Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 32

Unless...someone like you cares a whole lot...it’s not going to get better, it’s not!

LocalMotion! www.peoplespressnews.com
From “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss

www.lyon-billard.com
Proud to be part of your NeighborWood since 1847
LocalMotion - Your Town, Your News, Your Views!
The People’s Press - Early April 2011 • Volume 11, Issue 137

An Inventive Experience

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Teacher, Mrs. Lianne “I am most impressed with the students and their work so far Juan learned about Josh Parsons
Gerety and her 4th Grade class recently celebrated the comple- this year! Our teachers have done a sensational job of bringing Andy learned about Alexander Cartwright
tion of an inventive learning experience. the material to life and supporting the students in their studies.” Marc learned about Ralph H. Baer
Each student did a project on an inventor and what a wonderful Coffey concluded. Justin learned about Karl Benz
job! They all did great. It’s not just about one school either. It’s about schools and Candice learned about John Logie Baird
It’s important for all of us to recognize the efforts of ALL teachers who do the same all over the area. Unique learned about Peter Cooper
teachers that goes above and beyond the call of duty. I don’t see Listed below are the students and who they presented on: Alex learned about Philo Taylor Farnesworth
it as “No Child Left Behind”, I’ve seen many teachers try their Jada learned about Frank Rudy Nick learned about Walter Camp
best and I call it, “Our kids future in mind!” Isabella learned about Albert Einstein Joshua learned about Thomas Edison
Benjamin Franklin Principal Daniel Coffey said, “This year at Shyneicelearned about Tim Beners Lee Amanda learned about Milton Hershey
Benjamin Franklin teachers were encouraged to have their stu- Joseph learned about Ken Kutaragi Congratulations again to all of the students and THANK YOU
dents work on reports and projects on various topics. Students Photini learned about Thomas Andrews to all the teachers who keep “Our kids future in mind!”
were to "drill down" and become "experts" in a given field or on Devon learned about Karl Benz Look for a segment of the Celebration on PPC starting
a certain topic. This is a great way for students to make connec- Brittney learned about Steve Jobs Saturday the 9th at 8pm. See inside for details.
tions to the world and build background knowledge. By sharing Olivia learned about Robert Moog *Please note that The People’s Press does not list the last names of
reports all students learned a great deal. Conner learned about John Pemberton children under the age of 13 for safety reasons.

Expires 4/30/11
THE PEOPLE’S PRESS Page 2 Early April 2011

Two New LocalMotivaters T o Serve Your Needs!


The People’s Press is both honored and humbled to announce the ing services we offer you and also future services to serve you
addition of two new LocalMotivaters to serve your needs. even more. Current responsiblities will be on the website soon.
Effective as of April 6th, Michelle Trenchard-Scianna and Rupert You can reach Michelle at michelle@peoplespressnews.com and
Thomas joined us. The will have various responsibilites with exist- Rupert at rupert@peoplespressnews.com.

When it comes to roofing or siding...Lyon & Billard has you covered!

38 Gypsy Lane in Meriden (203) 235-4487 www.lyon-billard.com


If it’s time to Re-Deckorate...
There is only ONE Exterior
Re-Deck-orator you need to call!

*Sales Prices Good Till 4/25/11


38 Gypsy Lane in Meriden 203-235-4487
Page 3 Early April 2011

Connecticut Outdoors
CELEBRATIONS Written By: Paul Narducci
This past Feb Connecticut Outdoors participated in this
Happy 95th BIRTHDAY! year's fishing and Hunting show at the Connecticut
To a very special “young lady Convention Center. This was our first year doing this
and overall we feel it was a great success. We represent-
at heart!” Lady Rose S. at ed our sponsors and mainly our focus was Lubrimatic.
Meriden Center. Love always, As you all know Lubrimatic carries products that will
take care of all your boating needs. They have every-
your 5 children, 8 grand-chil- thing from grease guns, gas stabilizer, marine grease,
lower unit oil and of course their brand of TCW3 two
dren and great grand-child. stroke oil. I have a Skeeter bass boat with a 150
Yamaha. I use all Lubrimatic products on and in my
boat. This is truly a wonderful company with great
LocalMotion products that are proven and dependable. They have
come out with a new line of products called Ultralube.
These products are nontoxic and enviormentally friend-
ly. For those who stopped by our booth they were pleas-
antly surprised when we gave them a free sample of this
product and the feedback I have received is people love
it. I have used it myself and it works great no more
squeeks and no more mess. For those who would like more info log onto www.lubrimatic.com.
Myself, Tony and Frank worked our booth and met a lot of nice people. We had key chains, tire gauges and a lot of
product from Lubrimatic that we handed out to those who spent time at our booth. It was really nice to see how happy
and thank full people were to receive something free. Lubrimatic is a wonderful company with a new line called
ULtralube. This is a product worth looking into and checking your local retailers for this product. One of our sponsors
Lunker City also had a booth and a fellow fisherman Chris Bielert was working this. Chris is a wonderful person with a
lot of knowledge about our sport and is respected among the fishing community and industry. They had Charlie Moore
coming on Saturday and I asked Chris if he could set up a meet and greet with Charlie and my son Jonathan. Saturday
Chris came to our booth several times in anticipation of Jonny's arrival . Jonathan got to meet Charlie Moore with his
cousins Joe Dias and Ryan Paul. Charlie was a class act and treated my son with a lot of respect and talked to him not
at him. He wasn't afraid or uncomfortable and spent close to ten minutes with him. We all totally loved this. Some peo-
ple shy away, get nervous and don't know what to say or how to act. This was not the case with Charlie and I will for-
ever appreciate the way he treated my son. Jonathan was very excited about meeting him and couldn't wait to tell
everyone about it. Charlie gave Jonathan a bunch of his hats DVd's and a signed autograph. Jonathan wears this hat and
Meriden Junior and Cadette Girl Scout Troop 66070 spent Election Day
it is now his favorite hat to wear. I would like to give a special thanks to Chris who works for Lunker City and to Herb
selling all their cookies to the good people of Meriden. Reed ( owner of Lunker City ) for setting this up. You made one little boy very, very happy. Charlie ,Charlie Moore
Thanks to all the people who bought cookies to take home and donated yooooo. Jonathan and I like to yell this is in our house especially when we watch Charlie's show. Lunker City has
their cookie box to our U.S. Troops overseas! come out with several new lures for 2011. Lures that we love to use are the salad spoon, pudgie, rascal worm, sluggo,
swimfish and ozmo. If you would like info on these lures go to www.lunkercity.com. Lunker City was one of my very

CELEBRATIONS
first sponsors in 1994 and I will be forever grateful to them. Opening day of fishing!!!! April 16, 2011 it's time to go
fishing. It sure has been a long long winter and I need some therapy. For those who love to go trout fishing you may
want to try Wharton Brook, Black Pond, and the Quinnipiac River. I would recommend trying anything by Thomas
Spinning Lures. My favorites are the rough rider, buoyant, Colorado, EP Spinn, Special Spinn and the double spin. I'm
hoping to hit all three at some point during the day. If you see us there come over and say hello maybe you to will be
pleasantly surprised. As always the crew of Connecticut Outdoors wishes everyone the best of luck and good fishing!!!

South Meriden Upcoming Events


Hello Neighbors! Here are the Spring Events.
Identity Theft Workshop presented by Meriden Detective Marty Eisner, Tuesday April 12, 7:00 PM, at the South
Meriden Volunteer Firehouse, 31 Camp Street. Learn how to protect your identity and prevent identity fraud.
Third annual Pet Food & Supply Drive, Saturday May 14, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, South Meriden Police Substation,
113 Main Street, Come join us to stuff a police cruiser and fire vehicle with your donations to benefit the Meriden
Humane Society.
Please remember to recycle cans, bottles, cardboard and paper. Visit www.tunxisrecycling.com for more information.
Sincerely,
Your Neighborhood Associations: Diamond Hill, Poet's Hill and Greater South Meriden

Wallingford Park and they have a young child and an


Recreation older child two adults will be
GOLDEN EGG HUNT required to participate in both
The event will be held at Doolittle events.
Park Playscape. The event will be Parents are asked to bring a bas-
divided into two age groups chil- ket and a flashlight for their child.
José Julián & Jimena Hermanos Murillo!I Love U babies! Love, Mommy
dren 1-5 and children 6-11. Plastic
filled eggs, candy along with 12 City of Meriden
New Spring Styles Are Here! special GOLD EGGS for each
group will be spread throughout.
Easter Egg Hunt
The event will be held at the
Participants are asked to find Hubbard Park Bandshell on
only ONE Gold Egg. Once found Saturday, April 16th. Times are
you may redeem your prize for the based on ages.
*Custom Window Treatments golden egg at the table at Doolittle Birth to Three 10:00am
*Residential & Commercial
*Expert Advice Park. Thursday April 14th, Rain Four to five 10:30am
*Expert Measuring date is Friday April 15th. Six & Seven 11:00am
*Expert Installation Younger children hunt will begin at Eight to ten 11:30am
Eileen C. Horton 6:45p.m. Children are asked to bring a
basket or bag to collect candy.
Older children hunt will begin at
Call for an appointment 7:00p.m. Adult assistance will be permit-
203.237.8469 ***Please be considerate of age ted for birth to three year olds only
eblindlady@att.net !!!
breakdown we want everyone to
Now Celebrating 25 Years of have an equal opportunity. The Event will be held rain or
Exceptional Service with GREAT SAVINGS! Parents should be aware that if shine.
Page 4 Early April 2011

Wallingford Spring Clean Up by Public Works - Begins April 18


CELEBRATIONS The Department of Public Works will begin the Spring Clean Up on Monday, April 18, 2011, for public streets in all
sections of Wallingford. Residents are asked to place materials by the curb no later than Sunday, April 17.
Only brush, wood and leaves will be collected. These materials must meet the following guidelines:
Branches and twigs only. No branch more than four feet long or six inches in diameter will be accepted. Brush must be
tied separately in small bundles.
Dimensional lumber, such as two-by-four-inch lumber or plywood, may not exceed four feet in length or width. Wood
must be tied separately in small bundles. Absolutely no wood containing creosote will be picked up.
Leaves must be in paper yard waste bags. No brush, twigs, debris or plastic bags will be accepted. Masking tape only is
acceptable to seal bags.
Items placed at the curb must be light enough for one man to put in a truck.
This is a one-time collection. The Department of Public Works will not return to a street that has already been visited
for the collection. Those residents who miss the pick up may take their leaves and brush to the Compost Area at the
Recycling Center on John Street.
For more Information contact the Department of Public Works: 203-294-2105.

Celebrate Earth Day - Special Film Series


The Wallingford Recycling Committee, in cooperation with the Public Library, presents…
Celebrate Earth Day films to be shown at the Wallingford Public Library in April. The films will be shown in the
Community Room from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Discussion will follow each film. The schedule is:
April 13 - Energy Crossroads: Most experts agree that global peak oil production, when demand exceeds supply, will
To my love We have been through so much in both our lives, separately and
occur within the next 15 years and will drastically change the very fabric of our industrialized world. This award-win-
together. I am happy to have you by my side. I know with each other we
ning documentary exposes the problems associated with our energy consumption. It also offers concrete solutions for
can accomplish anything small or big. So here is to us, may we continue to
those who want to educate themselves and be part of the solutions in this decisive era. Click here to view the flyer for
grow and love one another. Happy anniversary! Love, Emily this film.
April 25 - The 11th Hour: The film explores how we've arrived at this moment - how we live, how we impact the

Price Reduction! earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course.

Beautiful South Meriden Townhouse Condo SPEND YOUR VACATION WITH US!
Meriden Public Library Presents "FREE" April Vacation Specials

April 20th at 10:30 am.


Come & Watch, Steve Wronker the magician amaze you with his
many talents. Join in on the fun!

April 21st at 10:30 am.


Meet Farmer Brown with his pet pig Daisy.
Listen & Learn all about Daisy and her adventures with Farmer
Minor.
These programs are FREE family programs and open to all
ages.Tickets will be available on April 4th in the Children's Library.
For more information call us at (203) 630-6347.

“Let's Talk"…..About Your Health


By Chris More
RN, Public Health Educator, Wallingford Health Department
Too much snow, help me move to Florida! Owner Let's Talk about Memory Loss . . . We've all done it, misplaced our car keys, our eye-
motivated! Quiet end unit with sunroom, 1 car garage, glasses, or someone's name that you haven't seen in awhile. Worst of all is receiving
2 bed/2 ½ bath; HW/Tile floors; vaulted ceilings in that call from your dentist's office that you have forgotten your appointment and they
want to charge you for it.
bedrms, fireplace, and more, pets OK, 24 hour notice Sometimes older adults refer to them as "senior moments." So what is normal for-
required for showing, NO DROP INS. $169,900 getfulness and when does it signal something more worrisome? Let's start with
203-815-6152/elscatdog@cox.net Dementia - this is a decline in mental ability that affects memory and other cognitive
functions. One very sad form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease; this condition
See MLS# G573467 destroys brain cells that can't be rejuvenated. The disease strikes fear in the hearts of
Baby Boomers, seniors, and people with a history of dementia in there families. No one wants to hear "mom or dad I
told you about that last week!" That's when we all start to put up the post-it notes all over the house.
Jim Chenkus Memorial Scholarship to Not all seniors develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but every person who has ever had a "senior moment"
benefit Wilcox Tech Class of 2011 thinks about it. Forgetting where your car is parked in a mall parking lot (I have pressed my panic horn button more
than once) is a normal part of the aging process. Dementia on the other hand is a term used for any memory loss that
affects day to day functions like the ability to drive, work or shop.
One example of normal forgetfulness is some trouble remembering a phone number. If it is dementia it would
include the inability to recognize the numbers and dial it.
Believe it or not people at greatest risk are those who don't stay active. Your age, family history and possibly head
injuries also put you at a higher risk. Dementia may be hard to diagnose because of an overlap with other diseases like
depression. Vascular Dementia is the second most common form of Alzheimer's. Vascular Dementia is caused by
blood clots in the brain, cutting off the blood supply and killing healthy brain cells. Paranoia and irrational behavior
can be a symptom.
Caregivers of these loved ones face many challenges from physical issues to many emotional difficulties. The care-
giver can also feel very stressed and sad. They may not be well themselves, they face extra financial burdens and just
watching the decline of their loved one depresses them. A huge challenge for the care-giver is then to take their stress
and sadness and use it to give care with kindness and compassion seeking out every support system they can find,
including extended family involvement. Most importantly keeping your body well cared for.
People concerned about memory loss should first start with their primary care provider. Memory loss has many
causes. Some can be treated and even reversed, making a medical assessment very important.
Saturday, May 21st from Noon-3:00pm There are many senior assessment centers make sure the one you and your doctor choose can meet the needs of your
Donation of only $10 includes Ziti, meatballs, salad, loved one, you and your family.
Check your insurance coverage, before any appointments are made to avoid financial discomfort and embarrassment.
bread & drink The event will be held at the Meriden Don't wait, if you have memory loss or someone you love does, make that call, the sooner there is medical intervention
Motorcycle Club - Stantack Road, Meriden, CT the better chance there is to at least halt the progression in any disease.
Tickets available at the door That's you health topic March. REMEMBER Stay Healthy, happy and active. As always please call the Wallingford
Health Department at 203-294-2065 for more information. Let's Talk …again next month.
Jim was a 1991 Wilcox graduate from the
Carpentry program. He died in a dirt bike accident in Southwest Conservation District Annual Plant Sale
2000. April 29th and 30th
Time: 10:00-4:00 Friday 10:00-2:00 Saturday
Help us honor his memory by helping students New Haven County Customers Pick Up at Lockwood Farm in Hamden. Fairfield County Customers Pick Up Wilton
pursue educution for the future of us all. Town Hall Parking Lot (Sat only)
Preorder forms available from SWCD office at 51 Mill Pond Rd, Hamden 203-287-8279. Call for a newsletter and
Please contact Diane Polito-Chenkus at 203-631- order form. Email at swcd43emt@sbcglobal.net
0478 to purchase tickets. ww.conservect.org..SWCD..newsletters
" Evergreen bare root seedlings
Donations made payable to Diane Chenkus can be " Native & Ornamental Shrubs
sent to: 22 Carriage Drive, Meriden, CT 06450 " Perennials from Perennial Favorites
" Wlfd & North Haven Garden Clubs
Page 5 Early April 2011

Looking for even more Good News?


It’s Positive-ly within Y O U R site!
YOUR Videos, Stories, News, Events, Photos and even more at
www.peoplespressnews.com

Featuring

Watch it & be a part of it starting Saturday, April 9th at 8pm!

LocalMotivated
to make a difference!
Together, WE just don’t share Positive & Good News...
Together, WE MAKE Positive & Good News HAPPEN!
LocalMotion by YOU and
www.peoplespressnews.com andy@peoplespressnews.com
Page 6 Early April 2011

What Just Happened? The Computer Guru


We'll tell you. GAME DINNER 2011 here in Meriden , CT. Just Raised over Wayne Montefusco of Solve-It-All Computer
$5,000 for the EMS Youth Explorer Program & just about $2,000 for the local Let's talk about computer maintenance.
ACS Relay for Life TEAM. Thank you so much for supporting these causes I have been fixing computers for years and one of the main issues I see is lack of care. I get many systems when
and believing. Saturday March 12th's event went off fantastically ! they are on the verge of dying. Like a car that hasn't seen an oil change in a year or more. Caring for a computer is the
The game food was brilliantly done by the chefs, the atmosphere was great same thing. Over the course of time a system gets clogged with junk files that can make a system come to a crawl.
and the raffle & door prizes were over the TOP ! There is many ways to do this.
If you were not able to come to or support the GAME DINNER, please 1. Purge internet cache. This will also help when viewing web pages to make sure your seeing the most recent updates.
consider making a contribution to our RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM at: 2. Clean out Windows\temp folder. Only delete files that are not in use. This is a folder that is used when installing
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11NE?team_id=803705&pg=team&fr_i
d=31011 programs. Junk does add up quick here.
People’s Press Crossword by Ruth Gordon 3. Delete Windows Update installer files. Go to Windows folder and get rid of any folders that start with a dollar sign.
Look for the answers in this issue. You have to have all files showing to see theses.
4. Disk cleanup in you properties of your hard disk is important to get rid of files that the system doesn't need.
ACROSS 59. A type of dance 5. Purge all Windows System Restore entries except the last one. This can be done from the options part of Disk
1. Apex Down cleanup.
4. Penetrate 1. If you kiss one you might get If you have any questions for Wayne that you would like answered -call 203-213-5444 or email
8. Phrase sometimes found on a warts wmontefusco@yahoo.com
clearance item sales tag 2. First word in many fairy tales
12. John Lennon's widow 3. Person who creates rhyming Providing comfort and coffee to the Troops
13. Interlaced yarns or other fibrous verse; a bard
materials to form a fabric or material 4. In legend a young man, the future
HOLY JOE'S CAFÉ
14. Official common currency in 12 King Arthur, was able to pull this First Congregational Church - Wallingford
European nations weapon from a Going for coffee these days seems as
15. It comes before a two and after a Stone and proved him to be the American as mom, baseball and apple pie.
While it might actually involve grabbing a cup
king right wise king born of England
of whatever it is that gets us going, its primary
16. A sign or premonition believed 5. A male domesticated cat.
purpose may be to strengthen social ties or
to predict a future, good or evil event 6. A thoroughfare. (abbr.)
show support for a friend in need.
17. Stretch 7. 1972 movie about a boy named
Nowhere is this more evident - or more
18. Restrain or prevent Danny and his pet rat
appreciated - than among U.S. military person-
20. A foot digit 8. Famous teller of fables
nel taking part in the initiative known as Holy
21. Cain and Abel's dad 9. Clark Kent's alter ego Joe's Café. Thanks to the First Congregational
24. Media mogul and host of the 10. A type of savings plan offering Church troops don't have to go for coffee; it's
highest-rated talk show in the history tax advantages to an individual coming to them with over 550 chaplains
of television depositor (initials) receiving coffee in locations in Kuwait, Iraq
27. Helper; aide; collaborator, (abbr.) 11. A male family member and Afghanistan since beginning in 2006.
30. Statuesque 19. Dine Holy Joe's provides soldiers a quiet place to
32. Rail & bus line providing com- 20. Made known by speech or writ- talk with friends, converse with chaplains or
muter service to NYC, Long Island, ing write a letter home. "Our community coffee
CT., etc. (abbr.) 22. The smallest component of an bar has become the lifeblood of the camp," writes Chaplain Michael J. Lovett. "Your donations have had a direct
33. Exclamation of encouragement, element impact on our operations. Your act of kindness not only meets a physical need but also strengthens our troops emotion-
usually used during a sport event 23. Chris Money_____, is a poker ally."
34. Told funny stories player who won the 2003 World Donations of ground coffee or monetary donations can be dropped off at the church office at 23 South Main ST,
35. To broadcast or televise Series of Poker. He Wallingford, CT 06492.
36. An extreme leftist terrorist group was the first person to become a For more information, please call [203] 697-1042 or holyjoescafe@att.net.
formed in Greece in 1971 to oppose world champion by qualifying at an
the military online poker site Want to publish your own book, magazine, newspaper and more? Rupert
Junta from 1976 to 1974; oppos- 25. "Let's have ___ ___"
ing capitalism and imperialism 26. The Tortoise's opponent Thomas has joined the team to help you do it! Whether it's for a digital for-
37. Prayer ending 27. A geographical region mat or print format that you want to share for free or sell it online - he will
38. A fixed amount put into the pot 28. Sodium chloride
by each player before the deal in a 29. Breaks (something) into pieces be handling this new service. Email him at Rupert@peoplespressnews.com!
poker game 31. Tonight Show host
39. Lillian Hellman's play opened on 34. He was nimble and quick and
Broadway in 1960, "Toys in the jumped over a candle stick
______". 38. A high mountain
41. Turn over and over 40. Great Britain, Ireland and islands
43. Exclamation of disdain or off their coasts make up the British
shame, used often in quick repetition ______
44. Brand of portable media players 42. Fabric woven from flax yarns
designed and launched by Apple Inc. 45. Leave out
in 2001 46. Cartoon character "_____ the
48. To perceive by touch Explorer".
50. Type of cereal 47. A fastener that closes by pres-
53. A day of the week. (abbr.) sure and clicks together
54. A monster in fairy tales 49. The "I" or self of any person
55. A ceremonial act prescribed or 50. Supportive undergarment.
customary in religious use 51. To clear or free of something
56. George Gershwin's older brother objectionable
57. Bruce Springsteen is also known 52. Dined
as "The _____" 58. A metal or plastic tab on a key
58. A seaport in the Republic of ring, or pocket watch
Yemen *Expires April 30, 2011
Page 7 Early April 2011

