Spooner House to hold 2016 Annual Meeting Breakfast Wed. Oct. 19

Valley Council to hold Annual Meeting Dec. 1

SHELTON- The Valley Council for Health & Human Services will hold its Annual Meeting and Community Awards Presentation on Tuesday, December 1, 2015.  The event will feature keynote presenter Maura Cook. The breakfast meeting and awards presentation, which is sponsored by the Valley Community Foundation, will be held from 7:45-10:15 am at Brownson Country Club in Shelton, CT.  All Valley residents and community partners are welcomed.

We’re very excited to have the opportunity for Maura Cook to present “Making Choices” an interactive exercise to help the Valley community relate to what it is like to be “ALICE” an acronym for Asset, Limited, Income, Constrained Employed which represents a study of Financial Hardship in CT., states Diane Stroman, Valley Council Chairperson. “We’re also delighted to highlight the valuable work that Valley groups and individuals are doing to improve the health and quality of life of residents.”

 

On the occasion of its Annual Meeting, the Valley Council will present three community service awards. 

 

The Agency/Program of the Year Award recognizes a nonprofit agency that has made a significant and lasting contribution to the health and well being of Lower Naugatuck Valley residents.  This year’s award will be presented to Master’s Table Community Meals for providing services that make significant and lasting contributions to the well being of Lower Naugatuck Valley residents. Master’s Table Community Meals mission is to feed all who are hungry and offer hope for a better future.

The Lewis Savitsky Staff Excellence Award, named in honor of a long-time Valley United Way employee and community leader, is presented to individuals for excellence in their roles as employees in the nonprofit community.  This year’s honoree is Nick Gentile, Work force Specialist for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, of The WorkPlace. He is being honored for his commitment to helping homeless, unemployed and under-employed veterans find stable housing.

The Richard O. Belden Community Service Award, named in honor of late State representative Richard O. Belden, is given to an individual or group whose efforts have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of Valley residents.  The Council will present the 2015 Belden award to Harry Burlakoff, for his tremendous work assisting countless Non-Profits in our region. Harry is a member of the Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council. 

 

A full invitation and registration information for the Valley Council Annual Meeting and Awards presentation is available online at www.valleycouncil.org or by calling the Valley United Way at (203) 926-9478.  Registrations will also be accepted at the door.  Registration and breakfast will begin at 7:45 am.  The registration fee is free for Valley Council Members, $20 per person for additional staff and $25 per person for non-council members. 

 

For more information about our Award Winners, please visit www.valleycouncil.org.

(This is a press release from the Valley Council)

Derby Historical Society focuses on heritage area

Seymour resident Marian O'Keefe addresses the Derby Historical Society annual meeting Sunday.

DERBY - Historian Marian O'Keefe and Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell said Sunday the community needs to support the idea of having the Naugatuck River Valley designated as a National Heritage Area.
The two addressed the annual meeting of the Derby Historical Society at First Congregational Church.

O'Keefe said the 39-mile stretch would include 14 communities from Torrington in the Litchfield Hills to Shelton, where the Naugatuck River flows into the Housatonic River.

In 2004 Healthy Valley, a grassroots initiative, started a campaign to get the designation from the National Park Service.

Purcell quoted Healthy Valley co-chairs Judy Augusta and Pat Tarasovic whose mantra is "If you want to be a National Heritage Area, you have to act like one."

He said there are two National Heritage Area designations in Connecticut, The Last Green Valley in Eastern Connecticut and Weir Farm National Historic Site located in Wilton and Ridgefield.



For information on Healthy Valley, visit www.valleycouncil.org or call 203-926-9478.

TEAM to hold annual meeting in Derby

DERBY - TEAM Inc.’s 48th annual meeting will be held at noon Oct. 9 at Grassy Hill Lodge, 77 Sodom Lane.

Speakers will include Chaz from Chaz and AJ on WPLR, and former TEAM participants.

Join TEAM for presentation of awards for the following community leaders:

·     The Chairman’s Award will be presented to Polly  O’Brien Morrow representing Pitney Bowes Community Investments for their generosity and recent sponsorship of Computer Tots program reaching more than 220 children in the Valley.

·     Partnership Awards will be presented to C. Elspeth Lyndon of Plumb Memorial Library, Huntington Library and Ian Parsells of Derby Neck Library for their ongoing support and participation in VITA (Volunteers Income Tax Assistance) Valley tax preparation program.  A Partnership Award will also be presented to Naomi Hayner representing Healthy Eyes Alliance for the annual eye clinics donated to families of TEAM’s Early Education Center.

·     The Heritage Award will be presented to Ernestine Luise honoring her years of service to TEAM.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.  
Cost is $35.  Reservations are required by Friday; RSVP to Silvia Paytas, 203-736-5420, ext. 202 spaytas@teaminc.org. 

This is a press release from TEAM, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose mission is to connect individuals and families with solutions that lead to well-being, self-sufficiency and full participation in the community.

TEAM plans 48th annual meeting in Derby

DERBY - TEAM, Inc. will hold its 48th annual meeting from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at Grassy Hill Lodge, 77 Sodom Lane.

Registration starts at 11:45 a.m. Cost is $35 a person.

TEAM is a community action agency based in Derby.

RSVP by Sept. 25 to Silvia Paytas at TEAM, Inc., 203-736-5420 ext. 202, or at spaytas@teaminc.org.

