Today Magazine • J​uly​ 2023

Covering the Heart of the Farmington Valley

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Favarh’s Project SEARCH Makes Job Hunt Inclusive

I-THOU + THE IBIS

The white ibis is a large wading bird with a football-shaped body, long legs and a long neck that is held out straight in flight, per Cornell University’s AllAboutBirds.org website — this pair was captured, photographically speaking, on Sanibel Island in southwest Florida

Sweet 16: More SPJ Awards for Today Magazine

Special to Today Magazine

The full version of this news story frst appeared in Today Online

Today Magazine has received 16 more awards this year from the Society of Professional Journalists — bringing the total number of Today Publishing awards to 40 overall in fve years.

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is widely considered the nation’s preeminent journalism organization. The Connecticut SPJ Chapter presents awards annually via its Excellence in Journalism contest and announced its newest awardwinners in early June. The 2023 contest honors journalism excellence during the 2022 calendar year.

Among its 16 awards, Today Magazine won seven frst-place, fve second-place and four third-place prizes — equaling its frst-place output in last year’s contest.

Connecticut Magazine, with 23 awards, is the only state publication

40 awards in 5 years for Today Publishing

in the SPJ’s Magazine Division to take home more awards than Today Magazine in 2023.

Founded in 1971, Connecticut Magazine received one third-place, nine second-place and 13 frst-place awards this year. Last year, Today Magazine and Connecticut Magazine tied for the most frst-place awards with seven apiece.

Compared with 50-something-yearold Connecticut Magazine, the Today Publishing media outlet is a mere preschooler, far apart in chronological age — yet a close cousin in terms of contemporary journalism recognition.

Today Publishing debuted in October 2018, launching Canton TodayMagazine as a print-and-digital monthly that covered Canton exclusively.

Currently, this young media outlet features the entire Farmington Valley via Today Magazine (our monthly publication) and Today Online (our

digital news site). In July 2019, Today Publishing introduced the tri-town Today Magazine after expanding to cover Avon and Simsbury as well as Canton via three town magazines in April 2019.

Also in July 2019 — Today Publishing launched Today Magazine Online, our dedicated digital news site that reaches the worldwide Internet realm. In 2021, Today Magazine Online rebranded as Today Online.

In July 2020, Today Publishing extended its reach to include Farmington and Granby. Since then, we have covered the heart of the Farmington Valley — the fve core Valley towns of Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby and Simsbury — via community news that matters nationwide, as we report the region’s underreported upside.

What connection does the I-Thou dynamic have with the ibis? You tell us — let us know what you think, if you are so inclined

Photo by Wendy Rosenberg

4 — Job Search and Rescue

In a sink-or-swim job market where people with disabilities sometimes founder, Project SEARCH acts as a search-and-rescue operation

14 — Principals + Plays

A novel principal in Farmington, a new community theater in Avon and more compelling Valley news

19 — Podcast Possibilities

A young citizen helps a local historical society start a deep-dive podcast to explore engaging topics

20 — Milestone Biz News

Local businesses celebrate anniversaries, staf achievements and other noteworthy developments

“ Thank you to UConn Health for being the host site for a program that changed our daughter’s life ” — Noelle Alix

7 — Favarh’s 2023 SEARCH grads

LETTERS

COVER STORY KUDOS

Word Search

LET’S PLAY Word Association — true, since this is a written essay, not an in-person conversation, we can’t play the game as it’s ideally designed. However, we can play via our imaginations and pretend we’re together in the same place. Or if you prefer, you can email me your answer … but I digress.

Here’s the word: DISABILITY. First, your turn — see the above paragraph for two options. Now it’s my turn, and here’s my answer — EVERYONE. Yes, every human on the planet. Don’t we all have disabilities that somehow correspond with our various abilities … downside that goes hand-in-hand with our upside … faws that are perilously juxtaposed with our gifts? Do I hear anyone disagreeing or demurring? Do you think those clinically diagnosed are the only humans with disabilities?

A groundbreaking program is making a world of diference here in the Farmington Valley for young people with intellectual and developmental challenges — I’m glad to spotlight Project SEARCH in this edition … BWD

Today Magazine • Covering the Heart of the Farmington Valley

Bruce William Deckert — Publisher + Editor-in-Chief

860-988-1910 • Bruce.Deckert@TodayPublishing.net

www.TodayPublishing.net > Digital Editions • Award-Winning

Today Online • 24/7 news — www.TodayPublishing.net/blog

Follow Today Magazine CT on social media >

Advertising — Contact the Publisher

Editorial Associate — Kayla Tyson

Contributing Photographer — Wendy Rosenberg

Five Towns • One Aim — Exceptional Community Journalism

Farmington • Avon • Canton • Simsbury • Granby – CT • USA

newsroom@TodayPublishing.net

Our June cover story features Abby Weiner, a Holocaust survivor who has been memorialized via a special library

—CLICK HERE for our coverage

ODALYS BEKANICH

Associate Broker Five Star Professional Award-Winning Real Estate Agent

860-965-3652 • CELL 860-676-1200 • OFFICE

Bekanich • Avon

WOW — what a beautiful article commemorating a person and group of people existing to do good. To recognize good from evil. Reading this article, early in the morning today, gives me the inspiration and hope many people look for in others. My hat is of to the teacher and his students, and my afection will be with Abby and his family. — Joe

I LOVE this magazine — keep up the good work. This issue moved me to tears. As a Jew and a human being. THANK YOU for this issue! —

Ann M. • Canton

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ALTHOUGH WE ARE further along in the COVID era, it’s not a time to sit back, kick up your feet and recline your way through life. Do not let escape your memory all the atrocities committed by our politicians during the past three years.

To recapitulate: Let’s not forget the unconstitutional mask mandates, the outright unlawful coercion of an experimental vaccine, and the unjust numbers of hardworking citizens fred from their jobs for absolutely no reason. Nothing mattered to the almighty dictators in government. Religion didn’t matter, health didn’t matter, but I can tell you what did matter! MONEY and POWER.

Remember, the state of Connecticut was getting payouts from the federal government if they could show a death was COVID-related. Let’s not get shortsighted, because the past predicts the future. Folks, they are coming for your right to protect your children, your right to know what your children are being taught in school, your right to your own medical decisions. Educate yourselves. Beware of the lies coming from every angle of government. — Tim Russell • New Hartford

odalys.bekanich@cbmoves.com

290 West Main Street Avon, CT 06001

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SEARCH AND RESCUE

By Christopher DeFrancesco Special to Today Magazine

Editor’s Note

Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health ofers immersive internship opportunities for people with disabilities

• Canton-based Favarh — aka the Arc of the Farmington Valley — has served people with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1958

• Favarh (FAY-var) is a local chapter of the Arc — a worldwide nonproft organization that supports people with such disabilities

• Farmington-based UConn Health encompasses John Dempsey Hospital, a doctoral teaching institution, and other medical facilities and safety initiatives

The original version of this story frst appeared in UConn Today, the news website of the University of Connecticut

ON A TYPICAL weekday, Cale Barlow leaves his home in West Hartford, gets on a bus, then takes a connecting bus, and arrives to start his work shift at 11:30 a.m.

He spends most of the time until 8 p.m. in the kitchen one foor below the Food Court in UConn Health’s main building, working behind the scenes to help Morrison Healthcare serve a broad clientele of patients, visitors, workforce and learners.

When Alison Willette worked in the same kitchen, she would focus on food preparation most days. She identifes herself as a high-functioning autistic adult and an aspiring baker who was learning to drive — until then, relying on rides from others to get to work.

For both, the road to employment went through Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health, a program that prepares young adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities to transition into the workforce.

“When I was in that program, I learned certain skills that I didn’t learn

A Project SEARCH graduate, Kayla Cunningham now works for UConn Health as a housekeeper — her internship included a dental fnance rotation

Project SEARCH Makes Job Realm More Inclusive

before that helped me become better, and successful, and more evolved to be ready for this job,” Barlow says. “And then later on, once you do get through that program and you see what you can do, what your abilities are, then that’s something you can go forward with.”

Barlow was a Project SEARCH intern at UConn Health from August 2020 through June 2021.

“The goal is competitive employment,” says Sandra Finnimore, UConn Health’s Project SEARCH manager. “We teach them how to be independently employed and all of the nuances that go along with being independently employed: lots of communication skills and interpersonal skills, soft skills that are all transferable to many diferent departments.”

The transferable skills from his Project SEARCH intern experiences in receiving, housekeeping and linen put Barlow in the position to fnd work in food service. His responsibilities

include washing pots, pans and trays, trash and recycling removal, and keeping the work area clean.

“I’ve been doing it for over a year now, so I’ve defnitely gotten the hang of it,” Barlow says. “I did learn what I’m good at, what I can do, what I enjoy doing — so that did give me an idea of

what I can do and what I was good at, like what I could see myself hopefully doing in the near future.”

He was hired in the kitchen parttime in August 2021 and moved to fulltime in March.

Willette’s path to employment was accelerated. She already had two years of culinary school experience at the Bristol Technical Education Center when she joined Project SEARCH in August 2021. Fittingly, her frst assignment was in the kitchen, which at the time was under the management of Sodexo, the previous food service vendor.

“I learned how to do things like come on time to work, be punctual, and I’ve learned how to work with my emotions because I have bad anxiety,” Willette says.

She took to it quickly.

“Ali did an internship with Sodexo,” Finnimore says. “They came to me and said, ‘I want to hire her.’ So she

Jordan MacFadden prepares a tray of baked goods in the UConn Health kitchen — UConn’s Project SEARCH program typically includes internships in three roles

“ They’re gaining reallife experience, hands-on learning, transferable skills, as well as exposure to a well-known name like UConn Health on their resumé ”

— Sandra Finnimore

UConn Health’s Project SEARCH manager

went through the process, applied, interviewed along with everyone else who would be applying, and she earned the job.”

That was in November 2021, less than three months after she started. Willette’s only other experience with competitive employment was parttime at Starbucks before joining Project SEARCH. In March 2023 she graduated to “natural supports,” a term used to describe someone who no longer needs a job coach. She since has left Morrison Healthcare for another opportunity.

“Natural supports is the ultimate goal for all of my individuals,” Finnimore says.

The program defnes “competitive employment” as working a minimum of 16 hours a week in a nonseasonal position, earning comparably to others in that position.

INCLUSIVE HISTORY

Project SEARCH was founded in 1996 at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. It is designed for students either in their last year of high school or graduates in their frst year out of school. UConn Health had seven interns in the 2022-23 program. The program has graduated more than 40 interns over nine cohorts.

“They’re gaining real-life experience, hands-on learning, transferable skills, as well as exposure to a well-known name like UConn Health on their resumé,” says Finnimore, who has overseen Project SEARCH at UConn Health since it started in 2015 as the frst host site in Connecticut.

“They’re getting the trainings that the employees here would go through. It’s an opportunity they wouldn’t typically have.”

The program runs about 40 weeks, from August through May. The interns report every day at 8 a.m. for a morning meeting that focuses on skills needed to become and stay employable. Then they go to their assigned areas to work for the next fve hours. They reconvene around 2 p.m. for a wrap-up session.

“They’re actually in the job every day and they’re working on it,” Finnimore says. “When you’re trying to hone those skills, you need

Cale Barlow is a Project SEARCH internship graduate who works full-time in the food-service industry on the UConn Health campus in Farmington

repetitiveness. It’s important to them. So doing it every single day really helps them get the ins and outs of each job, and it helps them learn whether they like that job or not — and the skills they learn here are transferable to any type of job.”

The typical Project SEARCH experience at UConn Health includes internships in three diferent areas, each for about 10 weeks. For Brett Hammond, his frst assignment was the mail room.

“It’s been a learning experience for me,” Hammond says.

“We’ve been doing a lot of thankyou cards, and they’re teaching us job skills, like how to keep a job and budgeting. It teaches me how to be a better employee, and teaches me to be more diligent when I’m doing the mail, more focused on my work.”

MENTOR MODEL

Interns are paired with mentors in each department. One of Hammond’s was Lindsay Reeves, a mail courier employed by UConn Health contractor Courier Express Inc.

“Brett’s been on the route with me, so he’s learning to do the route,” Reeves says. “I also showed him how to do lookups, which he does really well. He can put the mail away also.”

Like many in Project SEARCH, Hammond was looking for his frst independent employment experience.

In April — before the conclusion of his Project SEARCH internship — he found it, as a maintenance worker at the Newington Price Chopper.

His responsibilities include collecting shopping carts, trash removal, and maintaining the bottle return machines.

One of the assignments Jazmine Barber experienced was at check-in at the UConn Health Psoriasis Center.

She has been learning the responsibilities of a clinic ofce assistant under the mentorship of Laurie Forbes, who’s been a COA for nearly a decade.

“I like it, because she’s learning and then she’s accepting whatever I explain to her and she’s keeping track of everything,” Forbes says about her

Project

SEARCH grad Brett Hammond’s frst internship role was in the UConn Health mailroom — his mentor was Courier Express employee Lindsay Reeves

experience as a mentor. “She’s very good. She’s very outgoing and she’s very smart.”

Barber says, “If there’s anything that I’m stuck on, she’s there to help me.”

Barber already knows she wants to work as a certifed nursing assistant.

“I have to build some medical feld experiences, whether it’s doing housekeeping at a nursing home, checking in patients and checking out patients in dermatology, or doing receptionist work at a doctor’s ofce,” she says.

And she’s on her way to doing that. Barber also found independent employment early. She’s been working as a companion with Home Instead in West Hartford since April, assisting clients in their homes and running their errands.

EARLY EMPLOYMENT

In fact, all seven of this year’s Project SEARCH interns at UConn Health found independent employment and graduated the program early.

Another is Jordan MacFadden, who also had a turn in the UConn Health kitchen under the guidance of one of several mentors, including Willette on occasion.

“I do like it, but it’s a bit of a struggle,” MacFadden says. “But I’m good with repetition, so it’s better if I do things over and over again to get it right. I’m hoping to get diferent skills in diferent areas. I’d like to do more things in the hospital.”

She ultimately would like to help teach classes at an artsand-crafts retailer.

“I like that the job coaches are pushy because I wouldn’t have become the person I am compared to when I frst started, and I’m happy about that,” MacFadden says.

“Working with Project SEARCH gives us the opportunity to help individuals achieve their personal best daily,” says Kevin Geraghty, food and nutrition director for Morrison Healthcare at UConn Health. “We believe that the structure and discipline of a commercial kitchen environment aford them ability to develop the life skills needed for candidates to be successful in their personal lives, their family lives and in their communities.”

Project SEARCH is always looking for employers that might be a good ft as intern hosts. At UConn Health, areas

like food and nutrition, materials management, linens, housekeeping, courier service, the dermatology clinic and dental fnance historically have the most interns.

“We work very closely with the department when developing internships to fnd that mutually benefcial area that would help them and help us,” Finnimore says.

“The mentor’s routine is thrown of and slowed down a little bit, and then the amazingness happens, and the intern starts to do better in their job. Their go-to person helps them with their struggles, and they celebrate with them their successes.”

When they’re not in their work areas, the interns are learning about job development, at a moderate pace for the frst four months, then more intensively.

“January is when we really start hard-core job developing,” Finnimore says. “Our lesson plans are all focused around job developing and job searching, interview skills, and the ins and outs of that process. And then, if

they fnd a job before Project SEARCH ends, they graduate early, they start. If they don’t, then we do job developing after. We’ll start a week after the program ends with having them come in and do more intense job searching.”

The program formally ends with a bridge ceremony — equivalent to a graduation — where the interns are presented with a certifcate of completion. Since everyone found jobs early this year, they weren’t all able to attend the ceremony at UConn Health on May 31.

“This year’s Project SEARCH interns have accomplished so much since the beginning of the program,” Finnimore says. “This was the frst year we successfully placed all of the interns before the end of the program year. Great job, graduates!”

That post-graduation counseling helped Barlow get his food service job.

“I defnitely knew at the start I had a ways to go before I could actually get a job, but through when I frst started I did learn a lot and I learned a lot of skills, to get along with people, and also to just fnd solutions,” Barlow says. “And I do know that I have to always be on my best behavior, always come in positive.”

Kayla Cunningham graduated from Project SEARCH in June 2020. She was able to get a job in housekeeping at UConn Health starting that December. She primarily has been working third shift keeping the operating rooms clean.

“I always had a passion working in the hospital and I love keeping patients safe and alive,” Cunningham says. “I

“ I always had a passion working in the hospital and I love keeping patients safe … I love cleaning the hospital nice and neat ”

— Kayla Cunningham Project SEARCH grad

love cleaning the hospital nice and neat, especially during this pandemic.”

Finnimore says Cunningham went in with the goal of getting an ofce job, but ended up really taking to housekeeping.

“Feedback from supervisors was always that they can’t fnd something wrong with her room,” Finnimore says. “She applied, went through all the right channels, and because of her internship they knew she could do the job — and she got it.”

George Moses oversees custodial services at UConn Health.

“Kayla is amazing,” Moses says. “She is a very important

Nick VanderLeur, Deja Dewar and Brett Hammond display their certifcates of completion at the bridge ceremony for the 2022-23 internship class of Favarh’s Project SEARCH — this class had seven graduates overall, and all have found independent employment

Before participating in Project SEARCH, Alison Willette worked at Starbucks — UConn Health became the innovative program’s frst host site in Connecticut in 2015

part of our team. She is treated just like everyone else. This young lady has literally grown up in front of our eyes.”

Meanwhile, Cate Alix is a Project SEARCH graduate who went on to competitive employment outside of UConn Health. For three years now she has been an ofce assistant at Mintz + Hoke, an advertising agency in Avon.

“The Project SEARCH program at UConn Health was the most infuential program that my daughter Cate, who has Down syndrome, had the good fortune to be a part of,” says her mother, Noelle Alix.

“She was taught not only job skills in each internship rotation she did, but more importantly, she learned professionalism — an almost hidden agenda that provided Cate with the necessary and critical skills that enabled her to be employed upon graduation from the Project SEARCH program.

“We are so grateful that Cate got to be a part of this amazing program. Thank you to UConn Health for being the host site for a program that changed our daughter’s life.”

“We’ve gone in and far exceeded every department’s expectations of our individuals,” Finnimore says. “It helps change the culture a little bit. You have an individual who truly loves coming to work every single day, and that helps build the morale and the desire for their staf to want to be there for them.”

Housekeeping’s relationship with Project SEARCH goes back to the program’s second year at UConn Health.

“We have learned more from the interns than they have actually learned from us,” Moses says. “These individuals are very passionate, attentive and willing to learn.”

Geraghty, from the food contractor Morrison Healthcare, adds, “All of the interns and staf who’ve come to us through Project SEARCH are a pleasure to work with.”

Marisol Cruz, education and development specialist, is UConn Health’s human resources liaison for Project SEARCH.

“I think it is such a beneft to have Project SEARCH interns working within UConn Health because it not only conveys and promotes an inclusive work environment, but it also encourages empathy, which is such a vital trait when working with patients and customers,” Cruz says. +

Christopher DeFrancesco is a communications professional at UConn Health — he previously was an award-winning reporter and anchor for WTIC Radio NewsTalk 1080

————————————————————————–——————————————————

He won a frst-place award in this year’s SPJ contest for another UConn Health-related story published in Today Magazine — CLICK HERE for that story

Today Magazine covers the heart of the Farmington Valley — the fve core Valley towns of Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby and Simsbury — via community news that matters nationwide

Farmington High Grad Takes Principal Reins

By Bruce Deckert Editor-in-Chief • Today Magazine

FARMINGTON High School has novel leadership at the top — Russell Crist is taking the reins this month as the principal at Farmington High and Felicia Poskus is the new assistant principal.

Crist and Poskus served as interims in those roles at FHS for the 2022-23 school year.

“My journey in the Farmington Public Schools began in 1985,” Crist says, “when my parents decided to move to Farmington as I began second grade. By the time I graduated from FHS, my passion for the community and education were solidifed. I was thrilled to return as a member of the faculty in 2001.”

Since Crist is a 1996 Farmington High grad, some observers might question whether his newfound leadership post is truly novel — after all, he surely isn’t novel or new to the Farmington community.

Yet an online dictionary defnes the adjective novel as “new or unusual in an interesting way” … and this is an apt description of a rare full-circle journey such as Crist’s extended homecoming.

After growing up in Farmington, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire (B.A. in English) in 2000 and returned professionally to the Farmington school system in 2001 as an FHS English teacher.

He earned a master’s degree in teaching from Quinnipiac University in 2002, with honors, and in 2021 completed a post-master’s certifcate in educational leadership and administration from CCSU.

Beginning with the 2001-02 school year, he was an FHS English teacher for 18 years — making the novel term additionally appropriate — and also served as student activities director. He was named the assistant principal in July 2019 and then was appointed interim principal for 2022-23.

By the way, for those who are puzzled by the dual novel reference, the term as utilized in the above paragraph is a noun, synonymous with book — and to those who understood

this already, thanks for your patience with this explanatory digression.

“I believe that the position of principal will provide me with the opportunity to collaborate with and have an even greater impact on the people I care for deeply — the students, faculty, and staf of Farmington,” says Crist.

“Words cannot express how grateful I am for this community and for this opportunity.”

He takes on the role of Farmington High’s top administrator during a historic time — a brand-new FHS facility is being built, with a hoped-for completion date by the 2024-25 school year.

Superintendent Kathleen Greider observes that Crist’s history as a Farmington High graduate, teacher and administrator refects the “advancement opportunities that honor and elevate all members of our school district community.”

Greider has served as Farmington’s superintendent since May 2009. She was honored as Connecticut’s Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents in November 2019.

“Russ Crist loves the Farmington schools,” Greider says, “and is always willing to go above and beyond for our students, families, faculty and staf.”

Meanwhile, Poskus has served in the Hartford and Windsor public schools as a special education teacher, literacy specialist, assistant principal and principal. The 2022-23 school year was her frst in Farmington.

A Marist College graduate, she has a master’s degree from UConn in educational technology and from Southern Connecticut State in educational leadership and policy studies.

“I consider it a privilege to work within the Farmington Public Schools alongside our dedicated educators, students, families and community,” Poskus says.

As she takes on Farmington High’s top assistant role, she is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership at the University of New England.

“Felicia’s background in school leadership, tiered interventions and special services contributed to her success this school year,” Greider says. “She is a strong problem solver and relationship builder.” +

Sources — Superintendent’s Ofce: Farmington Public Schools — LinkedIn — online media outlets

Comedy and Tragedy Coming to Avon

A COMMUNITY THEATER in Avon is in the works.

This new theater venture has begun the second phase of a plan that aims to establish the frst live stage group in town, says organizer Joel Samberg, an Avon resident with vital experience in theatrical productions.

Samberg has assembled a group of local citizens interested in launching an Avon-based nonproft community theater.

The group has formed a planning committee, drafted a mission statement, and embarked on an efort to fnd a suitable location for its inresidence home.

“Many people in town acknowledge that a community theater is long overdue and something we can certainly use,” says Samberg.

“If our plan works, butterfies will soon be free in town, we’ll put out the

Russell Crist Felicia Poskus

welcome mat for a thousand clowns, and we’ll meet at the same time next year.”

These productions — “Butterfies Are Free” and “A Thousand Clowns” and “Same Time Next Year” — represent a small sampling of the kind of theatrical fare Samberg hopes will frame the output of an afordable and professional-quality theater in Avon.

Residents in and around Avon are encouraged to provide ideas for appropriate spaces in existing buildings

10th Memory Walk Aids Mary’s Place

MARY’S PLACE, a nonproft that supports area children who are mourning a death, has sponsored its 10th annual Memory Walk fundraiser.

The organization’s full name is Mary’s Place: A Center for Grieving Children & Families.

Avon resident John C. Carmon, president of Carmon Community Funeral Homes, helped establish Mary’s Place in 1996.

The nonproft aims to provide hope and healing for youth in Connecticut and western Massachusetts who have endured the death of a parent, sibling or another loved one.

Children and families seek out Mary’s Place to fnd comfort and support, share their experiences, and realize they are not alone.

Nearly 200 people attended this year’s Memory Walk on the frst Sunday in May to honor and remember their loved ones.

that could work well as an intimate black-box or thrust-stage community theater in the short term.

The long-term goal is to build a reputation and raise funds in hopes of fnding a permanent home.

For now, Samberg is calling this theater group the Avon Players.

Initially, he was referring to the venture as Playhouse 44 “because I like the way that sounds, even though we can’t be certain it will be on Route 44 … we’re dreaming about little glass menageries and getting lost in Yonkers.”

Samberg has a long and prolifc history as a professional journalist, novelist and playwright.

He serves as a Connecticut Magazine columnist and won an award this year from the Society of Professional Journalists in the Humorous Column category.

Contact him at AvonPlayhouse44@ gmail.com with ideas, to volunteer or for further info. +

The event raised more than $10,000 for Mary’s Place, says executive director Brittany Sheehan. This fundraiser brings families, friends and the community together to support the programs and people connected to Mary’s Place.

For a decade, the walk has been a collaborative efort of generous private donors, business sponsors and volunteers who make the day memorable.

The nonproft does not charge a fee for its services and receives no state or federal funding, relying instead on donations and fundraising.

The Carmon family has nine funeral homes in Greater Hartford — including two Farmington Valley locations in Avon and Granby.

The other seven locations: Hartford, Rockville, South Windsor, Sufeld, Vernon, Windsor and Poquonock (also in Windsor). Mary’s Place is based in Windsor. +

www.marysplacect.org

Second Chance Shops Raise First-Rate Funds

WHAT DIFFERENCE can gently-used clothing, household items and similar used merchandise make? How about a $6 million diference.

The Village for Families & Children operates four Second Chance Shops in Greater Hartford. Three of them — in Simsbury, Sufeld and Glastonbury — were established more than 60 years ago, according to a Village representative. A fourth location in West Hartford opened in 2018.

Run by more than 500 volunteers, the shops receive donations from the community and resell good-condition clothes, various household products and essentials, and other desirable items at comparatively bargain prices.

Last fscal year, from July 2021 to June 2022, the four shops combined for

—

> Events > Memory Walk

“Many people in town acknowledge that a community theater is long overdue”

— Joel Samberg

$400,000 in sales — numbers for the most recent fscal year are expected to be available soon. All proceeds beneft The Village, a nonproft social service agency based in Hartford.

Second Chance Shop donations have raised more than $6 million in proceeds for The Village in the past 50 years, according to its website. This nonproft’s mission is “to build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children.”

The Village for Families & Children was founded in 1809 as the Hartford Female Benefcent Society, and the organization was one of the frst in the nation to provide homes for neglected children, per its website.

Two centuries later, The Village is a leader in Connecticut in the fostercare realm, partnering with the state Department of Children and Families to train foster parents and coordinate foster placements.

The Village ofers a range of other services — including behavioral health, early childhood and youth development, substance-abuse treatment, and further programs for children and families and adults in Greater Hartford. +

— www.thevillage.org

CLICK HERE — for Today Magazine’s Special Report on Foster Care in CT — Fostering Home Hope: May Edition

Canton Student Wins Rare Scholar Honor

SARAH MARZE has been named a 2023 Marshall Scholar. A 2023 UConn graduate, she is is one of only 40 students nationwide to earn the prestigious honor this school year, and she plans to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom via the program.

A Canton resident, Marze majored in music composition and vocal performance. She is already an accomplished composer.

She describes her style as “contemporary classical concert music” — and 20 of her compositions were performed during her undergraduate career.

“From the moment she arrived on campus, Sarah has been an absolute

dynamo,” says Vin Moscardelli, a former professor who is now the director of UConn’s Ofce of National Scholarships and Fellowships.

“The sheer volume of work she has managed to accomplish as a composer and performer would, for most people, take up every waking hour.”

Marze is one of four students from New England universities in this year’s Marshall class, and the only one from a public university. She is just the sixth Marshall Scholar in UConn history.

“Her record of success in every realm and at every stage of her college career is a testament to her talent, her work ethic and her process,” says Moscardelli.

Marze’s frst music experience was when her mother Kim, a futist, signed Sarah up for the Connecticut Children’s Chorus, and then she played the clarinet through high school.

She hopes to pursue a career that combines composition, conducting, performing and teaching, with her frst step a master’s degree in composition.

“Colleges and universities all over the country nominate their best and brightest for this award,” says UConn

President Radenka Maric, “and Sarah’s selection as one of just 40 Marshall Scholars is yet another indication of the caliber of students we have here at UConn and the life-transformative support they receive from our faculty and staf.”

Marze was a member of the UConn Chamber Singers and the Music Student Advisory Council and the assistant conductor of the Festival Chorus.

She was the president and cofounder of the UConn ComposerEnsemble Collaboration, a student organization that produced three concerts of student compositions.

She has also been employed as a choral scholar with Storrs Congregational Church on campus.

Last summer, she received a UConn IDEA Grant for her project “Let Us Sing: Contemporary Art Songs for Young Singers” — the grant supported the composition of a songbook in collaboration with the Connecticut Poetry Society.

The Marshall Scholarship program began in 1953 as a way for the United Kingdom to thank the U.S. for

Canton resident Sarah Marze

American support after World War II via the Marshall Plan.

Since then, the program has given talented American students the opportunity to study at U.K. universities for up to three years.

The United Kingdom is the country that encompasses the island of Great Britain, which contains England, Wales, Scotland and the northern portion of the island of Ireland — the capital is London. The name Britain can be utilized to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole. +

Sources — Britannica.com

— UConn Communications

AHS Museum Plan Gets Big Y Boost

THE AVON Historical Society has been chosen as a Big Y Community Bag Program Benefciary for July.

Throughout this month, the AHS is eligible to receive a $1 donation when a special reusable shopping bag is purchased for $2.50 at the Avon Big Y.

“The timing could not be more perfect,” says AHS president

Terri Wilson. “We are renovating Schoolhouse No. 3 into the new Avon History Museum, slated to open in 2024 — coincidentally, 2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Avon Historical Society. ... We thank the management of Big Y in Avon for selecting us.”

Built in 1823, the one-room schoolhouse is Avon’s oldest public building. As it turns 200 this year, the structure is being transformed into a modern museum commemorating Avon’s vibrant history.

Proceeds from the Big Y community bag program will help fund the installation of interior exhibits.

One of the museum displays will be devoted to the 2019 discovery of the Brian D. Jones Paleoindian site in Avon prior to construction of the new Old Farms Road bridge — an internationally signifcant fnd right here in the Farmington Valley.

The Big Y Community Bag Program launched in January 2019. To date, more than 373,500 bags have been sold across the Big Y realm. Yes, given the $1 donation per bag, the math is simple: Shoppers have partnered with Big Y to

donate more than $373,500 to local charities. The Avon Big Y is located on Route 44 aka West Main Street, coanchoring the Walmart Plaza. The Big Y supermarket chain is headquartered in Springfeld, MA.

The nonproft Avon Historical Society was founded in 1974. +

Schoolhouse No. 3 was originally located in West Avon and moved to its current location at 8 East Main Street in 1981

Talk of the Town: AHS Launches Podcast

By Bruce Deckert Editor-in-Chief • Today Magazine

IF HISTORY and modern journalism go together like two peas in a pod — and this is self-evident to many historians and journalists — then history and modern journalism and 21st century technology go together like three peas in a pod.

In this context, the pod reference is especially appropriate, for POD is the operative root word here, and the specifc 21st century technology in question refers to an audio program known as — you guessed it — a PODcast.

Yes, the Avon Historical Society (AHS) is launching a monthly podcast entitled Avon Talks, with the debut show occurring on a noteworthy historical date — July 4th — the day when the United States celebrates its birth as a nation.

The new podcast is the brainchild of Avon resident Ethan Guo, a 2023 graduate of the Loomis Chafee School in Windsor who has served as a contributing writer and highschool intern for Today Magazine.

His goal is to convey Avon history in an inviting and intriguing way via interviews and conversations with historians, business professionals and other area residents who can ofer engaging perspectives on the local community.

“History is an integral part of any community,” says Guo, who is preparing to enter Tufts University as a freshman this coming school year. “To me, Avon Talks is a way to further connect the Avon community through shared narratives and stories of the people and places around town.”

The plan is for podcast episodes to focus on four themes:

• Historical Narratives

Sharing stories of noteworthy residents, both current and past, revealing the personality and charisma of local citizens who love Avon •

• Historic Buildings + Landmarks + Sites

Showcasing aspects of area architecture, structures and historical venues, including the essential nature of indigenous sites of the ancient past •

• Historical Events + Initiatives in Context

Exploring key events, organizations and eras in Avon’s history — professionals and history experts who specialize in an era will be invited to contextualize events within the larger context of Connecticut, the nation and the world •

• Modern Avon History

Spotlighting a diverse cast of guests who are involved in and connected to today’s issues, both local and national •

The monthly Avon Talks podcast will be available on most streaming services, and AHS is the sole owner of the rights to the programming. The opinions expressed by guests are their own — not necessarily in line with those of the AHS. The Avon Talks logo is the design of Priscilla Tonkin Marshall.

To suggest a podcast subject, email AHS — info@ avonhistoricalsociety.org — or call 860-678-7621.

The mission of the Avon Historical Society is to identify, collect, preserve, utilize, publish, display and promote our local history and heritage. AHS aims to deliver transparent, fair and inclusive experiences free from discrimination and

HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS

seeks to cultivate a culture of inclusion for its members, volunteers and area residents.

The frst podcast on July 4th features Avon town historian Nora Howard and AHS president Terri Wilson.

By the way, this Fourth of July — aka Independence Day — is the 247th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

On this date, Congress unanimously adopted the world-famous Declaration and thereby declared that the 13 American colonies were free states, independent of Great Britain.

The Congress actually voted in favor of independence from Britain on July 2, 1776 — but the task of revising the Declaration of Independence was fnished two days later, according to Britannica.com and various other historical sources. So the United States commemorates this nationally and internationally signifcant event on July 4th. +

www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

CLICK HERE — to listen to the debut podcast

Courtesy of Priscilla Tonkin Marshall

Businesses Mark Milestone Anniversaries

FOR FOUR DECADES and counting, the Christopher Bryant Co. has helped area residents with their septic and sewer system needs.

The company was founded in 1983 as a family-owned business — and remains so as the outft celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Based in Bloomfeld and Simsbury, the company’s services include: septic tank cleaning, septic system inspections, sewer connections, grease trap cleaning, and septic tank installations and repairs.

The Christopher Bryant Co. ofers free estimates.

Christensen Insurance is observing its 25th anniversary.

Owner Noris Christensen initially worked for the Valley Agency, an insurance frm founded in 1950 by his father, who retired in 1988 and sold his business to the Simsbury-based Kerr Agency. Noris worked for two Kerr owners through 1997.

Noris launched Christensen Insurance LLC in 1998, and his son Evan has worked for the company for fve-plus years. The company has been based in Simsbury throughout its quarter-century existence.

Free quotes are ofered for a range of insurance needs — including auto, home, health, life and business.

While Raimie Weber Jewelry is celebrating its 15th anniversary, Weber has worked in the jewelry business for 40 years — she started out with her father’s jewelry company in 1983.

Weber opened her own shop in Avon in 2008, with services that include jewelry appraisals, alterations and repairs. She specializes in restoring and repurposing treasured pieces of jewelry — bracelets, chains, earrings, necklaces, rings and more.

“Simply listening is how I begin to design for you,” Weber says on her website. “I am constantly humbled by the family stories and adventures shared in my studio … every piece of jewelry tells a story.”

She has served as the board president for the Connecticut Jewelers Association. +

COC Welcomes New Director

THE GRANBY-SIMSBURY Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director.

Ray Lagan took the leadership baton in June from Morgan Hilyard, who resigned in May to pursue a new business endeavor.

Most recently, Lagan worked for 10 years at The Master’s School in West Simsbury, as the chief operating ofcer and then as head of school.

Before that, he worked in the telecommunications industry for over 25 years in sales and account development.

A Simsbury resident for 35 years, Lagan previously served on the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce board of directors. The Granby and Simsbury COCs merged in June 2022.

Hilyard became the Simsbury COC’s executive director in March 2020, just as the state’s COVID shutdown went into efect. She anticipates announcing details soon about her planned start-up venture.

The Granby-Simsbury COC also has a new operations director, Jennifer Lopez, who brings 20-plus years of experience in the business world — including stints at ESPN, Gap Inc. and Robert Half.

In addition, Nancy Scheetz is the COC’s new board president. She is the CEO of the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Association.

Meanwhile, at the Farmington Valley’s other chamber of commerce — the Avon-Canton COC — Lisa Bohman continues as the executive director, a post she has held for two decades. +

UConn Health Staf Receive Top Awards

TWO EMPLOYEES at Farmingtonbased UConn Health have earned prestigious awards.

Sara Olson has earned international recognition via the 2023 RNA Society Outstanding Career Researcher Award.

A Farmington resident, Olson is a research associate in UConn Health’s genetics and genome sciences lab.

An international honor has likewise been bestowed on Caryl Ryan, the chief operating ofcer of UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

Ryan is the recipient of the 2023 Healthcare Administrator Award given by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

A Granby resident, Ryan also serves as UConn Health’s chief nursing ofcer and as vice president for quality and patient care services. +

UConn Health Adds Services In Simsbury

THE SIMSBURY location of UConn Health has a new larger space in the former Andy’s Market plaza.

In May, UConn Health moved to 836 Hopmeadow Street, about a halfmile north of its previous Hopmeadow Street location in the Cannon Building.

The newly renovated UConn Health space in Simsbury was formerly the home of Andy’s Market, the supermarket that closed in 2012 after more than three decades as the signature store in that commercial plaza. Andy’s opened in 1979.

UConn Health’s Simsbury location continues to ofer primary care and cardiology care, while adding these services: a bloodwork lab, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics and sports medicine, podiatry, pulmonary, urology and vascular surgery. +

“ I am constantly humbled by the family stories and adventures shared in my studio ” — Raimie Weber

ShopRite’s Waxler Boosts Patron Health

THE SHOPRITE of Canton has added Hannah Waxler to its staf as the in-store registered dietitian.

She ofers free health-and-wellness services for customers, including nutrition counseling, events and recipe demonstrations.

A West Hartford resident, Waxler gives advice on proper nutrition for specifc health conditions and dietary needs, and navigates the aisles with shoppers to provide guidance about nutrition labels. She also hosts in-store classes for youth and adults to help with healthy eating.

ShopRite’s registered dietitians have provided such services since 2006. +

Photo by Wendy Rosenberg

ALWAYS

For over 45 years, we’ve provided a safe

caring environment for residents to maintain an optimal quality of life!

Pianos

• This is a list of advertising sponsors who have seen the value of investing in Today Magazine’s award-winning journalism as we cover the heart of the Farmington Valley — this is intended to be a comprehensive list

• If you have paid to advertise with Today Magazine but don’t see your business or organization listed, feel free to contact us so we can add you to our Advertiser Hall of Fame — advertise@todaypublishing.net

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

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Canton Food Bank — 860-693-5811 — Canton www.townofcantonct.org

Carmon Funeral Homes — 860-673-8610 www.carmonfuneralhome.com

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Carol Cole Real Estate — 860-212-0687 — Canton www.carolcolerealestate.com

Cherry Brook Health Care Center — 860-693-7777 — Canton www.cherrybrookhcc.com

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Christensen Insurance — 860-651-8236 — Simsbury www.insuranceagentswhocare.com

Christopher Bryant Co. — 860-243-3500 — Bloomfeld 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

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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

Hartford Symphony Orchestra — 860-246-8742 — Hartford www.hartfordsymphony.org

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HealthMarkets Insurance — 860-307-1128 — Torrington www.healthmarkets.com — Mel Brickman

Hulme & Sweeney Pianos — 860-408-4895 — Simsbury www.hulmesweeneypianoservice.com

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Karedigs.com — 860-379-4340 — Barkhamsted www.karedigs.com

Kerian Home Health Care — 860-851-6267 — Simsbury www.keriancares.com

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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 — Bloomfeld 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

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Mandel Vilar Press — 806-790-4731 — Simsbury www.mvpublishers.org

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Massage Envy — 860-693-8000 — Canton www.massageenvy.com > Locations

The Master’s School — 860-651-9361 — West Simsbury www.masterschool.org

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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

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Planning Partners LLC — 860-693-9916 — Canton www.planningpartner.com

Raimie Weber Jewelry — 860-409-3400 — Avon www.rweberjewelry.com

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Randy Brolo: Book Author www.lulu.com > Spirit of Delilah

Ravenswood Natural Health — 860-264-1587 — Simsbury www.ravenswoodnaturalhealth.com

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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-ftness-center.business.site

UConn Health — 860-658-8750 www.health.uconn.edu

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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/agentfnd.asp?smart=1

The Village: Second Chance Shops — 860-236-4511 www.thevillage.org/second-chance-shops