EAST HARTFORD The CIAC Class M state title game was a clash of battle-tested Notre DameWest Haven versus a perfect
Berlin squad.
Playing a rugged SCC Tier 1 schedule won out Saturday. No. 2-seeded Notre Dame captured the school’s fourth football
state title, dominating No. 1 Berlin 35-8 at Rentschler Field.
It was Berlin’s first loss of the season. The Redcoats finished a
Working at a local thrift store, Berlin High School senior Lara Hodas began thinking it would be great to bring a second-hand clothing shop directly to her fellow students.
Hodas’ friend Genesis Del Bois, a
See Store, A2
For many, basic daily movements are mindless. The muscles one uses to put on a seatbelt, carry groceries, or push a vacuum cleaner often don’t require a lot of thought when you are young.
See Redcoats, A8 See SilverSneakers, A12
BHS junior, shared that vision, and the two approached their principal with the idea.
In their pitch, the girls said money generated through the thrift store could go to BHS’s DECA business program, and other school groups.
Principal Eileen Eustis was sold, and Hodas and Del Bois set out gathering donations of high-quality clothing for the shop, Redcoat Resale.
“This will be a good way to reuse and repurpose clothes, to reduce waste and save resources, and to promote sustainable fashion in the school district,” Hodas said.
Located next door to the DECA room at Berlin High School, Redcoat Resale is open during school hours, and students take turns manning the store throughout the day.
Alongside previously-worn items, the in-school shop also offers brand new BHS Redcoat gear.
And soon, second-hand accessories will be available.
“I love the fact that this was completely student-driven,” said Principal Eustis. “Our students are very creative and passionate about important causes, and I am pleased that we can support their efforts. I encourage students to check it out and do a little shopping. There are some great bargains.”
Redcoat Resale accepts clothing donations from the public.
“Personally, myself and some
of my friends will take great pride in being able to curate the clothing and resell it, as we are avid thrift shoppers and are passionate about our environment and how ‘fast fashion’ contributes to waste,” said Hodas.
To make a donation to Redcoat Resale, email Nicholas Smith at nsmith@berlinschools.org. Also, Redcoat Resale is on Instagram, @ redcoatresale.
nzappone@record-journal.com 203-317-2212
The Berlin Veterans Commission is looking for information about Berlin veterans and/or their widows, who are having trouble paying for heat, gas, electric,
medicines, food and having to make choices of what they need to get. They would like to help them out during the holiday season.
A lot of the veterans don't want to admit what they are going through. We learn about the veterans in need, often from others like their neighbors, family, etc., be-
The Berlin High School Athletic Booster Association has planned its annual sale of Discount Cards. For $5, you purchase a card that has 18 different local businesses offering discounts, including restaurants, fitness, auto center, and dry cleaners. All proceeds are used to support the student athletes of Berlin High School. To purchase, contact Tony Butrimas at butrimas@comcast.net. Venmo or a check are accepted and the discount cards will be delivered
to you.
The Berlin Historical Society museum, 305 Main St., Kensington, is decorated for the holidays. The museum will be open Saturday, Dec. 17 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Town ordinance states that “an owner of land or buildings fronting on any street or public place ... where there is any sidewalk shall, within 12 hours of daylight, or not to exceed 24 hours of
elapsed time immediately following the cessation of a storm of snow ... cause the same to be removed from such sidewalk.” Failure to abide by the ordinance “shall result in a fine after an initial warning.”
Boxes to Boots creates care packages for military personnel serving abroad, and the Berlin-based non-profit is looking for everything from toiletries, to snacks, to books. Snack-wise, service members prefer items they
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cause the person in trouble is too proud to ask for help.
Please contact Peter Galgano, Berlin Veterans Commission and Berlin’s Munici-
pal Veterans representative. All information will be confidential. Email: petergalgano@comcast.net or call 860-604-7258.
can easily carry, like granola bars, small bags of cookies and crackers, and beef jerky. To learn more about Boxes to Boots, visit boxestoboots.org.
The fenced-in area at Pistol Creek, as designated by the Town Council on July 26 as a leash-free area for dogs, is now open. The area is approximately 50,000 square feet, in the middle of the fairway, right in front of the handicap parking lot off
Spruce Brook Road.
