Your Stories February 2010

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! Jennifer’s House of Hair and St. Baldrick’s St. Baldrick’s began as a casual conversation between friends and has exploded into the world's largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research, which started in 1999. Thousands of volunteers shave their heads in solidarity of children with cancer, while requesting donations of support from friends and family. Tens of thousands of volunteers make St. Baldrick's happen, with the leadership of a board of directors and the support of a small staff. Volunteers organize each event, coached and equipped by the Foundation. Every year more than 160,000 children around the world are diagnosed with cancer. In the US cancer kills more than any other disease, and because childhood cancers are different from adult’s cancers, the research must be specific to kids. I was never aware of just how many children are affected by cancer and the research needs for children are different from adults. Curing cancer in children is so very important because they are the future. St. Baldrick’s being a volunteer based organization not only provides monies, it helps people realize, and become involved in something that they may not other wise be part of. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation has made more than 200 grants totaling over $41 million for childhood cancer research since 2005, its first year as a foundation. In 2009 alone, over $12 million was funded – more than by any other foundation making grants for research to cure childhood cancers. Just as the St. Baldrick’s community bands together to raise funds, the childhood cancer research community works together to find cures. In fact, childhood cancer led the way in creating “cooperative research groups” and as a result, children who had almost no chance of survival fifty years ago now have a survival rate of over 80%. How we wish that statistic applied to all kids with cancer! Some types of the disease remain extremely hard to cure, and many treatments come with a steep price in life-long damage or risk to bodies and minds. To cure even the most difficult cancers and improve the quality of life for every survivor, we need to do more than fund the experts of today. We need to encourage the best and brightest new doctors to choose childhood cancer research as a career. The truth is, other medical specialties often pay more, and pediatric cancer is not for the weak of heart. In addition to the enthusiasm of participants and the generosity of donors, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is grateful for the many childhood cancer researchers who give freely of their time and expertise – and sometimes their very hair! We are honored to work with some of the most cutting-edge doctors and scientists in the world to see that every donor dollar is funding the most important research – the kind that will save precious young lives. Jennifer’s House of Hair will be teaming up with DW Catering in hosting its 2nd “A Bash for Baldness”, which will be held at the salon, 437 Broad Street, Meriden. It will be held on Saturday, February 27th from 5p.m to 9p.m. We have local businesses, dedicated clients and friends that are going to be sponsoring tables of various types of beer and wine. We also paired up with DW Catering who will be cooking an assortment of hearty comfort foods, as people walk around and socialize. There will be music, a 50/50 drawing, Lucky Lotto Tree drawings, and lots of mingling! Tickets will be $22 per person. All 100% of the proceeds collected that night will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. If you have any questions about this event please call the salon at 203.235.3166. Jennifer’s House of Hair will also be collecting donations at the salon. You can stop by the salon and buy a St. Baldrick’s Circle, either in honor or in memory of someone. We regret to inform you that we will not be shaving at the main event hosted by Quality Time on March 6th, 2010. Instead we will be attending the International Beauty Show in NYC that weekend to continue our education. We wish the Meriden Fire Dept. & Quality Time good luck at their event! Be a Hero for kids with cancer! Peoples Press February 2010 South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department is its 102 year of service to the Village of South Meriden and the City of Meriden. In 2009 the department responded to 760 calls of service to the community. Point of information about the calls in 2009, approximately 69 % of the calls responded to where medicals and Motor Vehicle Accidents. Health Tips We urge all our residence to be careful during the winter months with shoveling snow. Take it easy do not over do it. Use a good shovel and do not over load it when you lift it. Also for those of you that have snow blowers please be extremely careful not to put your hands near the blades of the blower unit while it is running. You might say who would do that, but each year Meriden's emergency service responders respond to several of these calls each year and it isn't a pretty sight so please take precautions. If you can and have the time and the energy may be you can help a neighbor who is a little older or might be ill, give them a hand clearing away the snow from their walkways or driveway. It feels real good to be able to help them out during the winter months. Each year we lose friends and neighbors to heart attacks during the winter months from over exerting themselves shoveling snow. We also want to thank all of our friends that have been helping clearing snow and ice a way from fire hydrants during storms. This allows the fire department during fire emergencies to hook up to fire hydrants quicker to gain access to a water supply if the fire is one of a substantial size. Do to the amount of snow we have been receiving, we still need your continuing help with clearing fire hydrants 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. Membership Information We are currently accepting applications for membership for individuals who live in Meriden over the age of 18 in good health and have a clean police records and can pass the application process. We are also accepting application for those individuals who might all ready be certified as a State of CT Firefighter/EMT and do not live in Meriden but are willing to fill night crew positions at our station. These individuals will need to meet our by-law requirements for drills, weekly night crew and duty crew assignments. We are one of the only Volunteer fire stations in the State that have sleep-in crews at our fire station we presently cover 6 out of 7 nights. Our nightly in-house status allows us to service our customers you our neighbors quicker. Being a volunteer fire fighter takes a lot of commitment and time. Our members make a lot of personal sacrifices to belong to our department, but they get great satisfaction of being part of terrific tradition of saving lives and property. We train and work hard but we love serving and protecting our friends. Applications can be picked up at our station at 31 Camp Street, South Meriden in the evenings. We are a DRUG FREE Department and we TEST all applicants. 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! _ AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LUKE (CORY) JASINSKI My name is Luke (Corey) Jasinski and I am a Welsh Corgi, Cardigan Mix, at least that’s what I’ve been told. My story begins in the little town of Murphy, NC which is a town of approx. 1,600 people as of the year 2000, located in Cherokee County, along the Hiwassee River in the western most part of NC right near the border of GA. They say I was born on or about October 8, 2006, but of course, I don’t remember that. I am primarily black in color with brown mixed in and I have some white on my chest and the tip of my tail, which I can’t stand and try to chase it every now and then. I also have white paws and have been told that I am a very handsome fellow. My life has not been an easy one until recently. The Valley River Humane Society in Murphy had to rescue me from my owner, who was an elderly woman that hoarded animals but could not care for them properly. I lived in deplorable conditions and never had enough to eat. I rummaged through any garbage that was lying around to try and find enough food to survive. I lived in a house in the mountains of NC with 110 other dogs. Most of the other dogs I lived with were small dogs also, such as Chihuahua’s and Shih Tzu’s, but there were three (3) larger dogs in the basement. There were several lady dogs that were going to have puppies, but I can’t say whether or not I am the father of any of them. There were also about eight (8) puppies running around, which were annoying at times. After being rescued from the house, I was brought to the Valley River Humane Society where I would spend the next several months, waiting for someone to take me home. It seemed as if no one wanted me, of course, I wasn’t much to look at. I was full of fleas and wasn’t very sociable and was always hungry. The Humane Society took care of me as much as possible, but with 110 other dogs to look after, my care was not a priority for them. I was finally shipped north to a Humane Society in Westport, CT. There I was cleaned up, vaccinated, and tested for several different things. I