May 2008 Local News and Events

Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction Kevin Gilbride, Offensive Coordinator of the 2008 World Champion New York Giants, will be honored at The 23rd Annual Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction, co-chaired by Ray Peach, a retired Executive Vice President of Hudson United Bank and currently serving as Executive Consultant with TD Banknorth, on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, Connecticut. The Jim Calhoun Community Service Award will be presented by Coach Calhoun to Paul Pendergast, President and Chief Development Officer for Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center Foundation. This year’s event is dedicated to Meriden’s Maloney High School Football Coach Rob Szymaszek. He is a past recipient of the Saint Francis Award. Rob died in 2007 after a long battle with cancer. Proceeds benefit the programs of the Franciscan Life Center, Meriden, Connecticut. The Silent Auction begins at 5:30 pm., followed by program and dinner at 6:30 pm. Auction items include: Three Season Tickets to the New York Giants 2008-2009 Season and four Reserved Tickets to a 2008 Boston Red Sox Game including diner at the exclusive EMC Club hosted by Lou Gorman of the Boston Red Sox. Sponsor in part, ESPN. For more information visit our web site at www.flcenter.org, call (203) 237-8084 or call Al Proto at (203) 239-6330. The Wallingford Kiwanis Club will sponsor a community tag sale to benefit Relay For Life on Saturday, May 10 at 29 N. Plains Highway (across from PNA park) from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Spaces are avaiable to rent for $20 (bring your own table). For donation information call Bill Cook @ 265-1678 or Jan Donahue @ 697-2150. This event is Rain or Shine! Preparing Children for a Multicultural World Meriden Family Resource Center in collaboration with the Meriden School Readiness Council is offering a workshop entitled Preparing Children for a Multicultural World: How to Raise a Non-racist, Non-sexist child. It will be held on Wednesday, May 7 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Ben Franklin Elementary School, 426 West Main St., Meriden. This exciting workshop will be presented by Dr. William Howe, Ed.D. who is the Education Consultant for Multicultural Education & Gender Equity for the Connecticut State Department of Education. It is free and open to parents, teachers and childcare providers. Continuing Education Units will be awarded, as needed as well as certificates of attendance. A light dinner will be provided. Advance registration is required as seating is limited. Call 238-2316 to register. St. Stanislaus Parish Festival The St. Stan’s Parish Festival will be held on Friday, May 30th (6-10PM) and Saturday, May 31st (Noon – 10PM) on the parish grounds at 82 Akron Street. This year’s event will feature traditional Polish food: homemade pierogi, golabki & kielbasa sandwiches, as well as American favorites fried dough, hot dogs, steamed cheeseburgers and clam chowder. There will be inflatable rides and games for the kids. Our Parish Sunshine Club will be sponsoring a craft sale as well as selling baked goods. This year we will be bringing back our tag sale. On Friday, May 30th, you will be entertained by the Stan Scott Orchestra and on Saturday evening our feature band will be Patti & the Guys. As always our festival will culminate with our annual raffle with this year’s grand prize being a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The Connecticut Cyclones, of the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) are made up of women age 18 and older from the state of Connecticut that have a passion for the sport of professional football. The CT Cyclones were formed in 2005 and begun play in 2006. The CT Cyclones are based in West Haven, CT but play in the Greater New Haven County. The Cyclones play in the IWFL. Currently the Cyclones are recruiting for the 2008 season. If any women are interested in finding out additional information contact ctcyclonesmedia@hotmail.com. The Meriden Student’s Art Festival The Meriden Student’s Art Festival will be hosted by Gallery 53 and the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center May 15th to May 30th. Described as “best in show” by art teacher Chris Webster of Lincoln Middle School, 100 students will have an opportunity to present their work to the community. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Gallery 53 will exhibit the work of students from Meriden’s middle school, high school and Wilcox Technical School. There will be a reception at the Gallery on May 15th from 4:00 to 7:00PM. The Gallery is located at 53 Colony Street, Meriden. The Augusta Curtis Culture Center will be displaying the work of the Meriden elementary schools art students. There will be an opening reception on May 15th from 4:00 to 7:00PM at 175 East Main Street, Meriden, that is also free and open to the public. The Augusta Curtis Cultural Center is a new organization. Formed in September, 2000, it works out of the century old, marble Greek revival Curtis Memorial building. The center is dedicated to exploring diverse cultures and to cultivating the arts and sciences in the community. Visit their website: www.curtisculturalcenter.org or call 203-639-2856. Gallery 53/The Arts and Crafts Association has been serving the community for over 100 years, is a non-profit organization committed to promoting and encouraging the arts through educational programs, exhibits, workshops and lectures. Gallery hours are from 12:00 to 4:00PM, Tuesday – Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 2:00PM. Free parking is available across the street and there is easy access from I84 and I91. For more information visit their website: www.gallery53.org or call 203-235-5347. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield retirees are being encouraged to become members of "Blue Horizons". The Blue Horizons Club, for former employees who worked at the North Haven campus and other locations throughout Connecticut in years past, is administered by a team of Officers drawn from and elected by Club members. Retirees are eligible to join if they were employed there for ten years or more, according to Frances Palumbo, President of the Club. The annual fee is $15, and allows members to participate in discounted trips, luncheons and other events. Contact Joan Goodliffe at (203)234-1070 or Margaret Martindale at (203)265-7312 for much more information. Wallingford Project Graduation 2008 marks the 19th year of a community wide effort to make graduation night safe for Wallingford High School graduates. This event is supported by Mayor's Council on Substance Prevention and local businesses. The mission "Project Graduation is devoted to keeping Wallingford graduates safe and substance free on graduation night" On Saturday May 10th, Applebys in Wallingford will be sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast from 8-10am. Tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Youth and Social Services at 6 Fairfield Blvd., Wallingford from 9-5pm Monday-Friday, 294-2175. Tickets can also be purchased at the door at Applebys the day of the event.Liz Davis Quinnipiac River Fund puts nearly $100,000 to work on local environment Funds used for workshops on how to manage school fields without the use of harmful pesticides, to take aerial photos of the Quinnipiac and more The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven announces that grants totaling $99,650.00 have been awarded from The Quinnipiac River Fund. The Quinnipiac River Fund was established in 1990 by a court settlement of litigation between the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, the Natural Resource Defense Council and the Upjohn Company concerning wastewater discharges from Upjohn’s plant in North Haven, CT. The settling parties chose The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to be the vehicle for the Fund and agreed the fund was to be used to, “improve the environmental quality of the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor and the watersheds of these waterbodies, and otherwise to benefit the environment of these resources.” Requests for support from the Quinnipiac River Fund are assessed by the Fund’s Advisory Committee. Applications are available in the beginning of each year and are due in early Spring. Current advisory committee members are: Nancy Alderman, president of Environment and Human Health; Gordan Geballe, the assistant dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; and Margaret Miner, director of Rivers Alliance. This committee meets once a year to make recommendations for distribution of grants from the Quinnipiac River Fund to The Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. . Grants range from $1,000 to $20,000 for the 2008 season and the committee considered the following funding priorities in their decision-making this year: Purchase of land in the Quinnipiac River watershed for conservation purposes and to reduce pollution and improve public access. Aiding in restoring the habitat of the watershed. Research on methods of reducing pollution, or otherwise improving the environmental health of the Quinnipiac River. Studying the ecology of the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor. Supporting environmental advocacy, except for litigation. The Quinnipiac River spans 38 square miles in Connecticut and is named for the American Indian Algonquian phrase “long water land”. It flows through the towns of Plainville, Southington, Meriden, Cheshire, Wallingford, Yalesville, and North Haven into New Haven Harbor. Pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists run along the River; a grant from the Quinnipiac River Fund in 2001 to the Friends of the Linear Trail, Inc. helped to further the acquisition of land for the trail right of way in Wallingford, construction of bridges, boardwalks, and observation platform. The paths are free and open to the public. Quinnipiac River Fund - Grants Awarded 2008 Catalyst Studios $3,500. To cover the costs of aerial shots for the Consider the Quinnipiac Campaign. Aerial photographs will provide visual documentation and access to areas not readily seen from land level. Funding will also be used for a photo exhibit grand opening, expansion of photo documentation time, and photo stories. Fair Haven Housing Initiative/Grand News $3,000. To support the publishing of six in-depth stories including 240 photographs about the Quinnipiac River and its surrounding environment. New Haven Land Trust $5,000. To support the convening of a Bio Blitz on August 22nd to provide a list of species found in