Thompson Villagerlinpub.blob.core.windows.net/pdf/2/935460d3-56bd-457a...BY OLIVIA RICHMAN NEWS...

BY OLIVIA RICHMANNEWS STAFF WRITER

POMFRET — The Pomfret Recreation Department has one goal during the summer: Bring the community togeth-er. To do this, Recreation Director Barbara Gagnon and her team have organized a variety of weekly activities for adults, families and children for the season, designed to bring residents together who have common interests or just want to get outside.

“It’s good to keep everyone of all ages active. I think in today’s world of Netflix, it’s so easy to stay in the house and be a couch potato. But we want to keep people moving, outside, thinking,” said Gagnon. “People get to meet other people. I’m always so impressed by how many people are new to certain towns and they’ll just join these programs and make so many new friends.”

One program that’s been best known for starting new friendships is the town’s Women’s Tennis Program, held at the Rectory School’s tennis court every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m., starting July 10.

Everyone who goes play at various levels, and they are usually matched

up with people with a similar skill level to play against. It’s not about being the next Serena Williams, said Gagnon, but about having fun.

And, according to Gagnon, the women get to meet other women from different towns in the region, since all towns can participate in Pomfret’s programs.

“They’ll start making lunch dates, coffee dates,” she said. “They’ll even make dates to play tennis once the pro-gram ends, which is nice.”

Another popular program for socializ-ing is the adult co-ed Volleyball Program every Tuesday night, 6:30 p.m., at 576 Hampton Road in Pomfret. Currently there are about 15 people who show up on average for the pick-up style volley-ball games.

Anybody can come and play at the outdoor sand court, and they’ll be taught everything they need to know.

Said Gagnon: “They really have a good time up there.”

Starting July 31, children in town will also have a chance to get together for some exercise and fun. That’s when the town’s Summer Youth Basketball program begins, every Tuesday and Thursday night for four weeks.

Mailed free to requesting homes in Thompson

(860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected]

Vol. XI, No. 37 Complimentary to homes by request

Friday, July 6, 2018

Thompson Villager

All natural at Blueberry Hill Organic FarmBY OLIVIA RICHMANNEWS STAFF WRITER

KILLINGLY – With over 150 varieties of organic berries, melons, greens and vegetables, Blueberry Hill Organic Farm is continuing to spread awareness about the benefits and deli-ciousness of organic pro-duce to the Quiet Corner and beyond.

“Being an agricultur-ist, I always understood that in farming some chemicals were being used very often,” said owner Virginia Keith. “The concern was always the environment and our health. With our organic produce, it’s a guarantee that the food they are

purchasing is pure nutri-tion.”

The food produced at Blueberry Hill Organic Farm is USDA approved, which means they use soil clean of fertilizers and pesticides. Weeds are also dealt with naturally, as well as pests. The food is also cleaned with test-ed well water.

“We do a lot of man-agement techniques to deal with pest problems,” said Keith. “We do rotat-ing and interplanting. We have established pollinator habitats on the farm as well, using 19 flowering native spe-cies to bring in not only wonderful pollinators, but insects that go after the pests in our gardens.

We also have bird hous-es. Our environment is healthy and sustainable, meaning our practices do not harm the organisms that naturally live on the land, like frogs.”

It’s a lot of work, but for farmers like Keith, it’s all worth it.

Growing up in Moosup, Keith was no stranger to the outdoors. She built tree forts. Played base-ball. Rode her bike every-where. She was outdoors all the time.

“I thank my parents for that,” Keith said. “I was never put in a box and told I couldn’t do certain things as a girl.”

Keith has a back-ground in horticulture.

PUTNAM FIREWORKSLiam Haxton and his parents, Katie and Sean, attended the Putnam fireworks

last weekend.

Charlie Lentz photo

FIREWORKS SHOWDAYVILLE — Judy and Bob Lefevre had good seats for fireworks last Friday,

June 29, at Owen Bell Park.

BY OLIVIA RICHMANNEWS STAFF WRITER

DAYVILLE – If there’s one thing Ryan French was known for it was his dedication to running.

And to honor his mem-ory, his family is host-ing Run For Ryan, a 5K race and walk fundraiser on Saturday, July 14 at Owen Bell Park.

Over 100 people have

already pre-registered for the event (more than his family could have ever imagined), proving that the Quiet Corner will always support one another, and be there for their neighbors.

“It means the world to us,” said mother Joslyn French. “We do already feel so blessed to be a part of these local communi-ties, and for the contin-ued support of our fami-ly. His friends are a huge part of our lives. It all just keeps us closer to him. We are looking forward to having a wonderful day to both honor him and help future agricul-tural education students succeed in their lives.”

Because Ryan was an agricultural student at

Olivia Richman photos

Farmer Virginia Keith with some of her organic produce.

Running in Ryan’s memory

The French’s

Pomfret Recreation steps up

Turn To POMFRET page A3

Turn To RYAN page A3

Turn To FARM page A2

A2 • Villager NewspapersFriday, July 6, 2018

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Bird sightings at the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret and Wyndham Land Trust proper-ties for the week of June 25: Scarlet Tanager, Prairie Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-billed Cuckoo, Barn Swallow, Mallard w/ducklings, Green Heron, Barred Owl, Phoebe, Baltimore Oriole, Gray Catbird, American Kestrel, Pine Warbler, Veery, Wood Thrush, House Wren. Visit www.ctaudubon.org/pomfret-home

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Charlie Lentz photo

DROPPING INDAYVILLE — Parachutist Norm Nault lands at Owen Bell Park before an

evening of fireworks at the park last Friday, June 20.

Brad Favreau photo

CLASS OF 19431943 graduates of Woodstock Academy with Eastford roots were honored

recently by Woodstock Academy during a tea at Roseland Cottage. Arline Bowen (left) and Hester Green (right) along with Jean Barlow are Woodstock Academy graduates of the Woodstock Academy Class of 1943. The boys from the 1943 class had enlisted so their graduation was delayed.

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She received her bachelor’s degree in horticulture, then earned a master’s in environmental plant science. She has been working in research and education on the topics for over 30 years.

When her children were young, Keith began to realize that finding organ-ic food was very difficult in the area. You couldn’t get it in the grocery store. There were no specialty stores nearby. She joined a group of families who had established their own organic produce co-op.

Blueberry Hill Organic Farm was opened for operation in 2012. Keith and her husband, Wayne, started with a sin-gle field on the 12 acre property. Over the years, they’ve expanded to three. They also now have poultry, chicken who lay eggs. This month they also started their own flock of meat birds, certified organic.

“We’re just committed to bringing wholesome nutritious food to our com-munity,” said Keith. “We feel so pas-sionate about fresh food.”

If you would like to speak with Keith, find out more about organic produce, and purchase some of your own, you can find Blueberry Hill at many local farmers’ markets.

This includes the Northeast CT Farmer’s Market at the Killingly Library every Saturday.

Olivia Richman may be reached at (860) 928-1818, ext. 112 or by e-mail at [email protected]

FARMcontinued from page A1

Blueberry Hill Organic Farm produces over 150 varieties of organic berries, melons, greens and vegetables.

www.ConnecticutsQuietCorner.comIn Print and Online

Grades two through four will play from 5:30 to 6:30, followed by grades 5 and 6 at 6:30 to 7:30. Then the nights wrap up with grades 7, 8 and 9, playing from 7:30 to 8:30.

The popular program is run by Coach Jan Koivisto, who has been a high school basketball coach in the area for many years. Kids will have a chance to learn the basics in a very relaxed environment.

“They have a great time and learn a lot,” said Gagnon. “And it becomes a great social environment. The kids will leave and go to sleepovers with other kids in the program. It allows them to stay social during the sum-mer, while also keeping active.”

No matter what age you are, 18 or 50, Pomfret is hop-ing some of their summer programs will keep the com-munity active and social.

But for children who may not be inclined to play-ing team sports, there’s also the LEGO Camp on July 9-13. Using

engineering, science and creativity, this program is a great way to keep minds healthy and active during the summer.

Taking place at the Pomfret Community School, boys and girls from five to seven years old will take part in the program from 9 till noon. Older kids will attend from 1-4 p.m.

This year’s theme is called Superhero Engineering. Using bat-tery-operated machines and motors, the kids will be able to build their own tanks, Jeeps and other vehicles, and even fight to see who has the best built vehicle on top of bridges and other structures.

For Gagnon’s 18 years as the Recreation Director, she recalls these programs – and similar ones – taking place in Pomfret summer after summer. To keep things fresh, she thinks of what her kids would have wanted throughout the years.

“It’s a good place to start,” she said. “In this job, you really get a sense of what’s popular for sports or leisure activi-ties.”

Go to www.pomfretct.gov/recreation for more information on these programs, and the many others coming to Pomfret soon.

Killingly High School, money raised at this upcoming run will go towards a scholarship program in Ryan’s name. Another way to keep Ryan’s memory alive, and share his passions with the communi-ty.

But there’s no better way to share his passions than with a 5K race. Something Ryan would have loved.