Dogs must be on a leash in all other public spaces in town. Animal Control officers will be issuing Written Warnings to individuals who do not have their dogs on leashes on public property.
The Rotary Club of Kensington-Berlin meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Sliders Bar & Grill, 197 Episcopal Road. For more information, contact John Roman (jcroman2012@aol.com) or Elaine Pavasaris (elaine@ homesweethoemct.com).
The Robert B. Dornfried Sr. Lifetime Volunteerism Award is bestowed upon a Berlin resident "who is dedicated to a lifetime of community volunteerism, civic duty and extraordinary service." For more information, visit berlinvolunteerfund.com.
Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s fourtown service area Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and
Southington. Volunteer opportunities can be found at cfgnb.org.
The Berlin Veterans Commission’s “Veterans Digital Wall of Honor,” located in the main lobby rotunda of Town Hall, is dedicated to “All Who Proudly Served and Sacrificed to Protect Our Country.” Berlin residents and their immediate family, past and present, who have served or are currently serving in the United States military can be put up on the wall. Contact Peter Galgano at petergalgano@comcast.net or 860-604-7258.
Berlin has partnered with AFAB Recycling LLC, a Connecticut-based textile recycling company. Residents are encouraged to drop off their unwanted textiles (clothing and shoes) at the Transfer Station, 19 Town Farm Lane. The Transfer Station is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. AFAB Recycling accepts clean, dry and bagged clothing and fashion accessories (gently used, like-new or worn) including dresses, shirts, pants, suits, coats, gloves, hats, belts, ties, scarves, wallets, purses, backpacks, totes, footwear, bedding, toys, stuffed animals and jewelry. For more information, contact Public Works at 860-828-7022 or 860-828-7069.
Pomfret School, Pomfret has named Julianna O’Brien to its fall scholar honors.
Email letters to news@theberlincitizen.com. Letters are limited to 300 words. The Citizen will print only one letter per person each month. We reserve the right to edit letters. Letters must be signed and names will appear in print. Include a phone number so The Citizen can contact you for verification. Letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday to be considered for publication the following Thursday.
Join this dementia caregiver group the second Wednesday of the month from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Facilitated by Patty O’Brian, CDP, dementia specialist, Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging. Registration required. Call 1-855-442-4373 or go to HartfordHealthCare.org/
VirtualClasses.
Chat with other dementia caregivers the third Monday of the month (Dec. 19) from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Facilitated by a Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging Dementia Specialist. Registration required. Call 1-855-442-
4373 or go to HartfordHealthCare.org/VirtualClasses.
Do you care for someone diagnosed with dementia? Join this online support group the last Monday of the month (Dec. 26) from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Topics include:
communication techniques, benefits of activities, stages of the disease, family dynamics and safety issues. Facilitated by Michelle Wyman, dementia specialist, Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging. Registration required. Call 1-855442-4373 or go to HartfordHealthCare.org/VirtualClasses.
Arbor Rose at Jerome Home, an independent and assisted living community located at 975 Corbin Ave. in New Britain, will host an open house Monday, Dec. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. Registration is recommended. Call 860-229-3707.
With more people facing hardship this year, the need to serve those most vulnerable is greater than ever. Millions of Americans are still being impacted by COVID19 and are experiencing incredible need.
Here in the nutmeg state, the wealthiest in the country, families have continued to struggle this year, and hope has not come easy. The Salvation Army is here to help. And now, we need the public’s help to assist our neighbors in need.
The increased costs to heat a home, feed a family, or pay monthly rent, have made it more difficult for so many.
Across the state, The Salvation Army Corps have many more families and individuals seeking help.
The Salvation Army is in
need of additional bell ringers this holiday season. The Salvation Army’s iconic kettles are out across the state, but it is essential to have more bell ringers to help raise funds for this increased need.
With the public’s support, The Salvation Army can continue to offer basic assistance for those in need –help paying rent and utility bills, help feeding the hungry and shelter the homeless, help educate preschoolers and help to break the cycle of poverty.