Wallingford Park and Recreation Health & Fitness


Register at our office located at 6 Fairfield Boulevard 203.294.2120
This is just a small portion of the programs we offer. For the full brochure go to www.peoplespressnews.com
9043.200 Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour, the golden egg at the table at Doolittle Park. When: Saturday April 16th 11:00am -12:00pm
Merrimack, NH Thursday April 14th, rain date Friday April 15th One Day
Lunch at Hart's Turkey Farm, Manchester, NH Younger children hunt will begin at 6:45p.m. Location: Exit 7A Instructors: Sherry Rimkoski
Saturday April 30th Older children hunt will begin at 7:00p.m. & Debbie Terrusa Fee: $12 (A $4 materials fee
Bus Departs Rec. Dept. 7:45am Returns: ***Please be considerate of age breakdown we made payable to instructor day of class)
9:00pm Fee: $78 want everyone to have an equal opportunity.
The Anheuser - Busch Brewery is a destination Parents should be aware that if they have a Digital Camera - Site For Sore Eyes Event
favorite. At the Brew Hall, discover how these young child and an older child two adults will This event is a scavenger hunt with a twist.
famous beers are created using the highest quali- be required to participate in both events. Participants will be required to provide their
ty ingredients and packed in their state of the art Parents are asked to bring a basket and a flash- own DIGITAL Camera. No film cameras will be
facility. Experience a behind the scenes look at light for their child. permitted. Each group/family will be given a list
the brewing of Budweiser with a visit to the Hop of items which will require them to locate as
Room, Primary Fermentation Cellar, Lagar 0041.200 Spring Stingers many items as possible within a certain amount
Cellar, Packaging Facility,Quality Assurance, Ages 6-11 of time. Each group will then take a group photo
and Finishing Cellar, including sampling directly Come join your friends in this very popular pro- with that item. Upon completion the group must
from a finishing tank. Visit the Clydesdale gram over April break. We will be hopping on return to the Rec. Dept. to have their photo's
Hamlet, home to the world famous Budweiser the bus this spring and we will be going on vari- judged. Prizes to be awarded to first 3 finishers
Clydesdale horses. Lunch will be at Hart's ous trips each day. This will be a fun filled week with completed list.
Turkey Farm in Manchester. Wonderful turkey for all participants ages 6-11. Trip schedule is Date: Friday April 29, 2011 Time: 6:30p.m. -
dinner with all the fixin's, just like Grandma not available at time of print. 8:30p.m. Location: Wallingford Parks and
made…..Salad, turkey with Gravy, whipped Program Date: April 18th - 22nd from 8:30am to Recreation Dept. Fee: $10.00 per group or fam-
potato, Butternut Squash, Cranberry Sauce, rolls, 4:30pm Fee: $185 per child. ily Pre-Registration: Is required -maximum of
Apple Crisp, Coffee…..Delicious! We will finish Guaranteed T-Shirt for everyone registered by 75 groups or families will be allowed to register.
our day with a stop at Swan Chocolates offering Friday April 8th Registration deadline is April 22, 2010 for this
the finest handmade Belgian Chocolates. We'll event.
begin our visit with a chance to sample gelato, 4205.300 Summer Adult Midnight Run
homemade fudge, chocolate fountain with fresh Basketball League 2011 8707.202 Edible Creations - Easter Bunnies in
fruit, winding up with a lesson in how these fine League begins in early June, date T.B.A. The the Garden
candies are made. league will consist of the first twelve teams to We'll be making these adorable bunnies burrow-
register. ing into a garden made out of cupcakes. (Very
4200.202 Spring 2011 P.M. Golf League Games will be played on Monday and Thursday reminiscent of Peter Cottontail) These bunnies
A nine-hole, co-ed adult golf league with fun nights. TEAM ROSTER S MUST BE COM- and the garden are made of mini cupcakes, frost-
special events within the 16 weeks of play. PLETELY FILLED OUT AN D SIGNE D BY ing, green colored coconut, Oreo cookies and
League meets on Thursdays at Tradition Golf ALL PLAYER S ON ROSTER. ROSTERS pink jelly beans. Very cute and sure to be a cen-
Club. Starting times begin at 4:30pm on WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PAY- terpiece for your Easter table.
Thursdays and new for 2011 Tuesdays at 1pm to MENT AND SIGNATURES. When: Saturday April 16th 11:00am -12:00pm
replace the AM Golf League.. Team entry fee is $450 per resident team and One Day Location: Exit 7A Instructors: Sherry
Dates of the league are April 14th - July 28th, $500 per non-resident team. Shirts will be pro- Rimkoski & Debbie Terrusa Fee: $12 (A $4
2011. The league has no set foursomes encour- vided. For more info regarding the league please materials fee made payable to instructor day of
aging new players, partners each week. A pre- call the Rec Dept. and ask for Bill Farm, League class)
registration meeting explaining the league and Supervisor.
choosing formats of play will be held on April Registration for Returning Resident Teams is 3035.200 Ant Bee’s Bug Class
7th at Wallingford Parks and Rec. at 4:15pm at until 4:30pm. May 20th New Resident Teams For 3-5yrs. without Parent
which time you can register and pay for the may register 4:35pm. May 20th New Corporate If your children love bugs, this is the class for
league. Teams may register 4:40pm May 20th them. There will be crafts, stories and activities
4200.202 When: Thursdays April 14th - July Registration for Returning Non -Resident Teams around the world of bugs.
28th 4pm for 16 weeks may register 4:45pm. May 20th New Non When: Thursdays May 5th - June 9th 12:30pm -
4200.203 NE W!!!! Tuesdays April 12th - July Resident Teams may register 4:50pm May 20th 1:15pm for 6 weeks Fee: $40 Location: Exit 9
28th 1pm for 16 weeks Instructor: Terese Biega
League Supervisor: Elaine Doherty After School Arts and Crafts Program:
Wallingford Parks and Recreation is proud to 3200.200 Under the Sea
4263.200 Wallingford Trailblazers present a Fine Arts and Crafts After School 3-5yrs without Parent
Join this fun running group! You don't have to Enrichment Program, which has completed its It is time to get our Scuba gear on and explore
be a runner to participate. Coach Kelli will help third successful year. Classes are held in each the ocean floor where octopus, coral and sea
you learn proper running technique, pacing, how school so that parents may pick up their children creatures wait for us among the sunken ships
to stretch, strength training, and give nutrition an hour later. Spring classes are scheduled to and the treasure they hold. Shark tails will be a
tips. We will keep it fun and motivating for the start by early April 2010 (date TBA) and run for plenty in this under sea adventure class!
group. Don't miss the fun! Program is for ages 6 weeks. The cost is $50 per student, all materi- When: Thursdays May 5th - June 9th 1:30pm -
7-12 als included. The program is available to the 2:15pm for 6 weeks Fee: $40
Instructor: Kelli Montgomery, Health&Fitness specific students in the schools where the classes Location: Exit 9
Supervisor, USA Certified Triathlon coach are offered. Instructor: Terese Biega ***Children enrolled in
Dates: 5/4-6/22 for 8 weeks Class Time: Instructors: Kim Larkin (Crafts Supervisor), both Ant Bee’s and Under the Sea pay only
Wednesdays 5:45-6:30 PM Kathy Smits, Rashmi Talpade (Fine Arts $70***
Location: Sheehan High School Track or Supervisor). To enroll please obtain a special
Lyman Hall School Track (TBD) registration form from the Rec Center or use the 3055.200 Trains, Boats and Planes
Fee: $30 flyers distributed in schools by March. For 3-5yrs without Parent
“All Aboard”, “Ahoy Mate”, “Fasten your Seat
5135.210 GOLDEN EGG HUNT 8707.202 Edible Creations - Easter Bunnies in Belts” boys and girls as we journey through the
The event will be held at Doolittle Park the Garden world of ransportation!!!! Try out this spectacu-
Playscape. We'll be making these adorable bunnies burrow- lar craft opportunity where we will make excit-
The event will be divided into two age groups ing into a garden made out of cupcakes. (Very ing boats, trains and planes from craft materials.
children 1-5 and children 6-11. Plastic filled reminiscent of Peter Cottontail) These bunnies When: Tuesdays May 3rd - June 7th 1:30pm -
eggs, candy along with 12 special GOLD EGGS and the garden are made of mini cupcakes, frost- 2:15pm for 6 weeks
for each group will be spread throughout. ing, green colored coconut, Oreo cookies and Fee: $40
Participants are asked to find only ONE Gold pink jelly beans. Very cute and sure to be a cen- Location: Exit 9
Egg. Once found you may redeem your prize for terpiece for your Easter table. Instructor: Terese Biega
In order to ensure the quality and availability of our Programs, we ask that all registrations are completed by the deadline specified for each individual program. We would like to thank you in
advance for your cooperation in this matter and appreciate your continued support for the Programs offered by the Wallingford Parks & Recreation Department.
Page 8 FEarly April 2011
The submission deadline for the Mid-April 2011 issue of THE PEOPLES
PRESS is April 15th. Email your stories, news and events to andy@peo-
WALLINGFORD SENIOR CENTER
plespressnews.com. Don't forget your Easter Greetings! 40th Anniversary Dinner Dance - Featuring Michael Dutra & the Strictly Sinatra Band on Saturday, May 21, 2011, 5:00
Email your photos and celebrations to - 9:00 PM
celebrations@peoplespressnews.com. We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Wallingford Senior Center in grand style with a delicious dinner and a
If we can help in any way please call 203-235-9333. fabulous Sinatra tribute band. The Chicken Marsala dinner will include salad, ziti, dessert and more. The Strictly
Sinatra Band, starring Michael Dutra, performs more than 300 nights per year stunning audiences with its dead-on ren-

CELEBRATIONS
dition of Frank Sinatra classics. Tickets to this gala evening are on sale to members only during the month of April. If
space allows, tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning May 1. Tickets are $30.00 for members and $40.00
for non-members.
Intergenerational Day at Q. U. - Tuesday, April 12, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
You have been invited to participate in Intergenerational Day at Quinnipiac University. The day includes a welcome
reception with refreshments, meeting students, attending a liberal arts class with a student, lunch, and a special pro-
gram. Q.U. will provide transportation from the senior center and back. This wonderful opportunity to experience a
day at college is limited to the first twenty members to register. (Sign-up begins April 1.)
Sleep & the Older Adult - Wednesday, April 13, 10:30 AM
Sleep Specialist Dr. Brett Volpe will discuss common sleep problems that affect adults as they age. Learn about these
problems and possible solutions at this program sponsored by MidState Medical Center. Pre-registration is requested.
CarFit for Mature Drivers - Thursday, April 21, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Is your car a good fit for you? Is it adjusted correctly to keep you safe? Do you want to find out ways to make your
car more comfortable for driving? Yes? Then join us at a CarFit event on April 21, in the Senior Center parking lot.
CarFit was developed by the American Society on Aging in collaboration with AARP, AAA and the American
Occupational Therapy Association. The CarFit program provides a quick but comprehensive check of how well you
and your vehicle work together. A trained professional will ask you simple questions and complete a 12-point CarFit
checklist which includes: height of the seat; fit of the seat belt; and position of all mirrors. Occupational therapy stu-
dents and faculty from Quinnipiac University will conduct the CarFit event and recommend car adjustments, adapta-
tions, and offer community resources that promote safe driving. Come find out how the fit of your vehicle affects your
driving, and adjust your vehicle to fit your changing needs. Call now to schedule your appointment.
To the most special parts of my life! I love you all so much! Thursday Evening Programs
Thursdays, 4:00-8:30 PM
April 7th marks the beginning of our extended hours at the Senior Center. Stay and enjoy a delicious meal prepared by
Lake View Café and served 5:00-6:30 p.m. (meal ticket purchase required). We have a lot of exciting programs and
CELEBRATIONS classes scheduled, including a monthly Dinner Dance, Live Entertainment, Guest Speakers, New Release Movies,
Evening Fitness classes, Scrapbooking, Newcomers' Dinners, Texas Hold 'em Poker, AARP Driver Safety classes,
Computer Workshops, Book Club and so much more. Wallingford Senior Center is the place to be on Thursday Nights!
Backing Up Your Computer with Kevin Ozer - Thursday, April 14, 6:30 PM
Kevin Ozer, from our Computer Learning Center, will be sharing valuable information about "backing up" the files on
your home or small business computer in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. Pre-registration is required for this
free seminar which is open to the public. Space is limited, sign up today.
2011 Golf League - Our Coed Golf League, held at Miner Hills Golf Course, will begin its 12th season in May.
There will be one sixteen-week session, running from May 17 through August 30. The cost for play and the final week
cookout is $235.00 for members and $240.00 for non-members. Member Sign-Up begins May 2 (May 9 for non-mem-
bers). A meeting for all golfers will be held Tuesday, May 10, at 9:30 AM. If you have any questions, please call
League Coordinator Howie at 203 265-0412.
Student Art Exhibit - April 28 - 30, 2011
The Wallingford Senior Center Great Room is the site of the Wallingford Public Schools' Annual Art Exhibit, which
showcases the artwork of students in our local elementary, middle and high schools.
MEMORY LANE - What is Memory Lane and where is it located? Memory Lane is an adult day program located
To my dearest wife Alison Mary of 25 years. Love, a day to remind each within the Wallingford Senior Center, designed to promote and maintain independence for seniors with mild memory
other how much Love we have for one another and to express it the best loss, cognitive, and/or physical impairments. This program offers a variety of pet-therapy, music, and baking activities
as well as monthly day-trips, and physical activities. Hours of operation are 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Monday through
way we know how. Like the years that have past by us, each and every year
Friday. Handicapped-accessible transportation is provided for residents of Wallingford at no extra charge. Eligibility is
my heart & soul has grown full of Love for you and every bit about you. Its
based on an assessment, interview, and medical clearance. If you are interested in an affordable, fun, and stimulating
not been a bunch roses all the time, but I can truly say My Love for You has
way to keep your loved one safe and independent during the day, stop by the reception desk for a brochure and tour of
only gotten more intense and I can say I'm so glad I choice you to share my
the center, or contact Melinda Welch, Program Coordinator, at 203.265.7753 for more information. *There are many
life with. LOVE ME
benefits to adult day programs: caregiver respite, daily socialization with peers, integration into the community, and
avoiding premature institutionalization. * Source: http://www.caring.com/articles/benefits-of-adult-
day-care-programs.
SOCIAL SERVICES - IN ORDER TO SERVE YOU BETTER, PLEASE CALL TO SCHEDULE
AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SOCIAL WORKER, EILEEN FLYNN, AT 265 7753. Walk-In
Schedule: The Social Worker will take walk-ins on a first come basis for one-half hour sessions
ONLY (30 minutes). Sessions are on the half-hour from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon and 1:30 PM to 3:00
PM. No regular appointments will be scheduled on Tuesdays.
Benefits Screening - Tuesday, April 19, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Do you often wonder if you might be eligible for any State or Federal Programs? Benefits
QuickLINK is a free and confidential program which can quickly screen for eligibility. Supporting
documents are not required, but please bring the following information with you to your appointment:
1. Monthly income (social security, pension, dividends and interest). 2. Monthly expenses (heating,
fuel, gas, electricity, water, telephone, rent or mortgage payments and medical expenses not covered
by health insurance). 3. Asset information (savings, estimated value of home and car, life insurance
benefits). 4. A list of all current prescriptions. Registration required. Call 203-265-7753 now to
schedule an appointment.
Questions about Financial Decisions? - Monday, April 11, 1:30 - 3:00 PM
Brendan Toomey, Certified Financial Planner of Toomey Investment Management, Inc. will be avail-
able to answer financial questions about investments, IRA's and annuities. To schedule a fifteen (15)
minute appointment, please call 203-265-7753.
Low Vision Support Group - Friday, April 15, 10:15 AM-12:00 PM
A representative from the Board of Education and Agency for the Blind will be our guest speaker. He
will discuss compensatory ways of managing in the home with low vision. Please call (203) 265 7753
to sign up for this meeting.
Veterans Services - Tuesday, April 26, 1:00-3:00 PM
George Messier, Veterans Services Officer for the Town of Wallingford will be available to answer
questions and assist with benefit information. An appointment is required. Please call 203-265-7753.
VISIT our website at www.wlfdseniorctr.com!

Wallingford Neighborhood Assistance Act


Applications due May 13th!
The Town of Wallingford will be implementing the provisions of C.G.S. 12-631, the Neighborhood
Assistance Act (NAA), in order to prepare and submit to the Connecticut Department of Revenue
Services a "program list" as defined by Departmental regulations.
Interested organizations are directed to the DRS web site at
http://www.ct.gov/drs/cwp/view.asp?a=1447&q=266058 to view the application and program informa-
tion. Completed applications are due to the Town's Grants Office (Room 311) no later than May 13,
2011.
The required Public Hearing is expected to be scheduled for the Town Council meeting of June 14,
2011.
Join the LocalMotion by sharing a video, story, news, photos, events and more!
Any questions - email michelle@peoplespressnews.com
Page 9 Early April 2011

107th Annual May Breakfast


CELEBRATIONS First Congregational Church, 62 Colony Street in Meriden, will be hosting its annual May Breakfast on Wednesday,
May 4, 2011 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
This year will be the 107th anniversary of a much cherished tradition provided by the Women's Fellowship of First
Congregational Church to its church members and to the community. Hundreds of breakfasts are served each year.
A delicious breakfast of halved grapefruit, juices, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes with real maple syrup, hot rolls
and muffins will be served along with coffee, tea and milk. Cost: $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children under 10.
Also available for purchase will be May Baskets filled with candy/fudge, home baked breads, cookies and cakes,
garden flowers and plants.
Tickets will be available at the door. Group reservations can be made by calling the church office Tuesday thru
Friday 9:00 am-1:00 pm at 203-235-5704.
Come, bring a friend and enjoy a real Meriden tradition!

7th Annual "Spring Fling" Polka Dance & Social 2011


Sponsored by the Men's Club of SS Peter & Paul R.C. Church of Wallingford, CT
Saturday evening, April 30, 2011 from 7:30 PM until 11:30 PM At the Polish Nat'l Alliance Park
North Plains Highway in Wallingford, CT
Music by Eddie Forman (EFO Band) Elected to the "Polka Hall of Fame" in 2006
It's BYOB with Set Ups available. Coffee, Tea, and Dessert will be served. Tickets are $15.00 per person
My Darling Boy, you mean the world to me and you stole my heart the Advance Ticket Sales are preferred by calling: Alan Zakrzewski at (203) 294-0374
moment I saw your beautiful face. Love, Mommy Everyone is Welcome
ALL Proceeds to Benefit SS. Peter & Paul Men's Club Activities

LocalMotion 2011 WALLINGFORD RECYCLING ART CONTEST


The Wallingford Recycling Committee invites you to be creative and enter our 2nd annual recycling art contest!
Contest is open to Wallingford students, K-8.
Entries may be either art sculptures or useful items made from items which have had a previous life.
Projects should be dropped off in room 315 of Town Hall between 9:00 and 5:00 on April 19th or 20th, and picked
up April 25th or 26th. (Winning entries will be kept until Celebrate Wallingford.)
All entries must be constructed of materials that have been used before and would have been recycled or thrown
away if not for having the unique opportunity of being part of this contest.
All entries must be able to be easily carried by one person.
Entries will be judged by the Wallingford Recycling Committee on creativity, artistry and ability to provoke aware-
ness of recycling and the environment.
Only one entry per student or group.
Please do not use dirty stuff, broken glass or other sharp objects, hazardous waste materials, things which will
decompose and be smelly or icky, or items which may break easily.
The most important item you will use is your imagination!
Prizes will be awarded and winning pieces will be on display at Celebrate Wallingford!
For the submission form visit the Town of Wallingford's website at www.town.wallingford.ct.us Questions? Call the
Program Planning office at 203 294-2060.
Marion Townsend Willets of Middletown came to teach the Cadette Girl
Scouts of Meriden Troop 66070 how to knit. Marion also shared photo August Curtis Cultural Center April Events
albums of wedding dresses she made among other beautiful items. The Meriden Garden Club & ACCC present 4th speaker in Series: "Creating a Seasonal Habitat for Wildlife"
three weeks of lessons go toward their Fashion Design Interest Project Presented by Wildlife Biologist Peter Picone
Badge. Thursday, April 14th at 6:30pm Lectures are free and open to the public.
Page 10 Early April 2011

Radio Like It Used To Be… PINK PANDORA BRACELET


By Brad Devlin Fundraiser Raffle
Music and the way we listen to it has changed a lot since I was a kid growing up in the 70s. Back then, we relied on
Retail value over $800.00. Tickets are $10.00 each or 10 - tickets for $50.00
trusted disc jockeys to turn us on to new hip music and tell us which cool bands were coming to town. However,
or 20 - tickets for $100.00
these things are almost impossible to find in the overly nostalgic repetition of commercial rock 'n roll radio or the
Thanks for the support from our friends @ Michael's Jewelers Tickets can
deafening thump-thump-thump of some sweaty late-night clubs here in Connecticut. And, if you're like me, is not that
be purchased at Hunter's Ambulance, Training Center 474 West Main St.
your musical tastes have changed all that much. We still want to hear new and thought-provoking music and maybe
Meriden, CT. USA
even go out to see a show every now and again; the trouble is where to find these things. What's a gracefully aging
Winning Ticket will be announced at the Relay for Life Saturday May 14th
music fan to do?
Lyman Hall H.S., Wallingford
In many regards, college radio has become what commercial rock 'n roll radio used to be. And for readers of The
Thanks for being part of TEAM HUNTER'S and if you have a Pink Camo
People's Press, 88.1FM, WESU in Middletown is closest place to find it. The variety of music on WESU challenges
shirt you're the Best !!!
me. If you're looking for Caribbean or Jazz, gospel or grunge, you're sure to find it on the schedule. Rob DeRosa's
Team Captain: Dana Hunter-Moyer 203-514-5108
HomeGrown program might be my favorite on the WESU schedule because it gives me the great new music from cool
new bands that I want, with the added caveat that the show exclusively features actively performing bands from our
home state of Connecticut. I tune in every Thursday on my drive home (5:05-6pm) to get a healthy helping of great Want to publish your own book, magazine, newspaper and more?
music grown right here at home. DeRosa has been hosting the show for close to eight years, and I've been listening Rupert Thomas has joined to help you do it! Whether it's for a
almost as long. At first, I was surprised at the quality of some the local Connecticut acts he features. Seven years digital format or print format that you want to share for free or
later, I find myself even more surprised at the sheer number of local bands that exist from all over our home state. sell it online - he will be handling this new service. Email him at
DeRosa plays them all, and he has introduced me to many of my new favorite acts. Interestingly, several of the acts Rupert@peoplespressnews.com!
DeRosa has featured on HomeGrown have gone on to national and international acclaim.
Each show focuses on Connecticut bands performing during the coming week. On occasion, a few of the shows are
DeRosa's own productions (DeRosa volunteers as music coordinator of the annual Meriden Daffodil Festival. In
recent years, and at DeRosa's request, the festival has featured an all-Connecticut line-up of musical acts. DeRosa also
hosts a free music series every Monday evening during the Wesleyan University school schedule at the Red & Black
Café inside the Wesleyan Bookstore on Broad Street in Middletown.), but more often he features acts performing at
local clubs and coffeehouses throughout the state. So if you like what you hear, grab a pen and paper because at the
next break between songs, DeRosa will tell you a little about the band and let you know where they'll be performing.
From time to time, he'll even host live bands right in the studio. Recent HomeGrown guests have been Eric Lichter of
Dirt Floor Studios in Chester, eclectic songwriters The Sawtelles of Southington, and Fairfield County's Caravan of
Thieves.
As a disc jockey, DeRosa is as loose and charmingly irreverent as you might expect a veteran of Woodstock to be.
Intelligent adult allusions abound, and the weekly public service announcements from Willie Nelson are good for a
knowing chuckle from 70s rock 'n roll radio fans everywhere. Everywhere is an appropriate term here because WESU
and Rob DeRosa's HomeGrown are available worldwide via wesufm.org. So again, if you're like me and in search of
new and thought-provoking music and want to know where to see a show every now and again, you can find these
things on Rob DeRosa's HomeGrown on 88.1FM WESU in Middletown (wesufm.org if you're on-line). It's radio like
it used be.