Ryan was a three-year var-sity runner for the KHS’s cross country team. He was also on the varsity track team for two years. He became the captain of the cross country team in his junior year, and qualified for state champi-onships.

“He had pride in every-thing he did,” said Joslyn, “on and off the trails. He had leadership skills, motiva-tion, dedication, sportsman-ship...”

And running was at the heart of it all. At one point, Joslyn asked Ryan why he loved running so much. His response deeply moved her and has stood out to her to this day.

“He told me running was not only to be fit, but a spiri-tual thing for him,” she said. “He told me at one pint that he felt close to God when he ran. We all attended church together, but we never really talked in depth about faith. But it was important to him. And running brought him peace.”

His family and friends have only good memories of Ryan.

Joslyn’s cousin, Wendy Carron, said she remembers Ryan being very inquisitive, polite and honest. Just an all-around nice kid. The fam-ilies would go fishing togeth-er, another one of his many varying interests.

For the family, the impor-

tance of the 5K is to keep the memory of their son alive.

“As his parents,” said father Jeff, “we knew Ryan was very special, and that he was a caring, thoughtful, loving person, with a quit wit […] But we had no idea about the extent of the impact Ryan made on other people’s lives until after his passing. There could be no better gift to a par-ent than to know their child made a positive difference in this world, and Ryan definitely did that.”

For more infor-mation on pre-reg-istering, contact Run For Ryan on Facebook, or by email at [email protected]. Registration is $15-20, and is

open online until July 12, but you can also register the day of the race for $5 more.

Olivia Richman may be reached at (860) 928-1818, ext. 112 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Villager Newspapers • A3Friday, July 6, 2018

The Villager Newspapers is com-mitted to accuracy in all its news reports. Although numerous safe-guards are in place to ensure accu-rate reporting, mistakes can occur. Confirmed fact errors will be cor-rected at the top right hand corner of page A3 in a timely manner.

If you find a mistake call (860) 928-1818 or e-mail [email protected].

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PUTNAM — Amanda Miller has been named Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Day Kimball Healthcare. Miller has been serving as the Director of Strategic Operations since October 2017. As Chief Experience Officer, Miller will serve as a catalyst for change by acting as an internal voice of the patient population, from a holistic perspective, and will lead the efforts in improving patient experience and engagement by aligning DKH’s mission and core values with the organization’s culture.

“I am delighted to be back in my hometown to make a positive impact on the patient experience,” Miller said. “A stellar patient experience is essential to the overall healing experience, and also improves care, patient safety and clinical and financial outcomes. DKH patients deserve the very best and we have developed a strategy to ensure our patients’ needs are consistently met. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to do that for the community that raised me.”

Miller brings 12 years of healthcare experience to Day Kimball. Prior to this position she was an instructor at the University of Connecticut (UCONN)

School of Medicine where she taught first year medical and dental students the knowledge, skills, values, and atti-tudes needed to interact with patients and families through the Principles

of Clinical Medicine and Delivery of Clinical Care programs.

“Amanda brings a wealth of experi-ence in strategy, operations and pro-cess improvement to our organization,” said DKH President and CEO Anne Diamond. “She will play a crucial role in operationalizing the patient experi-ence mission by orienting and coaching our employees and medical staff, and providing tools to identify and act on opportunities where improvements can be made.”

Miller is a graduate of Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) with a degree in Liberal Arts, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCONN with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Miller also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from UCONN. She’s a native of Putnam and was born at Day Kimball Hospital. Miller serves on the Board of Directors at QVCC, and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, as well as the UCONN Department of Public Policy Alumni Committee. Miller lives in South Windsor, with her fiancé, Nicholas.

Amanda Miller

Miller named Chief Experience Officer at Day Kimball Healthcare

Courtesy photo

MEMORY LANE CAFÉ PUTNAM — Summertime and the living is easy at Memory Lane Café.

Dorothy Godsoe, Theresa Lazur, and Christy Johnson are enjoying the outdoors welcoming summer with a lot of bubbles. Call Memory Lane Café at (860) 963-1077 to join the fun.

MARKcontinued from page A1

POMFRETcontinued from page A1

www.ConnecticutsQuietCorner.com

DAYVILLE — Last Friday, June 29, travelers to Owen Bell Park were treated to an outdoor concert by Pirates for Peace, a fireworks display, a 3.2-mile road race for those who chose to run, and a drop-by visit from a couple or parachutists.

From left, Bob Zahansky, David and Lori Gauthier, Liz Zahansky


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WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Academy Honor Roll for the fourth quarter is as follows.

HIGH HONORSGRADE 12: Jessica Anderson, Mary-

Margaret Andrulot, Gabriella Bessette, Aaron Blanchflower, Anna Boshka, Luke Bourque, Kennady Brown, Taylor Castano, Brendan Chapuis, Zhiqing Chen, Christopher Cheney, Julia Christensen, Jordan Couture, Samantha Cudworth, Kennedy Davignon, Andrew Davis, Colleen Deskus, Kalianna Dingui, Isabelle DuBois, Abigail Dustin, Griffin Edwards, Nicolas Fernandez, Lily French, Erica Frost, Cassandra Gallant, Elizabeth Guillot, Corinne Guli, Nora Guszkowski, Ashley Haggett, Thayne Hutchins, Eden Law, Zhirong Li, Cameron Lotter, Jared MacDonald, Hannah Matsas, Kathryn McLoughlin, Ciri Miller, Anna Murphy, Harrison Pare, Olivia Perry, Erin Raymond, Joshua Resnick, Hannah Reynolds, Ashley Roy, Elizabeth Roy, Stephanie Roy, Samantha Sheldon, Ian Sohan, Ruyuan Tan, Jacob Webber, Ethan Werstler, Chelsea Wise, Jamie Woods

GRADE 11: Ashleigh Angle, Sophie Archambault, Peyton Aubin, Emily Belanger, Nguyen Cai, Summer Chaponis, Yilin Chen, Noelle Ciccarelli, Heather Converse, Tran Dang, Faith Fournier, Jenna Gormley, Joseph Graley, Katherine Harrington, Chong He, Erika Helmetag, Ke Hu, Hailey Jaques, Ellie Jellison, Zhiqi Ji, Nathan John, Arielle Johnson, Emma Kelleher, Zachary Lambert, Zoe Manfredi, Kathryn Mason, Emily Menard, Vincent Mitchell, Mariella Mizero, Chloe Nolin, Tristan Raszka, Margaret Ritzau, Nicole Robichaud, John Rogers, Mariangela Ruggeri, Mason Scott, Derek Thompson, Matthew Tiffany, Abigail Vaida, Rebekah Wesler, Mikayla Wilcox, Joseph Woronecki, Hannah Wotton, Kejian Wu, Chuyi Zhang, Michael Zheng

GRADE 10: Russell Beausoleil, Lily Brin, Jordyn Brousseau, Danielle Chaput, Corinne Child, Nathan Craig, Nguyen Dang, Emma Durand, Elizabeth Elza, Allison Faist, Christine Faist, Anya Farutin, Eva Farutin, Joseph Fleck, Caroline Frost, Tessa Houlihan, Rebecca Jarvis, Avery Jones, Nicholas Kelley, Hali Korsu, Rachel Lambert, Joshua Lavitt, Madelyn Lecuyer, Jack Lotter, Zoe Marshall, David May, Tristan Monahan, Khe Nguyen, Alexander Orbegozo, Jingyi Pan, Katherine Papp, Sebastian Pelletier, Amelie Pressel, Emma Redfield, Ashley Scott, Zail Shamoyan, Kansas Sienna, Carla Simal Gaytan de Ayala, Paula Solano, Caitlyn Sroczenski, Aidan Stewart, Sarah Tuttle, Grayson Walley, Xijing Wang, Aleya Wesler, Chengcheng Zhang

GRADE 9: Alexia Adams, Ethan Bove, Logan Brock, Riley Chapuis, Stefan Chervenkov, Sydney Couture, Stella DiPippo, Zhiyan Du, Gabriella Garbutt, Grace Gronski, Emma Hovestadt, Mackenzie Leveille, Aochen Li, Hanna Longwell, Ciara MacKinnon, Marco Maluf, Samuel Massey, Sophia Mawson, Joey Mink, Bailey Mitchell, Ashley Nunes, Lily Patenaude, Megan Preston, Connor Quinn, Maria Santucci, Alexa Schimmelpfennig, Heather Schofield, Clayton Singleton, Meghan Slate, Mya Symington-St. John, Sybaljan Tahirova, Nicole Terjesen, Alexandra Vaida, Rockwell Valentine, Eli Werstler, Caroline Wilcox, Alexander William

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GRADE 11: Samuel Allegretti, Mingxin An, Renee Auger, Elaina Babbitt, Morgan Bassett, Hannah Bessette, Owen Borski, Kathleen Boshka, Abigail Botta, Dominic Bove, Ashlyn Bright, Zachary Brown, Hannah Burgess, Olivia Burrell, Logan Burton, Xu Cheng, Emma Ciquera, Allison Crescimanno, Shannon D’Alessandro, Haoxuan Ding, Waverly Dombkowski, Caleb Feen, Zachary Fontaine, McKenna Gagnon, Isabella Garbutt, Madelyn Grube, Cole Hackett, Ava Hassell, Ethan Holcomb, Benjamin Holden, Jack Hovestadt, Lauren Hovestadt, Chen-Fu Hsu, Hannah Ives, Sofia Jendrewski, Charles Kratochvil, Jacob Ledbetter, Olivia Majek, Nicole Marmat, Luke Mathewson, Braden Mayo, Delaney McIntire, Anthony Menounos, Samantha Mowry, Kasidit

