Thursday, March 19, 2020
cheshirecitizen.com
Volume 6, Number 23
All Star musicians rock out Closed,
cancelled, postponed Record-Journal staff
Larry and Danny on percussion with an assist from Ingrassia Music Studio's Will Moroz, Eli Storygard and Ben Pucci. Joy VanderLek for The Citizen By Joy VanderLek The Cheshire Citizen
Cheshire Public Library was rockin’ on Saturday, March 7. The Abilities Without Boundaries All-Star Band was in the house and the audience was loving every minute of it; singing along, clapping and cheering on band members. The concert was the band’s first time playing at the library. Abilities Without Boundaries is a program based in Cheshire which serves to empower those with disabilities and assimilate them into the community. John Ingrassia is the owner of John Ingrassia Music, and is the AWB All
Star Band teacher. Ingrassia has played for more than 25 years, worked with Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy award-winning artists and played many well-known Connecticut venues with his Johnny I band as well. He brought his program “Music Matters” to Abilities Without Boundaries in January of 2019. “We are so excited to have this program and to share it with the Cheshire community,” said Gerry Barker, long time board member and past president of Abilities Without Boundaries. The event drew a full house of more than 300 people. It was standing room only.
Barker had asked Ingrassia to create a music therapy program at AWB. He’d envisioned a band and lessons, and just as important, an chance to provide clients with greater interaction with the community. Often, those with disabilities are not a part of the community, according to Barker. This was one way to change that. Barker said the idea was well-received by the board and AWB board president Lloyd R. Saberski, MD. “Music is something everyone enjoys. The music program is an opportunity where we can reach See Band, A2
As was well-publicized this week most government and school facilities have temporarily closed, reduced hours or postponed activities due to COVID-19. Some businesses and organizations have as well. In some cases, accommodations such as special hours for senior citizens or allowing employees to work from home have been put in place. As Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Solan put it in a letter to parents as he prepared for a temporary closing of district schools, “These are unprecedented times for our community that seem to be out of a science-fiction novel. Yet, the circumstances could not be more real.” Below is a compilation of recent scheduling adjustments made around town and the region. This is by no means comprehensive but an overview that illustrates the scope of the situation as events unfold locally much as they are around the world. Over the past couple of weeks reaction to the pandemic has created a fluid, rapidly changing scenario. On Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the state was closing all gyms, bars, restaurants, See COVID-19, A11
Penny farthing turns heads By Joy VanderLek The Cheshire Citizen
You never know what you’ll see or who you’ll meet on the rail trail. Case in point is Roger Fuller and his amazing old-fashioned bicycle. The bike is also known as a high-wheel or penny farthing. The bike’s nickname, penny farthing, originates with the British coins. The wheels on the bicycle were of two different
sizes, one wheel larger than the other. The penny was the larger coin in comparison to the farthing. Fuller was out and about Sunday, riding the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. He drove down from his home in Northborough, Massachusetts, to have an adventure on his Hungarian-made, high-wheel bike. He found the Farmington HerSee Bicycle, A2
Roger Fuller, of Northborough, Mass., took his penny farthing bicycle for a spin on the trail Sunday. Joy VanderLek, The Cheshire Citizen