Take A Motor Coach Trip With The Wallingford Family YMCA


April 16th: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
April 30th: New York City On Your Own.
**Pre-Registration is required. For more information on these trips
and future trips; please contact Lisa Hoover @ lhoover@wallingfordymca.org

How do YOU become a part of the

LocalMotion?
How do I share my videos, stories, news and events?
It’s easy to share! All you have to do is send an email to
andy@peoplespressnews.com with a word document attached or in the body or your
email. Be sure to include your name. You can also go to www.peoplespressnews.com and
press the submit button. If you don’t have email - mail your submission to: The
People’s Press, PO Box 4459, Yalesville CT 06492. REMEMBER - It’s FREE to share.

How do I share my CELEBRATIONS of photos/messages?


Email Celebrations@peoplespressnews.com. Make sure your photo is large by
email - we will reduce the size for the paper. By sending it as large as possible the WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS
quality will be much higher. If you don’t have email, look for the CELEBRATIONS
photo form in this issue. Don’t crop your photo - we will do it for you. REMEMBER no FUND FUNDRAISER
matter what the reason all CELEBRATIONS photo wishes are FREE.
FOR THE 2011 CELEBRATION
How do I get the paper? Friday, May 6th - Wallingford Fireworks
It’s EVERYWHERE. If you want us to tell you a location close to your home - call 203-
235-9333. It’s also always on-line at www.peoplespressnews.com. You can read it just
Concert at Zandri's Stillwood Inn. Tickets are
like the print issue in image form AND also download it as a pdf to save on your com- $10.00 per person.
puter or print out the articles that interest you. As a matter of fact - you can read every Scheduled to play:
paper we’ve published from 2000 till today! There has never been any charge to read Bluzberry Pi - http://www.bluzberrypi.net/
42nd Street - http://42ndstband.com/
the paper on-line or pick up the print edition!
Third Band to be announced...
When do I know when it’s on-line? To buy tickets or for more information contact
Become an on-line subscriber. Go to our website and click on the subscribe button. Not Jason Zandri - (203) 294-4647
only will you find out when the paper is on-line but you will also get deadline reminders,
special offers, upcoming events and more! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter
Jason.Zandri@wallingfordfireworks.org
and MySpace! NOW AVAILABLE AT OUR WEBSITE!
When is the deadline for submissions?
The deadline fpr the Mid-April issue is the 15th. However, normally it’s the 28th.
Questions?
Just call 203-235-9333 or email andy@peoplespressnews.com. We are here to help you!
Special Items for Sale! All proceeds benefit the Fund!
Time is going fast!
Now is the TIME to put your
own personal burst in the
2011 Wallingford Fireworks!
www.peoplespressnews.com 203-235-9333 http://wallingfordfireworks.org/
Page 11 Early April 2011

]NEWS AND EVENTS FROM WALLINGFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY A man is not where he lives, but where he loves. ~Latin Proverb
All Programs, Movies, and Events at the Wallingford Public Library are free and open to the public! The Library is
located at 200 N. Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Lecture: Can Children with Autism Recover? - LocalMotion
Monday, April 11 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room
Based on her research, Deborah Fein, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at the
University of Connecticut, believes that at least 10 percent, and possibly as many as 20 percent of children who
receive a diagnosis of autism or autism spectrum disorder can "recover" from it if they are provided the right kind of
intensive behavioral therapy. This free lecture is co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women and
the UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All are welcome. The program will be preceded by a brief AAUW
annual meeting.
Civil War Sesquicentennial
Communities across the nation are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War with
lectures, exhibits, discussions, and re-enactments. Join us for two special programs this month
The Greatest Hits of the Civil War: America's First Professional Songwriters
Thursday, April 14 7:00 p.m in the Community Room
Featuring songs written by Daniel Emmett, Stephen Foster, Henry Clay Work and George F. Root, musician Rick
Spencer will perform popular tunes from this era. All are welcome to an evening of music and song.
Unlaunched Voices: An evening with Walt Whitman
Wednesday, April 20, 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room
Stephen Collins brings his portrayal of Walt Whitman to the Library in honor of both the Civil War sesquicentennial
and National Poetry Month. Through poetry and readings of actual letters, we experience Whitman's movement from
selfishness to selflessness, and his growth into a mature artist who is at peace about "himself, God and death."
Read and Discuss!
April 26: The Marshal and the Madwoman by Magdalen Nabb
3:30 p.m. Collins Room
This four-part series of mysteries features sunny Italy. Get copies of the books from the Information Desk and join us
for a murderous tour of Rome, Bologna, Florence and Venice with discussion leader Dr. Carole Shmurak. This pro-
gram is co-sponsored by the Connecticut Humanities Council and will continue next month.
Thursday Night Book Club:
The Tender Bar: a memoir by J.R. Moehringer
Thursday, April 21 7:00 p.m. in the Collins Room
The Thursday Night Book Club is an informal gathering open to all who love to read and discuss fiction and popular
nonfiction. Ask at the Information Desk for a copy of this book and join us for the discussion.
Environmental Film Series
Co-sponsored by the Wallingford Recycling Committee, this series features three ecologically-themed films.
One of our readers sent this in to us. Be sure to read all of it and note the
Recycling Committee members will be on hand to encourage discussion about the films and steps the public can take
times of explosions. Submitted by Heather Sarkin - Thanks for the laugh
to help safeguard the future of our natural resources. Flow, for Love of Water - Monday, April 4 6:30 p.m.
Community Room. This film is Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the Heather!
most important political and environmental issue of the 21st century, the world water crisis.
Energy Crossroads
Wednesday, April 13 6:30 p.m. Community Room This award-winning documentary exposes the problems associated
with our energy consumption, and offers concrete solutions for those who want to educate themselves and be part of
the solutions in this decisive era. The film features passionate individuals, entrepreneurs, experts and scientists at the
forefront of their field bringing legitimacy and expertise to the core message.
The 11th Hour
Monday, April 25 6:30 p.m. Community Room - The 11th hour is the last moment when change is possible. This film
explores how we've arrived at this moment: how we live, how we impact the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do
to change our course.
Town Hall Meeting! "CT Budget"
With Senator Len Fasano and Representative Vincent Candelora Thursday April 28: 6:00 p.m. Community Room
Celebrating National Poetry Month:
Saturday Mornings with Poetry: April 16, 30 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Board Room At every meeting, favorite
poems are shared, and attendees may read their poems with the option of receiving critique and comment. Poetry
appreciation will focus on: Confessional Poetry, April 2; Walt Whitman, April 16; and Frank O'Hara and the New
York School of Poets and Artists, April 30.
TEEN ZONE!
Wii Event: Mario Kart! Wednesday, April 13 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Hop on your bike or kart and don't crash! Open to all Teens in grades 6 - 12. Please be sure to sign-up in advance.
School Vacation Movie: Vampires Suck! Tuesday, April 19 2:00 p.m. Community Room
Hysterical spoof of the Twilight Series…..Free glow in the dark fangs for all attendees!
Xbox Kinect & Pizza Party - Wednesday, April 20 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Community Room Come and party at
the Library over vacation. All Teens in grades 6 - 12 are welcome to join us for pizza and Xbox Kinect. Spots are lim-
ited, please register in advance.
Creative Writing Workshop for Grades 6 through 12
Thursday, April 21 6:30 p.m. Board Room Meet movie screenwriter Matthew Q. Martin who wrote the original
screenplay for the 2005 film Slingshot starring David Arquette, Joely Fisher and Juliana Margulies. Matthew is an
accomplished actor and author and a former student at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School! Join Matthew for a special
workshop on creative writing. Learn about the creative process and receive expert advice on your own work. Don't
miss this opportunity! Open to all Teens in grades 6 - 12 however space is limited and advance registration is required.
Please call the Library to reserve your spot
Wallingford Public Library Children's Events
School Vacation Week Programs New Life Church exists to help guide people
Family Game Night: Unplugged - to new life in God and to develop them into
Friday, April 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the Children's Library
Board games are definitely not boring - they provide hours of intellectual stimulation, socializing, and FUN! Join us in passionate followers of Jesus Christ.
the Children's Library with your family and neighbors and enjoy a wide variety of board games. Service Times
Amazing Frogs
Tuesday, April 19th at 11:00 a.m. in the Community Room
Meriden Campus
Wallingford proudly welcomes this multi-media live animal show which will explore several different types of frogs Saturdays
from around the world. Participants will have up close meetings with these fascinating creatures including the 5 PM Saturday Night Life
America Bullfrog, Red Eyed Tree Frog, Can Toad and the Amazon Milk Frog. This program which is free and open
to the public is sponsored by the Rotary Club's Wallingford Foundation and has been organized by Chris Stone.
Sundays
Demos R Us 9 AM Prime Time Service
Thursday, April 21st at 11:00 a.m. in the Community Room Join us for a science demonstration program to develop a 11 AM Brunch Service
better understanding of air pressure, air molecules and how air moves!
The program which is for school-age kids is sponsored by the Rotary Club's foundation and organized by Chris
Wallingford Campus
Stone. Sundays
Moving and Grooving with Amy Rogell: A Musical Program for Kids 10 AM at Oakdale Theatre
Wednesday, April 20th at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Room Come enjoy a morning of music and interactive fun
with the ever popular Amy Rogell who is well known for her numerous credits in film, television and radio! This
Meriden Campus - 262 Bee Street
drop-in program is for pres-schoolers and their grown-ups. Wallingford Campus - Oakdale Theater
Tell me how many beads there are located at 95 South Turnpike Road
In a silver chain
Of evening rain,
Discover the Message at New Life’s
Unravelled from the tumbling main, Life Line TV availalble at
And threading the eye of a yellow star: -So many times do I love again.
~Thomas Lovell Beddoes www.innewlife.com
Page 12 Early April 2011

MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY APRIL EVENTS


SILVER CITY COIN & STAMPS MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY CLOSED ON GOOD FRIDAY
COLLECTIBLES Meriden Public Library will be closed on Friday, April 22 to observe Good Friday. The library will be open on
Saturday, April 23 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
LUNCHTIME BOOK CLUB APRIL 21
STAMPS • COVERS • COINS • TOKENS The Meriden Public Library's lunchtime book club meets on Thursdays at noon in the Friends Room. Bring your lunch
PAPER MONEY • POSTCARDS • HOBBY SUPPLIES and enjoy the discussion.
April 21 - Saving CeeCee Honeycut by Beth Hoffman May 19 -Swamplandia by Karen Russell
FIND A GREAT GIFT & START A GREAT HOBBY! All are welcome. The books are available in a display across from the Information Desk. Contact Laura at (203) 238-
41 COLONY STREET, MERIDEN, CT 06451 2346 to sign up.
BOOK DISCUSSION SERIES CONCLUDES AT MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
(203) 235-7634 The Meriden Public Library will conclude the book discussion series organized by the Connecticut Humanities
Council. The final discussion will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 on the book Bee Season by Myla Goldberg.
Marsha Bansavage is the facilitator.

Rousseau’s
Books are available at the library. Please contact the Community Services Department at (203) 630-6349, email
comsvc@hotmail.com, or visit the library's web page at www.meridenlibrary.org to view the adult events calendar to
reserve a seat.
SCRABBLE SESSIONS AT MERIDEN LIBRARY
Home Comfort Fuel Meriden Public Library hosts sessions for people who enjoy playing Scrabble. The sessions will be on Monday, April
11 and April 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Friends Room. All skill levels are welcome. Scrabble boards will be provided, but
people are welcome to bring their own boards. Contact the Community Services Department at (203) 630-6349 if you
have any questions about the library programs
GET YOUR GAME ON APRIL 14
Get your game on at the Meriden Public Library on Thursday, April 14th from 3:00 to 4:30 in the Griffin Room. The
Wii will be set up with Wii Sports and Mario Kart for friends and family to challenge each other. Board games such as
Scrabble, Candyland, Apples to Apples and many others will also be available for use. All ages are welcome to attend
including parents and guardians. Registration is not required. If you have any questions please contact Melissa at
mmurphy@ci.meriden.ct.us or call (203) 630-6347.
LEGO CLUB APRIL 21
Meriden Public Library will have its next Lego Club event on Thursday, April 21st from 3:30 to 4:30 in the Griffin
Room. Children ages 6 through 12 are invited to bring their imagination and build on this month's theme - "Boats".
Completed projects will be put on display in the library. The library will provide Legos for all children who attend.
Sign up is not required for this program and late arrivals are always welcome. If you have any questions or would like
to be put on the Lego Club mailing list please contact Melissa at (203) 630-6347 or mmurphy@ci.meriden.ct.us.
FINANCIAL WORKSHOP APRIL 19
Meriden Public Library will be hosting a financial workshop called "Find More Money in 2011" by I&C, LLC, an
Employee Financial Education Company, on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Griffin Room. This special workshop
will help you: stretch your dollars, eliminate holiday debt, avoid financial traps and pitfalls, find more money to save
this year, and ease family conflicts over spending. This program is free and all are welcome. Contact the Community

Quality Service...Affordable Price Services Department at (203) 630-6349, email comsvc@hotmail.com or visit the library's webpage at www.meridenli-
brary.org to view the adult calendar and reserve a seat.

203-235-2561
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE FINISHES APRIL 16
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at the Meriden Public Library will finish April 16. The library is locat-
ed at 105 Miller Street. V.I.T.A., which is sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, provides free help to taxpayers
who cannot afford professional assistance or who have tax questions.
Assistance in preparing Connecticut state tax forms will also be available.
The sessions will take place in Meriden Public Library's Griffin Room. For
easy access to the Griffin Room, parking is available in the Catlin Street lot.
The schedule is as follows: WEDNESDAY April 6 and13 from 5:30 to 8:00
PM Call 203-630-6331 for an appointment between 5:30 and 7:30 pm. SAT-
URDAY April 2, April 9 (This session is in the Literacy Volunteer Office), and
April 16 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Call 203-630-6331 for an appointment
between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM.
V.I.T.A. volunteers alert taxpayers to special credits and deductions for
which they may be eligible. People interested in attending the V.I.T.A. pro-
gram can stop in the library and pick up a list of the necessary documents you
will need to bring. Contact the Community Services Department at (203) 630-
6349 if you have questions about the tax assistance program.
FREE COMPUTER CLASSES IN APRIL AT MERIDEN LIBRARY
Sign up for one of the free computer classes at Meriden Public Library and
learn how to use a computer, Word, email, and search the internet. The class
schedule is as follows:
Email - Saturday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m.; Monday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Basic Computers - Saturday, April 9 at 9:30 a.m.; Monday, April 18 at 6:30
p.m.
Internet Searching - Monday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 23 at 9:30
a.m.
Class size is limited. Contact the Community Services Department at (203)
630-6349 or the Information Desk at (203) 238-2346 to reserve a seat.
WRITERS NETWORK APRIL 12 AND APRIL 27
The Writers Network will meet on Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 pm in the Griffin
Room and on Wednesday, April 27 at 7:00 pm in the Friends Room. Anyone
who is serious about writing fiction or nonfiction, wants to learn the process
of getting published, or needs support for writing a book proposal or query
letter is welcome to attend. If you are interested in joining the Writers
Network, contact the Community Services Department at (203) 630-6349 or
email us comsvc@hotmail.com.
NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS APRIL 25
Dr. David DeRosa, a licensed chiropractor serving the Wallingford communi-
ty, will present the program on "Natural Solutions to Digestive Problems" at
Meriden Public Library on Monday, April 25 at 6:30 pm in the Griffin Room.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide you with facts concerning diges-
tive-related conditions and the natural treatment options available to help you
make an informed decision regarding the steps you can take to restore healthy
digestive function. Conditions to be discussed are: acid reflux, hiatal hernia,
irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, colitis, Crohns disease and many others.
This program is free and all are welcome. Contact the Community Services
Department at (203) 630-6349, email comsvc@hotmail.com or visit the
library's website at www.meridenlibrary.org to view the adult events calendar
to reserve a seat.
The People's Press is pleased to welcome two new LocalMotivaters
to our team. Rupert Thomas and Michelle Trenchard-Scianna
offer a wealth of experience and knowledge. You can welcome
them by emailing michelle@peoplespressnews.com or
Rupert@peoplespressnews.com

At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet. ~Plato


Page 13 Early April 2011

Meriden Spring Clean Up Reminder Out of the Fire, and Into the Frying Pan
The Department of Public Works does not collect leaves in the Spring. By Chuck Rinaldi
Residents are required to deliver their leaves and brush to the Transfer Station, From the time I became an adult, I have always enjoyed cooking. For a little over four decades, the kitchen has been my
which is located on Evansville Avenue. The Transfer Station is open Mondays favorite room in the house. I started this love affair with all things culinary when I got married and, for the first time,
from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM, Wednesdays from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM and the was living away from my childhood home where food was simple and relatively unexciting. Being young and on a pret-
first and third Saturday from 7:30 AM to Noon. There is no charge for the dis- ty tight budget, get-togethers with our friends tended to be dinners at each others' houses rather than going out to restau-
posal of leaves and brush. For complete information on the Transfer Station, rants. It was these occasions that caused me to begin seeking out more interesting cookbooks and gave me the opportu-
please visit the City's website at www.cityofmeriden.org. Select municipal ser- nity to begin preparing dishes such as Chicken Kiev or Lobster Thermidor for our guests. It was during this time that I
vices followed by Public Works and Transfer Station. realized that rather than seeming like work, the time spent searching out recipes and preparing these foods was really
fun for me. I must admit I also enjoyed receiving compliments from our friends or the applause that would greet the pre-
Meriden Superintendent of Schools Corner sentation of a flaming Cherries Jubilee. I continued in this vein, trying this, perfecting that, always looking toward the
next occasion to cook for family or friends, and I gradually began to gain a wider knowledge of various cooking meth-
Dear Friends, I hope the tough winter weather has finally come to an end.
ods and preparation techniques. Time passed and the demands of teaching, going to graduate school, raising children,
March not only meant some excellent college basketball games, it also had
working a second job and making home repairs took over time that before would have been spent at the cutting board
CMT/CAPT testing and budget deliberations. Our students and staff recently
and stove. Life moved on, to a second marriage, a new job (at Sheehan High School in Wallingford!), and a focus on
completed this important standardized testing measure. While these tests are
acting and theater that lasted for the next 25 years.
very important, they are only one measure of what our children are learning in
Cut to the present… In June, 2009, I retired from my position as a high school Assistant Principal, and my wife and I
our schools. Recently, the Board of Education approved the 2011-2012 educa-
fulfilled a dream by moving to Arizona. It took a little while getting used to being retired, not having to run off to work
tion budget with a 2.78% increase. This request includes the reduction of 26
each day, or having my life segmented by bells signaling the change of classes. I now had the time to pursue things I
staff positions--19 certified positions and 7 classified positions. We will con-
enjoy or had always wanted to do. I started going to the gym three times a week, taking T'ai Chi, reading to my heart's
tinue to monitor all budget lines for savings, and we are committed to explor-
content, doing home improvement projects, and traveling. However, among the most wonderful aspects of this new
ing all cost savings measures. Provisions to carry over any surplus dollars will
phase of my life is that I have begun to cook seriously again. It has been like returning to a lost love.
be requested to reduce the 2011-2012 budget request.
About twenty years ago, I began acquiring professional-level pans, knives and other cooking implements to be able to
We must work together to assure that our education system continues to
cook like the gourmet I have always wanted to be. I also collected cookbooks, dozens of them, searching for just the
meet the needs of all our students.
right recipes by great chefs such as Jacques Pepin and Mario Batali. It got so bad that my wife finally instituted a "one
On April 13th, there will be a Public Hearing on the City's 2011-2012 bud-
in, one out" rule to help keep some kind of control on the situation. Now, in a new house with a well-set-up kitchen, all
get. This is an opportunity for all citizens to speak out on the budget.
these things are being used the way they were intended to be. Since we try to keep an eye on our health, not every night
Thank you for all your support! Together we can assure that our education
is gourmet night, but at least twice a week I try to make a special dish or soup that I have not tried before. I am ventur-
system continues to prepare our students for successful futures.
ing into French cuisine and thanks to Julia Childs' Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I am turning out such dishes as
All the best! Mark D. Benigni
Daube de Boeuf à la Provençale with great success. Living in Arizona, outdoor cooking is possible year round, so

CELEBRATIONS Bobby Flay has become my guru as well. I began making my own bread about a year ago, and recently started turning
out my own hand-made pasta. Although I do subscribe to a number of cooking magazines, thanks to the Internet and
The Food Network, I'm no longer bringing home cookbooks, and I can learn new techniques and recipes from some of
the best chefs in the world. These days, a visit to "Cucina Rinaldi" might just include tempting smells from the kitchen,
a good glass of wine, some home-made bread and food that's been carefully and lovingly prepared. Whether it's a spicy
chile rellenos or a delicate celery-root soup, the satisfaction I derive from preparing a complicated recipe and turning out
a fine restaurant-quality meal has become one of my greatest pleasures.

The submission deadline for the Mid-April 2011 issue of THE PEOPLES PRESS is April 15th. Email your stories, news
and events to andy@peoplespressnews.com. Don't forget your Easter Greetings! Email your photos and celebrations to
celebrations@peoplespressnews.com. If we can help in any way please call 203-235-9333.

Mrs. Erasmus' third grade class at Nathan Hale School in Meriden studies
many famous and not so famous Black Americans during Black History
Month. They completed Venn diagrams to see how they were alike and dif-
ferent.