Muenprasitivej, Aleena Nadeem, Lauren Neely, Julianna Nuttall, Zachary Paige, Holden Pimental, Audrey Poehler, Alejandro Pregel Bollman, Adam Sanderson, Maria Scandalito, Sean Seabold, Haley Short, Madison Skellett, Emma Strandson, Shiyun Tang, Aislin Tracey, Ame Tsamaase, Zhexuan Wu, Xiaoxia Xia, Xuan You

GRADE 10: Alyssa Arends, Emily Arters, Izetta Asikainen, Mackenzie Barrows, Sabrina Bastien, Annabelle Bastura, Nathan Becher, Corinna Benoit, Remi Benton, Zachary Bertram, Yvonne Bessette, Jacob Black, Elise Boisvert, Reid Butler, Jackson Chambers, Yile Chen, Jonathan Conover, Reagan Couture, Chandler Creedon, Tarryn Desrosiers, Josephine Dlugosz, David Fleck, Lingxiang Gao, Megan Gohn, Marie Gravier, Paula Hernandez Aulet, Rachel Holden, Yiyang Hu, Kathrine Ionkin, Jessica Kasacek, Paige Kasacek, Jeffrey Keller, Jennifer Kelley, Abigail Kruger, Bryce Lambert, Abigail LeBlanc, Grace Leite, Tanner Littmann, Ru Liu, Yi Liu, Han Lu, Wenxin Ma, Justin Marcotte, Luis Miranda, Aidan Morin, Sonny Nielsen, Anam Nizam, Quinn Ottilige, Alexis Parent, Isabella Precourt, Sophia Rakovan, Sean Rearden, Haylee Renaud, Lucas Renaud, Emma Rhynhart, Matthew Roethlein, Jesse Rosselli, Christopher Rossi, Andrew Salmon, Julia Schad, Morgan Schmidt, Kayla Serafin, Linda St. Laurent, Daniel Suitum, Jiayang Sun, Isabella Symington-St. John, Taylor Watson, Gregory Weber, Travis White, Melissa Wishart, Evan Wood, Hongjin Zhou, Junxia Zhou, Yi Zhu

GRADE 9: Livia Armstrong, Jacob Aseltine, Ethan Aspiras, Emma Auker, Trey Ayotte, Rianna Bessios, Katelin Briere, Jacob Brown, Amanda Cerrone, Camille Corrado, Sydney Cournoyer, Cody Currie, Emma Curtis, Hannah Darigan, Julia Dearborn, Jackson Dias, Estella Douglas, Oliver Driscoll, Eliza Dutson, Guerin Favreau, Kileigh Gagnon, Zipeng Gao, William Gaug, Huck Gelhaus, Gabriel Geyer, Colby Groves, Juliana Hobbs, Bridget Horst, Andrew Johnson, Megan Kelly, Kelsey Kosior, Caitlin LeSage, Skyla Lindell, Avery MacNeil, Harriet Majek, Emily McClure, Lexi McCullough-Murphy, Alina Michalski, Gavin Miller, Carly Millette, Chuer Ming, Karissa Minkema, Meaghan O’Brien, Alissa O’Connor, Molly O’Connor, Evan Odorski, Olivia Ott, John Peabody, Owen Ritzau, Jeremy Romano, Noah Salsich, Ida Sanders, Alyssa Sharrow, Madeline Silbermann, Suzanne Silbermann, Emily Skellett, Colin Smith, Lily

Wilcox, Alex Wojciechowski, Wesley Woronecki, Hongli Thomas Zhang

RECOGNITIONGRADE 12: Abbygayle Anderson,

Haley Armstrong, Izabella Barrett, Isadora Briere, Nicholas Corriveau, Mya DeShaw, Elizabeth Everson, Katherine Frankhouser, Wanjiru Gatheru, Cylus Gould, William Grennan, Kaylee Gurr, Aaron Hallene, William Hamill, Denali Johns, Gabrielle Larrow, Thong Le, Guanchen Li, Yilin Liu, Heidi Lotter, Lillian Mandeville, Joshua Nowak, Jordan Perkins, Gabriel Records, Ryan Rossi, Jillian Savoie, Wyatt Sheldon, Nicholas Smith, Jared Sroczenski, Sophia Stoll, Riley Surprise, Naixin Yan

GRADE 11: Ethan Adams, Irene Askitis, Harmony Barna, Michael Bilica, Emmalee Binette, Kenneth Birlin, Grant Cerrone, Du Cheng, Jada Childs, Spencer Collins, Lucas Couture, Ely Driscoll, Wei Fu, Aria Gianfriddo, Savannah Henault, Emily King, Rundong Liu, Noah MacAlister, Jarod Martin, Jadon Mcarthur, Liam McDermott, Matthew Moffitt, Selena Muniz, Tavia Orvos, Pari Patel, Justin Roireau, Andrew Roy, Madison Schafmayer, Lauren Semancik, Peter Spada, Olivia Stanikmas, Connor Starr, Regan Stuyniski, Lydia Taft, Cheyenne Terranova, Jessica Vennart, Yong Wang, Madalin Wilcox

GRADE 10: Abigail Barnes, Alexia Bourbeau, Jack Butler, Jonathan Chan, Panagiotios Chrisovechotis, Maia Corrado, Kennedy Dexter, Blanca Fernandez Gonzalez Amor, Kelsey Field, Paloma Flath, Cassidy Fortier, Kayla Gaudreau, Anthony Girard, Diana Gonzalez, Chad Graley, Nathaniel Johnson, Carissa Kelley, Jintai Li, Seth Libby, Victor Maldonado, Justin McGroary, Morgan Mowry, Kelsey Oloff, Amy Ostrowski, Rachael Roberts, Ashley Smith, Judy Thavone, Binyao Wang, Yanzhao Wang, Yu Wang, Chelsea Willis, Harold Wotton, Yukun Zhang

GRADE 9: Emma Anderson, Sierra Bedard, Cedric Bilica, Kaitlin Birlin, Zander Boyd, Demosthenes Chrisovechotis, Nickolas Chubbuck, Bethany Feen, Amanda Hair, Jacob Hernandez, Kellen Horst, Travis Jewell, Brynn Kusnarowis, Jadyn LaFlamme, Stephanos Menounos, Salwa Naveed, Ian Nielson, Avery Pajak, Xavier Parker, Eric Phongsa, Violet Pietrowski, Nina Robard, Avery Sabrowski, Elijah Saine, Peyton Saracina, Adam Schimmelpfennig, Maeve Taylor, Mallory Tyimok, Yunqing Wang, Jiaqian Yan, Yuhang Yang, Jiacheng Ying


LEARNINGSCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC are encouraged to submit items

for inclusion on the Learning Page. The deadline is noon Monday.

Send all items to Editor Charlie Lentz at [email protected].

260 Quaddick Rd., Thompson, CT • 860.923.3439

Open Daily for Ice cream & Lavender!

ART AT THE FARM

Learn the tricks and techniques of plein air (outdoor) oil painting with instructor Jane Larson at Fort Hill Farms. Ages 12 and up, rain or shine! No pre registration required.

PLEIN AIR SUNDAYS in July – Jane will be teaching two classes on Sundays to capture morning light and late afternoon light. Each 3 hour class is $15.

7/8: 9am-noon, (morning light), 5pm-8pm, (evening light)

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7/21: Flower Painting Workshop 10am-4pm

Haley PerronPORTLAND, Maine — Haley Perron,

from Putnam, was awarded the degree Doctor of Pharmacy at commencement exercises on May 19 in news from the University of New England - Pharmacy School.

NORTHFIELD, Vt. — Nicholas A. Listro of Woodstock received a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude degree in Criminal Justice from Norwich University at the May 12 commencement ceremony. Jaani Ellsworth Barclay of Danielson received a Bachelor of Science magna cum laude degree in Mechanical Engineering. The following students have been recognized on the Dean’s List at Norwich University for the spring 2018 semester: Caleb Arthur Bowen, Eastford; Lucas Assis Basilio, Putnam; and Listro, Woodstock.

PLYMOUTH, N.H. — Brian Kemp of Woodstock, has been named to the Plymouth State University President’s List for the Spring 2018 semester.

CLEMSON, S.C. — Renee S. Suchy of Dayville has been named to the President’s List at Clemson University for the spring 2018 semester.

The WoodsTock AcAdemy honor roll

college neWs

DANIELSON — Stories of hope and redemp-tion are very powerful. The Second Chance Pell Program is giving incarcerated individuals at the Brooklyn Correctional Institution the opportunity to create their own stories through access to high-er education.