“All across Connecticut, The Salvation Army is experiencing an increase in the number of people seeking help with basic needs, many coming for the first time,” said Major Debra Ashcraft, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army of Southern New England states. “Salvation Army operations are reporting increases for food, utility and rent assistance ranging from 25-to-50 percent. The number of parents seeking holiday assistance with food and toys is also up.
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Connecticut State Community College (CT State) and Charter Oak State College have re-established a tuition match partnership that offers the state’s most affordable bachelor’s degree.
CT State graduates can attend Charter Oak and complete a bachelor’s degree at the same cost per credit as their associate degree. Separate agreements between Charter Oak and Connecticut’s 12 community colleges have been in place since 2018 and benefitted over 600 students. Leadership from both colleges signed a statewide agreement at a ceremony earlier this month.
The match provides a potential savings of $145 per credit, or $8,700 over the credit hours typically needed to complete a bachelor’s degree. In order to qualify, students need a GPA of 2.0 or higher and to register for six credits at Charter Oak within 12 months of completing their associate degree.
“We know how challenging balancing work, family and school can be... we want to be sure that our students have access to every tool they may need to successfully complete a bachelor’s degree,“ stated John Maduko, M.D., President of CT State Community College.
Ed Klonoski, President of Charter Oak State College added, “Increasingly, students are looking for
online educational opportunities. By partnering with CT State, we can offer students the greatest flexibility to pursue a bachelor’s degree, at a more affordable price.”
Charter Oak is Connecticut’s public online college, offering associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in many high-demand fields. Since 2018, the most popular majors have been nursing, business administration and psychology; twelve other bachelor’s degree offerings complete the program.
The Charter Oak tuition scholarship is good for five years. In order to maintain the scholarship, students must be enrolled in at least six credits in the fall and spring semesters. This would allow them to graduate in five years if attending part-time or sooner if taking more credits. Students who complete a Transfer Ticket program with CT State will be able to attain a bachelor’s degree at Charter Oak without incurring extra expense or requiring extra credits.
Connecticut’s 12 community colleges are merging on July 1, 2023 to become CT State Community College. Students will benefit from one college transcript and catalog, standardized financial aid including free college for first time students and the ability to take courses at any campus.
Connecticut State Community College (CT State) y Charter Oak State College nuevamente han establecido una colaboración de pagos correspondientes de matrícula, la cual ofrece el título universitario más económico en el estado.
Los graduandos de CT State pueden asistir a Charter Oak y completar su título universitario por el mismo costo por crédito que un título de asociado. Otros contratos entre Charter Oak y las 12 universidades comunitarias de Connecticut han existido desde 2018 y han beneficiado a más de 600 estudiantes. Los líderes de ambas universidades firmaron un contrato estatal durante una ceremonia a principios de este mes.
Los pagos correspondientes proveen un posible ahorro de $145 por crédito, o $8,700 por las horas de créditos normalmente necesarias para completar su título universitario. Para poder ser elegibles, los estudiantes tienen que tener un ACP de 2.0 o mayor, y registrarse para tomar seis créditos en Charter Oak dentro de 12 meses después de completar su título de asociado.
“Sabemos lo difícil que es balancear el trabajo, la familia, y la escuela... queremos asegurarnos que los estudiantes tengan acceso a todas las herramientas necesarias para completar su título universitario,” comentó John Maduko, M.D., Presidente de CT State Community College.
Ed Klonoski, Presidente de Charter Oak State College añadió, “Cada vez,
más estudiantes buscan oportunidades educativas en línea. Al colaborar con CT State, podemos ofrecerle a los estudiantes la mayor flexibilidad para alcanzar su título universitario, a un precio más económico.”
Charter Oak es la universidad virtual pública de Connecticut, la cual ofrece el título de asociado, título universitario y de maestría, en ámbitos escolares de alta demanda. Desde 2018, las especialidades más populares han sido enfermería, administración comercial y psicología; doce ofertas adicionales de titulación universitaria completan el programa.
