and Litchfield Hills, an area reaching from New Milford to Cheshire and from Goshen to Oxford. The Community Foundation provides services to donors, grants and organizational support to nonprofit organizations, and scholarships to students. These services are supported by partnerships with private foundations and over 350 individual funds created by local donors.

NEW DEAN AT NVCC
Naugatuck Valley Community College has appointed a new dean of student services to oversee the admissions and registrar’s offices, financial aid, counseling and career services, and placement testing. Previous to joining NVCC, James. E Daniels was dean of student development at Montgomery College in Rockville, Md., a campus with 16,000 students. Daniels has 17 years of experience in student services at both two- and four-year colleges, including four institutions in the California State University system.
   “My goal is to build strong relationships, whether it’s between students and faculty, staff and administrators, or the college and the community,” Daniels said. “I believe that a college can thrive only when it has strong relationships both internally and externally.”
   Daniels holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and management from Pacific Christian College in Fullerton, Calif., and a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from California State University at San Bernardino. He expects to complete a doctorate in educational leadership at La Sierra University in Riverside, Calif., in June.

OSHER GRANT
The University of Connecticut-Waterbury will celebrate the start of its new program for adult learners with the screening of a film celebrating the lives of an extraordinary group of performers. The inaugural event for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Connecticut will be the Connecticut premier of the ground-breaking documentary “Been Rich All My Life”  at 1 p.m. on Oct. 20, in the Multipurpose Room (113-119) of the East Main Street campus. This inspirational film weaves the stories of five former 1930s showgirls who reunited in the 1980s and performed together for another two decades.
   The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmaker Heather Lyn MacDonald and several of the women featured in the film, and a reception.  Attendees will be given an opportunity to share programming ideas and register as possible volunteers or instructors in the program. Honored guests will include Gerri Kennedy, manager of Silver Belles, and some of the “Belles” , who are now in their 80s and 90s and are still teaching dance to others. The event is free and open to the public.
   The event will introduce the community to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Connecticut, which will offer noncredit courses geared toward retired or semi-retired area residents ages 50 and over. Unlike continuing education programs for adults completing degrees or improving their career skills, Osher classes are for older students interested in learning for the joy of it, without homework or examinations. Another program goal is to continue to carry out the vision of a downtown Waterbury campus that serves many constituent groups.   
   The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Connecticut is supported by a $100,000 grant from the prestigious San Francisco-based Osher Foundation. This is the first Osher grant of its kind in Connecticut; the UCONN Waterbury campus was selected among other colleges and universities through a nationally competitive proposal process. The Leever Foundation, founded by Harold Leever in 1991 to benefit Greater Waterbury, provided $16,785 in initial funding to bring the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to the area.   
   Connecticut Community Foundation, which administers The Leever Foundation, oversaw an assessment to determine interest in the region and helped establish advisory committees of area residents. The Community Foundation, a Waterbury-based philanthropic organization serving a 21-town region, is providing ongoing community relations support for the program.  The involvement of all these organizations makes this a partnership on a national, state, and regional/local scale.
   The Waterbury program will eventually include classes in a array of possible areas such as Arts, Business, Culture, Healthcare, History, and Literature.  In addition to courses at the UConn campus, the Osher Institute will also include programs in Southbury.

MEMORY WALK
Julianne Ramia, Director of the Harbor Program for the memory impaired at Benchmark’s Village at East Farms in Waterbury, and Maureen Carofano, Director of Marketing and Admissions and the Clinical Evaluator at Rosegarden Health and Rehabilitation Center in Waterbury are co-chairpersons for the Alzheimer’s Association’s 14th annual Memory Walk to be held on Sunday, October 1,.
   “My grandfather was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so I’m working to help raise money for the Association’s programs for families dealing with Alzheimer’s,” Julie said.
   “My aunt died of Alzheimer’s disease three years ago,” Maureen says. “When I walk in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk, I carry a sign in her memory. Many other walkers carry signs or wear tee shirts with the names of their loved ones who had or have Alzheimer’s disease. Memory Walk allows us to remember those lost to the disease and to support those fighting it now. The walk is a big, family-fun-filled day with a very serious purpose – to beat Alzheimer’s disease and help the families dealing with it.
   “Rosegarden is sponsoring a team again this year, and we want to remind people to mark their calendars, save the date, and ask their friends, families and colleagues to sign up!”
   Memory Walk will be held Sunday, October 1, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 at Watertown Veteran’s Memorial Park. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association’s statewide headquarters at 1-866-3MEMORY (866-363-6679). The Alzheimer’s Association mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Nationally the Walk is presented nationally by Genworth Financial, and nationally sponsored by Creative Memories and Kindred Healthcare.
RELIEF FOR LEBANON
State Representatives William A. Hamzy, R-78th District (Bristol and Plymouth), and Selim G. Noujaim, R-74th District (Waterbury); and state Senator David J. Cappiello, R-24th District (Danbury, Bethel), have urged residents to help provide medical and humanitarian relief to Lebanese citizens who have been injured or left homeless as a result of the crisis in the Middle East. Others involved in the relief effort include Waterbury Mayor Michael J. Jarjura; Danbury City Councilman Thomas Saadi; Ehden Lebanese American Club (Wolcott) President Michael Macary, and Lebanon American Club (Danbury) President Joe Walkovich.
   “We are working with AmeriCares, a Connecticut-based international relief organization, to bring needed medical and humanitarian supplies to Lebanon. AmeriCares is scheduling an airlift to Lebanon as we speak,” the legislators said. “The Lebanese American Community of Connecticut has enjoyed a good working relationship with AmeriCares over the years. AmeriCares sends six shipments a year to local partners in Lebanon, providing medicines and medical supplies that support numerous refugee camps and hospitals around Beirut.”“In response to the current crisis, AmeriCares is working with partners in Lebanon to support their critical needs and is currently mobilizing aid for an airlift to Lebanon. The newly created AmeriCares Middle East Relief Fund is to provide humanitarian aid to many people affected and displaced by the intensifying conflict in the region,” the legislators said.AmeriCares is an I. R. S. registered 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization (Number 06-1008595). As a non-profit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, it responds immediately to emergency medical needs and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs for people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines, medical supplies and other relief materials from U.S. and international manufacturers, and delivers them quickly and efficiently to indigenous health care and welfare professionals around the world. Donations for medical and humanitarian relief for Lebanon can be made: By regular mail to: Ehden Lebanese American Club, 3 Garthwait Road, Wolcott, CT 06716, or to the Office of the Mayor of the City of Waterbury, 236 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Please make checks payable to Americares and write “Middle East Relief Fund” in the memo section.

HARTLEY APPOINTED
State Sen. Joan V. Hartley (D-Waterbury) has been appointed to a new legislative committee, the “Youth Futures Committee,” which is charged with finding ways to keep Connecticut’s youth in school, on track for higher education, and well-prepared for the workforce of  the 21st century.
   “I’m delighted to have been chosen,” said Sen. Hartley, who is co-chair of the General Assembly’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee and who was appointed by Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn).
   “One of our goals is to increase high school graduation rates and college entrance and completion,” Sen. Hartley said. “That ought to be the goal for every student in Connecticut.  At a minimum, employees in the future are going to need an associate’s degree. That is absolutely essential for our economic future here in Connecticut, where jobs are growing increasingly technical.”
   The committee was created as a result of Public Act 182, which was signed into law June 6 after having been unanimously approved by the General Assembly. The 17-member committee is comprised of six legislators, one each appointed by the top House and Senate leaders, and the following state officials or their designees: the commissioners of education, children and families, public health, social services, mental health and addiction services, and labor; the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management; the state Office of Workforce Competitiveness director; the executive director of the Commission on Children; the executive director of the Court Support Services Division; and a representative of the Connecticut Youth Services Association chosen by its president.
   The committee must develop guidelines for delivering services to youth that incorporate best practices based on positive outcomes that the act enumerates; improve communication among state agencies that administer youth programs; assess existing resources, networks, and returns on investments to maximize the development of community-level services that help achieve the state’s youth policy goals and objectives; and collaborate with public and private partnerships to facilitate positive outcomes.
   The committee’s outcomes must include, at a minimum: improved school attendance, academic and technical proficiencies, and high school diploma and equivalency completion rates; increases in the percentage of youth enrolling in and completing postsecondary education and training programs; skill-building employment programs; full employment for youth not enrolled in school; stable and safe housing; access to quality mental and physical health providers; and opportunities to be engaged in public service and to develop leadership and mentoring skills.
   By January 1, 2008, the Office of Workforce Competitiveness  director must report to the legislature on the progress made in achieving these outcomes, including the progress each municipality has made in achieving them, total state expenditures dedicated to achieving them, and state programs that serve youth who are not in school.

SMILE BUILDERS
Last year, through the collaboration of members of the Waterbury Oral Health Collaborative, a dental hygienist and assistant from StayWell Health Center visited 4 pre-schools: Rainbow Academy, YMCA, Muriel Moore Child Development Center and Children’s Community School along with 9 elementary schools: Walsh, Washington, Tinker, Barnard, Driggs, Children’s Community School, Bunker Hill, Brooklyn, and Wendell Cross providing eligible children with a examination and cleaning on-site at the schools.
   During the pilot phase, 20 schools (elementary and pre-school sites) responded to the initial introduction. The mobile dental program visited 14 of those schools and 585 students received services. Upon completion of the school year, the mobile dental program was revamped and renamed “Smile Builders”. Under the Smile Builder’s banner, 6 month recall visits will be scheduled at the elementary schools and preschools which participated last year and new schools will be added to the schedule.
    Through the Smile Builders program, a hygienist will perform professional dental services on eligible children during regular school hours, on-site at the school. Dental services will include cleanings, screenings, and fluoride treatments. If follow-up dental care is needed, the Dental Coordinator will contact the family to schedule appointments with local dental providers.
Smile Builders have already scheduled the following elementary schools and preschools: Children’s Community School, Driggs, Walsh, Brooklyn, Washington, Rainbow Academy I & II, YMCA, Muriel Moore Child Development Center, and Slocum Child Development Center.
   If you are interested in registering your elementary school or preschool site in the Smile Builders program, please call (203) 756-8021, extension 3055.

MAYA ANGELOU
Now that kids are back to school, it’s time for you to “catch your breath” and hear Dr. Maya Angelou speak. The American Lung Association of Connecticut is holding a Catch Your Breath Women’s Health Conference and Luncheon on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at the new Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. The day-long conference will focus on women’s issues, including health, nutrition, finances, and anti-aging.
   The highlight of the event is luncheon speaker Dr. Maya Angelou. Seeing Dr. Angelou, a national treasurer, is an experience not to be missed. Tickets for the conference, including the luncheon, are $195. Tickets to attend the Dr. Maya Angelou luncheon only are $150. For more information call 1-800-LUNG-USA or visit www.alact.org.
DRIVING FOR SENIORS
The AARP will present their “Driver Safety Program” on Friday October 13 and 20, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pallidino Center, October 12 and 19 at The Village, October 11 and 18 at the Prospect Senior Center, October 16 and 17 are the Naugatuck Senior Center, October 19 and 26 at the Mattatuck Senior Center, and October 19 and 26 are the Mt. Oliver Senior Center.
    The cost of the course is $10.00 with checks made out to “AARP” and class size is limited. This is a two part course and students must attend both sessions for a completion certificate. Those individuals completing the program may be eligible for a discount on their auto insurance. Please call 203-755-8745 to register.

JARJURA BROWNFIELD PRESIDENT
Mayor Jarjura recently accepted the Connecticut Chapter of the National Brownfield Association (NBA) nomination to become its next chapter president.
   Mayor Jarjura said, “I am honored to become chapter president of this wonderful organization. Throughout the state, we face diminishing space for economic development purposes. The future of our economic welfare rests on the reutilization of brownfields.”
   The NBA is an international, non-profit educational organization that promotes the responsible redevelopment of brownfield properties. It is a member-based organization headquatered in Chicago. Its membership consists of property owners, developers, investors, professional service providers and government representatives.
   The Connecticut Chapter is led by an executive committee of key stakeholders involved in the brownfield redevelopment process. The chapter has been in existence for less that two years. It has already seen success  in its efforts to further brownfield redevelopment in Connecticut. To learn more about the NBA and its CT chapter visit www.brownfieldassociation.org

POT POLICIES
In a new marijuana policy book edited by the best-selling academic author Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D., two chapters about religious denominations’ opinions reveal substantial support for less punitive marijuana laws. Pot Politics: Marijuana and the Cost of Prohibition, just released by Oxford University Press, is the first book to compile the official marijuana policy positions of dozens of the largest religious groups in the United States.
   Religious bodies officially endorsing the removal of criminal penalties for marijuana possession include the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, and Central Conference of American Rabbis. The Unitarian Universalist Association advocates regulating marijuana just like alcohol. More than 20 other support policy changes such as allowing the medical use of marijuana or repealing mandatory minimum sentencing laws.
   Two chapters in the new book summarize and quote from the marijuana-related position of the 25 largest Christian denominations in the United States, as well as Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist groups. Several scientific public opinion polls are also cited, along with the opinions of prominent religious individuals.
   Two additional chapters by other authors also present ethical and moral perspectives on these controversial laws. Sixteen other authors have contributed chapters to Pot Politics, on topics including; drug testing, economic consequences of prohibition, marijuana laws abroad, media reporting on marijuana issues, and school policies.