Quinebaug Valley Community College is one of 65 colleges nationwide selected in 2016 to partic-ipate in the Second Chance Pell Program initia-tive, which examines whether expanding access to financial aid increases incarcerated adults’ partic-ipation in educational opportunities.

QVCC has partnered with the Brooklyn facility to offer courses in manufacturing and business administration to individuals likely to be released within five years. Manufacturing students are able to take the required non-lab courses and fin-ish the program at one of the community college manufacturing centers. Business students are able to complete a certificate in management while incarcerated.

This spring 12 individuals were awarded certif-icates at a graduation ceremony held June 5. At the same time 18 inmates were honored for being named to the dean’s list.

“Some of my students from this program are among the best students I have had in my 30-year career at QVCC,” said instructor Buz Sherman. “These men are optimistic, capable, determined, hardworking, and respectful, and many have exceeded the high expectations the staff had of them.” Sherman is confident that if given a sec-ond chance upon release, these individuals will be productive and successful. “Others will be as impressed as we have been,” he added.

A former participant credits his experience with the Second Chance Pell Program for the success he now enjoys. “QVCC staff and teachers are pas-sionate about the Second Chance Pell program and go above and beyond for the students. As a former inmate who excelled in classes while incarcerated, I am now enjoying success in my career…because of the seed that was planted through the program.

“Many former felons cannot find jobs, but for

those who have some education, employers are far more willing to take a chance and doors will be opened. The program has afforded me so many opportunities for personal expansion, and my quality of life has improved dramatically.” He is currently enrolled at QVCC and planning to com-plete his associate’s degree. “

Ruth Delaney, program manager at Vera Institute of Justice, which provides technical assistance to participating colleges and correc-tions departments, said Connecticut is in the top five states in terms of the number of students served by the Second Chance Pell Program. “We applaud the partnership between the Connecticut Department of Corrections and QVCC,” she said. “Due to their work together, these students have the opportunity to succeed in their chosen careers when they return home to their families and com-munities.”

For more information and an update on the Second Chance Pell initiative, visit https://www.vera.org/publications/second-chance-pell-experi-mental-sites-initiative-update

NORTH GROSVENORDALE — St. Joseph School recent-ly received a $25,000 grant from Spirol International of Danielson. The Charitable Donation Board of Spirol International has awarded St. Joseph the grant to purchase iPads, covers, charging sta-tions, and accompanying elec-tronic curriculum for grades 6, 7, and 8. “The iPads and elec-tronic curriculum will support the innovative learning our middle school teachers already teach,” said principal, Sharon Briere. “We are fortunate to have Spirol International sup-port our school community and are so thankful for their dona-tion towards differentiating our small Catholic School com-munity. This new technology will allow our students to be better prepared for high school

where they will be expected to efficiently and effectively use technology in their education.”

In addition to new technol-ogy, there will be some new faces at St. Joseph School when it opens for the 2018/19 school year in late August. The school congratulates Theresa Pelletier, vice-principal and 8th grade teacher, on her retire-ment. Mrs. Pelletier has been a member of the school com-munity for over 30 years, and her passion, wisdom, and love for the students of St. Joseph have been at the forefront of everything she did. She will be greatly missed. Replacing her is a familiar face; Sharon Calabrese, currently the 5th grade teacher, will step in as the new vice-principal, also maintaining her current class-room. A new grade 8 and mid-

dle school math teacher will be hired in the coming weeks.

In addition to Mrs. Pelletier, St. Joseph School will be say-ing goodbye to beloved princi-pal, Sharon Briere. Mrs. Briere has accepted a position as prin-cipal at St. Patrick’s School in Norwich. Mrs. Briere has been a member of the St. Joseph community for over 25 years and will be tremendously missed. She has been a huge promoter of and advocate for the school as its front-man, much like Steven Tyler is for her favorite band, Aerosmith. Her dedication and love of St. Joseph School and its students can only be rivaled by her love of the Red Sox. She will wrap up her tenure at St. Joseph over the summer as she works closely with new principal, David Sizemore mentoring

him and planning for a smooth transition in leadership.

Mr. Sizemore comes to St. Joseph School from Xavier High School in Middletown. He has over 26 years of experience in education, with the most recent 19 years spent at Xavier. He was most currently the aca-demic dean for the 9th and 10th grades there. Mr. Sizemore looks forward to introducing the students of St. Joseph to the Chicago Cubs and the band Rush. He will introduce him-self and meet with parents at a

Meet the Principal night in early July.

St. Joseph School proudly and excitedly welcomes Mr. Sizemore and Mrs. Calabrese to their new positions. With a huge amount of appreciation, they wish Mrs. Briere much success in her new position and Mrs. Pelletier a long and happy retirement. Their years at St. Joseph School have left it a better place.


LEARNINGSCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC are encouraged to submit items

for inclusion on the Learning Page. The deadline is noon Monday.

Send all items to Editor Charlie Lentz at [email protected].

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PUTNAM — Putnam High School’s honor roll for the fourth quarter is as follows.

CLASS OF 2018HIGH HONORSTara Auger, Lauren Carita, Dekoda

Gray, Jesse Lamontagne, Monique Lefebvre, Stephanie Penrod, Brianna Worden

FIRST HONORSMitchel Barylski, Ashley Burke,

Aidan Ciquera, Ray Cortez, Summer Cutler, Ashley Danis, Scott Davagian, Jaidyn Gillette, Natalie Ionkin, Savannah Kruger, Jasmin Montpelier, Andrew Pedersen, Richard Rodio

RECOGNITIONKali Baranski, Hayden Belliveau,

Hailey Bocash, Robyn Charbonneau, Tristin Courteau, Doria Daviau, Anna Enders, Morgan Foucault, Brenden Gardner, Sophia Glaude, Justin Haynes, Brianna Long, Matthew Meagher, Alyson Morris, Alexis Wolinski

CLASS OF 2019HIGH HONORSKaitlyn Eddy, Violet Khoshtariya,

Katy Maryanov, Madison ToutantFIRST HONORSTrinity Bailey, Morgan Blackmar,

Dawnielle Dowd, Kira Fontaine, Thomas Masso, Devin McCaughey, Maggie McKeon, Jeffrey Reed, Parker Sessums, Megan Shippee, Kaitlin Slivkoff-Zamora, Jenna Tatro, Mariah Travisano, Jane Vongvirath, Jillian Williams

RECOGNITION

Kayla Anderson, Kobie Bates, Lauren Blackmar, Mackenzie Blackwell, Jacob Clinkscale, Emily Cournoyer, Cole Davagian, Gabriel Desrosiers, Victoria Dias, Michael DiColella, Jewelia England, Angelina Gould, Tyion Harris, Kylye-Annmarie Kupiec, Kayla MacDonald, Sierra Mainville, Mya Meadows, Chelsea Minaya-Torres, Simon Morente Uz, Sebastian Ramos, Mohamed Sano, Adriana Santos Bravo,

Alexa Steinbrick, Cora Turner, Lexus Welch, Christian Yorz

CLASS OF 2020HIGH HONORSSamantha Barylski, Tanner Clark,

Haley Cutler, Janete Morente Uz, Ellie Morissette

FIRST HONORSNathaniel Dolbey, Autumn Fitker,

Zoe Hetrick, Kayleigh Lyons, Molly McKeon, Edward Perry, Jordyn Poole, Justin St. Martin

RECOGNITIONJorge Ajqui Portuguez, Matthew

Chzaszcz, Abigayle Gardner, Jillian Gray, Madison Hayes, Kyle Haynes, Samantha Huff, Michael Ionkin, Emily Langlois, Alexandria Lawson, Steven Merritt, Ryan Metivier, Jade Montpelier, Anthony Navedo, Hunter Roberts, Michael Rosario, Cheick Sano, Hannah Smith, Noah Tomkins

CLASS OF 2021HIGH HONORSLaylah Chavez, Kaylyn Daigneault,

Charisma Farrington, Anna Ionkin, Haddijatou Mbye, Lesbia Morente-Mendez, Julie Morris, Brooke Peloquin,Mackenzie Peloquin, Jamie Petre, Emma Rudman, Abby St. Martin, Morgan Toutant

FIRST HONORSGreyson Anderson, Nathan Barylski,

Emma Braithwaite, Johnathan Carita, Alex Hutchins, Sarah Keith, Adriana Maltais, Mackenzie Oleszewski, Jillian Robidas, Kyle Simpson

RECOGNITIONRanda Aldarawcheh, Kalai Ayau,

Alexandra Coderre, Emma Fisk, Chad Flick, Alexis Kurtyka, Ethan Latendresse, Colby Livingston, Jack Lomax, Abbigail Pelletier, Damien Ruggeri, Michayla Rugh, Tyler Shippee, Bethany Smith, Oscar Steinbrick, Hayley Syrjala, Natalie Vagnini, Maggie Wojciechowski

PUTNAM — The academic honors for the fourth quarter marking period at Putnam Middle School are as follows.

