GAME FACE
SWALLOW TEST FLIGHT
• A baby barn swallow perches on a car in Simsbury belonging to a friend of Canton photographer Wendy Rosenberg
• “The nest was in an open garage nearby,” says Wendy, “so I guess the baby was just trying to test its flying ability — the parents were nearby checking on it ”
• The barn swallow is the most abundant swallow species in the world , breeding throughout the Northern Hemisphere and wintering in much of the Southern Hemisphere, per Cornell’s All About Birds website
Photo by Wendy Rosenberg
4 — McLean Name Game
McLean is known as a stunning game refuge, but do you know the man behind the name? Allow us to make the introduction
14 — Governor Gives Back
Representatives of two McLean health legacies applaud his philanthropic foresight
18 — Family Artistry
A Simsbury artist is following in both her father’s and mother’s creative footsteps
25 — Book Bonanza
An abundance of Valley-connected books and themes beckon — from the Holocaust to ESPN
“ McLean ... found rest and renewal in the natural beauty surrounding his home, farm and woodlands ” — Will McLean Greeley
BY THE NUMBERS
McLean Radar Redux
BASED ON recent conversations with Today Magazine readers, George McLean is an under-the-radar figure — surprisingly, since he was governor of Connecticut and served three terms as a U.S. Senator, befriending American presidents along the way, including Teddy Roosevelt. Did you know that three presidents spent time with McLean on his vast wilderness property that later became the McLean Game Refuge?
Yes, a trio of presidential luminaries visited Granby at McLean’s invitation — and yes, he is the namesake of the amazing game refuge and the McLean retirement community in Simsbury. His local connections are indisputable, from beginning to end: He was born in Simsbury and is buried in Simsbury Cemetery.
This edition of Today aims to remedy the McLean knowledge deficiency that appears to be prevalent here in his very own former stomping grounds known as the Farmington Valley — BWD
4400 — McLean Game Refuge acres
COVER STORY KUDOS
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The story about Alyssa is terrific — thank you for putting so much effort and intentionality into this. Our family really appreciates it! — John Naeher • Trumbull
John is the father of global soccer star Alyssa Naeher
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Thanks so very much for sharing with me your cover story in Today Magazine. I read everything and was amazed at the outstanding, balanced way you brought so many voices and diverse experiences together around the MLK holiday.
This type of journalism and community organization epitomizes some of the best, creative, integrative work I have discovered by a Gordon grad over my many decades of teaching. I am grateful to hear that my Modern Jewish Culture class was in some way foundational to this effort.
I loved reading the tough questions you asked various people to reply to — it was great to see how many were drawn to reflect on biblical and theological values.
Your sharing this remarkable project in community outreach, journalism and publishing is a great encouragement to me. May you continue to go from strength to strength.
— Dr. Marvin R. Wilson • Ockenga Professor Emeritus • Gordon College • Wenham MA
Today’s cover story “MLK Day Bus Ride + Rwanda Genocide” won two First Place awards in the 2024 SPJ Excellence in Journalism contest
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Editorial Associate — Kayla Tyson
Contributing Photographer — Wendy Rosenberg Covering the Heart of the Farmington Valley and Beyond Five Towns • One Aim — Exceptional Community Journalism • Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury • LEADING
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GAME FACE
McLean’s Legacy
• Game Refuge • Healthcare • Bird Protection
By Bruce William Deckert Today Magazine • Editor-in-Chief
HIS NAME is prominent in Connecticut and U.S. history — yet for some, he might be associated only with two current-day mainstays in the Farmington Valley: the McLean Game Refuge and the McLean Life Plan Community. Let’s contemplate George McLean’s legacy and the impact of his life in his home state and nation and beyond.
George Payne McLean served as governor of Connecticut from 1901 to 1903 and was one of the state’s two U.S. senators from 1911 to 1929. A member of the Republican party, he served earlier as a Connecticut state senator and representative. He became a lawyer in 1881 and was a U.S. district attorney for Connecticut from 1892 to 1896.
McLean was born in Simsbury on October 7, 1857. He died at 74 years old on June 6, 1932 — exactly 12 years before D-Day signaled the beginning of the end of World War II — and he is buried in Simsbury Cemetery.
He grew up on a 100-acre family farm that is now largely the site of the Hop Meadow Country Club on Firetown Road in Simsbury. For elementary school, McLean attended a one-room schoolhouse. He graduated from Hartford Public High School in 1877 because Simsbury had no secondary school at
As a U.S. senator, George McLean was chairman of the Committee on Forest Reservations and Game Protection
“ I am endlessly amazed by how diverse and beautiful these forestlands are — and I love that I get to explore and document them each day ”
— Connor Hogan • McLean Game Refuge director
The McLean-Greeley family on the porch of Holly House in Simsbury in 1926 — George McLean and his wife Juliette are seated — Will McLean Greeley’s father Roger is sitting on the lap of uncle William Roger Greeley
that time. Immediately after high school, he worked as a reporter for the Hartford Post newspaper from 1877 to 1879.
“McLean flourished at HPHS,” writes author Will McLean Greeley in his new McLean biography. “At an 1899 reunion of Hartford Public High School ... McLean stated that upon graduating he felt he had learned everything that was knowable and was now prepared to either be president of the United States or the editor of the Hartford Courant.”
Greeley’s book is titled “A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washing-
ton: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate.” McLean is the author’s great-great-uncle on his father’s side — an uncle of Greeley’s grandfather, whose mother was McLean’s sister.
“George McLean was a surrogate father to my grandfather — his dad died when my grandfather was young,” Greeley tells Today Magazine.
The biography traces McLean’s rise from obscurity as a Connecticut farm boy to national prominence. He advised U.S. presidents and inspired constructive
Courtesy Photo
change that shaped major American policy.
McLean’s crowning achievement as a senator, says Greeley, was the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
McLean sponsored this legislation, still in effect today, that has saved millions of birds and has likely prevented extinctions.
“Senator McLean is an overlooked figure in the conservation movement,” Greeley observes, “and played an important role in the expansion of federal oversight of the environment.”
McLean had close relationships
Former President Calvin Coolidge catches a fish during a May 1932 visit to George McLean’s vast wilderness estate — the cabin still stands today at the McLean Game Refuge
with these five presidents: Calvin Coolidge, Warren Harding, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson.
McLean also knew president Herbert Hoover well, Greeley notes, but in Hoover’s capacity as secretary of commerce and other government roles prior to his term as president.
“McLean left the Senate the day that Hoover was inaugurated president in 1929,” Greeley tells Today Magazine, noting that Hoover called McLean’s wife Juliette when McLean died. “So they had a working relationship, but prior to Hoover’s presidency.”
McLean hosted three of those presidents — Coolidge, Taft and Hoover — on his widespread wil-
derness land that later became the McLean Game Refuge, per the Granby Drummer. Coolidge visited his good friend in Granby for a fishing expedition in May 1932, about a month before McLean’s death.
REFUGE PRIVILEGE
According to the Drummer, a monthly newspaper established in 1970: “Of the thousands of towns in the United States, Granby residents could boast in 1932 that three of the 33 presidents at that time had visited their town, a remarkable distinction.”
Roosevelt and Harding also visited McLean’s wilderness estate, according to a Yale School of Forestry publication. So of the halfdozen presidents McLean knew,
only Woodrow Wilson wasn’t a guest at the senator’s countryside property in northern Connecticut.
The game refuge, one of New England’s scenic wonders, remains a significant aspect of McLean’s legacy.
When he died in 1932, his will established a charitable trust, the McLean Fund, that instructed his trustees to undertake beneficial initiatives for Connecticut citizens. One key initiative was to transform his vast real estate possessions into the McLean Game Refuge.
“His will was a lyrically written direction to his trustees to create a balance between his two hardto-reconcile priorities: recreation and wildlife protection,” says Put Brown, who has served as chair-
Courtesy Photo
One of McLean’s lyrical statements is as follows — he wanted the refuge to be “a place where some of the things God made may be seen by those who love them as I loved them and who may find in them the peace of mind and body that I have found.”
The game refuge is a 4400-acre wildlife sanctuary encompassing three Farmington Valley towns — mostly Granby and Simsbury, with a smaller section in Canton. The two main entrances are in Granby, with 20 entrances overall.
“I am endlessly amazed by how diverse and beautiful these forestlands are,” says refuge director Connor Hogan, “and I love that I get to explore and document them each day.”
He notes that nearly 600 plant species and hundreds of animals call the game refuge home — 1500 species overall. The property’s
oldest known tree began growing before 1645, and the tallest trees soar about 150 feet high.
“The McLean Game Refuge is host to ongoing research and conservation projects and is open to the public for passive recreation,” says Heather Ryan, marketing communications specialist for the McLean Life Plan Community, which opened as the McLean Health Center in 1971.
“Originating as a nursing home for women — important to the senator because of the care he oversaw for his elderly mother and aunt — McLean is now a thriving senior living community nestled on 125 wooded acres in Simsbury,” says Ryan.
A key reason McLean appreciated the peace he found in his backcountry property was the stress of his single term as governor of Connecticut.
He achieved tax reform, but he faced draconian opposition in his
attempt to reform what Greeley describes as a clearly inequitable system of representation in the state legislature: Every city and town in the state had the same number of representatives, regardless of the municipality’s population.
McLean sought to remedy this by proposing one representative for towns with less than 25,000 residents and increased numerical representation as a municipality’s population increased.
The Hartford Courant praised his proposal, and the New York Tribune commended McLean’s courage to take a stance against fellow Republicans who had
Holly House in Simsbury was George McLean’s home from 1896 until his death in 1932 — the building has been transformed into the current Ark Healthcare Governor’s House — at left: in the summer • above: in the winter
opposed representation reform for decades. However, resistance from members of his own party was “constant and vicious,” writes Greeley.
Opponents of legislature reform “favored rural towns at the expense of cities and wanted to disenfranchise large cities,” Greeley says, adding that another motive was to limit the rights of black citizens who lived in urban areas. McLean’s common-sense reform proposal died in early 1902.
Reform of the Connecticut General Assembly wouldn’t occur until 1965.
“McLean not only faced opposition from his own party, but leaders of both parties abandoned him,” Greeley says. “This led to a very public nervous breakdown in the spring of 1902.”
Another factor that contributed to the governor’s nervous collapse was his relentless and demanding schedule as the state’s political leader, including incessant requests for speaking engagements.
In the biography, Greeley offers this quote from McLean: “The feeling that I must be everywhere is very complimentary, but my friends must realize that I am only human, and not a very tough one at that.”
After his breakdown experience, he dealt with further depression and discouragement when his term as governor ended in January 1903. As time moved forward, he found a measure of healing and peace at his Holly House home and on his wilderness property that
today is the McLean Game Refuge. He also traveled frequently. These out-of-state excursions focused on golf outings, hunting expeditions and visits to luxurious resorts.
McLean’s home from 1896 until he died in 1932 was the stately mansion he built in Simsbury — he called it Holly House because several elegant holly trees grew nearby.
Today it’s known as the Governor’s House, a skilled-nursing and short-term rehabilitation facility on Firetown Road. His boyhood home was only a half-mile away.
REST AND RENEWAL
“While golfing and hunting were paths to the outside world and important parts of his emotional and physical recovery,” writes Greeley, “McLean also found rest and renewal in the natural beauty surrounding his home, farm and woodlands.”
Initially he planned to travel for a full year after leaving office, but he adjusted those plans and stayed in Simsbury for weeks and then months “because of the familiar comforts of home.”
In January 1903, McLean bought 70 acres adjacent to Holly House. Over the next five years he purchased 600 more, and by 1908 he had acquired 1600 acres. When he died in 1932, McLean owned over 3000 acres — or 4.7 square miles — and in his will he instructed
his trustees to obtain more land and establish the McLean Game Refuge.
“Governor McLean was instrumental in conservation efforts,” says Laura Anderson, director of admissions for the Governor’s House. “His work laid a foundation for sustainable environmental practices, demonstrating a forwardthinking approach to conservation that was ahead of its time.”
McLean enjoyed taking visitors on tours of the land near his Simsbury home. “He was a great outdoors person,” his great-nephew Roland Greeley said. “We’d love to go down and visit him and walk along the brook.”
Frederic C. Walcott, who served Connecticut as a U.S. Senator after McLean, noted that the outdoors had healing virtues for his friend. McLean followed a “restorative routine of duck hunting in the fall, golfing in the winter, and summers
“ The feeling that I must be everywhere is very complimentary, but my friends must realize that I am only human ” — George McLean
in Simsbury” until 1905, writes Greeley — but in 1905-06 he experienced three significant losses: the deaths of his aunt Sarah Abernethy, his sister Hannah and his mother Mary.
His mother’s death in the autumn of 1906 was a profound loss, according to Greeley, “since they had lived under the same roof for almost all of McLean’s life.”
A few days later, McLean wrote a letter to a close friend, noting that he was with her when she took her
last breath. He witnessed his mother call out to God as her life ended and admired her “absolute faith and belief in an overruling Providence.” McLean closed the letter by quoting Mark 9:23 — “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”
McLean had grown up connected to the church, and a probatecase anecdote from his law career is connected directly to Simsbury’s church history.
He represented several adult children who challenged in court the mental competence of their deceased mother — she had given a local church $25,000 but left no inheritance for them. The heirs lost the case, and in 1908 her bequest helped fund a new building for Simsbury United Methodist Church.
In December 1906, a month after McLean’s mother died, he left Connecticut and traveled South, spending the winter golfing in
Courtesy — Dr. Kenneth Florey
Pinehurst, N.C. McLean returned in late March 1907, and about two weeks later — on April 10, 1907 — he married Juliette Goodrich, his longtime girlfriend. McLean was 49 years old and she was 42.
Greeley writes that the marriage surprised the public along with some extended family, who described the decision as “spur of the moment” — although George and Juliette had known each other for years.
She also grew up in Simsbury, and her family owned a farm only four miles from the McLean farm. Her father Lucius served with McLean in the Connecticut House of Representatives in the mid1880s, and they worked together on several legislative committees.
When McLean became gover-
“ His will was a lyrically written direction to his trustees to create a balance between his two hard-to-reconcile priorities: recreation and wildlife protection ” — Put Brown former McLean Fund chairman
1/4 PAGE AD
1916 George McLean campaign pin aka button
4.9” wide x 3.65” high
nor in 1901, newspapers reported that Juliette Goodrich was seated in the governor’s private box at his inaugural parade. McLean’s mother kept a detailed diary and recorded Juliette’s numerous visits to Holly House over the years. In 1904 she noted 11 visits Juliette made to McLean’s home, such as the entry on February 3: “We had a nice call from Miss Goodrich.”
Juliette’s mother, Martha Abigail Ensign, was from the family who owned the Ensign-Bickford company in Simsbury. Founded in 1836, Ensign-Bickford is the oldest known business in the Farmington Valley. Today, parent company Ensign-Bickford Industries is based in Denver, while the subsidiary Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is located in Simsbury.
The influential opinions of McLean’s close family members likely impacted his decision to wait so long to marry. Mary McLean
Daniells — one of his nieces, his brother Charlie’s daughter — wrote in 1972: “Uncle George’s mother and Aunt Sarah [Abernethy] felt that God hadn’t created a woman good enough to be his wife.”
McLean’s marriage in 1907 represented a culminating development in his quest for healing and peace after his trial-by-fire governor’s term and the passing of three consequential women in his life.
Anyone who has been married realizes that the marriage relationship includes pain as well as love and peace given the reality of two imperfect spouses.
Yet the best marriage gurus agree that when mere humans understand the divine gift and grace of this exclusive relationship, they see more clearly that the pain marriage causes is a necessary corollary to the healing marriage brings — thus making perseverance through marital pits and valleys and dark places a key calling that leads to new mari-
tal heights and deeper love and light on the journey.
In 1928, McLean said: “My breakdown in 1902 took six of the best years out of my life and left scars that compelled me to leave many things undone.” However, he entered the legislative arena again and accomplished much in the realm of national politics during his three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1911 to 1929.
FOR THE BIRDS
His foremost achievement was the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 that has saved millions of birds.
While McLean relished the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing, he was also a longtime advocate of responsible hunting practices. In 1886 he helped organize the Simsbury Game Club for the protection of game and fish, according to Greeley. Soon after he became a U.S. senator, he pursued
legislation to protect birds because of the threat and impact of overhunting. The period from 1870 to 1900 in America has been called the Age of Extermination due to the widespread slaughter of birds and other wildlife — the passenger pigeon is a quintessential example of a once-abundant species overhunted to extinction.
Besides slaughtering fowl for food, hunters killed birds because their feathers were prized as an adornment for women’s hats and clothing, a lucrative business known as the plumage trade. In a Senate speech, McLean spoke of a coat made of hundreds of hummingbird hides that sold for $10,000.
In addition to humane and ethical considerations, plus extinction concerns, McLean championed protection because birds benefited America’s agricultural economy. Since commercial pesticides were introduced much later, insect-eating birds “were considered a farmer’s best line of defense against cropeating insects,” writes Greeley.
During McLean’s Senate days, a biological survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that insects caused over $800 million in damage to American agriculture annually.
These stark factors compelled McLean to focus on excessive game-hunting when he entered the Senate in 1911. In May he introduced legislation to protect migratory game birds, but the bill died in committee. Then he proposed a constitutional amendment to safeguard migratory birds, but in 1912 he began crafting new legislation. In January 1913, the Senate passed a bill that protected migratory game birds and insectivorous birds in the United States.
Shortly after the bill became federal law, a California newspaper published a complimentary feature on McLean, calling him the “birdman of the Senate.”
While this was a significant step, McLean questioned the law’s ultimate effectiveness given uncertainty about enforcement and a possible Supreme Court challenge — along with the reality that migrating birds routinely surpass national boundaries. So he concluded that an international treaty was the best long-term protection solution.
In July 1913, the Senate passed McLean’s legislative resolution that empowered the president to pursue an international migratory bird treaty. When World War I began in July 1914, bird-protection negotiations understandably slowed down. However, in July 1917 the Migratory Bird Treaty Act passed the U.S. Senate and then went to the House, where it stalled for almost a full year. In June 1918, the House passed the treaty.
On July 3, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson finally signed the treaty, culminating a painstaking process that required seven years of negotiations, alliance building and diplomatic skill.
George McLean’s legacy of conservation and care is evident in this still-existing act — and has surely been cemented by his bequest that established the McLean Game Refuge and McLean Life Plan Community. Generations of citizens in Connecticut and nationwide have benefited from his foresight and persevering leadership. +
Editor’s Note — Today
1900 McLean for governor campaign pin aka button Magazine requested comment from Simsbury Historical Society president Bob Moody via email and voicemail but hasn’t seen a reply — Today also requested comment from Connecticut governor Ned Lamont via email
Courtesy — Dr. Kenneth Florey
Artist’s rendition of The Goodrich at the McLean Life Plan Community in Simsbury — named after George McLean’s wife Juliette Goodrich McLean — the Goodrich and McLean families owned farms in town
Will Secures Refuge, Seeks Conservation, Pursues Health-Wellness Dream
Special to Today Magazine
Exclusive Q&A – Heather Ryan
Editor’s Note In conjunction with our coverage of George McLean, Today Magazine requested comment from representatives at the Governor’s House, the McLean Life Plan Community and the Simsbury Historical Society — marketing specialist Heather Ryan answered this Q&A for McLean
What do you see as the key achievements of George McLean?
• Served as a U.S. district attorney for Connecticut: 1892-96
• Served as the 59th governor of Connecticut: 1901-03
• Served as a U.S. senator from Connecticut: 1911-29
• As senator and chairman of the Committee on Forest Reservations and Game Protection, he oversaw the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 — making it unlawful to “pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell” nearly 1100 species of birds.
What do you appreciate most about his legacy in Connecticut and the Farmington Valley?
In his will, George McLean ensured the establishment of two entities due to his deep care for people and for the environment. Upon his death in 1932, the McLean Fund was created:
• In 1932, the 3000-acre McLean Game Refuge was established to protect and preserve wildlife and forests that the senator feared would be lost to development and resource exploitation.
The game refuge is the largest private wildlife sanctuary in Connecticut — today encompassing 4400 acres and 27 miles of trails across Simsbury, Granby and Canton — and is home to countless plant and animal species.
Overseen by a full-time director, the McLean Game Refuge is host to ongoing research and conservation projects and is open to the public for passive recreation.
• The McLean Health Center opened in 1971, and is now known
as the McLean Life Plan Community. Originating as a nursing home for women — important to the senator because of the care he oversaw for his elderly mother and aunt — McLean is now a thriving senior living community nestled on 125 wooded acres in Simsbury.
• Adhering to the tradition of care set forth by the senator in his will, McLean today offers independent living, assisted living and memory care, long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, wellness, home care and hospice, and outpatient physical therapy.
• Our services have received numerous awards, most recently for excellence in Assisted Living, Memory Care, Long-Term Care, Short-Term Care and Hospice Care. What lesser-known fact about McLean would you like Connecticut residents to know about?
• McLean was friendly with senators and congressmen from both parties and with presidents — most notably President Calvin Coolidge, who often visited McLean in Simsbury for hunting and fishing trips.
Senator’s Bequest: Caring For CT Residents
• McLean was a bachelor until marrying Juliette Goodrich later in life — they had no children. The newer independent living apartment building on McLean’s Simsbury campus, introduced in 2022, is named The Goodrich after Mrs. McLean.
• Some of the land of McLean’s family farm is now Hop Meadow Country Club — what is now the clubhouse was once the barn. Because of this connection, independent living residents at McLean are automatically granted social membership at Hop Meadow. +
www.mcleancare.org
Heather Ryan is a marketing communications specialist with the McLean Life Plan Community on Great Pond Road in Simsbury — formerly McLean Health Center
Today Magazine covers community news that matters nationwide and aims to record Connecticut’s underreported upside — focusing on the heart of the Farmington Valley
• Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury
Today Magazine’s award-winning story on the McLean Game Refuge — CLICK HERE
Some of the land of McLean’s family farm is now Hop Meadow Country Club — what is now the clubhouse was once the barn
MEDICAL MUSINGS
GOVERNMENT GURUS
PATIENT-CENTERED CARE ALWAYS OUR TOP PRIORITY
Safety, compassion and respect have been our philosophy for over 45 years. We provide a supportive environment for residents to achieve and maintain their highest level of function and quality of life.
SKILLED NURSING & REHABILITATION
D Short-term rehabilitation
D Long-term care
D Post-acute & transitional care
D Respite care
D Alzheimer’s & dementia care
D Hospice and palliative care
D Physician & nursing services
D Therapeutic recreation
Family Owned and Operated
The Governor’s House today, situated across from Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury — the site, including this mansion that George McLean named Holly House, was his home for 35-plus years — the massive house was completed a few years before he became governor of CT, and has been transformed into today’s skilled-nursing facility
Governor’s House Aims To Fulfill McLean’s Will: Mend Wounds, Find Home
Special to Today Magazine
Exclusive Q&A – Laura Anderson
Editor’s Note
In conjunction with our coverage of George McLean, Today Magazine requested comment from representatives at the Governor’s House, the McLean Life Plan Community and the Simsbury Historical Society — admissions director Laura Anderson answered this Q&A for the House
What do you see as the key achievements of George McLean?
• Governor McLean was instrumental in conservation efforts, notably establishing the first state forest in Connecticut and contributing to the creation of national wildlife refuges. His work laid a foundation for
sustainable environmental practices, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to conservation that was ahead of its time.
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act: One of his most significant achievements in conservation was his role in passing the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
• This act was a landmark piece of environmental legislation that protected migratory bird species from overhunting and habitat destruction. McLean’s efforts in conservation have left a lasting legacy in environmental policy.
What do you appreciate most about his legacy in Connecticut and the Farmington Valley?
• We are particularly appreciative of McLean’s commitment to
the well-being of all residents of Connecticut, including those in the Farmington Valley.
• His dedication to public service and environmental stewardship resonates deeply with our values at Governor’s House, where we strive to provide compassionate care for the elderly and those in need, much like McLean advocated.
What lesser-known fact about McLean would you like Connecticut residents to know about?
• He created the McLean Game Refuge: McLean dedicated a portion of his Simsbury estate to conservation, creating the game refuge. This refuge spans over 4400 acres and remains a popular destination for nature enthusiasts.
Governor’s Vision: Preserving The Vulnerable
GOVERNMENT GURUS
Further comment:
• At the Ark Healthcare Governor’s House, we are proud to continue George McLean’s legacy of caring for the vulnerable and to preserve both his home and his vision for creating a compassionate caring community for those in need.
• We strive to provide personalized and quality outcome-driven rehabilitative care. We are always available for tours of our historic facility. +
www.arkgovernorshouse.com
Laura Anderson is the director of admissions at the Governor’s House on Firetown Road in Simsbury — these days, the full name of this skilled-nursing facility is Ark Healthcare at Governor’s House
We are particularly appreciative of McLean’s commitment to the well-being of all residents of Connecticut, including those in the Farmington Valley — his dedication to public service and environmental stewardship resonates deeply with our values at Governor’s House
This display honoring George McLean is in the lobby of the Ark Healthcare Governor’s House — the Courant front page is from January 18, 1911
Simsbury Artist Paints To Convey Joy
Special to Today Magazine
SIMSBURY ARTIST Heather van Frankenhuyzen began painting when she was a young child — her father is a professional artist and encouraged her creativity. She works full-time as a urology nurse and sold her first painting earlier this year.
Heather and her family moved from Indiana to Connecticut — Simsbury specifically — in 2021. Before that, in reverse chronological order, they lived in the following places: Fort Wayne, Indiana • Bangor, Maine • Seattle, Washington • and Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was born in Michigan and raised in the town of Bath, about
100 miles northwest of Detroit. She graduated from Bath High School in 2001 and turned 41 in September.
In the following exclusive interview, Heather outlines her artistic journey:
What is your primary medium? Watercolor
What is your primary motivation for producing artwork — and other motivations?
Joy! I find creating art peaceful and therapeutic. Sometimes I just want to capture a memory in a way that a photograph can’t. I want to capture the feeling I had while on a specific hike at a specific time. Sometimes, I have something that I can’t put
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS
words to that I need to let out or express. Art helps me do that.
Many times, I sit down not knowing what I want to paint, only that I need to paint. I start to put color on the paper and just start to go with whatever comes out.
Painting is very freeing when you don’t try to make something look a certain way — you let the paint start to take shape on its own and then just emphasize what is already there.
At what age did you become interested in art — and what sparked your interest?
Usually I am inspired by the beautiful landscapes around me — those are the scenes I paint most often, probably because I find the most comfort in them — I want to remember the serenity and solitude I felt sitting on a rocky cliff, overlooking the Atlantic ocean in January, and share that with someone
I’ve always loved art. My dad is a professional artist, painter and children’s book illustrator. He has always encouraged me to pursue art. He let my sister and me use his good paints, brushes and canvases when we were very young.
He taught us to care for our supplies, and always stressed that as soon as we filled a sketchbook or emptied a tube of paint, he would buy us more.
He was always there with constructive criticism, and was constantly teaching us how we could improve.
My mom says she’s not artistic because she can’t draw, but she is an artist in other ways.
She can make the most beautiful flower bouquets, is a published children’s book author, and has an incredible imagination. She may not be classically trained, but she has an artistic spirit and is incredibly creative.
Both of my parents have always been incredibly supportive, always displaying our art around the house and showing it off.
What and/or who is the inspiration for your art?
Usually I am inspired by the beautiful landscapes around me. Those are the scenes I paint most often, probably because I find the most comfort in them.
I want to remember the serenity and solitude I felt sitting on a rocky cliff, overlooking the Atlantic ocean in January, and share that with someone. Or the exhilaration of a sunrise that just takes your breath away.
I do paint as a form of release, as well. Lately, with the genocide in Gaza, I have been painting scenes of Palestine. Some of the hills and the beauty that remains, some of the destruction and pain.
My husband is Palestinian, whose family is from a town that was ethnically cleansed in 1948.
I will never know the anguish that he experiences, but I feel that I am connected to his heritage, his suffering, and the beauty of the culture through our children and extended family.
I want to celebrate the beauty of it, and bring light to the horrors that are happening, now and for the last 75 years.
Goals for the next 1-5 years?
The first time I ever sold a painting was earlier this year. So right now, my goal is just to keep painting, keep learning and keep experimenting.
If I sell it, that’s just a bonus to keep me supplied in paints and
paper and brushes. And a little boost for my ego as well!
Most enjoyable aspect of being an artist?
I love looking back at old work, and seeing how far I’ve come. But I also love to appreciate my old work that I used to see as amateurish and simple, and find a new sense of appreciation. I just love to create things. I like to constantly learn new things, and to evolve.
Most challenging aspect of being an artist?
It’s easy to get down on yourself if something doesn’t come out like you planned. It’s also easy to compare your work to other artists and feel insecure.
Having a full-time job outside of art at least allows me to create with
no pressure of the need to sell and allows me true freedom in my art.
Most fulfilling accomplishment:
Seeing my artwork displayed in someone’s home. It feels so good to know that someone connects with something that is so personal to me.
Your 3-5 favorite artists:
That changes all the time. At the moment, music is what’s really impacting me. I am loving David Kushner and Hozier.
Javid Tabatabaei is a watercolor artist who I admire a lot. His landscapes are almost ethereal at times. Jim Lagasse is another watercolor artist from Maine who I follow — his tutorials have helped me learn so much and develop my style.
continued on next page
The artist who inspires you most — and why:
Myself — it may sound obnoxious, but my biggest inspiration is potential. This keeps me working to see what else I am capable of and what else I can produce.
Sometimes, I’m as surprised as the next person by my newest painting. That keeps driving me to do more, learn more, create more.
Anecdote that provides a glimpse of your work as an artist: I don’t have a particular style — I don’t want to limit myself to a certain way of doing things. I want to convey a feeling, a memory or an emotion.
Locations where your work has been displayed: Kaps Cafe and Gather on Hopmeadow — both in Simsbury.
How much money have you made from sales of your art?
Enough to buy better paint!
While not everyone has an evident artistic gift, do you believe anyone can create art at a certain level?
YES! Art means a wide variety of mediums. People can choose to produce art in all sorts of ways, and can learn whatever skill set they need to convey that.
I think the greatest barrier to creating art is the fear of failure. You
I think the greatest barrier to creating art is the fear of failure ... you learn more from the mistakes than the successes
have to be willing to make some truly awful things in order to learn. You also have to have the courage to toss them aside and start over. You learn more from the mistakes than the successes.
Art is humbling, but if you persist you will learn to listen to your own voice and push through the fear or anxiety.
What do you appreciate most about the Farmington Valley arts community?
I’ve received so much support and welcoming as someone who is new to showing art.
Work history: July 2023-present — Urology Nurse at Greater Hartford Urology Group 2021-2023 — NICU Nurse (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Connecti-
cut Children’s Medical Center
2018-2021 — NICU Nurse at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana
2016-2017 — Nurse Apprentice at Dupont Hospital — while I was in nursing school
2007-2011 — Owner • Bella Luna
Clothing Boutique • Bangor, Maine
Family:
Husband — Ahmed Abdelmageed • Dean of Pharmacy School and PA Studies at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford • political activist, aspiring writer, soccer player and coach, Dad
Children — Noorah • 15-year-old daughter • soccer player, music lover, flag football quarterback, illustrator — Zayd • 13-year-old son • soccer player, Xbox gamer, comic sketcher, comedian, drummer, poet — Jude • 10-year-old son
It’s easy to get down on yourself if something doesn’t come out like you planned — it’s also easy to compare your work to other artists and feel insecure ...
Art is humbling, but if you persist you will learn to listen to your own voice and push through the fear or anxiety
• soccer player/goalie, artist, political activist, anime lover
Parents — Robbyn Smith-van Frankenhuyzen • beekeeper, yoga instructor, sustainable farmer, storyteller, children’s book author, wildlife rehabilitator, Grammy
— Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen • artist, children’s book illustrator, muralist, art teacher, graphic designer, nature photographer, carpenter, wildlife rehabilitator, Opa aka Grandpa
Sister — Kelly van Frankenhuyzen • Experiential Education Program Manager at Wayne State University’s College of Pharmacy • runner, yoga instructor/enthusiast, photographer, sister, aunt +
Heather van Frankenhuyzen
Phone — 207-735-7557
Email — hvanfran@gmail.com
Instagram — @birch.please27
Cornucopia of Books on Plethora of Topics
Special to Today Magazine
THE BOOK REPORT has been a time-honored assignment in American education — welcome to Today Magazine’s version of the book report. Yes, this is a roundup of books with Farmington Valley connections that intersect with universal topics and themes — the first three are featured by editorial discretion, and the rest are in alphabetical order by author’s last name.
A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate — Will McLean Greeley
George Payne McLean served as governor of Connecticut from 1901-1903 and as a U.S. senator from 1911-1929.
Born in Simsbury in October 1857, he was raised on a 100-acre farm that is now the location of Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury. He died in June 1932 at 74 years of age and is buried in Simsbury Cemetery.
McLean advised five U.S. presidents, including Teddy Roosevelt, and sponsored the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 — legislation still in effect today that has likely saved millions of birds and prevented extinctions.
This new biography celebrates McLean’s legacy of bird conservation and traces his path from farmboy obscurity to public service and national prominence.
For about 35 years until his death in 1932, McLean’s home was the expansive mansion he built in Simsbury. He named it Holly House because of nearby holly trees. Today, it is known as the Governor’s House, a skilled-nursing and short-term rehab center on Firetown Road.
McLean graduated from Hartford Public High School — Sims-
bury had no secondary school in those days.
The McLean Game Refuge, one of Connecticut’s scenic wonders, and the McLean Retirement Community in Simsbury are key features of McLean’s legacy. The game refuge encompasses three Farmington Valley towns — Simsbury, Granby and Canton.
McLean hosted several U.S. presidents at his magnificent wilder-
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS BOOK BONUS
ness property in north-central Connecticut that later became the game refuge.
This biography by a close relative of McLean contains many fresh anecdotes about his relationships with presidents and other notables — McLean is a great-great-uncle of the author of this book, Will McLean Greeley.
The Number on Your Forearm is Blue Like Your Eyes — Eva Umlauf
Eva Umlauf was one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, according to Simsbury-based Mandel Vilar Press. She was tattooed with her prisoner number one month shy of her second birthday. Miraculously, she survived — along with her mother and her newborn baby sister.
Eva’s Holocaust memoir covers her internment in Auschwitz, her survival and liberation, and her life afterward. After World War 2, she grew up in Communist-controlled Czechoslovakia and pursued a medical education.
Eva married a fellow Holocaust survivor and emigrated in 1967 to West Germany, where she served as a pediatrician and a child psychotherapist, achieving prominence in both fields and as a speaker.
Eva finally decided to tell her story at the age of 74 in this poignant and riveting memoir that has been co-published by Mandel Vilar Press (aka MVP) and Dryad Press. The book draws from years of interviews, copious correspondence, archival research in Europe and Israel, trips to concentration camps, and Eva’s personal recollections. • Today Magazine’s award-winning cover story on MVP — CLICK HERE continued on next page
The Early Days of ESPN: 300 Daydreams and Nightmares
— Peter Fox
Did you know that much of ESPN’s heritage is deeply rooted in Connecticut’s Farmington Valley?
ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen lived in Farmington. Peter Fox, this book’s author, was ESPN’s founding producer — he lived in Avon on Montevideo Road and later in Farmington.
“Many Valley people with vision and guile laid the foundation of ESPN,” Fox tells Today Magazine. “History did not credit many of them until now, as The Early Days of ESPN shines favor upon them.”
Over time, hundreds of ESPN employees have called the Valley home. ESPN debuted in September 1979 — in this sports memoir, Fox focuses on the year leading up to that historic cable TV launch.
“I write about many of the earliest moments that took place in Farmington and Avon in 1978,” he says, “when we dreamt about and then went about building the all-sports television network that changed sports television forever.”
Before his ESPN days, he owned and managed an award-winning ad agency, Bodnar Fox Gorton. Fox says his agency was the first office tenant in The Exchange, a commercial and office plaza in Farmington across from UConn Health.
“ESPN came along as my golfing friend Bill Rasmussen and his son, both Farmington Woods condo owners, recruited me as executive producer,” he tells Today Magazine. “While it is surely a sports and business saga of legendary heft, its telling has often overlooked the ‘SPNauts, as I like to call them, who flew that rocket with paper clips and scotch tape.”
A Hollywood film studio has contracted with the author to produce a feature film based on the book, according to Fox.
Bullying is Never Okay!
— Sylvia Crunden
Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever bullied someone?
In this children’s book, Nick and Ben are back for a new adventure. They enjoy playing at recess, but sometimes getting along with other students can be difficult.
Find out what happens when Nick gets bullied at school. How will he feel and what will he do? What lesson will you learn about bullying? A companion book is titled Please Don’t Pop My Bubble!
Crunden is an Avon resident who has spent more than 20 years as an elementary school teacher in Connecticut.
“I was inspired to write these books because of my two nephews who are in the story, Nick and Ben, and the students I teach,” she says. “I am also inspired by other children’s book authors because I have been able to use their books for enjoyment and as resources to help teach students.”
Crunden was a volunteer firefighter for 13 years in West Hartland and is a certified emergency medical technician aka EMT. She has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s in psychology.
Mojo Momentum: Creating Motivation for Work, Life, and Your Future in a World of Obstacles — Michael T. Jordan
Where do you find the motivation to accomplish your goals? We all face obstacles we can’t control — when we encounter these obstacles, momentum becomes a catalyst for pushing through barriers or pivoting and moving in a new direction.
When your definition of success is in sync with your personal values, you can build momentum toward your goals. The more you incorporate who you truly are into your work, the more passion you will have for accomplishing those objectives.
The goal of Mojo Momentum is simple — to provide principles and tactics that unlock passion for your work and overcome the obstacles between you and your goals.
A Canton resident, Jordan is a vice president at Brighthouse Financial. He was previously a VP for two other financial-service companies. His wife Felicia is a co-founder of S.E.E. Connecticut and a member of the Canton Board of Education.
• Today Magazine’s award-winning story on S.E.E. — CLICK HERE
Chester and the Magic 8 Ball — Lynn Katz
In this middle-grade novel, 12-year-old Georgia is convinced her rescue dog can tell the future with a spin of her Magic 8 Ball.
She wants to believe Chester when he reassures her that the “outlook is good” for her parents’ troubled marriage. But when it’s a matter of life and death, Chester stops cooperating, and Georgia must learn the difference between probability and magic.
She must discover her own power to increase the odds of a happy ending.
Katz is a retired educator who now writes full-time. Her career has included stints as a teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade, a curriculum writer, and the principal of Union Elementary School in Farmington. She has also served on the Avon Board of Education.
The Saboteur: The Aristocrat Who Became France’s Most Daring Anti-Nazi Commando
Paul Kix
Robert de La Rochefoucauld was raised in a magnificent chateau and educated in Europe’s finest schools. When the Nazis invaded France and imprisoned his father, La Rochefoucauld escaped to England and learned the dark arts of combat — cracking safes and planting bombs and killing with his bare hands — from the officers of the Special Operations Executive.
The SOE was a collection of British spies, beloved by Winston Churchill, skilled at espionage and sabotage and reconnaissance in support of the Allied war effort.
These spies altered the war in Europe with tactics that earned notoriety as the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Whatever the mission, whatever the dire circumstance, La Rochefoucauld operated with the aplomb of a man of aristocratic breeding — some say he is the inspiration for author Ian Fleming’s fictional superspy, James Bond.
More than just a fast-paced and true thriller, The Saboteur is a deep dive into a fascinating historical moment — telling the story of a network of commandos who battled evil, bravely worked to change the course of history, and inspired the creation of America’s Central Intelligence Agency.
A Farmington resident, author Paul Kix formerly was a deputy editor for ESPN The Magazine. The Saboteur has been optioned by leg-
Time Secrets
— Dr. Brian Magna
In this debut novel, Magna explores a number of engaging questions connected to time travel — such as:
• What if you suddenly discovered your past and your future are the same?
• What if you had choices that you knew could change your past, present and future?
• And of course — what if time travel were possible?
Will Margolis, a physicist in the year 2060, contemplates these questions as he and a colleague unravel the final pieces of time travel mystery. Will makes choices to save lives from his past while trying to maintain a sense of now for the good of the future.
You are invited to travel with Will to parts of his past that will change his life and everyone else as he finds success, disappointment and love — even though the past and the future are not what the present has in store.
Magna is the owner and manager of Magna Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center, with locations in Avon and Canton. He resides in Canton.
Lead with Purpose: A Story About Leading In Your Personal and Professional Life
— Dr. Kevin McGarry
Inspired by the author’s real-life experience coaching his daughter’s youth softball team, this novel introduces the fictional Eddie, a corporate leader who unexpectedly becomes the coach of a struggling softball squad while his career reaches a critical juncture.
Overwhelmed but determined, Eddie embarks on a transformative journey with the assistance of a seasoned coach who imparts vital leadership wisdom.
As a result, Eddie learns profound principles that help him balance the leadership demands of the softball field and his corporate role.
“The concepts and insights are research from a doctorate in leadership and told through a fun and engaging story for all,” McGarry tells Today Magazine.
The novel aims to bridge the gap between leadership theory and practical application, with the goal of empowering leaders to unlock their full potential.
“Writing ‘Lead with Purpose’ has been a rewarding experience,” says McGarry.
“I wanted to share my passion for leadership through a story that resonates with leaders at all levels. ... I am also incredibly proud to have my daughter Madison contribute her artistic talents to this project, making it even more special.”
In addition to inspiring the story from a softball perspective, Madison McGarry is the book’s illustrator. An Avon resident, McGarry is the founder of McGarry Leadership and the CEO of Leading 360 —
endary Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, according to Kix’s website.
both initiatives seek to empower leaders and teams to realize their full potential through coaching, keynote presentations and leadership assessments.
Hoodwinked: The Illegal Taxation of Private American Homes
— Joe Patrina
This book contends that the home and vehicle property taxes levied by municipalities are unconstitutional.
The author seeks to restore a time-honored American principle: no taxation without representation.
“The U.S. Constitution is crystal clear as its tax origination clause states that ‘all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives’ — meaning only elected representatives can levy taxes,” Patrina says.
“It is quite startling to realize that our elected state representatives do not represent us when residences and family vehicles are directly taxed by local municipalities.”
He asserts that taxes — in any form — need to originate in the legislature, not through local budget votes.
Home taxation wantonly tramples our natural rights to life, liberty and property, according to the book — sidestepping legislative authority, ignoring contract law and abandoning due process.
U.S. citizens may say pushback on home taxation is the equivalent of tilting at windmills, yet Patrina’s close study of the Constitution invites exploration of these pivotal American issues.
A longtime Simsbury resident, Patrina was a co-founder of Wall Street Systems, a groundbreaking firm described on his website as a global foreign exchange trading platform. He is also a songwriter who has penned more than 200 songs, performing with his acclaimed band LittleHouse.
The Poetry Machine
— Ken Patterson
This chapbook contains 54 poems on a plethora of topics — with intriguing titles such as Organ Donor Loaner, The Unemployed Muse and Used Poetry.
Think James Stevenson, the American illustrator and author of children’s books, but for adults.
These playful yet thought-andemotion-provoking poems communicate in brief digestible nuggets — no laborious or lengthy free verse here.
A resident of the Tariffville section of Simsbury, Patterson is an award-winning writer who has published two other books — “ADD and Me: Forty Years in a Fog” and “The Extraterrestrials! In an Adventure with the American Army.”
He is a graduate of San Francisco State University with a degree in creative writing.
Weinerface: Stories — Joel
Samberg
This 35-story collection contemplates some provocative questions — here are three: What if you believed the world was going to end and decided it was time to overindulge? What if you had to pack
for a one-way trip to outer space? And what if Hitler went to heaven? Samberg’s Jewish heritage uniquely qualifies him to address the Hitlerand-heaven question.
These short stories are designed to make readers reflect, laugh, nod in agreement, chuckle in embarrassment and/or sigh in empathy.
Samberg says he grew up as a red-haired and freckle-faced kid whose pants were typically too short, and thus confronted his share of bullies.
One day he decided to shout insults at a bully across the street — he thought he was safe since he was standing on his own front steps. This true-life episode is the basis for the title tale.
“I was compelled to write Weinerface for two reasons,” Samberg says.
“The first is that I want to share with anyone I can the literary musings that often take over the greater part of my days and nights. The second is ... to do my little part, as small as it may be, to help us weather this storm called Life on Planet Earth. ... While Weinerface may not actually un-shake this already shook-up world, maybe it can provide a short diversion.”
His hope is that the craziness of these anecdotes will counterintuitively renew the sanity of readers by providing a respite from this world’s absurdity.
Weinerface is Samberg’s eighth book. An Avon resident, he pens the monthly Off Ramp humor column in Connecticut Magazine and has written feature articles, profiles and op-eds for numerous other publications. He has also narrated a report he wrote for NPR’s All Things Considered.
• Editor’s Note #1 — Two years ago, Today Magazine and Connecticut Magazine tied for the most first-place awards in the annual contest sponsored by the state’s Society
The tufted titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to bird feeders, especially in winter — they prefer sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts and other seeds
of Professional Journalists — this year, surprisingly, Today more than doubled the honors received by all other state magazines combined.
Today Wins Most SPJ Awards Among CT Magazines— CLICK HERE
• Editor’s Note #2 — Connecticut Magazine was founded in 1971 as a rebranding of Connecticut Circle, a regional magazine established in 1938 — Today Magazine observed its 5th anniversary in July 2024 as the flagship publication of Today Publishing — Today first published Canton Today Magazine in October 2018, added Avon Today and Simsbury Today in April 2019, and rebranded as Today Magazine in July 2019.
The StarWriters Club —
Mary K. Savarese
An adventure in fantasy and romance, The StarWriters Club is the second book in the StarWriters Trilogy. This novel follows 12 new arrivals to the band that surrounds Heaven.
Together, they must train to deliver His Plan to the stars.
However, when the evil Beck decides otherwise, the StarWriters are called into action to save three members who have been sucked through the gates and into the pits of hell.
Follow our StarWriters as they trek across the villages of the band and learn how His Plan is distrib-
uted by those working in His Plan room.
What happens in the ethereal world doesn’t always stay in the ethereal world, for it spills into what lies beyond.
Will the good-or-evil clocks continue to click toward evil, or will our StarWriters prevail and turn the fate of time?
By combining their strengths and wisdom not yet learned, they just might succeed — for it is written in the stars.
Savarese was a longtime resident of Avon and currently lives in Florida — for more info: www.maryksavarese.com +
Photo by
Wendy Rosenberg
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All Seasons Home Services — 860-276-7236 www.facebook.com/AllSeasonsHomeServices01
Anthology Senior Living — 860-546-8037 — Simsbury www.anthologyseniorliving.com > Location
Avon Health Center — 860-673-2521 — Avon www.avonhealthcenter.com
Avon Historical Society — 860-678-7621 — Avon www.avonhistoricalsociety.org
A Teen Edge — 860-593-2822 www.ateenedge.com
Board and Brush — 860-392-8567 — Simsbury www.boardandbrush.com/simsbury
Canton Barn LLC — 860-693-0601 — Canton www.cantonbarn.com
Canton Food Bank — 860-693-5811 — Canton www.townofcantonct.org
Carmon Funeral Homes — 860-673-8610 www.carmonfuneralhome.com
Carol Cole Real Estate — 860-212-0687 — Canton www.carolcolerealestate.com
Cherry Brook Health Care Center — 860-693-7777 — Canton www.cherrybrookhcc.com
Christensen Insurance — 860-651-8236 — Simsbury www.insuranceagentswhocare.com
Christopher Bryant Co. — 860-243-3500 — Bloomfield www.thechristopherbryantcompany.com
Collinsville Bank — 860-693-6935 — Canton www.collinsvillebank.com
Connecticut Dance Academy — 860-707-4198 — Canton www.ctdanceacademy.com
Connecticut Headshots — 860-263-9277 — Avon www.connecticutheadshots.com
Dynamic Auto Works — 860-693-6359 — Canton www.facebook.com/DynamicAutoCanton
Erica Maglieri: Realtor — 860-324-6842 bhhsneproperties.com/real-estate-agent/757/erica-maglieri
Floors Reincarnated — 860-651-1900 — Simsbury Facebook > Floors Reincarnated
Fresh Start Pallet Products — 860-266-5726 — Hartford www.freshstartpalletproducts.org
Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce — 860-651-7307 www.simsburycoc.org
Green Door Restaurant — 860-693-9762 — Canton www.41bridgestreet.com
Habitat for Humanity — 860-541-2208 — Hartford www.hfhncc.org
Harris Home Improvement — 860-817-7191 — Granby www.harrishomeimprovement.net
Hartford Symphony Orchestra — 860-246-8742 — Hartford www.hartfordsymphony.org
HealthMarkets Insurance — 860-307-1128 — Torrington www.healthmarkets.com — Mel Brickman
Hulme & Sweeney Pianos — 860-408-4895 — Simsbury www.hulmesweeneypianoservice.com
Karedigs.com — 860-379-4340 — Barkhamsted www.karedigs.com
Kerian Home Health Care — 860-851-6267 — Simsbury www.keriancares.com
Kevin Witkos: State Senator
Landscape Solutions — 860-329-2014 — New Hartford www.landscapesolutionsct.com
Leslee Hill for State Representative
Lifetime Family Dentistry — 860-605-2075 — Collinsville www.lifetimefamilydentistryct.com
Linda Kessler: Realtor — 860-836-6172 — Avon www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agents
Liza Sivek Marketing — 203-278-5492 www.lizasivekmarketing.com
Maglieri Construction — 860-242-0298 — Bloomfield www.maglieri-construction.com
Magna Physical Therapy — 860-679-0430 — Avon www.magnapt.com
Maher’s Paint & Wallpaper — 860-678-1200 — Avon + Simsbury www.maherspaintandwallpaper.com
Make It GF — 860-693-1300 — Canton www.makeitgf.com ———————————————————————————————
Mandel Vilar Press — 806-790-4731 — Simsbury www.mvpublishers.org
Massage Envy — 860-693-8000 — Canton www.massageenvy.com > Locations
The Master’s School — 860-651-9361 — West Simsbury www.masterschool.org
McLean — 860-658-3786 — Simsbury www.mcleancare.org
Nails of Envy — formerly Canton + Avon
Northwest Community Bank — 860-379-7561 www.nwcommunitybank.com
Odalys Bekanich: Realtor — 860-965-3652 — Avon www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agents
Peggy’s Personalized Promos — 860-379-7775 New Hartford — www.peggys.biz
Planning Partners LLC — 860-693-9916 — Canton www.planningpartner.com
Raimie Weber Jewelry — 860-409-3400 — Avon www.rweberjewelry.com
Randy Brolo: Book Author www.lulu.com > Spirit of Delilah
Ravenswood Natural Health — 860-264-1587 — Simsbury www.ravenswoodnaturalhealth.com
Red Bison General Contractor — 860-810-8581 — Hartford nextdoor.com/pages/red-bison-general-contractor-llc-hartford-ct
Richman Business Brokerage — 860-408-9177 — Simsbury www.richmanbusiness.com — formerly The Deal Team
Stone Man Masonry — 860-693-4637 — Canton www.facebook.com/StoneManMasonryCT
Suburban Sanitation Service — 860-673-3078 — Canton www.subsanserv.com
Tom Kutz Photography — 860-693-6254 — Canton www.tomkutzphoto.com
Trading Post — 860-693-4679 — Canton www.tradingpostmusic.com
Transition Fitness Center — 860-398-1449 — Canton www.transition-fitness-center.business.site
UConn Health — 860-658-8750 www.health.uconn.edu
Up Top Barbershop — 860-658-4499 — Simsbury www.booksy.com > Up Top Barbershop
Vincent Funeral Homes — 860-693-0251 www.vincentfuneralhome.com
Vincent Tully: Realtor — 860-214-3030 www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agent
Welden Hardware — 860-658-4078 — Simsbury www.weldenhardware.com
William Raveis — 860-693-2987 — Avon www.raveis.com/agentfind.asp?smart=1
The Village for Families & Children — 860-236-4511 — Hartford www.thevillage.org/second-chance-shops
virtualens Designs — 860-348-6902 — Simsbury www.virtualens.art