MATTATUCK TRAVEL
Travel tours are back at the Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center. Beginning October 24, 2006, the Mattatuck Museum will host a series of travel and tours to exciting current art exhibits and classical art history destinations. The series kicks off with a trip to the New York Botanical Garden featuring the work of renowned art glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly.
   The giant glass globes and trees of Dale Chihuly have turned the grounds of the famed New York Botanical Garden into a fantasy land of color until October 29, 2006. The exhibit features thousands of hand blown glass sculptures throughout the Botanical Garden that explore the visual relationship between glass and nature. Participants will view the extensive outdoor exhibit by tram, and then tour Chihuly exhibit in the greenhouse.
   The exhibit is and extraordinary experience blending Chihuly’s vibrantly colored monumental glass sculptures with nature’s own masterpieces. This Garden trip is a special opportunity to experience the dazzling interplay of art and nature, glass and light, intriguing plants and stunning sculptures in the exhibition. For reservations please call the museum at 203-753-0381 x. 10. The bus will leave at 9 a.m. and return by 6 p.m. on October 24.

RIVER BALDWIN
Mayor Jarjura announced that the renovation and construction of the River Baldwin Recreation Center, located at 135 East Liberty St., in Waterbury’s South End will begin this week. Mayor Jarjura, Waterbury Development Corporation, members of the Connecticut General Assembly and local community leaders will attended the ceremonial groundbreaking.
   Funding for this project was secured by former State Senator Tim Upson and former State Representative Tom Conway from the State Department of Social Services with the assistance of Alan Carbaneau.
   Mayor Jarjura designated the center to be used to house La Casa Bienveneda and several other Hispanic serving agencies throughout Waterbury with office space and meeting areas. The new project which is being managed by the Waterbury Development Corporation on behalf of the City will include office space, a meeting room, and renovation of the gymnasium.

PROSPECT HALLOWEEN
Visitors to the Hotchkiss House Museum in Prospect at 61 Waterbury Road, won’t know what or who they’ll encounter when they come to the 2nd Annual Vintage Halloween weekend, on Saturday October 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. &  Sunday October 22nd from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m., hosted by the Prospect Historical Society.
   What they’re certain to find are displays of vintage and contemporary Halloween items that will include but not be limited to decorations, gravestone rubbings, old photos, mourning items, Halloween related art and Halloween related gifts.
   Mrs. Holly Cole and family will give a lecture on Saturday at 11 a.m. Mrs. Cole will appear in character as a Civil War widow, and talk about the mourning process and funeral customs of that time. All are invited to attend.
   A suggested donation of $3 will be accepted from adults and children will be admitted free. Children must be accompanied by adults. For more information contact Mary Carroll at 203-753-3380.

UNITED SONG
The United Way of Greater Waterbury, The Waterbury Arts Magnet School and The Worx Group teamed up this spring for a unique collaboration. This year’s campaign song “United is the Way” was brought to life by bringing musicians and students together. The end result is different renditions of the campaign song that the community will weigh in on. This summer, the public will have the opportunity to vote online for their favorite arrangement, and the winning rendition will be featured in the United Way’s 2006-2007 Campaign Kickoff.
   Five arrangements of the song “United is the Way” were recorded and remixed. People are encouraged to visit the United Way of Greater Waterbury’s website at www.unitedwaygw.org, listen to each version and vote for their favorite choice. The winning rendition made its debut on September 7th at the 2006-2006 Campaign Kickoff.

MYSTERY TOUR
Can you imagine what it would have sounded like hearing The Beatles playing in concert with a symphony orchestra? You can find this out for yourself when Classical Mystery Tour, a tribute to The Beatles featuring original members of the Broadway sensation “Beatlemania,” performs live in concert with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra at the Palace Theater on October 21, at 8 p.m.
   The WSO’s first pop concert at the Palace is sure to be a big hit, especially if the concert Classical Mystery Tour performed at the Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles this past November is any indication. The Los Angeles Times called the show “more than just an incredible simulation…the swelling strings and soaring French horn lines gave Saturday’s live performance a high goose-bump quotient…the crowd stood and bellowed for more.”
   Classical Mystery Tour features David Leon (John Lennon) on rhythm guitar, piano, and vocals; Alan LeBoeuf (Paul McCartney) on bass guitar, piano, and vocals;  Tom Teeley (George Harrison) on lead guitar and vocals; and Chris Camilleri (Ringo Starr) on drums and vocals. Maestro Bjaland will be conducting the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra.
   The concert by the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra is in direct response to the increasing demand for Beatles material, from the recent celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Beatles’ triumphant visit to the U.S., to the success of The Beatles Anthology and the Beatles 1 Album. Many Beatles fans never had the opportunity to experience a live Beatles show; Classical Mystery Tour offers that live experience in the comfort of the 2600-seat Palace Theater in Waterbury.
   “We have some real show stopping numbers,” says Owen. “I wish I could actually be in the audience to see and hear this show. The power of the emotional and nostalgic connection back to each of our individual experiences with The Beatles is hard to put into words.”
   Tickets for the Classical Mystery Tour range from $20 to $75 ($10 for students), and are available at the Palace Theater Box Office, online at www.palacetheaterct.org or by calling 203-755-4700.

YOUTH CONCERT
  The Waterbury Symphony Orchestra and conductor Leif Bjaland will present an exciting journey around the world through music and imagination, Friday, October 20, at 10:30 a.m. at the Palace Theater in Waterbury. The 60 minute program makes stops in either countries; the United States, England, Germany, France, West Africa, Argentina, Russia, and China, through the music of composers such as Beethoven, Ravel, Offenbach, Grofe, and Sousa.
   As part of the program, students from Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School will present information about each country and will be featured in performance on the African Drums Bill Scheidt of Living Rhythms will work with Rottella students as part of a seperarte residency program, October 16-17 during which time he will instruct the students in drumming as well as song and dance techniques from West Africa.
   The program is designed for fifth grade students, with curricular integration of Music, Social Studies, Multi-Cultural and Language Arts. Admission is open to all public, private and homeschool students and the program is suitable for grades 3-7. An educational study guide will be provided to all teachers and students upon registration. Funding for the educational materials was provided by the Schlegel Fund.
   Students will become familiar with the orchestral instruments and the distinct roles of the composer, the conductor and the performer. Students will be introduced to basic concert etiquette and the orchestral concert experience. Topics addressed will include scales (major/minor in Western Music, pentatonic in Eastern music, and modes used in Eastern Europe and Western Asia), simple vs. complex harmony, and the prominent use of syncopation in African and Latin American music. Students will be able to identify the continents and locate the countries discussed on a map. They will learn about the culture, language, history and current events of each of the eight countries.

¬MASONS DYSLEXIA WALK
The Valley of Waterbury 32° Masonic Learning Center for Children will sponsor its Annual Dyslexia Awareness Walk on Sunday, October 15, 2006. Stepping off at 1:00 P.M., participants will follow a two-mile course that begins and concludes at the Learning Center. The Center, located at 529 Highland Avenue in Waterbury, has provided professional, free tutoring to the children of Connecticut since 2002. There are now 57 Masonic Learning Centers spanning westward from Maine to Wisconsin. The Waterbury Learning Center is the only one of its kind in Connecticut.
Dyslexia is estimated to affect some 15% of our nation’s population – more than 2 million school-aged children in the United States. Fundraising efforts, such as this annual Walk, help The Masonic Learning Center in Waterbury to continue its mission of increasing public awareness and aiding those with dyslexia. The approximate cost to tutor one child for one year is $5,000. On average a child will require two years of tutoring.
“The 32° Masons have made a heartfelt and unwavering commitment to helping children with dyslexia overcome this disability,” said Cheryl Sharkis, Director of the Waterbury Learning Center. “Last year we had 115 walkers and raised $13,000.00.  The community’s support for this Walk is a great source of encouragement for our children at the learning center.”
A picnic lunch will follow the day’s activity. Dignitaries from local and state governments as well as Masonic Leaders and their families from around Connecticut will be invited to walk.

Chamber Music
Yale Summer School of Music celebrates the Centennial of the Festival’s home, the famed Music Shed in 2006. Dedicated in 1906, the Music Shed still serves as the venue for Festival concerts. The Shed is described as “a beautiful long and narrow, cedar and redwood marvel which projects the most delicate pianissimo to the room’s farthest corner with living clarity.” Some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century graced the stage of the Music Shed, including Fritz Kreisler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Maude owell, Efrem Zimbalist, Alma Gluck, Jan Ignace Paderewski, and Jean Sibelious. More recent years have seen great chamber ensembles on the stge, such as the Guarneri, Jullianr, Tokyo, Emerson and Vermeer Quartets along with guest artists and faculty members of the Summer school such as Ranson Wilson, David Shifrin, and Boris Berman.
Each year the Festival features more than 40 performances by man of the world’s most acclaimed musical artists, as well as forty or more up and coming musicians who are selected to participate as Fellows of the Yale Summer School of Music. Over the years, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival has become renowned as a center for chamber music performance and professional study, unusual programming, and innovative offerings. Alumni of the Yale Summer School of Music at Norfolk include members of many of the world’s greatest orchestras, chamber ensembles and soloists. The School and Festival is proud to name among its alumni distinguished artists and ensembles such as Jan de Gaetani, Amela Frank, Claude Frank, Richard Stoltzman, Allen Vogel, Frederica von Stade, eighth blackbird, the Miro, St. Lawrence and Calder Quartets, and the Claremont and Eroica Trios.
Music lovers from all over the Northeast have celebrated summer in Norfolk with exhilarating concerts, accompanied by a streamside picnic or an evening stroll around the grounds. Located on the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate’s 70 acres of rolling lawns, glorious gardens and historic buildings in the rural town of Norfolk, in Northwestern Connecticut, the festival shares a strong tradition of music dating back more than a century. Norfolk’s pastoral setting alone – lush gardens and gentle streams – make this quiet spot in Connecticut an ideal weekend getaway.
Now in its 65th year, the 2006 Festival will feature ensemble performances by the Tokyo String Quartet, the Vermeer Quartet, the Yale Brass Trio, and So Percussion. Individual artists include pianists Boris Berman, Claude Frank, Joan Panetti and Peter Frankl, violinist Syoko Aki, flutists Ransomm Wilson and Patti Monson, and among others. Returning to Norfolk ar flutist Patti Monson and Grammy-winning soprano Susan Narucki. Making their Norfolk debut are the Keller Quartet from Hungary, the Leschitizky Trio from Vienna, and soprano Judith Malafronte. The 206 season opens on June 10 with a Gala performance by the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet and continues through July to August 19th when Simon Carrington will present a program of Renaissance and Baroque works for Chamber Choir, along with the premiere of a work commissioned by the Festival from Joan Panetti.
The Festival is located on the grounds of the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate located at the junction of routes 272 and 44 in Norfolk, CT
Contact P.O. Box 545, Norfolk, CT 06058, 860-542-3000 or email Norfolk@yale.edu / website: www.yale.edu/norfolk

Celebrate Girls Awards
The Girls Incorporated of Greater Waterbury will hold their annual Celebrate Girls Awards Dinner on Saturday, May 20 at the Mattatuck Museum. Cocktail hour will begin and 6pm, followed by dinner at 7pm. The evening will include live music by acclaimed singer and songwriter, Melissa Mulligan who previously performed at Foxwoods, Toads, and Café Nine in New York. Award presentations will begin at 9pm.

Awards will be presented to celebrate the success of girls in our community in the areas of math, science and sports. Awards will also be presented to community women who emulate the mission of Girls Incorporated to inspire all girls to become strong, smart and bold.

The Honorees include: The Support of Programs for Girls Award – UPS Foundation; Miriam N. Camp Woman of the Year Award – Carol Peck owner and chef of Good News Care, Woodbury. Awards to girls are as follows: Lena Dunbar, grade 10

Photo Contest Winner
Britney Bennett, a teen leader and volunteer of the Girls, Inc. in Waterbury is one of twenty winners in the “Safe in my World” Photography Contest held nation-wide. The contest, which over 130 entries were received, was judged by the National Staff of Girls, Inc. and will be displayed on Capital Hill in Washington, DC. The objective of the “Safe in My World” initiative and his photography contest is to raise awareness about violence in girls’ lives.