La beca del total de la matrícula en Charter Oak es válida por cinco años. Para mantener la beca, el/la estudiante tiene que estar matriculado para, por lo menos, seis créditos en los semestres de otoño y primavera. Esto permitirá que se gradúen en cinco años si asisten a tiempo parcial, o antes, si toman más créditos. Los estudiantes que completan un programa de Transfer Ticket con CT State podrán alcanzar su título universitario en Charter Oak sin incurrir en gastos adicionales y sin necesitar créditos adicionales.
Las 12 universidades se unirán el 1 de julio de 2023, cuando se volverán en CT State Community College. Los estudiantes disfrutarán de los beneficios de registros y catálogos unificados, paquetes de ayuda financiera, incluyendo universidad gratuita para los estudiantes primerizos, y la habilidad de tomar cursos en cualquier universidad.
Graduados de CT State se Beneficiaran de Pagos Correspondientes de Matricula en Charter Oak State College
turnaround season 12-1 after going 4-6 a year ago.
“Look, everything these seniors did, I just told them, ‘You can be upset; you can cry because you lost,’” Berlin head coach Joe Aresimowicz said. “(But) they have nothing to hang their heads about.
“They turned around a team that was 4-6. There was nobody in the weight room; it was crickets,” Aresimowicz added. “(The seniors) turned around this program. I love them to death. They had a great season and just ran into a better team tonight.”
That better team was indeed Notre Dame (10-3), which may have come into the state title game with three losses, but each came to SCC Tier 1 teams that made the state playoffs.
After losing to West Haven, Cheshire and Fairfield Prep in the SCC, the Green Knights rolled in the post-
season, winning their three Class M playoff games by a combined score of 105-23. They beat Hartford Public 42-0 in the quarterfinals and then bested Law 28-14 in semifinals.
This is Notre Dame’s first state title in football since 2009.
“Sometimes you just have to tip your hat and say they were the better team,” Aresimowicz said. “We didn’t play well, which didn’t help.”
ND controlled the game from the onset.
Berlin avoided a shutout with 2:47 left in the game when Lorenzo Miele hit Josh Grimm for a 34-yard touchdown. He then found Kyle Melville for the two-point conversion.
Miele, who came into Saturday’s game with 1,536 passing yards and 17 TDs, was under pressure all afternoon. He finished 7-of-15 for 39 yards with two interceptions and the touchdown.
Overall, ND outgained the Redcoats 395-109. Berlin gained 56 of those yards on its final scoring drive trailing 35-0.
“It was hard,” said an understated Aresimowicz. “We couldn’t establish the middle; we couldn’t get to the outside.
“We weren’t throwing the ball well today, which puts you at a distinct disadvantage,” Aresimowicz added. “The players over there are just very, very good.”
Aresimowicz singled out ND defenders Cooper Torrey and Joshua Kuczynski, as well as Jacob Staton.
Staton was a force on both sides of the ball. The SCC Tier 1 Player of the Year didn’t just do his thing on defense. He also ran for 113 yards on 24 carries and scored twice.
ND quarterback Matthew Piechota complimented Stanton, going 17-of-24 for 280 yards and three touch-
down passes.
The Green Knights increased a 14-0 halftime advantage to 21-0 with 3:37 left in the third quarter on Piechota’s second TD toss. His 13-yard scoring pass capped off a 14play drive and came after a Miele interception ended Berlin’s first possession of the second half.
ND then took a 28-0 lead on Stanton’s second touchdown run with 10:32 remaining. It came from 8 yards out.
Five minutes later, the Green Knights took at 35-0 lead on Piechota’s third and final TD toss, a 17-yarder to Mattaeo Petruzziello.
“I felt fairly confident that if we played well we could beat them,” Notre Dame head coach Joe Decaprio said. “I didn’t think we’d win in that fashion or by a score of that margin.
“They are a great team,” Decaprio added. “It wasn’t easy; we just played really well.”
ND’s domination started in the first quarter. The Green Knights marched into Berlin territory twice while running off 22 plays. Berlin, meanwhile, had a pair of 3-and-
out possessions.
The Green Knights outgained Berlin 168-12 in the first quarter, scoring the game’s first points on the last play of the opening period, with Ralph Sarno taking an 18-yard pass from Piechota, though the extra point was no good.