Principal’s ListGrade 8: Autumn Allard, Amayah Chavez, Aidan

Danburg, Tyler FullertonGrade 7: Lauren Brule, Brigid Hannon, Kylie

McArthur, Carter Morissette, Enrico Ong, Abigail Owens, Angelina Porter, Tegan Saucier, Ella Schoppe, Emily St. Martin,

Connor Taylor, Alishia Thompson, Guinevere Weiker

Grade 6: Melodie Anderson, Giana Cinque, Brady Devlin, Atiana Estes, Lily Goyette, Savannah Loiselle, Kathryn McArthur, Adam Sekula, Ramaya Talabert, Autumn Taylor

First HonorsGrade 8: Saige Albino, Karson Bates, Zachary

Belleville, Reagan Boledovic, Ayvril Brytowski, Rodrigo Alejandro Candelario

Jimenez, Kandi Garcia, Aliya Green, Olivia Hassett-Mellen, Kaylynn Horan, Amelia

Labbe-Fahy, Olivia Labbe-Fahy,

James Lazarou, Celenia Lopez, Kayla Morrison, Avery Pedersen, Ileaha Pulliam,

Jack Rindge, Emily Sargent, Ewa Sekula, Dominic Sheldon, Destiney Simas,

Adam Tomkins, Hunter Vanasse, Connor VassarGrade 7: Aidan Babbitt, Emily Benoit, Grace Benoit,

Elysse Britt, Michael Ellis, Cooper Livingston, DeAnn Pringle, Hiba ZaidiGrade 6: Skyler Adams, Michael Armstrong,

Trenton Brytowski, Lucian Canova, Lucas Carita, Aysaiah Chavez, Grace Collins, Ariel

Danburg, CoraRose Desrosiers, Robert Dion, Travis Fredette, Kylie Howe-Barnett,

Gabriel Jackel, Ashley Jordan, Nathaniel Lazarou, Keegan Lyons, Caitlin Oleszewski, Olivia Raymond, Noah Rudman,

Josephine Spalding, Jalicia Torres, Isabel Vergoni, Johnny Yater

Second HonorsGrade 8: Makenna Barnett, Trinity Bonet-Shepard,

Johnathen Brouillette, David DePari, Devin Dupre, Samantha Eddy, Mariah Grimshaw, Christian LaFlash, Brooke Lindell, Benjamin Northup, Halie

Reidy, Michael Roach, Anthony Romagnano, Isabella Toni-Campion, Zachary TruppaGrade 7: Cody Bemis, Samantha Bennett, Jacob

Benzie, Sadie Bergeron, Jenny Boriboun, Tori Desautels, Seth Dunton, Abigail Fitts, Jack Garcia, Raymond Jordan, Cole Kubilis, Rylee LaPerle, Cameron Lowell, Jacob Mailloux, Kyla Merigold, MacKenzie Reidy,

Dylan Remillard, Nicholas Renshaw, Kyleigh Ryan, Sierra Tamalavic, Bailey Touchette, Mariah Vargas, Jayden Walker, Gabriel Weidele, Colin Wojciechowski, Vincent Young

Grade 6: Cameron Bonin, Emmaline Bowers, Hunter Breyette, Hunter Courtemanche, Kaylee Dashnaw, Patrick Deery, Zeynep Ekinci, Adam Ellis, Kaleigh Fry, Kamryn Holmes,

Lily Jakubowski, Owen Lefebvre, Colin Martin, Tristen McCabe, Chloe Merigold,

Tyler Parmentier, Jonathan Racine, Hunter Salvas, Jack Seiffert, Megan Strom, Christopher Vagnini, Autumn Wisnieski

Putnam HigH ScHool Honor roll for tHe fourtH quarter

Putnam middle ScHool Honor roll

Personnel changes at St. Joseph School

QVCC second chance program creates stories of hope


We know the financial and economic landscape we all operate in is everchang-ing. Policy and regulatory shifts are often a big part of these changes and can alter almost anything from tax planning, to healthcare, and even retirement. Weiss & Hale Financial believes that in order to realize your financial life goals, proac-tive planning around poli-cy decisions that may affect your unique financial plan

is key. So this July, we’ll dis-cuss poli-cy topics that may a f f e c t y o u r f i n a n -cial plan. First, let’s e x p l o r e s o c i a l security.

S o c i a l Security is a source of i n c o m e you may r e c e i v e

once you have retired, how-ever it should not be the only source of income. Some of the current challenges that Social Security faces makes it increasingly more import-ant to choose a planning strategy that may create income to supplement the benefits you receive from Social Security. We encour-age you to look at your Social Security statement by visiting www.weissandhale.com/resources and click the link “My Social Security.”

THE MEDIA

Watching the news, listen-ing to the radio, or reading the newspaper, you’ve prob-ably come across story after story on the health of Social Security. And, depending on the actuarial assumptions used and the political slant, Social Security has been described as everything from a program in need of some adjustments to one in crisis requiring immediate, drastic reform.

Obviously, the underlying assumptions used can affect one’s perception of the sol-vency of Social Security, but it’s clear some action needs to be taken. However, even experts disagree on the best remedy.

JUST THE FACTS

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), approximately 66 mil-lion Americans currently collect some sort of Social Security benefit. Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system, with today’s work-ers paying the benefits for today’s retirees. (Source: Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2017)

How much do today’s workers’ pay? Well, the first $128,700 (in 2018) of an indi-vidual’s annual wages is subject to a Social Security payroll tax, with half being paid by the employee and half by the employer. Payroll taxes collected are put into the Social Security trust funds and invested in securities guaranteed by the federal government. The funds are then used to pay out current benefits.

The amount of your retire-ment benefit is based on your average earnings over your working career. Higher life-time earnings result in high-er benefits, so if you have some years of no earnings or low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily. Your age at the time you start receiving benefits also affects your benefit amount.

You can begin receiving Social Security benefits before your full retirement age, as early as age 62. However, if you retire early, your Social Security benefit will be less than if you had waited until your full retire-ment age to begin receiving benefits.

P.O. Box 196, Woodstock, CT 06281

TelephoNe: (860) 928-1818Fax: (860) 928-5946

www.VillagerNewspapers.com

OPINIONOpinion and commentary from the Quiet Corner

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The referendum to keep the Woodstock Town Hall open five days a week within our approved budget passed 309 to 173; approxi-mately 9% of eligible voters participated in the referendum.

Subsequently the Board of Selectmen met and unanimously voted to keep the town hall open on Fridays from 7AM to 10AM. During these hours the only office that will be acces-sible will be the Selectmen’s Office which will be staffed by our office manager and me. During the months of July and January only, the Tax Collector’s office will be staffed by the Tax Collector and her assistant. Our two offices can only process work that falls within our statutory responsibilities.

Why will only these two offices be open? Several years ago a collective bargain-ing agreement was struck with Woodstock’s non-elected town hall employees. According to the negotiated terms, the town cannot utilize elected officials and other third-par-ties to do work in place of our unionized employees. As a result, having our elected

employees work alone on Fridays could sub-ject Woodstock to litigation for state labor law violations.

A second option available to the Board of Selectmen was to offset Friday hours with cuts elsewhere. As we explored this option it became apparent that we would need to cut our Wednesday hours and make adjustments to the remaining days as well. The confusion that this could potentially create, coupled with the knowledge that town hall employ-ees have made alternative arrangements to replace lost compensation, made this option unacceptable.

We will track foot traffic into the town hall to determine whether an increased budget is warranted for next fiscal year. In the interim, our town hall’s professional, dedicated staff will be available to meet your needs.

Mike AlbertsFirst selectMAn

Woodstock

Selectman comments on Woodstock office hours

As a Selectman, I want to clarify my under-standing of the decisions the Woodstock Board of Selectmen made at our 9:00 pm meeting after Monday’s referendum results were announced. The meeting was attended by the three selectmen, our minute taker and a member of the public. Mike Alberts offered one recommendation to open the Town Hall from 7:00 am to 10:00 am on Friday and that only the Selectman’s office would be open. The office could receive documents but could not offer any other services provided by any other elected official’s office. Those officials control the operations of their offices. I felt that this was not in the spirit of the refer-endum’s results and recommended that the Selectman’s office needed to be open from 8:30 to noon on Friday. During the 45 minute discussion, it was obvious that my recom-

mendation was not going to be accepted. I felt then and feel now that this was not an appro-priate response to the referendum’s results; however, I did vote to support the opening of the Woodstock Town Hall on Fridays from 7:00 am to 10:00 am since that was the only recommendation which was on the table. No other set of recommendations was able to be implemented based on Mike’s Friday sched-ule. I feel that this posting of my position on this issue is required since I will be out of the state for the next Selectman’s meeting and I feel that the reasons for my vote need to be open and clearly stated to the citizens of Woodstock.

FrAnk olAhWoodstock

Clarifying decisions in Woodstock

How secure

is Social Security?

Busy signals

I stood up suddenly and the red plas-tic rectangle that had been on my lap tumbled into the water and sank to the bottom. It seemed to be moving in slow motion. I didn’t want to believe that my cellphone was underwater. My hus-band retrieved it. Once it was back in my hands, I turned it on and it briefly sprang to life. Then nothing. I felt as if half of my life had just been blotted out. Perhaps it had.