Britney Bennett is 16 years old from Waterbury, CT and attends Wilby High School. She has been a member of the Girls, Inc. for the past 5 years and participated actively as a leader, member of corporate camp and soon to be the teen council summit. After high school, Britney plans to become a lawyer.

Clean Fun
Something special is happening in the Fairlawn neighborhood of Waterbury, Connecticut. The City has devoted $250,000 in grant money to renovate the 1-acre park off Homestead Avenue in the East End. Everyone liked the idea of new playground equipment and fencing. However, many older residents wanted to eliminate the basketball court because they didn’t think it would be kept clean. Led by former Fairlawn resident Joe Summa, the neighborhood’s youngsters pledged to keep it clean… saving the basketball court at Fairlawn Park.

Continuing an established commitment to community involvement, The Worx Group developed a logo, tagline and website for the park (FairlawnPark.com) to help spread the word to area residents, attract sponsors, and increase membership. The new tagline – “Good. Clean. Fun.” -says it all. Beginning with a roundtable discussion with some of the first pledges, elementary and high school students J.J. Simpson, Gary Madison, Elliot and Mark Ward, The Worx Group allowed them to share their visions of what the site would look like and the information that would be provided.

“These are nice kids who have taken ownership of the park, and I am so glad The Worx Group is willing to help us share the story and keep the kids excited about their commitment”, remarked Attorney Joe Summa of Summa and Ryan and Founder of the Fairlawn Park Basketball Association. “It’s going to be a great way to spread the word and reach area residents and potential sponsors.”

The website has already shown great success since its launch last month. The association has used it to secure funding for a webcam and to raise several corporate contributions.

“Waterbury is vital to our business, and we’re thrilled to be able to help out its youth,” commented Joe Gugliotti, Managing Member of The Worx Group. “The Fairlawn Basketball Association is a worthy cause and we wish them the best of luck.”

Flower & Cookbook Sale
Stand By Me, Inc. (The Bereavement Agency) will be hosting its annual Easter Flower and Cookbook Sale. We have many colors of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. Purchase a plant or cookbook ($10) by calling 203-597-0321 or at 218 Fairfield Ave, Waterbury on April 15 & 16 at the agency’s yard sale. Proceeds will benefit Stand By Me, Inc. Bereavement Groups.
Ambassador for March of Dimes
Twenty-one-month-old Charlotte Henderlite of Watertown, Connecticut has been selected to represent the March of Dimes Connecticut Chapter as a local Ambassador during 2006. As ambassadors, Charlotte ‘s parents, Michele Morcey and Paul Henderlite, will share their story so that volunteers and sponsors will understand how participating in WalkAmerica and other events helps the March of Dimes to fight premature birth and its lifelong consequences.
Michele was pregnant with twins when at 25.5 weeks into her pregnancy she went into premature labor. Her expected delivery date was October 9 and the twins were born on June 26, nearly four months too soon. Charlotte weighed just 1 pound 8 ounces. To help her lungs develop more quickly, _Charlotte received surfactant therapy. Three weeks later, Charlotte ‘s twin brother, John, passed away due to complications from his early birth.

Charlotte spent nearly four months in the neonatal intensive care units at both Yale-New Haven Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury receiving specialized care for premature newborns. Today, due to March of Dimes-funded advancements in the treatment of premature babies, such as NICUs and surfactant, Charlotte is happy and thriving. But her parents will never forget the obstacles she had to overcome or the brother that she lost.

“Charlotte has endured surgery, blood transfusions, sepsis, infections and so many other complications from her premature birth,” said Michele. “While she is doing extremely well today, she still receives injections during RSV season to help prevent the respiratory disease. We take her health one day at a time.”

“Our family experienced both sides of the coin because of premature birth. We lost a son who suffered many complications, and we also brought home a daughter who has continued to do well ,” she continued. “We want to share our story and help the March of Dimes raise awareness about prematurity. Every week in the womb is critical for their development and survival.”

The family will be leading the way at March of Dimes WalkAmerica at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury on Sunday, April 30, an event to raise money to support research and programs to find the causes of premature birth. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and WalkAmerica will begin at 10 a.m. To register and for more information, please call the March of Dimes at 1-800-446-9255 or log on to www.walkamerica.org.

WalkAmerica is made possible by the generous support of both walkers and sponsors. March of Dimes thanks local WalkAmerica at Quassy sponsors including Quassy Amusement Park , Wachovia, Lite 100.5 WRCH and Adelphia Cable.

WalkAmerica in Connecticut is proudly presented by NewAlliance Foundation and sponsored by CIGNA, Bob’s Discount Furniture and NBC30 Connecticut News. National WalkAmerica sponsors are CIGNA, Famous Footwear, Farmers Insurance Group, FedEx and Kmart. Additional national sponsorship is provided by Babyfit.com, Continental Airlines, Discovery Health Channel, First Response, Grain Foods Foundation, Mead Johnson Nutritionals and Outdoor Services.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.

Walk Against Hunger
Connecticut Food Bank’s 1st Annual Walk Against Hunger in Waterbury, presented by Webster Bank, will take place on Sunday, April 30th. Registration and festivities will kick-off at 1pm in Library Park at the corner of Grand and Meadow Streets, the 2 1/2 mile Walk through downtown Waterbury begins at 2pm.

Prior to the Walk Against Hunger, participants gather monetary pledges from family members, friends, colleagues and others. Exciting prizes will be awarded to top team and individual fundraisers, as well as the team with the most members and best team spirit. In addition, JetBlue Airways has donated a Grand Prize of two roundtrip tickets good for travel between JFK airport in New York and any city the company serves nonstop. This Grand Prize will be awarded to the individual who raises the most money overall from all Walk Against Hunger participants in New Haven and Waterbury. See www.ctfoodbank.org for official award rules.

The 30th Annual Walk Against Hunger in New Haven will be held on Sunday, May 7. This event will be similar to the Waterbury event, beginning at 1pm in East Rock Park.

Proceeds from both events will be used by Connecticut Food Bank to transport, warehouse and distribute donated food to local community agencies such as soup kitchens, shelters and food pantries.

Contact Maria Burns, Special Events Coordinator at 203-469-500 ext. 302 or Walk@ctfoodbank.org, or visit www.ctfoodbank.org.Sponsors of the Walk Against Hunger include Webster Bank, Connecticut Magazine, WATR/1320-AM, and Fox 61/WTIC.
Local Heroes
The United Way of Greater Waterbury held its twentieth annual Campaign Awards Dinner on March 30 at Villa Rosa in Waterbury. Approximately 280 individuals attended the event, which formally recognized the support and efforts of community volunteers and businesses during the 2005-06 ‘Mission Impossible’ theme campaign.

Campaign Chairman John Tobin (president, Waterbury Hospital) thanked the volunteers and donors from the ten-town area. He also made special note of the challenges the campaign faced in light of Hurricane Katrina and the need to continue educating the public on the value of the Community Care Fund in light of national trends toward donor designation.
The campaign was successful in achieving he $3,500,000 goal set in September. $2,400,000 was raised for local relief. This money will be used to fund local health and human service agencies and United Way operating and community building activities for the coming fiscal year.
The following awards were presented:
Organized Labor/United Way Community Service Award – Steve Schrag. Mr. Schrag was recognized for his extensive volunteer activities. Mr. Schrag worked with parents and neighbors to prevent the closing of the Washington School in the South End of Waterbury. He worked to help bring a pilot environmental remediation training program to Naugatuck Valley Community College to help unemployed workers find a new career; he has helped with food drives, conducted child labor history workshops in area high schools, facilitated health and safety workshops for the United Labor Agency and helped to establish the Cummings Community Service Scholarship for high school students active in the community.
Community Volunteer of the Year – Jonathan Kellogg. As a volunteer in Waterbury, Mr. Kellogg is the president of the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, which raises money to send under-unprivileged children to summer camp. Since is inception in the 1970s, the fund has raised more than $2million and sent nearly 4,000 children to camps across Connecticut. His other volunteer activities in Waterbury include serving as a director for the Greater Waterbury YMCA and on the board of managers of The Waterbury Club.
Frederic and Lucy Kellogg Award: William Morris. Mr. Morris was appointed to the Saint Mary’s Hospital Board of Directors in 2000. Currently he serves as chairman of the Audit Committee and as a director on the Executive Compensation, Finance, Strategic Planning, Investment and Pension and Building and Grounds committees. Mr. Morris previously served for three years as president of the Greater Waterbury YMCA. He is currently chairman of the board of directors of the Waterbury Development Corporation and a member of the board of directors of the Country Club of Waterbury. He is past United Way Board and Campaign Cabinet member and a current leadership donor who runs a best practices campaign.
Spirit of Excellence Award:Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Illinois Tool Works employees have demonstrated a spirit of generosity, teamwork and enthusiasm in their loyal support of the United Way of Greater Waterbury and the Greater Waterbury Community. A dedicated employee campaign resulted in a 75% employee participation rate showing an impressive a 23% increase in overall employee giving when compared to the previous year. The average gift was $132.75 with a per capita gift of $10.60
The event closed with John Tobin handing his title to incoming 2006-07 campaign chair, Fred Luedke, President Neoperl, Inc.
Poster Contest
Waterbury Students in Grades K thru 5 are invited to participate in a poster contest sponsored by The Waterbury Litter Control and Beautification Commissions along with Waterbury Development Corporation. The theme of the poster should be on the effects of litter on the City of Waterbury. Posters must be 12” by 18” and must be submitted to the City Clerk’s office no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 21, 2006. The names, address, phone number, grade and school must be printed on the back of the poster. The following prizes will be awarded: First place- $250.00 U.S. savings bond, Second place- 100.00 U.S. savings bond, Third place- 50.00 U.S. savings bond.
The First Place poster may be used to promote the City’s Anti Litter Campaign. All winning posters will be displayed in the Mayors office. Contact Commissioner Ronald Napoli at 575-1198 or Commissioner Michael Ptak at 754-9311.
Essay Contest
Waterbury Students in grades 6 thru 8 are invited to participate in an essay contest. The teheme of the essay should be on the effects of litter and illegal dumping on the environment and what steps should be on taken to discourage people from littering. Ideas on ways to clean up littered areas should also be discussed. Essays should be 250 words and must be submitted to the City’s Clerk office no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 21, 2006. The names, address, phone number, grade and school must be printed on the essay. The following prizes will be awarded: First place- $250.00 U.S. savings bond, Second place- 100.00 U.S. savings bond, Third place- 50.00 U.S. savings bond. All winning essays will be displayed in the Mayors office. Contact Commissioner Ronald Napoli at 575-1198 or Commissioner Michael Ptak at 754-9311.
History Bites: Marching Through Time
In honor of Revolutionary War General Rochambeau’s march through Connecticut, History Bites this season is also on the march. Marching through Time will be the theme with a wide variety of topics, speakers, and time periods every Thursday noontime for ten weeks beginning March 30, 2006. For the sixth year, the Connecticut Humanities Council will sponsor this popular lunchtime lecture series.

Leading up to the reenactment of Rochambeau’s march on June 16 & 17 in Southbury, the April 13th lecture Rochambeau’s Historic March at the Mattatuck Museum will provide background on the General and his importance through the historical illustrations of David Wagner. Members of both the Southbury and Middlebury Historical Societies will discuss the impact of the march on their communities.

On April 20th at the Torrington Historical Society (860-482-8260; www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org) curator Gail Kruppa will trace the evolution of the Hotchkiss-Flyer House from a home to a museum in their lecture Home to History.

History Bites is an annual lecture series created by area historical societies and museums to highlight the rich heritage of our region. A suggested donation of $2 is requested per lecture. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch, beverages and desert provided by the hosting organization.

The Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center is located at 144 West Main Street, on the Green, in Waterbury, CT. For more information and to pre-register for the lecture, please call (203)753-0381 ext. 10. Boxed lunches or reservations for lunch at the museums Exhibition Café by Bay Leaf Gourmet may be arranged by calling the Café at (203)753-0381 ext. 24.
Chocolate Lovers’ Expo
Calling all Chocoholics…Sunday, April 9, is the new date set for the 13th Annual Chocolate Lovers’ Expo to benefit Easter Seals. Postponed from its traditional February date due to the blizzard, this much-anticipated event will take place one week before Easter from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Connecticut Grand Hotel & Conference Center, 3580 East Main Street, Waterbury. The Expo will feature a wide variety of chocolate specialties, culinary surprises, edible masterpieces, goodies and unique gifts sure to please everyone on your Easter and Mother’s Day list.
Attendees will sample scrumptious treats from area bakeries, candy manufacturers, specialty shops, restaurants, and culinary chefs. Highlights include chocolate dipped strawberries, gooey chocolate cakes and cookies, caramel apples, melt-in-your-mouth brownies, Almond Joys and Hershey Kisses. Easter bunnies, flavored candies, unique gifts, flowers, and home entertainment ideas will be plentiful. While listening to the music of Deb Mar DJ’s, bid on edible masterpiece creations, gift baskets, participate in special drawings, or watch demonstrations by aspiring high school culinary students.
Advanced tickets are being offered at a special price of $15 for adults through exhibitors or by calling Edna Bruneau at (203)754-5141, ext. 251. If tickets are still available, the price at the door will be $20 for adults and $5 for children. Visit Easter Seals Website at www.eastersealswaterburyct.org.