LocalMotion A p r i l 2 2 , 2 01 1

This year, Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22. Because it's right in the heart of the
spring season, when many people feel rejuvenated after a long winter, Earth Day is the ideal
time for men, women and children to take that extra energy they have in the spring and
March Meeting of Wallingford Garden Club
The Wallingford Garden Club took a trip back in time to the Victorian era
channel it into eco-friendly behaviors that benefit the environment.
at the March 8 meeting. Marie Hayes of Gardens Unlimited presented a How can we due our part? Share your stories, photos, drawings, videos and more for the
slideshow depicting American gardens during the Golden Age of next issue of The People’s Press.
Horticulture extending from 1836 - 1901. At this time wealthy homeown- Parents and Teachers - we encourage children to be part of this. Not just to learn but to
ers had leisure hours to devote to planning gardens containing statuary, develop confidence in themselves by being printed and showcased on the web as well. We
vines and water features. The Victorians were influenced by the French,
Chinese, Moorish and Italian cultures for their outdoor rooms. This Golden
call this program for children “Yearn to Learn!” We are honored to offer this to you.
Age was noted for sunken gardens with seating for contemplation, the use The deadline is April 11th. Email andy@peoplespressnews.com.
of boxwood for natural fencing and for the practice of "bedding out" which

LocalMotion - GlobalImpact
entailed planting 1 or 2 annuals in a circle on the lawn so that one could
have an aerial view of the flowers from the house. Hayes had slides of his-
torical estates to illustrate the various features of the Victorian garden and
also shared her collection of antique photos, post cards and memorabilia
from this nostalgic time.
The Wallingford Garden Club is a member of the Federated Garden Clubs
of CT and the National Garden Clubs Inc.
Marie Hayes shown in photo. www.peoplespressnews.com
Page 14 Early April 2011

WHO BELIEVES IN GROUNDHOGS ANYWAY? ours using those long handled tools to clear at least as far as they can reach on their roofs. We've
also seen men up on roofs shoveling and/or snow blowing for what we've heard are exorbitant
By Phyllis S. Donovan
fees. Of course, it's a drop in the bucket compared to what we'd have to pay if the roof caved in.
Today is National Groundhog Day. All day, it's been vacillating between rain and sleet and all the
My sister, who lives in the frigid Berkshires and had her roof cleared off, told me that she heard an
trees in our back woods are sporting glassy coatings of solid ice. I don't know about Punxatawny
architect on the Home and Garden Network say that if the house is an older one (ours is over 50)
Phil but around here any self-respecting groundhog wouldn't dare to stick his nose out of his bur-
and constructed by a reputable builder (we live in a Carabetta house) that chances are it's been
row on a nasty day like this. Even if he did decide to get a breath of fresh air, it wouldn't be rays of
built to New England standards and should weather winter's wrath.
sunshine that would scare the critter back inside for six more weeks, it would be sharp needles of
Since, our attic is still dry and the house seemingly tight, we thought it would probably survive
precipitation which couldn't raise a shadow if it wanted to…a much better reason for the poor ani-
the unusual amounts of snow. But this morning I walked into the kitchen and heard a loud drip-
mal to seek warm shelter.
drip-drip. Water was dripping in over the window behind the kitchen sink. Clearly all the sleety
Either way, it's pretty obvious that, groundhog or not, we're pretty much doomed to at least
rain and ice had created an ice dam up in the gutter area and it was seeping into the house. Just as
another six weeks of this horrid stuff which we've been steadily subjected to since a day or so after
we thought our luck might hold through this miserable winter, we're hit with a situation that must
Christmas. I'm not the only one who is getting pretty tired of it. Everywhere we go we hear folks
be dealt with.
wondering if all this bad weather will ever end.
Right about now, my resolve is weakening. My husband's suggestion that we should just escape
We have been lucky the plows can continue to keep up with it all, even if we take our lives in
to the Caribbean until this blasted winter is over is sounding better and better to me. But we'd still
our hands just driving downtown with the mountains of cleared away snow in medians and at
have to determine a window of time between storms when we could fly out to warming climes and
crossroads piled so high we can't see over it all. Try nudging your car cautiously out into traffic
face the airport hassle if it didn't work out.
and hear the irate honking of horns when oncoming drivers reprimand you for edging out in front
Guess we'll just grin and bear and take our chances right here. We ARE New Englanders after
of them.
all.
By the second storm, the plow through our neighborhood succeeded in taking down our mail-
box. During a late storm last spring it had been tipped a bit askew but, tipsy or not, it was still suit-
ably serviceable. This year, however, a plow finished the job and it now lies frozen onto its side on MAYOR ROHDE TO VISIT THE MERIDEN CHILD
the top of the giant snowbank at road's edge in front of our house. Thanks to a very understanding DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO CELEBRATE
mailman, we're still using it. Like many of our neighbors, we shoveled out a path to our fallen sol-
dier and the mailman still leaves mail in it. THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD
If we have mail to go out, we raise the flag as usual, even though, with the box lying flat, it Catholic Charities is delighted to announce that the Honorable Michael S. Rohde, Mayor of the
points toward the driveway instead of straight up. When the mailman leaves the mail, he puts the City of Meriden, will be visiting the Catholic Charities Meriden Child Development Center at 61
flag down and it points toward the house. As long as we all know the signals, it works. Who Colony Street to help us celebrate the Week of the Young Child on Wednesday, April 13th at 10:00
knows when we'll ever get it standing upright again, certainly not until most of this snow melts AM. Mayor Rohde will be reading to some of the children to underscore the importance of read-
away and then we'll have to figure out how to prop it up until spring. ing in their educational development.
I always feel sorry for the birds in weather like this. My husband went out early this morning, The Week of the Young Child is designed to enhance awareness of the value of good early
cleared the ice and snow out of all the feeders on our back deck and refilled them to overflowing. childhood education, a primary goal of Catholic Charities throughout its ninety year history of
We keep running down to Greenbacker's Agway to buy food for them: sunflower seeds for the helping those in need in Connecticut. The event is scheduled for the week of April 11th through
chickadees, titmice, juncos, sparrows, mourning doves, and our spectacular red cardinals and blue- the 15th and other political leaders will join in the effort in their respective cities: The Honorable
jays, thistle seed for the finches and suet for the woodpeckers, nuthatches and giant flickers who John DeStefano Jr., Mayor of the City of New Haven, will be visiting Catholic Charities' Centro
bang so hard it reverberates through the house. No matter what it costs, I get a lot of pleasure out San José Family Center in New Haven on April 11th and the Honorable Pedro E. Segarra, Mayor
of watching our feathered diners. of the City of Hartford, will be visiting Catholic Charities' Institute for the Hispanic Family in
We aren't the only ones watching. Two days ago I saw a Cooper's Hawk sitting in the maple tree Hartford on April 14th.
right outside our kitchen window. (We live in a raised ranch so our kitchen is on the second floor.) Catholic Charities is the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the State of
He sat there long enough for me to get a good look at him and check my Peterson's Field Guide Connecticut and has been the licensed, accredited social service arm of the Catholic Church in the
but all the time he sat there not one bird came to the feeders. Once he flew back into our woods, Archdiocese of Hartford (Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven Counties) for 90 years. The Agency
they all came back again. serves 30,000 people of all faiths annually from 34 locations throughout Connecticut and is an
Like everyone else, we've been worrying about the weight of all that snow on our roof. We'd employer of more than five hundred social service professionals.
never even heard of roof rakes until this winter but we've been seeing folks with lower roofs than For more information on Catholic Charities, please visit our website at www.ccaoh.org.

Now is the time to order all of


your Easter Favorites from
Marianna’s Belltop Bakery
Hot Cross Buns
Rice, Wheat & Ham Pies
Easter Bread
Babkas & More!
Plus all of your other
Favorites including our
Famous Freshly Filled Cannolis
Open Easter 7am-1pm
Marianna’s Belltop Bakery
212 West Main Street in Meriden
203-238-0159
Page 15 Early April 2011
Dear Housewives - Central Connecticut's Know It All Gals
Dear Readers, Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, cus-
tomer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will
give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples
LocalMotion
Press by e-mail at peoplespress@peoplespressnews.com or by calling 203-
235-9333 with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next
issue. Sincerely, June and Flora
Dear Housewives,
With all the snow days, do you housewives think the Board of Education
should remove days off of February vacation? - Snowy
JUNE: I think this year they should remove the February vacation due to all
the snow days so the kids don't have to go into the hot summer. I think they would rather have their April vacation
when it is starting to get warm. Plus, there aren't usually any days off in March .
FLORA: Why do we have February vacation anyway? The kids are off for 10 days at the end of December followed by
seven weeks of school to be off another week? Aren't they beginning the CMT testing at the beginning of March?
Usually there are snow days in those 7 weeks.
Oh, I forgot...the teacher's unions...hmmm, that may pose a problem; but hopefully not. As a parent, tax payer and cit-
izen, I say do away with the February vacation.
JUNE: Don't knock the teacher's union, for the most part they try to keep teachers from getting taken advantage of any
more than they do. Do you know what they have to put up with these days? I bet if they took away Mr. Flora's vaca-
tion time or they added work hours with no extra pay he wouldn't be happy. Without a union, tough noogies for him.
Teaching is hard work and if they get 5 lousy days off in Feb. then good for them. They are usually correcting and plan-
ning during that time anyway.
FLORA: We are getting off topic. Perhaps a Dear Reader will have a Union Question for us in the future where we can
expand on that topic. Teaching is hard work and I value their commitment and the profession they chose.
JUNE: Off topic, yes, but I didn't bring it up.
Dear Housewives,
My kids are going a bit batty in the house with all these snow days. What can we do? - Cabin Fever
FLORA: Break out the Board Games so they won't get bored...Learn some card games, watch movies, bake, read, roll
coins...I'd say build a snowman, but you might loose a little one out there in the five foot deep snow!
JUNE: One thing they can do is school work. They can get ahead on some of their work. They can enjoy and play
games, help clean up or go out and play in the snow. Remind them that you don't have to entertain them and give them
some ideas. If they still are bored I bet they can find some things in their room to clean. We don't usually get this much
snow, so remember it will be over soon.

Showdown At Gobbler's Knob


Stepping off the train at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was a sobering aged man of impeccable dress. The Rochester and
Pittsburgh Railroad traversed the backwoods of this puny little settlement, nearly secluded from humanity. He was here -
not to enjoy the scenery, nor the local fare … he was here to serve a warrant for the arrest of a groundhog named Phil.
"Where might I find the Burgess of this squalid, shanty town?" He asked with a dignified air of superiority. "I'm here
to take into custody the vermin who claims to be a certified promulgator of the future weather to come our way."
One of the folks, who had gathered around the man holding a folder to his lapel, spoke up.
"We have no Burgess, sir……but we do have the president of the local council who might be able to help you. If you
follow me, I will gladly introduce you to His Honor."
The two men walked briskly toward the town hall which had been built around the turn of the century. Several of the
townsfolk followed close behind the pair. There was a certain strain of intense curiosity that prevailed over the onlook-
ers as they gathered at the steps of that old brownstone building.
The town of Punxsutawney was steeped in volumes of facts and legends. Going back to the yesteryears of the early
inhabitants -- the dignified Native American tribes of the Delaware, Shawnee and Mahoning Indians. One of the stories
told by a great chief of the Delawares was that of the Ponkies. He had killed an evil sorcerer to rid the hunting grounds So how high was the snow bank? Sent in by Scott Philbrick
of its "evil medicine" but it arose as a nastier biting nemesis called sand flies. The Indian word, Ponksaduteney mean-
ing "land of the sand flies" was given to this area, and later became the formal name Punxsutawney.
Eagerly, the man with the warrant, waited for the so-called speaker of this no man's land to answer the knock on the
heavy oaken door.
Good fences make good
"What in tarnation are you doing here, mister, mister…..eh, what's yer name anyway ?" neighbors...Surveys from
"The name is Herman Gogant… Sergeant Gogant, that is, of the US Marshall's office, and I am here to bring in this
local yokel named Phil." Stone Wall Boundaries, LLC
There came a thunderous roar of uncontained humiliating laughter from the crowd that had gathered 'round.
"Well, let's get on up to Gobler's Knob and see what Phil has to say about that."
make even better ones.
More laughter and jeers were directed at this Tomfoolery with the slicked-down hair, and the manners of a jackass.
Off they trudged towards the top of the hill where the hole of Punxsutawney Phil stood in all its infamous glory. All
STONE WALL BOUNDARIES,LLC
huddled around as the marshal unfurled the document and began to read from the certified wording put forth by the laws SURVEYING & MAPPING
of the commonwealth.
"It is unlawful for a man or beast to impersonate a figure of civil standing. Now come out of your darkened abyss and
face your foreboding fate, sir." PAUL BUCKLEY REYNOLDS
There was a stillness in the air …. a quietness such as that of a pin dropping on supple sand, which nothing could
compare to. PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR
And, as the gallant citizenry waited, Phil emerged from his chambers yawning. Then, with the swiftness of lightning,
the marshal grabbed the poor furry thing, slapped handcuffs on his front paws, and started to drag him back down the
hill.
The crowd was not about to let their little celebrity be taken away to be flung into some dank dirty ol' jail cell.
"Let go of him," someone shouted. "Take those cuffs off ol' Phil before we tar and feather you." Everyone formed a * Boundary Surveys
semicircle between the marshal and the path leading down to the center of town. Someone held onto the marshal's coat-
tails while another scuffled for the key to the handcuffs. Soon there was pandemonium. Cursing, shoving, name-calling,
and all sorts of ballyhoo.
"String him up!" "Run him out of town!" "Kill him ….. the dirty rascal," came shouts from several of the fans of * Historical Deed Research
Punksy. Dirt, debris, and fiery words, flew like Hades unleashed. And as the wild flaying and nerve rattling scuffle final-
ly ended, there came a sigh of triumphant heraldry over the dust upon the hill that day.
All is peaceful and quiet now in the little town of Punxsutawney…… the natives have been appeased, and * Construction Layouts
Punxsutawney Phil has been safely slipped back into his hole to wait again for another Groundhog Day.
Nobody talks about the man with the warrant … the man who tried to arrest ol' Phil … but if you happen to walk
around Gobbler's Knob some dreary dark night, you might catch the sound of a weak muffled voice crying, "Help, help
--- I don't deserve this fate." -george arndt- * Specialized Mapping
A Land Surveyor Dedicated To Fulfilling
The Needs Of The Property Owner

203-889-8564
P.O. BOX 4256 YALESVILLE, CT 06492
Page 16 Early April 2011

Want to publish your own book, magazine, newspaper and more?


Rupert Thomas CAN help you do just that..
Meriden Health Department News and Events
Meriden Garden Club April Presentation
Email him at Rupert@peoplespressnews.com!
The Meriden Garden Club will be hosting a presentation called "Creating a Seasonal Habitat for Wildlife" on Thursday,
The Maryheart April 14, 2011. The presentation will start at 6:30pm at the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center, 175 East Main Street,
Meriden. Wildlife biologist Peter Picone will teach us how to create seasonal habitat for a variety of wildlife using
Crusaders native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses, and what invasive non-native plants are bad for habitat. Everyone is invit-
ed to attend! Please RSVP by calling the Cultural Center at 203-639-2856. The Meriden Garden Club always welcomes
Bookstore any resident interested in gardening and beautification projects to join!
Save the Date! Community Wednesday Block Party and National Day of Play
Catholic Books * Religious Items This event is back for a second year! Over 1,000 residents enjoyed a day of sunshine, play, and community last year -
will you be part of the crowd in 2011?

Gifts * Church Goods When: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 (rain date is Thursday, July 21), 10:00am-4:00pm
Where: Meriden HUB
531 West Main Street in Meriden 203-238-9735 What: A day of fun for everyone! Activities, games, food, health fair, info booths, petting zoo, hay rides, dunk tank, live
broadcast by HOT 93.7. Sponsored by the Meriden Housing Authority, Meriden/Wallingford NAACP, and the City of
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 9-2 Meriden.
Want to get involved in the health fair portion of this event? Contact Angela Simpson at 203-630-4237 or asimp-

There's a new party in town ..


son@ci.meriden.ct.us
Want to be a food vendor? Contact Teri Ramos at 203-235-0157 or teri.ramos@meriden-ha.com.

Ditch the workout and come


Riding a Bike? Wear Your Helmet!
Bike riding is a great way to get exercise and fresh air and share time as a family. The Meriden Health Department

join...Annie's Dance Party!


wants everyone to be safe - we are selling Bell brand bicycle helmets for $7.50 each. Both adult and child sizes are
available, and there are many different styles and colors to choose from. The helmets are available for purchase Monday
through Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Please call the Clinic office at 203-630-4234 if you have any questions. Be safe -
Meet Anne Cicia - Owner always wear a helmet when riding a bike, no matter where you are or how short the ride!
Choreographer, Fitness Got Public Health?
April 4 through the 10th is National Public Health Week. The benefits of public health can be seen in our day to day
Motivator, Hip Hop Dance, lives - it is because of public health we know that unclean water can carry bacteria that can cause disease; that second-
Toning and Zumba Instructor hand smoke can be deadly, and that wearing a seat belt whenever we drive or ride in a car can save a life. Unlike doctors
Anne’s passion for dance, high and nurses who focus on the health of individual people, public health focuses on the health of the community as a
whole. Your Meriden Health Department is the local agency responsible for Meriden's public health. We'd like to take
energy, and enthusiasm will be this opportunity to tell you a little bit more about what services we offer our community.
sure to make for a fun and stimu- Our Health Clinic provides health screenings such as blood pressure, total cholesterol, and hearing and vision; gives
lating workout that will make immunizations, and tracks communicable diseases in our community.
The Health Education office provides health information and education to the public; collects and manages data,
you sweat! coordinates health programs and much more.
Come out and join the The Environmental Health Division licenses and regulates all establishments that prepare and serve food, respond to
nuisance complaints that may be in violation of State and City codes, inspect public swimming pools and day care cen-
PARTY!!! ters and much more.
Annie's Dance Party promises to pro- School Health Nursing provides complete school health services to all students enrolled in Meriden's public and non-
vide you with a fun filled, energetic, public schools.
calorie burning and body toning dance Our HIV/AIDS Program provides confidential education, counseling and testing. Outreach, educational materials and
class and aerobic workout. group programs are also available.
Combining the funky flair and street The Women, Infant, and Children Program (WIC) provide education and healthy foods to eligible participants.
moves of hip hop dance, the strong and In addition to the Health Division, our Department also provides Human Service Programs such as:
powerful toning exercises, and the latin School Readiness, which provides access to quality child care services for children ages 3 and 4 in Meriden.
Youth Services provides resources to youth, parents, and professionals including counseling, juvenile assistance,
flavor and rhythms of Zumba, these
youth employment, crisis intervention programs, and community services opportunities.
stimulating classes will be sure to keep Social Work Services: provides social services to Meriden residents, including geriatric assessment and planning,
your heart and body pumping! financial assessment, screening for entitlement eligibility and much more.
The Max E. Muravnick Senior Citizen's Center is a hub for activities and services for older people to enhance their
203-213-0282 social, physical, emotional, and intellectual needs.
Annie1dance@comcast.net Your Meriden Health Department is committed to the protection and promotion of the physical and environmental
well-being of the citizens of Meriden through direct service, wellness promotion and active support of community
www.anniesdanceparty.com efforts. Comments and suggestions are always welcome. Residents can also call 203-630-4226, visit our website,
www.meridenhealth.com, or become a fan on Facebook (search for us under City of Meriden Health Department).

FREE! MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY APRIL EVENTS CONTINUED


SATURDAY MOVIE APRIL 23 - This month's Saturday movie will be shown on Saturday, April 23 at 10:30 a.m. in
the Griffin Room. This month's selection will be the new story of Rapunzel. This program is free and all are welcome.
HELD ON THE HOMEFRONT: GERMAN POWS IN THE U.S., 1943-1946 AT MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
MAY 2 - Meriden Public Library will be hosting the traveling exhibit "Held on the Homefront: German POWs in the
United States, 1943-46" by the non-profit organization TRACES on Monday, May 2, 2011. The BUS-eum will be open
from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for the public to view the exhibit which consists of 15 narrative
display panels illustrated with photographs and documents, audio and DVD documentaries, artifacts and more inside a
40 foot long converted bus.
The German POWs held in U.S. Army-operated camps across the United States were sent out to harvest or process
crops, build roads and waterways, fell trees, roof barns, erect silos, work in light non-military industry, lay city sewers
and construct tract housing, wash U.S. Army laundry and do other practical wartime tasks. With the high rate of 19th-
century German immigration to "Amerika", many of those who worked with POWs spoke to them in their native
tongue; some even had relatives or former neighbors among them. In the process, they formed significant, often
decades-long friendships with "the enemy" and underwent considerable changes as individuals and as a group-thus fun-
damentally influencing postwar German values and institutions, as well as American-German relations. A number of
POWs even chose to immigrate to the United States after the war.
While American soldiers and airmen were in Europe, blasting German cities to rubble, some German soldiers sat out
the rest of the war after being captured-behind barbed wire, on the American Homefront. While here, some secretly
dated local girls, sneaked into corner bars, and darkened movie houses, and some even took correspondence courses for
which they would earn college credit back in postwar Germany. All this occurred while a vicious global war raged on
beyond the peaceful shores of the faraway New World, claiming over 55 million lives and laying entire countries to
waste. This exhibit documents the contradictions and ironies of both war and imprisonment-above all to stimulate reflec-
tion, discussion and insight.Held on the Homefront explores the human context of the POW experiences. Implicitly, it
addresses five primary questions:
-Were German POWs generally treated well or poorly while held captive in the United States? How has the treatment
accorded to enemy POWs during the Second World War impacted the standing of the United States both in Europe and
in the world at large?
-In which contexts and settings did German POWs encounter Americans? Were those encounters generally positive or
negative? For which side-and what were the lasting impacts of those encounters?
NO WASTE FROM BUSINESS -What role did art play in the POWs' experience?
-How did the POWs' perceptions of the United States, of Americans and of democracy evolve from the point of their
OR CONTRACTORS.
arrival in the U.S. (generally from 1943-45) till their departure from the U.S. (in summer 1946), as well as once they
5 Gallon per person limit.
returned to Germany (or Austria)?
Resident I.D. is required!
-How did the German POW experience affect German-American relations, both immediately after the war and for the
half century thereafter?
TRACES is a non-profit educational organization created to gather, preserve and present stories of people from the
Midwest and Germany or Austria who encountered each other during World War II. The BUS-eum has been touring the
United States since 2009. This program is free and all are welcome. Contact the Community Services Department at
(203) 630-6349 for more information about the library programs.
Page 17 Early April 2011

CUNO FOUNDATION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND AWARDS GRANTS People’s Press Pulse Poll
Elizabeth Canavan was elected Chairman of the Distribution Committee of The Cuno Foundation at the Annual We asked who was the best president ever to our online subsribers
Meeting. Canavan replaces outgoing Chairman, Kenneth Mango. Eliot White was elected Vice-Chairman for the and social media fans. It was a tie between Franklin and
2011 year. Other members include, Natalie Cheerman, Kevin Curry, Larry McGoldrick, and John Stanton. Members Teddy Roosevelt along with Abraham Lincoln.
are appointed for a seven year term. Trudy Cotton serves as Secretary.
Grants were awarded to the Martin Luther King & Albert Owens Scholarship Fund, the American Cancer Society on
behalf of Relay for Life, the Greater Meriden AAUW, Birthright of Greater Meriden, and Literacy Volunteers of
Yearn To Learn
Greater New Haven. The Distribution Committee also voted to award approximately $50,000 in scholarships to high
school seniors planning to further their education. Applications will be sent to Meriden, Wallingford and Cheshire
high schools where students can pick up an application in the Guidance Department. Applications can also be
obtained by emailing a request to www.cunofoundation@cox.net. The deadline date for accepting applications is
Friday, March 18th. The Cuno Foundation is again accepting grant applications for public, charitable or educational
purposes. Grants are usually made for specific, tangible items or capital expense requests that directly benefit the
recipient. The Cuno Foundation does not grant funds for salaries. Applications are reviewed three times a year. The
next deadline date to submit applications is April 15, 2011. Awards will be announced in June. Preference is given to
proposals submitted by tax-exempt, not for profit organizations located in the Meriden area.
For additional information or to obtain guidelines and an application form, call 203-443-5594 or email:
cunofoundation@cox.net. Please be aware that the address for the Cuno Foundation has been changed to 562
Baldwin Avenue, Unit 6, Meriden, CT 06450.