It is nice to believe that one is resist-ing the sweep of technology, but not likely. With every passing year, another device enters my life and assumes a role. The phone is the most pervasive. For decades I drove long distances alone. I had one of the earliest bag phones. It rested quietly on the passenger’s seat in

my car. It wasn’t especial-ly useful as connectivity was spotty, but it was a reassuring presence. I used it to call AAA one dark night when the car died on a back road in Wallingford. Sometimes I could call home and leave a message on the answer-ing machine, another groundbreaking device at the time. I bought a new version of the phone

whenever one came out. I don’t know what happened to those phones. I wish I had one because my grandson would think it was really funny.

I’m a moron when it comes to tech-nology. If there is a way to approach something using intuition and brains, I was behind the door when the skills were passed out. Anything user friend-ly seems hostile to me, but eventually I learn the basics and embrace the new connectivity with gusto. I’ve always been a writer and all the little black and white notebooks I filled with stories, poems and drawings turned to dust. I took a typing class in high school and it opened up a new world. I was given an electric typewriter for graduation and I trotted off to college brandishing it with confidence. White out and erasable typ-ing paper made things easier, but typing a long paper was tedious.

Now I have a desktop, a laptop and an IPad. The Kindle is gathering dust, but the other items are in constant use. The phone however, eclipsed them all. It contained countless photos of the cat, the grandchildren, my latest trips and close-ups of a neon colored spider near the back door. I don’t know anyone’s phone number anymore. I missed the exit to Newport the other day, because I rely GPS to tell me where to turn. I wear a watch, so I know the time, but I look at the phone to find out about the weather. We dropped the landline about a month ago, so no one can call me and I can’t call them. I am effectively cut off from the world, except for face-to-face contacts. It all makes me nervous.

Yes, I put the phone in a bag of rice. Yes, I removed the sim card. Yes, it didn’t make one bit of difference. Soon I’ll go to the computer store, that smells like teen-age boys, screw up my courage, walk in, find the oldest clerk in the place and buy a new phone. I’ve beaten up on myself long enough for being clumsy, not buying a waterproof case and, most of all, not backing up the phone. I’m grieving for the missing photos, the con-tact information for everyone I’ve ever known and all the cool podcasts. I’ve faced up to having a phone matter so much. I’ll plunk down the funds and get back into the 21st century.

What these hills and field have seenWhen driving north on Route 21,

I pass what many consider to be the common on the east side of the road on Putnam Heights (Killingly Hill), north of the meetinghouse. It was originally purchased as a train-ing field for the local militia during the Revolution. How it must have been abuzz with activity on train-ing days! In Historic Gleanings in Windham County Connecticut his-torian Ellen Larned quoted from a letter written by Ephraim Cutler, son of Manasseh, about his grand-father Hezekiah, “’ I well remember that the express with the news of the battle of Lexington (April 1775) came directly to my grandfather’s house in the night. He was in bed and I slept with him. He rose and fired his gun three times, which was doubtless the agreed signal…Before sunrise he with fifteen others had started for the battlefield. He had the care of the quantity of powder which was kept in the meeting house. He gave directions to have half a pound delivered to each man as he called for it. The house was thronged through the day with parties of ten or twenty men who followed on towards Boston. I suppose that from the age of sixteen to seventy all left except sickness or some disability excused them.’

Larned continued, ”On this memora-ble day men from six companies marched from Killingly. Those from the mother town were led by Major William Danielson and captains Ephraim Warren and Joseph and Daniel Cady. The Thompson men were led by captains Joseph Elliot and John Green and Lieutenant Elwell…The honored list of 177 names embraces representatives of nearly every old family in the large town. Following is a list of the known men who served from Killingly during the Lexington Alarm. Joseph Eliott’s Company---Joseph Eliott, Captain; Pain Converse, Ensign; Stephen Crosbee, Sergeant; Jacob Dresser, Jun., Sergeant; Asa Nichols, Sergeant; Daniel Perrin, Corporal; Isaac Parks, Corporal; John Wilson, Drummer; Samuel Prince, Private; Asaph Bowen; Isaac Luther; Calvin Skinner; Joseph Russell; Daniel Forbes; Pearley Huse; Joseph Whitmore; Joel Lee; Chester Converse; Robert Prince; Simeon Stone. William Danielson’s Company---William Danielson, Major; Joseph Cady, Captain; Elihu Lawrence, Ensign; Oliver Richmond, Sergeant; Simeon Lee, Sergeant; Asa Lawrence, Sergeant; Nathaniel Day, Corporal; Darius Leavens, Corporal; Samuel Buck, Private; Reuben Buck; Amasa Bloss; Benjamin Bond; Timothy Blanchard; Justin Cady; Isaac Cady; Solomon Cady; Elias Day; Amasa Grover; John Knight; John Leavens; Eleazer Moffitt; Benjamin Newell; Ezra Armsbee; Silvanus Perry; Benjamin Porter; Joseph Tory; Benjamin Robinson; Hezekiah Smith; Simeon Stevens; Obed Spalding; James Sibley; David Gay; William Richards; Isachar Bates. John Green’s Company--- John Green, Captain; Obadiah Clough, Lieut.; Daniel Larned, Ensign; John Grow, Sergeant; Samuel Spalding, Sergeant; Thomas Dike, Sergeant; Thomas Smith,

Clerk; Jonathan Morgan, Corporal; Jonathan Wilson, Corporal; Jesse Howard, Private; Solomon Smith; Henry Learned; Levi Thompson; Benjamin Joslin; Elijah Robinson; Jared Talbot; Eleazer Mighill; John Wilson; Daniel Whitmore; Samuel D. Wolf; William Pearce; Peter Bignall; Stoughton Richards; Reuben Tutton; Jesse Converse; Benjamin Leavens; Ebenezer Learned; David Buck; Ebenezer Brooks; Benoni Cutler. Captain Ephraim Warren’s Company---Ephraim Warren, Captain; Daniel Waters, Lieut.; Josiah Robins, Ensign; David Copp, Sergeant; Jonathan Bass, Sergeant; Andrew Brown, Sergeant; Elah (?) Boyden, Private; Nathaniell Campbell; Luther Hawkins; Barzailli Fisher; Daniel Hulet; Zeb? Fernon;

Willard Gould; Isaiah Cady; Samuel Wilson; Mathew Walker; Caleb Carpenter; Joshua Drake; Ebenezer Howard, Jun.; Joseph Green; Nathaniell Dike; Benjamin Converse, Jun.; Samuel Adams. (Spellings have been kept pretty much as they were on the printed list).

Woodstock sent four companies under captains Daniel Lyon, Ephraim Manning, Nathaniel Marcy, (&) Benjamin Lyon.” In addition to the men who marched to Lexington on foot, a “troop of horse” was gathered under the leadership of Captain Samuel McClellan of Woodstock containing 36 men. His house, and the common area where the men gathered, are still standing in South Woodstock, a little north of the Woodstock Fairgrounds at the junction of Routes 169 and 171. Larned relayed the follow-ing whimsical story about McClellan’s wife. “And after all were gone in the late April afternoon, the mistress of the household---Ra-chel Abbe of Windham---brought out a small bunch of saplings, stripling elms from her early house, and with her own hands planted them in Woodstock soil. And there they stand on the common before the house, three noble elms, true trees of Liberty, forever testifying to the patriotic devotion of a daughter---rather let us say of a mother of the Revolution ”(p. 98-101). Perhaps someone knows how long these venerable trees stood since Larned pub-lished this volume in 1899.

Even prior to the Revolution, Killingly’s William Danielson, who rose to colonel of the militia of the Eleventh Regiment, which included Killingly, Pomfret and Woodstock, had established an iron-works near the Five Mile River in what is present-day Danielson, probably not far from where George’s Galley is now located. Was it manufacturing cannon balls and other items that were needed by the patriots? The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service During the War of the Revolution 1775-1783 provided more about William Danielson’s activities during the War. During the winter of 1776 lieutenant-colonel Danielson served in Boston under Colonel Douglas. He was also commissioned as part of Wadsworth’s Brigade in the Third Battalion when forces were raised in June 1776 to

NANCY WEISS

JIM ZAHANSKYINVESTMENT

ADVISER

Financial Focus

MARGARET WEAVER

Killingly at

300

Turn To KILLINGLY page A9 Turn To FINANCIAL page A9

IT’S AN ACE!CHECK OUT THE SPORTS ACTION!

Knowing how to swim is one of the most important tools a person can have in warm weather, when people are most inclined to go swimming in pools, lakes and oceans.

Swimming is a fun yet potentially dangerous activi-ty. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each day roughly 10 people die from uninten-tional drowning in the United States. That makes drowing the country’s fifth-leading cause of unintentional death.

Knowing how to swim is essential for people who plan to spend time in the water.

Swimmers are urged to learn as many different swimming techniques as possible to strengthen muscles in their body and prevent fatigue in the water. The most common swimming styles include free-style, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly stroke.