Valley Chamber to hold annual meeting in Derby

DERBY - The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold its 49th Annual Meeting and

Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. June 20 at Grassy Hill Lodge, 77 Sodom Lane.

Joseph Carbone, President and CEO, The WorkPlace, will discuss "Getting America Back to Work."

The event will be presented by Griffin Health Services; United Illuminating Co.; Aquarion Water Co.; Cushman & Wakefield; Larry Janesky's Connecticut Basement Systems; Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala, PC; Housatonic Community College; and Regional Water Authority.

Tickets are $45 general admission; $35 for Chamber members.

For information call 203-925-4981.

 

Re-enactor to address historical society in Derby

DERBY - The Derby Historical Society's Annual Meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the First Congregational Church, 137 Derby Ave.

Connery as Wooster.

Guest speaker is Civil War hero Col. William Wooster, portrayed by James Connery, Jr. of Shelton.
Connery is a licensed Gettysburg Battlefield Guide.

Refreshments will be served.

Society to host state archaeologist

    SHELTON - State archaeologist Nicholas Bellantoni will present “The Long Journey Home for Albert Afraid of Hawk” at the Shelton Historical Society’s annual meeting next month.
    The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at Huntington Congregational Church, 19 Church St. Admission is free.
    Bellantoni will discuss the story of Albert, a Lakota Sioux Indian who died in Danbury in 1900 while performing with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and the process of repatriation.
    He will talk about the archaeology and forensic science behind his work. 
    There will be a brief business meeting before the program.
    The public is invited; hot refreshments will be served.
    In case of inclement weather, an announcement will be made on WICC-AM.
    For information visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or call 203-925-1803.




This information was taken from a press release from Shelton Historical Society.

Valley service providers recognized

Pictured from left: Victor Pittman, vice-chair, Valley Council, Rita R. Fazzino, John McGann, Naomi Wallace, John Saccu, Pamela Mautte, chair, Valley Council, at the Council's annual meeting.  Contributed photo by Fred Ortoli


DERBY - The Valley Council for Health and Human Services honored several community service providers for their positive impact on the Valley community at its Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation.
The event, sponsored by the Valley Community Foundation, was held this week at Grassy Hill Lodge.

Pamela Mautte, Chair of the Valley Council and Director of the Greater Valley Substance Abuse Action Council at BHCare, presented awards to three individuals and an agency.   

The Lewis Savitsky Staff Excellence Award, named in honor of a long-time Valley United Way employee and community leader, recognizes outstanding achievement among nonprofit employees.  The 2012 awardee is Rita R. Fazzino, Housing Code Officer and Registered Sanitarian at the Naugatuck Valley Health District. 
As Mautte said in her introduction, “Rita is exactly the kind of person the Savitsky Award is designed for—someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference in the daily lives of Valley citizens.” 

The Agency/Program of the Year Award recognizes a nonprofit agency or program that has made a lasting contribution to the health and well-being of Lower Naugatuck Valley residents.
This year’s award was presented to the Derby Bureau of Youth Services for its significant impact on young people over the few years since its inception. 
Mautte highlighted the efforts of the Derby Youth Services Bureau, led by Director John Saccu, to create a regional Juvenile Review Board and many other positive youth development programs. 

The Richard O. Belden Community Service Award, named in honor of late state Rep. Richard O. Belden, is given to an individual or group whose efforts have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of Valley residents.  
The Council presented the 2012 Belden award to Naomi Wallace, who is also recipient of a 2011 Gold Seal Award from the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.  

In addition to her recent work as Director of Children’s Programs at Tinney Community Center in Ansonia, Wallace has served numerous segments of the Valley community through her work with many nonprofit agencies and community groups.

Mautte presented a Chairperson’s Award to outgoing Council Vice-Chair, John McGann, in appreciation for his service to the Council and his significant contributions to the Valley community.  She said, “For over two decades, John has worked with great dedication to improve the mental health and well-being of Valley residents in his role as a clinician and then, until recently, as Clinical Director at Catholic Charities’ Ansonia office.” 

The above was taken from a release from Heidi Zavatone-Veth, coordinator, Valley Council for Health and Human Services.

TEAM to honor Valley residents at annual meeting

ANSONIA - TEAM Inc. will host its 47th Annual Meeting at noon Oct. 17, at Molto Bene at John J. Sullivan’s Restaurant, 557 Wakelee Ave.

TEAM will present several community awards at the meeting:

·     The Chairman’s Award will be presented to Al Patuzzi for his expertise and guidance over many years of service on TEAM’s Board of Directors.

·     The Lillian Chrostowski Award will be presented to Major Theresa Burkholder, Greater Valley  Salvation Army, Ansonia. 

·     Partnership Awards will be presented to Cathi Kellett of Griffin Hospital Community Outreach and Parish Nursing for her contributions to TEAM’s Early Education programs and Adams Hometown Markets, Derby and Shelton for their ongoing support of Meals on Wheels.

·     The Heritage Award will be presented to Pauline Lounsbury commemorating her 20-plus years of service with TEAM.

The public is invited. Cost is $35 for the luncheon event. Reservations are required; contact Silvia Paytas, 203-736-5420, ext. 202 or spaytas@teaminc.org by Oct. 12.

 TEAM, Inc. is a private, 501c (3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to connect individuals and families with solutions that lead to well-being, self-sufficiency, and full participation in the community.  TEAM programs serve the communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Milford, Orange, Oxford, Shelton, Seymour, and Woodbridge.