Your Stories November 2009

To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties Before I end the 3 B’s for the year 2009 I want to mention the great time we had at my 55th Meriden High School class reunion Saturday, October 24th at Jacoby’s restaurant. The 1954 graduates numbered 307. Close to 60 aren’t with us anymore and about 100 attended. We all had name tags which was a good thing. Some you were able to recognize right away. Others it took awhile. Good food, many memories and lots of fun. Hats off to the committee who did a splendid job. Most of the clean up is done. Except for the leaves. Outside of the chrysanthemums, dahlias and a few roses the perennials have been put to bed. As I had mentioned I didn’t think the chrysanthemums would have a chance to bloom before frost. All of a sudden one day the buds were large and full and the next day began to open. Ended up with so many blooms that I gave away many bouquets. Close to a dozen. And still a lot left. Between the woodchucks and the weather the dahlias didn’t put on the best display. Lost a few also. Will buy more bulbs next year. The only annuals I decided to leave for awhile are the begonias in the two rock gardens where the pine trees once grew. November is almost here and all too soon. I remember how happy I was when I was changing the calendars to April 1st. The cold weather resort for my hibernation has been prepared. The impatiens under the park bench at the end of the back yard have been removed. Decided to return to the same place as last year. Have brought in my supplies. Extra tomato sandwiches along with another favorite – Turkey Hill coffee ice cream. Also the periscope which I will poke up through the ground so I won’t have to dig my way out to check on the weather. Definitely there will be a T.V. Do not intend to miss any of the UConn lady huskies basketball games. I was hoping LitlBit would join me. But instead was willing to forego his four daily walks with me until my return and become a permanent fixture in his daddy’s lap. But I have adjusted to those crawly creatures below the earth’s surface. It certainly would help the loneliness somewhat if they could communicate with you. When the warm weather has returned I’ll be showing up along with the new seedlings and plants. And of course by now hubby knows when he’s suppose to come and dig me up from my bed of peat moss. LitlBit might even give him a helping hand. My tentative return date has always been March 1st providing the weather cooperates. This year we had a blizzard on this date. Just have to wait and see what the third month of next year will be like. So until then. Since this is my last article I wish you all well. And a big thank you to those who have read my writings and said they enjoyed them. That makes it worthwhile. Flowerecerely yours, Bobbie G. Vosgien P.S. Dear Jeff, Happy Birthday on November 27th. Your friend, LitlBit P.S.S.Have included a family photo taken at Jodie and John’s house in September when Keith came home for his annual visit from Paris, France. Hubby Jimmy in lounge chair with youngest granddaughter Izzy-Bella. Left to right. Our grandson Kevin Jr., his mother and our oldest daughter Jaime, our son Keith, oldest granddaughter Emmy “Me O”, mother of the tree girls, our youngest daughter Jodie, middle granddaughter Abby and John Jodie’s husband and of course dad to the three girls. I’m there too. The shortest one except for Izzy-Bella and holding our long haired dachshund LitlBit. WALLINGFORD JUNIOR WOMAN’S CLUB ANNOUNCES LITTLE MISS & MISTER WALLINGFORD WINNERS The Wallingford Junior Woman’s Club announces the winners of the Little Miss & Mister Wallingford Contest held at Celebrate Wallingford: Little Miss Wallingford is Rylee Massoni and Little Mister Wallingford is Noah Koons. The contest was held during Celebrate Wallingford on October 3 and 4. The contestants, four girls and eight boys between the ages of 4 and 7, had their photos displayed in the Children’s Game Area. Voting took place by the general public for a fee of 25 cents a vote. WJWC President Jeanne McFarland and Mayor William W. Dickinson, Jr., presented the winners with a crown, sash and scepter, and a Borders gift card. Proceeds from the Little Miss & Mister Wallingford Contest will be used to fund WJWC projects and donations directly benefiting Wallingford. Upcoming projects include adopting a local family during the holidays and stocking stuffers for Covenant to Care for Children, the Connecticut Junior Women, Inc. state project. Rylee is the daughter of Thomas and Kelly Massoni. She is six years old, and enjoys art and playing soccer and the violin. Noah is the son of David Koons and Alison Koons. He is five years old, and WJWC announces Little Miss & Mister Wallingford Contest Winners enjoys swimming, hiking, and building with Legos. Rylee and Noah will represent Wallingford at town events, including the Holiday Extravaganza on December 5, sponsored by the Wallingford Parks and Recreation Department and the Wallingford Public Celebrations Committee. The Wallingford Junior Woman’s Club (WJWC) is a non-profit civic and community service organization open to any Wallingford woman. WJWC’s diverse membership includes single women, stay-at-home moms, professionals, and retirees with a desire to improve the Wallingford community through volunteering their time and talents. The club provides members with opportunities for personal enrichments, and to improve leadership skills and form new and lasting friendships. For more information about WJWC, please contact Jaime Bowen, Membership, at 203-294-0017. WJWC was incorporated in 1954 and is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization, and a member of the Connecticut Junior Women, Inc. www.cjw.org. WJWC projects include the annual Townwide Spelling Bee; the Children’s Game Area at Celebrate Wallingford; co-sponsoring Candidate’s Forum with the League of Women Voters; Cell Phones for Soldiers; and providing rehearsal snacks for the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra. In addition, WJWC currently participates in the CJW state project, Covenant to Care for Children, Inc., which provides direct assistance to Connecticut children who are neglected, abused or at-risk. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ___________________________________________________ Help Feed and Shelter Your Neighbors in Need This Holiday Season For every $2 donation to Wallingford’s Master’s Manna, and other basic needs providers, $1 will be matched by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven announces the return of its Making A Good Gift Better program. The program is in its 4th year and designed to increase support for nonprofits that provide food, shelter, clothing and fuel assistance – all critical services especially given this year’s economic downturn. Donations made between November 2nd and January 15, 2010 to participating nonprofits are eligible to be matched. More than 25 nonprofits serving the Greater New Haven region are participating in the program, including past grant recipient, Master’s Manna of Wallingford. Cheryl Bedore, founder and president of Master’s Manna, says that she was inspired to make personal sacrifices – including downsizing her family’s homestead - to accept a calling to help people in need. Master’s Manna has already grown in a few short years from humble origins in a church basement serving 40+ families to serving over 1100 families this past year. Bedore is seeing an increase in those numbers this year and attributes it to the tough economy, which has led to job losses and financial hardship for many families. Each week, over 2100 pounds of food is distributed to families and children from Wallingford, North Haven, and surrounding towns. From once providing just canned goods and clothing, the organization now operates a soup kitchen and home food delivery, provides clothes and laundry facilities – including diaper distribution - and has started a free health clinic. Classes in sewing, cooking and resume preparation are also offered free of charge. Bedore credits the growth and success of Master’s Manna with volunteer and financial support from family, church and community members, corporations and foundations, such as The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. Master’s Manna was a recipient of a Making A Good Gift Better grant in 2008. Bedore says the grant enabled the nonprofit to install a shower for homeless clients, including 7 families, in the organization’s new building at 46 North Plains Industrial Road in Wallingford. In 2008, more than $450,000 was raised among 26 nonprofits - $225,000 of which was from Community Foundation for Greater New Haven matching dollars for first responders like Master’s Manna. Foundation funding also helped other agencies provide utility assistance to a mother of two, who fell behind in her bills and whose electricity was turned off; rental assistance to a young medical doctor - a refugee - from Iraq; and a luncheon service on Sunday’s for the homeless. Details about the Making A Good Gift Better program and a complete list of participating agencies are available at The Foundation’s Web site www.cfgnh.org. Master’s Manna was also the recipient of a $21,000 two-year grant through The Foundation’s largest grantmaking process of the year. Almost $2.7 million was awarded through that process to nonprofits throughout Greater New Haven and the Lower Naugatuck Valley, mostly for operating support. Funding for grants such as the one to Master’s Manna was made possible through donors like Caroline Silverthau, Anne Hope Bennett, and George Mixter. Their bequests were received in 1942, 1943, 1977 respectively, and their funds collectively provided broad support for grants for health care and basic human needs. Other grant recipients include the Audubon CT and community arts groups. Audubon CT received a grant to support its program to identify and protect land tracts as critical bird habitats. Funding was made possible through the Naomi Law Terrell Foundation Fund - a special field of interest fund established in 2006 by bequest to provide funding for programs for the protection of birds and bird habitats in Connecticut. Eleven grants were made to a variety of community arts groups that provide entertainment and cultural enrichment activities to all residents within the Greater New Haven area, and beyond. The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, CAPA, New Haven Festivals, Chestnut Hill chamber music concerts, Elm Shakespeare, Creative Arts Workshop and International Festival of Arts and Ideas were some of the recipients. Grants were made possible through The Foundation’s Arts Fund, established in 1980 as a permanent fund to support the arts in the Greater New Haven region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is a philanthropic institution that distributes grants to nonprofit institutions and funds programs for the common benefit of all in the community. The Foundation was established in 1928 through a bequest and is now made up of more than 700 individually named funds created by people and institutions to ensure that programs and causes that matter most to them will be supported financially today and forever. In 2008, the institution awarded more than $14 million in grants. It is among the oldest and largest of more than 700 community foundations in the US and remains the largest grantmaker to the nonprofit sector in a region of twenty-towns located in the heart of central Connecticut. For more information on how you can help organizations like Master’s Manna in perpetuity, contact Tricia Caldwell at (203) 777-7090 or tcaldwell@cfgnh.org. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! _____________________________________________________________ Thanksgiving Memories By Brenda Trumpold Some things never fade and memories of waking up to the smell of our Thanksgiving turkey cooking is one of my favorites.. My parents always cooked our turkey overnight so the house would be filled will that special smell. Of course then there were all the trimmings....mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnip, stuffing, cranberry sauce, peas, carrots, and the best gravy ever. Dessert was pumpkin pie or apple pie. Later Dad would cook chestnuts. I am very thankful for these wonderful memories..... ______________________________________________________________ "What I Am Thankful For" Lori Peck, Dedicated Volunteer I am so very thankful for my family, my friends and for each and every one of you who has a soft spot for all of Gods creatures. I am extremely thankful for all of the volunteers at the Meriden Humane Society, who keep going strong even when it seems like there's no end. You are the one's that know how good it feels when you send an animal home to a loving person or family. The animals cannot speak and thank you, but they can show you how much you mean to them. This time of year it gets dark so early and people tend to just stay home and be a couch potato. While there's nothing wrong with doing that occasionally, I opt to keep busy and spend my extra time helping those who cannot help themselves. Imagine how happy you could make an animal feel, just by showing up to visit it. Think about what it would feel like if you walked it or brushed it. It's a pretty small and simple gesture to you, but to an animal at the Meriden Humane Society, it's invaluable. So come on, put down that remote and volunteer or just socialize with the animals. Remember, when you are shopping and picking up that extra item to donate to our human friends, that are furry friends also need your help. Won't you please remember them during the holiday season. If you cannot come see us in person, you may want to consider fostering one of our pets on our website. * We are in desperate need of a Veterinarian who would be willing to come to our shelter at least once per month to give vaccinations and test our animals. Please contact the shelter immediately if you can help. Our annual "Pictures with Santa" will be held on December 12th and 13th at Vinny's Garden Center in Wallingford. Please save the date and check our website for times and further information. You can also view our amazing animals on our website by visiting www.meridenhs.petfinder.com. We have over 120 cats and kittens to choose from right now, so please don't go anywhere else. Help save a life! Thanks to all of you who read this article and thanks to Andy and Dawn for printing it. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Meriden Humane Society. You can visit us at 311 Murdock Ave. or call us at (203)238-3650. See you at the shelter! To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ___________________________________________________________ Thoughts of Thanksgiving etc… – now and then…. By Ernie Larsen Here it is November 1st – can you believe it? I was at CVS yesterday and much to my chagrin – they had Christmas items for sale, seems like the stuff hits the shelves earlier and earlier every year. Anyway, speaking of holidays, Halloween has come and gone and as usual Gramma was working last minute on Riley’s costume – it came out great – this year she, Riley, was a cheerleader with all the moves involved with the genre – quite the show child! The weather held off pretty well, we didn’t have an excess of children trick or treating however some of the costumes were pretty creative. I was also pretty impressed about the ‘thank-you’s’ proffered by the children, good to hear that – many times you don’t. Didn’t see any of the so-called popular costumes, Michael Jackson, Jon and Kate, Bernie Madoff – maybe the adults has a lock on those. I was at a party store last week and there were more mature folk purchasing costumes than children, maybe the 31st being on a Saturday night there were more opportunities for the older crowd party wise. And now we’re getting into the holiday season, once again. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. It is annually reported that that this is the busiest travel holiday of the year – beating out all others including Christmas. Maybe because it really is low-key, when you think about it; no running around last minute to purchase the ‘perfect’ gift or having to impress anyone with your generosity of disappoint them for the lack thereof, as the case may be. There was reference to this in the November issue of Connecticut magazine and also a very interesting front piece by Charlie Monagan, the editor of the magazine about why no one has written a song about the holiday – check it out if you have a chance. As I see it, Thanksgiving is traditionally a gathering of family and friends and the returning to the environs of your childhood to satisfy that primal familial responsibility; wouldn’t you agree? Also, have you ever noticed that many high school reunions are planned for the holiday weekend; it stands to reason everyone trekking “back home” for the occasion. And all those people trying to lose weight before their gathering – and then getting there and finding out it was all for naught; you really weren’t as bad off as some and you still have most of your hair! Anyway – my 45th is coming up in 3 years…something to look forward to or not? We’ll see. Once again, getting back to Thanksgiving, how can we forget one of the highlights of the day, dinner. Back in the day when I was in high school my mother delayed serving until I got back from ‘The Game’ Maloney vs. Platt. I think this ‘tradition’ was and is now repeated in many Meriden and almost every other town and city that has a ‘Turkey Day’ game. Anyway it gives the chef du jour, whomever that may be, time enough to prepare the annual feast. In our family, as I’m sure many others, that would be a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I still remember my Grandfather remarking to my mother “Margaret, this turkey is done to a turn”; little did we know she cooked it so long it was dry as a bone, I guess that’s what we were used to and possibly one of the reasons gravy was invented. And speaking of holiday foods, pumpkin pie brings up another snippet of holiday’s past which we recall much to the embarrassment, well maybe just to the annoyance of my son. He once remarked (years ago) that he liked pumpkin pie and too bad it was only available during the holidays; he was convinced it was a seasonal dish. Sort of like the story also surreptitiously surfacing at family holiday gatherings. Years ago we were at a Chinese restaurant when my brother became upset he could not order a hamburger. Ah, what memories! Last year I sent out an e-mail for everyone coming to dinner at our home to bring a photo album or two to so we could see what everyone had done during the year or in years past. This turned out to be a fun activity and brought back fond memories. This year – nothing major planned, I did mention we should have a ‘Parading of the Ribbons” – that is the ribbons that the Larsen bakers/photographer have won at the Durham Fair over the years. I said this in jest, but have an idea for a little surprise…time will tell. Anyway, the album idea went over very well and maybe something you, the reader of this piece, should think about – give it a try – I think you and your family will like the idea. And getting back to food – why is it that the people at Butterball have a turkey hotline? Never could figure that one out. I guess I just do not understand why people are actually afraid to prepare a turkey dinner. I think it is in the same vein that you can only have pumpkin pie on holidays. I’m sure there are many households who only eat turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas. In our house, turkey is consumed year round. In the summer I’ve cooked turkey on my Weber charcoal grill and have prepared it by deep frying – my wife prepares it in the traditional manner several times during the year – not really is not a difficult item to cook. I must admit though we both have been cooking for years and are comfortable with the process. Yet even seasoned cooks have had their miscues preparing ‘the bird’. I just remembered that one of my family members cooked a turkey and forget to take out the giblet bag from the neck area – my daughter, who was at the house while I was writing this, replied “I did”, granted that was early in her cooking career, she is now a whiz in the kitchen, a most creative cook. Thinking of that little miscue, it’s not as bad as some of the stories from the Butterball Hotline – here’s one from their website that I found amusing: Help! My Chihuahua's Stuck In My Turkey!"Speaking of things stuck in a turkey... A Kentucky woman called the Butterball Turkey-Talk Line in 1993, asking how to get her Chihuahua out of a turkey. It soon became apparent that the tiny dog had dived right into the carcass and couldn't get back out. Pulling the dog didn't work. Shaking the turkey didn't work. Finally, she was instructed to make the hole a little bigger so that the pooch could escape. It worked! At least she didn't have to perform a C-Section. So, if you are epicurally challenged don’t be embarrassed; just give the Turkey Hotline a call – they field over 100,000 during the holidays; and do not be intimidated by cooking a holiday meal – there is tons of information online or in many cooking oriented magazines available at the newsstand or your public library. Just read and follow the directions and if all else fails, many markets now offer fully cooked turkey dinners with all the fixin’s. So, you can relax; remember this is a low-key holiday. Enjoy it with your family and friends. In closing this month on a more serious and personal note; our family said goodbye to a good friend this week; Stephanie David (The General’s Wife). Just wanted to remind BG Allen Sr., “make sure your Class A’s are pressed – Cookie’s on the way”. 11/1/09 _____________________________________________________________________ Your Village Community Emergency Service Life Line October, was National Fire Prevention and Education month, the South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department held its annual fire education day at Hanover School on Friday October 16th. Each year we work with the principal, teachers and parents to bring our life saving education to the children. The day started at 9:00 a.m. and ended at 3:00 p.m. We teach children how to get out of a house in case there is a fire. We stress the importance of having at least 2 ways to get out of the house in case of a fire emergency. We also explain about how to use the 911 telephone system in case of an emergency. We then walk the children through emergency procedures on how to get out alive. Our fire education officer, Tom Stange, and his team work in and out of the school. We believe that knowledge is power and we want to make sure we share our knowledge with the children. We serviced approximately 600 students during the day. Stay tuned our Adult friends don’t feel left out, because we will be having a class for you also. On Wednesday November 18th at 6 pm we will be holding OUR FIRST ADULT FIRE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS class at Hanover School. All adults are welcome come see what we teach the children and help us make our community a safer place to live. Learn some facts about Smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers and fire safety tips for survival. Now its time for a couple of safety tips for our neighbors. We hope you all have working smoke detectors in your home. Working Smoke detectors save lives. Please make sure that you changed your batteries in the detectors. The best time to remember to change the batteries is when day light saving time comes. When you change your clocks back or forth change the batteries for safety. We hope you remembered to changed YOUR batteries. Also if you do not have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home please purchase them. CO is a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas that is produced by inefficient burning and incomplete combustion of fuel products in heating appliances, furnace, hot water heaters, and stoves. If you do not have efficient burning appliances in the home, over a period of time CO could be building up in the home which if unchecked could lead to medical conditions and even Death. Having your furnace cleaned and serviced each year will help keep the units running more efficiently. CO is the silent killer, please protect your family and yourself and purchase CO detectors for your home. CO is also produced by normal operation of your vehicles and comes out of the vehicles exhaust systems. Running your vehicle in the garage could cause CO to seep directly into the home. With winter right around the corner we are asking for your assistance with a little maintenance item. If you have a fire hydrant near the front of your property we need your help. When it snows it would be helpful; if you could clear the snow and ice away from the hydrant. In a fire emergency it is very important that we can hook our hoses to the hydrant as quickly as possible in case we need additional water to extinguish a fire. During and after snow storms we do try to get out and clear hydrants, but we do not always have time to get to them all. It would be very beneficial to all our neighbor to have clean and clear fire hydrants. If you can help us out with this maintenance item we would appreciate your assistance. Another health tip. If you are under a doctor’s care and take certain medications keep a list of these medications handy just in case you have the need to call 911 for during a medical emergency. Also with this list you might want to give a little history of any medical conditions that you also might have. These are important things for emergency responders to have just in case you are unable to respond to our questions when we arrive at your home. A good place to keep this information is in an envelope on you refrigerator and note that it is Medical Info. Public Service Announcement We are still looking for some eager, hard working and committed volunteer recruits to join our department. South Meriden Vol. Fire Dept now is accepting applications. We are recruiting citizens from Meriden over the age of 18 who are High School Graduates in good physical health and have a clean police record. No fire fighting experience is necessary; we will train you and send you for training. We also do recruitment for certified firefighters that live outside of Meriden as long as they can meet our bylaw requirements to do minimum one duty overnight crew a week plus meet our drill, meeting and squad duty requirements. While volunteering with our department you will gain the experience, knowledge and certification which will help your career search in the emergency service field or just enhance your present career. Our members that have served over two years with us and are in good standing with our department can receive enhancement points that could help them in the hiring process if they choice to apply and test for a City of Meriden Fire Fighters position. Information about our application process: We administer a written entrance exam in order to determine if applicants will be able to take and pass the required State of CT Fire Fighter I course and CT Emergency Medical Technician or Medical Response Technician courses which are also mandatory over the first 18 months of membership. We also administer an agility test that helps us determine if the applicants can perform the physical duties of a fire fighter. We also administer an oral interview and perform police and other background checks to ensure that the character and integrity of our prospective members meets our highest