Milford Living Winter 2023

About the cover: The Wepawaug River meets the Milford Harbor in winter. Photo by Cathy Leite. You can view Cathy Leite’s portfolio at cathyleitephotography.com

Carlson Insurance Agcy Inc

Agent

415 Boston Post Rd Milford, CT 06460 Bus: 203-877-9203

Happy holidays, neighbors.

I wish all my neighbors a safe and happy holiday season and the very best in the New Year. It’s a true joy to be part of such a wonderful community.

Publisher/President Suzanne Cahill Suzanne@milfordliving.com

Editorial Director Ann McGuire

Art Director Ryan Swanson Associate Publisher Susan Carroll Dwyer

Advertising Director Joy Haines

Contributing Photographers

Suzanne Cahill, Susan Carroll Dwyer, Shaileen Kelly Landsberg, Cathy Liete, Maryalice Manning

Contributing Editors Tracy Farricker

www.redmatpublishing.com State Farm Bloomington, IL 2006051

Contributing Writers

Susan Carroll Dwyer, Frank Farricker, Susan Glennon, Shaileen Kelly Landsberg, Janet Lawlor, Jason Marchi, Marilyn May, Gerry McGuire, Haley McNish, Cindy Papish Gerber, Mike Patrick, Ken Elkins

Production Assistance

Kevin Maher, Wendy Macomber, Todd Manning, Tamara Simpson

Interns

Bridget Dwyer, Maryalice Manning

Milford Living Magazine 162 Bridgeport Avenue Milford CT 06460 203-283-5290 http://www.milfordliving.com

Milford Living Magazine (ISSN 1547-4429) is distributed quarterly by Red Mat Publishing. P.O. Box 2387 Milford, CT 06460. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the Publisher. Subscription Rates: U.S. $23.96. Newsstand: $5.99. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Milford Living Magazine P.O. Box 2387, Milford, CT 06460. Please allow six to eight weeks for subscription processing. Copyright 2003-2023 Red Mat Publishing.www.redmatpublishing.com

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Greetings of the New Year and welcome to the winter issue of Milford Living.

Let’s embrace the New Year together with open arms and hope in our hearts that this year will bring good fortune and good health to the world. The New Year provides us with the opportunity to break old habits that no longer serve us and try something new in our lives. The proverbial fresh start is something we can all embrace, with weightless shoulders, and celebrate together.

In this issue we’re celebrating local artists and spotlighting their varied talents. You’ll meet some accomplished residents embracing new ways to communicate with the world through digital podcasting. You’ll learn about local authors who have put pen to paper and are sharing their stories with the world. We also spotlight a few engaging residents with some unique hobbies, with the hope that maybe these folks will inspire you to try something new! And you’ll meet residents who have chronicled the past and lent pride through their words and deeds to our small city. As an added bonus, you’ll learn a little about the people in other places as we visit some Milfords around the world.

Remember to check in with us online at milfordliving.com for shared images and stories throughout the winter months and follow us on Facebook for all the latest around town.

We love to hear from our readers, so please reach out with your thoughts about this issue and your ideas for future issues.

Suzanne

The purpose of this e-mail is not to criticize but to point out a minor—albeit it in my opinion, important—omission in your article “Celebrate Milford Veterans” [Autumn 2022 issue]. As you know, the American Legion is the world’s largest war veteran’s organization, and most towns in Connecticut have at least one or more Posts. Milford has two… On page 8 you list the various veteran groups in Milford including Legion Post 196 (to which I belong), but you fail to mention American Legion Post 34. Post 34 was chartered in 1919 and still meets in the original American Legion Hall (now known as the Fowler Building) in the center of town, and they did have a representation marching in the

Memorial Day parade. Please understand that I truly appreciate the article, but I think that the members of Post 34 should not be forgotten.

—Robert Murray, National Executive Committee, The American Legion

Thank you Robert for your service, and for bringing attention to our failure to mention American Legion Post 34 in the Autumn 2022 issue. The Post and its members should have been included in the article, and we apologize for the oversight. We’ll work harder to ensure all those who should be celebrated are included in the future. We also ask for community organizations to keep us informed of their good works and planned activities so that we can share this information with our readers whenever possible.