James H. Napier Foundation


Grant Applications Being Accepted
Thank you for contacting the James H. Napier Foundation regarding a possible grant for your program and/or organi-
zation. Before you prepare the application, please review the attached Grantmaking Priorities. If you have any ques-
tions after reviewing the priorities or want to discuss your project's specifics, please contact the Foundation Students in Mrs. Drenzek's third grade class at Nathan Hale School created
Administrator directly. Contact information is below. musical instruments from recycled materials as a final project for their
Cuno Foundation Grants Science unit about Sound. They were instructed to create an instrument
Grant deadlines are: April 10, July 10, September 30 and January 10. If you are interested in submitting an applica- which would produce a sound by striking, blowing, plucking, tapping,
tion for the April 10 deadline, please feel free to contact me via email or cell phone if you have any questions, need or stretching a part of it. The class listened to each one and determined
additional information or would like to discuss your project. which part of the instrument vibrated and produced a high pitch or low pitch
Cuno Grant Application Instructions: sound.
Please use either the CT Council for Philanthropy Common Grant Application Form, available at: http://www.ctphil- Students answered questions from the class as well. After all of the instru-
anthropy.org/s_ccp/sec.asp?CID=7509&DID=17055 or the attached Foundation application which consists of a cover ments were presented, they played them by sections, then all together. It was
page (Parts A and B) and a grant application outline. The proposal should be brief but complete. sweet music to our ears!
Application deadlines are: JANUARY 10, APRIL 10, JULY 10 AND SEPTEMBER 30.
Limit application to five (5) pages.
If longer than five (5) pages, the addi-
tional pages will not be reviewed.
SAVE THE DATE
Please use these headings, subhead-
ings and numbers. If a question does Skin Cancer Prevention Educational Sessions
not apply to your organization, please
indicate that with "NA".
Please email an electronic version
of the application to napierfdn@hot-
mail.com, in addition to submitting
hard copies: an original and five (5)
copies. Do not use covers or binders
May 5th and May 17th
because additional copies must be
made for our Trustees review. Program will consist of one hour educational session to
The range of grants made from
unrestricted funds is normally between
$1,000 and $10,000. The requested
increase the awareness of the harmful effects of the sun's
ultraviolet rays and to influence sun safety practices. This
amount should fall within that range.
Any variations should be discussed
with Foundation staff prior to submis-
sion.
If you have received a previous session will be immediately followed by screening using
Foundation grant, please note that a
final report MUST be submitted to the
funder ninety days (90) after the pro-
the American Academy of Dermatology Melanoma/Skin
Cancer Screening Program Guidelines. Treatment at the
ject's completion before another appli-
cation is submitted. Please access the
CT Council for Philanthropy Common
Report Form available at:
http://www.ctphilanthropy.org/s_ccp/s time of screening is prohibited. Participants will be
ec.asp?CID=7509&DID=17055
Applications must be complete as
of the deadline date. It's strongly rec-
required to sign an AAD form to acknowledge that the
screening is a rapid skin screening and not a complete skin
ommended that you submit your
application a few days before the
deadline so the Foundation
Administrator can review it and advise
you if additional information is need- care examination.
ed.
In some cases, a phone call will be
scheduled to discuss the application.
Registration required and limited to Wallingford residents
18 years or older; preference will be given to those with
This will give the Foundation Trustees
and staff an opportunity to learn more
about your proposed project and the
applicant organization.
The Foundation Administrator young and/or adolescent children in the home. Additional
and/or Trustees may discuss concepts
presented in the application with other
individuals and/or organizations as the
information will be provided at time of registration.
project and its potential significance to
the Foundation are assesse
All applications must be received
no later than 4:00 p.m. on the dead- Contact Chris More
line at the following address. If the
application is received after the dead-
line, it will NOT be reviewed. Please Public Health Educator
hand-deliver or mail applications to:
Daria Smith, Foundation
Administrator - The James H. Napier Wallingford Health Dept
Foundation
c/o United Way of Meriden and
Wallingford. 35 Pleasant Street, Suite 203-294-2065
1E, Meriden, CT 06450
Page 18 Early April 2011

Life along the Q River…


CELEBRATIONS An Update from the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association
Hanover Pond Repairs
By JoAnne Grabinski
On Friday, March 18 contracted workers from Green Mountain Pipeline Services damaged
a sewer line located in Hanover Pond in South Meriden. The Quinnipiac River Watershed
Association's (QRWA) headquarters sits on the edge of the pond. The sewer lines had
already been diverted due to the scheduled work on the pipe, so no sewage leaked into the
pond. Green Mountain was attempting to place a sleeve in the sewer pipe as part of a com-
prehensive program the City's sewer lines. The pipe collapsed during the sleeving process
and created the leak, which resulted in large amounts of pond water rushing through the
line and stressing the pumps at the nearby sewage treatment plant on Evansville Avenue.
As a result the City obtained an emergency order form the DPUC to drain the pond in
order to make repairs to the pipe. The pond was drained by opening the dam. The pond
was drained to the point where work could be done, but there was still some water left in
the pond. Crews were busy Saturday working on creating a damn to get to the affected
pipe, which was located near the island in the center of the pond. Bald eagles have been regulars at the tree on the
island so there was some concern that is disturbance could be harmful to the birds.
According to Ginny Chirsky, President of the QRWA, once DEP had confirmed there was no sewer leakage into
Rachel and Richard Birmingham - my 16 year old twins, who are the great- Hanover Pond from the broken pipe she felt confident that the situation only created a temporary displacement and
est gift to me from God above. i love you so much. mom xoxoxo wildlife will return to normal at Hanover Pond including the four Bald Eagles and fledglings who have made Hanover
Pond their home.

CELEBRATIONS Notes Anna Neumon, a member of the city's Conservation Commission, "My concern is on the impact, if any, on the
immediate area and on the fish and the eagles who feed from the river and pond." "We expect no adverse harm to
wildlife," CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesman Dwayne Gardener said of the break and sub-
sequent draining. "The period of time the pond is drawn down is going to be brief and there is still water available."
Since the break, crews have been working around the clock to fully fix and line the pipe. According to Public
Utilities Superintendent Dennis Waz, the city will be paying for these overtime costs. City Finance Director Michael
Lupkas said Tuesday that he hadn't yet seen a full cost estimate for the additional work, but that funding would likely
come out of Meriden's Enterprise Fund for the sewers. As of Thursday the repairs seemed to have been complete and
the damn was closed to allow the pond to refill to its normal levels. And that same day two eagles were spotted flying
above the pond.
Upcoming QRWA Events: Wednesday, April 13, 5:00 pm - Annual Fish Stocking, Meet at Red Bridge, Oregon Road,
Meriden. Please park in the Linear Trial lot.
Saturday, April 23 - Annual River Clean Up - contact David James at 203-237-2845 for staging area and times.
Saturday, May 1, 1:30 pm - Eagle Watch on Hanover Pond. Led by certified canoe instructor Dan Pelletier and Wildlife
Biologist Peter Picone. Watch through binoculars or cruise around Hanover Pond. This event is for experienced pad-
dlers only.
Sunday, May 15th, 9:00 am - 31st Canoe/Kayak Race, Down River Classic. Register at the Southington DOT parking
lot on Route 322. This year the race with be combined with an Environmental Fair for CT Based Environmental
Groups. To learn more about the QRWA and to confirm information, dates and times for upcoming events, please visit
our website at: www.qrwa.org.
My father Jorge Pereira is my hero. He will be 73 in may and he is still
working. He brought our family from Brazil in 1973. He has lived the
Home Country
American dream and made it come true. Slim Randles
Margaret Clawson, down at the Rest of Your Life convalescent home, can't
help it, really. You see, she's a pony mom. Her teenage daughters have horses,

LocalMotion and she's busy hauling the girls and their mounts around to horse shows,
gymkhanas and barrel racings throughout our corner of the country on week-
ends.
Pony moms have … well, a way about them. So did Genghis Khan. As one
old cowboy put it: "You can put a pony mom in a room full of Little League
moms and she'll whip them all into shape."
So in a way Margaret couldn't help herself.
Dud and Anita Campbell were invited to come and be judges last Friday, but weren't sure what was happening until
they got there. But there, smiling from ear to ear, were about half the inhabitants of the home lined up in their best
bathrobes and non-skid slippers, holding onto their walkers.
"Okay guys," said Margaret, inspecting the troops ala Rommel, "we're going to see fair play done in each contest,
but you will strive to win. It's the American Way."
Nods and grins.
Then Margaret whipped out a stopwatch and said, "Our first event is the pole bending. You will weave in and out of
the chairs in the hallway, go completely around Grant's wheelchair at the far end, and weave back. If you break the pat-
tern, you will be disqualified. Okay now. Estelle, are you ready?"
Estelle was.
"Go!"
There she went, in and out of the chairs, only getting her walker hung up on a chair leg once during her run. Two
wall bumps. No falls. No pattern breaks. Great applause as she crossed the finish line.
The event was eventually won by Mitch, who claimed he'd been a track star in high school around the time the stock
market crashed.
"You've probably noticed the obstacles we've put out," Margaret then announced. "Lily, do you have your hearing
aids on? That's better. So now we come to the trail horse class. Get those ponies ready!" You're never too old for fun.
Happy 92nd Birthday Joe Sr. ! Love, Joe Jr., Sally, Keatyn, & Trevor. Brought to you by Slim Randles's outdoor memoirs, Sweetgrass Mornings,
available at www.slimrandles.com.

CELEBRATIONS

PUCKER UP! Mark, Happy 21st Birthday!


We love you! Love, Mom, Dad,
Booey, Jeannie, Butter Cup and Sarah
Page 19 Early April 2011

MERIDEN MAN RUNNING TO RAISE


MONEY FOR LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
CELEBRATIONS
Bill Mercuri can usually be seen walking or running with his Rhodesian
Ridgeback, Gus, almost anywhere on Meriden's west side.
On April 30th he'll be running in the Country Music Half Marathon in
Nashville, TN as part of the Team in Training, a comprehensive endurance train-
ing program for runners, walkers, cyclists and triathletes which benefits The
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Since 1986, Team in Training has raised over
$800 million for the LLS.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society helps fund research into cures and
treatments for Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma and Hodgkin's Disease. It also
provides much needed services to improve the lives of those living with these
diseases.
Bill has a $5,000 fundraising goal and a deadline of March 15th by which to
raise it. He needs your help in achieving his goal. Please support his run by
making a gift to this campaign. Donations of all sizes will be greatly appreciat-
ed.
Giving is easy and all gifts are tax deductible. You may write a check payable
to LLS and mail it to:
Bill Mercuri - 39 Corrigan Ave., Meriden, CT 06451
Or, use your credit card to give online at Bill's secure web page: pages.teamintraining.org/ct/cmc11/wmercuri
Louis, 3 Years ago on Valentine’s Day you came into our lives & com-
Corporate sponsorships are also available at the $1,000, $2,500, and $5000 levels.
pleted us. .Happy Birthday! ~ Our little P. Love Mommy, Daddy, Momo &
For more information on this event and how you can help, please contact Bill Mercuri at 203-237-4305 or e-mail
Harly
him at bill.mercuri@att.net

A Beautiful Tribute To Her Sister - Brianna CELEBRATIONS


To my sister, Brianna Kaitlyn Vitale, It was hard at first, don't get me wrong,
may she rest in peace until we meet again<3 But I have learned, for you, to just be strong.
*11.2.89 - 2.9.06*
_An original poem by Kayley Brook Vitale It seems that since you left, my strength has grown,
"My Reason To Be" And to you, my friend, I now do owe,
I can't seem to hold back the tears, A true, sincere, and great big thanks,
Even after all these years. For helping me strengthen my strength.

I try to keep them tucked inside, You are in my mind, and in my soul,
But they never seem to want to hide. But on my heart, you've taken a toll.

I don't cry much, to say the truth, For now, I cannot change the past,
But I always cry because of you. If I were able, I'd run out of gas.

I lost you in a tragic way, I guess that I will just push through,
Now I'm just living day to day. This life I live because of you.

I guess you never know what's coming next, My motivation,


You put me through the hardest test, my strength,
To see if I could make it through, my reason to be...
Living life, without a you. Brianna, that's what you are, to me.

Happy Birthday Sarah - You are always our princess!


SOCIAL SECURITY'S FINAL FOUR
By Paul Gilfillan

AVANTI
Social Security Manager, Meriden Ct
This time of year basketball fans are gearing up for March Madness -- a time when the final four teams in the NCAA
fight for the title of national champion. While basketball fans are excited about March Madness, Social Security already
has a winning "final four" of online services to cheer about: the Retirement Estimator, Benefit Application, online Extra
Help application, and Business Services Online.
The Retirement Estimator is an easy way to get an instant, personalized estimate of your future Social Security bene- Restaurant & Lounge
fits. Just key in some basic information and the Estimator will use information on your Social Security record, along
with what you input, to give you a benefit estimate on the spot. You even can experiment with different scenarios, such
as changing your future earnings and retirement date. Check it out in English at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator or in
Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov/calculador.
The Benefit Application is the most convenient way to apply for Social Security retirement benefits. You can apply
from the comfort of your home - it's fast, easy, and secure. It's so easy, in fact, that it can take you as little as 15 min-
utes to apply online. In most cases, once your application is submitted electronically, you're done. There are no forms to
sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Security will process your application and contact you if any fur-
ther information is needed. Try it out when you're ready to retire at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.
The online Extra Help application is an easy way to save about $4,000 a year on your prescription drug costs. To
qualify for the Extra Help, you must be on Medicare, have limited income and resources, and live in one of the 50 Open for Lunch and Dinner
states or the District of Columbia. Learn more about it at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.
Business Services Online is our one-stop shop for small businesses. The site allows organizations and authorized
Featuring:
individuals to conduct business with and submit confidential information to Social Security. You even can use it to file *Southern and Northern Italian Cuisine
your W-2s the fast, convenient, and paperless way - online. Visit Business Services Online at
www.socialsecurity.gov/bso.
* Veal, Chicken & Seafood Specialties
In the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Social Security received the highest ratings in both the public and private * Large Selection of Salads * Pizza *
sectors. Grinders * Homemade Burgers
To learn more about our winning services, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. Or, read our publication What
You Can Do Online at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10121.html.
* Specialty Wraps
Get to know our final four, and all of our online services. When you do, you will be the winner. We Make Your Events Special!
April Meeting of Wallingford Garden Club Plan your next party with us! Parties
The Wallingford Garden Club will host Lisabeth Billingsley at the April 12 meeting. Billingsley's topic will be for up to 60 people are our specialty. We
"Pressed Flower Art". Billingsley is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City where she
learned color, texture, and balance. She has weaved this expertise into bright collages that she creates from pressed also offer off premises catering and
wildflowers, seaweed, bark and feathers.
This meeting is open to the public for a donation of $5. It will be held in the Community Room of the First
party platters to go.
Congregational Church at 23 S. Main Street. The business meeting begins at 11:45 am and Billingsley will speak at
1:00 pm. New members are always welcome. For info call 203-265-4329. “Come visit and enjoy one of our finely prepared meals
The Wallingford Garden Club is a member of the Federated Garden Clubs of CT and the National Garden Clubs Inc. in the comfort of our new dining and lounge areas”
Wallingford Family YMCA/Wint Filipek Sr.Memorial Tennis Tournament
The biggest "community" tennis tournament in New England is right here in CT! The 7th annual Wallingford Family AVANTI
YMCA/Wint Filipek Sr. Memorial Tennis Tournament is scheduled for June 11-19. The 2011 venue is the beautiful and Restaurant & Lounge
recently renovated Hunt Tennis Center on the Choate-Rosemary Campus, Wallingford. 34 River Road * South Meriden
In 2010, the event drew 594 entries.
THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY TENNIS TOURNAMENT!
203-4
440-9
9990
Please direct any questions to: Wint Filipek Jr. wrfilipek@hotmail.com 860-621-5655
Page 20 Early April 2011

Burn victim may not survive


After I read this news headline in the morning paper, I was moved to offer comfort to the unfortunate victim, and listen
to his tale of woe. I wished to soothe the agony of his final moments, as he was not long for this life. Listen to this sad
CELEBRATIONS
tale he told to me.
"My life was filled with sweetness; my companions and I lived a soft life until one day tragedy struck, and we were
tumbled from our cozy comfortable life. I became impaled and immobile. Flames were everywhere and licking closer.
I was sweating; the blistering heat was scorching and roasting me. I've swollen to twice my normal size. Such misery I
have never known and I fear for my life, so I thank you for rescuing me from these burning flames. If by some chance
I don't survive, will you write my eulogy, telling of my soft-heartedness and how everyone enjoyed my sweetness?
"Oh, yes, Mr. Marsh Mallow, I shall, I shall."
Dorothy Gonick

Engaged, Now What?


By Jamie DeChesser
So, he finally pops the question and you have already practically planned your
dream wedding, right? Most of us ladies have pictured how we want our big
day to be in some way or another but when it finally comes down to planning
the wedding, the x's and o's become uh-ohs! There is a lot of time, energy, and
creativity that goes into planning a beautiful wedding. If you are like me, you
like to take on the challenge. If you are like my fiancé, you are just ready to
Happy 9th Birthday and Happy 5th Birthday to Alyssa and Donald. We
show up at the altar and have a great time. The process of planning a wedding
love you lots!
can be very stressful but it should be very fun as well. Here are some of my
tips, being a real bride in the midst of all the excitement to help make planning

Yearn To Learn
your wedding a smoother, more exciting process:
Create a budget: Having a CPA as a fiancé does have some of its benefits! I
am the more creative "dreamer" in our relationship and can tend to get carried away, especially after watching all of
these bridal shows, featuring brides that have unlimited budgets. Whether the cost is 100% on you and your fiancé or
you have family helping you out, creating a very specific budget will help with planning every step of the way. This
way, you can weed out vendors that are way out of budget and you have a realistic approach to planning your wedding.
Focus on what you and your fiancé want: A lot of the stress of being a bride comes from the pressure of friends,
bridesmaids, moms, mother-in-laws and everyone else that has an opinion. From your guest list to your wedding dress,
the people that love you only want to help, however sometimes their opinions steer you away from your own unique-
ness. Maybe you love the outdoors and want to get married at a beautiful vineyard but your sister pictures you in a cas-
tle with all of the trimmings. Do not forget that this is your big day and putting your own creativity and uniqueness
into the planning is what in the end, makes your day unforgettable for you and your guests. Whether big or small,
fancy or casual, your wedding day should reflect the love that you and your partner share.
Use your resources: Brides have a lot of work cut out for them so why not take advantage of all of the great
resources out there? There are several wedding websites (one of my favorites is the theknot.com) that will provide you
with local directories of vendors from florists, photographers, venues and more. You can even chat with other brides
and swap ideas, pictures, and experiences. Also, the duty of a bridesmaid is not only to look pretty and walk down the
aisle-they are there to help. Put them to work! I have taken advantage of the bridesmaid to help with mailing out save-
the-dates, picking out flowers, and helping with my invitations. Think of your bridesmaids as part-time wedding plan- Winter Blast at Nathan Hale
ners. This will not only help reduce your workload, but also strengthen the bond between you and your girls! Fourth grade students at Nathan Hale School participated in a PBS reward
Have fun: I cannot stress this enough. When I first started to plan my wedding, I have to admit, in the beginning, I for consistently showing respect for self, others, and school. They enjoyed a
was a bit of a classic Bridezilla. I was having fights with my mom over the guest list, becoming overwhelmed with fun-filled afternoon of winter activities, including sledding, building snow-
petty details, and was just plain not enjoying myself. Once I took a step back and realized that being engaged is a won- men, and making snow forts.
derful thing and that I was going to marry a man who I cherish and love, I relaxed and started to enjoy the process. My
mom and I have a blast trying way too many cake samples at bridal shows and I find myself becoming more inventive

Right At Home
and creative when I am having fun with it.
So, bride-to-bes, congratulations on your engagement and have a blast planning your dream wedding, whatever that
may be! For advice/tips on wedding planning, feel free to email me at
CTsweetsBride@yahoo.comctsweetsbride@yahoo.com.