guess they found out that I had contracted a few things from the house I was living in, as I was given an anti-biotic to kill whatever it was. They also operated on me to make sure that I wouldn’t get any more females pregnant. That was probably the most painful thing I have had to endure. I thought to myself that no one would want me up here either and I resigned myself to the fact that my days might be numbered. I made friends with the young girls that were working at the Humane Society and I looked forward to seeing them when it was time to eat. They had quite a few other animals here in CT also and many of them barked a lot and kept me awake. I was treated nicely and the food was good, but I never seemed to be satisfied with the amount they gave me. They say that I can’t have too much because of my shape. If I get too heavy, my back will start giving me problems. I don’t understand any of that, but it must be true. The Humane Society in CT took my picture and put it on the computer, whatever that is? I was only in CT a short time, when two people came in and started talking about me. They seemed interested in me, but I didn’t want anything to do with them. I was polite in the beginning and they came into my cage and started talking to me and petting me. One of my young female attendants took me from my cage and put me in a room with these two people, expecting me to get to know them. How silly is that? I totally ignored them and kept looking out the window in the door for my pretty female attendant to come back. I even peed the floor hoping that they would get disgusted and leave, but they didn’t. These two people kept trying to get my attention and forced me to sit with them for a few moments. I tried to ignore them, hoping that they would go away, but they didn’t. After awhile, my attendant came back and I was very excited. However, I soon learned that these two people were serious about wanting me. I didn’t know anything about these two and I was hoping that my attendant would play with me. But before I knew it, these two people were signing papers and my attendant was putting a collar and leash on me for these people to take me away. I didn’t know what was going on or where I was going. I was taken outside, where I relieved myself. I do that a lot, as I am an Alfa male and like to mark my territory. Well, anyway, these people were pulling me towards a vehicle and telling me to get inside. Reluctantly, I got into their car and we started driving away from the shelter. I kept looking back, but realized that I might never see that place again. Now I was scarred and didn’t know what to expect. These people seemed nice enough, but what kind of a place were they taking me to. It was a long drive to their home and I knew that I would probably never find my way back to the shelter again. We finally arrived at this little house way down in the back yard of a larger house that was out front. I wasn’t use to such a small house, other than the cages that I recently occupied. The house in NC was much larger than this but there didn’t seem to be any other animals around. This was very strange as I was use to being around other animals all of my life. After living with 110 other dogs and then going to two different shelters where there were other animals, it seemed rather quiet. I soon learned that there were two big dogs living next door and they liked to bark. They must have heard me as I was walking toward the house because they started barking at me through the fence that separated our yards. Once inside the house, I had to check everything out. I found out that it was as small on the inside as it was on the outside. There were only three (3) rooms and there were no other animals in the house. This was kind of hard to get use to. Who would I play with during the day and where would I sleep? I wondered what kind of people these were? Would they yell at me and beat me if I didn’t do what they wanted me to do? I was given some food and water, which of course, was never enough, but I ate it all and then decided to see what would happen if I went pee. I urinated on their rug and on their curtain, but soon learned that they were not going to put up with any of that. I was quickly put on a leash and taken outside to do my thing. It took some time, but I finally learned the rules and things steadily improved. I was taken out several times a day by the male of the house. He seemed to take control and I couldn’t get away with much when he was around. The female on the other hand was very loving and I could get almost anything I wanted from her. I mostly let her mush me and give me a back and neck rub. Boy, there isn’t anyone who does it better than her. These two people genuinely cared about me and I eventually took to them. They bought me several different kinds of food, but they didn’t know that I had allergies and couldn’t have grain. It took a while, but they figured it out and changed my food and I am starting to get better. When you have allergies, as I did, your paws itch and you have to bite them all the time. Because of that, my paws smelled terrible and that’s when they smartened up and tried to find what made me stink. They pamper me quite a bit, and I get to sleep on the bed with them at night. My dad bought me a furry toy that they call “ducky.” It squeaks and I really enjoy it as it is the first toy I’ve ever owned that I didn’t have to fight for. I also have my own blanket, which my mom & dad bought me for Christmas. I also have my own bed and they cover me over at night as they like to keep the heat off in the bedroom at night and it gets a little cold by morning. I usually lay on the couch with my mom, that’s what I think of her as now, and she will usually give me my nightly back and neck rub. It is so relaxing and I just curl up in her lap and sleep until it’s time to go to bed. During the day, my mom goes to work and I miss her a lot. My dad, as I now think of him, usually feeds me and plays with me during the day and we go for walks in the woods every now and then. I usually bug my dad to the point that he will take me for a walk in the yard several times a day. I’m still not use to being alone and I get bored very easy. Whenever my mom and dad are away, I try to find some trouble to get into. I am very agile and like to see what’s on the counter. Sometimes I get lucky and find some type of food that was left out and I tear it open and eat whatever it is before they come home. Sometimes things are wrapped up and I don’t know what’s in them until I tear them open. Most of the time it turns out not to be food and then I know I’m in trouble. I usually get scolded for being bad, but it doesn’t last long and for the most part, it’s worth it. I really love my new home now and the two people that took me in are very nice people. They are Christians and are very involved with their church. They plan on starting a ministry and traveling around the country showing Christian films. They told me that I will be an important part of their ministry, but I may have to wear a silly backpack and carry tracks and lollipops. I just hope they give me one once in a while for all the work I will have to do. I will be helping them start conversations with people and will be inviting them to see the movie. I think it will be very exciting. I will get to travel a lot and will meet many new people and hopefully some new female dog friends. I hope that you have enjoyed my story and I look forward to meeting with some of you and sharing more of my life with you in the future. I want to thank my dad for typing this story up as I haven’t learned how to type yet. LUKE (Corey) JASINSKI By the way, this is me, Luke (Corey) Jasinski I live with my new mom & dad James & Bessie Jasinski I can be contacted at my mom & dad’s ministry address, which is: MobileFilmMinistry@gmail.com I hope you will write and let me know if you enjoyed my story. My dad hopes that the People’s Press News will print the story so that more people will know about me. I sure hope that there aren’t too many stories like mine out there, as I wouldn’t want other dogs to have to go through what I went through. But I had a happy ending and I know that other dogs have similar stories also. THANK YOU! AND GOD BLESS! 