Notre Dame extended its lead to 14-0 with 6:36 to play in the first half on Staton’s first touchdown run of the game, a 10-yarder, and then converting the two-point try on a Piechota pass to Robert Torres.
While the Green Knights controlled the ball through the first half and amassed more than 300 yards, they managed just the two touchdowns. The Redcoats stayed in the game by stopping ND twice on downs deep in their own territory.
Berlin’s offense never go going, however. The Redcoats deepest penetration before halftime was to the Green Knights’ 18.
But on fourth down with 3 minutes to play in the second quarter, a little Berlin trickeration failed. Mason
The inaugural 48-team CIAC football postseason came to a close last weekend, and the 2022 playoffs were validation for the Connecticut High School Football Alliance.
Formed five years ago, the Alliance matches opponents similar in size and success from different leagues during the regular season in hopes of fostering compelling games.
All but two of Connecticut’s high school football conferences participate and this year’s formula of 1-2 Alliance games for most teams seems to have achieved the right balance, allowing for good non-league matchups without interrupting conference schedules.
Game-planners had far more hits than misses. Ten Alliance games pitted teams that eventually went to the
playoffs, such as the Southington-Greenwich drama on Sept. 24, when the Blue Knights rallied from three scores down to force OT and win on a two-point conversion.
Six others weighed heavily in playoff races. Alliance losses kept a half dozen 6-4 teams Platt, Windsor, Fitch, Waterford, Bunnell and Darien on the outside looking in and were instrumental in getting their conquerors North Haven, Shelton, Berlin, Branford, Notre Dame-West Haven and Maloney, respectively into the show.
Maloney coach Kevin Frederick doesn’t dispute that. His team’s 21-9 victory in Darien on Sept. 23 in a game pitting 2021 state champions was a huge confidencebooster for a squad that had suffered heavy graduation losses and had a number of new starters.
Rising to the challenge of Darien, Frederick said, helped the Spartans down the road in their No. 1-2 showdown with Southington on Nov. 4 (a 31-28 OT victory for Maloney) as well as in the Class L playoff wins over New Milford and Shelton.
“It helped us as a program to travel to Darien and play in front of a hostile environment,” Frederick said. “How we dealt with that pre-game going up there and the atmosphere of that game, it’s something you want your
kids to be a part of.
“It told us a lot about our team that week,” he added.
“For us to go down there with a young team without a lot of experience and to beat a team like Darien that’s such a storied program, it injected us with a lot of confidence to know we could play with anyone, that last year wasn’t a one-time thing.”
Coaches like the variety and vigor Alliance games provide. They flavor an otherwise same-old, same-old
league slate and get a good team prepped for the postseason.
At the same time, coaches don’t want to lose the sovereignty of their conferences. They want a full league schedule, in which all teams in a division or tier play one another, to be sacrosanct. Ditto for Thanksgiving rivalries.
“I think it’s better this year than a year ago,” remarked North Haven coach Anthony See Alliance, A10
Sagnella. “One of the things our league wanted the (SCC) Tier 1 coaches wanted was a champion. When we were playing four Alliance games, that made it difficult to do that. Playing two was good; it spices up the schedule.
“But, again, that’s predicated on how many teams are in Tier 1,” Sagnella added. “There might be eight teams in Tier 1 next year. That may impact your ability to play out of league, because we’re always pencilled in with
Amity on Thanksgiving. If there are eight Tier 1 teams or nine Tier 1 teams, we only have wiggle room for one. But, yeah, it’s good to get out.”
Ansonia coach Tom Brockett would like to see the Naugatuck Valley League get out and about, too. The NVL and the Pequot League are the two conferences that don’t participate in the Alliance.
Both leagues feature 16 teams. Both leagues play entirely within conference during the regular season.
KENSINGTON- John F. “Jack” Adams, Jr., of Kensington, passed away on December 5, 2022 after sustaining a stroke in 2016 and a recent bout with COVID. Born in 1936 to Ruth (Craddock) and John F. Adams, Jack attended Berlin schools and graduated from The Taft School in Watertown where he taught his classmates to dance Rock’n Roll. He graduated from Trinity College where he was member of Alpha Chi Rho. He married Vera Raczkowski in 1960. Jack served in the US Army as a second lieutenant, and was a real estate appraiser and taught evening classes at UCONN. He was past president of the MAI and SREA appraisal organizations.
He loved the outdoors including hiking, canoeing, camping, skiing and outdoor photography. He was a champion swimmer when younger and played football in high school. He played rugby with the Berlin Strollers rugby club until he was 50 years young.
Jack loved Cape Cod. He and Vera built a home in the woods in North Truro, where they spent many family vacations and instilled the love of the outer Cape to the next two generations.
Pop Pop, as he was known by his grandchildren, had a jolly laugh, and would take a bite out of their donuts (to be sure they were ok to eat), and for his famous breakfasts where the food was delicious and the kitchen looked like a tornado hit it. He loved cooking his specialties which were eggs benedict, Portuguese French toast, tollhouse cookies, Oysters Rockefellerand his famous “Jack’s Portuguese soup.”
He leaves his devoted wife of 62 years, Vera, son John F. Adams III, daughter and son-in-law Tina and Rick Hans, grandchildren and their partners, Frankie Tenenbaum/Mike Hope, Rebecca/Josh Ricker, Connor Adams, Ben Adams, along with his son-in-law’s children and their families, Becky, Alex, Addy, Ethan and Olivia Barwikowski and Scott/ Emma Hans. He also leaves his brother-in-law Richy/Marla Raczkowski and sister-in-law Charlotte Raczkowski/Jeremy D’Entremont.
Calling hours will be held at 11AM on Wednesday January 11, 2023 at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 111 Chamberlain Highway, Kensington, with a memorial service at noon.
Jack’s family wishes to thank the staff at Ledgecrest and AccentCare who provided compassionate care to him over the past two years and considered him “one of their favorites”. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to help preserve open space in our community: Berlin Land Trust, P.O. Box 94, Kensington, CT 06037. Please share a memory of Jack with the family in the online guestbook at www. ericksonhansenberlin.com
In the NVL, Brockett is a minority voice when it comes to the Alliance.
“I voted in favor of it last year and I’ll vote in favor of it again this year,” he said. Will the result be any different?
“I don’t know,” Brockett replied. “The league is really an old traditional league. We’ve got a couple guys who were in the Alliance in other leagues that are head coaches now that didn’t necessarily love it.
“When I was on the (CIAC) Football Committee,” he added. “I thought every team should have to play one out-of-league game in order to qualify (for the playoffs).”
Brockett also puts forward this argument: As good a concept as the Alliance is, as compelling as the matchups are, the scheduling of games should be left to athletic directors and coaches.
“What if you’re getting on a bus going to
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Memery caught Toby Lavender’s halfback option pass, but he was ruled out of bounds in the end zone and the Redcoats turned the ball over on downs.
Up until that fourthdown play, Berlin had finally moved the ball consistently for the first time when it switched to a single-wing run offense in the second quarter.
Berlin’s first two drives in the first quarter resulted in 3-and-outs and Miele was then intercepted on the third series.
This was Berlin’s second straight loss in the Class M title game. The Redcoats ran up against another solid parochial school in 2018, losing 7018 to St. Joseph. Berlin’s lone state title in football came in 2009.
Berlin had beaten Branford 35-25 in quarterfinals and Rockville 42-7 in the semis to reach Saturday’s title game.
Putnam or something, and that game doesn’t work for you?” Brockett reasoned. “I’d like to see it the way where you schedule a game that works for your community.
“I’d rather see Sheehan go play Platt than Sheehan get on a bus and play someone else two hours away. I’d like to see Amity and Seymour play an old Thanksgiving rivalry, or Ansonia-Shelton. Things like that I’d like to see.”
It would seem the way forward lies in a sort of flexible balance between home rule and outside influence, between tradition and new wrinkles.
“I hope they continue it; I think it gets you battle-tested,” Frederick said. “They did a good job matching teams up with similar programs with similar success.
