cheshirecitizen.com
Volume 11, Number 46
Thursday, August 27, 2020
MENTAL HEALTH
Foundation brings awareness, support to families By Joy VanderLek The Cheshire Citizen
The topic of suicide is generally not willingly brought up. People find it uncomfortable. For those who have experienced suicide in their family or among their circle of friends, it can be unbearable. Suicide, however, is among the leading causes of
death in the United States. Approximately one person dies of suicide every 40 seconds, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. “It’s difficult to discuss, but the topic is difficult to dismiss,” said Krissy Dorsey, board member of the Connie J. Klanica Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit which was creat-
ed after her aunt Connie, who was born and lived in Cheshire, lost her battle with clinical depression. “Mental health and suicide – it’s more prevalent than any of us expected,” Dorsey said. In 2018, the Seinkowski and Klanica families created the foundation “out of grief,” Dorsey said, describing her
WOODS ‘N’ WATER
aunt as a very generous and giving person. “We knew we weren’t the only ones experiencing this (type of ) loss. We hope to help others to not be our shoes or hers,” said Dorsey. The Connie J. Klanica Foundation See Mental health, A2
Rich Zink and his sevenyear-old daughter Patty shop for corn on the cob at Carmody’s Farm Stand.
A local presence that ‘bears’ close watching
Joy VanderLek, The Cheshire Citizen
By Mike Roberts
With all the attention being paid to COVID-19, many things in our outdoor world are going unnoticed. You know about checking yourself for ticks. And recently there was a report of the first mosquito that tested positive for West Nile virus. But there is another outdoor critter that has been popping up on the news every once in a while: the black bear. And, YES, we have some living right here in the Meriden area and surrounding communities. Overall, the state’s black bear population is growing, with an estimated 800 now calling Connecticut home. I have had reports of black bear sightings in the Meriden/MidSee Roberts, A5
An abundance of farm stands By Joy VanderLek The Cheshire Citizen
What is one of Cheshire’s best home-grown assets? It’s farm stands – Cheshire has an abundance of them. From A as in Arisco, to Z as in Zentek, there’s a farm stand for just about every person in almost every reach in town and everyone in between.
Johnson. The farm stand has been in operation since 1927 and the land surrounding it is still being farmed today. John Carmody owns the stand and it is run with the help of local young people each summer, like Jasmine Ozimkoski, whose cheerful customer service skills likely bring back shoppers as much as Carmody’s bountiful selection of vegetables and fruits.
One popular farm stand is Carmody’s on Peck Lane and West
“Everything is so fresh,” said Linda, from Cheshire, who did not give her
last name. She walked from the stand with arms full of tomatoes and lettuce. Back in the farm stand, Rich Zink of Meriden filled a bag with corn, helped by his daughter, Patty, age 7. Why come to Cheshire? “The food is top-notch,” said Zink. At the cash register, Ozimkoski said it wasn’t unusual for the Carmody’s to draw out-of-towners. The farm stand is See Farm stands, A4