standards. South Meriden Vol. Fire is also a drug free environment and we test for drug use. Good-bye for now, talk to you soon Keep Safe and Stay Healthy Keith Gordon, Chief of Operations ______________________________________________________________________ Rededication Ceremony In Honor Of World War I Veterans At Harrison Park, Sunday, November 8th By Barbara Sherburne(with help from Robert Beaumont and Linda Mercuri) Harrison Park was named for Dr. Benjamin Franklin Harrison, who was born in Branford on April 19, 1811, graduated from medical school in New Haven on March 1, 1836 and had a medical practice in Wallingford from 1836 to 1846. He then sold his house and business, and sailed to France on November 1, 1846. In May of 1847 he left Paris to study medicine throughout Europe, returning to Wallingford in May of 1848 and resuming his practice in town. In August of 1862, he was a commissioned surgeon to a New York regiment at Yorktown, Virginia. He served in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina until 1864, then continued his medical practice in Wallingford until his death on April 30, 1886. Bob Beaumont told me that The Wallingford Historical Society has a sketch Dr. Harrison drew of one of the encampments of the Les Enfans Battalion which hangs on the east wall of the Civil War Room at the Parsons House. There is also a nice large portrait of him in the North Parlor. He has a personal interest in Dr. Harrison because he was the older brother of his great great grandfather, Sylvannus Harrison. Dr. Harrison's third wife and widow purchased the land in the upper portion of the park and donated it to the town in 1913 with the deed restriction that it be in perpetual use as a public park and that it be named Harrison Park in memory of her late husband. In 1919, there were 27 "memorial" red oak trees planted in the Park, 22 in memory of the men who had died as a result of injuries or from influenza or pneumonia incurred during the war; the first large oak tree at the entrance was planted in memory of Dr. Harrison. Fortunately, there were non-dedicated trees, because it was discovered over the years that there were at least three more men who had died in the war. The first dedication ceremony was held on May 30, 1919. On Sunday, November 8, 2009, at 1 p.m. the Park will be rededicated for at least a second time. The Parks & Rec Commission has been working since June to have the plaques restored and replacements made for those which were missing, and the replacements were done by Barker Fine Art & Sculpture in Cheshire. David Gelo, a member of the Commission, polished the ones that did not need to be replaced. The existing plaques are the result of an Eagle Scout project completed in 1991, at which time there was a rededication ceremony. There will be 25 plaques, plus one in memory of Dr. Harrison, installed prior to the ceremony on the 8th. Since one of the original trees appears to be missing, based on verifying the currently existing trees against the original linen map, which is housed at the Wallingford Historical Society, each of the remaining red oaks will have a plaque on it. There are other oaks in the park, but they are not part of the original layout or dedication. In 1986, William Neal MacKenzie, a local historian, wrote a history of the memorial trees. Tree #1 is in honor of Raoul Lufbery, Wallingford's most famous World War I aviator.. I will list all the names at the end of this article. This particular project would not have been possible without the funds Sarah Harrison deeded in her will. The Parks & Rec Commission includes Chairperson Linda Mercuri, Dave Gelo, Roz Gallagher, and Phylis Murray. There is one open position at this time since Maynard Parker has retired. There are many volunteers who help with various projects at the 21 parks in town, especially the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who have participated in making trails, planting gardens, painting, constructing benches, and more. There will be a color guard at Harrison Park, located on Cedar Lane, performed by World War II veterans, with Mayor William Dickinson taking part in the rededication ceremony as well. I hope to see you all there. Tree #1: Raoul LufberyTree #2: John T. Phelan Tree #3: Stanley J. ShawTree #4: Felix W. ClarkeTree #5: Donald G. RussellTree #6: Arthur J. BrowTree #7: Thomas P. SinonTree #8: John J. RileyTree #9: Lucien F. St. CartierTree #10: Stanley D.. HuntTree #11: Harry B. HubbellTree #12: William T. ReillyTree #13: Nelson HitchcockTree #14: William J. McKernessTree #15: George J. DalyTree #16: Frank H. QuigleyTree #17: Michael J. KearneyTree #18: Edward J. KellyTree #19: Harold R. IvesTree #20: George C.. KattenhornTree #21: Guiseppe MolinariTree #22: Michael Della VecchiaTree #23: George ChapelTree #24: No name listedTree #25: Andrew LengyelTree #26: No name listedTree #27: Dr. Benjamin Franklin Harrison To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! _____________________________________________________________ A LITANY OF THE CIRCLE Submitted by Priscilla Reynolds This litany was drawn from the writings of Chief Joseph Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe in 1854. He wrote this in a letter to the President of the United States (probably Abraham Lincoln) at the time his people were removed to a reservation. It reflects wisdom that transcends time and cultures and speaks to us anew today. Leader: Every part of the earth is sacred. All: every shining pine needle, every sandy shore. Leader: even, mist in the dark woods. All: every clearing and humming insect is holy. Leader: The rocky crests, the juices of the meadow, the beasts and all the people. All: all belong to the same family. Leader: Teach your children that the earth is our mother. All: Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. Leader: The water's murmur is the the voice of our father's father. All: We are part of the earth, and the earth is part of us. Leader: The rivers are our brothers; They quench our thirst. All: The perfumed flowers are our sisters. Leader: The air is precious, All: for all of us share the same breath. Leader: The wind that gave our grandparents breath also receives their last sigh. All: The wind gave our children the spirit of life. Leader: This we know, the earth does not belong to us; All: we belong to the earth. Leader: This we know, all things are connected, All: like the blood which unites one family. Leader: All things are connected, All: Our God is the same God, whose compassion is equal for all. Leader: For we did not weave the web of life; All: We are merely a strand in it. Leader: Whatever we do to the web All: we do to ourselves. Leader: Let us give thanks for the web and the circle that connects us. All: Thanks be to God, the God of all. Chief Joseph Seattle _______________________________________________________________________________ Forgiveness by Pricilla Reynolds I remember, perhaps seventy years ago, listening to a sermon about forgiveness. Pastor Locke made a great impression on his congregation as he demonstrated how long it would take for a drum to tap out 70 beats. At the time I was positive he said that Jesus wanted us to forgive each other 7 times 70. Today, as I read from the book of Matthew, chapter 18, vs. 21 and I quote: 'Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "not seven times, but seventy seven times." ' So what's my point? I guess I would rather have the lesson taught back in 1939 as 70 times 7 or better still, 70 times 70. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus tells us to talk to God and in the third or fourth line Jesus teaches us to say, "and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Wow! That really makes you realize your frailties. Someone once said my writing sounded preachy. This is the one time I can get away with it. I'm 77! ______________________________________________________________________________ Thanksgiving By Nancy Freyberg Every year I am always asked this one question by a first time reporter to the holiday community dinners, “Why do you give up your holidays to do this?” For 28 years I have given the same answer. “Look around. Pull up a chair. Stay awhile. Then ask me again.” They never do. On Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, I get to enjoy the world exactly the way I think God intended it to be. We come together in friendship to be with, and to serve one another. We have created a huge family that loves to come home year after year. That is the goal of the dinners, to make people feel like they are coming “home.”Twenty-seven years ago I was out for a walk. I heard a voice say, “find a place and cook. No one should be alone for the holidays”. I don’t want you to worry that I often hear voices, but that one was pretty clear! We started at the Advent Christian church on Whittlesey Avenue. About 35 people attended that first dinner. We added Christmas the next year and began serving Easter Dinner about 15 years ago. As the dinners grew and needed more space, we moved to St. Paul’s Episcopal church for many wonderful years and now enjoy a tremendous partnership with the First Congregational Church. People from every church in town and every walk of life support the community dinners, which have grown in every direction.Although Thanksgiving is the largest dinner, with 250 – 400 people eating in the fellowship hall, Christmas and Easter are close behind. We also send about 250 meals and visits out to the home bound each holiday, and provide food for two other communities so that they might enjoy the holidays too. Baskets with turkeys and all the trimmings are given to families at Thanksgiving who want to cook at home, and we “adopt” individuals and families at Christmas, providing them with food baskets, gifts, and whatever is needed. The Christmas Adopt – A – Family Program has extended to a school supplies program in the Fall that sends many kids back to school well equipped with clothes, back packs, lunch boxes, note books, pens, pencils, and so much of what they need to be successful in school.As the dinners and everything attached to them has grown, we have affectionately renamed it “God’s Dinner”. It really takes a miracle of faith and spirit to bring it all together. This is all done with volunteers who share their time, talent, energy, and great kindness to make these holidays wonderful for so many. The food is all donated. Even though the dinners are so large, all the food is home made, hand made, heart made and healthy! We want every participant to feel like they are coming home for the holidays. Individuals bring in pies and other home made desserts while Brownies, CCD and high school cooking classes bring over pans of the best cookies ever! Dennis Bonito brings his guitar and keyboards and plays and sings all afternoon. It is simply amazing and heart warming to be part of this effort.Every one who works on the “dinners” is blessed by it. It is the best example I have ever seen of people joining together to make our world a little safer, softer, and with such kindness. I give up nothing and gain everything to be part of this! The blessings are too many to name.Here is what I need as we move in to this wonderful season. There is a place for everyone who wants to help. We need volunteers on the actual holidays to help set up, serve, deliver meals to the home bound, and clean up. We need help ahead of time in the kitchen doing prep work and cooking turkeys. We also need donations of time, talent, food and money. Anyone who wants to volunteer, make a financial contribution, or donation of food should call the office at 203-284-8299. We are happy to tell you what we need.Dinner is served noon – 2pm Thanksgiving and Christmas day. The meal is free and transportation will be provided as needed. The meal is for anyone who wants to spend the day with others and have a great time. There will be an organizational meeting Saturday, November 7th, 10-11:30am at the First Congregational Church kitchen area. Come and find out how you can be involved. Together we can do so much for so many. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! __________________________________________________________________ WHY I COULD JUST SKIP NOVEMBER By Phyllis S. Donovan Just this past week three of the light bulbs in our lamps died. Can’t remember the last time I had to change a bulb and now three of them give up the ghost in a matter of days. Not a big deal, I admit, but that’s the way November always goes for me. November is the month most of my major appliances take it into their hard-wired heads to start acting up on me. Maybe it’s poltergeists left over from Halloween but as soon as I turn the page on the calendar, I hold my breath listening for changes in the rhythm of my normally smooth-running time-savers. Two years ago both my dishwasher and clothes washer kicked the bucket in the same November week. Don’t tell me it was just coincidence. I’m not buying it. November is the month we are plunged into darkness in the middle of the afternoon in our return to standard time. And who says we make it up on the other end of the day? The time most of us are getting up isn’t much brighter even to start with, and before long, we are getting up in the pitch black again. It’s depressing! Not to mention that once my yard and gardens are put to bed and the lawn and deck furniture brought in or bundled up, there’s no reason to spend time outside even on good days. Which brings me to the fact that with the changing season, outdoor activities are limited by both the torrential rains that have frequented us or the frosty cold weather that comes in their stead. I hate being cooped up. It’s hard to even walk around our hill when stiff winds buffet us in the face either going down or coming back up our steep hill. Added to all that, this year everyone seems to be expecting the H1N1 swine flu to attack at any minute. It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. We were among the lucky ones to get regular flu shots and, admittedly, at our age, we aren’t prime candidates for the swine flu. But our grandchildren are. This year there seems to be an added element of trepidation toward any kind of gathering of young folks, whether for school, sports or social events, in fear of the spreading flu. The shortage of the new vaccine is just another November woe which hopefully will be alleviated as the month wears on. Of course, we could dwell on the dark side of this somber month but it makes more sense to search for a happier outlook. On the few mild and sunny days in November, the crisp air and bright skies can often rival October’s bright blue weather. (Which we admittedly saw little of this year due to constant rain.) November is the month when I buy more daffodil bulbs to set out on our back woodsy bank to offset the ones chewed up in summer by the chipmunks that have moved onto our premises. As I dig in those bulbs on a cool fall day, I picture how pretty my woods will look in the early spring when those daffies start to bloom. THAT makes me happy. November is the month when I start feeding the birds on my back deck. I know many people feed them all year around but I tend to let them fend for themselves during the warm months when there are plenty of seeds, berries and crawly things to keep their feathery little bellies full. Besides, this summer we painted the back deck and kept it pristine all season. Now that we aren’t using it, it’s time to let the birds take over. They make a gosh-awful mess out there but we derive so much pleasure in watching them up close. Besides, they add touches of welcome color to a bleak landscape once the trees have lost their autumn foliage and turned drab. November is the month of Thanksgiving…a time we could all pause and think back on all the things we have to be thankful for this year. Last year at this time I was in St. Raphael’s Hospital recovering from surgery on a brain cyst. This year I am home with a clean bill of health and counting my blessings healthwise. My husband had serious back surgery in July and is now completely mobile, walking with just a cane and planning to take a trip down south this winter. We feel blessed to have parented five fine children, now all successful, married and raising families of their own. That means, ten lively and involved grandchildren whose scholastic and athletic accomplishments keep us feeling proud. We enjoy attending school events or ball games in which our grandchildren are participating and any other occasion for which the family can gather for cookouts or family feasts. I think Thanksgiving is my favorite because the turkey dinner is the main purpose for the family to gather. We can just sit around and visit or the guys can watch football together and the young cousins can run around (outdoors, hopefully) and enjoy just being with each other. Thanksgiving is clearly November’s bright spot. Okay, so I don’t totally hate this month….but I have noticed that my clothes dryer has started making peculiar noises just this past week so I’m still keeping my fingers crossed. _________________________________________________________________________________ The Thankful Third Thursday By: Melanie Hulett Thanksgiving takes place on the third Thursday of every November. But for me it always seemed to start on Wednesday. The Powderpuff football gave against Lyman Hall and Sheehan was one of the highlights of Thanksgiving weekend each year. Watching the girls work together, and seeing their determination and power was something I looked forward to being a part of through my childhood. This game was the beginning of my Thanksgiving. As Thursday approached Kaelyn, my younger cousin, and I would write and rewrite grace to be said at dinner. We would practice, and oftentimes bicker over who got to say what. But looking back I can see who said what never mattered the people we spoke of were the truly important things in life. The morning of thanksgiving our house would smell of wonderful foods and my mom would rush around, it seems there was always too much to do and not enough time, potatoes to peeled, stuffing to stirred, vegetables to cooked. I often wondered why she went to the trouble to have dinner at out house every year. But as we sat down, the smile on my moms face as she watched her loved ones enjoy the meal she had worked so hard on explained it all. Thanksgiving was a time for her to truly give thanks for her family, in her own special way. This third Thursday every November is a time for everyone to give thanks in their own way, the key is finding who and what you’re thankful for. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Path of Self-Transformation By Jennifer Jenkins We all have the power to transform ourselves as the divine creative spirit is instilled within our souls. It is the awareness and belief of this power that helps set us free from the limitations we have imposed upon ourselves. Once we become aware of these self-imposed thoughts, we can begin to transform our thoughts about ourselves and our lives in a more positive light. Of course, the hardest part is making the decision to do so and sticking with that decision, which requires effort and self-discipline. But, once made, your life will never be the same. It may sound trite, but by changing our thoughts we do change our lives. It’s amazing how the simplest affirmations we can say and/or write down for our selves can work their power in our lives. For instance, by saying, “I am smart and capable,” helps one to believe in one’s self, which is one of the essential keys to self-transformation. Listening to the divine voice within is another key to self-transformation. When we quiet our minds to meditate and let go of all the chaotic and negative thoughts, we can tune into who we really are. We can pray for guidance and true understanding of our potential and then stop and listen, which is the heart of meditation – heartfelt communion with the divine. Once we truly become aware of who we really are and what we want to create in our lives, we can set goals to accomplish this. I often find that by setting realistic goals, and sometimes even small ones, helps to build confidence in myself and my dreams. By setting simple goals and realistic deadlines to accomplish them, we all can embark on a firm path to achieving these goals. Remember when you embark on this transformational path that you are never alone. We all have Angels around us and who are there to help us. All we have to do is ask for their help, and it is given. You see, they, are in our corner to work toward fulfilling our highest potential. So, if, for instance, you feel it is your mission in life to become an inspirational speaker, you can ask your Angels for help in accomplishing this. Of course, the more specific you are in your requests, the easier it is for the Angels to help you, as set forth in the following example: “My dear Angels, please help me to connect with individuals and organizations that will play an instrumental role on my path to becoming a powerful inspirational speaker to help motivate people transform their lives for the better.” By applying these personal and spiritual tools, one can positively transform one’s life. It begins with a simple decision, a decision that can profoundly change your life and, by ripple effect, the lives of others. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ________________________________________________________________________ Stormy Mountain Candles -Jim Cosenza Many firefighters have second jobs. Some are jobs they had before they were hired as firefighters and others were picked up along the way. Some firefighters are also carpenters, or plumbers, or painters. Jim Cosenza, a Meriden firefighter, is a candle maker. (No, this isn’t a nursery rhyme.) In fact, he now makes candles for some very big companies. Cosenza, 44, the owner of Stormy Mountain Candle based out of 437 Broad Street, bought the company with his wife, Jennifer, from long-time owners Brian and Sharon Nelson, according to the company’s website www.stormymountain.com. “I’m a scent oriented person,” Cosenza said, standing in his candle-making shop. Originally making candles in the basement of the building, He has moved his business to the second floor. “We’re expanding,” he said, “and I ran out of room.” We ran out of room when the Hershey Company commissioned him to make candles for them – chocolate scented soy candles, that is. (Stormy Mountain Candle recently switched all of their wax to soy because “it’s a renewable resource,” he said.) Cosenza and helpers, Harry Geiger and Jack Hamerski, wick and fill 1.5 ounce shot glasses with the soy wax, which they personally delivers to a distributor who attaches a pewter label with a Hershey insignia to the candles. The candles are sold at Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania and at other Hershey retail locations, Cosenza said. Cosenza prides himself with the “personal touch” he gives to his business. Cosenza not only mixes scents, wicks and pours all of his candles, he also takes care of the business side of his company. “I’ve learned a lot from [watching my wife] Jen [run her salon],” he said. “Watching Jen run her business has really put me on the straight and narrow for running my business. I get tremendous help from her.” But Stormy Mountain Candle is still looking for other big accounts. They recently acquired YogaDirect (a Hartford Online Distributor), which is including a Soy Candle with online orders. And he is currently “testing and bidding” a job for Haight-Brown Vineyard in Litchfield, CT. They’re looking for candles poured in wine glasses, he explained. He’s working on a Merlot scent, a Pinot Noir scent and a cabernet scent for them. All though Stormy Mountain Candle seems to be moving up in the world – from the basement to the second floor, from just 13 small retail locations to Hershey and YogaDirect – Cosenza still prides himself on be personable in his business. He sells the candles as fundraisers. He also creates candles as wedding favors or employee gifts. “Those include personalized labels,” he said. Brendan Noonan, a friend and co-worker, used Stormy Mountain Candles for wedding favors when and his wife were married. “We liked knowing our favors came from a local vendor,” Noonan said at his home. “Our guests were pleased with both the quality and scent of the candles. We’re still getting compliments on them and it’s been over a year since we got married.” Customers can even purchase candles through his website, as mentioned above, or subscribe to a monthly newsletter promoting his specials on candles. One might think that with the acquisition of all of these big companies Cosenza might want to stop there, but that’s not the case at all. “Once I retire [from firefighting], I would like to open a gourmet coffee and candle shop,” he said. _To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! Here are Some Features and Benefits of The Safety Choice Medication Management System From Guardian By Carol Carbutti the owner of Comfort Keepers in Wallingford, CT Medication non-compliance from our elderly seniors has been called "America's other Drug Problem". An average of 218,000 deaths occurs each year because of medication misuse and various studies have found that medication non-compliance among the senior citizen population is very high. In a recent study, 70% of our non-compliant elderly population cited not remembering to take their pills as the primary reason. This inability to manage medications is one of the leading reasons why our retired seniors need additional, and often more expensive, care—such as assisted living facilities or nursing homes: • 23% of caregivers report issues associated with medications • 10% of hospital admissions are related to medication issues • 23% of nursing home admissions are related to medication problems • 80% of assisted living residents have medications managed by their facilitiesThe Comfort Keepers SafetyChoice™ Medication Management System is an automated medication device that can help keep your retired senior parents in their home a while longer. This system will track when medications are due to be dispensed, reminds the elderly client to take the medication and set an alert that is transmitted to the central monitoring station if the medication is not dispensed as scheduled. This medication machine can be used to dispense both tablets and capsules for our senior parents... The medication management system is designed to assist elderly individuals who have trouble with forgetfulness, taking too much or too little medication, the wrong medication, or wrong day's medications. It is ideal for senior patients suffering from mild to moderate dementia (Alzheimer's, psychiatric conditions) or dexterity issues (tremors, severe arthritis), as well as patients with complicated medications schedules, such as congestive heart failure. The SafetyChoice medication management system is currently based on the MD.2 hardware manufactured by IMD, the technology leader, and is monitored by Guardian Medical Monitoring. Only Guardian is licensed by IMD to monitor the medication management system software – all other services must use IMD for this purpose. Because of Comfort Keepers exclusive contract with Guardian; we are the only national home service provider that can monitor all elderly client-care devices in an integrated manner through a single call center. This is a source of significant competitive differentiation for our program. The hardware in the Safety Choice program: • Holds up to 60 doses that can be dispensed up to 6 times per day, with each medication cup holding 20 to 25 separate pills. • This machine has a dispensing button especially designed for seniors. • Reminds clients to take medication through a loud, clear voice and tone, a text message and a flashing light. • Has a locking storage compartment to provide security and safety. • Has a battery backup system to protect against power failure. The medication management system unit is 13” x 12” x 14” tall. It has an audio speaker, an LCD message screen, a high intensity red alert light and a dispense button located on the front of the unit. A power cord connector, telephone line connections and an on/off switch are located in the rear of the unit. A 12 function keypad is located on the right side of the machine, behind the locked door. This keypad allows you to direct the scheduling and loading of medications into the machine. Also, located behind the door are medication cup cylinders, the missed medication storage area and access to the battery pack. The system dispenses your senior parent’s medications according to the schedule that is entered. It also allows you to take medication out of the unit ahead of schedule, where appropriate. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________ Poverty Rate Up in Wallingford Over Decade -Mike Sullivan The percentage of people living in poverty in Wallingford has increased over this decade, according to an analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data by Connecticut Voices for Children. The poverty rate in Wallingford rose from 3.6% in 2000 to 8.4% in 2006-2008. There was also an increase in the statewide poverty rate in Connecticut -- from 7.9% in 2000 to 8.5% in 2006-2008. Estimates from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey revealed that 9.7% of children in Wallingford were in poverty in 2006-2008. (For a two-parent household with two children, the poverty level was $21,200 in 2008.) One in four children in families (25%) lived below 200% of the federal poverty level. In Meriden, 12.9% of all residents and 19.4% of children fell under the Federal Poverty Level in 2006-2008. There was not a statistically significant increase in poverty among all Meriden residents over this decade. Among Meriden children, 37.5% were in families with incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Poverty also increased over this decade in East Hartford, Enfield, Middletown, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington, Vernon, and Waterbury. To improve the reliability of its estimates for Connecticut cities and towns, the Census Bureau pooled three years of data from 2006-2008. A summary of the Census data and links to more detailed town data profiles are available on the Connecticut Voices for Children Web site at www.ctkidslink.org. Connecticut Voices is a research-based policy think tank. ____________________________________________________________________________________ To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! Home Country Slim Randles Coffee always tastes perfect before daylight on the opening day of deer season, Dud Campbell thought as he sat in near-total darkness in his kitchen. It was Anita’s first year as his wife in deer season, and he was extra quiet so as not to awaken her. Turning on a flashlight on the kitchen counter, he wrote: Honey, I’ll be up Pine Canyon, hunting up a feeder creek 1.4 miles to the right. The truck will be at the campground. Doc and Steve both know the area I’m hunting. I’ll be back no later than 10 p.m. unless I call. An hour later, Dud quietly got out of the pickup and left a note under the windshield wiper: Hunting to the west between here and the ridge. Should be back here no later than 9 p.m. Dud Campbell Dud was sitting on a rock outcropping as the sun rose, feeling the warmth spread from inside out as another great day of anticipation came. He smiled, and then prayed. He always did during hunting season. His prayer wasn’t wishing for success, but simply expressing gratitude for this special time. This was the success. Sitting here in the sun, hunting yet another year. An actual deer for the freezer is simply gravy on this feast. After lunch, Dud decided to try a different location, so he returned to the pickup and left a different note. He got home about 9 p.m. and raved to Anita about the wonders of the day in the woods. “You left me that note, Dud,” she said, “but I don’t even know where that is.” “No. But the sheriff’s department does, and search and rescue knows, and both Doc and Steve know.” She still looked puzzled. “You’re a good outdoorsman, though, aren’t you?” “Well, yes I am. That’s why I left the notes. Anyone can twist an ankle or fall up there.” He smiled at her. “Hunters have an old saying, Honey. If you take crutches with you, you’ll never break a leg.” -------------- Brought to you by “Ol’ Slim’s Views from the Porch,” available at www.unmpress.com. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! “Maggie’s Corner” The Universal Boomerang By: Maggie Griffin Stop for a moment and understand that every thought we think and every word we speak creates our future. Holding resentment and going over and over those past difficulties only attract more difficulties in an individual’s life. What good is having a nice car or a nice house for that matter if you live with resenting others? The universe reacts to your own actions. Like a boomerang, how you treat others will come back to you the same way. It is very important to be appreciative of life. For example, say you were the child that was always pushed aside when you were young? That experience should teach you how to look at yourself in the mirror each morning and simply say “I love who I am and I love my children”. It also prevents repeating the same cycle because you, as a child, remembered how it hurt you, leaving you giving so much love and attention to your own children for a happy home life. Never mind the ones that caused so much negativity in your life, which is now in the past. Except and be thankful of who you are and know that you learned from experience rather than repeat it. Express gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more you will receive gratefulness; it comes naturally. We all experience hurt to the point we need to justify the actions of the ones who create the hurt they give us. Yet, trying to explain and justify actions and words caused and said by another simply because you know it is the truth is ok, but not ok if you are trying to justify someone who lives with resentment. If that other person lives in a world of resentment, and keeps score cards, there is no reason to bother to try. Walk away as the truth is known by a higher power, a power that controls your universe. Many times, however, going to the source of someone to tell them what they did wrong results in that person crying rather than explaining. Why? Because they know they said and did something to hurt a person that did nothing but love and help them. Who gets hurt in the end, the one that created such hurtful actions about another only to gain acceptance from those who live with anger and resentment. That’s the Universal Boomerang, a natural affect. Nobody, and I stress, nobody is better than the next person. I’ll give an example. A woman who lost her dignity, created by someone else, cries every day over that loss. However, what she doesn’t realize is she is taking the dignity away from those in her own family because she doesn’t want to listen; rather she clouds her thoughts about someone that she felt took her dignity away, something that happened in the past. Every day she focuses on something that happened in the past rather than focusing on today and keeping her family together. You see, she is not paying attention to what is right in front of her. Repeating past events, living by score cards, forgetting she once walked the shoes of her own children, yet ignoring her children’s feelings because she constantly thinks of the past of who said and did what to her. Yet, she doesn’t seem to care about this one fact; she is so clouded by her own hurt, she doesn’t realize the hurt she causes by her own words. The end result is negativity when people cannot accept what they have and be grateful for it. The inability to forget past events, which creates living with more resentment rather than expressing love and gratefulness for those in one’s life, creates a feeling of loneliness, no matter how many people surround that person. If you keep reminding yourself of past events, they remain in your surface, preventing you to live a complete and peaceful life within yourself and causing more anguish that hurts another, giving you once again, the Universal Boomerang effect. The words; “that person is crazy”, in my opinion, anyone who says those words about anyone holds a lot of resentment themselves, resentment that they ponder on day in and day out, resulting in the boomerang effect as well. What you say, do and give, returns right back at you the same way. Yet the person who does NOT think or say those words is the person who loves themselves and appreciates everyone and everything that surrounds them, unconditionally. Think about it. As I stated, a nice car, a nice house, nice cloths, etc., does not make you better than the next person. If you have all those things and more, yet live to resent and mock others, all it will do is create more misery within. Love one another as God loves you. What you say and do, good or bad, will come back to you. The Universal Boomerang affect is a part of nature. If you live an honest life and not involve yourself in resentful conversations, wrong actions, or try to gain acceptance by those who live with resentment by hurting someone who is innocent, you will have a positive being within yourself and be able to wake up every morning with peace in your heart. There is the old adage, what you give is what you get. That is the nature of the Universe. Simply put, throw away score cards, let go of resentment, stop hurting another. If you cannot be thankful for you, and be thankful for now, those score cards will eventually lead you into a competition of your own because you will be hit with the boomerang affect called loneliness. Don’t call someone because you need something. Call them because you simply want to say “hello, how are you”. And when the truth hurts, accept it rather than dish it out with negative comments or excuses about another person for an unjustifiable reason. If you did or said something wrong, be a human and admit to your wrong doings rather than drumming up excuses to cover your wrongful actions. The person you hurt, you may need them someday in more ways than one. Think about it. Admitting when you are wrong is the key to a clear conscious. Leading an honest life is the key to thankfulness and happiness. If you feel anger and resentment, take a step back and think of the words and actions you caused another that caused that resentment. You can’t take anger and resentment with you later on. Let go and you will find peace and happiness regardless of any of the hurt you feet within. There is a thing called forgiveness, to be able to forgive is holding the power of your own destiny where every step you take is taken in a direction that has the benefits of self endurance. It is not by choice we arrive to being, but in being leaves us to make choices we can change within ourselves to live a happy life. If you continue living a life of resentment, the end result is you are risking being alone later in life. But if you can take all the negative anguish and turn it into positive forgiveness; and know everything can be worked out; then you can look at yourself in the mirror and say “I love who I am”. Live, Love, Laugh, and Forgive. Most of all never give up Hope. Be thankful for you. Life is a precious gift. Don’t wait to say what you want to say from your heart to someone because in life, there really are no second chances to say what we feel in our hearts. Resentment can also lead into regret when we lose a love one. Have a Peaceful and Happy Thanksgiving. Be thankful. Pick up the phone and call that person you haven’t seen or spoken to in a long time. Putting your selfish pride aside by simply saying, “Hello, how are you” is the first step in saying to yourself; “I love who I am and I am thankful for being me”. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ___________________________________________________________________________ “When North Winds Blow” The October 8th Premiere of “When North Winds Blow” in Wallingford, CT was a huge success with about 200 attendees and then dinner afterward at the Four Points by Sheraton in Meriden CT. Immediate reviews of the film were extremely favorable, especially given that the project was an independent “No Budget” film. “When North Winds Blow” will be showing at the Holiday Cinemas, 970 North Colony Road, in Wallingford beginning on October 16th and continuing on a week to week basis at the discretion of the theater. The showtimes are 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, and 9 pm. Inquiries concerning the film may be made to the film’s director, James M De Vince at 203-631-1353 . _____________________ Thanksgiving -Carole Golitko I had a Grandmother who had the in site to teach me about life. She taught me to garden, how to use herbs, how to make & use a cold frame & to cook. We made dough & noodles every Wednesday, all kinds.We did this especially during lent for Friday meals. We had an extended family so we made a lot. We dried them over racks that also doubled as clothes dryers (no automatic dryers then) She was the first person I ran upstairs to see when I came home from school. What was the day going to be like was my excitement. Would I learn something new from her, of course, I didn’t think of it as a learning experience, I loved spending time with her. She was kind didn’t speak much but when she did oh it was plenty. I learned to love from her because she loved me no matter what. This Thanksgiving Thank you Grandma I know you’re up there you told me, & someday we’ll meet again. I hope I’ve done you proud. _______________________________________________________ A Chilling wind The sky distinctly hued in pink, Held echoes of soft peeping sounds rolling smoothly o’er the brink. As weathered leaves cascaded to the ground, This dark and creepy old man, strolled in. His balding pate flashing conspicuously, Shattering the pitch-black sanctuary of these who feared him in stoic awe. For he, this thing, was dying autumn. And bringing the knowing of time, a cold and dreary omen for all to see the sprightly warmth of mellow, adoring days of merriment, tumble towards its end. For soon will come the chilling news That old man winter has come again. - George Arndt - _______________________________________________________________ Before you call I will answer -Janet Althouse At the age of 52, I became a widow. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life. It seemed it was easier to be away from home than it was to be at home. I could pretend that my husband was just waiting for my return. So, I decided to travel. I had never done a lot of long distance driving, especially by my self, but from the beginning, I knew God was with me. I never had a mishap, never hit a deer or any other animal. Never got a ticket. I always felt safe. I would play my Christian tapes and the miles would fly by. I had a friend who lived in South Carolina and it was about a 12 hour drive. Being summer it stayed day light till around 9:00 in the evening, so I left home one Sunday morning about 9:00 a.m. headed for my friend's house. I was about an hour from her place and my car started to lose speed. I was low on gas and decided to get off and get the tank filled up. I stopped at the end of the off ramp and my car would not start. Of course, when the car started to act up, I started to pray. I asked God to help me and to ask my friends at home to pray for me. As I sat there not having any idea what to do, cars started going around me and some stopped and asked me if I needed help. One was a woman in her mid thirties, I would guess, and she was alone. She pulled off the road and asked if she could help me. Then this guy stopped and he said he would take a look under the hood. He pushed me off to the side of the road and checked under the hood. He said he was a mechanic and that I would need a tow. He pushed me across the street into a gas station and called a few tow trucks to see if someone could come get me. It was Sunday night and he had to call a couple before someone agreed. In the meantime, this lady stayed with me. The mechanic said he would have the tow truck tow my car to the garage where he worked. I said okay, and the lady asked where I would stay. I said probably a motel. She helped me get my luggage out of my car and put it in hers. Then we followed the tow truck in her car. When we reached the garage, the tow truck driver wanted his money. I tried to give him a credit card, but he wanted cash. Fortunately, I had enough to pay him, but was left with about $5 in cash. The lady then decided I should go home with her and spend the night with her and her daughter. She took me to her apartment and fixed me a sandwich. I was going to sleep on her couch, but she decided that since her young daughter was out and would be coming home later, that I should sleep in her bed so her daughter would not be frightened to see a strange woman sleeping on the couch. She put clean linens on the bed and I slept in her bed. In the morning she had to leave early to go to work, but first took me to the garage where my car had been towed. I thanked her so much and got her name and address. Before she left, she gave me $5 to get myself some breakfast. Like the title of this story states, "Before you call, I will answer." God knew I would need an angel and he had a couple of them all primed to help me. The lady had been on her way home from church and felt God's nudge to give me a helping hand. The guy, too, was definitely an angel to give me all that help. I sat in that garage all day while they tried to find out what was wrong with my car. They did not want it to be the fuel pump because they would have to take off the gas tank to get at it, but eventually that's what they had to do. I enjoyed telling everyone there waiting for their cars, about my angels. One older man was a little upset because they broke down on the highway, too, and his son had to walk quite a distance to get them some help. I just smiled and kept on giving God all the credit. ________________________________________________________________ TURKEY TALES Dorothy Adair Gonick Throughout November, school days in the Redding, Iowa Consolidated School focused on Thanksgiving: Pilgrims, Indians, and thankfulness for the beauty and richness of our country. We heard stories of the Indian Squanto and his friendship and helpfulness to the Pilgrims. A feast of popcorn was celebrated where we wore paper ‘Pilgrim’ bonnets and feathered headdresses. We were given mimeographed outlines of turkeys to color and then hung them as decorations. Once we visited a turkey farm, and giggled at their gobbling. However, our usual Thanksgiving dinner featured a plump, roasted hen until we began raising turkeys. In the early 1930’s, Dad and Grandpa decided to raise a few turkeys. We kids were jumping with excitement when the carton of twenty-five noisy, newly hatched turkey poults was delivered. Baby poults can starve or dehydrate while standing in the midst of plenty, so Grandma became the Mom turkey. She took over the chore of tipping each Turkey Tales Tiny, downy head to the saucer of water for a drink, then to the turkey mash waiting in a tray. She seemed to enjoy this and gave each one a welcome and blessing. Those little balls of fluff fascinated us and we loved cuddling them. When darkness fell, the peeping ceased as they nestled together for warmth under the brooder hood where they looked like a blanket of soft fuzz. The poults often ate litter as well as mash, which gummed up their gizzards, and we wondered if they would smarten up as they grew older? To keep their gizzards clean, we fed them crushed oyster shell. I liked the soft gray color and crunchy texture of the crushed oyster shells that came from the faraway ocean, but was glad I didn’t have to eat it. The poults grew rapidly and soon enjoyed the fenced-in enclosure by exploring and nibbling the green grass and chasing and savoring small insects. When summer arrived we put them onto pastureland for greater freedom to grow. They had graduated from eating mash to a purchased turkey feed of cracked corn, grains and weed seed that was poured into troughs. Containers were also provided and kept filled with fresh water. A few years later the area farmers became aware of a new weed growing in their pastures that neither the turkeys nor cows would eat. Wondering what it was, they took some to the local Agriculture Dept and were told it was marijuana that had grown from seeds contained in the turkey feed. This news made the headlines in the local paper! We hadn’t considered turkeys to be the smartest creature on earth but now wondered if perhaps they did have enough ‘smarts’ to deliberately reject those seeds? The farmers would now include this weed along with the cockleburs and thistles they were constantly trying to eradicate from their land. My sisters, Alice, Margaret and I remember our frustration on the day we were asked to move the turkeys from one pasture to the adjacent one. We opened the gate and got behind the flock to herd them in—that mistake only confused the flock into a squawking, milling mass of turkeys. As we decided to close the gate and get help, we realized those turkeys were following us through the gate like a game of ‘follow-the-leader’. Silly turkeys. If wild turkeys had this same trait of curiosity and unwariness, it would have been easy for the Pilgrims to capture them, thus aiding survival during the winter seasons. So began years of raising turkeys--several hundred each year. Soon after World War II broke out, the need for many turkeys led us to raise thousands of turkeys as a contribution to the war effort, so servicemen all over the world would have turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. During this era, turkey raising became a big business for area farmers, and we were part of it, glad to have a patriotic part to play and bring a bit of cheer to the servicemen. Dad and Grandpa solved several problems when the turkeys were put out on the range. Lanterns were kept burning at night to discourage foxes. Coyotes weren’t easily discouraged, so Grandpa outfitted his ’29 Buick shell as a sleeping rig out on the range. Turkeys are notoriously noisy when disturbed, so any interloper raised an alarm. Another problem was the turkey’s reaction to the noisy warplanes (monstrous birds) that frequently flew overhead and caused the turkeys to scatter, often running into fences, sometimes breaking their necks. One day our cousin, Orin, was flying on his way to Sioux Falls with the B17 and created quite a ruckus as he circled the farm in a salute. Little did the turkeys know that they might be dinners for those airmen later in England. Another problem was the weather. One summer afternoon a heavy thunderstorm of cold rain came and frightened the turkeys. All raced to their shelter and piled in a great heap, suffocating a large number of them. The men tried to shoo them apart, but were left with mounds of dying turkeys. At that time, there was no insurance, so instead of throwing away the turkeys we had the bright idea to dress them and at least have them for future meals. A quick call brought the rest of the family together; we even called Uncle Fred, who lived 80 miles away, to bring his family and help butcher and dress those unfortunate birds. An assembly line was formed. By lantern light, the men severed the heads; the boys brought them to the house for plunging into boiling water to loosen the feathers for plucking, which was the job for us girls. Mom singed the fine hairs by holding the turkey carcass over flames; the entrails were removed, giblets put into the cavity and Grandma used her strong fingers to grasp and remove the tendons, (we never did like to bite into the tendons of a cooked turkey leg). Twine was anchored to the feet and hooked over a nail under the porch roof to drain. I recall noticing the clock marking 12:00, 1:00 and on into the night. Uncle Fred’s family arrived and we tired kids were sent to bed. By morning the turkeys were ready to be taken for freezing in the Grant City Locker Plant where we rented several drawers to keep them frozen. We gave dressed turkeys to relatives and friends; even so it was about two years before the last turkey was roasted. This event became an oft-repeated story at Adair family gatherings. The camaraderie experienced in that tragedy was warm and unifying, giving us all a real sense of oneness. Most of our turkeys went to the Christmas market. They had to be ready about three weeks before the holidays. Our brother, John, remembers that as a young boy, loading those turkeys into crates was a flopping chore. With their big wing span they seemed to be bigger than he was and squawked loudly at being stuffed into the wire crates. Cheers and waves followed the trucks as they took those turkeys to the next stage of becoming dinners. Those events are left to the imagination. Our part in the war effort was completed. We thought of all the servicemen that would be remembering their loved ones while enjoying the turkey and trimmings of the holiday meal, and we wished them well. Today, children still color paper turkeys for Thanksgiving decorations. A sense of wonder wells within me as I remember that from Pilgrims to the present-day, the turkey has symbolized Thanksgiving; a day to honor those who founded, and those who fought to preserve the values of our country. To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ____________________________________________________________________ A Thankful Day in November -- or was it in October ? -George Arndt- November…ahhh, what a special time of year. Most folks start thinking about the feast that will be taking place later down the road …Thanksgiving Day. There wasn’t such a thing back in the Pilgrim’s day, nor were there any thoughts of such a thing. Their thoughts and concerns were focused on how to survive the wind and cold, and if they could gather enough food to last the winter that was raising its frosty head. All summer there was no want. And now they began to store fish, fowl, wild turkeys, venison, Indian corn, and all the things that they had harvested, as winter approached. Then, one day in October of 1621, the pilgrims and their Indian neighbors gathered together for a grand feast. And thus they found the Lord to be with them and to bless their out-goings and in-comings. For three days the Pilgrims and their Indian guests gorged themselves on venison, roast duck, goose and turkey, clams and other shell-fish, succulent eels, corn bread, tasty pudding, leeks, water-cress, and other herbs, with wild plums and dried berries as dessert, all washed down with wine made of the wild grape. The affair was more like an out-door barbeque for the Pilgrims and Native Americans. It would be so wonderful if we could gather with our family, friends, and neighbors every day of the year and sit at a table filled with a cornucopia of the finest foods provided by our Lord … smile, and be happy just to be able to share the fruits of our labor and the love of all mankind. _____________________________________________________________ To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! _______________________________________________________________________ Our family’s best Thanksgiving By Kim Hancock Childs Our family’s best Thanksgiving, by far, was the week of Thanksgiving, 2007. To fully understand, we need to go back 2 years. Thanksgiving 2005 was rough. My mom had passed away in February, and my family was really struggling. There were many issues to be dealt with following her death, and it had all really taken its toll on all of us. The holiday season was my mother’s favorite time of the year, a passion we both shared. I was dreading our first Christmas without her, so my husband and I decided to take our 3 children to Disney World for the week. Matt was 13, Becca was 12, and PJ was 6. We left on December 21 and were all so excited to go. We were really enjoying our time together, and the magic of Disney. Several times, PJ would complain, even crying a few times, that his feet hurt and he couldn’t walk anymore. He had complained about this before but we never thought much about it. When one morning, he didn’t want to leave the hotel because he didn’t want to walk, we knew something was really wrong. We got a stroller for him for the remainder of the trip, and vowed to call the doctor when we got back home. So began our 2 year journey. As PJ’s condition began to worsen, with his gait becoming abnormal, his stamina shortening, and his pain increasing, we went from doctor to doctor, trying to find the answer to his worsening symptoms. He had numerous tests, from blood work, to MRI’s, to gait studies, went to physical therapy, first 2 times a week, then weekly, had to wear braces on his feet, and finally having to use a wheelchair everywhere but home. We saw too many doctors to count, and PJ received several diagnoses, as every doctor had his opinion as to what it could be. Spending much time on the computer, researching, we had ideas of our own, but doctors weren’t willing to give much attention to our findings. By the end of summer, 2007, PJ was at his worst yet, unable to walk more than a few feet, was beginning to have increased difficulty breathing, began to lay down more because his neck would grow tired just holding his head up. We were finally referred to Boston Children’s Hospital, with an appointment for November 19, the Monday before Thanksgiving. By now, we knew not to get our hopes up, as we were beginning to believe we would never have an answer. Dr. Pete Kang, a neurologist at Children’s Hospital, examined PJ, took our story (which was quite lengthy by this time) and listened intently. He suggested we try PJ on a medication called Sinemet, to see if it would help. If it did, most likely PJ would have a condition called Dopa-Responsive Dystonia (DRD), a rare neurological condition in which the brain cannot process the chemical dopamine effectively, causing muscle spasms and twisting. Through our research, we had come across this disorder, had strongly believed that this was what PJ had, and were repeatedly told it could not be. So when Dr. Kang mentioned this, we were in tears, so happy that finally, someone was willing to consider this. If this worked, it was the best possible answer. While PJ would have a rare neurological disorder, it would be treatable. PJ began taking Sinemet on Tuesday, November 20. By Wednesday, November 21, when PJ came home from school, we could see an improvement in his gait, and he said his pain was much less. He asked to take his braces off, and he never put them on again. By Thanksgiving day, November 22, 2007, PJ was running around the house like he hadn’t since he was a 2 year old. We were so thrilled, we spent much of the day just watching him, crying. We couldn’t believe our eyes. He was walking, pain free, with no braces! It was an amazing day. On Friday, we went to Target, to do some shopping. PJ pushed his wheel chair through the store, never needing to get in it once! We had never seen him so excited, so happy. It was the best Thanksgiving ever! Now, at age 10, PJ has the official diagnosis of Dopa-Responsive Dystonia. He is an active boy who is able to do just about anything he wants. He takes medication 4 times a day, still has a recurrence of symptoms occasionally, and has had to learn to pace himself so as not to over do it, but none of this gets in his way. He drives quarter midget race cars at Silver City here in Meriden, plays the saxophone at school, and is a member of the Safety Patrol. He enjoys playing baseball and basketball in the back yard with his brother, and he yearly takes part in the Daffodil Festival’s Fun Run at Hubbard Park. We will always be so very thankful to the wonderful doctor who was willing to think outside the box and give PJ his life back! Especially on Thanksgiving day! _____________________________________________________________ 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 andy@peoplespressnews.com or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue. Sincerely, June and Flora Dear Housewives, My husband had an affair years ago, I think he may be seeing someone again. I told him I would not forgive him a second time, how can I be sure he is cheating before I make any rash decisions. I will not change my mind if it is true. Once a cheater always a cheater? in Orlando, FL JUNE: There are a few things you can do if you want to know. You can hire a private detective if you have the money. Any pictures or things he finds can be used in your divorce if need be. You can follow him yourself for a few weeks to see if he goes where he says he is going. You can look through his receipts and things to see if anything is out of the ordinary. Good luck. I hope you find out he is faithful. FLORA: Infidelity is a painful time during a marriage. What is making you think he is cheating on you? Men and women stray from marriages for many reasons. Some saw it first hand in their upbringing, some feel they are not loved or respected at home so they seek to have those needs fulfilled elsewhere. If you are people of faith, find a faith-based councilor to speak to. If you are not, seek out a family and marriage therapist. Asking your spouse to come along is a start. Have a one to one conversation with your husband by going to a neutral location to talk. Be prepared to be calm and caring during your time together. Lashing out in anger will drive him further away. A marriage and family therapist is the way to go. Dear Housewives,I have to organize my storage room and need some help. I cannot seem to even begin. The task is so overwhelming that I put it off month after month. Any tips for me?A Homemaker in Connecticut FLORA: You can complete this task two ways. First, reserve a day or two half days to begin. Have a place to make your piles. Give Away. Keep. Not Sure (the not sure-you box up and revisit in 6-12 months. If you never needed to go into the box/es-give away). Spend the day working on the storage room. No E-mail, No Phone. The only breaks are for food and restroom breaks.The other way is to do the room in quadrants. I love quadrants. That is how I look for missing things in the car, in a room. Break up the storage room into 4 squares. Do ONLY one square at a time. Complete the task in 1-4 days. JUNE: Wow Flora, that is right out of the book. I agree that this is the most organized way to do it. Also, there are many items you can buy to help you organize. I would suggest things like clear totes so you can see what is in them. You can get label makers to mark everything. Also, it is important to keep like things together so you can find them later. If you have more than one box of something, mark it 1 of ____(put the total) so that you know later on that there are more boxes of the same thing. Good luck. Book Nook/ Movie Mania JUNE: Hi Flora, we finally got around to watching Slumdog Millionaire. It was a very good, well written movie. It was about life in India for a boy and his brother. When one brother wins on their version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire he is beaten and accused of cheating. They use this as a way to flashback through his disturbing life to show you how he knows about the things he is answering. It was so sad because for many children in these Eastern countries, life is like it was depicted in the movie. FLORA: I have not been in Book or Movie mode lately. ___________________________________________________ I Will Hit The Big 6-0 On Thanksgiving Day I have never been a very observant person, and lots of things people have no trouble seeing, I miss. I have been thinking 2009 is a special year because my fraternal twin sister Barb and I will be turning 60 on November 26. However, it was not until Saturday morning, October 24, I found out it was even more special. Based on a pattern I cannot figure out, there are some years our birthday lands on Thanksgiving Day, and so it will this year. Naturally it would be super special if we could celebrate it together, but the distance between us and the fact we both own several cats would make it too difficult. When we were children, Mom, dad, my sister and I would spend quite a few Thanksgivings at our aunt and uncle's home in Westport, Connecticut, my old home town. While I have no clear memories of what we all dined on, I can assume we enjoyed traditional foods such as turkey, stuffing, squash, turnips, peas, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce, and those time-honored pumpkin, apple, and mincemeat pies. However, there was one year I shall never forget. I thrust a serving spoon into what I thought was mashed potatoes, and heaped a large helping onto my plate, only to find out it was creamed onions. I was about to put them back when my mom stopped me and told me I had to eat what I served myself, whether I liked it or not, and creamed onions were among my least-favorite dishes. I am confident that because of that episode, I made sure I knew what was in the bowl before I heaped some of it onto my plate. This year I plan on my traditional dinner of roast duck and yams, washed down with Cold Duck. Even without my sister with me to observe our shared 60th birthday/Thanksgiving Day, I am very thankful to still be able to celebrate the day on which we give thanks to God for His blessings. Happy Thanksgiving. Nancy SherburneTucson, Arizona ____________________________________________ Thanksgiving French culture is different from ours in many ways. It is neither good or bad just different. In France we noted how quiet and private the citizens were. On a trip thru Paris in November we found ourselves wandering from one art museum or gallery to another. At the D'Orsay one day lunching behind the big clock. We ordered and sat talking while we waited for our lunch to arrive. When it did the waiter, cleared his throat as he placed our food. As he placed a picture of a turkey on our table he said in English "Happy Thanksgiving" . (It was turkey day.) We smiled as he turned and walked away. They did not interfere with our lunch or trip; they just wanted to let us know that had taken note of our passing! ___________________________________________________________________ “Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective” by Gregory M. Simpson It was a banner first year for Connecticut Votes for Animals (CVA), for which I am proud to say I am a member of the advisory board. Under the leadership of ASPCA attorney Debora Bresch and Our Companions Animal Sanctuary CEO Susan Linker, CVA saw one of the first bills it lobbied passed and signed into law by Governor Jodi Rell on July 8th, the Puppy Lemon Law Bill. The Puppy Lemon Law Bill will provide greater protection for consumers and animals sold in pet stores. This new law encourages the sale of healthy animals in several key ways. It increases the potential veterinary reimbursement from $200 to $500 and allows this reimbursement for congenital defects without the need to return the animal. The law also increases the window for this reimbursement from 15 to 20 days. Critically, pet stores will now be required to purchase out-of-state animals only from USDA and state licensed breeders. As an important consumer measure, pet stores will be required to provide consumers with breeder/dealer information to fully disclose the source of the animals. Connecticut Votes for Animals is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(4) organization, whose aim is to mobilize the public to support animals through their political choices. It serves as the political arm of the state’s animal protection movement by advocating pro-animal policies and engaging public support for the passage of animal friendly laws and opposition to proposals harmful to animals. CVA is Connecticut’s only grass roots organization that gives animals a voice in the Legislature. Members are provided with political “scorecards” so that they can make a difference at the polls by electing animal friendly legislators. Connecticut Votes for Animals educates the public regarding animal protection issues and safeguards the interests of animals by making their well-being a priority for elected leaders. During this past legislative session, CVA tracked over 20 bills, ranging from acts concerning humane education and the treatment of elephants to an act requiring court ordered counseling for juveniles charged or convicted of animal cruelty. Most proposed bills do not become law, especially the first time they are raised. In the last legislative session, CVA also lobbied to pass a bill to prevent the constant tethering of dogs, i.e., chaining or confinement. The current law is vague and animal control officers are not able to enforce it. As a result, dogs in Connecticut can be chained or confined day and night. This is not only cruel to the dogs but also poses a public safety threat as chained dogs are three times more likely to bite people. Unfortunately, the draft Tethering and Confinement Bill required additional work. With your assistance as a CVA member, a Tethering