Kathy Anderson

Sandy Burnell

Peter Chapman

Judie DiFranco

Sue DuBrow

Kelly Durrschmidt

Lisa EnglishSarah Ferrante

Ken Hawkins

Kelly Hill-Mihalyak

Donna Howe

Ruth Korpita

Beth Lopez

Debi McGinley

Sophia Messore

Lorna Nichols

Barbara Oliver

Christine

Donna Tartagni

Colleen Zacarelli

Linda Wilson

Katie Anderson

Ken Burton

around town

Hans Christian Andersen said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” Victor Hugo wrote, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” And Maya Angelou stated, “Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”

There’s no doubting it: music communicates, inspires, and calms, among other positive things.

Music is exactly what the Milford Concert Band (MCB) delivers so well at 20 free programs and events across the city throughout the year. They’ve been doing so since 1992, the year Julia Sardi Gerace founded the group of 10 musicians. Gerace also served as conductor.

Milford native Duane Berge is the current conductor and musical director. From the beginning, he says, “The band was open to all skill levels and ages of musicians.” Even to this day, Berge says, “It’s a true community band,” performing concerts for holidays, veterans, and city functions when requested.

When the band first formed, Frederick L. Lisman was the city’s mayor. With his permission, the MCB rehearsed in the band room at Jonathan Law High School, which required them to follow the constraints of the

school’s schedule for availability. The major complaint about this arrangement was the difficulty scheduling practice time needed to

prepare for performances.

In addition to that limitation, “within a year the band had grown significantly, with many local musicians excited to be able to perform,” Berge recalls.

In 1996, Gerace relinquished conducting duties to Steven Saunders and the band moved rehearsals to Foran High School, once again following a school schedule.

“Since the band did not have a permanent rehearsal location, all the music and band equipment had to be moved every week. As the band grew, it became difficult to work with such a limiting arrangement,” explains Berge.

It was 1998 when the MCB was given a permanent home at the Fowler Memorial Building. “It is a perfect spot for the band to

COURTESY OF THE MCB

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MCB

The Milford Christmas Show at City Hall is where the MCB plays many favorite holiday melodies for children of all ages.

The Milford Concert Band (MCB) performs around town all year, including patriotic events, holiday parties, and the Summer Beach series.

call home,” says Berge. “At that time, talks began to make the band officially a part of the City of Milford, as the band was performing more for the city and city groups.”

During a Board of Aldermen meeting on August 5, 2002, a resolution was passed designating the Milford Concert Band as the official band of the City of Milford. “The band confirmed that it would not request funding from the City of Milford, and would operate as an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity,” says Berge. The MCB became a non-profit in 2004 and is a volunteer organization. “No salaries are paid,” says Berge. “All donations, which are collected during

performances, go to basic operating expenses, and many ongoing costs come out of band members’ own pockets.”

Berge, who took over leadership in 2014, has years of experience in jazz and rock

bands, orchestras, and concert bands. He gave up his corporate career and returned to teaching music as a partner at Trumbull Music Studios, and today teaches band instruments (brass and woodwinds), drums, and piano.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MCB

The Milford Concert Band poses for a group portrait on the Green in 2022.

around town

“We are a 30-piece band made up of local musicians of various talents, from student players, area semi-professionals, to retirees,” says Berge. In fact, he says, “there are still many early members who continue to perform with the band. Richard ‘Dick’ Platt, past Milford city historian who is now in his 90s, continues to contribute to the group almost 30 years later.”

The MCB is also open to musicians who wish to join. “We always welcome new players from high school to retirees with a love of concert band music,” says Berge. “Integrating local band students into community music projects gives them the opportunity to connect to the concept of public service as well as building an

Monday nights are rehearsal nights for the MCB at the Fowler Memorial Building. The band has rehearsed on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. since its inception in 1992.

impressive resume for college,” he says.

“We all have different reasons for doing this thing we do,” says Berge, “but we all

agree on a mutual passion for the gig.” Plus, he says, “We’re really good!”