the preserve during one 24-hour period. North Haven Trail Association $5,000. To design and order letterhead, envelopes, postcards, postage and produce mapping for the trail. Elm City Park Conservancy $6,200. To support the evaluation for feasibility of re-use of the New Haven landfill, pollution, access, energy, and sustainable planting. Connecticut Northeast Organic Farmers Association $6,530. To support the implementation of intensive workshops to teach 100 Connecticut school groundskeepers how to manage fields without the use of harmful pesticides. Schooner, Inc. $7,160. To collect water quality data to study the ecology of the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor and provide public education about the river. Yale University - Grant & Contract Administration $8,260. To support the continuation of short courses concerning river processes to local members of the conservation/inland wetland commissions and environmental activists. Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) $15,000. To support the implementation of a four-day training program to educate land use leaders. Quinnipiac River Watershed Association $20,000. To support the implementation of landowner and youth education about reducing non-point pollution. Watershed Partnership, Inc. $20,000. To continue support for the Safe Grounds Campaign to reduce non-point source pollution from lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Since 1928, donors to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven have built the community's endowment currently valued at approximately $300 million. In 2007, The Foundation Board of Directors distributed over $12 million in grants from over 640 different named charitable funds supporting a wide range of programs and projects. The Foundation’s service area encompasses: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information about The Community Foundation visit www.cfgnh.org. Hungarian Community Club will hold its Annual May Ball May 17 2008 7:00 PM at 147 Ward St. Wallingford, CT Chicken Paprikas/Csirke paprikas coffee and dessert. Music by Laszlo Donation $ 55.00 Reservation is a must. Please call Linda 203 634-0602 Kathy 203 213-3775 Helping Hands Opens Doors for Benefit of Abused Women and their Children Walking into Helping Hands, Inc., a renovated garage that the community remembers bringing their cars to over many years on North Turnpike Road in Wallingford, you wouldn’t recognize it. There are no smells of oil, no stacks of tires and no shelves of car parts. What you would notice is a quaint shop, reminiscent of a homemade craft shop. You can’t travel beyond the entry way before learning the goal of Helping Hands, a thrift store dedicated to the benefit of the local community. On a bookshelf you pass on the way to racks of clothes and shelves of housewares and small appliances are print-outs describing their commitment to Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis, the local domestic violence service provider. Linda Nordgren, founder of Helping Hands, and lifetime Wallingford resident, approached Chrysalis before even opening their doors. “We want to help the community.” Laura then made bold commitments to Chrysalis, commitments that are already benefitting victims and survivors of domestic violence throughout Meriden and Wallingford. Helping Hands is allowing Chrysalis residents and clients to shop for much needed clothing, a basic need that is often unmet when women are forced to flee abusive situations with little or no time to pack. “We’ll also let women shop in our store when they are moving out, and into their own apartments or homes.” Women offer a simple voucher, verifying their relationship with Chrysalis, and walk out with a bag or two of items at no charge. “We won’t turn anyone away who needs us,” Linda said. To further their commitment, Helping Hands also collects donations at their check-out counter, and once expenses are met, offers sale proceeds back to Chrysalis. Other Helping Hands staff include Kelley Avenoso, John Paluck, Sara Booker and Oslando Madero; aided by volunteer Eileen Amico. “We worked together in the past, we’re family coming together for an awesome cause,” stated Kelley. Chrysalis admits being awed and humbled by the generous commitment of Helping Hands. “We’re so grateful to our community partners. The journey of women and children who’ve experienced domestic violence is being made a touch easier by their ‘Helping Hands’,” said agency Director Sharlene Kerelejza. “We look forward to our continued relationship, and hope to find ways to benefit them, as they work so selflessly to benefit us.” COMMUNITY CHORUS TUNING UP FOR " THE FABULOUS 50’S, 60’S, AND 70’S. "THE CHESHIRE COMMUNITY CHORUS WILL PRESENT ITS 28TH SPRING CONCERT ENTITLED "THE FABULOUS 50’S, 60’S, AND 70’S" ON SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2008 AT 7 PM. AT DODD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN CHESHIRE. THE CHORUS BEGAN IN 1980 AS PART OF CHESHIRE’S BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND HAS BEEN PERFORMING EVER SINCE ENTERTAINING CHESHIRE AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WITH MUSIC FOR EVERYONE. THIS SPRING THE CHORUS WILL OFFER A MELODIC JOURNEY THROUGH THE HITS AND BEST LOVED ROCK & ROLL, FOLK , POPULAR AND STANDARD BROADWAY AND MOVIE SONGS OF THE PAST. SMALL GROUPS OF SOLOISTS AND GUITARISTS FROM THE CHORUS WILL ADD TO THE VARIETY OF THE PERFORMANCE. IF YOU ENJOYED THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON, CARLY SIMON, WILLY NELSON, BOB DYLAN, JOHN DENVER, THE BEATLES, THE BEACH BOYS, AND BROADWAY AND IF YOU REMEMBER SONGS LIKE: At the Hop, Blue Suede Shoes, Let It Be Me, Always On My Mind, My Boyfriends Back, California Girls, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Build Me Up Buttercup, Sincerely, Why do Fools Fall in Love, Puff The Magic Dragon, Dream A Little Dream Of Me, Hernando’s Hideaway, Oh, Pretty Woman, You’ve Got A Friend, Moon River, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Blowin’ In The Wind, Both Sides, Now, Annie’s Song, and more, YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS EVENING OF MUSIC AND MEMORIES. LIZA ZOLKIEWICZ- IVES WILL BE CONDUCTING WITH COLETTE SWITAJ AT THE PIANO. TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR OR FROM ANY CHORUS MEMBER OR CALL 272-2308 TO RESERVE. $10 –ADULTS/ $8-SENIORS & STUDENTS. The greatest gift you can give another person is the gift of being present. Being a volunteer means becoming a member of a caring and compassionate hospice team. Hospice and palliative care is about living every day to its fullest...it's all about quality not quantity of life. Here are some of the things our wonderful hospice and palliative care volunteers say about why they volunteer with Connecticut VNA "My volunteering with Connecticut VNA has been more rewarding than I ever expected. It has made me very comfortable with end of life issues - for myself and for the people I love". Annette, volunteer since 2005 " All of my experiences have been unique to me and my patients, yet somehow common to all hospice volunteers, I would not have missed any of them for the world. In someway, I am making a difference to someone facing a difficult time in life." Nancy, volunteer since 2006 We invite you to join Connecticut VNA's hospice and palliative care volunteer training and get started on a life changing experience! Connecticut VNA is Medicare certified, JCAHO accredited agency offering excellent volunteer training as well as continuing education and support for our volunteers. Join us in making a difference in someone's life - call Jolan Szollosi, Volunteer Coordinator at 203-679-5342. THINK YOU CAN’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Think Again. Have you ever thought about volunteering somewhere in town, but maybe you could not make up your mind where to go that fits your schedule? Or perhaps you may have pondered the idea of service to your community, but you did not know how or where to start your search for a local non-profit organization. The Volunteer Center of the United Way of Meriden and Wallingford exists to help people just like you who are interested in making a difference in our community. The Volunteer Center is the “hub” for anything and everything volunteer-related in Meriden and Wallingford, and works as a facilitator between prospective volunteers and the many local agencies who need their help. Do you have a particular skill that you would like to use to help out a local non-profit agency? Do you like painting, art, music, sports, photography, reading, working with children, or gardening? Many of the agencies right here in our town are in dire need of specialty skills (plumbers, carpenters, accountants, attorneys, painters, etc.) and could greatly benefit from any time you could offer. Think outside of job titles: Are you really good at organizing? Do you have exceptional computer skills? Our 26th President Teddy Roosevelt once said simply yet eloquently, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Start today by calling The Volunteer Center at (203) 235-4403, or send me an email: sarah@unitedwaymw.org. All we need is a little basic information: Do you want to volunteer on a particular day, for one day only? Would you like to become involved in coordinating an event for an agency, or participate as a Board Member? Are you looking to find a somewhat steady volunteer opportunity, perhaps one hour a week, or one afternoon a month? Contact us and we would be delighted to help you find the opportunity you are looking for! As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ATTENTION: The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Annual Food Drive will be Saturday, May 10. The United Way of Meriden and Wallingford proudly supports the annual NALC food drive sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service. Postal workers will be collecting non-perishable food items left at mailboxes, and volunteers are desperately needed on that day to help bring the donations to local food pantries in both Meriden and Wallingford. Please contact The Volunteer Center (203) 235-4403 and let us know ASAP if you are interested in helping out on the day of the NALC Food Drive. Please Keep June 14th open to attend Wallingford Garden Clubs Flower Show. This club is a member of the Federated Garden clubs of CT. & The National Garden Club Inc To be held from 1-5pm at the Wallingford Senior Center 238 Washington St in Wallingford. The show will exhibit flower design, horticulture all done by your local Garden club. This event is free & open to the public. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. American Stroke Association Gets Ready to Kick off Stroke Month in Connecticut May is American Stroke Month. Stroke Month should serve as a reminder that no one is immune to stroke. It does not matter if you are young or old, male or female. Stroke does not discriminate. It doesn’t care what your racial or ethnic background is. Stroke touches us all. However, some of us carry a greater stroke burden. Stroke disproportionately impacts people from communities of color. African-Americans are at a higher risk for stroke compared to other racial or ethnic groups. Compared to Caucasians, African-Americans have almost twice the risk of first ever stroke. Despite these alarming facts, stroke is not inevitable. We all hold within us the power to end stroke. On Wednesday, April 16th, the American Stroke Association, in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut African-American Affairs Commission, will address health disparities and the status of Stroke at a Stroke Update reception at the State Capitol in Hartford from 5 pm to 7 pm. The Power To End Stroke is the American Stroke Association’s aggressive education and awareness campaign to reach African-Americans and other communities of color. The April 16th event at the State Capitol will feature a special presentation of stroke awareness and prevention messages from Sen. Toni Harp (D-10), who will talk about the Power To End Stroke education campaign. Department of Public Health Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., and African-American Affairs Commission Commissioner Glenn A. Cassis will also be in attendance. The American Stroke Association will also be promoting its annual Stroke Alert! campaign. From May 16th to May 23rd, free Stroke risk assessment screenings will be available to the public at select locations throughout Connecticut. Stroke Alert! risk assessments will educate the public about stroke, its warning signs and risk factors, and preventive steps to minimize a person’s risk of stroke. Call 1-888-4-STROKE (1-888-478-7653) to find a Stroke Alert! screening location near you. During American Stroke Month, the American Stroke Association emphasizes “Time Lost is Brain Lost. Know the Warning Signs and Don’t Delay. Call 9-1-1 Immediately! Stroke is a Medical Emergency.” A major point of emphasis of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is to address some of the racial and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease awareness and incidence. Through its faith-based Search Your Heat initiative, the American Heart Association is working to raise the awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors in people of African descent and to encourage people in these communities of color to make lasting, healthy lifestyle changes. DPH Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin stated that “Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Connecticut and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. More than 100,000 African-Americans have a new or recurrent stroke every year. Not only are African-Americans more likely to experience a stroke, but these strokes tend to strike at an earlier age and be more severe. The data shows that African-Americans do have higher stroke death rates than whites.” For several decades, African-Americans, Hispanics and Latinos have been plagued with health issues due to a variety of factors, including heredity. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. The prevalence of high blood pressure in African-Americans is the highest in the world. In Connecticut, more than 26 percent of African-American adults have high blood pressure. Nearly 90 percent of African-American adults and 87 percent of Hispanic/Latino adults are physically inactive. More than 70 percent of African-American adults are overweight, while 31 percent are obese. Diabetes is a significant risk factor for stroke, particularly in women. The risk for diabetes for African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos is almost twice that for Caucasians. Nearly 36 percent of African-American adults in Connecticut display 3 or more risk factors for heart disease and stroke. African-Americans, Hispanics and Latinos tend to be less aware of stroke’s warning signs and risk factors. In fact, a recent American Stroke Association survey showed that a substantial number of African Americans are not making the connection that their ethnicity and family’s history increase their stroke risk. While 70 percent of African-Americans think they are knowledgeable about stroke, only 30 percent correctly defined stroke, less than half knew stroke symptoms and only 43 percent knew that being African-American put them at a greater risk for stroke. The time to act is now. Though certain risk factors are more prevalent in these communities of color, many can be controlled through lifestyle changes. By controlling high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, quitting smoking, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and controlling diabetes, one’s stroke risk can be reduced. Through the Power to End Stroke movement, the American Stroke Association looks help people from these communities of color to not just “survive,” but “thrive!” By knowing the facts about stroke, reducing your personal stroke risk, recognizing the warning signs of stroke, responding quickly when your recognize those warning signs of stroke, you can unleash your Power to End Stroke. It’s never too late to take action against stroke. To take the American Stroke Association’s Stroke Pledge, to get more information about the organization or to join the Power to End Stroke movement to fight against stroke in our communities of color, please call 1-888-4 STROKE or visit www.strokeassociation.org. You have the Power to End Stroke! The Power to End Stroke Power to End Stroke is the American Stroke Association’s aggressive education and awareness initiative targeting African-Americans. Through the campaign, the Association will address health disparities related to stroke and African-Americans and reinforce the message that in many cases, stroke may be preventable. The Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-aventis partnership is the national campaign sponsor. About the American Stroke Association The goal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, is to reduce disability and death from stroke through research, education and advocacy. In 2006-07, fiscal year, the association invested more than $152 million on stroke. About the American Heart Association Since 1924 the American Heart Association has helped protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 870,000 American lives a year. The association invested more than $554 million in fiscal year 2006–07 for research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs so people across America can live stronger, longer lives. The American Heart Association serves Connecticut’s eight counties and population of more than 3.5 million people. The American Heart Association is a proud member of Community Health Charities of New England. The Wallingford Garden club Presents "Garden Melodies" Save this very special date June 14th.The stage at the Wallingford Senior Center 238 Washington St. becomes the setting for a small standard Flower Show, brought to you by the club that tends the beautiful gardens around town. This show which has been in the preparation for many months, promises to delight everyone. Floral Design, table design and horticulture are only a part of what goes into the making of this presentation. The public is invited free of charge from 1-5 pm. Plan on spending the afternoon viewing this delightful show. The Wallingford Garden Club is a Member of The Federated Garden Clubs of CT, and The National Garden club INC. Carole Golitko Publicity chair Flower Show 265 5961 CHORALE CONNECTICUT SPRING CONCERT The First Congregational Church, 62 Colony Street in Meriden, will be the site for Chorale Connecticut’s spring concert on Saturday, May 17th, at 7:30 PM. The 48 member chamber ensemble, 20 piece orchestra and professional soloists La’Tarsha Long, Meredith Ziegler, James Ruff and Colin Johnson, will present Mendelssohn’s “Gloria and Magnificat,” rarely heard works, under the direction of Dorothy A. Barnhart. In addition, the orchestra will perform music by Frederic Delius. A reception will follow the concert. Tickets: $18 in advance, $20 at the door, $15 Seniors/Students, children 12 and under admitted free with a canned good. Call (203)237-5684 or visit the chorale website at choralect.org. Meriden Early Learning Blueprint Do you know how many babies will be born in Meriden over the next month? More than 50! That’s a lot of babies. What does the future hold for them? And are we as a community ready for them? The Meriden School Readiness Council and Meriden Children First are partnering to lead a process that will result in the creation of a comprehensive, multi-year strategic ‘Blueprint’ plan to promote learning for our young children and families. The idea was born from a recognition that while there are many great things happening for Meriden's young children, there's more to be done. We were also inspired by similar work undertaken by Hartford and Norwalk in recent years. Over the past couple of months a group of Meriden and community leaders has come together to put together an eight month planning process that will result in a very deep, thoughtful plan for Meriden's young kids. The Blueprint engages our diverse community to build upon our current strengths to improve health, safety, and learning for children from birth to eight. It's quite ambitious, but also quite necessary. Despite best efforts many kids are starting their school careers behind, and staying behind. This plan supports the goals of the Governor’s Early Childhood Cabinet in document Ready by 5 and Fine by 9 (www.earlychildhoodpolicy.org) which aims to help children: Reach appropriate developmental milestones from birth to age 5 Begin kindergarten with the knowledge, skills and behaviors needed for success in school, and Have K-3 education experiences that extend children’s birth-to-5 learning and ensure consistent progress in achieving reading mastery. This is an important opportunity for Meriden (and 26 other Connecticut) communities to develop a local plan for a system of services that responds to family needs, has measurable child, family and systems outcomes, and that can be jointly owned and measured through a local/state partnership. With a $50,000 grant from the Governor's office on early childhood to do this work, we are now conducting community outreach via focus groups, surveys, etc. The information from these approaches will be combined with other research and key stakeholder interviews. Later this fall, we're proposing a historic early learning summit with full Meriden Board of Education, the City Council, Mayor and the state delegation. Will you help us? Join us at a big community meeting on Thursday, May 29, 6:30 p.m. at John Barry Elementary to hear about and share your reactions to some preliminary Blueprint findings. The vision for our Blueprint is that: All children will come to school ready, willing and able to succeed. Together, we can make this vision happen for all of Meriden’s kids. For more information about the Blueprint, contact David Radcliffe at Children First, 630-3566 or email to dwradcliffe@juno.com Twentieth Annual Memorial Ceremony for those Law Enforcement Officers This message is to keep you apprised of the up and coming Twentieth Annual Memorial Ceremony for those Law Enforcement Officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty in the State of Connecticut since recorded police history in this state. To date there are 128 names engraved on the Connecticut Police Chiefs Law Enforcement Memorial, located on the grounds of the Police Academy, 285 Preston Ave., Meriden, Ct. These names include many Police Officers from various departments throughout the state, including members of the Ct. State Police, the F.B.I., Secret Service, U.S. Customs and the Department of Environmental Protection. The date of this beautiful ceremony is May 21, 2008, at the Preston Ave. Academy. The time is 11:00 A.M. and the ceremony is open to the public. The program consists of many Honor Guards from various Police Departments throughout the state, a Riderless Horse, signifying the loss of a Law Enforcement Officer, the presentation of the Memorial Flag, musical selections by Police Pipes and Drums, the Invocation by our Police Chaplin and remarks by many outstanding public figures in our state including our Governor, the Attorney General, the Comm. of State Police, the Comm. of Homeland Security, S/A In Charge of FBI, the Chief States Atty., etc. Whalon Scholarship Breakfast Meriden, CT - Saint Joseph School, 159 West Main Street, is honored to announce that the Most Reverend Peter A. Rosazza will be the guest speaker at the annual Whalon Scholarship Breakfast on July 17, 2008. Bishop Rosazza, who is celebrating his Diamond Jubilee as a Bishop, is the Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General for the Hispanic Apostolate for the Archdiocese of Hartford. Bishop Rosazza is a member of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee for Social Development and WorldPeace; is bishop advisor to the National Catholic Student Coalition; and is one of the five bishops who drafted the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Pastoral Letter on the U.S. Economy and Catholic Social Teaching. The Marion and Dorothy Whalon Scholarship is awarded annually to graduates of Saint Joseph School, Meriden, who are continuing their education at the undergraduate or graduate level. The scholarship has been awarded since 2002, and 30 SJS alumni have been the recipients of approximately $50,000.Past recipients have attended UConn, Western, Eastern, Southern, Connecticut College, Albertus Magnus, Hartt School, Boston College, Tufts University, Smith College, George Washington Law, among others. Marion and Dorothy Whalon were graduates of Saint Joseph School, and lifelong parishioners of Saint Joseph Parish. The Whalons were annual donors to the Annual Fund of Saint Joseph School, and continued the legacy of their gifts with this bequest of an endowed scholarship in honor of the education they received at Saint Joseph School from the Sisters of Mercy. Saint Joseph School, a kindergarten to grade 8, archdiocesan elementary school located near the center of Meriden, is a community in pursuit of academic excellence through a lived experience in faith. The school received a ten-year re-accreditation in 2006 from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. The Yalesville Volunteer Fire Department is having a Mother's Day Flower sale on: Friday May 9 from 5:00PM-8:00PM Saturday May 10 from 8:00AM-6:00PM Sunday May 11 from 8:00AM-12:00PM This event will take place at the Yalesville Fire Station 143 Hope Hill Road, Yalesville. HUNGERFORD OFFERS SUMMER PROGRAMS The New Britain Youth Museum at Hungerford Park, 191 Farmington Avenue, Kensington is accepting enrollment for summer programs for children in pre-school through grade 5. Call 860-827-9064 for brochure and registration information. The Meriden School Readiness Council and the Meriden Board of Education sponsored a community wide preschool and kindergarten teacher event on April 23, 2008. The event gathered community and board of education preschool and kindergarten teachers together. At this year’s annual event, teachers shared literacy activities with each other. Approximately 80 teachers gathered together to discuss how they define literacy instruction for kindergarten/preschool students, some successful strategies used to help students during literacy instruction and shared some literacy activities they have currently worked on in their classrooms. The positive feedback from the events have been overwhelming. The teachers enjoy getting time to meet with each other and share expectations and ideas.