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“It seems so basic, but there are a lot of muscles involved in something as simple as reaching up and grabbing a plate out of the cupboard or bending over and emptying the dishwasher. There’sa lot involved, your core, your legs, all that,” said Carrie Marquardt, health and wellness director of MeridenNew Britain-Berlin YMCA and Crossfit Meriden
However, as a person ages, they begin to lose those motor skills. So, local fitness and senior centers partnered with SilverSneakers, a fitness and wellness program for adults over 65 that focuses on daily movement as a way to maintain the skills and prevent other health issues all while socializing and hav-
ing fun.
care and fitness
SilverSneakers is one of the first national programs designed for active older adults that combines fitness and healthcare by providing full gym memberships and online resources at no additional cost.
A brand of Tivity Health, the program is available through multiple insurance providers, including Anthem, Aetna, ConnectiCare and Medicare.
SilverSneakers has exponentially grown since its founding in 1992, according to its website.
In its first four years, its founder, Mary Swanson, developed and taught a chairbased workout called Silver-
Sneakers Classic at 15 locations in Arizona.
Now, SilverSneakers is available at 22,000 fitness centers in all 50 states. In addition, it has developed numerous spin-off curricula, such as SilverSneakers Yoga and SilverSneakers Circuit.
According to Tivity Health, in 2020, SilverSneakers had two million SilverSneakers.com accounts and more than 18 million adults 65 and older were eligible for the program through Medicare plans.
Connecticut has 32 certified fitness centers, communitybased centers, and parks offering SilverSneakers classes.
Starting in 2023, SilverSneakers will be the only senior fitness program offered through Apple Fitness+.
Marquardt explained that SilverSneakers is subsidized by the insurance company.
A member then has access to all certified fitness locations and the online resources such as live and ondemand workout videos, workshops and the SilverSneakers GO mobile app.
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classes such as yoga, aquatic classes and aerobics.
“Just because you’re a SilverSneakers member doesn’t mean you have to go to a SilverSneakers class,” Marquardt said. “It just means you can be part of a facility that was part of SilverSneakers. ”
Program coordinator at Wallingford Senior Center and liason for SilverSneakers, Erin Ambler, explained that in-person classes focus on balance and strengthening the muscles needed for daily living.
Actions such as getting out of a chair and putting on a
seat belt require more movement than people realize and focusing on those muscle groups acts as preventative care. For example, Ambler said some classes teach the best way to recover from a fall to avoid what she called the “long lie.”
“We always focus on those [movements] so that people can enhance their act of daily living picking up the laundry basket, getting into the car, getting out of the car, putting on your seatbelt,” she said. “These motor skills need to be practiced over and over and over again, so the body keeps it in check.”
The fitness classes vary in difficulty and intensity to accommodate all ranges of motions. In addition, in-
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funding the heightened level of services that are now required due to skyrocketing inflation. The Salvation Army is committed to
families and neighbors across the state, and we need increased monetary support to ensure we can continue to provide critical services for the most vulnerable.”
The public can assist by giving to your nearest kettle, donating to salvationarmyct.org, or by sending a check to: The Salvation Army at 855 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105. To become a Salvation Army bell-ringer, call 860-702-0000.
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structors can easily modify all of the movements and workouts, said Ambler.
She added that by providing a variety of classes with modifications, seniors feel more comfortable working out to keep essential muscles healthy.
All instructors are certified by SilverSneakers through their educational program, explained national trainer Dina Sexton. They are taught on the foundations of working with older, active adults then trained in a specialized course and recertified every two years.
Sexton said recertification ensures all instructors are updated on the latest studies on senior physical activities
and are an opportunity to brainstorm new choreography or workout circuits.
“Whether you’re a senior or not, sometimes starting a new fitness program, if fitness is new to you, it might feel a little intimidating. It’s something new,” she said.
“SilverSneakers instructors are aware of that and understand that. So, if you go to an in-person class, you’re going to be welcomed Maybe it’ll take away some of that hesitancy that they might have.”
The majority of fitness locations provide one or more SilverSneakers classes. For example, the Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA offers five courses while the Southington-Cheshire YMCA offers three, according to the SilverSneakers center database.
Similarly, the Wallingford Senior Center offers the classic course, SilverSneakers Enerchi and online courses, said Ambler.
However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, Sexton explained that SilverSneakers underwent some of the most significant changes she had seen in her 10 years with the program. Due to social distancing and quarantine, all classes were moved online. Instructors relied on numerous streaming services to teach their courses.