Meriden Baby Born Less Than Two Pounds Defies Odds


Portraits & Photography
Will Serve as Greater Hartford March for Babies Ambassador
On Sunday, May 1, thousands from the Greater Hartford area will gather for
March for Babies at Rentschler Field to benefit the March of Dimes. Leading the
festivities will be Adam and Lauren Pallone of Meriden, along with their 10-
month old daughter Kendall, who will serve as the 2011 Greater Hartford March
for Babies Ambassador. They will share Kendall's incredible story of survival,
and thank walkers for their commitment to the March of Dimes mission to give
all babies a healthy start.
Kendall was born in May 2010 at just 29 weeks gestation (a full-term pregnan-
cy is 40 weeks) and weighed a mere 1 lb. 13 oz. Because of Kendall's life-threat-
ening prematurity, she was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care
nursery at UConn Health Center in Farmington, leaving her frightened mother
Lauren at Mid-State Hospital in Meriden to recover. Mom and baby were sepa-
rated for five days before Lauren was able to see Kendall again in the NICU.
"I wasn't feeling well and went to the hospital. The emergency C-section came
as a complete surprise. My family is incredibly grateful for the staff at Mid-State
and the transport team from UConn for their quick response to the situation," said
Lauren.
Kendall was born with serious health complications as a result of her very
early arrival, including hydrocephalus, a build up of fluid inside the skull leading
Why Right At Home?
to brain swelling, as well as grade 4 brain bleeds. At just two weeks old, and Our professional, experienced Photographers come
again at nine weeks old, Kendall underwent brain surgery to help relieve her conditions. She ultimately spent three
months in the NICU receiving specialized care for critically ill newborns. In the end of July, Lauren and husband
to your home where you feel most comfortable and
Adam were able to bring Kendall home but Kendall has faced several challenges along the way. we are able to capture those candid moments and
"Since February Kendall has had an additional five brain surgeries," said Lauren. "Each day brings new challenges portraits that are matched by no other.
because her future is unclear. Our focus is to show Kendall that she is capable of doing whatever her heart desires and
not limiting her in any way. The resources made available to my family through the March of Dimes made coping with
We believe in Right At Home because that’s where
Kendall's situation easier than it would have been without it," said Lauren. the heart is and it shows in the photos we take. We
March for Babies participants can meet the Pallone's and hear their story at March for Babies at Rentschler Field in bring all of the equipment and set-up in the place
East Hartford on Sunday, May 1. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with the 3-mile walk kicking off at 10:00 a.m.
Participation in March for Babies will provide a memorable and rewarding morning for the whole family. To register
that matters to you!
for the event, visit www.marchforbabies.org or www.marchofdimes.com/ct.
Funds raised by March for Babies in Connecticut help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU) family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.
Greater Hartford March for Babies is proudly presented by Farmington Bank and sponsored by CIGNA, Clear
Channel Radio and Lamar. Statewide sponsors include NBC Connecticut and Comcast, with support from CIGNA,
Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, Stanley-Black & Decker, Bob's Discount Furniture and UnitedHealthcare. March for
Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance
Group, Bayer HealthCare, CIGNA, Famous Footwear, FedEx, Sanofi Pasteur, United Airlines, First Response, and
Mission Pharmacal. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With
chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature
birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us
860-741-3964
on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. gary.mcneff@yahoo.com
Page 21 Early April 2011

TICKETS TO RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY ®

PRESENTS FULLY CHARGED ARE ON SALE NOW! COMMERCIAL * RESIDENTIAL * INDUSTRIAL


The Most Electrifying Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth® comes to XL Center in Hartford May 4-8
(Greater Hartford don't miss Fully Charged, the all-new surge of circus entertainment from Ringling Bros. and ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Barnum & Bailey where megawatts of thrills explode off of the arena floor with breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman
stunts and never-before-seen performances that energize Children Of All Ages. Tickets are on sale now for nine perfor-
mances from May 4 to 8 at the XL Center in Hartford.
Fully Charged celebrates 'performance power' that boosts circus-goers' excitement. The amazing acts, which can only
be seen at The Greatest Show On Earth®, include Tabayara, a dynamic animal trainer whose rare ability to communi-
cate with animals allows him to ride rearing stallions at a fully-charged gallop and orchestrate majestic four-ton Asian
elephants in a symphony of dance. When he stands inside a cage, eye to eye with 12 ferocious tigers, Tabayara sees
family where others see danger.
Audiences will feel the earth shake when the strongman duo of Dmitry and Ruslan, who are as wide as they are tall,
enter the arena. The brawny twosome give the word 'manpower' a whole new meaning as they lift large, cumbersome
telephone poles, which weigh up to half a ton, and twirl them above their heads while acrobats balance atop.
The fearless Fernandez Brothers dial up the thrills as they perform daring feats of athleticism on the Twin Turbines of
Steel, including extreme jumps and twists inside the moving wheels! Audiences will crackle with excitement as they
203-235-5653
Fully Insured and Licensed CT Lic. #104727
watch Guillermo perform a 360-degree, flying-forward somersault, three stories in the air, a feat so difficult it has only
been attempted by one other person in the 141-year history of Ringling Bros. The Human Fuse, Brian Miser, sets the
arena sky ablaze as he rockets through the air from his self-made human crossbow. Don't blink as he flashes across the
sky in less than a second, and travels 110 feet at 65 miles per hour.
PLEASE HELP!
Ever wonder how many clowns it takes to change a light bulb? The hilarious hoopla continues to flow as the clowns
from the world-famous Ringling Bros.® Clown Alley, charge up the audiences' funny bones with hysterical silly antics
and clownish comedy.
You can only experience this current of excitement at Ringling Bros. Fully Charged! Get your tickets for high-volt-
age fun today!
Tickets for Fully Charged are on sale now and are available through Ringling.com, Ticketmaster.com or call 1-800-
745-3000 or visit a Ticketmaster retail outlet. Tickets will also be available at the XL Center ticket office Monday-
Friday from noon to 5 p.m. For groups of 15 or more call 860-548-2000.
Tickets are $15, $20, $25 with a limited number of $45 VIP floor seats and $55 Front Row seats available. Circus
Celebrity seats are $85 each and include the opportunity for you and your guests to actually participate in the show.
Prices do not include facility fees or service charges.
Performance Schedule
Wednesday, May 4 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5 10:30 a.m.* and 7 p.m. Friday, May 6 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 7 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 8 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The action at Fully Charged begins 90 minutes* before show time at the Animal Open House where you will meet
and learn about the amazing animals and their handlers. Then starting 60 minutes* before show time for the All Access REWARD: My name is PUDGE, please help me go home to: 14 Chester
Pre-show - FREE to all ticket holders. Get to know the world's greatest performers, meet some our amazing animals in Lane, Wallingford, CT 06492 where I was born and grew up..
person, and work to become CircusFit all before the show starts! The All Access Pre-show is the only place where you If you have me and are keeping me warm from the weather, Thank You,
can register for a chance to win a pachyderm painting created by one of Ringling Bros. artistic Asian elephants right but, please bring me home. Call my owner: Linda at 203-265-9461 she is
before audiences' eyes. not well and is heart sick not knowing where I am.
*Pre show events do not happen at the Thurs., May 6, 10:30 a.m. performance.
For more information, visit www.Ringling.com

The Lions Den


$ CASH PAID FOR $
by Ralph Riello
"In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb…"
Toyotas, Hondas, Nissan,
Suzukis, Subarus, Geo -
This weather-related sobriquet is now the unfortunate description that applies to our annual "Day The Lions Roar"
auction, scheduled for February 27th. This has been a tough winter, and like so many others, we and Cox Public Access
did not come away unscathed. If you have been down Route 10 in Cheshire recently, you might have noticed that the
roof of the Cox facility located just south of the I-691 interchange has fallen victim to the snow loads.
Initial reports had us putting out a delay notice, however we just learned that the building will not be ready for occu- Any Condition. Running
pancy for at least five months, meaning the 2011 edition of the auction is officially cancelled. True to the spirit of
Lionism that exists in our committee, we are proposing an idea that will allow us to salvage something from the event.
We have received many generous donations and consignment items and would hate to see this major fundraiser
or not crashed and
burned. Other makes
silenced. At our recent board meeting, myself and co-chair Vince Caramanello floated an idea for a silent auction to be
held at Platt High School as part of the festivities offered with the Palm Sunday Brunch in April. This week, our com-
mittee will meet with the Brunch Committee to determine if this idea is feasible. We certainly hope so. Stay tuned for
more on that.
Meriden Lions as "The Dream Makers"… and models. Motorcycles,
If you haven't read Mike Roberts' Woods and Water column that appears regularly on Sundays in another publication,
try to find a copy. His complimentary words and descriptions of Meriden Lions and our various projects tell the story
of what Lionism is all about, especially here in our community. What inspired his column was the work that is current-
ATVs and more.
Call 203-600-4431
ly being undertaken at the QRWA headquarters in the Republic of South Meriden. Past Presidents Art Forcier and Ed
Haberli have combined resources from their President's Project budgets and are constructing a classroom that will be
named for the Lions, and new bathroom facilities. Each Lions President is given a budget and a generous sum of many
to apply to a project in the community that they feel is worthy of financial help. As is the case with the Meriden Lions,
financial help is only one small part of the equation. On a cold and raw Saturday morning this past February, over a
dozen Lions, myself included, proceeded to saw and remove concrete flooring to expose earth that likely has not seen
the light of day since the great depression. Said earth was then shoveled out to make way for the installation of new
sewer pipes feeding the bathroom facilities. The propane heaters donated for the work were greatly appreciated, as
were the breakfast sandwiches. By the way, those heaters work well as sandwich warmers if the sandwich is encased in
aluminum foil. By early afternoon, the digging was mostly done, and the last five or six of us said our goodbyes as we
left the old building prepared for plumbing and framing work scheduled to take place soon, if it hasn't happened
already. Mike called the Meriden Lions "dream makers" in his article, and I think Ginny Chirsky, Mary Mushinsky, and
other members of the QRWA would likely agree with that name. Miscellaneous news from the Jungle…
The Lions scholarship dinner is coming up soon, and I would like to remind those lucky recipients of this generous
award that it is REALLY A GOOD IDEA to show up at the dinner, dressed neatly, and allow the Lions to see whom it is
that we invested in. It's the right thing to do. It always amazes me that we honor a student with a couple of grand, and
they don't show up at the scholarship dinner at Sans Souci. This is not a good way to start off your professional career
kids…just a gentle reminder.
The Lions Citizen of the Year is coming up soon, and we are looking for nominations. Nominees cannot be Lions so
if you know somebody worthy of the honor, contact me at ralphriello@yahoo.com and please include a brief description
of why they deserve this honor, and contact info so I can get back to you with questions.
Fun stuff coming up from the Meriden Lions…
The weather is turning, and these events are slated for the spring…Relay For Life, Palm Sunday Brunch, Fishing * Auto * Home * Business * Life
Derby, Duck Race.
Meriden Lions meetings are every Wednesday at Sans Souci on the Berlin Turnpike. If you have interest in becom-
ing a Lion, just come to the bar between six and six-forty five. There are plenty of Lions available that can direct you
John J. Kovacs Insurance Agency
further. Thanks for listening! 208 Center Street, Wallingford

ALL GLASS SHOW AND SALE


Office: (203) 269-2500
The Nutmeg Depression Glass Club presents the 36th Annual Glass Show and Sale featuring Depression era glass and
pottery. The one day only show will be held on Saturday, April 9th from 9:00A.M.-4:30P.M. at Southington High
School, 720 Pleasant St., Southington, CT. Admission is $6.00/$5.00with this notice. Life Insurance underwritten by Nationwide Life Insurance Company Nationwide Mutual Insurance
There will be free American glass and pottery identification during the show. Company and affiliated Companies Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215-2220
Page 22 Early April 2011

The Meriden Daffodil Festival

HUBBARD PARK
Saturday & Sunday
April 30th & May 1st
Meriden's Largest and most colorful festival the "Meriden Daffodil Festival" will celebrate it's 33rd year dur-
ing 2011. Join us on Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1, 2011.
600,001 daffodils can't be wrong! They create a sea of fragrant yellow blossoms throughout the 1,800-acre
Hubbard Park in Meriden, Connecticut each year. You'll not only see an amazing 61 different varieties of
daffodils, there will also be crafts, amusement rides, food, entertainment, and a fireworks display for you to
enjoy. So mark your calendar - It's going to be a great time for the whole family! For additional information
please call 203-630-4259.
The Meriden Daffodil Festival began as a community event 33 years ago and has grown into one of
Connecticut’s premier celebrations. With food, crafts, music, fireworks, amusements and a parade that has to
be seen to be believed, the Daffodil Festival is a springtime funfest for old and young, couples and singles,
families and friends.
Saturday April 30, 2011 Sunday May 1, 2011
Gates open at 10:00 AM Gates close at 9:00 PM Gates open at 10:00 AM Gates close at 5:00 PM
10:00 AM Food Tent open 10:00 AM Food Tent open
10:00 AM Arts & Crafts open 10:00 AM Arts & Crafts open
10:00 AM Children's rides open 10:00 AM Children's rides open
11:00 AM Musical Entertainment begins 11:00 AM Musical Entertainment begins
11:30 AM Parade Begins Don’t miss the DAFFODIL TAG SALE
FIREWORKS WILL BEGIN AT 8:30PM CONNECTICUT'S LARGEST!
Saturday, April 23, 2011- Under the Festival Tent 9:00 AM-2:00 PM

Visit www.daffodilfest.com for the latest news and additional information!


Page 23 Early April 2011

Meriden WIC Celebrates National Nutrition Month What kind of impact can a teenager UCONN and My
The Meriden WIC (Women, Infants
and Children) Program celebrated
have on society & their community City Kitchen
National Nutrition Month during The day that Sarah Gopoian
joined Hunter's EMS
move to Schools
March. Nutrition staff will be educat-
ing program participants on how to Explorer Post 181 was the
make healthy, affordable meals for day of her 12th Birthday 2-
their family through cooking demon- 2-05.. Just hope she'll know
strations. The theme of the demon- how much of an impact she
strations will be "Eat Your Way to 5 a made and the memories she
Day" - fruit and vegetables that is! can look back on….. She
No matter how young or how old you always came with a smile,
are, we all can benefit from eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and I know it also was to
every day. To learn more about the WIC program please call 203-630-4245. hang out with her dad. Now
she graduates Maloney HS

LocalMotion with honors, accepted to Central CT & Keene State. And


wants to become a TEACHER…and she will. Determined
Chef Kashia Cave- Founder and President of My City
and wants NOTHING to do with the Military
2-23-10 Community Service 3 hours event not recorded Kitchen (MCK) is taking it one step further with the pro-
9-15-09 Community Service 8 hours event not recorded gram. MCK move to local schools in the City of Meriden.
March 2009 CT. EMS Conference 9 hours In Collaborating with the University of Connecticut
12-20-08 Meriden Spirit of Giving 3 hours (UCONN) Department of Extension and Mrs. Umekia
8-5-08 Meriden National Night Out Taylor. My City Kitchen provides healthy cooking
7-26-08 Meriden Cemetery Clean up 3.5. Hours demonstration to students of Casimir Pulaski Elementary
5-10-08 Meriden QRWA Clean up 5 hours School.
4-26-2008 Daffodil Festival First Aid Station 13 hours UCONN and MCK teamed up with Ms. Ellen Kearney,
4-19-08 Meriden City Wide Clean up 5 hours the Health/Physical Education Teacher of Pulaski to bring
4-15-08 Meriden Girl Scout First Aid training 3.5. Hours hands on healthy cooking demonstration to over 275 stu-
4-12-08 Meriden YMCA Kids Safety Fair 5 hours dents. "We have been treated to some delicious food late-
March 2008 Cromwell CT. EMS Conference 16 hours ly. So far on the menu our students have made healthy
4-17-07 City wide Clean up 4 hours turkey wraps, cheese and bean quesadillas and yogurt par-
11-9-06 Cheshire BSA Medical Demonstration 3 hours faits. It has been very exciting for the students to try new
11-4-06 Meriden Neighborhood Cleanup 4.5. Hours foods and to learn what categories each food item falls
10-15-06 Meriden Merit Badge medical training for scouts under in the Food Pyramid, this is a wonderful enrichment
6 hours program to teach our students about eating healthy, portion
9-23-06 Durham Fair First Aid station 8 hours control and nutrition. This program would not be possible
Wallingford Center Inc presents the 2011 Gardener’s Market Saturday 8-1-06 Meriden National Night Out 4 hours without the support and contributions of UCONN,
mornings 9:00-12:00 from July 16th to Sept 17th at the Railroad Station 6-17-06 Meriden Bicentennial Parade 4 hours Shoprite, Cabot Cheese Company, our Principal Mr. Tom
Green, routes 5 and 150. Offered will be plants, flowers, produce, home 5-19&20-2006 ACS Relay for Life 24 hours Brown and Chef Kashia Cave," Kearney says.
crafts, baked items and other goodies. Dry Dock Café will have breakfast 4-30-06 Daffodil Festival First Aid Station 8 hours Chef Kashia states "we have been looking for different
for the vendors and public. 4-22-06 Meriden Road Race 3 hours way to reach out to the children in our community, and
Lizzy B’s will have coffee and refreshments as well as Italian Ice. 4-19-06 Milford State Vaccination Medical Drill 6 hours working with Principal Brown and Ms. Kearney provided
Current vendors are Farmer Joes’s Gardens for produce; crafters: Beverly 3-17 & 18 2006 Cromwell CT. State EMS conference 16 us this great opportunity. We are currently working with
Keener and Francine LaFontaine; artisans Samantha Dudac, Kathy hours Pulaski and Roger Sherman Elementary Schools. I hope in
3-8-06 Meriden Public Safety 7.5 hours the future we can work with all school in our City and
McNulty and Kim Poggio, and Polka Dots. The Daytime Gardeners of
3-4-06 Blizzard Blast First Aid Station for BSA 7.5 hours give every child an opportunity to be part of our program.
North Haven will have their plant sale on July 16
2-7-06 Meriden first aid training for Girl Scout Brownie's MCK also provides scholarships for students' ages 6-17yrs
If you wish to be a vendor, please contact Liz Landow of Wallingford
3 hours who cannot afford the program."
Center Inc at 203-284-1807 or email at lizlandow@wallingfordcenter-
12-18-05 Meriden Spirit of Giving 4.5 hours For more information about My City Kitchen programs
inc.com or Cathy Knight at 203-265-3878 or email at cathy@frcost.com.
9-22-05 Meriden Hurricane Rita Relief preparations 3 please visit them on line at: www.mycitykitchen.org or
Deadline for applications is June 15.
hours contact their office: 203-238-2870, by email:
8-24-05 Meriden Senior Center File of Life presentation 2 kashia@mycitykitchen.org. MCK is located at 384 Pratt
Street Meriden, CT 06450. Become a fan on Facebook:
LocalMotion
hours
8-23-05 Meriden Rotary Club Luncheon 6 hours My City Kitchen, Inc.
5-31-05 Durham Memorial Day Parade 3 hours
5-21-05 Meriden Kiwanis Bike Safety Rodeo 3 hours How did it happen that their lips came together? How
5-14-05 Meriden Police Academy Law Enforcement does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the
Stations Day 6 hours rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark
3-19-05 Meriden St. Patrick's Day Parade 3 hours shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A
12-19-04 Meriden- Spirit of Giving 4 hours participated kiss, and all was said. ~Victor Hugo
prior to full membership to post
8-28-04 Durham Mass Casualty Drill 6 hours participat- They who meet on an April night are forever lost in love,
ed prior to full membership to post if there's moonlight all about and there's no moon above.
219.5 HOURS… tiring just looking at it. ~E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and Fred Saidy
Love, The Fam!

Treat yourself to a steamed cheeseburger


and maybe even a cookie for dessert.
THANK YOU to all the crew of Food
Networks new show "Crave" for
coming to visit March 30th. The show
Opening Day at Riverbound Farm debuts on June 11th and Ted's will be
The Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society, the local chapter of the National in one of the first few episodes. Will
Audubon Society, will sponsor an Open Day at Riverbound Farm
Sanctuary, 1881 Cheshire St in Cheshire on Sunday, April 17th 11:00-4:00. keep you posted on the date! Keep an
Celebrate Earth Day and JJ Audubon’s Birthday . A ‘Beginning Birders’ eye out for us in your local TV listings.
walk will be at 1:00 with Eric Einhorn (203-265-9529) Thanks again for stopping at Ted's,
Learning Bird Song Part 1 at Red Bridge with Corrie (203-630-9640) Sun
Apr 17th pleasure to have you!
Spring song is an important bird ID feature, bring binoculars. Meet at park- But most important is that we’ve been
ing area on Oregon Rd next to Hanover Pond in Meriden. Rain date seen by YOU and YOU matter the most!
Sunday, April 24th
Spring Bird Walks begin in April.
Saturday, April 23rd Earth Day walk at Riverbound 9:00-11:00 with
Melissa ( 272-5252), Saturday April 30th bird walk with Melissa 9:00-
11:00
Sunday, April 24th and May 1st 7:00 – 9:00 am at Red Bridge in Meriden
located at Oregon Road next to Hanover Pond with Melissa and Corrie
Wed Apr 27th 7:30-9:30 am at Ives Farm with Melissa. Ives Farm is 1585
Cheshire Street in Cheshire, go to North Pond Rd , turn at the bus shelter,
go to the end of road.
Ives Farm is owned by the Cheshire Land Trust.
Please call Loretta at 203-634-1911 for more information. The events are
free, however, donations are accepted. Adam from Man V. Food stopped by too and so should you
Photo by Tom Twohill of titmouse and Carolina wren on feeders. 1046 Broad Street in Meriden - 203-237-6660
Page 24 Early April 2011

Nature As A Mirror
Bashful Leprechaun,
CELEBRATIONS
Hiding where the rainbow ends
His secret pot of gold.
A Bit o' Blarney
Inspired by the March breezes, Danny and Alice gathered narrow slats, paper and glue to create a kite. Alice painted
a big smiling face on it, and Danny tied on a long green tail in honor of the day: St. Patrick's Day.
With a big ball of string they eagerly set the kite soaring. A friendly breeze caught the kite and carried it high aloft
into the bright blue sky. A sudden strong gust snatched the string from Danny's grasp, breaking it and carrying the kite
higher until it was a small speck, far away.
"Oh, where am I going?" wondered Kite.
"With me," said the wind. "We'll sail away and see the world together. Just call me 'Windy' and watch the world go
by. Look down now at the treetops and then ahead at the blue ocean." On they sailed-the wind twirling Kite in circles
and playfully tumbling it as they went on further.
Entering a soft looking pillow of a cloud, Kite moaned about how wet he was getting.
Windy assured Kite, "Don't worry, clouds are full of rain, but the sun will dry you off soon. "
And it did. Soon Windy pointed to a green mitten shape and Kite asked, "What is it? It's getting bigger the closer
we come to it."
Windy answered, "That's Ireland and the green are shamrocks. I'm going to put you down now, but will come back
later to fly you home. What I want you to do, is get a bunch of shamrocks for me. I'm off now, see you soon!"
Kite looked all around but could see no green rocks. So it bounced along to a big rock and tapped on it, hoping it
would be of help. Suddenly, a small person dressed in green peered from behind the rock and asked, "Who's that
knocking at my home?" When he saw that it was just a kite, he came to look at it and was quite startled to hear it ask
for help in finding the green rocks for Windy.
After a hearty laugh, Paddy Leprechaun introduced himself and said, "First tell me your story-I've never talked to a You, are without doubt, the coolest kid we know! Love, Mom & Dad
kite before."
Kite began, "It's really been a most unusual day. Just this morning Danny and Alice created me for St. Patrick's Day
fun, but Windy came by and grabbed me! We've had a wonderful journey and he'll soon be back to take me home.
But first I must get some shamrocks for him. He said they were green and I don't see any green rocks!"
After another hearty laugh, Paddy gathered a handful of the plants they were standing among and said; "These are
the shamrocks! I'll tie them onto your bright green tail." Indeed this has become a more magical day than you know!
Did you know that we Leprechauns are honor-bound to give a gold coin to anyone who sees us on this special day?
You certainly fooled me into showing myself."
"Oh, really? And may I have two coins? One for Danny and one for Alice, because they're the ones to thank for this The transmission is a device that is
magical day." So Paddy went around the big rock to the hidden pot of gold coins that he was secretly hoarding and connected to the engine and sends the
selected two shiny coins, which he wrapped in the kite's tail, then fastened it securely. power from the engine to the drive wheels.
Paddy barely had time to hide beneath his rock before Windy came swooshing back to quickly lift the shamrock-
laden kite into the air. Windy was very pleased with the shamrocks and enjoyed the delightful story that Kite related Servicing Transmissions Since 1952
while he was being swiftly carried to the very home of Danny and Alice. Gently placing Kite against a tree in their
backyard, Windy took a few shamrocks and then breezily waved goodbye. 694 Old Colony Rd.
What a surprise Alice and Danny had when they came down the next morning for breakfast and looked out of the
window. They quickly dashed out to their kite and their excitement grew greater as more surprises met their gaze! But
203-237-4379
Kite just smiled its painted smile and said nothing. - Dorothy Adair Gonick