—Jason J. Marchi

To learn more about the MCB, visit their Facebook page.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MCB

milford spotlight

Milfords Around the World

We are all rightfully proud of Milford, Connecticut, and what we have become over our 380 years of existence. While some records suggest our Milford was named for the town located in the southwest of England, the name has spread far beyond its original borders. There are many more places named Milford all around our country; 27 states have a town called Milford. But our Milford is both the oldest and largest of the bunch. What you may not know is that there are Milfords all around the world that have some exceptional stories of their own.

NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA

The most well-known Milford outside of Connecticut is Milford Sound on the South Island of New Zealand. Well known for its fjords (long bodies or water formed by glaciers), this Milford is marked by such natural beauty that author Rudyard Kipling once called it the “eighth wonder of the world.” While Milford Sound enjoys a healthy tourist trade with about 750,000 visitors each year, there are only 109 people who can call themselves Milfordites. They are hardy people, in an isolated and beautiful part of the world, and take great pride in being from Milford.

Just to confuse the tourists (not really), New Zealand has another Milford located on the North Island. When asked what made his

Milford so special, local councilor Chris Darby cited attributes recognizable to our town.

“Our little Milford is nestled in nature like no

other,” he says. “It’s an unrivalled welcome mat where endangered Bryde’s whales and Orca’s reside and the protected blue stretches to a horizon dotted with 50 islands, and we’re blessed by great urban amenity second to none, and it’s all within a quick 15-minute fast bus connection to the cosmopolitan city centre of Auckland—New Zealand’s biggest city.”

Across the Tasman Sea to Australia, two tiny Milfords live less than 50 miles apart, albeit in different states. The first sits in Queensland, in the northeastern part of the country, in an area called the Scenic Rim, a rural home to farms and exceptional natural beauty. If you go, head to Mount French National Park in nearby Boonah, and don’t miss the farm gate tours where you

Author Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound in New Zealand “The eighth wonder of the world.”

Auckland Councillor for the North Shore Chris Darby shared stories about his Milford with Milford Living

can work on a farm, then eat your delicious work for dinner. Its sister town is located in the state of New South Wales and has just a few hardy farmers who have held close to their name and identity as the population has dropped over the years.

IRELAND

Another famous Milford can be found in County Donegal, Ireland. Located in the northernmost part of the country near waters flowing into the cold North Atlantic, Milford enjoyed centuries of renown as the home of ancient chieftains who went to war instead of submitting to English rule. In the 1700s, the entire town became the property of Trinity College in Dublin, as a gift of the Earl

of Leitrim for use of faculty for the pleasures of rest and relaxation. Milford is held in high regard throughout Ireland for its raw beauty, academic history, and dedicated population.

While its most glorious days are part of a misty past, Milford remains the proud home of 300 robust souls.

milford spotlight

With sparkling blue water and sandy shores, Milford, Jamaica is situated just 34 miles from Kingston.

in nearby Nine Mile. These days, 326 good people make Milford, Jamaica, their home.

JAMAICA

The sunniest Milford in the world can be found in Jamaica, in the Parish of St. Ann, near the capitol of Kingston. This Milford

is famous for its productive farms, and it is known as the Garden of Jamaica. The area is also the birthplace of one of Jamaica’s favorite sons, Bob Marley, who was born

There are other Milfords located in South Africa and Zimbabwe, as well as the beautiful town of Milford Haven in Wales, whose relationship to the sea is similar in many ways to our Milford. All together they represent a cross section of the world. They are towns that we should get to know, perhaps adopting one as a Sister City where we can make permanent the relationship we all share by calling ourselves, no matter what country we live in, Milfordites.

—Frank Farricker

Celebrating 15 Years with Two Iconic Restaurants

BIN 100 and Bridge House both opened their doors in 2007 and have served tens of thousands of delicious meals. Since crystal is the traditional 15th anniversary gift, consider this our way of raising an elegant crystal glass to two local favorites, beloved by their patrons, and eagerly embracing the future.

BIN 100 100 Landsdale Avenue 203-701-8970 Bin100.com

Proprietor Elena Fusco opened BIN 100 in December 2007. “I have been working pretty much my whole life in the restaurant business, and for the 15 years prior to opening my restaurant I was managing my brother’s restaurant. The kids were growing up and I decided it was time to go out on my own; it took me about a year and a half to get it open.”