and Confinement Bill can be passed in the next legislative session, ensuring that the outcome of cases like the one in Hartford, where dogs were found stacked in crates in a shed, are very different. Currently, excessive confinement alone is not sufficient to warrant charges under Connecticut’s animal cruelty law. Next session, Connecticut Votes for Animals, with animal control officers and the ASPCA, will work to get the Tethering and Confinement Bill passed. But it cannot be done without grass roots power. As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Animals don’t vote, people do, so share your support by becoming a member of Connecticut Votes for Animals. A $25 non-tax deductible donation can be mailed to Connecticut Votes for Animals, P.O. Box 266 Cheshire, CT 06410. Or you may sign up on-line at: www.ctvotesforanimals.org 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’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ARE YOU WILLING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? By Bonnie Kent Please Come Support the Expansion of the Wallingford Emergency Shelter on November 20th Have you ever had to decide between feeding your family or a roof over your head? Or are you one of those who are less fortunate and have neither food nor shelter? You could be next. IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! I am a single mom and I have faced that choice before and in times like these I don’t want to face that decision again. Yes, every one of us is feeling the financial crisis but every single person can do one thing and help make it better for someone else. You can donate your time, a special skill, food, or something that someone needs. Can you arrange for a food drive or coat/hat drive at work, church, and school or even in your neighborhood? Today I am writing about a place very close to my heart, The Wallingford Emergency Shelter. They were there 13 years ago when I needed them providing me with food to help feed my daughters. Yes I had a job and I was supporting us but between the rent, utilities, and daycare I was barely making it. I meet Elsie and Lou Sills who were running a food service program out of the shelter called Share, you volunteered 4 hours of your time and paid a small fee in exchange of fruits, vegetables, and meats it was about 70 or 80 dollars worth of food. I will never be able to express how much their support and love meant to me and my children when Lou and Elsie befriended us and brought me in to the shelter and taught me how to care for those who were worse off than I was. My journey into homelessness started there and I have volunteered at the shelter for the last 13 years. I have worked in the kitchen, food pantry, and have served on the board of directors for many years now. I guess I have seen a lot along with my 3 daughters who have been there throughout those years. We have meet people who care about those in need and we have meet and made many friend of those who are in need and have learned their stories and a lot of them are not what you might expect. My 15 year old daughter and I attended a fundraiser for the shelter just the other day to pass out information and answer questions from those who attended but what got to me most was my daughter and her comment that she just couldn’t understand why some of these people just didn’t care, walked away or made comments to their children about how they wouldn’t be homeless if they got a jobs. Please we as a community must stop turning our heads and hiding saying it won’t happen to me and helping those who need it. But right now I am writing about those who need the help the most lately single parent families. We are upset that we can’t help them with shelter; yes, we can feed them but we have no place for them to sleep, feel safe and get the help that they need to get back on their feet. And there are not enough beds in the area to help. But we do have a plan and YOU CAN HELP. The Wallingford Emergency Shelter is raising monies for a women’s and children’s wing to be named in honor of Martin “Marty” Rubin a Wallingford Resident who was killed on Interstate 91 last year. Please join the Rubin Family, Our Board of Directors and friends at a banquet to be held at the Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 South Colony Street. The evening will include a family-style dinner of salad, pasta, chicken, potatoes and dessert, along with a hypnotist, comedian and dancing. Tickets cost $40 each and are available at the Wallingford Family YMCA, Stella’s Pizza, Half Moon Café and Gallagher Travel or you can contact Thom Thurber at 203-294-0102. If you can’t make the banquet we are also running a campaign to get business and individuals to sponsor a bed, half bed or quarter bed for the season. The shelter is open from November 1 to April 15 and cost approximately $500 per season per bed. Last year 116 people were housed at the shelter during the season and this number does not include those whom were given hot take out meals or came to the food pantry. The shelter has 10 beds for male clients and 5 for women clients. The Shelter which is located at 123 Quinnipiac St is run by volunteers and is always in need of those who can help. If you have time to help we are looking for people to stay over 1 night a month, people to help with laundry, kitchen help, and those with skills, such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical. Don’t have time maybe you have the following: Urgently Needed JUICES, COFFEES, CEREALS, SOCKS, MITTENS, COATS, HATS, SCARFS LAUNDRY DETERGENT Frozen Proteins: Fish Sticks, Hot dogs, Chicken Nuggets, anything that can be cooked fairly quickly if we run out of food. Always Needed Canned goods, sugar, hot chocolate, teas, white socks, bathrobes, slippers, underwear, soaps, shampoos, razor, pajama (especially larger sizes), toothbrushes, deodorants, toilet paper, paper towel, napkins, trash bags, pillows, blankets. Another way to help is with a dish: can you prepare a side dish, soup or main dish that can be frozen or sign up for a day and bring the dish to the Shelter in time for dinner…. My Thanksgiving Today I woke up and got dressed. Next I went down stairs. Next everyone woke up. My mom came down stairs and said ”Andrew you need to get off the computer.” So I exited out of Lego Land. I started to watch television. Duck Dodgers was on. Two hours later I had to turn off the television so we could go eat Thanksgiving dinner. We rode in the car. I played video games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Then I got tired and turned off the game. I asked how many more minutes there were until we got to their house. My mom answered, “Seven more minutes until we get to Kenny’s house.’’ Later on after seven minutes, we made it to Kenny’s house. I walked in and Justin gave me a sticker. I took off my jacket and put the sticker on it. I walked to my dad and asked if we could go outside and play football. Before I could finish, he said “No, because we have to eat first.” I went into the living room and sat down on the most comfortable chair in the house and watched football. After the first quarter, it was time to eat. I chose a breadstick,, turkey and mashed potatoes for dinner. I told Kenny mashed potatoes were the best way to start a food fight if wanted. After dinner, I played robbers and coppers and raced with Justin and Van. Then I went on a two-mile walk/run. I asked my dad if he could tell me where we were going. He said we were going to the swamp and back. So off we went. We walked and walked a while. Finally we reached the swamp. We walked further and all of a sudden Justin and Van got cold and walked back with me. Once we reached Kenny’s house, I ran all the way back. I asked if they saw any shotgun shells. They said, “Yes.” I asked “Where?” They said, “The last green tree.” So I ran all the way to the tree. I looked in and saw a lot of shells. I used my walking stick to reach in and grab them. Once I was done, there were none left, so I walked to my dad. He came out with corn and threw some corn pellets at me. I yelled, “Stop” 4 or 6 times, but he still didn’t stop. I ran back to the house, asked for a bag and said to my mom, “Dad is throwing stuff at me.” I ran all the way back to the field, my dad did it again. So I took a shotgun shell, without a bullet in it and threw it at him. It went so fast it knocked the corn down and I threw it into the woods. We started off again and I found more shotgun shells. I put them in the bag with the others. When we reached the cornfield we had to hop over the growing corn so it wouldn’t get squashed. When we reached the house, I played football. When we went inside dessert was being served. For dessert there was Jello, cake and ice cream. We went back outside and just ran around the house. We went inside and we played with Lincoln Logs. I made a huge tower and I made a car smash into it. But after that it was still standing. Justin and Van said, “Are you going to destroy it now?” I said, “No.” The Rock was on television. We had to leave so I destroyed my tower, put the Lincoln Logs away, said “Goodbye” and we were off. We went to Mama’s house and everybody was there. We played hide and seek. I was only “It” once. I hid behind the tarp and Kyle copied and Brett copied. Brett took all the tarp so I had to go with Kyle. We played freeze tag and then we played hide and seek again. Brett had to leave. Kyle had to leave. And we had to leave. And that was the end of my Thanksgiving. Topic: When you don’t like your teen’s choice of friends Talk to the Friends My mother used to constantly remind me, “You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your relatives!” All of my friends’ mothers said the same thing. We all took this to heart and into adulthood. Unfortunately, no one warned us that this didn’t include our children’s friends. So, we began picking out our kids’ friends when they were toddlers. Well, maybe not the fathers out there. Mothers are more enthusiastic about friend picking. These friends we chose were usually the kids of our own friends, or the kids of the other mommies in the neighborhood who we deemed fun to hang out with. Things were simple back then. If you didn’t like how certain children were behaving in front of yours, you didn’t invite them over. I vividly recall one Cub Scout outing where a seven-year-old monster child tried to poke my son’s eye out with a piece of sharpened slate. That was the end of that relationship! We didn’t realize until much later that friend “picking out” was a transient affair. Teens’ friends are another story all together. They’re private territory and off-limits to parents - so say our teens. So, what does one do when one is not exactly thrilled with the new friend? First, parents should be honest with themselves. What is it about the new friend? Is he sporting a nose ring? Does she talk in two-word sentences? Is he flunking math? Maybe you just don’t like her and you can’t put your finger on it. The first thing parents need to do is to be honest about “why” they don’t like the new friend. Are there legitimate reasons, such as drug abuse or the way this person treats your teen? Keep in mind that forbidding a friendship can make things worse, and chemistry is not something you can easily predict or manipulate. It’s best to get to know the friends rather than making an instant character assessment. With younger teens, offer to drive them places and listen to their conversations. Invite your teen’s friends over to your house for dinner. Instead of grilling them about their grades, sit down and talk with them about their interests. You can learn a lot about a person if you’re able to engage him in a lengthy conversation. If you still have concerns, it’s time to broach the subject with your teen. Sylvia LaFair, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of “Don't Bring It to Work: Breaking the Family Patterns that Limit Success” (Jossey-Bass, 2009), says, “The best way for parents to approach their teen if there is concern about a new friendship or new group of friends is directly.” She advises that parents ask questions such as, "How can we work together to minimize my concerns?” She says to keep the dialogue going until your teen begins to open up. “You will get more information when you talk together than if you give finger pointing directives,” she explains. LaFaire warns that parents need to put their foot down if they feel their teen is in danger because of a new set of friends. “If you feel there is serious danger with your teen and questionable friends, it's time to take a stand. Would you let your two-year-old walk into traffic? Get serious with your teen, and let him know why certain dangerous friends are off-limits.” Do’s and Don’ts: Do observe his attitude toward adults. Don’t look at her appearance alone. Do look for signs of drug or alcohol abuse. Don’t hover when friends come over – you want them to come back! Do stick around if a friend of the opposite sex is over. Don’t directly attack the friends. This will put your teen on the defensive. Ask him open-ended questions that are non-judgmental instead. You’ll keep the dialogue open. Do talk to your teen about what makes a “good” friend. TIPS AND TALES “I would suggest that parents be really honest about their own friendship issues and pray that their teen learns from their own mistakes! Gene Sottile – Light House Point, FL “I’ve always had a great radar system. I’m honest and tell my daughters upfront if my radar senses something’s wrong. I try not to be too negative.” Judy Burns – Poughkeepsie, NY Want to share your ideas? Upcoming topic: Your teen is a slob! How to cope & what to do. Please send your full name, address, and brief comments to: myrnahaskell@gmail.com Or visit http://home.roadrunner.com/~haskellfamily/myrna/ To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!