Roger Sherman Elementary Students


Raise Nearly $1,600 to Help Give Babies a Healthy Start
Over 100 students from Roger Sherman Elementary School in Shirts, Hats,
Meriden raised nearly $1,600 for the March of Dimes by earn-
ing dollars with every book they read this fall.
Diecasts & More!
117 students, from kindergarten through fifth grade, read at
school and at home keeping track of their progress by either * Embroidery Photo Tees
recording the number of books or amount of minutes read.
During the campaign they read 1592 books and a total of * Photo keepsake Home of the
71,018 minutes as participants in the March of Dimes Reading ornaments ORIGINAL
Champions program. The students presented the funds to the
March of Dimes prior to an awards ceremony on December * Etched items Photo Town Shirts!
13th at the school. 106 South Colony Road * Wallingford
"This is our third year participating in the March of Dimes
Reading Champions program and we are growing every year. 203 269 6802
Hours: Mon-Fri 3:45-7:30pm Sat. 9am-5pm
Our students love to read for a good cause. When teachers participate as readers or sponsors their students, the chil- www.willydsnascar.weebly.com
dren become even more motivated and a wonderful friendly competition occurs throughout the school," said Principal
Louise Moss. "This program helps encourage our students to develop empathy and compassion for those who are less
fortunate and helps to further develop good reading habits and application of skills. We are looking forward to next
year and to bringing more district schools on board." SPEED DRIVE
Reading Champions challenges school children to read as many books as they can, while being pledged by family
and friends to support the March of Dimes mission of improving the health of babies. COMPUTER SERVICES
"We love working with the staff and students at Roger Sherman Elementary School. The student participation
grows each year as does the enthusiasm to help babies be born healthy. We hope to continue this partnership for many
years to come and look forward to working with more elementary schools in the Meriden area," said Suzanne Galotti,
Senior Community Director for the March of Dimes.
The top fundraiser was 5th grader Gillian Galotti. Leilani Chan, 3rd grade, was the 2nd top fundraiser, and the 3rd
top fundraisers (tied) were Justice Galante, 5th grade, and Elena Tellez, kindergarten. Reading the most books was 5th
grader Brianna Boulay (116 books), and Leslie Cortes, also 5th grade, read for the most minutes (5,072).
The March of Dimes awarded a certificate to each student who participated and gave a bronze, silver, or gold
medallion to those students who raised at least $10 and read 4 - 10 books, 11 - 19 books, and 20 or more books respec-
tively. Mascots from the Hartford Wolf Pack and new Connecticut Whale also attended the awards ceremony to con-
gratulate the kids on a job well done and gave each participating student a complimentary game ticket.
Schools interested in participating in the March of Dimes Reading Champions program may contact Suzanne Galotti
at 203-849-9800 or sgalotti@marchofdimes.com and can find more information at www.marchofdimes.com/ct.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide,
the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mor-
tality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter. Computer repairs (replacing broken devices-computer errors)
Photo: Roger Sherman students and staff pose with mascots from the CT Whale and Hartford Wolf Pack at a March of Virus & Spyware Cleaning
Dimes Reading Champions ceremony in the fall. Updates (Windows patches to software Patches)
Tune-ups (Cleaning of Windows junk files, System errors and
Temple Beth David Passover Celebration for Preschoolers defragmentation)
On Sunday April 17, from 11:00 a.m. to noon, Temple Beth David of Cheshire will present a Passover themed program Networking of systems and devices.
for preschoolers at Doolittle School, 735 Cornwall Avenue, Cheshire. This interactive, high-energy session will explore Upgrades (Ram, OS, Drives, and Software)
the traditions and tastes of the Passover celebration. We will enjoy holiday stories, songs with Rabbi Josh, crafts, and System Backup
snacks for both children and adults. The program activities are geared for children up to age 5 accompanied by a parent Computer installs.
or other caregiver. Dress your child casually or bring along a smock (we may get messy!). The program is free and all DSL Internet Installs
preschoolers are invited to participate-you do not need to be a Temple member. Story time is a great way to meet other Anything that is computer related except MAC.
families with young children. Please email education@tbdcheshire.org to enroll, or call Elyse Krantz at (860) 736-
0211 with any questions. You may also visit our website, www.tbdchehire.org, for more information.
203-213-5444
The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of. ~Blaise Pascal wmontefusco@yahoo.com
Page 25 Early April 2011

Master's Manna News and Reviews


LocalMotion Many events and opportunities are planned for the greater Wallingford/Meriden area Resource Center.
Ct Food Bank's 35th Annual Walk Against Hunger is scheduled for Sunday, May 1st at East Rock Park in New Haven.
Our team: Master's Manna's "Guiding Lights" will be participating in this event. You can help us achieve this goal by
going to: http//www.blueskycollaborative.com/cfb/CompleteRegistration.asp?fkroledescid=1&Custom1=New Haven.
The goal for CT Food Bank is to raise $190,000 dollars by May 1st.. According to information from The Connecticut
Food Bank Walk Against Hunger Campaign, "More than 1 in 7 households in Connecticut are at risk for hunger. One
third of those who receive food assistance are children. Money raised goes directly to providing groceries and hot
meals to hungry children, families, seniors and individuals in Fairfield, Litchfield, New Haven, New London,
Middlesex and Windham counties. These numbers are not statistics…they are your family, friends and neighbors".
There will be refreshments, activities, and entertainment in the park prior to the Walk. At 3:30 p.m. there will be an
Awards Ceremony for agencies and people that joined the Walk. CT Food Bank will equally distribute thirty percent of
the net funds received from Walk Against Hunger to the participating member agencies which will include Masters
Manna Resource Center in Wallingford. Our goal is to raise$2500 for the Walk Against Hunger. To register and join our
team effort go to the Walk Against Hunger Website and join Masters Manna's Guiding Lights. Our team will meet at
11:30 AM in the parking lot at Masters Manna Food Pantry and Resource Center in Wallingford. http://www.bluesky-
collaborative.com/cfb/CompleteRegistration.asp?fkroledescid=1&Custom1=Newhaven
Master's Manna will hold a CPR/AED /First Aid Certification class on Saturday, April 16th at 8:00 a.m. The sug-
gested donation fee is $40.00. Please pre-register for this class.
The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling will be holding a seminar at Master's Manna on Saturday, April 16th
, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. This informative seminar is geared toward teens and/or parents of teens. If you know of any-
one that may have an issue with gambling, please attend.
If you have any gently used bookshelves we can utilize them in our reading material area. Gently used books on
Barbara Bruce Wins Awards cooking, travel, nature, wellness and non-fiction are always welcome. Children's books written in Spanish, English and
Barbara Bruce, President of the Wallingford Garden Club, had a very suc- Spanish Bibles are always in high demand.
cessful showing at the Federated Garden Clubs of CT Flower Show held Volunteers are always welcome at Master's Manna Resource Center. What is your passion?! There is a place for you
February 24 - 27 in Hartford. Bruce won two blue ribbons for horticulture to develop that passion and serve others at the same time. Master's Manna is located off Route 68 at 46 North Plains
for her display of norway spruce and princess blue holly. In addition, her Industrial Rd in Wallingford, CT. You can also call during the week at 203-678-3042.
effort in the Razzle Dazzle class won a second place award and her petite That's it for the News and Reviews for this month. Stay tuned for next month's exciting news from Masters Manna
arrangement in the Garden Fairies class was awarded a first place blue rib- Resource Center
bon.
Bruce enjoys her duties as club president and as an accredited flower
Healthy Dining Guide
show judge shares her design talents by providing design workshops to club Leah Mezick, Public Health Intern
members during the year. Wallingford Health Department
1st place design shown in photo My name is Leah Mezick and I am a senior undergraduate student at Southern Connecticut State University. As a public
health major, an important aspect of my educational experience is to put my classroom skills into practice by complet-
ing an internship with an agency in the field. While there are many opportunities to serve as an intern, it was important
for me to be involved with a program that provided a real hands-on experience in the areas of nutrition and health pro-
Yearn To Learn motion. I was fortunate enough to have one of my professors, the Health Director for Town of Wallingford, offer me a
unique opportunity to work through the Health Department and create a community wide "Healthy Dining Guide".
Nathan Hale Elementary School - YEARN TO LEARN This is a new endeavor for the Town of Wallingford and is part of the YMCA's "Pioneering Healthier Communities"
The fifth grade students at Nathan Hale Elementary School have been busy initiative; this project specifically focuses on addressing the obesity issue by providing a listing of local healthy dining
showing off their writing skills over the past several months. Star Student options to the community in an effort to encourage healthier choices and inspire local policy change for better nutrition
Work was displayed throughout the classrooms and in the hallways during when dining out.
the months of December, January, and February. Three special examples of I will be working this semester with the Wallingford Health Educator and a contract nutritionist to establish a stan-
different types of writing are being shared with you. Preston Studley is shar- dard for healthy menu items. Local restaurants will then be contacted in order to review their menu's; those establish-
ing a Snowflake Poem, Erin Stone and Samantha Valentino are both shar- ments that meet our standard of excellence will be awarded a certificate to put on display and be encouraged to identify
ing Martin Luther King, Jr. Haikus, and Adam Williams is sharing his the healthy choices on their menu. A compilation of certified restaurants, along with information on the criteria that they
expository essay on his New Year's resolutions. meet, will be made available for public use.
It is important to be aware of healthy meal options, especially when dining out, and I look forward to working
towards creating a resource that will make this effort a little bit easier as well as successful. While the Healthy Dining
Guide program is purely voluntary for restaurants, the projects success is contingent upon each establishment's willing-
ness to be involved and provide healthy choices to the public. Please encourage your favorite local restaurants to partic-
ipate! If you have any questions or recommendations on what you would like to see included in this guide, please feel
free contact me at leah.mezick@gmail.com or Wallingford Health Dept 203-294-2065.

www.daffodilfest.com
Page 26 Early April 2011
The People's Press is pleased to welcome two new LocalMotivaters
to our team. Rupert Thomas and Michelle Trenchard-Scianna Knitting with Mom
offer a wealth of experience and knowledge. You can welcome By JoAnne Grabinski
them by emailing michelle@peoplespressnews.com or After Christmas I decided to learn to knit. Why? I' don't really know,
Rupert@peoplespressnews.com. I've heard that 'they', whoever 'they' are say that you should start new
hobby every few years or so. It's supposed to keep your brain and

You’ll get a charge


body active in learning something new. Its new skills to master, new
activities to participate in and new people to meet, all the while creat-
ing new neuropath ways in the brain. Simply put, it's good for you and

from our service!


your health.
But it was more than that. You see, my mom is a wonderful knitter
and I realized I better start learning from the best. So I went out and
bought some yarn and she brought a set of needles when we met at my
sister's to watch a UConn Lady Huskies basketball game. Looking
back, that may not have been the proper atmosphere to begin learning a new skill.
I had decided to make a scarf, thinking it would be pretty straight forward after all it was a rectangle. I chose a
denim blue in color, soft and textured, thinking it would 'work up quickly', that's knitting talk for easy-to-knit. Well,
not so much.
The good thing was my brain got it; the bad news was my hands were not quite there yet. Kitting is slipping the
needle in back of the stitch, wrap the yarn around the needle and slide it off the front, while purling is just the opposite,
slinging the needle in front of the stitch, wrapping the yarn around the needle and sliding the stitch off the back. If you
knit row after row you end up with rows of bumps and that is called 'ribbing', whereas if you alternate knitting rows
with purling rows you a very flat weave that most people think of as knitting. And alternating knitting and purling in
various forms get you a whole bunch of different stitches, like the seed stitch or basket weave. And then there is the
real complicated stuff of cables. All I know is I'm not ready for that… yet.
I remember her kitting when we were waiting for the doctors or dentist and even the orthodontists. Back then, we
all went regardless of who the appointment was actually for. So she always had her knitting with her while she was
waiting and it seemed like we were always waiting for someone. She would bring her knitting with her while my dad
went fishing, always being productive with her time. My mom knit us hats, mittens, scarves, sweaters, ponchos (yes
they were real cool at one time!) and tons and tons of blankets. Every now and then she would call me over and hold
up her work in progress against my squirming body to see where she was and what she needed to do. Measuring the
Always growing to serve your needs.... sleeve length or the back all the while telling me to 'hold still'.
There were many trips to Carmelle's Yarn Shop first on east Main Street and then on Elm Street. She had a lovely

Rousseau’s French accent and was so very helpful to my mom when she got stuck or wanted to start a new project. There were
always such the beautiful colors of the yarn to look at and I was constantly touching them and looking at the pattern

Auto Repair
books, thinking 'mom can make me this… and this… and this too!'
I remember a denim blue jacket-like sweater he made for me while I was in middle school. It was a basket weave
pattern, with a ribbed collar and patch pockets. It had a knitted belt to tie it together. Man, I loved that sweater and
Complete Auto Repair wore it all the time, to the point that I had holes in the elbows. We put patches on them and I got a few more years out
Family Owned... Family Friendly Since 1954 of it.
Find Out Why by Stopping Down Today! I still have several of her (master) pieces: a sea green top and skirt, the double-breasted short jacket with the shawl
collar and that old comfortable fisherman-like sweated with the cables. Several of her pieces have labels that say
369 Cook Ave., Meriden 'handmade by Mom'. A few years ago, my cousin gave my brother and sister-in-law a huge bag of handmade sweaters
235-2561 that her now grown children had worn. It was very kind of her to pass along the sweaters to another generation, her
grandchildren.
So my mom cast on twenty stitches and the adventure began. It seemed real easy, I think I learned it all through
osmosis, watching my mom knit for years and years. Admittedly there was a lot of awkwardness in holding the nee-
dles and yarn; she made it seem so effortless.
Well it wasn't quite so effortless for me. I added stitches, I deleted stitches, I knitted when I was supposed to be
purling and purling when I should have knitted. Then I'd get frustrated and call her, and all she'd say was, 'Bring it
over and we'll take a look at what you did.' So Mom would rip it out and gently guide me through the process. After
every row I'd learned to stop and count the stitches to make sure I had twenty. For a while there I could only knit cor-
This edition of “The People’s Press, Your Town, Your News, Your rectly if she was in the room.
Views” serves the needs of the communities of Wallingford and Meriden, I finally got the hang of knitting, but I still have to work on keeping the tension consistent. I got to the point where I
Connecticut. For safety reasons we do not publish the last name of could fix my own mistakes, but I must have ripped that scarf out ten times and started it all over again. I'm getting bet-
artists/writers under the age of 15. 5% of all annual net proceeds are ter, and like learning any new still the key is to keep practicing. So I finished that scarf and my mom showed me how
donated in kind or in financial donation to local charities and organiza- to bind off, or take the stitches of the needles and complete the project.
tions.
The nice thing is that I've got to spend some more time with my mom and she is passing on a skill that is such a big
This newspaper is not affiliated with any other newspaper.
part of her. It was a way for her to define herself other than housewife and mother. She has taken up her knitting again
Publisher: Andrew Reynolds and we sit there, knitting side by side. She's much faster of course, with her needles just clicking right along, but I'm
peoplespress@peoplespressnews.com getting the hang of it now. My sister is thinking of starting again, after learning while in high school.
Managing Editor Andrew Reynolds I've finished my scarf and now am on to my next project, a baby blanket. I'm sticking with squares and rectangles
andy@peoplespressnews.com for now until I feel ready to intentionally add or decrease my stitches. But I know I'll always have my mom right there
Copy Editor Andrew Reynolds when I need her expert advice on knitting… or anything else.
andy@peoplespressnews.com
Advertising Andrew Reynolds Frugal Living; Getting More for Less in Connecticut!
andy@peoplespressnews.com
By Gina Juliano
Web Site Web Solutions, LLC www.ginaskokopelli.com
Writers YOU WRITE IT....WE PRINT IT!!! Is Shopping at BJ's or Costco Really Frugal?
The quick answer to that question might be "Of Course!" You definitely pay
“The People’s Press, Your Town, Your News, Your Views” less for things. However, I urge you to take a second look.
publications are published by: I used to shop at Costco at least twice a month. I would get my paper goods,
DNA, LLC cleaning supplies, cereal, pet supplies, and many other products I used. I just
P.O. Box 4459, Yalesville CT 06492 assumed I was getting a bargain because I was buying in bulk. In essence, I did
peoplespress@peoplespressnews.com get a bargain because I was spending less per item than I would have if I shopped
in a grocery store. What I didn't know, however, was I could also get these items
www.peoplespressnews.com
for free or pennies at drug stores.
Phone (203) 235-9333 With the exception of pet supplies and some meats, I rarely use Costco now to
The People's Press,Your Town, Your News, Your Views and all versions
buy things I need. I have found taking advantage of the drug store sales, promo-
or portions of said name are ©Copyright DNA,LLC. 1999-2011 All Text,
tions like Extra Bucks and Register Rewards, plus manufacturers' coupons make
Logos, Images and other content in print, web or in any way or form are
©Copyright DNA, LLC 1999-2011 All Rights Reserved for some incredible bargains that beat Costco hands down.
The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher and Take, for example, Finish dishwasher tabs. I used to buy these in bulk at Costco. A can of 100 tabs would cost
DNA, LLC. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements or $14.99. On the other hand, I just bought eight 20 count boxes of Finish tabs for free using coupons and CVS Extra
submissions. All items contained herein, including advertisements or portions Bucks. Why would I want to pay $14.99 when I can get what I need for free?
thereof, may not be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written Fabric Softener is another example. I could continue buying the Kirkland brand of fabric softener for $8.89 at
consent of the publisher. All submissions whether by mail, fax, email or any Costco. It's a good price and I like the way it works. Instead, I picked up FREE Gain fabric softener at Rite Aid by
other means become the property of The People’s Press and DNA, LLC and using coupons. The small bottles are regularly $2.99, and I had eight $3 coupons. I'm set for six months with fabric
may be used in any media it so chooses. By submitting to this paper you agree softener I didn't pay a dime for.
to these terms and release The People’s Press and DNA, LLC from any finan- The bottom line answer to the question "Is shopping at Costco and BJ's Frugal?" is sometimes. Quite frankly, you
cial obligations or notifications for any future use of any of said submissions. need to know your prices and the type of shopper you are. For a couponer like me, the drug stores are the only way to
The People’s Press will make every effort to see that all advertising copy is go. I watch sales and match up my coupons to get most of my paper goods, cleaning and laundry supplies, and toi-
correctly printed. The publisher assumes no responsibility for typographical
letries for free. However, if you are someone who doesn't coupon, then Costco and BJ's are an excellent choice to
errors in advertising, advertising inadvertently left out; but will gladly reprint,
without charge, that part of an advertisement is which any error may have
save some money.
occurred, provided that a claim is made within five days of publication. The Gina is the creator of Gina's Kokopelli, a Connecticut blog dedicated to all things coupon, free and cheap. You can
publisher takes no responsibility for statements or claims made in any adver- get more frugal tips, freebies, coupons, and great deals by visiting her blog at http://ginaskokopelli.com. Gina also
tisement. Any copy or images designed or developed by The People’s Press are teaches couponing classes and would love to be invited to your organization or business to teach a class. For more
©Copyright DNA,LLC and may not be used in any other medium. All Rights information or to inquire about a couponing class, please email her at ginaskokopelli@yahoo.com. She's also happy to
Reserved By advertising within The People’s Press, you agree to these terms. answer any couponing question you may have!
Page 27 Early April 2011

Gustav, the Goldfish" by Theodor S. Geisel aka Dr. Seuss CELEBRATIONS


Hasn't been seen in 61 years!!!! But that's about to change...
"This is the tale of a goldfish that grew,
Presented to you with a technique that's new.
To get best results, just read it aloud,
To your youngsters and friends and the rest of the crowd."
Although Dr. Seuss had already written and illustrated "And To Think That I Saw It On
Mulberry Street" in 1937, "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" in 1938, "The King's
Stilts" in 1939, and "Horton Hatches The Egg" in 1940 and so many more that followed,
he was also writing stories for Redbook Magazine for 11 years, from 1948 to 1959. He wrote these story poems under
the name of Theodor S. Geisel, which was his name of course, just without the Seuss part spelled out. The very first
story of his that was published by Redbook Magazine was "Gustav, the Goldfish" in June 1950, followed by 21 others
over the course of the years.
I was emailing my nephew Doug Arndt one day recently about "Horton Hatches The Egg," and how I remembered
reading that book to him and his brother Michael, and that I have a copy of it here that was published in 1940. He said
he had a copy that I gave him and his brother in 1983 and he remembered me reading the story to them. In his email he
mentioned "A Fish Out Of Water," a story his dad read to them every so often and that it was one of his favorites. I did
not remember this story. He told me there was a Cat In The Hat logo on the book, but it was not written by Dr. Seuss,
so that piqued my curiosity. To Jordan, you are the best! From Samantha
Ah. "A Fish Out Of Water" was written by Helen Palmer, Seuss's first wife. I did a bit of research on this and dis-
covered that they had collaborated on a number of stories and that Seuss had given his wife permission to go ahead
with that book, although the same story line had been written by him 11 years earlier in the story of "Gustav, the
Goldfish." "A Fish Out Of Water" has different words and illustrations, but it is essentially Seuss's story.
Charles D. Cohen, who is a dentist, has had a fascination with Dr. Seuss books for years, since his childhood. He
first started collecting early editions of his works while he was in college. Dr. Cohen likely has the most comprehen-
sive private collection of Seuss's works in the world. He is the author of "The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing But
the Seuss."
So here is the best part: Dr. Cohen has written a book that includes seven rarely seen Seuss stories which will be
published on September 27, 2011. It is called "The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories," and includes the story
"Gustav, the Goldfish."
I ordered this book a week ago for my nephew Doug, which I found on Amazon. I think this is kind of exciting
news!!! I intend to flip carefully through the pages of the book before wrapping it up as a present for my nephew's two
daughters.
I happened to stumble upon this information, and I don't know how many people have heard about The Bippolo
Seed, but for those parents and their child or children (or nephews and nieces or grandchildren) who love Dr. Seuss, I
am quite sure they would be excited to learn about this book that can be ordered right now.
Here is a link where you can order The Bippolo Seed:
http://www.amazon.com/Bippolo-Seed-Other-Lost-Stories/dp/0307746054
(There is an interesting comparison of two story lines here, "Gustav, the Goldfish" (by Seuss) and "A Fish Out Of
Water" (by Palmer):
http://1stedition.net/blog/200/03/a_story_of_two_fish_dr_seuss.html
This was posted on a blog by Stan Zielinski on March 11, 2007, which he entitled, "A Story Of Two Fish: Dr. Seuss
Out Of Water." It was never published as a book.)
Dr. Seuss left us 20 years ago, September 24th, but his books will live on here and henceforth.
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." (Dr. Seuss, 3/2/04 -
9/24/91)
Barbara Sherburne - barndt49@yahoo.com
There's talk on the farm twixt the goat and the goose
'Bout a new storybook by our own Dr. Seuss.
There will be friends who'll have stories for you,
And Gustav the goldfish, you'll find him there too.
Youngsters and older will read it, and then...
The magic of Seuss will delight you again!
(by me)

So when was the last time you experienced a miracle?