FREESTYLE

The freestyle, or front crawl, is a popular stroke among sea-soned swimmers. When doing the freestyles, swimmers alter-nate their arm movements and a flutter kick to propel them

through the water. People who need to reach a distressed swimmer or cross a body of water quickly rely on the free-style to do so. Freestyle swim-ming offers a full-body workout as well.

BREASTSTROKE

The breaststroke originates with a sweep out of the arms from the breast and then back in to the starting position. A frog-like kick complements arm movements. The breast-stroke is one of the first swim-ming strokes taught to begin-ners because individuals can keep their heads above the water. The breaststroke may be efficient, but it is slower than other swimming styles. The legs and back work hard when performing this stroke.

BACKSTROKE

The backstroke is simi-lar to the freestyle except the body is supine. The back gets an excellent workout during this stroke, which can help straighten and lengthen the spine. Physicians may even recommend the backstroke for those dealing with back pain.

BUTTERFLY STROKE

The butterfly tends to be a challenging stroke that can

work the core and upper body while providing a great cardio-vascular workout. When per-forming the butterfly, swim-mers raise both arms above their head and then push down into the water to propel their bodies forward. The legs are positioned like a dolphin or a mermaid and will flap to kick down, states CureJoy, a health and wellness resource.

These strokes are used in swimming competitions and

are widely taught at swim schools. The sidestroke is another style that only requires one arm and can be used in swimming rescues, which also can be handy to learn.

People new to swimming or who want to increase their skills can work with certified swimming instructors to learn proper swimming techniques.


Privileged Information

In order for attorneys to represent their clients to the best of their abilities, it is essential that those in need of legal assistance be absolutely truthful and forthcoming. If a client withholds information from his or her lawyer or misrepresents facts, the chances of achieving a successful outcome in the courtroom are greatly diminished. With this in mind, the “attorney-client privilege” rule helps to encourage clients to candidly share information with their lawyers, thereby enabling their lawyers to provide the most effective representation. Under the rule, which preserves the confidentiality of communications

between lawyers and clients, lawyers may not divulge their clients’ secrets. Nor may others force them to reveal privileged information.

HINT: Attorney-client privilege remains in effect even after the attorney-client relationship ends and even after the client dies.

Providing the best possible legal representation takes more than just a kind ear or an aggressive attitude. You want a lawyer who will both listen to your concerns and fight for you in court. For this or any other legal issue, please call

BORNER, SMITH, ALEMAN, HERZOG and CERRONE, LLC.

We are located at 155 Providence St., Putnam office.

reinforce Washington at New York. He later declined but instead served with the militia. William was promoted from lieutentant-colonel to colonel of the Eleventh Regiment in December 1776, and resigned about December 1779. He was succeeded by Woodstock’s Samuel McClellan who was promoted to colo-nel in 1779. Danielson was also listed under the militia at Rhode Island under General Spencer during 1776, 1777, and 1778 (p. 14, 386,436,614). Following the Revolution about 1786 William Danielson erected a new home on the

site of the old homestead. It was located on Maple Street in Danielson across from the old Powdrell & Alexander mill. Unfortunately it suffered a fire last year. A photo of this historic home may be found on page 9 of Images of America Killingly by Natalie Coolidge and Robert Spencer. William Danielson died August 19, 1798 in his 69th year and was interred in the old section of Westfield Cemetery. His wife Sarah, for whom the Sarah Willliams chapter of the D. A. R. is named, died January 19, 1809 (Hale Cemetery Collection; Beers Commemorative Biographical Record of Windham and Tolland Counties, 624-5).

There are so many noteworthy Revolutionary patriots that it is impos-sible to mention them all. Biographical information on some like McClellan and Israel Putnam appears in many sources including online references. This July take time to give thanks to the many men and women who made so many sacrifices so that we are now able to live in freedom and may “God bless America.”

Yearbook donations: The Killingly Historical and Genealogical Society/Center is missing The Killonians from 1924, 1952, 1954, 2014, 2015, & 2016. If you have one that you are willing to donate please bring it to the Center. Thank you.

Margaret M. Weaver Killingly Municipal Historian, June 2018. Some of the above article was taken from the 7-5-15 Killingly at 300 column. For addi-tional information email me at [email protected] or visit the Killingly Historical & Genealogical Center Wed. or Sat. 10-4 or www.kill-inglyhistorical.org. or call 860-779-7250. Like us at Facebook at www.facebook.com/killinglyhistoricalsociety. Mail for the Killingly Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. or the Killingly Historical and Genealogical Center should be sent to PO Box 265, Danielson, Connecticut 06329.

KILLINGYcontinued from page A8

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS

Even those on oppo-site sides of the political spectrum can agree that demographic factors are exacerbating Social Security’s problems — namely, life expectancy is increasing, and the birth rate is decreasing. This means that over time, fewer workers will have to support more retirees.

According to the SSA, Social Security is already paying out more money than it takes in. However, by drawing on the Social Security trust fund (OASI), the SSA estimates that Social Security should be able to pay

100% of scheduled ben-efits until fund reserves are depleted in 2035. Once the trust fund reserves are depleted, payroll tax revenue alone should still be sufficient to pay about 75% of scheduled benefits. This means that in 2035, if no changes are made, beneficiaries may receive a benefit that is about 25% less than expected. (Source: 2017 OASDI Trustees Report)

POSSIBLE FIXES

While no one can say for sure what will hap-pen (and the political process is sure to be con-tentious), Some solutions have been proposed to help keep Social Security solvent for many years to come. One way is to allow individuals to invest some of their cur-

rent Social Security taxes in “Personal Retirement Accounts.” Some other solutions may be increas-ing the payroll tax, rais-ing the ceiling on wages currently subject to the payroll tax, or to reduce future benefits.

Some other proposed solutions are to raise the retirement age or to change the formula used to calculate benefits. There are other fixes that may take place, but none of them are guaranteed.

UNCERTAIN OUT-COME

Members of Congress and the President still support efforts to reform Social Security, but prog-ress on the issue has been slow. However, the SSA continues to urge all par-ties to address the issue

sooner rather than later, to allow for a gradual phasing in of any neces-sary changes.

Although debate will continue on this polar-izing topic, there are no easy answers, and the final outcome for this decades-old program is still uncertain.

Plan Well – The future outlook for Social Security depends on many demographic and economic factors. While the future may be unknown, there are still things you can do now to prepare for the unex-pected. Creating a plan based on your unique needs and goals is cen-tral to the Plan, Invest, Live Well process. Weiss & Hale Financial con-siders all of these fac-tors when planning for

financial life goals. To see if our process may be able to help you plan for the unknown, visit www.weissandhale.com/our-process.

Presented by James Zahansky, AWMA, researched using Broadridge Investor Communication Services - Copyright 2018. Weiss & Hale financial Managing Partners Laurence Hale and Jim Zahansky offer securi-ties and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. They practice at 697 Pomfret Street, Pomfret Center, CT 06259, 860.928.2341.

The tenured financial team serves individuals,

families, businesses & not-for-profit institutions and they are best suited for investment portfo-lios over $500,000. Weiss & Hale Financial helps clients put it all togeth-er with their unique pro-cess to Plan Well, Invest Well, Live Well™. For more information regard-ing wealth management and customized financial planning with Weiss & Hale Financial, please visit www.weissandhale.com. You should consult a legal or tax professional regarding your individu-al situation as all invest-ing involves risk, includ-ing the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful.

FINANCIALcontinued from page A8

Recreational boating reach-es its peak when the weather warms up and people take to waterways in droves. Spending a day on the water enjoying the scenery or trying your luck at fishing are popular pastimes.

Following proper boating practices and etiquette can protect everyone onboard. Although ensuring passenger safety should be a priority, safeguarding against environ-mental impacts while boating also should be a concern.

Marinas and various marine areas can become contaminat-ed with pollutants generated from boating activities. Boat cleaning, fueling and marine head discharge are just a few of the pollutants that can find their ways into the water. A past study in the marine reserve of Cape Creus in the Mediterranean Sea found that boat anchoring also is a con-siderable threat to marine hab-itats, as vulnerable ecologies can be damaged by anchors.

Although there are regula-tions in place to protect marine life and ecosystems, these rules aren’t always adhered to. Recreational boaters can do their part to keep oceans, bays, rivers, and lakes pristine by adhering to some sound advice.

• Reduce engine exhaust. Whenever possible, row, paddle or use sails to decrease engine

use and subsequent exhaust. When engines must be used, do not idle unnecessarily. Always steer clear of the aft of the boat, where fuel fumes and carbon monoxide can cause serious health implications.

• Keep trash on the vessel. Do not discard any items over the side of the boat. Even seemingly harmless items can impact the environment. Store garbage in a bag and dispose of it properly when you return to the marina or dock. Secure items onboard so they will not blow off and end up in the water.

• Avoid antifouling paints. Antifouling paints are special paints applied to the underside of vessels to prevent or slow down the growth of barnacles and other organisms. Maritime New Zealand notes that these paints can harm other sea life and prove dangerous when scraped off and not discarded properly.

• Keep boats in proper work-ing order. Poorly maintained boats may harm the environ-ment. Inefficiently working engines can produce more exhaust and contaminate the air and water. Oil and other mechanical fluids can leak into the water and affect the marine environment. Proper mainte-nance helps keep boats safe and minimizes their impact on the environment.

• Use pump-out stations. Pump out stations at marinas enable boaters to safely dispose of the contents from sanitary systems without waste ending up in the water. Commercial ships, such as tankers and bulk cargo carriers, have the added threat of ballast water. Ballast water keeps vessels buoyant.

However, when this water is discharged at the next port of call, it can transfer biological materials, like bacteria and plants, from foreign waters. These materials can compro-mise the integrity of ecological systems.

• Respect marine ecosystems. Boaters who plan to enter the

water and explore should tread delicately. Coastal areas often play home to birds and other wildlife. Use caution around reefs and habitats.

Safe boating involves follow-ing the rules of the water and also keeping marine environ-ments clean and protected.

Protect the environment with safe boating

Learning the various swimming strokes can give people a physical edge and make swimming safer.

Expand swimming styles for increased safety and fun

PUTNAM — Dedicated fishermen know how great it feels to catch a good one. Now the Boy Scouts from Troop 21 know too, after a weekend camping and fishing trip where they learned how to do it.

“This was the first time fishing for several of the guys,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Casey M. Dundon, of Putnam, an experienced fisherman who is Troop 21’s head fishing instructor. “It’s fun to get the kids out and show them how to fish when they’re young, so they can do it for life. We had largemouth bass biting all weekend. It was a really good time.”

With permission from the landowner, during the last weekend in June Troop 21 pitched their tents and set up their gear along the pond at Quatrano Farm, on pri-vate property in Stafford Springs, so Dundon and other volunteer fishing instruc-tors could teach the boys how to fish. Instructors loaned fishing gear for the event, to go along with several rods and reels the troop had in storage.

“Our boys got more than a dozen good-size largemouth bass, all catch-and-re-lease, so we put them back,” Dundon said. “We’re showing them how to enjoy fish-ing and protect the bass populations at the same time.”

Dodging occasional raindrops on Saturday, the camping and fishing trip also included a hike into the nearby woods, to learn fire building and how to spot animal tracks and other signs of wildlife.

“These are basic Scout skills,” Dundon said. “We try to get the kids out into the woods every month, get them out exploring and doing fun and interesting things they wouldn’t otherwise get to do.”

This marked a successful ending to the Scouting year for Troop 21, which is char-tered to St. Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam. As with most Scout troops, Troop 21’s program coincides with the school year, so the last weekend of June was the end of the troop’s year. Kicking off their new year, the Scouts will be heading off for a week of summer camp in July.

Holding its meetings at St. Mary’s on Providence Street, Troop 21 is open to any boy aged 11 to 17. They do not have to be Catholic or be members of the church.

“We’re always looking for new boys to join the troop,” said Scoutmaster Peter A. Lombardo, of Putnam.

“After we get home from camp,” Lombardo said, ticking off some of the high-lights of the troop’s schedule through next spring, “We’ll be out every month. Among other things our Scouts will be hiking part of the Airline Trail in our area, heading out to a science, computer and robots weekend at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, several camping trips, a shotgun-shooting program, a food drive for local needy people, a Paw Sox game in Pawtucket and another fishing trip, so we’ll be busy.”

Troop 21’s Scoutmaster noted that a Boy Scout troop’s operations are run by the boys, with the adults guiding and teaching them as needed, overseeing transporta-tion and making sure everyone is healthy and safe.

“Our Scouts made up this year’s schedule and are responsible for planning and carrying out what they’ll be doing,” Lombardo said. “They decide what they want to do; they raise their own money to do it. Scouting builds self-reliance, responsibil-ity and character that way. We’re very proud of our guys.”

For information about joining Troop 21, call Lombardo at (860) 963-0171 and leave a message.


July 8, Sun., 8am-2pmB’nai Shalom will be holding its annual tag sale at the synagogue at 125 Church Street, Putnam (across from Town Hall). We have large pieces of furniture to small knick knacks with everything in-between. Donations are still being accepted. For questions please contact Peg 860-928-5409 or Tina 860=963-1255.

July 10, Tues., 12pmCookbook Club, Barefoot Contessa Fam-ily Style. Bracken Memorial Library, 57 Academy Road, Woodstock.

July 10, Tues., 7pmBingo every Tuesday at the VFW, 15234 Providence Street, Putnam.

July 12, Thurs., 6:30-7:30pmHike Bull Hill Preserve on Bull Hill Road, Woodstock -- Enter Bull Hill Road from Senexet Road off Rt. 171, continue to the metal gate at the Wood-stock/ Thompson town line. The event is free to land trust members and guests. Inclement weather cancels. Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 860 963 2090.

July 12, Thurs,, 2pmPutnam Senior Citizens meeting, the sec-ond Thursday of the month, 2pm at Put-nam VFW, 1523 Providence Street, Put-nam.

July 13, Fri., 8pm

Knights of Columbus Council 2087 will hold a Friday fish fry, noon to, in the Knights Hall, 1017 Riverside Drive, North Grosvenordale. Fish and chips ($10); baked haddock or bay scallops ($11); fried clams ($14); fisherman’s platters ($17), and more. 860-923-2967, [email protected]. July 13, Sat., 7-8:30am

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Fund assis-tance is available every at the Pomfret Se-nior Center 207 Mashamoquet Road (Rt. 44) in Pomfret. Best to call ahead 860-928-2309. Always free and confidential.

(The fund is administered by The Amer-ican Legion and is a temporary financial assistance to qualified veterans.)

July 14, Sat., 12pm-4pmBOTTLE AND CAN DRIVE TO HELP NEEDY ANIMALS Pet Pals Northeast, will be collecting redeemable bottles and cans at Canterbury Cones on Route 169 in Canterbury. Dry cat food needed, Purina brands preferred. Cash donations always welcome. For more information, contact PET PALS at 860-317-1720.

July 14, Sat., 9am-4pmThe Quiet Corner’s Garden Tour and Arts & Crafts Fair – tour 10 different and unique garden venues throughout Wood-stock, $15 tickets for tour at www.quiet-cornergardenclub.org. Free arts & crafts fair on Woodstock Hill Common.

July 14, Sat., 10amThe Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center will be doing a program called Rock’n Nature. Learn about all the animals who sing in nature. Meet live birds, insects, and frogs, listen to their amazing sounds and try to imitate them. Bracken Memori-al Library, 57 Academy Road, Woodstock.

July 14, Sat., 10amPlease join us for a Guided Walking Tour of the Palmer Arboretum - Connecticut’s oldes t existing Arboretum. Learn about its history and the many plants, trees and shrubs within. The Arboretum is located on 523 Connecticut Route 169, behind the Palmer Memorial Hall (old Woodstock Town Hall).

UNTIL JULY 28 – Paws Cat Shelter is still collecting gently worn shoes at their location, 240 Rt. 171, Woodstock. Please help Paws pay their vet bill!

CALLING ALL ARTISTS – currently accepting applications for Open Juried Art Show July 16-August 10. Download form at NECTAG.ORG Cash prizes! Call Northeast Connecticut Art Guild at 860-377-371

Villager NewspapersCOMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

“Shining a light on community events”

Putnam Boy Scouts land bass on successful fishing trip

John D. Ryan photos

Boy Scout Joseph Choquet, from Troop 21 of Putnam, holds up a largemouth bass he just caught during the troop’s annual late June weekend camp trip.

Troop 21 Cooking Breakfast. Boy Scouts Brendin Adams (left) and Hunter Breyette cook pancakes as part of breakfast,

Raihden Albino and several other Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 21 of Putnam fish for large-mouth bass

Several geese walk by the pond at the Quatrano Farm in Stafford Springs during the weekend Boy Scout Troop 21 of Putnam was camping and fishing there in late June.

Patrol Leader Nathanyal Delgado, from Troop 21 of Putnam, fishes for largemouth bass

Boy Scout Hunter Breyette plays with goats at the Quatrano Farm in Stafford Springs

Boy Scout Raihden Albino, from Troop 21 of Putnam, holds up a largemouth bass

Troop 21 Delgado Fishing Instruction

Boy Scout Raihden Albino, from Troop 21


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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on June 27 released a statement on the retire-ment of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

“Senator McConnell set a precedent when he refused to hold a hearing on Merrick Garland, and he should stick to the rule he set. Under the McConnell rule, the Senate shouldn’t consider any nominee for the Supreme Court until January, and I expect

Republicans in the Senate to honor the rule they all agreed to just two short years ago,” said Murphy. “If McConnell insists on starting proceedings on a radi-cal Trump nominee, I will do everything in my power to stop him. I did not run for the Senate to grease the skids for radicals on the Supreme Court to decimate the rights of millions of Americans. The existing Court’s assault on voting rights, collective bargain-

ing, and religious liberty is awful enough – just imag-ine how bad working people will have it if another right-wing justice joins the Court. This is a red alert moment for the American people—we need all hands on deck to stop the Court from taking a vicious, anti-worker, anti-women, anti-LGBT, anti-civil rights turn.”

Murphy comments on Kennedy’s Supreme Court move


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