www.plainvillecitizen.com
Volume 20, Number 12
Milestone year for foundation Eighty years ago, inspired vision and local generosity helped establish a foundation that has grown to become what is now known as the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. This year, the foundation celebrates both its 80th anniversary, as well as eclipsing $50 million in its endowment, beginning 2021 with more than $53 million in endowed funds. Those endowed funds are invested by the foundation and produce annual returns that allow the organization to provide nearly $2 million annually for grants to nonprofits and school districts, scholarships to students, sponsorships to organizations, and funding for initia-
tives to make the communities of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington a vibrant and better place to work and live. Growth in the endowment also allows donors who have established Donor-Advised Funds with the foundation to make a greater impact with annual grants that can be directed to any nonprofit in the United States.
In preparation for its celebration of the 80th anniversary, the foundation began planning in late 2019 when it formed a planning committee made up of a number of board members and community representatives. They include: Sharon Baretta, Charles Bauer, Mark Bernacki, Gary Brummett, Cori Humes, Nina Jankowski, Rebecca Karabin-Ahern, Barbara Marzi, Janet Mellon, Susan Rathgeber, Donna Rutola, Paul Salina and Robert Scalise. Stanley Black & Decker, one of the foundation’s original founding donors in 1941, agreed to be the Presenting Sponsor of the anniversary and CEO James M. Loree joined foundation Board Chair Paul See Foundation, A13
Good news on the COVID front Out of the red Plainville has dropped out of the top-of-thechart coronavirus red zone. The color coded status for cities and towns represents two weeks of cases. The trigger for red status starts at a rate of 15 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per day. The state’s most recent report, issued March 18, showed 36 positive cases in Plainville, which works out to an average of 14.6 daily
cases. That put the town at orange status, which is 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 people. As of March 21, the total of laboratory-confirmed and probable cases reported among Connecticut residents was 299,667, including 278,188 laboratory-confirmed and 21,479 probable cases. Three hundred eighty-nine patients were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. See COVID, A13
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Church holds blood drive for siblings with rare condition By Devin Leith-Yessian Record-Journal staff
SOUTHINGTON – A biannual blood drive to help two children in the same family diagnosed with a rare blood condition is on pace to collect its 1,000th donation since it was started in 2013. “It literally brings me to tears when we’re sitting there and see the line of people that are waiting,” said Plainville resident Nicole Ciriello. Her two children, Daniela, 8, and Matteo, 4, have both been diagnosed with beta thalassemia, also known as Cooley’s Anemia — a condition in which the body is unable to produce enough red blood cells. Since hearing of Daniela Ciriello’s condition in 2013, Grace United Methodist Church has sponsored two blood drives every year, one in October and one in April. Before the pandemic, the drives were
Daniela Ciriello, 8, and Matteo Ciriello, 4, stand outside their Plainville home on Saturday, March 20. Devin Leith-Yessian, Record-Journal
held at the church. This year’s drive is Saturday, April 3 at the Aqua Turf. Though Matteo’s condition is currently treatable with medications, Daniela requires blood transfusions approximately every three weeks. See Drive, A12
36 Whiting St, Plainville
833.4BHDOCS
R238781
Primary & Specialty Care