Rabbi Baruch Kaplan
No, I mean a real miracle of Biblical proportions! Okay, so now you start to think about some supernatural event that
shatters the laws of nature….It's not your fault that the so-called 'big' miracles seem to get all the attention. Celebrate by expressing yourself and
One of the most obscure Jewish holidays, is the holiday of Purim. I mean even the stores haven't found a way to
cash in on it! showing the world the inner YOU!
The funny thing is that one would think it would be the most popular.
The Purim observances (dating the 4th century BCE) include a public reading of the Purim story accompanied by
lots of noisy disapproval for the villain, and all this is done decked up in costume! The rest of the day is spent giving
gifts of food to acquaintances (think special treats!), charity to the poor, and peaking with a Purim feast!
The plot isn't too bad either. Set way back in ancient Persia, the Jews were saved from the wicked Haman by a beau-
tiful Queen Esther who won the love of the powerful King Ahasuerus. Palace intrigue, love, a real villain ~ what could
be better.
The only 'problem' with this holiday is that it's not taken seriously enough since it lacks a good miracle. Think about
it; a beautiful woman who is secretly Jewish is chosen by a king whose grand visor is plotting to annihilate the Jewish
people. That could just be a great coincidence….or not.
But that is why I love this holiday, for it celebrates the natural miracles that happen every day. It is those miracles
that seem to be taken for granted daily, through which G-d smiles and shows His love. So don't let those moments go
to waste. Celebrate the miracles in your life; don't take any of it for granted!
If you wish to find out more about Purim go to www.jewishwallingford.com and read up on it. Fantasy Faces by Ruth brings fun and excitement to any special
occasion, both private and public. Full face art is a great way to add
The People's Press Channel or PPC launches Saturday, April 9, 2011. Check it out at to the celebration of birthdays, bar-mitvahs and bat-mitvahs, holi-
www.peoplespressnews.com and don't forget that you can share your videos! For more days, fairs, festivals, store promotions, fund raisers, school events
information on how to share a video, email ThePPC@peoplespressnews.com and more.
Have fun and make a statement.
Express your inner princess, show the animal lurking within you!
Ruth Gordon can "change" any face into a tiger, butterfly, super
hero or monster within minutes.
Show your true Fantasy Face - if only for a day!

203-605-4357
www.fantasyfacesbyruth.com
info@FantasyFacesbyRuth.com
Page 28 Early April 2011

A Night at the Opera……..and some other stuff


CELEBRATIONS Photo and Story By Ernie Larsen
When I was a young soldier defending our
nation in the wilds of southern Germany, I had
the opportunity to enjoy my first of several
opera performances. My "squeeze of the
moment" was an opera fan and had an inside
line on discount tickets, a plus for me as I was
more or less living paycheck to paycheck - this
was long before the Army was all it could have
been, salary wise.
So, we attended the opera - quite an occasion;
in Germany where almost everyone dresses up
for social occasions and just about everything
else (I actually saw a foreman on a construction
site in a pair of bund hosen (knickers) wearing a
shirt and tie, hmmm?) the opera certainly quali-
fied for that. I got out my best outfit, Navy blue
blazer and grey slacks, powder blue shirt and
Baby Troy, born Jan. 20th 2011 to Keegan & Keith, is watched over by his spiffy tie, along with I have to say the best pol-
faithful dog Toby. ish on a pair of shoes rivaled only by someone
wearing a pair patent leather slip-ons.
The first series of productions were Richard Wagner's (German composer ) Ring series - one of the most famous
Yearn To Learn! opera, IMO and quite a feat to stage. There are four separate operas that comprise the Ring series - I'm not an opera
scholar, however the easily accessible INTERNET provides much information on all operas; I also recall seeing that
Meriden Adult Education offered an opera appreciation program given by Valerie Bubon, opera aficionado extraordi-
naire.
Well, I digress; I'm pretty good at that and for a few months I attended the Nurnberg Staatstheater (Nurnberg State
Opera) enjoying a couple of the aforementioned Ring series along with performances of the Nurnberg Symphony and
some other classical performances and operas. And then the inevitable - splitsville with the Fraulein du Tag and it was
back to hanging with the guys at Ingrid's (local watering hole - just off the base).
This was in 1964 and until now, well for years I have listened to the Saturday afternoon concerts of the Metropolitan
Opera from Avery Fischer Hall in NYC - sponsored for the longest time by Texaco Corporation. And as my wife and I
do visit NYC often for Broadway productions I thought the opera might be an interesting diversion. Hopped on the
Met's Internet site and whoa - ticket prices for the opera were out sight; decent seats, $155.00 and up. Not that I could
not afford the price but when I'm paying less than that for 2 B'way tickets, I'm really thinking about parting with the
cash. And then perusing the Met Opera site - I see RUSH tickets for $20.00 which are subsidized by one of the benefac-
tors of the venue. There are 200 orchestra seats put aside for each performance, unless it is a premiere or Sold-Out, and
they offer senior citizens the opportunity to buy 50 of these by phone or internet each day at noon and the rest are avail-
able at the box office two hours prior to the performance. I know NYC lines can get long - just go by the TKTS booth
any day and check those folks out. And I did a TARGET Friday at MOMA doors opened at 5:00 and the queues started
at 3:00 - I'm not a big fan of waiting on lone, as the NY'ers express the terminology.
Meriden's Nathan Hale Grade 5 students Israel and Aubrie (along with their This was another split weekend, I was in the City on Thursday, had some photo business and was looking for some
parents) were honored February 8, 2011 at the Aqua Turf in Southington for specialized equipment, just small stuff but readily available at B&H, my fav photo retailer. And I had some other
their outstanding achievement in art. errands: my wife was coming down on Friday - we had tickets for LOMBARDI - fantastic - if you get a chance see this
one, a true American classic.

Healing by Energy WORKS! Again, digressing - I programmed my cell phone with the Met's number and around 12:05, Thursday, just after noon
I was the proud owner of a ticket to La Boheme, orchestra seat V35, which was right on the aisle for the low price of

Skeptical? Why then $20.00. Other seats in the same row were $155.00. Such a deal!
So, I had a few hours to wait and went out to a bookstore and NYPublic Library - it was pretty cold and windy down

do so many hospitals offer amidst the canyons of skyscrapers and these venues offered not only warmth but also some excellent diversions, exhibits
and just browsing through books. Then it was back to the hotel - it was suggested to arrive around 7:15 for the opera -

Energy and Reiki Healings? this gave me time to check out Lincoln Center and the Met gift shop - oh yes, a fine opportunity to people watch. Talk
about a diverse crowd - the high rollers in tuxedos, dark suits with the women in high-end dresses looking like they
were freezing their patooties off. Come on A February night, around 20F outside wearing about half a yard of silk mate-
rial with spaghetti straps and stiletto heels that looked like they could cause a lot of damage in hand to hand combat.
And then, tourists, jeans, Dockers, corduroys, slacks, sweaters with all types of footwear - but not too many of them
were wearing sneakers (trainers). And the middle of the road couples, nice practical dresses or pantsuits, and he with
slacks, dress shirt and tie with a heavy winter jacket; lots of that style - myself, I had on Docker type pants, turtleneck,
flannel shirt and a fleece pullover with a light car coat and L.L.Bean gumshoes, waterproof and nice and warm.
I didn't make any purchases at the gift shop - had a glass of wine before heading into my seat and then it was almost
show time. The first thing I noticed when entering the auditorium were a bunch of what seemed to be lecterns behind
the rear seats of the orchestra. They all have a mini screen mounted on the front of the units. Well, these were the stand-
ing room only seats, yes folks; people pay to STAND and enjoy the opera. And this particular production ran 3 hours.
Now I had a chance to peruse the program, got the background on the principals, conductor etc. Then the acknowl-
edgements: people who GENEROUSLY donate to the Met; they're just finishing up the 125th anniversary fund cam-
paign with the major donation of $30 million from Mercedes and Sid Bass (whoever they are) then the Ziff Family gave
$15.00 million (I think they are of the Ziff Davis publishing house, could be wrong). And then a few 10 and 5 million
gifts and then some lower in value -I wonder how William Rondina and the15 or so others who gave just 1 million feel;
they are listed on the bottom of the donor list, in small type, as if their money was 'chump-change'; people LOVE their
opera in NYC!
The auditorium is filling up, it's 5 after 8, the lights dim a couple of times, the curtain goes up and La Boheme
begins its 59th season being performed at the Met.
It was thoroughly enjoyable, the translation screens certainly were well appreciated and the effort by both performers
and behind the scenes people was exemplary - the 4 different sets were incredible in their design and the conductor and

Carrie Purcell orchestra were second to none.


I've been to many different performance of events, from Broadway to local school concerts and it seems that people
believe they have to give standing ovations - come on, for little Ricky who just murdered Ode to Joy on the clarinet,
Energy Medicine Practitioner you know what I mean - if you really enjoy a good performance and it isn't out of sight, just raise the volume and length
of your applause.
An Experienced and Trusted Healer And now the exception to this rule was made up in my mind last Thursday; as soon as the first two performers came
out for curtain call -the whole auditorium started to rise and the applause for the whole company lasted a good 10 min-
- Relax and De-stress utes or maybe more; believe me, more than well-deserved.
And I was in full agreement when a lull in the ovation triggered a hearty "BRAVO".
- Relief from Chronic Pain
- Improved Healing from Surgery
- Personal Growth
For more information
visit www.carriepurcell.com
To schedule an appointment
call 203.623.7386
Page 29 Early April 2011

MAX E. MURAVNICK MERIDEN SENIOR CITIZENS' CENTER Church's Spring Tag


The Max E. Muravnick Meriden Senior Citizens' Center is open to all Meriden residents age 55 and over. Membership St. John the Evangelist Church
is free of charge and new members may sign-up any weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by presenting a driver's 360 Church St., Yalesville, CT
license or other proof of age. New members receive an information package about senior services and a coupon enti- Date: May 7, 2011 9AM - 3PM
tling them to one complimentary lunch in our Senior Community Café. Sign-up today and find out about all that is Tag, Bake, Book and Rummage Sales
offered for Meriden seniors at the Max E. Muravnick Senior Center! Getting the paper at home or picking it up at a local business?
Our Senior Center Volunteer Recognition Day will be held on Wednesday, April 20 at 11:15 AM in Willene's Place. Get an Even Quicker Pick Me Upper at www.peoplespressnews.com.
We will recognize all of our volunteers and also announce the 2011 "Volunteers of the Year". Please join us for this spe-
cial event and thank you to all of our volunteers for your work all year long!
Creative Writing Classes with Susan Sandel will resume on Wednesday, April 13 at 1:00 PM. The six week class will CELEBRATIONS
help you learn to express yourself more easily and improve your writing skills. No prior experience is necessary and
newcomers are welcome. Please sign-up for this free class in the front office or by calling us at 203.237.0066.
On Wednesday, April 13 at 10:30 AM Mike Savinelli from BCI Financial will speak on Reverse Mortgages. Learn
how you can use the equity in your home to cover other expenses like home improvements, a new car, medical bills,
traveling or other personal expenses. This no cost or obligation program will be held in the first floor meeting room and
refreshments will be served.
On Thursday, April 21 we will have our 3rd annual "Grandchildren Day" during school vacation week. A special $2
hot dog lunch will be available for the kids followed by a free bingo open to everyone with $5 gift cards to McDonald's
as prizes. Please invite your grandchildren/great grandchildren and sign-up in Willene's Place to join us for this special
intergenerational event on April 21!
Save the date for the first annual "Seniors First Day" at Maloney High School on Tuesday, May 3 from 12:30-2:30.
You are invited to a performance by the Allegrettos, a weight conditioning and country line dance demonstration, com-
puter greeting card class, blood pressure screening, refreshments and more, all to unite the generations and bring seniors
and high school students together! The Mini-Bus will depart at 12:15 and take you home after the program, people are
also welcome to drive on your own, please sign-up for the bus with Becky in the Mini-Bus Office or call her at
203.237.3338.
On Wednesday, April 27 at 11:15 in Willene's Place, Blanca Toledo Perez from AASCC will speak about the Home
Share Program for homeowners who would like to share their home. Finally, there are still openings for the AARP
Driver Safety Class on April 27, tickets for the May 2 Kiwanis Hi-Liters Show at 7:00 PM will be available on April 4
and the last day for AARP Income Tax Assistance is April 6.
John F. Hogarth - Senior Center Director

Heart Safe Community On December 9th, 2010 - Martin and Sherlyn (Garcia) Avila welcomed
their first child, Angela Natalie, she weighed 7lbs and 5 oz and measured
The Wallingford Health Dept. is in the process of reapplying for the Connecticut DPH Heart Safe Community
20 inches long. Congratulations! You are going to be wonderful parents as
Designation. This effort is based on the progress this community has made establishing and promoting the potential for
you already are! Love, Julie
saving lives of sudden cardiac arrest. The increased opportunities for CPR training, and public access to automated
external defibrillators (Aids) have tripled the lives saved since our original designation as a Heart Safe Community in
2008.
The Wallingford Health Dept. is anxious to recertify in 2011, but we need your help. If your company has offered
CPR/AED training, and or have installed an AED, please contact the Wallingford Health Dept. at (203) 294-2065 or by
e-mail at wlfdhealth@sbcglobal.net. If you are already a partner PLEASE let us know that we have your continued sup-
port, and if you have increased your CPR/AED training. If you are new to the partnership, we need you on board!! We
will forward you a brief questionnaire so that you and you're company are fully recognized as being a partner in this
truly life saving effort. Please join us as we strive to make Wallingford a safer place to live.

Female Urinary Incontinence Program


MidState Medical Center will host a program that addresses a common problem affecting women: female urinary incon-
tinence. The program entitled, "Female Urinary Incontinence - Why Are You Leaking and What are the Solutions?"
will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at MidState Medical Center in Meriden in the Horwitz
Conference Center.
This program, presented by female urologist, Jean Wong, MD, and physical therapist, Pat Biron, PT, will educate
women on the different types of incontinence and the treatments that are available. Women are encouraged to attend in
this open, comfortable environment.

Sign Your Child Up Now An Action causes an equal if not stronger reaction.
For Our Wonderful Negative news CAN be overcome by the Positive!
Summer Camps!
YOU
&

www.peoplespressnews.com

We don’t just share Positive and Good News.


Creative Art Camps We make Positive and Good News Happen!
Nature Art Camps TOGETHER, we are
& NEW Fiber Art Camp
LocalMotivated
to make a difference!
EASEL WORKS
Creative Art Studio & Gallery That's the way it always has been with us...
294-1548
Registration is required for this program. To register, please call 203-694-
8733. Light refreshments will be provided. and that's the way it always will be.
2 Quinnipiac Street, Wallingford andy@peoplespressnews.com
Page 30 Early April 2011

Wallingford Senior Center to Offer Extended Hours


Beginning on Thursday, April 7, 2011 the Wallingford Senior Center will be offering extended hours of operation, with
a variety of evening programs, special events and classes to be held. The Senior Center will be open until 8:30 p.m. on
Yearn To Learn
April 7 & 14, and every Thursday in May through October. Our Lake View Café will be offering dinner, with menus
changing weekly, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased during our hours of operation for $6.00 at the Front
Desk, and include an entrée and small beverage. A variety of dessert items are also available for an additional fee. For
more information, please contact Patty Watts, Program Coordinator at 203-265-7753.
Belly Dance This class is rooted in classic belly dance technique and meets weekly in the Fitness Room at 5:15 p.m.
No experience needed to participate in this fun and low-impact class. Start Date: April 7, Instructor: Aleenah, Cost:
$25. Please sign up.
Scrapbooking Class Learn to create beautiful keepsake albums that will be treasured for generations from your person-
al photos and memories. Come to a free introductory session to hear more about it on April 14 in the Creative Arts
Room at 5:30 p.m. Start Date: May 5, Instructor: Diane Soares, Cost: $25 plus materials. Please sign up.
Zumba Gold Zumba infuses Latin rhythms and simple dance moves to create a fun and exciting total body workout
designed for the active older adult. Meets weekly in the Fitness Room at 6:00 p.m. Start Date: May 5, Instructor: Kayt
Keirn, Cost: $25. Please sign up.
Texas Hold 'Em Poker A competitive yet friendly card game. Must be a WSC member to play, men and women are
Third graders in Mr. Cohen's third grade class at Nathan Hale School learned
welcome. Weekly games held in the Game Room from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Instructor: Tom Burrill, Cost: $2.00 per play-
about symmetry in math, then made symmetrical masks in Art Class
er.
Twilight Concert with the Survivors Our own band, The Survivors, will be here to perform their wonderful selection of

LocalMotion
dance music during the dinner hour. Buy a delicious dinner at the Lake View Café (ticket purchase required) and enjoy
the show! April 14, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Great Room.
Backing Up Your Computer Kevin Ozer, from our Computer Learning Center, will be sharing valuable information
about "backing up" the computer files on your home or small business P.C. in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms.
This session is free, but pre-registration is required. Open to the public. Space is limited, sign up today. April 14, 6:30
p.m. in the Activity Room.
No Thursday Evening Programs Scheduled April 21 & 28 The Senior Center will be closing at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday,
April 21 & 28. Please join us on Thursday, May 5, when our evening programs resume.

Senior Permits for Delivery of Household Trash to Wallingford Disposal Site


Department of Public Works - 203 294-2105 Senior Citizen Permits Expire April 10, 2011
Any Wallingford senior citizen (sixty-five years of age and older) or resident having a Medicare card who plans to
deliver his or her household trash to the Wallingford Disposal Site (landfill) must obtain a new permit in order to use
senior coupons. The new permits may be secured Monday, April 4, through Friday, April 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington Street. The permit cost is $5.00. Applicants must bring their driver's
license, proof or residence, and the current registration for the vehicle that will be used to deliver trash to the disposal
site. Permits will be issued only on these dates and times. There are no exceptions. Shell Game! Can you guess which mound has a car under it? Photo by
Lynn C Fisher
Hawaiian Night
CELEBRATIONS
The Meriden Turner Society will host Hawaiian Night on Saturday, April 16th at the Turner Halle, 800 Old Colony
Road, Rt.71, Meriden. A ham dinner served at 6 pm will be followed by the dancing and listening music of the
Vagabonds until 11 pm. Call Leo @ 203-440-0028 or the Clubhouse on Thursday evenings @ 203-440-9624 for reser-
vations.

FIELD RUN FOR AUTISM, Sunday May 1, 2011


TIME: 8:30 AM SHARP! Registration starts at 7 AM.
Come join us at the 5K race on the private running field at Choate Rosemary Hall High School, 333 Christian Street,
Wallingford, CT. Registration fee: $30, $35 on day of race, $15 for all students
Students can attain community service hours by forming a group to run in the race. Contact Pat Coppola at 203 265-
7717 Ext 14, or email patcoppola2000@yahoo.com for additional information.

CELEBRATIONS of LIFE!
No matter if it’s a birthday, holiday, anniversary, wedding ,
birth announcement or just to make someone feel special ;
it’s always FREE to share your Celebrations in The People’s Press!
Read it in print and on the web at www.peoplespressnews.com Platt HS gymnast Kirsten Dawkins along with her coach Bryon Knox at the
Pomperaug High School Invitational Kirsten travels with the Southington
Email a smile to celebrations@peoplespressnews.com High School gymnastics team.
Kirsten placed third in the All around with a 34.45. On vault she earned
an 8.0 & an 8.5 on floor. Kirsten took first place on bars with a 9.35 and
also tied for first on beam with a 8.6.
Also, Kirsten finished second in the AA with a 36.05. She placed first on
vault (9.5) and second on bars (9.0). Kirsten earned a 9.05 on beam and fin-
ished on floor with an 8.5. PHS Invitational Jan 17
Congratulations!

Crossword April 2011 Answers.


Puzzle by Ruth Gordon.

Message:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Your Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Phone # _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Address: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Signature: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The best way to send a celebration is by email! However, if you prefer you can send to:The People’s Press, P.O.
Box 4459, Yalesville CT 06492. If you would like the photo returned to you, please enclose a self addressed
stamped envelope! We do not publish the last names of of our friends who are under the age of 15 for safety rea-
sons.
T h e d e a d l i n e i s A p r i l 1 5 t h f o r o u r M i d - A p r i l 2 0 11 I s s u e !
Page 31 Early April 2011

CELEBRATIONS

To my love We have been through so much in both our lives, separately and
together. I am happy to have you by my side. I know with each other we
can accomplish anything small or big. So here is to us, may we continue to
grow and love one another. Happy anniversary! Love, Emily

We Deliver Springtime!

Grandma Beth wanted to say hi to her favorite leprechauns, Emily & Sarah

190 Center St, Wallingford


203-265-1514
www.wallingfordflower.com

Complete Residential and


Commercial Services!
SCREENED TOP SOIL
*Prompt Delivery
* Farm Quality
* Stone Free
SEPTIC SERVICE
* Septic Tank Cleaning
* Installation & Repair
* Sewer Connections
MULCH
* Natural
* Color Enhanced

BARAN’S COMBAT FITNESS 203.269.0135


324 High Hill Road Proudly Serving the
21 No. Plains Industrial Road, Wallingford 203-949-9660 Local Community
www.baranskenpo.com Wallingford Since 1949
Page 32 Early April 2011

MERIDEN FEED FARM • GARDEN • PET SUPPLIES


NOW OPEN!

SCOTTS 4 STEP VALUE PROGRAM

Lyon & Billard’s


NEW Home Design Center!
“A Home Show Every Day!”
PLANNING A PROJECT?
SEE THE LATEST IN:
*Cabinets
*Windows
*Replacement Windows
*Skylights
*Entrance Doors
*Interior Doors
*Roofing
*Roffing Shingles
*Trusses
*Vinyl & Wood Siding
*Cement Siding
*Wood Decking
*Azek Decking
*Trex Decking
*Thin Stone
*Kitchens
*Baths

$54.88 5,000SF
*Granite Countertops
AND MUCH MORE...
ALL UNDER ONE ROOF!

$144.88 15,000 SF
*With this Coupon. All specials expire 4/30/11 or while supplies last. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit 1 coupon per customer. See store for details.
2,000 s.f. of Cabinets
2,000 s.f. of Building Products
Located: In The Connecticut Beverage Plaza
955 Washington St. (Rte. 66) Middletown
(860) 347-7601 (860) 347-3966
Mon,Tues, Wed, Fri 9am-5pm/Thurs 9-7/Sat 9-1/Sun 10-2

When it comes to home improvement....


Those other guys say, “Uh, hmm,
maybe - yeah - go down to that row.”
At Lyon & Billard, we tell you exactly
everything you need to know!

$35.99 $44.99 $44.99


WELLNESS ADULT 30LB
Innova Adult TASTE OF THE WILD Super5
30lb ANY FLAVOR 30LB CHICKEN, LAMB OR FISH
WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN- WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN- WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN-
NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11 SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11 SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11

No matter where you go...here we are!


38 Gypsy Lane, Meriden 1290 Farmington Ave., Berlin
(203) 235-4487 (860) 829-1842
504 West Main St., Chesire 731 Norwich Rd., Plainfield
(203) 272-5351 Phone (860) 230-0483
955 Washington St. Rt. 66 26 Skinner St, EastHampton

3 for $11.97
Cedar Mulch - 3c.f.
$11.99
Heath Suet Cakes-Case of 12
$9.99
Middletown - (860) 347-3966 Phone (860) 267-2565

We are on the web at


(D4,15,14,18) Thistle Seed - 10 lb. Bag www.lyon-billard.com
WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN- WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN- WITH COUPON, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. CAN-
NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11 SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11 SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. EXPIRES 4/30/11

846 Old Colony Rd., Meriden


203-237-4414

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi