Open House on how to become an Adoptive Parent

The Department of Children and Families-Meriden office will be hosting an Open House on how to become a foster or adoptive parent for children ages 0-18. The open house will be on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Wallingford Public Library from 6 to 7 pm. Paulette Limato, DCF Foster Care Licensing Social Worker will conduct a slide show presentation. Susan Herget, foster parent and coordinator for M and M Faces will be speaking about her fostering experience. Kathy DePasquale from the Adoption Resource Exchange will be presenting children in CT who need an adoptive home. To read The People's Press - Wallingford and Meriden's Connecticuts community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/ .

"WMS Bread & Broth Community Supper"

will be held on April 1st at 6 p.m. at Washington Middle School, 1225 North Broad Street, Meriden Admission-$7 per person, plus a non-perishable food item. All proceeds will be donated to the Meriden Soup Kitchen. PLUS, you get the option to take the hand-made bowl home. Call 203-235-9738 for more information about purchasing tickets.

Your Stories March 2009

To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com. THE GENTLE ART OF PROCRASTINATION My mother used to say: "Your father will promise anything as long as he doesn't have to do it today." Years later, as we compared notes, I told Mom about my husband's ability to do the same. "Dad must have given him lessons," she said. And I have no doubt, that although it seems a natural enough trait in each of us, there is much to be learned from the masters of the gentle art of procrastination. One time I got to crying so sincerely that I couldn't stop. My husband wanted to know what was troubling me. "You wouldn't understand," I explained, which was no explanation at all. Finally, through his coaxing and expressions of genuine concern, I was able to tell him: "I want the attic finished." We had lived in our house for over a year and I wanted to get the attic organized so there would be a place for out-of-season clothes. It would make my work so much easier if there were shelves, drawers, and rods for hangers. He was remarkably understanding and it was such a relief to be copmforted with the promise that he would start working on the attic soon. In anticipation, I ordered the insulation and waited for the happy weekend when we would begin our special project. Three months went by and nothing happened, so I mentioned it again. "When do you think you'll start work on the attic?" I asked. "What attic?" came his reply. The insulation and I are still waiting - 30 years later! Make that 60. Now, what's good for the gander is good for the goose and I, too, have learned to be a first rate procrastinator. When my husband noticed that the rug needed mending, I told him I must look for the right thread so I could do the job right. I've never found the thread, but then, I'm not looking very hard. It isn't that we're lazy--it's mostly a matter of priorities. My grandmother used to say, "It's the squeaking wheel that gets the grease." And that is pretty much how we operate. When something really needs his attention, Hubby is right there, rebuilding the water pump, fixing the furnace, replacing a part on the car. And I work better under pressure, too. My own expertise as a putter-offer was developed over a period of time with the help of lists. Each night I would make a list of what should be done the following day. When that first phone call came in the morning I could easily check to see how important those items seemed by light of a new day. Usually the list included jobs that could easily be postponed. If, perchance, there were one or two that urgently needed doing, I could leap into action and quickly accomplish them, leaving the rest of the day's docket clear to go off and have a good time. Procrastination is recommended by no less an authority than Saint Matthew (Matthew 6:34): "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." My mother offered her own proverbs: "Go while you're young," she'd say. "The dishes can be washed after the sun goes down," was another bit of Mom's wisdom. Harpo Marx shared his philosophy in a magazine article years ago and it was a joy to accept it as my own. The yardstick he and his family lived by was to do the fun thing that came up instead of the activity that was scheduled--as long as it didn't hurt anyone. "You either get what you want or you get over wanting it" is a truism my grandmother must have learned the hard way. She used to tell about going to the grocery store during the Great Depression, how she'd walk up and down in front of the meat display, debating about whether or not to buy pork chops, or any meat at all. She'd argue with herself: "I have two potatoes; that will do for tonight--I won't (she used to say "wun't") buy potatoes today." She learned from necessity to put off the purchase of anything not absolutely needed for that day, the very next meal. She was keeping house for her three sons, none of whom had jobs. Once in awhile one of them would get a day's work, doing a little plumbing for a friend, and occasionally one sold some shoe laces. Money that hard to come by was stretched as carefully and as far as she could possibly manage. When money is tight I take a page from my grandmother's book and, using her method, I rationalize, "I have a dress--I can only wear one dress at a time--therefore, I don't need a new dress." I can do the same with almost anything. It's a real gift from Gram to be able to do such positive postponing. Perhaps the best reason I am a procrastinator is that I was raised by one. Whatever we three sisters planned to do, wherever we planned to go, Mom had a comment that covered it all: "What makes you do it today?" One Woman's Journal Audrey C. Linke Meriden YMCA Reminds Community of Exercise Benefits During Times of Stress When economic woes have millions of Americans fretting, the Meriden YMCA reminds families and individuals that a little sweating can offer important physical and emotional benefits. “Many members of our community are facing financial struggles that can put them and their families under a lot of physical and emotional stress,” says John Benigni, CEO. “Now more than ever, it’s important to make sure exercise is part of our daily routines. Even a short walk or swim can help reduce the negative effects of stress.” Research has proven again and again the important role of exercise in combating stress and reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Even moderate physical activity can produce mood-boosting endorphins, clear the mind, improve focus and positively affect blood pressure and other symptoms of stress. The Meriden YMCA encourages members of our community to make physical activity a priority, especially during tough times, and offers a few simple tips: 1 Make an “exercise transition” between work and family time. Take a short walk after work or before kids get home from school to clear away the stress of the day and get a positive boost before interacting with family members. A little “me time” can have a positive influence on “us time.” 2 Find an enjoyable physical activity that requires some mental focus to steer the mind away from worries—a pick-up game of basketball, a tennis match or even jumping rope. 3 Instead of going online to repeatedly check the balance of your 401K, check out training plans for a 5K run or walk and get family and friends engaged to reach a healthy and achievable goal. 4 Visit the Meriden YMCA and find affordable family activities such as family movie nights, kids’ night out, family swim time, fitness and sports programs for all ages, and membership to our 66 acre Mountain Mist Outdoor Center (which is included with a full YMCA membership). Financial assistance is available to make YMCA programs available to all. “YMCAs have been helping American families and individuals in good times and challenging times for more than 160 years,” said John Benigni. “We want our community to know that we are here to help anyone seeking a healthier spirit, mind and body, regardless of their current circumstances.” Collectively, the nation’s 2,686 YMCAs comprise one the country’s largest not-for-profit community service organizations. For more information, contact the Meriden YMCA at 203.235.6386 or visit our web site at http://www.meridenymca.org/ The Meriden YMCA is located at 110 West Main Street, Meriden, CT 06451/ Volunteer Needed to Help the Meriden ArtsTrust, Inc. (MAT) “Bringing the Arts to Young People, Bringing Young People to the Arts” We need a very special volunteer with professional publicity and public relations experience to lead MAT Programs such as the Central Connecticut Civic youth Orchestra, Orchestra Summer, heartsinthearts.com, “I Perform Therefore I Achieve”into the spotlight. This position offers advocacy experience for both the Arts and for young people in the Arts, civic involvement, as well as experience and increased knowledge of the needs and benefits of the current Arts environment. Artistic ability is preferred, a creative and classic design sense is necessary. The Meriden ArtsTrust, Inc. is poised to become a major source of civic (non-school affiliated) Classical music education in the region. Our programs are outstandingly good, our participants stay with us at a 98% retention rate (leaving for college music programs) and participants’ parents extol our virtues to friends, family and newcomer parents. We need to put together a press packet and a publicity plan for the foreseeable future - of course, on a shoe-string budget. If you would like a creative volunteer ‘home base’ and would like to assist young people and bring the Arts to young people and bring young people to the Arts, we are asking for your assistance in growing these and other programs to their full publicity and funding potentials. For information please contact Mrs. Katrina S. Axelrod, MAT President at (203) 235-7445 or you can send e-mail to meridenartstrust@yahoo.com To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. St. Patrick's Day fun for kids On St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish for a little while and ready to enjoy themselves. It's important to include the children when celebrating this popular holiday. However, not all of the customary St. Patrick's Day revelry is appropriate for the younger set. With some tweaks and kid-inspired fun, you can host a St. Pat's party perfect for youngsters. Invitations The first thing that will set the tone for your party is the invitation. Make it fun. A clover will be expected, so why not cut out the face of a leprechaun and write your party specifics on the flip side? Instruct kids to wear green to the event. Face Painting When children arrive at the party, have a dedicated face painter who can transform them with Irish splendor. Green clovers, glitter, and mischievous leprechaun faces will stand out in the crowd. Entertainment Keep the crowd entertained with Irish and Gaelic tunes on the radio. Transform traditional party games into something St. Patrick's Day specific. For example, "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" can be turned into "Pin the Pipe on the Leprechaun." "Musical Chairs," can be changed into "Pot of Gold Scramble." Food Some of the traditional Irish foods enjoyed on St. Patrick's Day may be a little too rich for the palates of younger children. Therefore, opt for more kid-friendly fare. Potato skins or twice-baked potatoes will meet the need for this popular tuber. Serve green foods, such as veggie sticks, spinach tortillas, or puddings and dips tinted with a little food coloring. Use a shamrock cookie cutter to turn grilled cheeses or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into fun treats. Goodie Bags When the kids are ready to head home after some fun, fill their goodie bags with bubble pipes, chocolate gold coins, rainbow-colored sidewalk chalk, and shamrock stickers The Man Behind St. Patrick’s Day Even if you aren’t Irish, you can always participate in March 17th’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. But it’s even better to celebrate it when you know how the holiday came to be. St. Patrick is truly one of Ireland’s biggest celebrities, the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland credited with bringing Christianity to the country. Most agree that St. Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the fourth century. At 16, he was taken prisoner for more than six years by Irish raiders who attacked his family’s estate. During his imprisonment, he became a devout Christian, using religion as a source of comfort. St. Patrick escaped his imprisonment after allegedly hearing a voice telling him to leave Ireland. He then began his religious training after having another dream which told him to become a missionary. He was ordained as a priest and was sent to Ireland to convert more people to Christianity and minister to Christians living in Ireland. Patrick integrated traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of completely eliminating the Irish’s religious beliefs. For example, he held bonfires at Easter because the Irish honored their gods with fire. To make the cross a part of the Irish Catholic lifestyle, he placed an image of the sun, an Irish symbol, onto the cross, creating the Celtic cross. Legend has it that Patrick died on March 17 – hence, St. Patrick’s Day - around the fifth century. The Irish have held celebrations on this day for thousands of years. Irish families attended church and threw celebrations. Though it fell during Lent when Catholics were forbidden to eat meat, people still danced, drank, and ate Irish bacon (corned beef) and cabbage. Today, the holiday of St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide by people of all religions. In modern Ireland, the holiday draws people from all around the world and features a multi-day celebration with parades, concerts, plays and fireworks. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know It All Gals Dear Readers, Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue. June and Flora Dear Housewives, With Spring coming soon, do you have any yard or garden ideas that are low cost and low maintenance? I would like to have my young children partake in this project. Thanks June and Flora. I look forward to your column each month. Glad I had the courage to write in!! A Big Fan of Dear Housewives June: Glad indeed. There are many spring perennials that are inexpensive and easy to plant. Right now, or after all the snow, is the time to weed out from last year. Then, buy some of the daffodils, hyacinths and tulips in the pots and plant them. You should also plan ahead for next year and plant bulbs in the fall. The kids can help you with the clean up and the planting. Enjoy and thanks for reading. Flora: Talk to your local garden center and learn about colorful perennials that are good for Connecticut. Some green perennials sprinkled throughout will balance the garden. Let your children select some yard decorations would be fun to add. Get a bird feeder to hang form a tree or a shepherd's hook. Be sure to have a bird identification book handy. The children will love to identify birds. I can recommend: Birds of Connecticut-Field Guide by Stan Tekiela. I got that at Greenbackers on Paddock Avenue a few years ago. Dear Housewives,I am traveling to New York City for the first time ever. How can I find out the good places to go?New to New York in Meriden JUNE: I love New York. The best thing to do is to check online for the best spots to visit in New York. It would also depend on what kind of things you like to do. There can be a focus on shopping, fashion, food or so much more. There are neighborhoods, toy stores and tourists attractions. Find what you like and research the best places to go. FLORA: If you are a Triple A (AAA) member, take the 15 minute ride to Hamden and pick up a map and a brochure. Sights, restaurants and hotels are described andrated. Also, talk to people. I really like the big city (NYC, Boston, Philadelphia) Pop-Up Maps that are compact and have the subway system and a list of sights with their location. The subway is a fast and easy way to get around, and affordable.There are a lot of regulars that frequent the Big Apple who would be more than happy to share what they love. Ask around! Write down those ideas and then filter them. Depending on your length of stay, plan on one, two visits per day. Remember, just the Metropolitan Museum of Art can take days to tour. Don't over do it. You will best enjoy your stay by seeing sights that you are interested in and don't rush. You can always go back. Also, go on-line or get a NYC guide at a book store that describes the subway. When I go to NYC, I take the train in to the city. Don't drive in. You will waste precious vacation time, miss out on the sights of the city. When in Manhattan, walk, hop on the subway or take a cab - that's the way to get around. Chit-Chat FLORA: I saw "Paul Blart, Mall Cop". It was a fabulously fun movie. We saw the film on Valentine's Day. First we went to Siam Valle, an authentic Thai restaurant in Wallingford. The service was nice and the food delicious, healthy and plentiful. Afterwards we ventured to the Wallingford Cinemas to see the movie. Ages 8-80 filled the theatre and we all cracked up with laughter. Last month I read : "A Measure of a Man, A Spiritual Autobiography" by Sidney Poitier. I really enjoyed the first 2/3rds of the book better than the end. His life continues to be a blessing. He is a gifted story teller who went from a childhood on Cat Island in the Bahamas with little money, no electricity but countless adventures. I enjoyed reading about Sidney's journey from the island to NYC then to the big screen. JUNE: I told you, Paul Blart was a funny movie. You can't go wrong with Kevin James. I read a fun book called "Too Fat to Fish" by Artie Lange. Artie is of the Howard Stern show and is a lost soul of sorts. The book was an easy read and interesting, like a train wreck. FLORA: I began reading "A Purpose Driven Life"by Pastor Rick Warren with a reading partner (my Mom) this Lenten season. I look forward to sharing a powerful book with someone special to me. I read the book a few years ago when it first came out. It is a 40 day read. I will let you know how it went next issue!JUNE: I have been somewhat curious about this book. Not my typical read, but I do know that Amber Frey, the girl who brought Scott Petterson (wife and baby murderer) down, read and recommended this book. Maybe I will read it at some point. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. The Banshee The bean-sidhe (woman of the fairy) may be an ancestral spirit appointed to forewarn members of certain ancient Irish families of their time of death. According to tradition, the banshee can only cry for five major Irish families: the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, the O’Gradys and the Kavanaghs. Intermarriage has since extended this select list. Whatever her origin, the banshee chiefly appears in one of three guises: a young woman, a stately matron or a raddled old hag. These represent the triple aspects of the Celtic goddess of war and death, namely Badhbh, Macha and Mor-Rioghain. She usually wears either a gray, hooded cloak or the winding sheet or grave robe of the unshriven dead. She may also appear as a washer-woman, and is seen apparently washing the blood stained clothes of those who are about to die. In this guise she is known as the bean-nighe (washing woman). Although not always seen, her mourning call is heard, usually at night when someone is about to die. In 1437, King James I of Scotland was approached by an Irish seeress or banshee who foretold his murder at the instigation of the Earl of Atholl. This is an example of the banshee in human form. There are records of several human banshees or prophetesses attending the great houses of Ireland and the courts of local Irish kings. In some parts of Leinster, she is referred to as the bean chaointe (keening woman) whose wail can be so piercing that it shatters glass. In Kerry, the keen is experienced as a “low, pleasant singing”; in Tyrone as “the sound of two boards being struck together”; and on Rathlin Island as “a thin, screeching sound somewhere between the wail of a woman and the moan of an owl.” The banshee may also appear in a variety of other forms, such as that of a hooded crow, stoat, hare and weasel – animals associated in Ireland with witchcraft. SAINT PATRICK’S DAY By C.S. Purcell Saint Patrick had a hard life. Although he is now known as the patron saint of Ireland, he was originally born in Wales about 385 AD and his given name was Maewyn. When he was in his teens, Maewyn was kidnapped and sold as a slave, and sent to Ireland. There he worked as a shepherd for a landowner named Meliuc. The job of shepherd was lonely and provided Maewyn plenty of time to think. The land was bleak and conditions were harsh but Maewyn took faith in the religion that his people had abandoned under Roman rule. He spent a large portion of his time praying to the Christian God who brought him comfort during this time. Eventually he escaped, traveled to Gaul and studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for 12 years. It was during this training that he became aware of his calling: converting the pagans to Christianity. He originally wanted to return to Ireland to convert the native pagans, but his superiors appointed St. Palladius to Ireland. After two years, Palladius transferred to Scotland and Maewyn, who was now known as Patrick, a Christian name that he had adopted around this time, became the second bishop to Ireland. It seems that Patrick was very successful at winning converts. He used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Using the shamrock, he demonstrated how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. The fact that Patrick won so many converts upset the Celtic Druids and Patrick was arrested several times. He escaped each time, traveling throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries throughout the country. In addition, he set up schools and churches, which would help him convert Irish citizens to Christianity. Patrick’s mission lasted thirty years. He then retired to Country Down and died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since. St. Patrick’s day came to America in 1737, and was first celebrated in Boston at that time. There are a lot of traditions associated with this holiday. Some we can trace back to Patrick’s teachings, others bring with them a mysterious origin. People wear green on St. Patrick’s Day to represent the color of the shamrock, the spring (when St. Patrick’s Day occurs) and the color of Ireland. School children started the tradition long ago. Supposedly it was tradition to pinch classmates who didn’t wear green on this day. Interestingly, Leprechauns are also associated with this holiday and according to legend. A Leprechaun is an Irish fairy but they are reportedly unsociable, unfriendly, live alone and are not even cute. They make shoes and possess that much-sought-after hidden pot of gold. The legend says if the Leprechaun is caught by a hunter, he must tell where the treasure is, unless the Leprechaun can trick the hunter and vanish. It is not known why Leprechauns had come to be associated with St. Patrick’s Day, but it is believed that the greeting card companies needed something cute to put on the St. Patrick’s Day cards. Nowadays, St. Patrick’s Day is mostly for fun. We can celebrate it as an observance of St. Patrick who lived a long age, or enjoy it for the fun and legends the holiday carries with its date, but St. Patrick’s Day will always be for the Irish. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. The Roar in the Background By Maura K. Ammenheuser That roaring you hear in the background Is March coming in. This winter’s lasted too long. We’ve all bemoaned the snow, though usually I like the white fluffy stuff. It’s the unrelenting cold that bothers me. It’s too frigid to allow my children outside to enjoy stuff that gives winter what little charm it possesses; skiing, sledding, building snowmen or brisk walks on those sparkling clear January mornings when the world looks like it’s made of glass. When the balmiest moment of the day is 15 degrees, it’s too dang cold to take a 3-year-old and a baby outdoors. They’d turn into fleece-wrapped Popsicles. So much for idyllic childhood winters. Instead we’ve watched too many videos, started and abandoned art projects, burned batches of cookies and lay around whining. I’m as cranky as the kids. My sister-in-law says this has been a bad winter for waistlines and she’s right. Yet it was the lack of skiing that oppressed me most during this unending arctic season. My reasonably good relationship with winter is the direct result of regular childhood ski trips. My parents taught us to ski nearly as soon as we could walk. When we were very little, Mom and Dad rattled around in a leaky Corvair and booked el cheapo motel rooms in the Berkshires, squeezing my two brothers and me in one double bed while they took the other, for the sake of some clumsy downhilling. I wore home-sewn parkas and ski boots that weighed more than I did and required three people to buckle. In later years, whenever my folks had a little extra cash and New England had blizzards, we raced home from school or work Friday evenings, piled into my dad’s enormous Mercury wagon and drove six hours and 360 miles between Long Island and central Vermont. We’d roll out of bed at 7 a.m. Saturday, ski all day and most of Sunday and get home again by midnight. Monday morning was always horrible, marked by sleep deprivation, aching muscles and total disorganization. But for a good part of my teenage years, this was our routine maybe every other weekend for the winter It was a blast. I am not an athlete. I scare easily. I have practically zero tolerance for physical discomfort. But growing up in my family meant skiing whenever possible and I eventually became an expert despite my wimpy constitution. We skied in blizzards, rain, 78-degree days in early April, January wind chills of 30 below zero and, once, fog so thick we didn’t realize precisely how frightening the field of man-eating moguls we’d picked our way through really was until the weather cleared the next day and we got a glimpse of the thing in sunshine. (Jiminy Christmas! We skied that?”) I’ve skied on Vermont boilerplate, a vast Swiss glacier, and in rare knee-deep New England powder. The thrill of speed, the wind in your face, the view of miles of snowy mountains from atop a freezing peak – skiing is an awesome antidote to the doldrums, life full-tilt in the middle of an otherwise dead season. I miss it terribly. The last really complete ski season I put in was 10 years age. Since then, jobs, marriage and moves to and from the South have stood between me and the slopes. My husband is a devoted non-skier. He’s tried on the boards a few times and was a great sport about it but I no longer hold out hope that he’ll morph into Tommy Moe. And now we have two children. Ah, the children. The ultimate obstacle to a good ski day. I don’t know how my parents managed. Back in October I was counting the days until our first snow. (I know, I know, be careful what you pray for.) I wasn’t pregnant this winter; I could ski! But as the temperature dropped and the snow came I realized just what I’d have to do to put in a few hours of black-diamond thrills; pay a small fortune to the ski area’s day care center, on top of the $45 lift pass. Or leave the kids home with Daddy, then pump a day’s supply of breast milk so he could feed the baby, who flatly rejects bottles and sippy cups anyway. I’d be two hours away, leaking milk through my thermal underwear and wondering how many years of favors I’d owe my husband for five hours of schussing. Then, of course, there was the cold. I have skied in unbelievably frigid conditions (think Canada in January in a cold snap so severe that entire parking lots of cars needed jump-starts for five straight mornings) and – I can’t believe I’m saying this – it’s not really any fun. You spend too much energy keeping warm and not enough yodeling through the glades. Sigh. So this winter was tough, not just because of its length and depth, but because it robbed me – all of us – of what winter should be: invigorating, beautiful, a frolic in the snow, a seasonal return to childhood, snow angels and all. For four months I’ve felt a part of me slip away, the part that loves winter and wrings from it as much fun as possible. Every year seems to bring another ski hurdle, impracticalities to overcome if I’m gonna make it to the mountains, and this year’s cash-kids-and-cold combo really did me in. By February I felt panicky. Is the skiing phase of my life over, nothing more than a mountain of frost-tipped memories? I hope not. I want to pass the joy of this sport down to my children. It will help bond them like it bonded my brothers and I. (Also it will ensure I’ll have somebody to ski with in my old age. My husband sure won’t.) So this year, instead of greeting March with a twinge of sadness, praying for Easter snow in Vermont and counting the warm, slushy, spring-skiing days left, I’m looking forward to March’s lamb-like end. I’ll pull my 3-year-old around the yard on his kiddie skis a few more times, start saving pennies for next year’s lift passes and keep up the squats and leg lifts for my quadriceps. It’s all I can do to keep my dreams of lifelong skiing alive. And when the crocuses appear, the last snow melts off our roof and I begin to feel more like myself again, I’ll bid this winter goodbye, and good riddance. It exacted too heavy a toll. Farewell, lion; welcome, lamb. Until next winter I say: Baa-aaa-aaa! Security Blankets by Janet Althouse In these times of uncertainty, couldn't we all use something to give us a sense of security? Like a security blanket? Of course, a lot of people immediately think of Linus in the Peanuts Cartoon and his security blanket. He especially needs it when his sister, Lucy, tries to give him a hard time. He just holds on tight to his blanket, looks her in the eye and she has to turn on her heels and leave in a huff. She can't compete with that security blanket. There are other objects we can use as a security blanket. I have a small square pillow that a friend made for me many years ago. She was not a person who made things with her hands, but because I was always sending her hand made gifts, she wanted to do the same. I appreciated the loving gesture. I have had to make a new cover for it, but it still comforts me. Especially since she finally lost her long hard fought battle with cancer. I sleep with it, squeeze it tight and remember the good times we had together. After my heart by-pass surgery a lady brought me a big heart shaped pillow. The doctors encourage you to squeeze a pillow tightly over your heart, especially when you need to cough or sneeze. But I find my little square pillow fits me much better. A couple weeks ago I saw this white teddy bear sitting alone and looking very forlorn. I decided to take him to bed. My husband had given it to me on one of my hospital stays. He is very soft and cuddly. My husband objected at first, but I told him the bear fit right in the place where I had the surgery, comforted me and helped me relax and sleep better. So, he thought that was good. Wouldn't it be nice if in this crazy world we live in today we could find something that would give us a real sense of security. Something to cling to and feel safe and not worry about what the future might bring. Well, I talk about security blankets, pillows and teddy bears, but my true security comes from God. Knowing Him and putting all my cares and concerns over on him gives me the best security there is. I know I can trust Him with anything and everything that might be troubling me. Be it children, grand children, health or finances. Whatever the circumstance, He is always there to comfort me, love me, and do His very best to help. It may seem nice to cuddle with a teddy bear, or squeeze a little special pillow (or a spouse) because they are things you can grab hold of, but when you truly know God and have a loving personal relationship with Him, He can hold you, love you, give you hugs, and comfort you as nobody else can. He is perfect and He will never leave you or forsake you. He tells us that in His Word, the Bible. And He is always true to His Word. Why not give Him a try? Couldn't you use a little security right now? He's the best security blanket I know. I think even Linus would agree with me. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. GREATER MERIDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PRESENT AWARDS AT 113TH ANNUAL DINNER The Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 113th Annual Dinner, Meeting and Silent Auction on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at MountainRidge. A cocktail reception will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Silent Auction Bidding, followed by the Chamber’s Annual Business Meeting and Student Education Awards Presentations from 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. At this time, new Officers and Directors will be presented. Dinner will be served from 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. the program will continue with the presentation of the Small & Large Business Leadership Awards and the Community Partnership Awards. The evening will conclude with the closing of the Silent Auction. The Premier Event Sponsor is HealthNet. The Greater Meriden Chamber is pleased to announce the winners of the Awards for Community Partnership and Small and Large Business Leadership: · The recipient of the Seventeenth Annual Community Partnership Award, recognized for their extraordinary commitments to the Meriden Community are Anthony “Tony” Tomassetti and Dan M. Hunter (awarded posthumously). · The recipient of the Thirteenth Annual Large Business Leadership Award recognized for outstanding private sector leadership in the Meriden Business Community is Ragozzino Foods, Inc. · The recipient of the Eighth Annual Small Business Leadership Award recognized for outstanding private sector leadership in the Meriden Business Community is Kelli’s A Salon, LLC. · The Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce is also pleased to announce that they will be awarding $7,000 to Meriden students in the form of the Sanford S. Shorr Education Awards. The students who were selected include: Returning College Student: Katherine Moore (former Platt High School Graduate attending the Seton Hall University); David Arce (graduating senior at Maloney); Daniel Miller (graduating senior at Maloney); Luz Rivera (graduating senior at Platt); Gabriella Sauza (graduating senior at Platt) – receiving two awards; and Stephanie Timek (graduating senior at Platt). While the main fundraiser for the education awards is the Chamber’s Annual Golf Tournament, The Hispanic Member Outreach Committee of the Chamber raised funds for 3 awards this year, and the Chamber’s Young Business Leaders raised funds for one of the additional awards. This event will be held at MountainRidge, High Hill Road , Meriden (enter via Wallingford ). The cost for this event is $65.00 per person. Tables of 10 will be available for $600.00 and additional sponsorships are available at $1,000 (includes table of 10 and many other features). A new sponsorship level of $450 is available (includes table of 5 and other features). Seats are limited so reservations should be made as soon as possible. Anyone interested in donating items for the Silent Auction may contact the Chamber by March 13, 2009. For further information, call the Chamber at (203) 235-7901. The Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce is an independent, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to lead and promote business and community interests of the Greater Meriden area. We are the community’s leading advocate and champion of business. By leveraging the support, talent and resources of our members, the Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce is one of the leading organizations helping to improve the economic vitality and quality of life for everyone! 675 members and growing – not yet a member? We invite you to join us today! Networking. Education. Leadership. Promotion: Greater Meriden Chamber EXPO At the Daffodil Festival As stated in prior issues…The Greater Meriden Chamber, a not-for-profit business membership organization, delivers on the four principles of Leadership. Networking. Promotion. Education. As I sat to write this, I had intended to talk all about the Upcoming Greater Meriden Chamber EXPO at the 31st Annual Daffodil Fest, but it quickly turned into a piece on networking. Don’t worry – you’ll hear about this year’s expo too… Just about everything the Chamber does has a component of each of these principles. Leadership. Networking. Promotion. Education. At a recent Chamber Eye-Opener Breakfast where well known Economist Don Klepper-Smith enlightened close to 50 members on the current US and CT state of affairs (it wasn’t ALL bad news…) a fairly new member asked, “is this a networking event?” I responded that ALL of our events have a networking component. I think LIFE is a networking event! Each time you are with a person, whether it be in an elevator, sitting at a table of strangers, or at a meeting amongst colleagues, you are and should be networking. Does it all have to be “business” related – NO! I know someone who is considering buying a boat – and they are out “boat networking” – researching and chatting with people they know have boats, or not. Just mentioning the fact that they are interested may open up doors one would have never imagined. So this aforementioned breakfast event (we schedule events in mornings, afternoons and evenings to accommodate members’ schedules)…had an Education component because we all walked away with new information on a very timely topic presented by a well known expert in his field. And it was also a Networking event – loosely defined as the practice of building up or maintaining relationships, especially with people whose contact could bring advantages such as job or business (or boat) opportunities. There were close to 50 people in that room – not everyone knew one-another, but the opportunity to introduce yourself/your business to just a small number of them is priceless. I consider the Leadership component the BIG picture - the place and role that the Greater Meriden Chamber plays in the future of our communities - we inform and engage our staff and membership in the economic development, workforce development and business development projects in the towns we serve and in the region. We’ll feature more on that in a future issue. Just as life is a networking event, it’s also a Promotion event! Talking up a business, or an event, or an organization you might be involved in…passing out flyers or business cards – it’s all about promotion. Speaking to that we're looking forward to another packed tent on April 24th, 2009 (special preview for Chamber members) through April 26th, 2009, where over 70 businesses and organizations will be exhibiting on the tennis courts at Hubbard Park’s 31st Annual Daffodil Fest. So, be sure – between the GREAT bands, crafts, entertainment, food, and kids’ activities – to stop in – where I’m sure you’ll see the many components that the Greater Meriden Chamber provides to its members every day: Leadership. Networking. Promotion. Education. Until then, for more information on YOUR Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce visit http://www.meridenchamber.com/ or call 203.235.7901. Girls Inc. Honors State Representative Cathy Abercrombie Girls Incorporated of Meriden is pleased to announce the 2009 Strong, Smart, and Bold Recipient is State Representative Cathy Abercombie. Cathy was born and raised in Meriden and is an alumnae of Girls Incorporated representing the 83rd district and is now the Assistant Majority Leader. She is very involved throughout the community serving on boards for local non-profits and is a great advocate for the community. Cathy will be honored on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, in Wallingford. Girls Incorporated of Meriden is celebrating its 10th year hosting our Annual Strong, Smart, and Bold Benefit Celebration. The organization is also celebrating its 90th year serving girls in the Greater Meriden area in 2009. We are currently looking for alumnae of the organization to contact us and show your support during this year of celebration, our goal is to set up decade tables for alumnae to gather and reconnect tickets are being sold individually or in groups of ten. There are also sponsorship opportunities available for our ad booklet to list your name during the years you were a member. There are still sponsorship and ad booklet opportunities as well as tickets to the benefit celebration available for anyone to participate in. Please contact Michelle at 235-7146 or mab_girlsinc@snet.net for more information on how you can help the organization inspire all girls to be Strong, Smart, and Bold. Girls Incorporated of Meriden empowers girls to know that they have a right to be themselves, to express themselves with originality and enthusiasm, to take risks, to strive freely and to take pride in success, to accept and enjoy the bodies they were born with and not to feel pressured to compromise their health in order to satisfy the dictates of an “ideal” physical image, to be free of vulnerability and self-doubt and to develop as mentally and emotionally sound individuals, and to prepare for interesting work and economic independence. Girls Incorporated of Meriden provides enriched afterschool programs just for girls that encompass leadership skills, self-esteem, confidence building, self-sufficiency, and much more to help guide young women through exploration in many different activities in a safe and nurturing environment. Program components offered are Health and Wellness Programs, Educational Programs, and Traditional Programs. Some specific programs are gymnastics, dance, scrapbooking, pottery, science, homework club and more. We offer a safe and stable oasis for girls to come and be themselves, for many this is the one constant, encouraging, and positive place they have in their lives. Girls Incorporated programs encourage girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges. Girls Incorporated works on the entire package through our programming reaching out and establishing lifelong bonds with our members is so important to the development of Strong, Smart, and Bold young women. MERIDEN POETRY SOCIETY WILL CELEBRATE ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY ON APRIL 5TH A Very Brief History of the Society The Meriden Poetry Society, founded in 1934, will celebrate its 75th anniversary during April, National Poetry Month. Julia Lansing Hull Warnock and Isyla Powers Lee, co-editors of the Meriden Record, established the group, which at the time was the only poetry society in Connecticut. The newspaper, now the Record-Journal, continues to play an important role in the life of the society by publishing members’ poems in its Pennons of Pegasus section in Sunday issues. As reported in the society’s history, written by member Marie A. LeVan, its “purpose is to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of both poetry and prose.” During the 75 years, it has drawn members from communities surrounding Meriden, thus making it a hub for promoting and supporting poetry. Today, most of the society’s dues-paying members live in Meriden, two in Wallingford, one in Massachusetts, and one in Maine. The society shut down its activities during WWII only to renew them in 1946 when Mrs. Lydia B. Atkinson Clegg, poetry editor of the Meriden Record, reorganized the group which has been continuously active since with monthly meetings (except for July and August) and, most recently, a workshop. Monthly Meetings They are held on the third Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Friends Room at the Meriden Public Library and are open to the public. A brief business meeting is followed by a poetry session, usually about an hour in length, which may feature the appearance of a guest poet or a program presented by the society’s program coordinator, John Kenney, or by another member. Newsletter In September, 2006, Words with Wings, edited by Mr. Kenney, became the first of two recent ventures to expand the range of the society’s activities. The front cover of each monthly issue always features a color photo of a Meriden scene taken, with few exceptions, by Betty Liedy, local photographer. Inside the front cover there are several interesting sections. For instance, Club News tells where members’ poems have been published, awards they’ve won, and related news; Poets on Poetry quotes a thought by a poet about poetry; Poem of the Month features a poem by a well-known poet; and Voices from the Past where poems by former member are presented. Every member and friend listed on the society’s roster receives a copy. Poetry 811.54 Workshop In November, 2008, this second effort to expand the society’s activities and outreach began. This gathering, also open to the public, is co-sponsored by the society and the Wallingford and Meriden public libraries. Facilitated by Alfred Mueller, the society’s vice-president, the workshop meets on the first Saturday of each month in the Board Room of the Wallingford Public Library from 10 – noon, and on the third Saturday in the Friends Room of the Meriden Public Library from 10- noon. Since its beginning in November, 2008, the average attendance has been nine men and women. It provides an opportunity for them to read poems they’ve written and, if they choose, to receive suggestions for further developing them. It has been successful in attracting folks beyond Meriden, mostly from Wallingford, into the society’s orbit of activities. On Wings of Verse The forerunner of the society’s 75th anniversary book of poems, On Wings of Verse, was published in 1948 and has been published at intervals since. The anniversary book, published by Prentis Printing Solutions, contains 67 poems written by fourteen of the society’s members. Patricia Mottola, Cheshire-based artist and awarding-winning poet, praises the collection saying, “The poems are charming, full of allure to poets and non-poets alike. They are funny, sad, nostalgic. They pay homage to personal history, give glimpses into the past, alternating between desire and appreciation for what is lost. The work of these poets will engage you.” John Surowiecki, a native of Meriden and an award-winning poet, has this to say about the collection: “Throughout the past 75 years, a local coterie has kept a Meriden tradition alive: poetry. In these pages you’ll find the work of contemporary Meriden writers. Some are teachers of poetry; all are students of the poetic craft. Some of the poems are about nature, some about Meriden, some about details of human existence; all are about life as we know it, appreciate it, and wonder about it.” Most of the poets have had their work published not only in Pennons of Pegasus, but also in a variety of literary journals. A few have published collections of their poems. Copies of the books will be available for sale to the public at the society’s anniversary party. 75th Anniversary Party The party will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at Gallery 53, 53 Colony Street, Meriden. Music will be provided by The Humble Bees, a talented Meriden-based quintet that accompanies itself while playing “familiar songs in a sing-a-long format (involving the audience with song sheets provided), humorous songs, and unique comical songs composed and sung by one of its own, Bruce Burchsted.” Barry Spencer may play “Danny Boy” on a 100-year old saw. Without question, they will delight all who attend the party, whether readers and writers of poetry, friends and former members of the society, or lovers of art in general while they (the audience) mingle and munch on finger food washed down with coffee, tea or water.The exact time frame during which the Humble Bees will perform is unknown at press time. Offerings of music, poetry, conversation, food and soft drinks will be surrounded by works of art adorning the walls of Gallery 53. Members of the society will be at the door to welcome you to what will be a very enjoyable party. Please join us. Beyond the Party Monthly meetings, workshops, a newsletter, writing and publishing poems, and a celebratory party exhibit an energy within the society that, with community support, will have it rolling into the future, seeking an expanded membership and further opportunities to deliver the good news about reading and writing poetry to young and old alike in Meriden and surrounding communities. Alfred Mueller at 265-2445 for further information A Dublin Cairn By George Arndt A skiff of snow lay o’er the carrageen, As the lad and his Colleen coursed round the booley, Of the Antrim hills. Through the brake they heard, A wee voice cry out from cross the Killalas rills, “Tis but me… the leprechaun who seeks for the lost Moorland, so green. Be it known by clans of Erin… Ne‘er there be an emerald so sheen” With a twinkle in his peevish eyes, And a sparkling golden smile… Thus doffed his corried tam. “Aye, me lad and lass… I bid you luck in yonder hinterland.” As he lilted past bog and crag, There came a-murmuring from he. Of poems and songs, cached in fens. Lollies of fifes and drums filled airy loch and glen. Laddie and his maiden fair, Reaching deep within, Whorled in emerald crystalin, Dreaming of golden coins, Of cashmere kilts… And lavender boliauns. Wherest the impish gnome had staid, The two took dare to look across. There a flaxen flagon had been laid, Did glisten as the dew upon the moss. Grasping this treasured kibosh, They sprang into their curragh. Gliding forth on fleeted foot, O’er the jaded sea sailing into the setting sun. And dwelt in County, Broché The Road to Damascus One Woman’s Journal - By Audrey C. Linke I was on the road to Damascus and all I could think about was the event I had just witnessed in Jerusalem. It happened just outside the city, on a hill called Golgotha. It was a crucifixion – a terrible sight – of three men. Two were known thieves, the third a young man who seemed to be singled out for extra torture and vile treatment. The place was crowded with the curious, as such events always are, but many seemed more than curious – more like friends or family. Even the young man’s mother was there, waiting at the foot of the cross while her son and the others hung in agony. It’s a cruel way to execute a criminal and some said the young man was innocent of any wrongdoing. As I walk with my friends I can’t help thinking of the courage and devotion of the mother of that one. She was such a little thing, hardly old enough to have a grown son. He spoke to her, I think. He said other things, as well, but it was hard to make out what he said amidst all the noise of the crowd, gambling and carrying on as though it were a festival instead of a gruesome killing time. Here on the quiet road we contemplate the whys and wherefores of such events. Some said the young man was put in a borrowed grave and when friends came to prepare his body for burial, it was gone. Some thought the man had actually risen from the dead – highly unlikely – but who would steal a body. It’s all very confusing. My friends and I talk of little else. We travel together for safety but it’s good to have company on the long journey. We wonder what it all means. I’m glad we have to stay over in a hostel on the way. I need time to think about what I’ve seen. If the young man did come back from that horrible death, it could have – must have- a deeper meaning than I can understand. It would be something supernatural, possibly something of God’s doing. But what? It will take time and greater heads than mine to figure it out. When we meet travelers walking in the opposite direction, we stop to talk, exchange news and information. I tell them about the terrible crucifixion in Jerusalem and we ponder the meaning. My story is better than anything they have to tell us. I can’t help but feel proud when they are impressed. I feel important and perhaps I am, for I’m the one who gives them something that may change the world. Maybe forever. New Day 10 Week Bereavement Seminar Place: Cheshire – St. Bridget Parish Date: Wednesday, March 11th from 7-9pm To register call 203.271.2372 or 203.272.0070 To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. Hopping Into Spring By Tia L. Kozar As spring and Easter quickly approach, the pet stores are full of cute little bunnies. Many people consider getting their very own Easter Bunny or giving one as a gift. But, did you know that by July, shelters and rabbit rescues are overflowing with unwanted Easter bunnies? Rabbits make great pets; they are quiet, cuddly, and can be litter box trained. They are gentle and would be a wonderful addition to the family. But they also require a long- term commitment of love and care. Before purchasing an Easter Bunny, make sure this is a commitment you can handle ~ Make sure you have plenty of room for the rabbit to run and play ~ Ask yourself if you have enough time to play with and care for the rabbit ~ Research the breed you want to get so you will know how big your bunny will get ~ Think of the long term commitment involved; some rabbits can live 12 or more years ~ Learn how to feed and care for a bunny before bringing one home If you decide a rabbit is right for you, consider adopting from a rabbit rescue. There are several non-profit rescues in CT dedicated to raising awareness about abuse and neglect and to saving rabbits from these conditions. Adopting from a rescue not only helps the bunny you adopt by providing it with a loving home, but the adoption fee helps to save the other rabbits. Fees can range from $25- $50 and nearly all rescue rabbits are neutered before adoption (something that would cost $120 or more if you went to your own vet.) The people working at the rescue organizations are not in the business to make a sale, like many pet store employees, and will take the time to find the right rabbit for you. They are also great at educating owners on the care of their new cotton tailed friend. For more information on adopting a rabbit or to see some of the adorable little guys who are looking for a home, please visit/call one of the following: 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue: http://www.3bunnies.org/ Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue: http://www.rirabbits.org/ Hop Along Hollow Rabbit Shelter: http://www.hopalonghollow.org/ Connecticut Humane Society: 800-452-0114 This Easter, before buying a rabbit as a gift remember you can always give a chocolate or stuffed bunny instead. CHRIST’S SEVEN LAST WORDS By Dorothy Gonick It is traditional during the season of Lent that we attempt to live a better lifestyle. In cleansing our own “temple” we might find it helpful to reflect on Jesus’ response to the sufferings he endured on the cross. Here is a letter we might write to Him. Dear Jesus, We thank your for your pleading prayer of “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” Open our hearts to know Your will, to see and hear your needs and to do them. We find it difficult to be forgiving because we relish thoughts of retaliation. Help us to forgive with the lavishness that you bestowed upon the criminal hanging near You—quickly, completely, welcoming. “Truly I tell you; today you shall be with Me in paradise.” Help us to realize with awe and thanksgiving that you will welcome us with open arms and heart when our days here are completed. In times of heart-wrenching grief you are with us and want to gather us with comforting arms. From the cross you gave your mother, Mary, and beloved disciple, John, to each other to share their grief and to strengthen each other. Today, may we find Your comfort through the touch of another. May we allow You to use us to lend a comforting touch or word to a friend who is grieving. In the depths of despair where can we find comfort other than in Thee? Yet we often do not sense Your presence and we cry out as You did, “Father, why have You forsaken me?” We pray that You come to the aid of the despairing, the grieving, she suicidal, the addicted, the hopeless souls around us. There are times we are uncaring and thoughtless and do not heed the cry of those in need. When we do not hear your cry, “I thirst;” forgive our indifference. Jesus, You said, “It is finished.” Your earthly mission for our redemption was completed as You accepted all our sins while You hung upon the cross. You saw the sins that we would commit and You forgave them then. You also saw our repentance and grief over the sadness we caused, and the redeeming acts done to atone for those acts. We are grateful for the many thoughtful caring acts that we see around us. Thank You for those who work to relieve the distresses of this world and bring joy and comfort to others. May our love for You prompt us to act as You would act. You also said, “Father, into Thy hands I commit my Spirit.” We recommit the loved ones who are no longer with us to Your care, joyful that You hold them in love; believing they are rejoicing with You in heaven. Into Thy hands we place all regrets and acts of love that we wish we had given our loved ones. Lord, grace us to be freed of procrastination. Inspire us to be the one You created us to be. We love You. With grateful love, …………………….. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. ______________________________________________________________________________________ "Maggie's Corner"By: Maggie Griffin Some people in life, whether it is a friend or an acquaintance, even a colleague in the same industry you are employed in, or anyone else for that matter, tend to pick on the dumbest things, not appreciating they are thought of and quick to make a false accusations toward others. People who do this are purposely showing their way to show self power, when they are truly dwelling in self pity. We have to remember that in life, it is impossible to read or listen to someone who thinks they have power - yet are powerless for reasons of their own. We also have to remember that we cannot give pity to the pitiful - who forgets what being kind is all about. They say "they will pray for you, but the truth is, they don't even pray. Yet when they behave in such manner, by mocking what you do and all about you, ending their hurtful words with "they will pray for you", are they truly praying or is it a common phrase they use to justify their terrible remarks to purposely hurt another and are asking for someone to pray for them? The truth is, people like that - they are the ones who truly need the prayers as the signs are clear in their words, actions and remarks in person, by phone or even if it is in an Email.Don't ever bite the hand that once helped you. Keep opinions and comments to yourself, otherwise they will only just back fire right back to you 3x's worse as everything revolves in a circle. Don't dictate when your dictation is off base and remember one fact - we are all one part of the human race. In the journey of life, we learn our lessons by being victims of another one's actions more so than our own mistakes. Luckily, we all find a way to learn from those lessons by being a victim of circumstance enforced upon us by another, or making our own simple mistakes, and learning from our mistakes the first time.Having said that, a dear friend of mine sent me the below prayer. As I was reading it, the content makes so much sense in what I am trying to say above. Reading it reminds me of why it is so important to have a heart, never judge anyone and listen and read between the lines of others who are critical, but in reality, reaching out for attention and help. It also made me think about my Mother, My Grand Mother and my daughter. It is a beautiful prayer to read and while reading it, all we need to do is really think about the meaning behind this prayer and what it signifies. Now I want to share what was sent to me with all of you. But, before you read this prayer below, I want everyone to know one thing. In life, never bite the hands that are willing to help you and don't try to show power when power really is meaningless. We cannot have pity on the pitiful because we need to remember the one who drowns in self pity by being a judgmental, hurtful and critical person to another person, are people who think they have power in words. But remember one thing about the power of words - negative words said to you by another truly is meaningless and look at the source who said them. I can bet the source is someone who is in need of God, a friend or even a social worker for that matter. In the end, we cannot help others who live in self pity using powerless words to hurt us as a person. And when people choose to bite the hands that once helped them, whether it is by actions in person, on the phone, and even in a form of an Email, you can pray for those people who hurt you in a selfish way. Let's face it, we all came across one, two, maybe a dozen people who are hurtful, judgmental and critical in our life time. But when it comes to people who act like this, you need to move on to other things so you can preserve your own inner peace and happiness. Think about it as you read below.I want to say thank you to a true friend who Emailed this prayer to me. And it was not a Spam!This prayer is called "Grandma's Hands" - author unknown:Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was okay. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was okay. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong. "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were okay," I explained to her. "Have you ever looked at your hands?," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making. Grandma smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak, have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. "They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war. "They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse. "They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. "They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. "These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ." I will never look at my hands the same again, but I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face. When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you, and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another. Praying for someone not yet considered a friend is something Christ would do.- Author Unkown________________________________________________________________________ Augusta Curtis Cultural Center (ACCC) Written by: Staci M. Roy, Executive Director In this economy we all suffer in someway and non-profit agencies see a downtrend in funding and donations. The ACCC is in jeopardy of closing and we need our community to help support Meriden’s Arts and Cultural Center. The Arts always seem to be the one area that gets cut first even before sports and the like. Arts are just as important in a community in bad times as in good. We provide an outlet for Adults & Children to be creative, to attend an event, to learn of other cultures, to enjoy all facets of the arts, and to just have a place where they can forget about all their cares and woes for a minute. We have worked with over 100 community organizations over the years and have provided a beautifully historic setting for many events and programs. Now we need the grass roots of our community to support us during these tough times and make a contribution in some way to the Center. We need everyone to keep their hearts in the arts and support the one place that provides an outlet from all that is stressful. Listening to music, playing an instrument, attending an exhibit, class or a travel logue just to name a few are some of the varied events we have offered in the past and continue to offer. We are asking our Community to help us continue our work by volunteering time, contributing monies, helping us do fundraisers, and any other way you can think of to help us. Area businesses can sponsor programs and get exposure throughout Meriden and surrounding communities. Our Annual Appeal runs through April 1st and if you would like to contribute please call 203-639-2856 or mail contribution to ACCC P.O. Box 4173, Meriden CT 06450. We sit at the Heart of it All in Meriden and we hope that you will find it in your hearts to support the Center. Don’t forget to check out our website at http://www.curtisculturalcenter.org/ to see what is coming up at the Augusta….. ______________________________________________________________________ Kiwanis Club of Wallingford Celebrates Charter Night for newly formed K-Kids Clubs at Parker Farms School and Cook Hill School The Kiwanis Club held a Charter Presentation Night for the newly formed K-Kids at the Parker Farms and Cook Hill Elementary Schools on Thursday, February 26 from 6-7 pm at Parker Farms School. This made a total of 5 elementary schools in Wallingford that have active K-Kids clubs.K-Kids clubs provide elementary school students with their first opportunity to work together in serve to school and community through developing leadership potential and strong moral character.K-Kids is the newest and fastest growing service organization for elementary students worldwide. This "student-led" community-service organization operates under school regulations and draws its members from the student body ranging in age from six to 12 years.K-Kids is a sponsored program of Kiwanis International, a worldwide organization of men and women whose clubs serve children, develop youth leadership, and provide for social and business networking. The K-Kids Club of Parker Farms School and the K-Kids Club of Cook Hill School are sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Wallingford.___________________________________________________________________________________ Home Country Slim Randles “Et tu, Brute?” Dud uttered these deathless words and sank into his well-worn seat at the philosophy counter of the world-dilemma think tank portion of the Mule Barn coffee shop. He was in. “Those are deathless words,” Dud explained to Steve and the guys. Only Doc nodded. Doc has more initials after his name than the rest of us. “You know what day is coming up, right?” Dud said. “Flag Day?” Steve said. “Don’t think so, Steve,” said Herb. “Maybe Easter?” “Guys, guys…” said the patient (and obviously learned … pronounced learn-ed) Dud. “It’s the Ides of March.” “Ides of March … do we get the day off?” “You’re retired, Herb,” Doc said. “You get every day off.” “Oh yeah … slipped my mind.” Dud was about to boil over. What good does it do to come up with a famous Latin saying when no one really cares? “The Ides of March,” he said, “means March 15 … you know, when all those guys from the Roman congress stabbed ol’ Julius Caesar to death on the doorstep. And just before he died he looked up and there was his old buddy, Brute, standing there with a knife, and that’s why he said it.” Even the coffee cup couldn’t stop Doc’s smile from escaping. “So …” Steve, the tall cowboy, said. “What happens is that they stuck ol’ Julius and then Julius ate two what? Bad burritos?” “No, no! He didn’t eat two anything. Et tu means ‘Hey Brute, you in on this deal?’ Doc said, “Well I think it was pronounced Broo-TAY, too, Dudley.” “You guys, are just … well…” and Dud stood and took his coffee to a table in the corner. Steve and Doc looked at each other. “Noblesse oblige, Steve?” “Illigitimus non carborundum, ol’ pard.” ------------------------------------------ Brought to you by Bass Pro Shops. Visit them at http://www.basspro.com/. _________________________________________________________________________ The AfterLife? By Liddy Have you ever wondered if ghosts exist? Did you ever hear a bump in the night, a noise you couldn’t explain; catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of your eye only to look and see nothing? Just maybe you are experiencing a little bit of the spirit world. Of course many people believe no such phenomenon exists. And then you have people like me and probably hundreds alone just in Connecticut who is out searching for the “proof”. I belong to the “AfterLife” paranormal group. We are local and enjoy what we do. In the warmer months we are out most weekends doing what we love. Ghost hunting! In the colder months of the season we try to get out as much as possible, but due to the weather it can be difficult. Connecticut has many places to investigate but unfortunately they are private property. Our group respects that and always asks for permission but 10 out of 10 times are denied. The problem seems to be that many of the buildings we wish to investigate are owed by the state and for some “secret reason” won’t let anyone in. There is the excuse: it’s unsafe, work is being done on the building, etc; It is understandable that some area’s may indeed be unsafe due to the age of the building or asbestos. But oh what a dream it would be to be able to snap some pictures. Pictures don’t lie so maybe the idea of capturing an image or an evp is scary to the owner of the property and they may have concerns of not being able to rent or sell it (if word got out). More and more people believe in the paranormal so it can also be enticing to a buyer. Think of the publicity and curiosity of it all. In our travels, we have caught “ghostly” figures on cameras/camcorders and I have a picture I had taken that to me and many others appear to be a white button down shirt. It was taken in the winter; my husband and I were the only ones there and we both had on dark coats. My husband was off to the right, not in front of my camera and was I very pleased to have gotten that shot. This is why ghost hunting is so interesting. It is relatively inexpensive and gets you out for a night of the unknown. The AfterLife will continue to search for the “proof” and have a good time in doing so. If you have any questions or comments, please email me. I would love to hear from you. ______________________________________________________________________________________ “Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective” by Gregory M. Simpson Life is full of close working relationships. One of them should be with your veterinarian. Are you aware that admission to veterinary school is more competitive than medical school? This is because there are only 27 U.S. veterinary schools as compared to 155 medical schools. So how do you choose a veterinarian who was so carefully selected for veterinary training? There are many factors to consider. Feeling confident about his or her veterinary skills should be at the top of the list. Therefore, seek one or more recommendations from friends, family, or neighbors as testimonials. Once the relationship is established, be conversant with your veterinarian about any condition or treatment related to your companion animal. In this internet age, it is a simple matter to access additional information about any veterinary diagnosis or treatment. There are also publications available, such as the Cornell Book of Cats, Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, and Catnip: A Newsletter for Caring Cat Owners. As important as veterinary skills is “bedside manor,” both for you and your companion animal. Choose a veterinarian who is willing to spend quality time with you, explaining diagnoses and procedures to your satisfaction. If you want a second opinion, you should be able to ask for one without resistance. At times, it may be appropriate for the vet to even make the contact. “Bedside manor” extends beyond office appointments, through follow-up phone calls or e-mails to see how your animal is progressing. It is also common for vets to send holiday cards and sympathy cards when companion animals pass on. However, your veterinarian alone does not establish a supportive environment. Veterinary technicians and reception staff play important roles in setting the atmosphere. Are they friendly and knowledgeable? They may be the ones you speak with as often as your vet. What is the ambience of the veterinary clinic or hospital? Is it bright, warm, and inviting? Is it clean? When considering a veterinary practice, appropriately ask for a tour of the facility. Are all parts of the practice equally well-maintained? Examine where your animal will stay if ill. Would your sick cat be caged in a room with barking dogs or be placed separately with only cats? Is the cage space large enough to move around in if multiple overnight stays are needed? Availability is a key factor. What are the hospital hours? Are the hours convenient to drop off your companion animal before work and pick up afterwards? Is the clinic open on Saturdays? How are emergencies handled? Could you reach a vet from the practice after hours or would you need to go to an emergency hospital? Is the veterinary practice close enough to your home so as to be readily accessible on short notice? Are clients seen for appointments on time? These are all questions for which you will be glad to have answers before selecting a vet. There are other signs that a veterinary practice may be a “good place” for you and your companion animal. Are there one or more resident animals that greet each client? Does the vet participate in a low-cost spay/neuter program like Spay USA or Friends of Animals? Does the practice offer multiple pet discounts? Does the clinic help place animals needing homes? Does it maintain a bulletin board of useful information, such as places to adopt or upcoming animal welfare group events? Does the vet donate time or discounts to animal rescue organizations? After selecting a veterinary practice, allow time for the working relationship to develop. A vet gets to know your animal’s physical and psychological needs better over time. Remember that you spend the most time with your pet, so you are the most important symptom reporter. If you have any questions about the vet’s assessment or treatment – ask. It is your companion animal and the responsibility to secure the best care is yours. It is the veterinarian’s responsibility to provide the best veterinary care he or she can. And remember - regular check-ups are important. Not all health problems are symptomatic. For instance, heart murmurs can be a silent killer. Doing all of the above will make the process of visiting the vet more pleasant and productive – for both your pet and you! For the animals, Gregory M. Simpson Gregory Simpson’s animal welfare involvement spans over 25 years, having provided leadership for several Connecticut organizations, as well as having served as state advisor to the national Friends of Animals. Currently a Board member of Protectors of Animals, Inc., he was chosen by CAT FANCY magazine as one of the ultimate cat lovers in the U.S. He is also a member of the Cat Writers’ Association. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/. The “Dog Days” of the Economy We hear the news every day that more and more people are losing their jobs, or finding it hard to pay bills as their bank statements have shrunk, or are struggling to keep their homes. As the economy worsens, it seems as though our four legged friends are finding it especially hard to stay in their homes. “We are having an especially high rate of dogs being returned to us as some folks are finding they must give up their best friend in order to pay their bills”, said Nancy Javor, Vice President of Connecticut Greyhound Adoption. Connecticut Greyhound Adoption is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to find permanent, loving homes for retired racing greyhounds. “It is extremely sad to see a dog that has lived in a home for 3 to 4 years be suddenly bounced out of it and into an unfamiliar setting waiting to be adopted once again,” Javor added. In addition to adopted greyhounds being surrendered because their owners are facing financial troubles, local greyhound tracks are closing. Massachusetts voted to close ban greyhound racing and in January 2010 the two tracks will cease operations. It is expected that hundreds more greyhounds will need homes in the upcoming year in order to prepare for the tracks closing date. CT Greyhound Adoption has 6 dogs that recently were returned to the organization and need to be re-homed. Some of these dogs currently waiting in foster care are older and more difficult to place but all of them are loving and sweet and in the right home environment will thrive once again. Local couple leads Hound Hikes and will participate in Daffodil Festival Parade In an effort to find loving homes for the dogs currently in foster care, Janis and Jason Grant, a Meriden couple who volunteer for CT Greyhound Adoption, will lead a few local events in the Meriden area. The first event is a hound Hike at the Quinnipiac River Trail in Meriden on March 1st and the second event will feature some of CGA’s greyhounds in the Daffodil Festival Parade on April 25th. “We would love for people to come out and see us at our Meriden events. People will get to see the very sweet and gentle characteristics that greyhounds exhibit and view first hand what wonderful pets they make and hopefully find space in their home for a new forever friend” added Janis Grant, CT Greyhound Adoption volunteer from Meriden. Greyhounds Make Great Pets Interested in making a fast friend? Looking for a devoted companion? Adopt a greyhound! Twenty years ago, only a small percentage of retiring racers found their forever homes. Now the word is out – greyhounds make great pets! Over the last 3 years, CT Greyhound Adoption has placed over 300 greyhounds in homes throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Greyhounds are good with kids and can live with other small animals including cats and dogs. Because of their upbringing, greyhounds typically are very social animals, and with proper introductions they can learn to get along with just about any other pet. Some fun facts about greyhounds: - They are funny, sensitive, lazy, affectionate, gentle, loving, and devoted companions. - They are very clean. Their sleek short-haired coats do not require a lot of grooming, nor do they attract "doggy" odors and shedding is minimal. - They are intelligent, learn quickly and are eager to please. - They have a long life span as compared to other larger breeds, and can live an average of 10-13 years old. - They are quiet gentle giants and bark very little, which makes them great for condo/apartment living. Contrary to popular belief, greyhounds do not require a lot of exercise. Although they can make great walking/jogging partners, greyhounds are satisfied with a couple of walks a day. They love to curl up on a couch and take a nap, hence why these terrific dogs are often referred to as the "45 MPH couch potato". Greyhounds prefer to sleep all day, follow you everywhere, lay on a big soft bed, and have their bellies rubbed – they take retirement seriously! The typical greyhound can weigh between 50-80 lbs., with a height of 24-30". Males are generally larger than females. Greyhounds come in a variety of colors including; black, fawn, red, blue, several shades of brindle, and white with a combination of any of these colors. Greyhounds have been bred and trained to be lean, athletic dogs. This means that they have particular needs that potential adopters should be know: -They must always be on a leash. Greyhounds can never be let off a leash unless in a fully enclosed/properly fenced in area. Greyhounds still possess a high prey drive, and can give chase at any given moment. With a dog that can run up to 45 MPH...the chance cannot be taken! -They need to maintain a healthy body weight. These dogs are meant to be lean; being overweight will cause unnecessary stress on the joints, and can cause other health issues. -Greyhounds should be protected from excessive hot/cold temperatures. Because of the greyhounds minimal amount of body fat and very little fur, they are susceptible to extreme of temperatures. In the colder months the dogs must wear proper coats to protect them, and in the hotter months, outdoor activities must be kept to a minimum with plenty of water always provided. Consider adopting a retired racing greyhound to share your life with you. You will have the satisfaction of owning a wonderful pet, and will gain the companionship of a devoted, affectionate, and loyal friend for life! For more information on all of CT Greyhound Adoption’s foster dogs, volunteering opportunities, or more detail on local events, please visit http://www.ctgreyhounds.org/ or call 860-836-5049. ______________________________________________________________ Perspective Submitted by Carol Carbutti, - Owner of Comfort Keepers of Wallingford A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.''That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged .. it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. 'Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred.2. Free your mind from worries.3. Live simply.4. Give more.5. Expect less. Submitted by Carol Carbutti, - Owner of Comfort Keepers of Wallingford ___________________________________________________________________________ Opportunity for Change By Jennifer Jenkins The current economic situation has stirred up a tremendous amount of fear mongering, especially with respect to the media’s announcements of job layoffs throughout the country. Life is certainly unpredictable when it comes to jobs; I certainly know. I have experienced job loss in my life. However, in spite of this, I am still standing, stronger than ever. So, if you receive a pink slip, fear not. A job layoff, as I have learned, can actually be a blessing in disguise. It is an opportunity to profoundly change your life and do what you really love, what you are meant to do as part of your path in life. How do you know the path you should take? You must listen carefully to what makes your heart sing, what resonates within your soul. Paying attention to your thoughts, especially the repetitive ones, is extremely important. Is there a class you keep thinking of taking? Have you thought of examining your resume to see what skills are transferable to the job/career you wish to have? Do you look at that professional astrologer’s business card, which recently caught your eye, and think of calling to make that appointment? According to Angel Expert, Doreen Virtue, repetitive thoughts, as long as they are positive in nature, are often divinely-infused thoughts, or what I like to call “Divine Transference.” It is up to us, though, to “listen” and, most importantly, act upon this guidance. How do you know you are embarking on the right path? One way of knowing you are on the right path is noticing signs along the way, signs which confirm you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. Do you notice “doors” opening for you, along the way? If, however, you are feeling unsure of whatever signs you are receiving, spend some quiet time alone to calm your mind. When we experience stress and racy thoughts it’s hard to make wise decisions. However, when we focus on quieting our minds, we can see things more clearly and exercise better judgment. So, spend some quiet time alone to center your self. Listen to some peaceful music. Meditate. By doing this, the wisdom within you will resonate. You will have a strong sense of what to do. Just as it is important to focus on the spiritual aspect of your life, it is just as important to focus on all the material resources available to you, as well. We live in a state that is rich in career and job resources, from Connecticut’s state library program to the University of Hartford’s non-profit center, Center for Professional Development to our “211” info line program, a free information line and website which guides people to the assistance they need. In addition, thanks to grant and state funding, many resources, including the use of the internet at public libraries, are often free of charge. So, fear not, you are okay and will be okay. Just have faith, follow your divine guidance, and act, using the divine wisdom within you. _____________________________________________________________________________________ AT THE HEART OF IT ALL! Written by: Staci M. Roy, Executive Director of The Augusta Curtis Cultural Center (ACCC) As non-profits are struggling in this economy, especially the arts, the ACCC is continuing to offer enjoyable programming & events to help take everyone away from the day to day stresses of life, for at least a bit. On Friday, March 6th we will be hosting our first "Nites Out at the Augusta” event featuring, Daniel Taylor at 8pm. These events are bring your own food and drink, the ACCC will provide ice, mixers, and lots of good entertainment. The Center is also trying to do more Family events and on Saturday, March 7th at 11:00am we are hosting “The Basket Case” a puppet show featuring Rolande Duprey that is good for ages 4 and up. Meriden’s own Gonkus Brothers will join us for “Nites Out at the Augusta” on Saturday, March 28th at 8pm. The Travel Logues have been a great success in the past and our next presentation will by by Peter Burch on Sunday, March 29th at 2pm, “From Ice in the Andes to the Heat of Rio; Argentina, Chile, & Brazil”. Join us for one of these events or any of the upcoming events this year and support Meriden’s Arts & Cultural Center. The Center is here for the enjoyment of all the community and we are in the Heart of it all! Let us know what you would like to see us do more of at the Center and what you would attend. We are committed to presenting the best Cultural and Artistic programming we can, and we hope that the grass roots of this community will decide to support us by attending our programs & events. Our website has recently gone through an upgrade so that we can be even more efficient about getting out our message of culture. Visit the site at www.curtisculturalcenter.org and check out the events calendar showing everything we have planned, so far, for the rest of the year. The arts are important to the creativity of a community and to the quality of life in any City. It is our hope that we will be your Arts & Cultural Center for years to come and will always be in the heart of it all! If you would like to contribute to our Annual Appeal please mail all contributions to: ACCC P.O. Box 4173, Meriden CT 06450. We are also looking for program and event sponsors, if you are interested please call 203-639-2856 or e-mail us at accc@ci.meriden.ct.us ____________________________________________ MOTHERS Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it. Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox. Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids. Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets. Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up. Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.' Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother... The Images of Mother 4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything! 8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot! 12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything. 14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either. 16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned. 18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date! 25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it! 35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion. 45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it? 65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows! Please send this to 5 Mom's today. If you don't, nothing bad will happen, but if you do, something good will: You will boost a Mother spirits. _________________________________________________________________________________ To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com.

Local News and Events March 2009

To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com Sheehan Student Named National Merit Finalist Alexander Thompson, a senior at Mark T. Sheehan High School, has advanced to finalist standing in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program by demonstrating through distinguished performance high potential for future academic accomplishment. A recipient of the Rotary High School Citizen of the Year Award, Alex is actively involved in the school and community. He is captain of the cross country and tennis teams, treasurer of the National Honor Society, member of the Wallingford Board for Youth and a boy scout. In addition, Alex recently participated in a summer internship at a local civil engineering firm. He will continue to meet with success as he pursues an engineering degree at the college of his choice next year. WALLINGFORD JUNIOR WOMAN’S CLUB ANNOUNCES 2nd ANNUAL TOUCH-A-TRUCK EVENT – TRUCKS WANTED The Wallingford Junior Woman's Club will sponsor its 2nd Annual Touch-a-Truck on May 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chevrolet Theatre, and trucks are needed. This is a hands-on activity for children and parents to experience their favorite big trucks up close by climbing into the driver’s seat, honking the horn, and pretending to steer. WJWC invites local truck owners to provide trucks for display and touching. Truck owners must provide a current certificate of insurance, a truck attendant at all times, and a truck that may be touched and/or sat in. Truck owners may distribute family-friendly promotional materials with WJWC approval. For more information, please call Kathryn Speeg, WJWC Touch-a-Truck Committee Co-Chairwoman, at 203-284-5826. The Wallingford Junior Woman’s Club (WJWC) is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization, and a member of the Connecticut Junior Women, Inc. http://www.cjw.org/. WJWC was incorporated in 1954 and is a non-profit organization that promotes educational, philanthropic, community service work and provides its members with opportunities for personal enrichment, leadership and social interaction. WJWC projects include the Townwide Spelling Bee and Children’s Area at Celebrate Wallingford, and partnerships with the League of Women Voters of Wallingford & Cheshire, Wallingford Symphony Orchestra, Wallingford Emergency Shelter, and American Red Cross. In addition, WJWC has participated in and donated to several state projects overseen by CJW, including the current state project, Covenant to Care for Children, Inc., which provides direct assistance to Connecticut children who are neglected, abused or at-risk. For more information about WJWC, call Mimi LaFrance, Membership Chairwoman, at 284-8544. The Village at Kensington Place Mall Walkers Program The public is invited to join residents from The Village at Kensington Place senior living community as they embark on on a new mall walking exercise program. The group will meet from 9:30 to 11 a.m., every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, beginning on Wednesday, March 4 to walk a half-mile long course at the Westfield Meriden Mall, located at 470 Lewis Ave., Meriden. The team of residents, called “The Kensington Travelers.” will chart various destinations on a map and track their progress each week using pedometers provided courtesy of the Meriden Health Department. The program is free and open to the public. For more information please call Doug Sabino, activity director at The Village at Kensington Place at 203-235-0181. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/ WALLINGFORD JUNIOR WOMAN’S CLUB ANNOUNCES MARCH MEETING The Wallingford Junior Woman’s Club will hold its monthly meeting on March 18 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Shop-Rite (Townline Square, Route 5). Any Wallingford woman age 18 and older is welcome to attend and learn more about WJWC, a non-profit organization that promotes educational, philanthropic, community service work and provides its members with opportunities for personal enrichment, leadership and social interaction. For more information, call Kathy Schave, Membership Chairwoman, at 949-1638. Dates Announced for 31st Annual Meriden Daffodil Festival Meriden's Largest and most colorful festival the "Meriden Daffodil Festival" will celebrate its 31st year during 2009. The festival will be held on Saturday April 25 and Sunday April 26, 2009. 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. Stage By Stage Musical Entertainment Lineup- The 31st Annual Meriden Daffodil Festival The Daffodil Festivals Entertainment Coordinator Rob DeRosa has signed on some top-notch entertainment for this year’s event. You can expect some of the best bands Connecticut has to offer. There will be continuous musical entertainment Saturday April 25th and Sunday April 26th on 3 stages located throughout the park. Saturday April 25 The Bandshell Stage 11-11:45 Bird ‘n Boys 12:15-1:00 The Sawtelles 1:30-2:15 Big Fat Combo 2:45-3:30 The Furors 4:00-4:45 Bottle Up & Go 5:15-6:00 The Reducers 6:30- 7:15 Bear Hands 7:45- 8:30 Article 19 The Jeff Crooms Welcome Stage 11-11:45 Bird ‘n Boys 12:15-1:00 The Sawtelles 1:30-2:15 Big Fat Combo 2:45-3:30 The Furors 4:00-4:45 Bottle Up & Go 5:15-6:00 The Reducers 6:3o- 7:15 Bear Hands 7:45- 8:30 Article 19 The Food Tent Stage 10:30-11:30 Carlos & Roy 12-1:30 The Gonkus Brothers 2:00-3:00 Can Kickers 3:30-4:30 River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs 5:00-6:00 The Monthei Brothers 6:30-7:30 Glenn Roth Sunday April 26 The Bandshell Stage 11:30-12:15 The Bad Reps 12:45-1:30 The Ivory Bills 2:00-2:45 Lo Fi Radiostars 3:15-4:00 Straddledaddy The Jeff Crooms Welcome Stage 11:00-11:45 M.T. Bearington 12:15-1:00 The And Band 1:30-2:15 titles 2:45-3:30 The Mountain Movers 4:00-4:45 St. Bernadette The Food Tent Stage 10:00-11:00 The Maloney High School Jazz Band 11:30-12:30 Swing 39 1:00-2:00 Jesus Pagan e su orquesta 2:30-3:30 Wild Notes 4:00-5:00 Sean, Kelli & Wayne "Getting Hands-On with Integrative Therapies"March 23, 2009 1 p.m.Presented by Kathy Clements, RN-ONC, of MidState Medical CenterDon't just learn about integrative therapies. Experience them first hand! This informative and interactive program will delve into the world of integrative medicine and cover the following topics:~Chair yoga...participate in a demonstration~Music therapy... receive a free meditative CD~Guided imagery...learn how you can do it~Art therapy...try a project and take it homeTo register for this program, call 203-237-0300. AMERICAN RED CROSS BASIC WATER RESCUE COURSE At the Wallingford Family YMCA Ideal for Scout leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, boaters of all kinds, water fitness instructors, camp personnel, teachers, parents with backyard pools, young teens ages 12-15. This course does NOT teach CPR or first aid. This is a 4 hour course with both in the water and classroom components. There will be a 25 question written exam which must be passed in order to receive a 3 year certification card. Attendees must be comfortable in chest deep water and must come ready to get in the water. Call Pam VanderWeele for more information. 203 269 4497 x 20 or pvanderweele@wallingfordymca.org Class to be held Sunday, March 22, 1-5PM FRIENDS OF LIBRARY BOOKSTORE PLANS BOOKSIGNING, SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR MARCH Former Meriden City Manager Roger Kemp will sign copies of his latest book, “Cities and Water – a Handbook for Planning” at the Friends of the Meriden Public Library Bookstore, 35 West Main Street in downtown Meriden on Saturday, March 21, from noon to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served. With droughts, global warming and rising infrastructure cost bringing new attention to water as both an urban planning and environmental issue, Kemp’s new book offers case studies on restoring wetlands, watersheds, rivers, beaches and harbors as rapid urbanization puts more stress on water supplies. Involved with city planning for over two decades, Kemp has dealt first-hand with water-related issues and future concerns. During March, the bookstore will also feature, at half-price, Irish books -- including travel, books written by Irish authors or set in Ireland – and, with an eye toward Spring, books on planning and preparing gardens. The March meeting of the Friends of the Library will be held at 7 p.m. March 24 in the Friends Room at the Meriden Public Library. All members are welcome. Adoption Information Meetings Sponsored by: Child Adoption Resource AssociationA non-profit full service adoption agency located in New London serving all of Connecticut Wednesday April 1, 2009 and May 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. Free Informational Sessions for People Interested in Finding Out more about Adoption held at: Borders Books and Music Seattle's Best Cafe470 Lewis Ave. Meriden, CT 06451 Phone: 203-237-5510 A CARA worker will explain different types of adoption and offer a step-by-step outline to adopting a child. Project Connecticut's Child, a grant funded program seeking to find families to adopt children from CT state foster care at minimum cost, will be presented. Domestic private infant adoption as well as international adoption will be covered as well. Participants will leave with a folder of resources to help guide families, couples, or individuals wishing to adopt domestically through private or foster care adoption. Families especially needed to adopt African American or part African American children of all ages through private adoption. http://www.adoptacarakid.org/ 860-444-0553 To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/ “The Good Old Days of 1890” The Wallingford Historical Society will be hosting a free program called “The Good Old Days of 1890”. Gordon Williams, a retired history teacher, will bring history to life in this interesting presentation. The program is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at 7:30pm. First Baptist Church, 114 North Main St. Refreshments provided. All are welcome. Our Own Great Gardens: U.S. and Connecticut Wallingford Garden Club to present speaker on great gardens of U.S. and Connecticut Nancy Ballek MacKinnon will present a slide show on "Our Own Great Gardens: U.S. and Connecticut" at the Wallingford Garden Club's meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at 1 p.m. in the First Congregational Church meeting room at the corner of South Main and Center Streets. The meeting is open to the public for a fee of $5 and will be preceded by a mini-luncheon and business meeting. MacKinnon is from Ballek's Garden Center in East Haddam, a family business located in the center of a farm that has been in the family since the 1660s. _______________________________________________________________________________ The Horse Environmental Awareness Program (HEAP) is now accepting applications for its 2009 Horse Farms of Environmental Distinction award program. This program honors those horse owners who own one horse or more and who take pride in being good stewards of the land and goodneighbors to those who share our common water resources.Horse owners that qualify for the award are those who implement good manure, pasture and facility management practices. Practices such as covering manure piles, diverting rain water away from barnyards,installing fencing to keep horses out of ponds and streams, utilizing a sacrifice area, installing gutters on barns, and testing pasture soils.Evaluators will review the practices being implemented and provide a score based on how these practices decrease or eliminate impacts to the environment. If a qualifying score is achieved, the horse owner willreceive an attractive, aluminum 18" x 24" Horse Farm of Environmental Distinction sign to proudly display at their facility. Those that do not receive a qualifying score will receive recommendations on how toimprove their horse keeping operation to help protect the environment with encouragement to re-apply the following year. The HEAP program is a coalition of federal and states agencies, organizations and individuals interested in protecting the environment by educating horse owners on good horse management practices. It has noregulatory authority and its only interest is to help horse owners improve their management practices. Deadline for applying is April 3, 2009. To learn more about the program call Mark Cummings at 203-284-3663 or email carol.donzella@ct.usda.gov. ______________________________________________________________________________ To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/ Walk The Walk to Empower Hello Everyone, Although this has nothing to do with real estate, it would be of great honor to invite you to Walk The Walk to Empower on May 10th at Lighthouse Park in New Haven in memory of those who past from breast cancer, or any other type of cancer in general, and their heroism in fighting to stay alive. It also honors those who are currently facing the battle of cancer as well and those who have battled cancer and survived the battle.It has been, as you know, a difficult road for me in my battle of cancer in every area in my life. Through my battle, I also lost my Father, leaving me wondering what was worse, my battle of cancer or the loss of my Dad of whom I later learned he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he did not want me to know because of my battle of breast cancer. People, without knowing this knowledge from me in a personal way, such as yourself, set an important example without realizing it to others that are battling cancer. In that example, it allows them to remain strong, not because of the battle, but because of life itself. Do this for those that you know and love, to honor their heroism in the battle of cancer, do this for you to show your heroism as well.To the World, we seem to be one. But to one, we are the world.To be honest, many of you did not seen me when I battled cancer. My experience in my own battle was sad to witness and certainly is sad to tell. What hurts me the most is seeing a child battle cancer as everyone has the right to live a full life.For that reason, I will be there to walk the Walk to Empower and commit myself toward raising funds to donate for the purpose to find a cure. They may not find that cure in our generation, but just imagine, a 100 years from now, there will be a cure that our great-great grand children will benefit from. Although we are facing an economical shift right now, it shouldn't stop anyone to take a moment of their time to raise a dime for the cause to find a cure. Many cures have been found for several illnesses through economical challenges since the Colonial Days. Just think, today we live in a cure free world due to the cure by vaccine for polio and measles; just to mention a couple.For more information, please visit http://www.networkofstrength.org/ , formerly known as Y-Me. Information and registration for this walk can be done on this web site. I ask that you can pass this along to your co-workers, family and friends as well. It would mean a lot to me and others in our community for the cause.See below email from my friend, Lydia Jandreau. Attached is Team Building Workshop Information as well. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lydia toll free at 1-877-963-7223 x 2743 Sincerely, Maggie Griffin __________________________________________________________________________________ Free Trainings for Local Faith Organizations The Meriden and Wallingford Substance Abuse Council (MAWSAC) will hold a series of free trainings for teams from local churches and faith communities who want to learn more about how to help their own congregation members who may be experiencing alcohol, drug abuse and mental health issues. This non-denominational training will provide participants with useful skills to enhance their outreach and ministry to their faith members. The Congregational Assistance Program (CAP) sessions will be held in Wallingford on March 19, March 26 and April 2 and include free dinner and all program materials. The CAP program is appropriate for all clergy, lay leaders and faith-based outreach workers. For more information or to register call M AWSAC at 203-294-3591 or email mawsac@aol.com. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Latinas Empowerment Group, Working On Self Esteem Women and Families Center Sexual Assault Crisis Service provides short term supportive counseling services to residents of Meriden, Wallingford and Cheshire, Middlesex County and Greater New Haven County. A Latinas empowerment group, working on self esteem will be available in the Meriden area. Latinas, who attend and participate in these groups, will have an opportunity to share and grow among peers and caring facilitators. Come join us for coffee, snacks, crafts and lots of activities. You don’t have to go through this alone! To register please call Melissa Rosado at (203) 235-9297 ext. 114. All services are free and confidential. ___________________________________________________________________________________ MYSTIC AQUARIUM & INSTITUTE FOR EXPLORATIONTO REVEAL “LIFE AT THE EXTREMES” DURINGAPRIL SCHOOL VACATION WEEK What lives where water boils under the sea, in the heat of the desert or in the Arctic? Kids will discover the fascinating animals that live in extreme environments during Life at the Extremes Week, April 13 to 19, at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. At the Arctic Coast exhibit, which currently houses the aquarium’s three beluga whales along with Shedd Aquarium’s seven belugas, guests will learn about the adaptations that allow the whales to live in the extreme cold. Shedd’s belugas and dolphins’ “vacation” here is almost over – don’t miss the rare opportunity to see Pacific white-sided dolphins on the east coast and the aquariums’ belugas interacting with each other. Visitors to the Roger Tory Peterson penguin exhibit will hear about the characteristics that allow African penguins to live in a temperate climate. Guests will also get close to animals that live in extremely dry environments, such as reptiles, and in wet environments, such as millipedes. Interactive activities on the weekdays include a game to help kids learn about the different and difficult stages of sea turtles’ lives; a mural activity to teach guests about the animals and plants that live between the tides and must deal with temperature changes, the changing of the tides and changes in salt content; and lessons on deep-sea vents and testing salt levels, temperature and pH levels of water. Younger children can “catch” cut-outs of deep-sea creatures containing fun facts. They can also observe foam cups shrunken under pressure to understand varying water pressures. Weekday activities and games will take place on the main exhibit floor and in the classrooms at various times during the day. WHAT: Life at the Extremes Week, a week of special programming during April school vacation that reveals the animals who live in extreme environments WHEN: April 13 to 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. WHERE: Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355 COST: Free with museum admission: Adults $24, seniors $21, children (ages 3 to 17) $18, free for children 2 and under. For more information, call (860) 572-5955 or e-mail info@mysticaquarium.org. About Sea Research Foundation, Inc.Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Presents are divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit, charitable organization incorporated in the State of Connecticut. The mission of Sea Research is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Ocean Blue Catering at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration to Host Monthly “Plenty of Fish in the Sea” Social Nights Events bring people together forsocialization, fine food, wine sampling and dancing MYSTIC, Conn. (February 24, 2008) – Whether you hope to make new friends, network or perhaps find a special someone, head to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, where Ocean Blue Catering is hosting a new series of Plenty of Fish in the Sea Social Nights. These monthly gatherings take place on Thursday evenings – March 19, April 16, May 21 and June 25 – from 7 to 11 p.m. The socials include gourmet hors d’ oeuvres created by Ocean Blue Catering, a cash bar, tableside wine samplings from various vineyards (these wines will also be available for purchase) and dancing to music provided by deejay Chip Kelly – all on the aquarium’s main exhibit floor, home to fish, marine mammals, reptiles and more. Seating will be randomly assigned to encourage mingling. “The main exhibit floor’s fascinating and diverse sea creatures are natural conversation-starters,” said Donna Chenette, director of Ocean Blue Catering. “Combined with great food and music, the Aquarium provides the perfect setting for meeting people and having a fun evening out.” WHAT: Plenty of Fish in the Sea Social Nights, monthly gatherings hosted by Ocean Blue Catering at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration that include hors d’ oeuvres, a cash bar, deejay and wine samplings WHEN: March 19, April 16, May 21 and June 25 from 7 to 11 p.m. WHERE: Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, Main Exhibit Floor 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355 COST: $25 per person with cash bar. Space is limited. Reservations are recommended. Please call (860) 572-5955 ext. 336 to make a reservation. Attendees must be 21 or older. About Ocean Blue Catering Ocean Blue Catering, the exclusive caterer to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, strives to make any event flawless and special. Ocean Blue’s culinary team includes the best local talent, who combine their knowledge of New England fare with the sophistication of one of the top catering facilities in the area to create upscale restaurant cuisine served through hors d’oeuvre receptions, buffets and plated three-, four- and five-course dinners. The freshest ingredients, flavorful combinations and finest in presentation are all hallmarks of Executive Chef Trad Dart's success. As a subsidiary of Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, Ocean Blue Catering shares in its mission. All revenue generated through Ocean Blue Catering supports this important mission and the animals that live at Mystic Aquarium. About Sea Research Foundation, Inc. Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Presents are divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit, charitable organization incorporated in the State of Connecticut. The mission of Sea Research is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration. ____________________________________________________________________________ Appalachian Trail Adventures Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) and the Grey Bonnet Inn are excited to announce an affordable all-inclusive fitness vacation. We know you are as concerned about your travel budget as you are about the comfort and convenience of your accommodations. That's why we are offering the best possible spa vacation at the lowest prices. We provide guided hikes, snacks, breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodations starting at the spectacular low rate of $157.00 per night, per person, for double occupancy, including taxes and gratuities. We offer massages, yoga and cooking classes à la carte. Book your adventure before May 8th and receive a $10.00 credit per night, per person, for stays three nights and longer. ATA is a unique hiking and wellness spa for hikers of all abilities. Offering daily guided hikes in the Green Mountains of Vermont along the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, followed by excursions to Vermont's scenic villages. After the hikes guests can unwind with a late afternoon yoga class and/or a massage. But the fun doesn't stop there, after dinner a registered dietitian presents cooking demonstrations while discussing nutritional facts and myths. Unlike most spas, ATA's owner John Keough is there daily to provide guests with personal service. In collaboration with registered dietitians we create a delicious spa menu for those seeking healthier meals. ATA is able to cater to special dietary restrictions and offers two serving sizes. These are a weight loss portion or a hiker's portion so our guests can have customized meals. This enables ATA to cater to couples, athletes, weight loss vacationers, as well as to all those with no dietary restrictions who seek to eat healthier. Guests will be empowered to kick start a new lifestyle, as we introduce them to several alternatives or options to choose from in order to attain better health, healthier weight and improved fitness. Our 2009 season runs from June 1st to October 12th. To learn more visit http://www.appalachiantrailadventures.com/ or call 1-888-855-8655 CONTACT: John Keough, Founder & Guide 888.855.8655 or john@appalachiantrailadventures.com _____________________________________________________________________________________ SOUTHINGTON CLASS OF 1984 25TH REUNON 11/28/09 - AQUA TURF CLUB Please contact Gina Ferracci Pellegrinoginapellegrino@sbcglobal.net for more information. ________________________________________________________________________ March 14th World Famous Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner Meriden Masonic Temple, 112 East Main St. Saturday, March 14, 2009, from 5pm to 7pm. Fundraiser of Westwood Court #5 Order of Amaranth Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots, Mustard Horse Radish. With lots of Homemade Pies, coffee reg/decaf, tea, soda reg/diet. Adults still $12.00 Children 5 to 12yrs $5.00. under 5yrs free. Come out & join us for a GREAT Dinner! (use rear entrance) Edward Stanton 203-237-7704 ___________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Indoor Triathalon at the Meriden YMCA Time to shake up your workout and try something fun and different for a good cause– an Indoor Triathalon at the Meriden YMCA to benefit the United Way of Meriden and Wallingford. Join us on Sunday March 15th from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. It only takes fifteen minutes each in the pool, on the treadmill, and the elliptical machine. You can do it! Divisions for Youth, Men, Women, and Seniors. Fees are $20 for YMCA members, $35.00 for nonmembers. For more information please call Carrie Marquardt at (203) 235-6386 x18. _________________________________________________________________ "Thoroughly enjoyable, great performer." Alan Simpson, BBC"Best Axes of Folk Award" - What's Up Magazine 2008Sarazin Blake is the real deal, a storyteller with a guitar and a head full of ideas who roams the land playing his tunes. This Bellingham, WA. based singer-songwriter has made his way across the States and back who knows how many times, and found an enthusiastic audience in Ireland, too. Now, on his newest self-produced album, The Air Your Lungs Forced Out (Same Room Records), set for release March 31, 2009, Sarazin Blake is poised to take his music to the next level.For Sarazin Blake the journey began in Seattle 31 years ago. Listening to his father, himself a musician, gave Blake the impetus to follow his own artistic path. Learning the traditional folk canon and songs of the greats (Dylan, Leonard Cohen) Blake immerses the genres mixed with a punk-rock essence. His songs have been described as "meta-biographical" and "bookended stream-of-consciousness," always defying an easy description.Whatever people want to call it, ultimately they will find that there's no one else quite like him. With his unique guitar style, which Blake describes as "a mixture of a Richie Havens "fast-strumming" style with a heavy-handed rhythmic approach, mixed with a noise/jazz improv aspect," to his bold, authoritative vocal approach, Blake comes on strong and assured. His songs, by their very nature, demand intent listening.The Air Your Lungs Forced Out features hyper-literate Blake classics-to-be like "After the Afternoon," "India or Spain," "New Orleans" and "Fat and Skinny," and were all written one recent fall in a cabin in the woods outside of Bellingham. Then, as with all of his previous releases, the music was recorded live in the studio sans overdubs, with local musicians—Blake (acoustic guitar), Mike Grigoni (pedal steel guitar, Dobro), Josh Brahinsky (upright bass), and Jordan Rain (drums)—gathered intimately around one another."The stories are definitely my stories and the stories of what's going on around me," says Blake. "It's fairly personal."The Air Your Lungs Forced Out is indeed very personal, the most fully realized statement yet from one of the most gifted troubadours of our time. www.myspace.com/robertsarazinblake _________________________________________________________________________________ M.H.S. Photo's with the Easter Bunny Lori Peck, Dedicated Volunteer It's time for the Easter Bunny to visit the Meriden Humane Society on March 28th, from 11- 5. So hop on over to have yours or your pets picture taken with the Easter Bunny. You can purchase 2 4x6 photos for $10.00 and additional photos can also be purchased. Come join the fun, enter a raffle, purchase an Easter basket, baked goods or a container of cookies from our "now popular" cookie walk. We can always use more bakers and donations of baked goods. Please contact Lori at (203)213-3886. The M.H.S. and Yalesville-Wallingford Lions Club are hosting a Benefit Ziti Dinner for Debbie and Andy Purchia, who experienced a devastating fire in their home. Along with the damage to their home, they lost many of their beloved pets. Please join us on Saturday, March 7th from 4-7 at the PLAV in Meriden. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the shelter or by calling the M.H.S. at 238-3650 or Sandy at 949-1586. If you have been interested in adopting a cat, now is the time! For a limited amount of time we have reduced our fee. Our adoption fee, with an approved application will be $25.00 for a spayed or neutered cat. Kitten season is around the corner and we need room at the shelter for pregnant mother cats. As always we gladly accept donations of Purina Cat Chow, Kitten Chow, canned wet food (no fish please), canned dog food, paper towels, small paper plates, Lysol wipes, laundry detergent, bleach, towels, linens and spoons. Anything you can do to help is appreciated. Please check out our website at meridenhs.petfinder.org. See you at the shelter! ______________________________________________________________________ Trail Trek at Hubbard Park - a WalkCT Family Ramble - last Sun in March WHEN: Sun, March 29, 11am – 1pm WHERE: Hubbard Park, Meriden WHO: Families with children able to walk 2 hours THE FUN: Wave at the cars below as we cross I-691 over the pedestrian bridge at the beginning of our hike. Head up to the shoulder of Meriden’s Hanging Hills, East and West Peak. We’ll hike below Castle Craig with a rest stop at the Half Way House currently being refurbished by volunteers. Views from here south to Sleeping Giant and North to Castle Craig are fantastic! From here we’ll descend toward the Reservoir with a nice view of Miner’s Island before reaching the ring road and returning to the parking area. Sturdy shoes recommended; includes one moderate, 5-minute incline. Bring at least 16oz of water and a snack. Stay longer and enjoy your picnic lunch or the playground in the park. Rain cancels. DIRECTIONS: I-84 East or west to I-691 East. Exit at West Main St. (Exit 4). Right at end of ramp, park entrance on left approximately half mile. I-91/Merritt Pkwy North or South to I-691 West. Exit at Rt.322 Meriden/Southington (Exit 4). Left at end of ramp onto West Main Street. Park entrance approximately half mile on left. Follow park road to back parking lot. Park across from public pool. Look for Family Guide’s truck - Red Ford F-150 Extended cab pickup. FAMILY RAMBLES: To prepare for a safe and enjoyable time: 1. Bring water, snack, and your excitement; 2. Leave pets at home; 3. Wear sturdy shoes; and 4. Kids, please remember to bring your parents or caregivers. WalkCT Family Rambles are free as a public service to the children and families of Connecticut. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. Locations are subject to change; call the Connecticut Forest & Park Association at (860) 346-2372 or return to www.ctwoodlands.org for updates and new postings. Babies in backpacks welcome. "Trail Trek at Hubbard Park" is part of the WalkCT Family Rambles series. Led by trained Family Guides, these engaging outings are offered at trails around the state on the last weekend of every month, January through December. Because these adventures are geared specifically for families, kids and their caregivers will delight in this outdoor quest for fun together. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carve Your Own Hiking Stick Saturday, April 4th, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. FREECT Forest & Park Association, Middlefield (Route 66) Learn a new skill, carve your own stick, and enjoy the company of the CT Woodcarvers Association. Watch demonstrations of wood carving methods and safety techniques. Drop in anytime, just bring your own knife. Wood sticks will be supplied. Program geared towards adults and families with kids ages 10 years and older. Visit http://www.ctwoodlands.org/ for more programs and conservation information. Castle Craig Adult Learning Center The Castle Craig Adult Learning Center/Middlesex Community College has another wonderful program planned for the 2009 Spring session. Classes run from March 9th through May 14th. Some of the classes offered are a veteran’s memories of WW2, poetry, writing your memoirs, a PowerPoint program on Tanzania, the grand opera and what it’s like to be a meteorologist. We will also have a Tai Chi demonstration and our ever popular book discussions and walks. We have scheduled trips to the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut, the opera “La Traviata”, to New York City to spend the day exploring on your own and a Boston Harbor cruise. Anyone from Meriden and surrounding towns is welcome to join the Castle Craig Adult Learning Center at Middlesex Community College located at 55 West Main Street in Meriden. To obtain the Spring 2009 calendar please contact CCALC/MxCC at the above address or call the office at 203-238-6201. To read The People’s Press – Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s community newspaper in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/