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! ROBERT MILES AND DAVID S. MILES I was in the Army for four years, one-and-a-half years on The Aleutian Islands in the Pacific. The wind was so bad we dug our huts in the ground. If we built them on top of the ground, the wind would have blown them away. There was snow all the time. We had to be dug out every day so we could go to the mess hall. It was cold but we had everything we needed to keep us warm. The weather was nice in July, but mostly it was cold and dark as the sun didn't come up. We learned a lot, and we came home. My Mother was a 5 star mother with 5 sons in the service. We all came home except my brother David. The American Legion Hall in Oxford is named for him. He went down on the ship, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester with the Four Chaplains who have become quite famous. Note: I knew Bob Miles in Grammar School. We met again recently at our 60th Seymour High School Class Reunion where Bob shared his experience in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. .....Below, I quote from a news clip from The Advisor, dated February 13, 1996. The Advisor is published weekly in North Haven, Connecticut.. FOUR CHAPLAINS' MEMORIAL DAY PROCLAIMED IN NORTH HAVEN Last week I was pleased to join with Wally Bassett, Religious Emphasis Chairman and Americanism Chairman. and the entire Murray Reynolds Post 76 American Legion in commemorating Four Chaplains' Day in North Haven. A special Memorial service took place at the Recreational Center on February 8th. At the ceremony we recalled the account of the Four Chaplains' heroic sacrifices. On February 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T.. Dorchester, with 900 passengers, was torpedoed by an enemy submarine in the Atlantic Ocean, about one hundred miles off the coast of Greenland. The Dorchester was ill-equipped, with only twenty usable lifeboats and an inadequate supply of life jackets. Understanding that their own lives would not be saved, the Four Chaplains distributed the limited gear to their fellow seamen. They are credited with saving the lives of about 200 men. The last survivors recalled this terrifying experience. Their final observation is that of the Four Chaplains submerged in the ocean, with their arms linked in prayer as the U.S.A.T. Dorchester went down in a blaze of steam and fire. The Four Chaplains, representing different faiths, were united in their self-sacrifice, compassion and humanity. The Four Chaplains are First Lieutenant, Reverend Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformist; First Lieutenant, Reverend George I. Fox, Methodist; First Lieutenant, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, and Father Johnny P. Washington, a Catholic Priest. 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! One For the Giver Well, the holidays have taken a break for awhile, yet El Nino, this time, says winter is still with us. It's very confusing at times and hard to adjust to. There are a few things, however, that remain constant. One thing comes to mind is a recent birthday of a matriarch here in Meriden. A woman who has guided me from my childhood to present times. Withstanding the "test of time," this creative contributor of many diverse writings remains very much a survivor. With good care, she still looks forward to each and every day. Visitors, friends and relatives come by to take a bit of wisdom and the time spent with her serves her well. After all, she has given so very much throughout her on going life. The Record-Journal and yes, The People's Press as well as a host of other avenues for the written word have benefited from her writing. Keep in mind, this has been going on for almost a century! So, with this, let me give a birthday wish to Helen Dodge offered by her youngest son. Keep going Mom! You're good for Meriden and an inspiration to all who know you. D.A. Dodge ______________________________________________________________________________ A TALE OF THE QUINNIPIAC RIVER by Francis W. Lappert According to Connecticut maps of the river systems of Connecticut, the Quinnipiac River originates in the north reaches of Plainville and empties into the Sound in East Haven Harbor. It has many feeder streams that empty into it, and keeps a well-balanced, level running water. Beginning with Southington, I know of Eight-Mile River and also Misery Brook. Then comes Ten-Mile River that originates in west Cheshire and joins the Quinnipiac in Mildale. Also Honey Pot Brook from Cheshire. Farther downstream is Ives Brook that begins above Johnson Avenue in Meriden. Also the overflow from Broad Brook Reservoir feeds the river. As the river flows through Meriden, it is joined by Harbor Brook, which flows into Hanover Pond, which is part of the river. I know of only one from Wallingford, Meeting House Brook. There are others I do not know about. Since I was a young lad, I fished many of these smaller streams and caught many native brook trout. At this time the Quinnipiac River was not known as having any trout in it. That came much later. The river then was clean enough to swim in. Our favorite spot was call Charlie’s Rock, and we went there often. I remember when the river froze over in the winter, there was a group of men that would cut a large hole in the ice by Red Bridge and jump in the cold water. They called themselves the Polar Bears. They enjoyed showing off to the crowd who watched them. In later years the State Board of Fisheries decided to stock trout in the river from Carpenter’s Dam down to Red Bridge. The fishermen in our area were quite happy about this. Shortly after, several fishermen from Meriden got together and formed the Quinnipiac River Water Association. I was invited to join the organization and was elected to represent Meriden on the commission. We had members from Southington, Cheshire, Meriden, Wallingford, and also North Haven. Our goal was to clean up as much of the river as we could and to improve the quality of the water. Mike Roberts was also one of the group representing Meriden and was responsible for getting donations from all the towns to keep the organization going, and also getting new members to join. The State Board of Fisheries now stocks the river with a good many rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The Meriden Rod and Gun Club also helps by putting many large sized trout in the river, and tags them so that when someone catches one, he will get a prize from one of the bait stores. When the fishing starts in April, it is hard to find a likable place to fish as some of the fishermen set up camp the night before in their favorite spot. I do not go there on opening day, as it is too crowded. I have been informed that the State is now stocking trout in the river from Yalesville to Wallingford, and a few fishermen have caught some nice trout from here. I hope some day in the future the quality of the water in the river is made suitable for swimming also. I would like to see Hanover Pond dredged and made suitable for boating and swimming.believe... ____________________________________________________________________________ Chinese New Year of the Tiger by Dorothy Gonick The first new moon of the year signaled the beginning of another Chinese New Year. This is a very special celebration for me because I was born during the last Year of the Tiger. I wanted everything to be ready, and had been glad to help Mother and Grandmother clean our house thoroughly to get rid of any bad fortune that might be hiding. When all was spotless we put away the brooms and brushes so we wouldn’t sweep away any of the good luck that would arrive. We’ve also put away knives and scissors so we wouldn’t cut away our good fortune. Vases of lovely plum blossoms make our carved chest even more beautiful. I’ve arranged bowls of golden oranges and trays of fruits and candies on our polished chest ready for welcoming our visitors. Father has hung red scrolls of ‘Good Luck’ to decorate our doorways. Red is our symbol for happiness and the color red also scares away evil spirits. We have new red clothing ready to wear as we greet the New Year. On New Year’s Eve we celebrated with many relatives by feasting on the traditional seafood, dumplings and special delicacies that Mother, Grandmother and my Aunts had prepared. Grandfather has taped the doors closed with red tape to prevent bad luck entering and everyone stayed awake until we would hear fireworks exploding at midnight. There was much talk about all the good times we would have during the next 15 days. We had fun playing games with our cousins and listening to our aunts tell fortunes while we waited for the fireworks. My fortune concerned the Tiger and how it would affect me. The tiger is the Chinese sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. The tiger is one of the most beautiful animals with its golden fur and contrasting stripes, and its graceful movements. It is both feared and revered and can be gentle or quick-tempered. The tiger has great courage and is brave. The tigress is a loving mother and tender-hearted. People born in this year will be respectful, smart, good friends and natural leaders. They are optimistic and independent, often preferring to work alone. Sometimes they will get bored and lose interest if not challenged in their occupation. I was cautioned to keep these stories in mind and choose to become like the revered one: respectful, courageous and to strive for a good life. Suddenly, loud fireworks exploded and Father tore the red tape off the doorway and we all hurried out with our noisemakers to greet our friends and neighbors and wish them a Happy New Year! We raced with our friends up and down the street, making lots of noise and merriment while watching the beautiful colors exploding in the sky. I was sorry when the excitement came to an end. The last 15 days have been wonderful. We’ve visited our relatives and friends and got many red envelopes of ‘lucky money’, and ate the candies and fruits we were offered. Yum! I liked giving gifts to the visitors who came to our home and offered them sweets too. We visited the temple and prayed for good health and much fortune. Each day was special as we waited for the 15th night; the Lantern Festival!! This was a very special night. I had a fancy lantern to carry and wave when we watched the Dragon dancing along the street. The fierce-looking dragon was made of bamboo, paper and silk and the young men holding it up roared