Peter Paul, a division of Hershey Foods, is the event’s major sponsor. Supporting media sponsors include WATR Radio 1320 AM and WZBG Radio 97.3 FM. Proceeds benefit Easter Seals’ programs and services serving infants, children, and adults with special needs in greater Waterbury and northwestern Connecticut.

Some of the exhibitors expected at this year’s Expo are: Agnew Florist, Bristol Tech Culinary Art Students, CC’s Candy Company, Cake Heaven, Chocolate Rose Express, Collections by Traci Lynn, Cookies to “Di” For, Costco’s Wholesale, Center for Culinary Arts, Fruiticana Cream-Less Ice Cream, Guida’s, The Grotto & Mrs. G, Hometown Buffet, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Pampered Chef, Peter Paul Hershey, Razzleberries, Roller Magic, Say-it-Sweetly, sweet-maria’s, Tastefully Simple, and Taste of Home Entertainment. Exhibitors will be selling products at the event as well as offering samples.
Junior Republic Announces Historic Gift
Gregory S. Oneglia, President of the Connecticut Junior Republic’s (CJR’s) Board of Directors, recently announced that the organization has received a gift of $906,000, the largest single charitable contribution of record to be made to the Republic since its founding in 1904. This gift was made through the will of Peter R. Cable. His wife, Miriam Mason Cable, funded a charitable remainder trust as a part of their estate planning. Through prudent investments, Mr. Cable substantially increased the value of the trust. These funds have been designated by the Board for the CJR endowment.

“We are deeply honored that Mr. and Mrs. Cable selected the Connecticut Junior Republic to be a beneficiary of this magnificent gift,” said Mr. Oneglia. “As an expression of our gratitude,” he continued, “we will be recognizing the Cables by naming the Connecticut Junior Republic’s Academic and Vocational Education Center in their honor,” he stated.

Opened in 1997, the Education Center houses the CJR School, including nearly all of CJR’s academic and vocational classrooms. The building was made possible by a $5 million capital campaign, which was supported by hundreds of CJR friends, including Mr. and Mrs. Cable. A ceremony to celebrate the naming of the Cable Academic and Vocational Education Center will be held later this spring.
“Peter and I have always been very impressed by the vocational opportunities provided for CJR students and by the way the program encourages students to develop social responsibility and to help one another,” said Mrs. Cable. “We became acquainted with CJR when Peter saw an advertisement in the paper indicating that the vocational program at CJR would fix small engines,” she recalled. “Peter took his chainsaw to be repaired and at some point we had a tour and saw the campus,” she continued. Mrs. Cable noted that her husband, who died in July of 2005, was also very impressed by CJR’s Bertha Wheeler Pool and Gymnasium complex and by its facilities for sports and recreation. “At the time of our first visit, we noticed the quality of CJR’s facilities and the exceptional opportunities provided for students,” she said. “In some ways, the campus reminded us of many of the prep schools we had seen,” said Mrs. Cable. “We were very disappointed, however, when we saw the classrooms and the old CJR School,” she recalled. “They were notably inferior to the other facilities at CJR and in great need of improvement,” she explained.
Mr. and Mrs. Cable were very favorably impressed by how this need had been addressed when they attended the opening of the Connecticut Junior Republic’s new Academic and Vocational Education Center in 1997. “I am certain that Peter would be pleased and proud to have the Cable name upon it,” she stated.
In recent years, Mr. and Mrs. Cable have been particularly interested in the Junior Republic’s vocational agriculture program and the CJR farm. “The farm captured our interest as a result of our many years of experience raising goats and other farm animals,” explained Mrs. Cable. “Caring for something weaker and less intelligent can work wonders for children and I hope that CJR will always keep farm animals for therapeutic reasons,” she said.
In acknowledging Mr. and Mrs. Cable’s contribution to the Connecticut Junior Republic, CJR executive director John Boyd stressed the important impact the gift will have on program operations into perpetuity. “Mr. and Mrs. Cable shared with us some years ago that they had included CJR in their estate planning,” he said, “but we had no idea that these plans included a gift of such historic significance.”
According to Mr. Boyd, the endowment is increasingly important to CJR. “Endowment funds enable us to improve both the diversity and quality of the experiences and opportunities we provide for the young people we serve at CJR,” he stated. Mr. Boyd cited the vocational agriculture class and farm as examples of programs at CJR that require supplementary funding to provide a varied and high quality educational experience for students.
Serving troubled and at-risk young people for more than 100 years, the Connecticut Junior Republic was founded in 1904 through the bequest of Litchfield resident, Mary Buel. Today, the organization provides residential and community-based care, treatment and education for boys and girls from communities throughout Connecticut. In addition to its residential campus in Litchfield, CJR operates a group home in East Hartford and community programs in Danbury, Torrington and Waterbury. Last year, the organization helped nearly 1,100 boys, girls, and their families through its various services.

A private charitable organization, the Connecticut Junior Republic is supported by contributions from individuals, businesses and organizations, and through services funded by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), Court Support Services Division (CSSD) of the Connecticut Judicial Branch, and by Connecticut’s public schools. For further information, please contact Hedy Barton, Director of Development and Public Relations (860) 567-9423.
Sen. Hartley Champions Creation of Regional Cord Bank
State Sen. Joan V. Hartley (D-Waterbury) this week testified on behalf of a bill that – at the suggestion of her legislative aide – would create a regional umbilical cord blood bank and cord blood donation education program that could ultimately help find cures for various cancers and diseases.

House Bill 5789, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Hartley, received its public hearing Thursday before the legislature’s Public Health Committee. Public Health Committee co-chairs Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Cheshire) and Rep. Peggy Sayers (D-Windsor Locks) support the bill.
Cord blood, also known as “placental blood,” is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth and after the cord is cut. It’s routinely discarded as medical waste along with the placenta and umbilical cord, even though it is a rich source of stem cells.
“We have had incredible interest and expressions of support for establishing a working group that would create a cord blood bank here in Connecticut. That’s the first order of business,” Sen. Hartley said. “However, we also have some interest from agencies like the state Department of Economic and Community Development in looking at this from a business point of view, because there is an economic component to creating this type of a scientific resource. The benefits of this are multi-faceted, and the opportunity is ripe here in Connecticut.”
The need for a regional cord blood bank was first brought to Sen. Hartley’s attention by her legislative aide, Melissa Roder-Goldschmidt. Roder-Goldschmidt’s mother Ruth passed away from kidney cancer in May 2001; her daughter Rachel was born in January 2004. The closest cord blood bank she could find to donate to was in Florida.
“Two years ago, as my due date was approaching, I kept getting information in the mail regarding saving my cord blood for my personal use,” Roder-Goldschmidt recalls. “That just didn’t seem right to me, because I know cord blood can be used in research to assist people suffering from kidney cancer.”
“It’s kind of a nice tie between grandmother and granddaughter, even though they’ll never meet,” she adds, “and it makes me feel real happy that this cord blood is going toward the common good, that maybe somewhere it will help somebody, and her death will not be in vain.”
Dean’s List
The following Johnson & Wales University students have been named to the Dean’s List for the 2006 winter term:
From Naugatuck: Ashley Comer, pursuing an associate degree in Hotel Management; John Daikus, pursuing an associate degree in Business Administration; Sarah Smith, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Baking & Pastry.
From Waterbury: Jessica Proulx, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Marketing Communications; Milton Joyner, pursuing an associate degree in Culinary Arts; Brian Roy, pursuing an associate degree in Web Site Development.
From Wolcott: Stephanie Greguoli, pursuing an associate degree in Advertising & Communications; Sarah McHugh, pursuing an associate degree in Criminal Justice; Sarah Rose, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Hotel Management.
Glamour, Glitz and Fashion
The Junior League will host their Second Annual “Glamour, Glitz & Fashion Galore” a unique shopping experience on Thursday, May 11th from 6-11pm at the Mattatuck Museum in downtown Waterbury.
Guests will enjoy a fashion show featuring designers from the region, a trunk show of high-end retailers from throughout the Northeast, hours d’oeuvres and desserts and an extensive raffle showcasing items donated by area businesses.
Proceeds will become part of the ongoing projects, scholarships and community service provided by the Junior League. Recent contributions include, the Palace Theatre, Morris Foundation, Children’s Community School, Chapman House, Waterbury Youth Services, Multiply Your Options Girls’ Conference, Girl’s Inc, Safe Haven, StayWell Health Center, Family Services of Waterbury, Barnard School and other local organizations in 18 towns.
NVCC course to help supervisors improve management skills
In today’s working world, managers are pulled in so many directions it’s no wonder they’re the inspiration for so many silly “Dilbert” cartoons.

Many supervisors probably spend more time in meetings than supervising, which can mean their management skills aren’t what they should be. But Naugatuck Valley Community College is offering a course beginning April 12 that can help.
“Supervisory Skills II: Managing with Performance in Mind” is designed to provide managers with the essential leadership skills that they need to produce more effective results. It explains how to:
. develop a management style that generates results;
. create teams that work;
. manage conflict; and,
. juggle multiple priorities.
For more information, or to register, call (203) 575-8029. Course information is also available at www.nvcc.commnet.edu by clicking on the latest course schedules and then on NVCC’s Spring 2006 Non-Credit Catalog.
Seeking Hosts for Exchange Students
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs is seeking local host families for boys and girls from a variety of countries around the world. These students are 15 to 18 years old, and are coming to this area for the upcoming high school year or semester. These personable and academically select exchange students have good English, are bright, curious and anxious to learn about the USA by living as part of your family, attending high school and sharing their own culture and language with you.
The exchange students arrive from their home country shortly before school begins and return at the end of the school year or semester. Each ASSE student is fully insured, brings his or her own personal spending money and expects to bear his or her share of household responsibilities, as well as being included in normal family activities and lifestyles.
The students are well screened and qualified by ASSE. Families may select the youngster of their choice from extensive student applications, family photos and biographical essays.
Call Joyce McKenney at (207)737-4666 or 1-800-677-2773. There are hundreds of students to choose from, so call and begin the process of selecting your new son of daughter today.
Spring Vacation Activities
Children can have a blast at the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center during Spring Break, with a range of events from an exhibit, special lunches, to a variety of hands on activities that will keep everyone happily occupied.
“Words Through Pictures: Connecticut Artists Drawing for Children” opens on Thursday, April 20 wit ha special reception from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. that will be fun for everyone. Costumed characters will delight the little ones while artist Lorraine West will lead art activities and volunteers will read stories in the Gallery’s Cuddle Corner. The artists will discuss their work and will be available to sign copies of their books.
During the week, a team of artists will provide Creative Kids Workshops in poetry, drama and a variety of art media, all inspired by the Words Through Pictures exhibit and children’s books. Workshops are grouped by ages, with different artists each day, so every day is a pleasant surprise for participants. Children ages 7 to 11 may attend workshops from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Tuesday, April 18 through Friday, April 21. Fee for each workshop is $8 for members and $10 for non-members. Children ages 4 to 6 may attend workshops from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Fee is $3 for members and $5 for non-members.
Beatriz Beckford, a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, and a free-lance photographer and writer, will lead workshops on both Tuesday and Wednesday. She is an experienced art educator, having worked with New Haven Festivals, Inc., the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, and other art organizations. Rosanne She, who teaches and Naugatuck Valley Community Technical College and Holy Cross High School, will work with students for both sessions on Thursday. She frequently exhibits her paintings in the area. Linda Northrup, who has taught at the Mattatuck Museum during the Summer Art Camps, and for several years in the Museum’s Art After-School program, will be coordinating the Friday Program for the 7 to 11 age group.
Also during Spring Breka Week is a Cuddle Corner Story Hour, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Bring your favorite studded animal (blankets are ok, too!) and prepare to cuddle up to short stories from the books featured in the Words Through Pictures exhibit. All ages are welcome. This program is free, but call to reserve space.
Plan to spend the day at the Mattatuck Museum! Enjoy a fun lunch at the Exhibition Café, operated by Bay Leaf Gourmet, who will offer a special kids menu, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 18 to Friday, April 21. Call the Café at (203)753-0381 e. 24 for more information.
Call the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center at (203)753-0381 x.10. The Museum is located at 144 West Main Street, Waterbury, with convenient parking behind the building on Park Place.
Training Program
The Marrakech Inc. Academy for Human Service Training is offering a FREE 12-week training program to area residents. This unique training program combines both classroom and internship based training, prepares individuals to work with people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. The ultimate program goal is to place graduates in full-time employment within the human service field. Area residents that are unemployed, under employed, out-of-school youth (18-21), and in need of job training are strongly encouraged to apply. Contact the site in your area for more information. Waterbury: (203)754-5298, New Milford: (860)354-4587. Guidelines apply.
Electricians’ License Renewal
Farmington- Tunxis Community College provides electricians the seven hours of continuing education each must complete in 2006 to renew their license and work in Connecticut. “Electricians’ License Renewal Training” will center on OSHA regulations, building codes, Connecticut general statutes, codeology, NEC 2005, telecommunications, cabling dor wireless, and other related areas.
The one-day clases are held day and weekends at Bristol Career Center of Tunxis, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and are scheduled for: April 8, May 6, May 20, June 2, June 17, July 15, July 28, Aug 19, Sept. 9, Sept 22, Sept 30 and Oct. 21. An evening course will run April 18&20, 5:30-9 p.m. Additional classes may be scheduled. Basic tuition is $100; or $148 with required Electrical Work Examining Board text included.
Call (860)314-4709 or 314-4700 or e-mail vmitchell@txcc.commnet.edu. Visit Tunxis on the Internet at: www.tunxis.commnet.edu.
NVCC gardening classes will help cultivate your green thumb
Now that spring is here, green thumbs everywhere are itching to start digging in the dirt.
So, in April, Naugatuck Valley Community College is offering two gardening classes for those who want some help with planting an herb garden or shade garden.
“Design Your Own Herb Garden for Containers or Landscape” will be held three consecutive Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. starting April 6. For those who want a simpler herb garden, the class will review how to plant culinary or healing herbs in a container that can sit on a city porch or suburban deck. For the more adventurous gardener, it covers how to plant herbs among perennials or design an original layout with paths, edging and a centerpiece. The class, which costs $65, will also explain how to choose varieties that attract butterflies or make tea or dried potpourri.
“Planting a Shade Garden: There’s So Much More than Hosta and Vinca” includes three sessions beginning April 25. The class reviews the many plant options available to spruce up the cooler sections of your yard with sweet smells and bright summer color.
For more information, or to register, call (203) 575-8029. Course information is also available at www.nvcc.commnet.edu by clicking on the latest course schedules and then on NVCC’s Spring 2006 Non-Credit Catalog.
Deans List
The following Waterbury Students were named to the Dean’s list at the University of New Haven for the Fall 2005 semester; Jaime Bennett, Anthony Desousa, Melanie Kelly, Visar Marku, Vincent Matozzo, Jonathan Perez, Joseph Richard, Raymond Solla, Kathleen Summa, Jenil Walker, Western Zickefoose.
Full time undergraduate students must have a 3.50 or better cumulative GPA for the semester to be eligible for the Dean’s list. The University of New Haven is located in West Have, CT and has a strong career focus and is committed to the principle of real-life learning.
Driving Excuses
Although a new national survey reveals that 57% of American drivers admit they don’t use their turn signals when changing lanes, what’s most startling are the excuses drivers gave.