According to its website, SilverSneakers offers over 100 online classes and hosts numerous workshops and workouts.
Sexton said that although inperson classes are now avail-
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Organized in 1955, the Kensington Garden Club operates exclusively on a nonprofit basis for charitable and educational purposes, and for the well-being of the community. The club promotes civic beauty, encourages improvement of public spaces, raises awareness of environmental concerns and advances the art of floral design and horticulture. New members are welcome. Contact the group via kensingtongardenclub.net or Facebook.
The Queen Ann Nzinga Center, Inc., which provides arts enrichment activities for children age 5 to 17, is accepting new participants.
The center promotes positive youth development among children of all races and abilities primarily in the greater Plainville, Berlin, Bristol and New Britain area. For more information, visit QANC.org.
In response to the national opioid epidemic, the Central Connecticut Health District, serving the towns of Berlin, Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield, debuted its “How Can We Help?” initiative. The campaign employs a dual approach, seeking to assist both individuals suffering from opioid use disorder and family/friends of loved ones suffering from opioid use disorder. For more information, visit ccthd.org.
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able, SilverSneakers will continue to provide virtual courses.
Since Aug. 2022, SilverSneakers has held the Guinness World Record for most viewers of a dance fitness lesson on Facebook Live with over 3,000 viewers in a 30-minute workout session, beating the previous 1,500 record.
“It was pretty amazing to see seniors using technology in a way that maybe they hadn’t before and really embracing it, so SilverSneakers Live is still going strong today,” Sexton said.
Physical activity is a proactive tactic to avoid health complications down the road, Marquardt said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults ages 65 and older exercise at least 150 minutes a week with at
least two days of musclestrengthening and balance activities.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, physical activity can help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, numerous cancers, blood lipid profile, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Furthermore, regular exercise helps improve quality of life by reducing anxiety and depression, improving sleep and physical functions and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, for older adults, physical activities lower fall risk and fall-related injuries.
A 2021 study by Avalere Health found that average healthcare expenses for SilverSneakers Medicare clients were reduced by 16% compared to non-program recipients.
In addition, SilverSneaker members saw a decrease in
hospitalization costs by 26% and noted that members used outpatient services at higher rates than non-members, which indicates better health management.
“[The program] gives seniors incentives to not only get healthy but to stay healthy, so things don’t happen down the road,” said Marquardt.
She added that many YMCA SilverSneakers clients often leave feeling refreshed and energetic. Many make plans to grab lunch or run errands after a workout.
The membership and wellness director of Cheshire Community YMCAs, Kristin Champagne, explained that some daily movement exercises help with mental function since many seniors need to think about the movement and translate it into action.
“Doing things that [the seniors] have to think about, like movement patterns, that they aren’t used to... has been shown to help with cognitive function and
maintaining cognitive function. It’s great for people who have already been diagnosed with any kind of decline in memory or cognitive functions,” she said.
Champagne said another major appeal of SilverSneakers group classes is social time.
The Cheshire-Southington YMCA has hundreds of SilverSneakers members, and sees 25-30 participants per class. She added that the majority of them are incredibly social and use the class as an opportunity to work out with friends and later grab lunch.
“They hold each other accountable for coming in for a class. If someone doesn’t come to a class, they call each other,” she said. “They come at the same time and they look for each other. So, it’s essentially a social network.”
Meanwhile, Sexton said she can’t count the number of post-SilverSneakers workout
potlucks she has attended over the past 10 years as an instructor.
She said attending regular classes helps build confidence and gives the clients something on their schedule to look forward to.
“Adding regular exercise can improve daily lives. It can improve daily function. It can help seniors live confidently. It can help reduce pain and feel independent in their lives. And it’s something that they enjoy,” Sexton said.
To learn more about your eligibility, visit SilverSneakers’ website.
cvillalonga@record-journal.com 203-317-2448
Health Equity Reporter Cris Villalonga-Vivoni is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Support RFA reporters at the Record-Journal through a donation at https://bit.ly/ 3Pdb0re. To learn more about RFA, visit www.reportforamerica.org.