and made fierce moves as they wound along the way. I waved my lantern at it as it passed by. It was such an exciting way to end the New Year. ______________________________________________________________________________ Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park This absolutely makes my list of Great places to visit! The setting is amazing, a Brownstone quarry in Portland, CT that had been active from as early as the1690’s, is on the U.S. National Register of Historic and is an U.S. National Historic Landmark. The Brownstone keeps the water warm and the depth keeps the water clean. The staff keeps it fun. Brownstone offers adventure in every corner; SCUBA, zip lining, wakeboarding with lessons and for the more capable riders with their own board and helmet they have added both jumps and rails that will put some lift into your freestyle boarding. They also offer kayaking, cliff jumping, and inflatable climbing obstacles. Coming soon; more zip lines, rock climbing and repelling. We stayed and played all day and I still had to drag them out of there as the park was closing for the evening at 7 pm. I would absolutely recommend this for adventurous kids age 8 and over though there is no age minimum for most activities. I had my six year old with us and he was able to do everything but wakeboard and SCUBA- we’ll save those for next time. It’s perfect for tweens, teens, young adults and mature adults who are still begging for an adrenaline rush and don’t mind a physical challenge to get it. In the words of my six year old, “This place rocks!” Kid’s quotes The staff was very friendly. I loved jumping off the cliff and the water slide was awesome! Sierra Age 10 There was a zip line (70 feet off the water’s surface with a line 750 feet to the other side of the quarry) that was awesome-it took a really, really long time (in line) but it was really cool, “extreemo dreamo”! The slide, if you jump onto it you slide down super fast and land in the water “splash”! I did not jump off the big cliff (30ft) or the medium cliff (20ft) because it was too scary. I had fun on the little cliff (10ft) jumping off. Shaunessy Age 6 Brownstone was great. There were these (cliff) jumps near this big slide (100ft ?)- they were really high (20 and 30ft). You have to jump onto the slide and it will blast you really fast into the water. Above the slide is a zip-line ride. You have to climb a cargo net ladder to the top of a (three story- 40ft) tower. It took a really long time in line. When you get to the bottom you bounce onto the water (land in the water) then swim the rest of the way backstroke (about 20ft) to the ladder and a person unhooks you. Joshua Age 8 Have you ever been to Brownstone? I have and I think it is a really cool site to visit. There are many water activities like the ice berg. The ice berg is like a climbing wall, but in the water, and then you jump off of it once you reach the top of it. It is really fun. Then there is another fun activity where someone jumps on the mat to make the person at the other end launch up into the air. I had the life guard launch me it was so much fun. Then there was a water trampoline. However before I got there it popped so I didn’t get to go on it. They also had some cliffs you could jump off of. They had 10ft, 20f, and 30ft. I only jumped off of the 1000ft one. There is also a slide that is just a tarp, but is really fun. Then there is also a zip line that you could go down… it landed in the water, like every thing else. The ride is so fun there is a 2 and a half our wait, and first you had to climb a big cargo net. If you didn’t want to go on any fancy stuff you could just swim in the 65+ft lake (with a life jacket at all times.) Overall I would give Brownstone a 10! I would go back to Brownstone any day! Caitlin Age 11 Extras and Important things to know: **Scuba is included in the Adventure Sports Pass but equipment rental is extra- the Scuba Package; cylinder, weights, hood, gloves, wetsuit, BC, and regulators with gauges is $45 for the day) 29 acres of freshwater diving with depths between 20 to 85 feet. Submerged attractions include training platforms at 10, 20, and 50 feet; a navigation course with surface and underwater markers; some of the original quarry equipment has been identified; vehicles, boats and other artifacts have also been submerged for diving pleasure. Brownstone Park offers a confined water area for training with a training platform at four and eight feet and a maximum depth of 20 feet. At Brownstone they brag that 75 years of unchecked and protected marine life growth provides a unique opportunity to Connecticut River wild life in a natural setting. “You can see schools of trophy size large and small mouth bass, carp so wide that they cast shadows as they pass by, bluegills, perch by the hundreds and of course an occasional American eel. Ask anyone about how big the catfish are.” Kayaking For those who love to explore from the surface, Brownstone offers 29 acres to explore in a kayak or canoe. - You can bring your own or pay an extra fee to rent a kayak by the ½ hour or day Examples of 2009 Pass Prices General Swimming Daily Pass* (Swimming, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Hiking, Biking, Access to Inflatable Challenges) $18 Adventure Sports Daily Pass*(Cliff Jumping, Zip Lines, Waterslide, Wakeboarding, Challenge Courses, Scuba Diving) $26 Family Adventure Sports Season Pass*(Cliff Jumping, Zip Lines, Waterslide, Wakeboarding, Challenge Courses, Scuba Diving) $495 **A life vest must be worn at all times and a waver is required to enter the park. The best way to get more info for your own visit is at their web site www.brownstonepark.com. _______________________________________________________________________ “Maggie’s Corner” Haiti Needs Your Help By: Maggie Griffin Kim Cornell, a 2007 graduate of Eastern; and Chelsea Reilly, who will be graduating Eastern this year, are two Women who left Connecticut on January 3rd, with 8 other students, for Haiti to volunteer at an orphanage. Enjoying their purpose in why they both took this opportunity to volunteer as they are two humanitarians at heart, they both grew concern about the children, however, both did not predict the devastation that was about to happen in Haiti; an earthquake. Chelsea returned to Connecticut within 3 days prior to the earthquake in Haiti, while Kim was still in Haiti during and after the earthquake hit. “I was emergency evacuated from Haiti on Friday morning, and left behind 134 orphans with no food and water, and absolutely no aid. The name of the orphanage I volunteer at is Christian Haitian Outreach (www.christianhaitianoutreach.org) located in Mariani-Carrefour, right at the epicenter where the earthquake hit. The devastation is unimaginable, and there is no aid reaching the orphanage. The second level of the school collapsed, and the other buildings have not been assessed yet in order to know if they are safe enough to live in. The orphanage is in dire need of repair, and funds for food and clean water. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated;” said Cornell. “We are currently meeting with several organizations to get the children out of Haiti as the compound of the orphanage is in trouble. There are thousands of survivors that are in desperate needs of medical aid, food and water”, both Reilly and Cornell emphasized. Kim Cornell would like to share a link to the documentary she made almost a year ago. Christian Haitian Outreach is a non-profit organization and she can get a tax receipt to you if you would like; http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=55557327 Chelsea Reilly and Kim Cornell are devoting themselves to help the survivors and the children of Haiti. Since the tragedy, both women eat, sleep, talk and walk everything about what happened in Haiti and how desperate Haiti needs YOUR HELP. Please help Chelsea and Kim, two humanitarians, with their mission to help the people of Haiti. Kim Cornell strongly emphasized "we plan on going back in May and reconstructing this orphanage and helping out in any way possible. When I was at the epicenter of the quake, almost 3 days after it hit, still there was absolutely no aid. It trouble me greatly how the news is portraying these Haitian people as animalistic-looting and trampling each other, when in reality, they are the most kind hearted, sweet, welcoming human beings. We are just taking way too long to provide relief." Below are photos Chelsea Reilly and Kim Cornell would like to share with you, the people and children of Haiti, before the tragic earthquake took place. Please find it in your heart to view Kim’s documentary and reach out and help, any way you can. __________________________________________________________________________________ _________ __________________________________________ 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! 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/ ________________________________________________________________________ "Our Hearts Are In The Right Place"Lori Peck, Dedicated VolunteerWe at the Meriden Humane Society feel that all of our animals deserve a second chance at finding a home and are determined to help them achieve this. Just because an animal didn't work out in one home, doesn't mean it won't be the perfect fit in another. We love all of our animals unconditionally and know that their forever homes are out there. Won't you please stop in to visit our animals before going to a pet store or breeder. I'm sure if it's a companion that you're looking for, that we can find one compatible for you. You can help bring happiness to a homeless animal and be rewarded with unconditional love. Recently our shelter was broken into during the night and our donation receptacle was stolen from our lobby. Someone smashed our front door and broke the lock to get inside to do this. We are all heart broken over this and can't believe that someone could steal the money that other's donated for our animals and use it for themselves. On the previous day, we had a record number of potential adopters viewing animals at our shelter. So, to go from being very optimistic (for possible homes for the animals) one day and then having this happen the next, just shocks us. We are extremely grateful though, that no animals were harmed during this break in. What we are asking from the public at this time, is to please vote for our shelter on the Animal Rescue Site's Shelter Challenge at www.theanimalrescuesite.com and help us possibly win $100,000. This would help us with vet bills, food and to make a safer environment for our animals, so that we wouldn't have to worry about break-ins anymore. If you would like to donate from our wish list and cannot access our website @ www.meridenhs.petfinder.org, we are in need of the following: Purina Cat & Kitten Chow, canned wet cat food (no fish), Pedigree dry dog food, Lysol wipes, paper towels, laundry detergent, bleach, Simple Green, babyfood (meat flavors) and linens of all sorts (towels, bedspreads, blankets, etc.). You can bring any donations to the M.H.S. at 311 Murdock Ave. We are open to the public Wednesday-Sunday from 12-6, but our lobby is always open on Mondays and Tuesdays for information or donation drop offs. From all of us at the Meriden Humane Society who have their hearts in the right place, to all of you who do as well, thank you and "Happy Valentine's Day" from the animals, staff and volunteers. See you at the shelter! ______________________________________________________________________________________ Shirley Gianotti Municipal Animal Shelter If you never visited the Shirley Gianotti Municipal Animal Shelter, located in Wallingford, definitely put this on your “must do” list. The Shelter was run for many years by Shirley Gianotti, a name most Wallingford residents are familiar with. She was the lady that was called when residents spotted a stray dog or cat, or when we were witness to an animal being mistreated---and Shirley always responded. Since she retired, Lisa Seyler has taken over the Shelter, which she operates with her assistants, Dean, Rachel and Marci. When you walk into the shelter, you immediately feel the love and compassion that Lisa and her assistants have for the animals in their care. When Lisa is asked what can be done to help, her answer is “please say a prayer that my animals find a home”. There are currently 18 dogs, numerous cats, turtles, a bunny and a bird in residence at the Shelter, all waiting for their “forever” home. Some of these animals were given to the shelter because their owners could no longer afford to take care of them due to the economic climate. Sadly, many of the animals have been mistreated and, thankfully, rescued by Lisa. It is heartbreaking to see the older dogs that have been discarded, found roaming in the Walmart Shopping plaza, or in the woods. You just know that they were wanted when they were cute puppies. These older dogs, often overlooked, actually make great pets. They seem to be very contented to just have a loving family to spend their latter years with. The Shelter is always in need of donated food, leashes, collars, towels, blankets etc. But the goal of Lisa and her staff is to find a loving, suitable home for their pets. The Shelter is located at 5 Pent Road in Wallingford. You can reach Lisa and Dean at 203 294-2180 If you are interested in meeting the residents of the Shelter, please call Lisa to make an appointment. Patricia Coppola Wallingford Resident __________________________________________________________________________________ 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! _________________________________________ _“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective” by Gregory M. Simpson A framed birthday card from a friend hangs in my study that reads, “If you want to know the character of a man, find out what his cat thinks of him.” Men and their companion cats…I am in good company. Edgar Allen Poe was my favorite author during adolescence. He often worked with his cat sitting on his shoulder, and he describes, “Pluto – this was the cat’s name – was my favorite pet and playmate. I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the streets.” Ernest Hemingway loved cats and lived with many at his Key West home. To this day, one can still adopt descendants of Hemingway’s felines. Hemingway was a man who could see that, “A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.” Victor Hugo, Lord Byron, and detective story writer, Raymond Chandler, were all cat lovers. Chandler called his black Persian his “feline secretary,” to whom he always read the first drafts of his murder mysteries. Sir Walter Scott, Thoreau, Lewis Carroll, T.S. Eliot, James Thurber, Saki, Jules Verne, and George Bernard Shaw were other cat loving authors, and the list goes on, with the likes of Aldous Huxley, Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, and Alexandre Dumas. Charles Dickens asked, “What greater gift than the love of a cat?” Mark Twain, who kept more than a dozen felines at his Hartford home, may have captured it best when he wrote, “A home without a cat – and a well-fed, well-petted, and properly revered cat – may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?” Male cat lovers are found in all walks of life. Pope Gregory the Great withdrew into a monastery, giving away all his wealth to the poor, and taking his cat as his only companion. The prophet Mohammed fell asleep with a cat on the sleeve of his robe. When called to prayer, he cut off his sleeve rather than wake the cat. King Henry VIII’s chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, took his cat to religious services and council meetings. French Cardinal Richelieu lived with many cats, said to number fourteen at the time of his death in 1642. Presidential cat lovers include Teddy Roosevelt, who had a biography published about his cat, Tom Quartz. Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford both had Siamese cats. Presidents Hayes, Coolidge, Lincoln, Kennedy, and Reagan also had cat companions. Bill Clinton’s cat, Socks, was most the recent feline to inhabit the White House. Artists are often fond of cats as their subjects. The 19th century artist, Theophile Steinlen, produced countless pictures from observing Parisian street cats. Auguste Renoir painted Girl with a Cat, which hangs in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other artists with cat subjects include Matisse, Manet, Picasso, and Andy Warhol. Leonard da Vinci, who drew a page of cats, declared, “The smallest feline is a masterpiece.” Composers and musicians love cats, too. Chopin’s inspiration for his “Cat Waltz” came partially from his pet cat that jumped onto his keyboard while he was composing. Other musical cat lovers include Alexander Borodin, Maurice Ravel, and of course, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose musical, Cats, is performed world-wide. Scientists who loved cats include Darwin, whose companion was “Persian Snow.” Albert Einstein theorized that, “Contemporary physics is based on concepts somewhat analogous to the smile of the absent cat.” Sir Isaac Newton, who lived between 1642 and 1727, invented the cat-flap door for his cat and her kittens. Nobel Laureate and humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer, reflected that, “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” Yes, indeed, men and cats make good company. As Fernand Mery wrote, “God made the cat in order that man might have the pleasure of caressing the tiger.” To my fellow men, then, I pose the question, “Have you loved a cat today?” 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! February 2010 – Stream Flow Regulations Life along the Q River… An Update from the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association Recently, there has been much talk about the impending Stream Flow Regulations, currently being debated at the Legislator in Hartford. The gist of the debate is that the State wants to balance the water usage between nature and humans. Their intent is to classify flowing bodies of water, everything from brooks to streams into one of four classifications. These four classifications range from: One – pristine, greatly favored to nature; Two - still favorable to nature, but with some human use; Three – relatively balanced between nature and human use; and Four - strongly favored to human use. Class Four rivers would not take into account the wildlife and nature. The wildlife in and around the Quinnipiac River needs a certain amount of water to survive and thrive. There are natural high and low periods based on the feed from the water source to the weather. By the same token many local municipalities and water companies take water from the Quinnipiac River to service their customers and many wells are fed from the river too. How did this come about? In 2005 the CT legislature required statewide standards for water flow in its rivers. This was as result of the Shepaug River court case, in which the Town of Washington challenged the City of Waterbury for taking water too much water from the Shepaug River for human use. Why is this important? The proposed Streamflow Regulations will decide the fate of water in the Quinnipiac and its streams, including Wharton Brook, Muddy River, Sodom Brook, Harbor Brook, Eight Mile River, and Ten Mile River. This is the first science-based effort to protect water flow in 40 years. Why does this really mean? If the State classifies parts of the Q River as class Four the river won't be restored because they were historically abused. The Quinnipiac has been recovering from pollution in recent years, bringing back fish and bald eagles, ospreys and other wildlife that eat fish. Local residents now enjoy wildlife watching, fishing for stocked and wild trout, paddling, and hiking on river trails. Wallingford will soon have a fishway to help fish migrate up the Q River. Like many things in life, it‘s all balance. We CAN balance the needs of nature and humans. We encourage ALL users of the Q River to use it judiciously and with care. That means conservation from water companies, municipalities and well users. That means treating our Quinnipiac River with respect. That means being responsible for our water usage. Our state is water-rich - with intelligent planning, there is enough water for both fish and faucet. Good management can provide water for us all to use and to enjoy with nature. Upcoming QRWA Events – Sunday, February 21, 2010 – Annual Winter Wildlife Hike, Lead by Wildlife Biologist and QRWA board member Peter Picone. The hike begins at 1:30 PM sharp at the Quinnipiac River State Park. Please meet at end of Banton Street which is behind the gas station at Exit 63 off Route 15 in North Haven, CT. The Quinnipiac River Watershed Association (QRWA) is a 501c3 organization whose mission is to restore the Quinnipiac for health and enjoyment of all citizens and communities along its reach and to educate all students, families, individuals, businesses and governments to be informed stewards of the river. We provide water activities, events in education, outreach, advocacy, scientific monitoring, conservation, restoration, recreation and public access to the watershed area. To learn more about the QRWA and future events please visit our website at www.qrwa.org. Thank you for your support and remember your donations are tax deductable. ______________________________________________________________________________ BLANCA SANTANA, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCOW Photo of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal with Blanca Blanca Santana, former director of the Spanish Community of Wallingford, (SCOW) for 14 years, remembers her first office in 1995 as one room in the Wallingford Rail Road Station. She helped her clients adjust to an English speaking work force. She enjoyed her involvement in their lives. It became her personal mission to relieve the pain and suffering that immigrants encounter. Blanca's mother and father, Higia and Hernando, brought their family to Hartford, CT from Peiria, Columbia when Blanca was four years old. Blanca is the oldest of four children. Her parents struggled to make a living and to adjust to a new language, new climate and new friends. Hernando became a gun smith at Colt Manufacturing in Hartford; Higia also worked there besides raising her family, Strong and honest people, they trained their children well. Blanca always kept a strong faith and to this day helps others to believe in a just God. Now Blanca has returned to helping her mother and father while looking for a new job. I've known Blanca for over 15 years when my nephew, Alan, met her as a hostess at a dance. She cut a good figure on the dance floor--and still does, has excellent posture and large brown eyes that captivate her audience. What was striking about Blanca was her humility. She carefully listened to others. Born in a Spanish-speaking home, she learned English at a young age and has assisted her Spanish friends and clients to know both languages. She graduated from Bulkeley High in Hartford and Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor degree in Communications. During a shared lunch, she told me, "I had several part time jobs after college, at one time working for WVIT, Channel 30. I was laid off after four months. I also worked with a friend in photography in the Walmart stores. When I applied at the Spanish Community of Wallingford, I never thought I'd be hired, let alone, stay for 14 years. Blanca was hired as director of SCOW in 1995. In the year, 2001, the town moved SCOW's office to the older Senior Center building where Blanca and two employees assisted over 500 Latino families. The facility gave the people more room to grow in computer skills, in counseling and in recreation. Blanca established collaboration with other agencies in Wallingford (e.g. Literacy Volunteers, Adult Learning Center, the Dare program, United Way member agencies, the youth officer of the Wallingford Police Department, the Wallingford school system and more.) Spanish families received help in immigration issues, learning English as a second language, computer training, legal services, health, employment, education, tutoring, clerical services, community participation, transportation, and entertainment. The quiet Blanca, I first knew, became an advocate for anyone in need. Other agencies admired her. In a span of seven years, Blanca received five awards! In 1999 Blanca was awarded 'WOMAN OF THE YEAR' by the Professional Business Woman Organization. In the year, 2000, Eastern State University gave her THE ALUMNI DISTINGUISHED AWARD. She was chosen above sixty other applicants for her contributions and received THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD for the state on Jan. 16, 2006 at the 20th ANNUAL Libery Bell Celebration at the state capitol. On April 18, 2006, again at the state capitol, she was honored as OUTSTANDING IMMIGRANT along with 21 other recipients from Connecticut by the CONNECTICUT IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COALITION. On Sept. 15, 2007 the HISPANIC PROFESSIONAL NETWORK awarded Blanca the COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD. I attended three out of the five ceremonies and admired Blanca Santana for her talents and her gifts. I called her recently to ask her permission to write this article. She said, "I am very grateful for the partnerships and friendships that I cultivated in all the years I worked for the Spanish Community of Wallingford. It was an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to assist and guide anyone who needed help." ___________________________________________________________________________ ______ Southington Genealogical Society In 1630 several hundred English Puritans under the leadership of John Winthrop came to establish the colony of Massachusetts Bay. This was the first group of sufficient size to establish a long-time sustainable and growing colony, which in only thirty years extended over much of the present state of Massachusetts, and into Connecticut and New Hampshire as well. But who were these people and what was their contribution to history?On January 26th, the Southington Genealogical Society welcomes Dr. Richard A Eppler who will speak on "The Founding of New England – The Winthrop Fleet of 1630". The meeting will take place in the meeting room of Southington Police Headquarters. Ample parking is available. Refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge and no obligation to become a member. No reservations are necessary. Dr. Eppler has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and has been involved in chemical and ceramic research and consulting for almost fifty years. He has been interested in genealogy for forty years or so, and has traced his mother's family back to several of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.The Southington Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization located in central Connecticut that promotes the accurate recording, research and preservation of family history. The society regularly meetsat 7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month, except December, at Southington Police Headquarters, 69 Lazy Lane, Southington, Connecticut._______________________________________________________________ Barb’s Family Submitted by Alan Murphy Foster Adoptive Mission You may have seen her on her way to work or in a grocery store and noticed her friendly and welcoming smile. She may look a lot like one of your friends or neighbors. She might even look a bit like you. What sets her apart is that this woman, Barbara, has been a foster parent since 2002. “I always knew I wanted to work with children,” Barbara explains. “And the 30 years I spent teaching special education were tremendously gratifying. Yet I always wanted to do more. Being a foster parent has allowed me to make more of an impact. Together with my family, I have been able to change the lives of children from all different backgrounds and a variety of circumstances. There are challenges, to be sure—as every foster parent will tell you—but the rewards have been beyond what I would ever have expected.” There are currently 513,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, and there is a dire need for committed, caring adults willing to take these children into their homes over the short or longer term. In her seven years as a foster parent, Barbara and her husband have taken in 25 children for stays ranging from a few days to nine months. They have adopted two of these children (one a toddler and the other a teenager), who are now a permanent part of a family that also includes Barbara’s two college-age biological sons and, at present, one additional foster child. After having done this for seven years, Barbara tells us: “Now, I wish we had made the decision to start even earlier. Each one of these children has contributed to our home and family life in a special way.” Barbara is especially grateful for the FAST program, which sends professionals into foster homes to help address the children’s unique needs. She tells us that the first few days of a placement can be especially trying, as children act out in different ways and can be particularly needy when first separated from a parent. FAST provides the information and support Barbara and her family need to make the transition as smooth as possible. “The reward is when the child begins to trust you,” Barbara says. “The first time he comes to you for comfort or she places her head on you. Those are the moments that make everything worthwhile—just knowing that you have created a safe and loving place for this youngster. For some of these children, the time they spend in our home is their first experience of a healthy, nurturing environment. We show them the sort of home life they deserve. And I don’t mean with regard to home size or material possessions; I mean having a place to live where everyone has your best interests at heart. A place where you know from one moment to the next what to expect and don’t have to live with fear or hunger or neglect.” Barbara’s eyes light up as she speaks of a three-year-old currently in her care: “She is so bright and says the funniest things. She has been identified as gifted by the teachers at the nursery school she attends, which doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve met with this little girl’s mother, and she has so much potential. We are all hoping she will be able to turn things around and be reunited with her child. Until then, she knows her child is in a loving home.” The most difficult part of being a foster parent, according to Barbara, is seeing the children leave, especially when there is no contact afterwards. “It’s not possible to adopt every child,” Barbara says, “and of course we worry about the children after they’ve left our home. We just have to take comfort in the fact that, for as long as we had them, we loved them and gave them a stable, structured family life. Sometimes, we are able to keep track of a child when he or she leaves. One of the children was adopted by her grandparent, and we get together and talk on the phone often. It is such a joy to know this child is in a caring home and is being given a good chance for a healthy and happy life. ” What makes an ideal foster parent? According to Barbara, there is no one formula other than enjoying children, being able to provide a loving home, and being willing to fight for what they need. Barbara considers foster parenting her calling and encourages others to join her in providing a temporary home for one or more of the thousands of local children in need. Foster parenting is a commitment—and an opportunity to make a big difference in a child’s life. FAM (Foster Adoptive Mission) has presented this vignette of Barbara’s experiences as a foster parent in hopes of encouraging other caring adults to reach out to children in difficult circumstances. If you have any interest in becoming a foster parent, please call FAM today for more information. There is no obligation. Your timing couldn’t be better: May is National Foster Care Month. Please call FAM at 860.949.4061 or 203.706.0101. There is a child out there who needs you. Please note: To protect the privacy of children in the foster care system and their foster families, FAM (Foster Adoptive Mission) prefers they remain anonymous in most instances. In the case of this article we have omitted the last name of the foster parent and have been given permission to use the foster parent’s first name. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Brio Academy Honors Dejlitko with Student Entrepreneur Award Christine Dejlitko is working to secure her future by learning the art of cosmetology and at the same time how to become an accomplished business person while attending Brio Academy’s East Main Street school. Dejlitko, a lifetime Meriden resident, is making her school days a Grade A, award-winning experience at the east-side salon, where she is a student and the current recipient of the Business Student of the Month award. With the honor, Dejlitko automatically is entered into the Nuts & Bolts National Business Student of the Year competition. Nuts & Bolts is a professional business development program designed to give students a competitive edge and is exclusively offered at Brio Academy schools. The award criteria includes attendance, delivering outstanding customer service, business building, influence on other students and focus and discipline towards becoming a successful business person in a chosen profession. “I’m very excited and shocked,” Dejlitko said of winning the Nuts & Bolts award. “It feels good to have accomplished it.” Dejlitko has demonstrated that she has the know-how to turn her education into a lucrative career, while setting the bar for her peers. “I always wanted to do hair,” said Dejlitko, who works as a full-time job coach with the mentally challenged. “It’s always been one of my dreams.” Dejlitko finds time to volunteer at St. Ann’s Church in Hamden and Master’s Manna food pantry in Wallingford. An active member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), her hobbies include securing animals for the Wallingford Shelter. Dejlitko said she aspires to join the Brio Academy faculty after completing her school days. Brio Academy of Cosmetology has eight school locations throughout Connecticut – newly opened Enfield, Hamden, Fairfield, East Hartford, Niantic, Willimantic, Torrington and Meriden. Corporate headquarters are located in Meriden. The Academy is a career training center specializing in hairstyling, barbering, cosmetology and esthetics. All services are offered to the public at the school salons and provided by supervised students at a cost-saving rate. Brio’s Meriden hairstyling salon is located at 1231 East Main St. within Lowe’s Plaza. Brio Academy of Cosmetology has both day and evening classes available year-round. For more information contact admissions at (203) 237-6683 or go to www. brioacademy.edu. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ~ A Wintry Tale ~ - George Arndt - The snow had started falling early that February morn. It came in on the nor’east wind, like blistering shards of frozen wings. Winds that spared no earthly thing, nor cared what lay in its wake. Ice-encrusted fluttering flakes…danced like glistening crystal doves. Blustery gales a-howling -- from the valleys of sprawling glaciers, bouncing from the foreboding mountain crests…gave no hope to those who dared to smirk at its might. The old lady and her bedraggled mate shivered alone in that creaky abode. Their only warmth was each other now -- and as the dwindling embers from the hearth were slowly dying, came the deepening sense of hopelessness, and the reality of mortality. Cry -- she dared not, indeed, for such pittance of wretched human feelings would bring not a miracle, but the show of frailty of this forsaken pair. The strength of the roaring winter fiend rose again to claim its privileged crown of frost and ice. As if its reason was merciless hate, came again with bony fingers stretching ’cross the lonely plane…piling snow against itself, along each edge of its domain. Neither bird nor beast could be seen ‘round the blanket of white that covered acres and acres of this forgotten Montana farm. There seemed no end, not the least reprise, from winter’s frigid grip…as all hope, it seemed, was surely fading fast for these two solitary folk. With what strength this creaky dame possessed, lifted her tiny frame and mate from off the bench…bashed the remaining wooden seat into splintered rays of glimmering hope. Tossed into the fire pit ever so sparingly -- piece by piece as she held tightly to her chattering man. Watched and smiled as the fire glowed red, and then too soon -- it was dead.. Praying now was all they had for any semblance of warmth…just enough to keep them from freezing there on the weathered floor. “Luke...get over here.” Did she dare to think she heard a voice...someone's voice outside their battered door? “I think there’s someone inside.” She strained to listen…how could this be…who could be out there…out there in that frost, that bitter cold, she implored her soul? Again came the voice. “Come help me get this snow from off the door…I hear sobbing in there.” She was crying now…she hugged her near frozen love…cried out in a weakened fragile voice. “Yes…we’re in here…help us, help us, please…it’s so cold.” With ample speed they dug…and soon…the door was cleared, and then the hikers stepped inside. The couple were bundled into one…nearly frozen, nearly dead. “Wrap yourselves in these blankets…and here, take a sip of this warming broth.” The pair grinned and nodded as they wrapped the cozy warm blanket ‘round their trembling selves. The broth was like the whispers of Heaven as each took sips from the thermoses of the daring hikers, who, by fate, stumbled upon this depleted raggedy old farmhouse. And so a tale of bitter icy fears ended with the couple being saved from the curs’ed frigid winter’s rage. 　