According to Response Insurance, a national car insurer, 42% of those drivers say they don’t have enough time, 23% say they are just plain “lazy”, %17 don’t signal because when they do, they forget to turn it off, 8% say they don’t signal because other drivers don’t, and perhaps most disturbing 7% say forgoing the signal “adds excitement to driving.
The company identified several driver-types when it comes to ifnoring turn signals- Impuslive, Lazy, Forgetful, Swervers, Ostriches, Followers, and the Dare Devils.
“The bottom line is that most drivers are failing to see the importance of using their turn signals,” noted Mory Katz, Chairman & CEO of Response Insurance.” But, they are doing so at their own peril-0-and the peril of others since their unanticipated actions cause crashes.
The just released Response Insurance National Driving Habits Survey also indicated that men are more likely than women to forgo their signal when changing lanes, as are younger drivers, 71% o whom report they don’t signal, as compared to 49% of older adults.
A Celebration of Spring
Poems and prayers first sung in ancient times have been transfigured through the centuries by composers using richly varied musical idioms. Yale Schola Cantorum, directed by Simon Carrington; and Thomas Murray, organist, will perform some of this music in the context of a simple service of evening prayer celebrating the season of the earth’s transfiguration from Winter to Spring, from death to life. Rev. Thomas Troeger, Edward and Ruth Cox Lantz Professor of Christian Communication at Yale, will preside.
The Yale Schola Cantorum, now in its third year, is a 24-voice chamber choir specializing in the music before 1750 and from the last hundred years. Simon Carrington is the group’s founder and conductor; it is supported by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music with the School of Music.
The program includes music ranging from Psalm settings to a song written for “A Garland for Linda,” a musical tribute to Sir Paul McCartney’s wife who died of cancer in 1998. The selections span more than half a millennium: from Adriana Willaert and Thomas Tallis in the sixteenth century, top William Albright and Richard Rodney Bennett in the twentieth, and Yale visiting composer Tarik O’Regan and graduate students composer Zachary Wadsworth in the twenty-first.
Thomas Murray, University Organist, will perform on the new Lively-Fulcher organ, and join his student Alistair Nelson to provide accompaniment for William Albright’s David’s Songs.
This service of evening prayer will take place at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 24 at Christ Church Episcopal in New Haven (84 Broadway at Elm). Call Yale Institute of Sacred Music at (203)432-5062.
Car Raffle
Its time for Sacred Heart High School’s 3rd Annual Car Raffle. This year through the continued generosity of Loehmann Chevrolet Cadillac and the Republican-American, Sacred Heart will be raffling off a brand new 2006 -4 door Chevy Cobalt complete with air conditioning, power locks and windows, and AM/FM stereo with CD player. Raffle tickets will be available beginning Monday, March 13, 2006 at the school by calling the Alumni Office at (203)753-1605. All monies raised will support the Foreign Language Lab as well as Student Programming. Tickets are just $5.00 each for your chance for a brand new car. The drawing will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2006 at 1:00 p.m.
Award Dinner
The United Way of Greater Waterbury, (which serves the towns of Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury) will hold its Twentieth Annual Campaign Awards Dinner at the Villa Rosa, 380 Farmwood Road in Waterbury, Thursday evening March 30 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Over 300 volunteers and community leaders from across the United Way’s 10-town service area are expected to attend. The event is an opportunity to formally recognize the efforts of community volunteers and business who supported the 2005-2006 ‘Mission Possible’ themed campaign.
Campaign Chairman John Tobin, President/CEO of Waterbury Hospital will announce the final campaign totals and share important information regarding the campaign and United Way’s work. The presentation of awards will follow.
The 2006 award recipients are, The Sprit of Excellence Award: Illinois Tool Works, Inc., The Community Volunteer of the Year Award: Jonathon Kellogg, Organized Labor/ United Way Community Service Award: Steve Schrag, Frederic & Lucy Kellogg Award: William Morris.
Please contact United Way of Greater Waterbury for Award Winner contact information & biographies.
Faculty Honors
Kellie A. Beluscsak, of Naugatuck has received Faculty Honors for the 2005 fall semester. To earn this honor, a student must achieve a semester grade point average of at least 2.667 with no individual letter grade below a b-minus.
Founded in 1823, Trinity College is one of the oldest and highest ranked liberal arts colleges in the nation, with over 2,000 full-time undergraduate students from 46 states and 30 foreign countries. As a residential college in the heart of the city, Trinity encourages its students to take advantage of learning opportunities beyond the classroom and make a difference no only campus, but in their community as well.
Tribute to US Armed Forces
The Mattatuck Senior Center will be presenting a Variety Show Tuesday, May 23, 2006, from 1-3 p.m. at the Seven Angels Theatre, as a tribute to the service men and women of our U.S. Armed Forces.
The Variety Show will include American folk music and song by guitarist Joe Masulli, the Bobn Vitale accordion group, youthful vocalist Danielle Spinello, songs of the 40s/50s by Elaine Schieffer, country singer Patsy Kline tunes by Jackie Eichman, Latin songs by Leila & Robert Tammaro on piano, a duet with Tom Chute and daughter Courtney, and patriotic songs by Greg O’Brien. Included in the program is a humorous skit “God, Moses and the Computer” featuring John Sarlo & WATR Program Manager Tom Chute, who will also emcee the show.
The Wheler Young VFW Post #201 color guard led by Jerry Diaz will open the program by presenting the colors and Elaine Schieffer will sing the National Anthem.
Reserved seat tickets can be acquired by the “B-Well Center” located at Brass City Mall, at the Mattatuck Senior Center 117 Southmyd Rd, or by contacting event chairman Louis Orsini (203)574-1163. A $5.00 donation is requested.
Help for the Homeless
The United Way of Greater Waterbury is one of the many partners on Waterbury’s Continuum of Care…a partnership to address homelessness in the City of Waterbury.

The Continuum of Care announced that their recent HUD (Housing & Urban Development) grant application has been approved for $1,058,185!

The HUD grant is the 2nd submitted by a United Way of Greater Waterbury investment of approximately $4,500 in grant writer support in order to bring over 2.5 million dollars to the local community in order address the needs of individuals and families who are homeless.

The grant will provide permanent housing to persons who are homeless, as well as important support services to ensure success. It also provides local community service providers with incentive to network and better plan to ensure success. It also provides local community service providers with incentive to network and better plan to meet the needs of this hard to serve population.
Voices of Hamas
Avowed terrorist organization Hamas is now in charge of the Palestinian fate, yet responses from around the world have been mixed. UN envoy to the Middle East Alvaro de Soto was hopeful. “Let’s judge the participants in the government by what they do, not by what they have said in the past,” he said. The EU’s Benita Ferrero- Waldner concurred. “We are prepared to work with any Palestinian government,” she said, “if the government seeks peace, using peaceful means.” In contrast, the U.S. State Department held firm that Hamas is a terrorist organization and President Bush said he refused to deal with them unless they renounced terrorism.

“There should be no doubt about Hamas’s intentions,” said French Israeli filmmaker Pierre Rehov, who just returned from interviewing members of the organization incarcerated in Israeli jails for attempting to conduct suicide bombings or aid bombers. Rehov’s forthcoming documentary, “Suicide Killers,” addresses the impossible question of “why do they do it?” He describes the interviews with Hamas members as being forthright and shocking. “I filmed hundreds of hours with Hamas members in prison-both men and women. Listen to their words and tell me if there’s and ambiguity about the annihilation they want to accomplish.”

“I am not sorry for what I did and am very proud to have the opportunity to give back double the pain and suffering that the Israelis have caused me,” said Kohera, 29, a mother of four serving three life sentences for collaborating with a suicide bomber. “When a Shahid commits a suicide bombing or gets shot he feels great pleasure-no paint-and wants to go back to the earth to continue fighting to gain this pleasure and reward again.” She described the joyfully how she and others distributed candies when they learned of the London bombings last year. “We celebrated the attacks against the long-standing enemies of Islam,” she explained.
Saura, 28, had intended to blow up Sbarro’s restaurant in Jerusalem one year after it was decimated by an earlier bloody bombing. She described a glorious afterlife in which she would become one of 72 virgins in Paradise. “What I aspire for is acceptance from God. What I want is to maintain my own dignity and of that of my people,” she said. “I do not want to enjoy life in this land, I want to satisfy God, what I tried to do is just that. My parents are also very proud of me.”

While directing “Suicide Killers” Rehov spent hundreds of interview hours looking into the eyes of terrorists, exploring their psyche, and seeing firsthand the culture that creates the terrorist mind. According to Rehov, the political victory by Hamas is a good thing. “At least now all the cards are on the table. It’s better to have a declared enemy than a hidden enemy,” he explained. “Now we’re not playing make-believe as with Arafat’s Fatah, which would denounce suicide bombings to the West while encouraging the wholesale destruction of Israel to the Arab-speaking world.”

Rehov’s earlier film, “The Road to Jenin” was translated into Polish and shown at the Warsaw International Film Festival as well as on Israel prime TV, and PBS in New York and Florida in 2004. Using this powerful and revealing documentary, as the Israeli courts sued Mohammad Bakri for his film, “Jenin Jenin,” which was proven to be a fraud.

“Silent Exodus,” another Rehov film, was selected at the International Human Rights Festival in Paris and presented at the Human Rights Session of the United Nations in 2004. “Hostages of Hatred” was an Official Conflict & Resolution selection at Hampton’s International Film Festival in 2004.

