Shelton agency launches Thanksgiving food drive

SHELTON - The Spooner House annual frozen turkey and fixings drive began over the weekend and will feature a variety of locations and methods for everyone to donate between now and late November.

Again this year, Smile Dental Center owner Dr. Bruce Sofferman, along with his wife Deborah Sofferman and their daughter, Sophia Sofferman, will don Pilgrim and Native American costumes as they attempt to flag down drivers to drop off turkeys and fixings. 

They will be out from 7-10 a.m. Nov. 20 at 318 Oxford Road,  Oxford, and from 7-10 a.m. Nov. 21 at a to be announced location in Shelton or /Derby.
They will once again be joined by a turkey mascot.

Sofferman’s Smile Dental Centers at 318 Oxford Road, Oxford and 61 Elizabeth St., Derby will also be collecting frozen turkeys and fixings during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18-22.

Locations and Holiday Food Drive events this year include: the Huntington Hose Fire Company working with Girl Scout Troop 64146 in Shelton; the Frank Hoinsky Real Estate Operation Stuff a Bus Holiday Food Drive in Ansonia; Seybridge Pharmacy in Seymour; the Boy Scouts Scouting for Food program; the Shelton High School basketball clinic at Shelton Intermediate School, as well as continuing the tradition for the Seymour Middle School eighth grade Gold Team frozen turkey drive. 

More people than ever in the Valley need support to obtain all the ingredients necessary for satisfying holiday meals, so Spooner House is asking everyone to be as generous as possible.

“More than 6,000 individuals have been served by the Food Bank this past year, comprising over 153,000 meals, 92,000 more than just four years ago when 61,000 meals were served,” said Executive Director Susan Agamy. 
“Our supplies are always put under pressure during the holiday months as colder weather and varying temperatures impact our client base. This year we are continuing the expansion of our Operation Holiday Food Drives to encompass more organizations reaching out to assist us in meeting client needs.”

Only the locations below with an asterisk will be collecting frozen turkeys, the others are collecting non-perishable items for the holiday food baskets. 

Boy Scouts Scouting for Food

Nov. 2 - Empty bags delivered to homes

Nov. 9 - Fill your bag and leave at door for pick up

Huntington Hose Fire Co. & Girl Scout Troop 64146

Holiday Fixings and Baskets Food Drive

Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

44 Church St., Shelton

Seybridge Pharmacy

Monday – Sunday, Nov. 5 – 11

37 New Haven Road, Seymour

*Smile Dental Centers

Monday – Friday, Nov. 18 – 22 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
318 Oxford Road (Route 67), Oxford and 61 Elizabeth St., Derby

Featuring Pilgrim characters and a Turkey mascot:

*Smile Dental Center in Oxford

Wednesday, Nov. 18 - 22, 7 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Shelton High School Basketball Team Clinic

Nov 23, 2013

Special fundraiser at the Shelton Intermediate School, drop off a holiday donation of food or cash in the can to help Operation Holiday, and shoot some hoops for free as the basketball season gets into full swing. Shelton Intermediate School, Constitution Blvd. in Shelton

*Seymour Middle School and Chatfield-Lopresti School
will both accepting only frozen turkeys, no food
Nov. 23, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The 8^th Grade Gold Team, 211 Mountain Road and 51 Skokorat Street in Seymour

If these dates and times are not convenient, you may also drop food items at the Spooner House, 30 Todd Road from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. 
Contact:  avellucci@actspooner.org or 203-225-0453.

Non-profit Area Congregations Together, Inc. was formed in 1979 to help fill gaps in the Naugatuck Valley’s social service network. 
Today, Spooner House is operated by ACT and devoted to helping clients establish self-sufficiency in an atmosphere of respect and dignity. 
Spooner House provides food and/or shelter and support services to approximately 200 men, women and children each year. It  is recognized as one of the most comprehensive emergency shelter programs in Connecticut and provides a week’s supply of groceries each month to participating families throughout the lower Naugatuck Valley.

This is a press release from Area Congregations Together, Inc., a partner agency of the Valley United Way.

Shelton facility to host talk, book signing

SHELTON  - Dr. Bernie Siegel of Woodbridge will discuss his new book, The Art of Healing: Uncovering Your Inner Wisdom and Potential for Self-Healing, at the Crosby Commons Happiness Club at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 20.

Siegel, whose book was released in September, also will be signing books.

To make a reservation to attend, contact Mary Ann Milano, 203-225-5018.

Crosby Commons Assisted Living Community at Wesley Village is located at 580 Long Hill Ave.



This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Seymour church to hold Christmas craft fair

SEYMOUR  - For those looking to begin their Christmas shopping in the true spirit of this joyous celebration, Great Hill United Methodist Church, 225 Great Hill Road, will present its eighth annual “Christmas on the Hill” craft vendor fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Crafts for sale in the Fellowship Hall will include American Girl Doll clothes, hot relishes, fleece blankets, rag dolls, pet accessories, children’s and adult’s knitted and crocheted items, themed wreaths, Christmas centerpieces, and jewelry.

Coffee and doughnuts will be available from 9-11 a.m.
and homemade soups and chili will be served 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Homemade breads, cookies, cakes, and pies will be for sale throughout the day.


For more information contact Pat, 203-888-0489.






This is a press release from the church.

Ansonia nature center director feted on retirement

Family, friends surprise Lindgren  

Donna Lindgren listens to friends wish her well during Saturday's surprise party for her.

Donna Lindgren, right foreground, gets ready to cut into a cake in her honor.

ANSONIA - My daughter Allegra and I attended a surprise open house Saturday for Donna Lindgren, Ansonia Nature Center director, who is retiring after 34 years.

She is the first and only director the center has had since it opened in 1979.

Ranger Martin Wigglesworth and Alison Rubelmann, assistant director, show off photographer Ron Smith's pictures of the nature center in each season. The collage was a gift to Lindgren from the staff.

The acorns were a perfect decoration for Lindgren's cake.

Guitarists David Cherniske, left, of Milford and Ellis Pelaccia of Orange, Lindgren's nephew, entertained throughout the event.

Here's Lindgren laughing as she listens to tributes to her.

I apologize for the blurriness of the above photo. I was on the other side of the room when the honoree arrived.

I also offer my congratulations to Lindgren on her 34-year career as director and I wish her well in her retirement.

Ansonia Nature Center slates eco art program

ANSONIA - Join staff and volunteers at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center at 2 p.m. next Saturday (Nov. 9) for an afternoon of hands-on, pre-holiday activities.

The program will highlight Connecticut Recycles Day, Nov. 15.

Participants in this free program will have an opportunity to create beautiful, useful, musical or whimsical art objects from discarded materials.

The purpose of this national recycling awareness day is to increase participation in local recycling programs, and to raise awareness about the positive impact of recycling on reducing global warming.

Registration requested; call 203-736-1053.

The center is at 10 Deerfield Road.


This post is taken from a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

Facility in Shelton recognizes employees

United Methodist Homes staff members gather for a photo at a recent Employee Recognition Celebration dinner. / Contributed photo

 SHELTON - Wesley Village employees recently were recognized by United Methodist Homes for winning the organization’s annual Values in Action Award.
The award, presented at UMH’s annual Employee Recognition Celebration dinner Oct. 24, is given in recognition of employees who have demonstrated extraordinary behavior that exemplifies the organization’s core values of respect, spirituality, excellence, collaboration, and stewardship.

All employees are eligible to be nominated or to nominate any of their team members and are encouraged to do so for any co-workers who demonstrate any or all of these core values.
One individual from each of United Methodist Homes’ six communities is chosen to receive the award.
Wesley Village award recipients included: Clifford Holcomb Jr., a driver for Wesley Heights Assisted and Independent Living Community, Angel Randall, a certified nursing assistant for Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center, and Dorothy Anschau, a certified nursing assistant for Crosby Commons Assisted Living Community.

The staff members were nominated by managers and co-workers for their professionalism, positive attitudes, flexibility, and the excellent care they provide to residents. They were recognized with a monetary award and a trophy and were praised by their supervisors for their outstanding character and service.

Also honored were 37 employees who were recognized for their length of service ranging from 10 to 45 years with United Methodist Homes.

Twenty-seven UMH employees were also acknowledged for five years of service to the organization. Nearly 200 staff from all of UMH’s healthcare and senior living communities around the state attended the event, which was held at Oronoque Country Club in Stratford.

For more information visit www.umh.org.


This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Local lawmakers congratulate Seymour student

HARTFORD - State Senators Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, and Rob Kane, R-Watertown, recognize and congratulate Rachel E. Mayers, a student from Seymour, on receiving a Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) Advance Scholarship.
 
Mayers was awarded a $2,500 grant for her college education during an award ceremony Wednesday at the State Capitol.

“Paying for school is a challenge faced by many young people who dream about pursuing a college education,” said Kelly. 
“I hope that this scholarship will help make college more affordable for our local Seymour student, so that she may achieve her goal of a college degree.”

“We commend Rachel on being awarded this scholarship and wish her and all Seymour high school seniors the very best in the future,” Kane said.  
“The cost of higher education is not getting any cheaper, and these funds will allow Rachel and the other scholarship winners to spend less time worrying about how to pay for college and more time focused on getting into college and staying in college.”

Mayers was one of 200 high school seniors selected to receive a CHET Advance Scholarship. Winners were randomly selected from a pool of 3,635 applicants that hail from 85 public high schools, 10 parochial high schools and three independent high schools in Connecticut. Two of the winners are home-schooled students. 
Almost half of the towns in Connecticut have at least one winner, and all eight counties are represented among the winners.

CHET Advance Scholarship is administered under the banner of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust, Connecticut’s 529 college savings plan. No state funds will be used for awards issued under CHET Advance Scholarship. 
Instead, TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. and The Hartford, plan managers for CHET Direct-Sold and CHET Advisor-Sold, respectively, contribute annually into a scholarship account to finance the program.

For information on the CHET Advance Scholarship, visit the Office of the State Treasurer webpage: http://www.state.ct.us/ott/aboutchet.htm. 


This is taken from a press release.