_______________________________________________________________________________ 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 One of the problems Marvin Pincus discovered about running the Fly Tying Love Center here in the valley is that there appeared to be more fly tying than love counseling going on. This particular morning he was whipping up a nice fluffy Adams dry on a number 12 and wishing everyone’s love problems were as easy to solve as tying one of these. He realized he’s a pioneer in the field of combining fly tying and romance solutions, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t quietly hope for his neighbors to have more love problems. His advice had worked well with Dewey (a lead-wire-wrapped wooly bugger leading to the suggestion he showers before he asks a girl out on a date), and with Randy Jones (a pheasant-tail nymph and a Parmachene Belle sending him on his way to girlfriend happiness with Katie Burchell). But there were others out there. There had to be others. Other advice counselors, the ones who just sat there taking notes, managed to find any number of unhappy potential love victims, but the Fly Tying Love Center was noticeably short of them at the moment. “Marjorie,” Marvin said over coffee, “maybe if I offered an incentive, you know? Some little extra that would bring them in for advice?” “Like what, Honey?” “Maybe taking some flies that I tied for them and making earrings out of them?” “The men around here don’t really take to wearing earrings.” “I mean, for the women … you know. Women are the emotional ones who need love advice the most. Everyone knows that.” “How many clients have you had so far?” “Well, two.” “Both of them were …?” “Men, true. But I’m not sure what I could offer the guys except the flies themselves to use to go fishing.” “That sounds good.” “And the earrings?” “We could get you some of those fasteners for the earrings, and it would probably be a good idea to cut the points and barbs off them.” “Good idea.” “And I could wear a pair just to start the neighbor ladies talking about it.” “Yeah! Good idea! I’ll tie you up a few right now.” “In that case,” Marjorie told her husband, “I’ve got the ladies club luncheon today and I planned to wear the red outfit…” “Royal Coachman streamers on number fours! Honey, you’re the best.” ---------------- Brought to you by the soon-to-be-announced syndicated radio program, “Home Country.” We thought you should be warned. For a mug shot, cookie, or love advice, we’re here for you: Slim Randles 7308 Painted Pony Trail NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 (505) 306-6009 ol_slim@yahoo.com __________________________________________________________________________________________ One Down – Eleven to Go by Ernie Larsen By the time this is in print the month of January will have run its course. Now we are in February, the shortest month, so when it ends it too will seem like it was just yesterday we were hauling out the Christmas tree to the curb for recycling. Usually the first month of the year reminds me of the doldrums, a sense of stagnation or that part of the ocean, near the equator, which is marked by calm. More or less of a month of nothing; unless you take the reins, making more of than it seems to offer. For instance, the first Federal holiday of the year is celebrated during January’s second week. Yep, Martin Luther King day and if you have the good fortune to work for a firm, company, government agency and have the day off you’ve got a three day weekend to make the most of; what to do??? One of our three day weekend likes is a theater trip to New York City. We usually plan to see a couple of shows, one drama or comedy and a musical. On our last visit, we had tickets for a production which was in previews. They were purchased through the Manhattan Theater Club and for really good mezzanine seats the tickets were only $38.00 each; and if you know Broadway pricing this is a deal. And for our second production, the next day we decided to hit the TKTS line on Broadway and 47th where theaters send their unsold ducats and most can be had for 50% off retail with a 2/3 dollar service charge. While I was on an errand, my spouse took a place in line and when I finished my obligations I joined her. Lo and behold – she asked me if I knew a certain person from Meriden whom she thought was waiting on line and there she was a colleague of hers who teaches at another school in town. Imagine that, a city of 8 million and you see someone from the old home town. Anyway, we finally made it to the ticket window and having a couple of choices in mind were offered tickets to MEMPHIS a high energy musical which takes place in the early 1950’s. The regular price a regular price orchestra ticket for this show was $130.00 and we got them for half off. We also stayed in the City for two nights, in January hotel prices are extremely reasonable. I can highly recommend the Hotel at Times Square, interestingly this place is quite a distance from Times Square, but I digress – it is on 46th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues and quite convenient to the theater district. 46th Street is also known as Restaurant Row with a great selection of eateries offering almost any cuisine you could imagine. We regularly seem to end up at places featuring Italian menus and are teased about it by one of our gourmand offspring – so this trip we branched and tried a place which claims to be the only Chilean restaurant in the City. My wife had a chicken dish and for my entrée I enjoyed a baked seafood soup. The chicken was plentiful, my offering would have been a nice appetizer – a bit of a stingy portion and a bit pricey for what it was, but we were in a tourist area and this is not unusual. All in all we did enjoy the change. And the next night we were back at our old stomping grounds, a nice, neighborhood Italian place over on 2nd Avenue in the 50’s. Somewhat off the beaten track, it was recco’d by a workmate who used to date the owners son. What a find – when we got out of the theater it was raining and we luckily hailed a taxi and made it cross town in a very short period of time. When we walked into the place a gentleman was playing the piano and there were only 6 or so others having an early dinner. When we handed the menus I remarked the prices were comparable to places where we regularly dine around this area. And the food, I had some of the best stuffed clams I’d ever experienced and both of our entrees were delicious and plentiful. We also enjoyed some classic Italian desserts, a great house wine and very good coffee and cappuccino. If you’re in the area check it out, it’s called Mimi’s right on the corner of 52nd and 2nd. Maybe we’ll see you there we definitely will be heading back. If going out of town is not your cup of tea you don’t have to hibernate in the winter months. Lots of folks like to just hang around the house with the excuse ‘Oh, there’s nothing to do in the winter’ – well there sure are lots of options. How about heading up to Hartford to the Wadsworth Atheneum – a museum with a varied collection of American and European art plus special exhibitions through out the year. Not up your alley – how about taking in a show at the Bushnell or the Hartford Stage? Or a concert – the Oakdale presents an eclectic mix of performers throughout the year or you could drive up to the casinos for some top notch entertainment. You may even be able to take in a local production at your hometowns community theater. Then there are the ubiquitous home shows at the Convention Center in Hartford or hunting and fishing expo’s in the same venues. Are you a sports fan? Even though they are very popular – there are always tickets available for college hoops at the Civic, oops! Excel Center or you could check some of the local colleges for the times and dates of their games – besides UConn there are some other great athletes playing their hearts out and you can be entertained for a few paltry dollars. Just using these suggestions to say there are lots of activities to keep people entertained. We used to head to Yale to watch some great hockey for around 4/5 dollars a game. So, get yourself out from under that rock and get out and do something – check out the newspaper, there are always various entertainment offerings and much more going on every week. And if you want to see something really different, entertainment at its finest – check out when the next City Council meeting is scheduled – government in the raw – be sure you get there for the public comments, you cannot put a price on this type of activity. Enjoy and see you next month. 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!