Rehov has directed six major documentaries, which have had screenings in Milan, Rome, and London, and have had great success in France, where they are widely distributed on DVD. He has his own 3-day film festival in NYC in January 2005. For more information, visit www.pierrerehov.com
Easter Seals Aid Fund
Easter Seals announces funds available through the Community Workshop and Aid Fund; a program it administers on behalf of an established trust. Scholarships are available to eligible individuals with disabilities who are continuing their educational or vocational training and reside in the grater Waterbury, central Naugatuck Valley and northwestern Connecticut areas.

In addition to granting awards for tuition and books, the Fund has also granted aid for the purchase of uniforms and computers and to help offset transportation costs in application by writing to: Scholarship Committee Chairman, Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center of Greater Waterbury, Inc., 22 Tompkins Street, Waterbury, CT 06708

The Fund does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law. The number of annual scholarship awards and their amounts are determined by funding availability.
Woman of The Year
Girls Inc of Greater Waterbury has announced that the nomination process is underway for the Miriam N. Camp Woman of the Year. Mary Jane Barlow, M.J. Barlow Staffing, last year’s Woman of the Year, will chair the nomination process with Girls Incorporated Board Trustee President, Adrienne Parkmond.

Individuals who wish to make a nomination should submit the nomination form received in the Committee of One Hundred mailing. Additional nomination forms are available by contacting Girls Inc at 203-756-4639. Nominated individuals should be women in our community who emulate the mission of Girls Inc. – to inspire all girls to become strong, smart and bold. The Woman of the Year will be honored on April 29th at the Celebrate Girls Awards Presentation at the Waterbury Country Club, Waterbury. Girls Inc. is located at 35 Park Place, Waterbury. The all-girl environment provides informal academic and recreation curriculum includes arts, sports, self-reliance, prevention programs, teen programs, and summer camp. Contact 203-756-4639
Volunteers Needed
Girls Inc. of Greater Waterbury needs female adult volunteers who are interested in short-term projects which can be done at home. The project should take two or three at homework hours. This is a fabulous volunteer experience for women to make a difference in the lives of girls through their creative and administrative skills.

Girls Inc. is located at 35 Park Place, Waterbury. Contact 203-756-4639.
YMCA Summer Camp
YMCA Camp Mataucha, located on 37 acres on Smith Pond Road in Watertown, is accepting registrations beginning February 1st for the 2006 camp season. YMCA Camp Mataucha has a 79-year old tradition of providing a day camp experience for girls and boys ages 5 to 15. YMCA Camp Mataucha provides convenient bus transportation from Watertown, Waterbury, Naugatuck, Prospect, Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Thomaston, and Oakville. Some of YMCA Camp Mataucha’s exciting activities include: swimming, archery, boating, arts & crafts, rock climbing, nature exploration and more. YMCA Camp Mataucha also offers a variety of “Specialty Camps,” such as Earth Camp, Theatre Camp, All-Star Sports Camp, Carpentry Camp, Teen Adventure Camp, Mountain Bike Camp and Fort Building Camp. YMCA offers a dynamic Counselor-In-Training program for teens. For a 2006 YMCA Camp Mataucha brochure contact 203-754-2181 X 306 or register online at www.campmataucha.com.
Historic Election
For the first time in history, Italian-American votes living in the U.S. will be voting, by absentee ballot, in a precedent setting election. Registered voters will be casting votes for two parliamentary deputies and one Senator to represent their interest as elected members of the Italian Parliament in Rome.

Registered voters include those American residents, as follows: Italian-American citizens; American citizens traveling on dual passports or holding dual citizenship. (First, second or third generation American-born citizens are eligible to register to vote). In Connecticut there are approximately 35,000 registered voters.

The region encompases all of Canada, the U.S., Mexica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. This region is one of several newly reapportioned regions of the Italian Aprliament world worldwide.

Quintino Cianfaglione, a Wethersfield resident, is running for one of the two Deputy seats of the Tremaglia list. He holds dual citizenship. In addition to having his own construction company, he has worked extensively in radio and television, both as a broadcaster and producer.

Mr. Cianfaglio serves as President of COMITES, NY-CT; has has recently been appointed Coordinator for the east coast of CTIM (the Rome-based, non-profit organization tied to the Ministry of Italians Abroad).

He is the recipient of many honors and awards including a 2004 certificate of honor by Minister Mirko Tremaglia, a member of the Berlusconi cabinet, for his commitment to the rights of Italian Americans; and in 2003 and 2005, he was honored by the State of Connecticut for his efforts in implementing cultural projects within local communities.
egan’s Birthday
The Ronald Regan Legacy Project commends Gov. Rell (R) for proclaiming February 6th “Ronald Regan Day” in the state of Connecticut. February 6th marked the 95th anniversary of late President Ronald Regan’s birth, the second since his passing in 2004.

Upon approval from governor, Connecticut became one of 40 states honoring Ronal Regan on this day. This recognition of February 6th honors Regan as a strong leader and friend of the American people. The late president stated in his last speech that he would leave behind “the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.” The proclamation, issued throughout the nation by Democratic and Republican leaders alike, supports the preservation of his legacy.

“Governor Rell’s support in recognizing Regan’s birthday reflects the late president’s ability to connect with all Americans,” stated Grover Norquist, chairman of the Ronald Regan Legacy Project. “His leadership left a resounding impact on the lives of citizens worldwide and honoring his birthday is a great reminder to everyone, young and old, of his place in history. It is vital that President Regan’s legacy is passed on through generations.”
Great Storyteller
On a November evening in 1951, an itinerant storyteller, the last of a fabled breed, arrives unannounced and mysterious at a house in the Irish countryside. By the fire, he begins to tell the story of his extraordinary island.

One of his listeners, a nine-year-old boy, grows so entranced by the storytelling, that, when the old man leaves, he devotes his life to finding him again.

It is a search that uncovers both passions and mysteries, in the boy’s life as well as the old man’s. In addition, a remarkable document is quoted from throughout the book-the storyteller’s own chronicle-poignant, sharp, and frequently amusing. Together they comprise the narrative of a people, the history of a nation, the telling of Ireland in all its drama, intrigue and heroism, its philosophy, its spirit, and its national ego.

So goes Frank Delaney’s latest book, Ireland touches the heart and moves the soul.

The Washington Post called it “an intimate epic that is at once a sprawling account of 2,000 years of tumultuous Irish history and a meditation on the enduring importance of stories”.

The thrill of hearing some snatches of these stories of Ireland, read aloud by its author, one of the country’s foremost contemporary writers-will be offered to Waterbury area residents free of charge Wednesday, March 29th when the Silas Bronson Library will present An Evening with Frank Delaney at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Delaney, who was born in Tipperary and now makes his home in Connecticut, will also sign paperback copies of his book and entertain questions from the audience.

The Silas Bronson Library is handicapped accessible with ample free parking after 6:30 p.m.
Local Graduates
The following Waterbury Students graduated from the University of New Haven during winter commencement held on January 14, 2006:
Sheila Harris earned an MPA in Public Administration
Carolyn Hoyt earned an MS in Labor Relations
Sara Novak earned an MS in Education
Daniel Outler earned an MS in Industrial Engineering
Elena Serendi earned an MS in Criminal Justice
Jaime Bennett earned a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
Vincent Matozzo earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Kiwanis Grant
The Waterbury Kiwanis Club will support Bronson Library’s Reading Is Fundamental Program for the fifteenth year in a row. The announcement of a $1400 grant for 2006 was made, in celebration of Kiwanis International’s February is “Read Around the World” month, by Club President, Leo N. Flanagan at a meeting of Kiwanis at the Mattatuck Museum, February 8.

Reading Is Fundamental is a nationwide program designed to introduce young children to the joys of reading and recitation, especially of nursery rhymes. In Waterbury in a partnership of the Waterbury Kiwanis Club and the Silas Bronson Library, the Children’s Division staff of the Library visits children at the City’s three Head Start Centers in March and April each year. Their librarians read to over 160 children in eight classes. In a grand finale in May, Head Start brings the children and their parents to the Library to see tens of thousands of books available for borrowing, to hear Mother Goose (played in costume by professional storyteller Lenka Piclikova) tell more stories and rhymes, and to receive two gift books each from Kiwanians.

The Kiwanis has donated nearly $30,000 to the Bronson Library in recent years for children’s programs. Children are “Priority One” for Kiwanis clubs around the world. Locally, the Kiwanis Club also sponsors teen service clubs in Crosby and Kennedy High Schools, conducts bicycle safety rodeos with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department, awards five college scholarships each year, and has owned and operated the Children’s Summer Day Camp in Wolcott for 50 years. The camp, administered in partnership with Waterbury Youth Services, provides a lakeside rural camping experience for inner city children each summer.

Guests of the club February 8 were Emmet McSweeney, Acting Library Director, Paul Bisnette, Head of the Children’s Division, and Juleigh Paradise, Reading Is Fundamental Coordinator. The feature speaker for Read Around the World Month was Tina Agati, the new Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury, addressing the continuing challenges of illiteracy in the U.S. The Kiwanis Club meets for lunch every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at the Museum. www.WaterburyKiwanis.org
Giordano Conviction Upheld
Former Waterbury mayor, Philip Giordano, lost his bid to have his felony convictions overturned by the U.S. 2nd Court of Appeals. The court voted 2-1 to uphold Giordano’s conviction on civil rights charges that he sexually assaulted two young girls by abusing the power of the office of mayor. Giordano’s lawyer, Andrew Bowman, can ask the court to rehear the case, or he can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Giordano still faces 18 state felony charges in Waterbury Superior Court.
Historic House Tour
Relive a grand time in a grand city!

It was an era when local industrialists built beautiful gabled Queen Anne mansions, grand Colonial Revivals and impressive Tudors. It was a period of elegance, as homes were designed for gracious living. And, these mansions have been carefully preserved!

The Mattatuck Museum’s, “A Return to the Gilded Age-Home in the Historic Hillside Neighborhood” program will be held Thursday, September 8th, from 4pm to 8pm at three homes. Refreshments will be served.

The event, which will be held rain or shine, will feature live music and a 1941 Packard seven-passenger limousine. Personal stories of life on the Hill will be told by homeowners and tour guides in each of the houses.

Featured houses include:
The “House on the Hill” on Woodlawn Terrace, a Victorian Queen Anne with many beautiful gables, set high on Brunt Hill. Built in 1888, the house has been meticulously restored, with countless fascinating antiques in every room.

A neighboring Woodlawn Terrace Grand Colonial Revival with exquisite paneling, a breathtaking patio overlooking Waterbury and fabulous furnishings throughout.

A massive Pine Street Tudor, and excellent example of period architecture, and featuring beautiful marble reliefs throughout. Visitors will be invited to view Waterbury from the third floor studio.

Program admission is $25 per person. Registration by August 29th is encouraged, as space is limited.

A map, literature about the tour homes and tickets will be mailed to advance registrants. Call Peter Cunningham, Mattatuck Museum, 203-753-0381, x 20 or email pcunningham@MattatuckMuseum.org
2006 Hope Gala
The American Cancer Society’s annual Hope Gala will take place at the Villa Rosa Restaurant in Waterbury on April 1. This black tie optional event serves as a celebration of hope. The Hope Gala helps raise funds for the Society’s programs of research, education, advocacy and patient services.

The Gala includes a cocktail reception, dinner, live and silent auctions, and an evening of dancing and live music to the Hothouse Band and PowerStation Productions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take part in an exciting Wine Auction with Napa Valley trip giveaway. Guests who purchase a bottle of wine, selling at $50 each, will have the chance to win a trip to beautiful Napa Valley donated by Amity Wine and Spirits and Compass Marketing.

Two Angel of Hope Awards will be presented at this year’s celebration. These distinguished awards recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to improving the quality of life for cancer patients in the areas of research, treatment and personal care. This year’s recipients are Bob Ritz, CEO, Saint Mary’s Hospital, and John Tobin, CEO, Waterbury Hospital.

Both couples and singles are encouraged to attend; there will be a singles table for those guests wishing to enjoy friendship and conversation. Corporate tables are also available. Tickets are $125 per person. Call Marie Greco at 203-389-4876 or email marie.Greco@cancer.org.
Hip Hop Photos
According to Fab 5 Freddy, Hip Hop Files is “Like a New York City subway ride back to the early 1980s. This is Hip Hop Culture at its all time best. Hip Hop Files is a monumental photographic achievement for the world. It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Martha Cooper tireless dedicated herself to the task of documenting Hip Hop Culture – a phenomenon that emerged from an environment of extreme decay in the South Bronx. The concept of pure invention – of creating something from nothing – was in full effect at the end of the 1970s as graffiti art, break dancing (usually on a piece of cardboard on the sidewalk), and outdoor jams (by taping electricity from the street lights) captured the attention of urban youth, coalescing into a new form of artistic expression.

With the reputation of being the first and foremost photographer of early hip hop culture, Martha Cooper’s rare and striking photos are a testament to her willingness to get the shot by any means necessary. Cooper documented the people who created the music, dance and art that became known worldwide – including Duro, Skeme, Dez, Lady Pink, Mare 139, Fab 5 Freddy, Frosty Freeze RSC, Seen and Dondi, to name a few.

Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984 is the first major one-person exhibition of Cooper’s work in Connecticut. Martha Cooper has specialized in shooting urban vernacular art and architecture for over twenty-five years. From 1977-1980 she worked as a staff photographer for the New York Post, leaving in 1980 to pursue the documentation of the emerging hip hop scene. In 1984, in collaboration with Henry Chalfant, she published Subway Art, the classic book showcasing the best spray-painted trains for the era and dubbed “The Bible” by graffiti artists. In 1994, she published R.I.P.: Memorial Wall Art, with folklorist Joseph Sciorra.

Michael Cooper is the Director of City Lore, the New York Center for Urban Folk Culture. The Burt Chernow Galleries are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 5:30pm and Thursday until 7pm. Saturday hours are 9-3pm and Sunday Noon – 4pm
Graphic Design USA’s People to Watch in 2006
Grant Copeland, Vice President of Design for The Worx Group, has been named by Graphic Design USA magazine as one of its “People to Watch” in 2006.Copeland, who also serves as creative director of the Prospect-based marketing communications firm, is one of twenty design professionals nationwide to be selected to this year’s list as a person who is “shaping the design profession, producing notable work, making news, influencing others and leading the community,” says Gordon Kaye, Editor and Publisher of Graphic Design USA.

Copeland was featured in the January issue of the industry publication with a full-page interview. The honor comes on the heels of The Worx Group winning 10 national design awards in the magazine’s 2005 annual juried competition – the most awarded to any firm in the country. Copeland designed or directed all ten award winners for clients including FedEx, IBM, Wood Group, Kuehne + Nagel and ConAgra Foods.

“To have such a personal honor bestowed upon me is very humbling,” said Copeland.

“As a designer or director, you think less about awards or honors and more about how your work is serving a client’s business goals and objectives. Impacting a client’s bottom-line objectives is what makes me passionate each day. However, gaining honors like this also shows a general appreciation for the unique expertise we provide to our local and national client base.”
Walk Against Hunger
Connecticut Food Bank’s 1st annual Walk Against Hunger in Waterbury, presented by Webster Bank, will take place on Sunday, April 30. Registration and festivities kick-off at 1:00 p.m. in Library Park at the corner of Grand and Meadow Streets; the 2 1/2-mile walk throughout downtown Waterbury deigns at 2:00 p.m.

Prior to the event, participants gather monetary pledges from family members, friends, colleagues and others. Proceeds will be used by Connecticut Food Bank to transport, warehouse and distribute donated food to local community agencies such as soup kitchen, shelters, food pantries, and adult and child day care centers. Last year’s Walk Against Hunger in New Haven raised more than $90,000.

A Kick-Off Party for the Walk Against Hunger will be held on Wednesday, March 29, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Carmen Anthony Steakhouse of New Haven (660 State Street). Individuals and teams can pick up event materials, meet other participants and learn more about the Walk Against Hunger and Connecticut Food Bank. Free appetizers and a cash bar will be provided.

Contact Maria Burns, Special Events Coordinator, at 203-469-5000 ext. 302 or Walk@ctfoodbank.org. More information, including a Walk Against Hunger brochure and sponsorship form, can be found at www.ctfoodbank.org.

Sponsors of the 2006 Walk Against Hunger include Webster Bank, Connecticut Magazine, WATR/1320-AM, Fox 61/WTIC, PLR/99.1 and the Waterbury Republican-American.
Community Database
The Silas Bronson Library maintains a community organization database. If you would like to put your organization on the Bronson Homepage contact us at sblmrr@bronsonlibrary.org or at 267 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT 06702
Driver Safety Program
The AARP will offer its Driver Safety Program, a three-part refresher course for mature drivers, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. at the Wolcott High School on March 13,16 and 20, 2006; at the Mt. Olive Church at 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on March 15, 2006; at the Silas Bronson Library from 6:00 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on March 20 and 22, 2006; and at the Naugatuck Senior Center from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on April 3 and 5, 2006.

The course emphasizes how to adjust one’s driving in response to age related changes and declining distance and depth perception. Rules of the road, local driving problems and safety tips will also be discussed.

The fee for the course is $10.00 (check made out to AARP) and includes a drivers’ manual, student workbook and a certificate upon completion. Most drivers who complete the course may be eligible for up to a 10% discount on automobile insurance. To register, please call 203-879-8423.
Food Assistance
A study released today by Connecticut Food Bank shows that despite the amount of wealth in Connecticut, the need for food assistance is strong.

According to the local statistics of Hunger in America 2006, prepared in conjunction with America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s food bank network, approximately 127,000 different people receive food annually through the 390 food programs such as soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters that responded to the survey.

The survey included questions about the number and demographics of people these programs serve. The survey also included interviews with clients who use emergency food services and questions about household income and tough choices people with limited incomes had to make. Of those who receive food assistance from the 390 food programs in Connecticut who responded to the survey:

33% are children under 18
75% have incomes below the poverty line
34% are African-American, 29% are white, and 28% are Hispanic
4% are homeless.
The survey also revealed that:
42% had to choose between paying for utilities/heating fuel or paying for food
34% had to choose between paying for rent/mortgage or paying for food
30% had to choose between paying for medicine/medical or paying for food

According to the national study conducted by America’s Second Harvest, 25 million American receive food from an emergency food program annually, including nearly 9 million children and 3 million seniors. 70% of those receiving emergency food assistance are living below the federal poverty line.

Connecticut Food Bank serves more than 670 food assistance programs in six of Connecticut’s eight counties. In 2005, the food bank distributed 16.6 million pounds of food to community programs, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and child and adult daycare programs
Hope Gala Leaders
Emma Barone of Prospect and Robin Sills of Waterbury were recently named co-chairs of the volunteer planning committee for the American Cancer Society’s 2006 Hope Gala Set for Saturday, April 1, at the Villa Rosa Restaurant in Waterbury.

The Society’s Hope Gala is an event that serves as a celebration of hope-hope that the money raised and the countless hours that researchers, doctors and volunteers dedicate to those with cancer will someday contribute to a cure. Funds raised benefit American Cancer Society programs of research, education, advocacy and patient services.

Volunteers are needed for the planning committee to assist with decorations, auction items and corporate sponsorships. Tickets are $125 per person. Contact Marie Greco at 203-379-4876, or marie.Greco@cancer.org, or visit www.cancer.org.
VolleyBlast
The 20th Annual Easter Seals VolleyBlast, a volleyball tournament to be held Saturday, March 25, at the Connecticut Sports Center in Woodridge. All proceeds benefit Easter Seals and help provide quality, family-focused programs and services for infants, children, and adults with special needs throughout greater Waterbury and northwestern Connecticut.

The tournament is open to volleyball enthusiasts. Join the action at this popular volleyball tournament designed for all skill levels. Register for one or more of the three divisions: Power(Advanced), Recreational(Intermediate) or Just-for-Fun as a male, female, or co-ed team. Gather your friends, family, co-workers, members of your league teams, or the neighborhood group of sports enthusiasts. Registration fee: $200/team up to 8 players. Win great prizes by raising pledges.

Sponsor opportunities are available and team registration accepted through March 17. Contact Eddie Bruneau, Easter Seals Event Coordinator, at 203-754-5414, ext. 251, Mike Shirling at 203-385-7306, or visit www.eastersealwaterburyct.org
Bereavement Support
Stand By Me, Inc., is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing no cost, weekly, year round support groups to the community.

People are capable of a great ability to love and attach to those we love. Because of this, we become vulnerable to the pain of grief when a relationship is severed. After the loss of a loved one, we experience a multitude of changes, not only in our physical and mental health, but often a change of income or housing. People who love us often do not know how to approach us or how to help us deal with the grief.

Stand By Me Inc. provides:
On Going Support (for as long as you need us)
•Telephone Support
•A Confidential Environment to Verbalize Your Feelings
•Education Regarding the Bereavement Process and Issues Related to Lifestyle Change
•Speakers and Healing Services
•Referrals (when needed)
•Assistance in Development of New Support Systems, a new Self Image, and a New
Beginning
•Groups Are Operated by a Licensed, Board Certified Social Worker

Stand By Me Inc. will be hosting this year’s Waterbury Festival, 2006 on August 19th and 20th, 2006. It will be held in Library Park. If you would like to obtain information or a booth at our event, please call Arlene Pereira, Executive Director, at 203-808-9889. (All proceeds to benefit the STAND BY ME, Inc., Building Fund.)
Mobile Dental Services
On March 14 a dental hygienist and assistant from StayWell Health Center will provide eligible children with a dental examination and cleaning on-site at the Y.M.C.A. Through the leadership of the Waterbury Oral Health Collaborative, these services will be available to children, who are uninsured or enrolled in HUSKY and do not currently have a dentist.

Funding for this program is provided by the Connecticut Health Foundation and services are coordinated through the Waterbury Oral Health Collaborative. The mobile dental program is available to all Pre-school/Pre-kindergarten programs in Waterbury .

If your child is enrolled in the Pre-school/Pre-kindergarten program at the YMCA and you are interested in registering for the mobile dental services, please call (203) 756-8021, extension 3055.

On March 28th a dental hygienist and assistant from StayWell Health Center will provide eligible children with a dental examination and cleaning on-site at B.W. Tinker Elementary School. Washington Elementary School is also scheduled for the services of the mobile dental program on April 4, 2006.

Through the leadership of the Waterbury Oral Health Collaborative, these services will be available to children, who are uninsured or enrolled in HUSKY and do not currently have a dentist. Funding for this program is provided by the Connecticut Health Foundation and services are coordinated through the Waterbury Oral Health Collaborative. Barnard Elementary School and Wilson Elementary School are the next schools scheduled to have a visit from the mobile dental program.

Unfortunately, less than 73% of kids enrolled in the HUSKY program typically receive any dental care. This is an opportunity for kids to access care in a way that is convenient and less stressful for parents. If your child attends B.W. Tinker Elementary School or Washington Elementary School and you are interested in registering for the mobile dental services, please call (203) 756-8021, extension 3055.
Greystone Arts
A new private non profit organization, Greystone Arts, has been formed in Waterbury. The mission of this organization is to annually provide artistic and cultural experiences that will stimulate the minds and hearts of both the adults of the greater Waterbury community and especially, the public school youth, most of whom come from the inner city.

The organizations first endeavor will be an “experience the arts” series, to be held at the Mattatuck Museum on April 4th. The group will be hosting Billy Collins, the 2001 United States poet laureate.

This event is being coordinated with the Waterbury board of education. During the afternoon of April 4th he will provide a noteworthy presentation to 400 of Waterbury public high school students at St John’s church on the green. Forty of these selected students will then have the opportunity to meet for a small, learned, discussion with Mr. Collins. The event being held at the Mattatuck Museum will begin at 3:pm and the cost to the public is $40pp which includes an elegant reception and book signing.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting harriet fotter at st johns parish, 203-754-3116.
Generali Foundation
Kathy Auriemma, wife of University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball Coach, Geno Auriemma, will serve as Honorary Chairperson of the Margaret M. Generali Foundation’s Sixth Annual Dinner. The dinner will be held on Wednesday, April 12 from 6-10pm at the Hills Restaurant in Waterbury. Guests will include Coach Geno Auriemma, and Howie Dickenman, coach of the Central Connecticut Men’s Basketball Team.

Highlighted at the dinner will be this years grant recipients. Five grants were awarded this year totally $7500. The grant recipients are: Steven Matthews – Chase School; Sharon Valentino – North End Middle School; Catherine A. Leogrande and Beth Longo – North End Middle School; Carla Fidanza – Hopeville School; Stephanie Ford – Waterbury Arts Magnet School; Angela Heigard – Chase Elementary School; Angela Tammaro, Joann Palladino, Jackie Bacon – Brooklyn Elementary School; Maria Greco – Blessed Sacrament School; Michelle Bell – Brooklyn Elementary School; Erin Brunnock – Sprague Elementary School; Mary Carini, Alena Cybart and Marianne Martins – Kennedy High School. In six years of existence the Foundation has awarded over $50,000 in grants to City educators.

Tickets for the dinner are available by calling 203-755-7598 or on the Foundation website at www.maggiegenerali.com.
Women Make Art
The Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center of Waterbury will host the Women’s Caucus for Art on Thursday, March 23, 7 to 9 p.m., for a screening of a new documentary. “Women Make Art,” a film about the WCA-CT, produce by award-winning independent filmmaker Lisa Seidenberg, will be followed by a slide presentation and discussion of four WCA artists: Gloria Santoyo Ruenitz, Anne Doris-Eisner, Jeannie Thomma and Diana Chamberlain.

Gloria Santoyo Ruenitz of Ridgefield is the current president of the WCA-CT and a conceptual mixed-media artist. She considers herself a storyteller and constantly uses her photographs, found objects and words, as well as the emotional and verbal communications of her life. Her work has been exhibited widely in Connecticut and New York. She will be presenting her solo show “Private World” at the Carl Van brunt Gallery in Beacon, N.Y. in April 2006.

Jeannie Thomma of Oxford is the newsletter editor for WCA-CT, and is co-owner of the Zoe and Floyd Gallery in Seymour, CT. She exhibits art and mixed media work across the U.S. and teaches. She is currently working on the idea of memory through mixed and recycled materials. She uses vintage dresses as a symbol for memory, creating images that “still a thought” while simultaneously suggesting movement or passage of time. Her intention is to capture, visually and viscerally, the essence and the energy of a memory within the actual fiber of her art.

Diana Chamberlain of Woodbury works in porcelain clay. With her sculptural forms, she explores the symbolism of dresses, as a purveyor of information about gender, age, aspirations, social class, and individual expression. Architecture is an equally strong interest, and porcelain, being both fragile and strong, best expresses the fabric both clothing and of buildings. She was an award winner at the annual juried show of the Guild of Artists.

Anne Doris-Eisner of Bethany is a full-time art teacher at Amity High School, but somehow finds the energy to produce and exhibit her large, acrylic, gouache and graphite work on paper. Using unique forms in nature, she draws parallels between the experience and the natural world. Her work has been accepted in competitive juried exhibitions, including those at the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University, the Housatonic Museum of Art in Westport and the Lyman Gallery in SCSU.

After the screening of the documentary, “Women Make Art,” there will be a discussion about the work of these four women artists. Refreshments will be served. A $5 donation is suggested. Please call the Mattatuck at 203-753-0381 x. 10 to RSVP. The museum is located at 144 West Main St., Waterbury, with convenient parking on Park Place.
Shakesperience Grant
Emily Mattina, Producing Director of Shakesperience Productions, Inc. announced the company’s receipt of generous funding from American Savings Foundation.

Shakesperience Productions, a non-profit theater company dedicated to live theatrical performances for youth, has been headquartered in Waterbury since 1998. It workshops and plays are based on literature whose themes relate to issues in the lives of students in kindergarten through high school age. Currently, Shakesperience reaches 60,000 children total in Connecticut and neighboring states. Funding from American Savings Foundation will enable Shakesperience to continue delivering literature-based educational programs of the highest quality for the sake of promoting reading, public speaking and learning. Students in grades kindergarten through 5th grade will enjoy adaptations of Mark Twain’s classic The Prince and the Pauper, while older students will be exposed to Shakespearean plays like a Midsummer Night’s Dream and Othello, as well as to Shakespeare Interactive Workshops.

Contact the company at 203-745-2541 or visit its website at www.shakesperienceprodutions.org.
Nationwide ACT Tests
College-bound high school students can take the ACT Assessment on April 8, 2006, the next nationwide test date. The registration postmark deadline is March 3. Late registration postmark deadline is March 17. The cost is $29 without and $43 with the Writing Test (an additional $18 fee is required for late registration)

Students can receive registration information from their high school guidance counselors or they can register on ACT’s website at www.actstudent.org. This website also features test tips, practice tests, online test prep, and a database for students to find out if a prospective college requires a writing score.

ACT scores are accepted by virtually all colleges and universities in the nation. Including all Ivy League schools. Scores are used, along with a student’s high school GPA, high school courses taken, extracurricular activities and other information to help determine if a student is academically ready for college-level coursework.

“In April, many juniors take the ACT,” said spokesman Ken Gullete, “When they get their scores, they should examine them carefully, talk with parents and counselors, then get extra help from tutors or peer helpers and take courses that will strengthen any academic weaknesses. Students can retest early in their senior year and then report only the score they want colleges to see.”

The ACT Assessment is an achievement test that includes four exams; English, reading, math, and science. Students who take the optional Writing Test will add 30 minutes to the 3-hour normal testing time. Most colleges and universities don’t require a writing score, so students should check the writing test requirements of colleges they’re considering before registering for the ACT.
Bereavement Support
“New Day,” a ten-week interfaith Bereavement Support Group, is being offered by Saint Teresa Church in Woodbury, CT, beginning on March 21, 2006. The purpose of the group is to help individuals who are coping with the death of a loved one move from grief toward emotional healing. The group program is feared toward moving participants through the grieving process that follows the loss of a spouse, family member, or friend. Members are guided to accept the reality of their loss, discuss their pain and grief, begin to adjust to life without the deceased, and move toward growth in a restructured life situation.

Weekly seminars will be held on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Seidel Hall at St. Teresa Church though May 23rd. No new members will be admitted to the group after the second session. The group will be led by a facilitator with several years bereavement support group experience. Privacy and confidentiality will be maintained. There is no charge for the group sessions.

Applicants may register by calling Barbara Bouley at 203-267-7845 by March 7th to ensure a place in the “New Day” group.
Starting Over After 50
As baby boomers start to turn 60, they may be feeling nostalgic about the early days of their careers, when job security actually meant something and a person could retire comfortably at 65.

Unfortunately, today’s reality for many workers over the age of 50 is downsizing, difficult job searches and the very real prospect of working past 65. Fortunately, this generation is healthier and better trained than any prior generation. They have more opportunities for self-employment than ever before and are increasingly considering that option as they head into their golden years.

According to AARP, nearly half of the self-employment population is over 50, about one in three self-employed workers age 51to 69 made the transition to self-employment at or after 50.

“The franchise market has proven to be an excellent opportunity for downsized professionals or career changers to pursue after the age of 50,” according to Tim Stubbs, a Newtown area consultant with the Entrepreneurs’ Source.

Stubbs goes on to say that new business opportunities-particularly in the franchise market-can be a very rewarding and flexible career path for business professionals who have valuable experience that can help them to be successful in a new business venture.

Motives for starting a new business or choosing to go the entrepreneurial route are often different for the over-50 business owner. Many have the financial means to buy into a franchise and look at their business as an investment that not only generates income but also allows them to have more flexibility and personal freedom, Stubbs says.

“Franchises are a good place to start when researching whether you’re ready to make the leap to become an entrepreneur. Because they often have long-term strategic plans to build their brand, a tested model and a support structure to help franchises, they are generally more successful than an independent small business,” Stubbs states.

Another challenge for baby boomers is knowing what they like to do. Even someone who’s been in a career for 25 years may have trouble determining what their dream job is ort what career direction to take. Many may have begun their careers with something different in mind, and decades later, when they’re ready to pursue a new venture, have lost sight of what they envisioned years ago.

Ninety-five percent of the people helped by The Entrepreneur’s Source become an owner of business they would never have considered on their own-or had already discounted, Stubbs cites.

Stubbs uses a unique “discovery process” that allows people to explore business options-and uncover possibilities that are in sync with both their personal and income goals.

Whether you’re looking for a more flexible schedule, a home-based opportunity or more time to travel, it’s a good idea to weigh all of your options, Stubbs suggests.
Connecticut Illustrators
“Words Through Pictures: Connecticut Artists Drawing for Children: will open at the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center, Waterbury on April 11. Curated by children’s illustrator/author Nancy Tafuri of Roxbury, the show will offer a glimpse into the world of her work and that of Holly Keller, David Wenzel, Billy Steers and Lyn Munsinger. “Charm had a lot to do with my selection of artists,” Tafuri explained. “There is a lot of feeling in the work of these artists.”

“I wanted to choose a nice array of artists to interest a varied age group,” she explained. “I admire the work of all these people, and think it’s a good chance to expose them to people not only of Connecticut, but beyond.” Tafuri’s acclaimed picture boods for the youngest child include the Caldecott Honor Book Have You Seen My Duckling? Tafuri will exhibit illustrations from I Love You, Little One, Goodnight, My Duckling, and Five Little Chicks.

Holly Keller of New Haven, is the creator of the enormously popular Farfallina & Marcel, and three books about Horace the leopard. She will be exhibiting illustrations from Farfalinna & Marcel, Horace, and That’s Mine, Horace.

David Wenzel of Durham, received a BFA from Hartford Art School and has been illustrating professionally for nearly 30 years. He is recognized for illustrating the graphic novel adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit. Wenzel will be exhibiting work for The Hobbit, Little Bear, Wizard’s Tale and A Hat for Ivan.

Billy Steers of Roxbury is an author, illustrator and pilot. He has worked on 40 children’s books. Steers, who grew up with horses and sheep, will exhibit works from his Tractor Mac series.

Lynn Munsinger of Old Greenwich, through her remarkably expressive and detailed pen-and-ink watercolors, has captured all kinds of creatures on the page, from magic chickents to misfit penguins, imbuing them all with distinct personalities and laugh-out-loud humor. Munsinger will be displaying work from Birthday Zoo and Hunter and Strip and the Soccer Showdown!

The exhibit opens on April 11, with an opening reception on Thursday, April 20 from 5:30 – 7:30pm. The show continues through June 18. A series of programs for families and children of all ages will be offered the week of April 18 and during the course of the exhibit.

The Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center is located at 144 West Main Street, Waterbury, with convenient parking on Park Place directly behind the museum. Call 203-753-0381 ext. 10 or visit www.MattatuckMuseum.org.
Jarjura Endorses Malloy For Governor
“I am pleased to see a competitive candidate who can win on the statewide scene,” says Jarjura. Democratic Candidate for Governor Dan Malloy, Stamford’s Mayor, today received the formal endorsement of Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura, Democratic Town Committee Chairman Edmond “Ned” Cullinan and other key Waterbury Democrats in this year’s campaign to win the state’s highest office.

“I am proud to support Dan Malloy for Governor,” said Jarjura. “I believe Dan’s record and vision for Connecticut is right for the state and right for Waterbury. He has proven that he can hold down property taxes, build affordable housing, and run responsive, responsible and effective government. As a former prosecutor, Dan knows how to fight crime, and he cut his own city’s crime rate by 63%. He understands the challenges that urban areas face, and I believe he will be a strong partner in Hartford for the people of Waterbury.”

Cullinan said, “With Dan Malloy as the nominee Democrats have a candidate who can win in November. He has run against Republicans for more than 20 years and he has been victorious every time – and he’s done that in the second largest Republican stronghold in the state.”

“Waterbury is not only a crucial political lynchpin, but it is an economic lynchpin for the entire State as well,” said Malloy. “I am grateful to have the support of the Mayor, the Chairman and so many key leaders of this important city. Working together I know we will be successful in November.”

Other key Waterbury Democrats who endorsed Malloy today included President of the Board of Alderman, J. Paul Vance, Jr., Aldermen Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr., Majority Leader, Anthony Piccocci, Martin J. Misset, Paulo Nogueira, Ann Phelan, Sandra Ramirez, and Co-Chairs of Waterbury Young Democrats, Avery Gaddis and Christian D’Orso.

The Malloy campaign has recently reported the mayoral endorsements from many of
A former prosecutor, Malloy is currently serving an unprecedented fourth term as Mayor of the City of Stamford. Under his administration, Stamford’s crime rate has decreased 63% and the Stamford labor market has grown by 5,000 jobs.
Crosby High School – the Inspirational Award. Amanda McKay, grade 5 of MM Generali School – Science, Math and Technology Award for Elementary School; Brittany Mendelson, grade 5 of Pomperaug Elementary School – Elementary School Sorts and Fitness Award; Ivette Arce, grade 12 Crosby High School – High School Science, Math and Technology Award, and Olivia Jefferson, grade 11 of Waterbury Arts Magnet School – High School Sports and Fitness. Girls Incorporated is located at 35 Park Place in Waterbury. Call 203-756-4639.

FOR BOB
Currently, the 232 North Elm Street site offers primary medical, Women’s Health services, pediatrics, Community Services and the administrative and finance departments are housed at the site. The StayWell South End Center and the Driggs School Based Clinic will remain as is and will not be part of this expansion.
The Anderson Boys Club, the Club that has helped generations of Waterbury’s youth, on November 10, 2006 will officially welcome girls to the Club as it becomes the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterbury, one of the last Clubs in America to make this change out of over 4400 Boys & Girls Club organizations.HELPING BOBConnecticut’s cities – Mayor Eddie Perez of Hartford and party Chairman Noel McGreggor, Mayor Mark Benigni of Meriden and party Chairman Frank Cirillo, and Mayor John Picard of West Haven and party chairman Jim Morrissy. Along with Waterbury and his hometown of Stamford, these cities represent over 113,800 registered Democrats.