“We’ve evolved a lot since then,” Fusco explains, regarding the past 15 years. “When we first opened, our cuisine was SpanishAsian, but our clientele was looking for something more mainstream along the lines of familiar food. So we started moving towards Italian. That’s my background. My family immigrated here from Italy, so we started infusing a lot more Italian things

into the menu and we eventually ended up becoming what I would say is pretty much Mediterranean cuisine.”

When Fusco made the decision to move

to Mediterranean cuisine, she put together a special prix fixe menu and called it the Culinary Journey Around the Mediterranean. “Every month we would pick a different country in the Mediterranean and put together a small prix fixe menu which is like three courses, some appetizers, some entrees, some desserts, and we would run it all month; people really enjoyed it when we did that,” states Fusco.

Elena Fusco stands proudly with the kitchen staff of Bin 100 in celebration of 15 years.

A year later, Fusco says she ran out of Mediterranean countries to highlight, so she took all the customer’s favorite dishes and created a Best of Culinary Journey side menu. “That evolved into our prix fixe menu that we’ve been serving ever since,” she says. She’s now looking forward to making some menu changes. “Starting this January, we’re going to be testing recipes and coming out with some fabulous Italian vegan dishes.”

Fusco notes proudly, “My chef and one of my line cooks have been here since the day I opened, with the chef starting out as a prep cook 15 years ago and working his way up. He became head chef two-and-a-half years ago.

And most of the kitchen staff has been here for at least 10 years now. We are fortunate to have that consistency.”

BRIDGE HOUSE

49 Bridgeport Avenue Milfordbridgehouse.com 203-878-2800

Bridge House Restaurant co-proprietor Frank Basile joined the restaurant in June 2016 when he and BRIDGE HOUSE

milford morsels

business partner Robert Cyr joined Bridge House founders Rick Jurzyk and Chris Saley. The expanded partnership allowed for a new vision and increased culinary passion to bring the then-10-year-old business into a new and vibrant position serving the Milford community. Five years later sees Bridge House enjoying its 15th anniversary with all-hands-on deck as the partners steer into the future.

“Rob and I came on board in 2016 with the vision of revitalizing and expanding what was currently there,” explains Basile. “Within the first year we took over, we were seeing increases in volume in our private

party room. And our Happy Hour, which was non-existent at the time, turned into a lively place within six to eight months.”

While partner Cyr—a former corrections officer with the State of Connecticut— arrived at Bridge House with a passion for hospitality and wine and cocktails, Basile is a graduate of the venerable Johnson & Wales University (JWU).

Prior to JWU, Basile interned at Disney and worked for the Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group for six years. “They had steak and fish houses throughout Connecticut,” states Basile. He worked for California Pizza Kitchen for 10 years as a kitchen manager

Owners Robert Cyr (left) and Frank Basile (right) join the Bridge House team for a group photo.

BRIDGE HOUSE

and general manager before deciding it was time to go out on his own with the purchase of Bridge House.

In 2017, just a year after joining Bridge House, Basile and Cyr were named Businessmen of the Year by the Milford Chamber of Commerce, a tremendous show of welcome from the business community. Within 14-16 months after joining, the team “decided to purchase Bonfire Oscars which is now Bonfire Grille and then Founders House.”

In thanks for all the love and support Basile and Cyr have received from the people of Milford—especially during

the pandemic that shuttered so many non-essential businesses—the duo have established a non-profit foundation. BBFG Community Giving, a name derived from their restaurant monikers, was established in 2022. The foundation is a way of reflecting all the support they’ve received.

“When we do events, the support for them strictly comes from BBFG, so we’re able to raise funds and give back locally.” The group is working with the Luke R. Smith Foundation and the MAC, as well as other area charities.

—Jason J. Marchi

Bridge House Restaurant in Devon is a local favorite and a welcome sight for hungry travellers.

MARYALICE MANNING

Mosiac Man

According to some in the archeological world, as far back as 500,000 years ago our not-quite-human ancestors, homo erectus, created art when one of them used a shark tooth to carve a zigzag pattern into a shell. Skip ahead a few hundred thousand years of evolutionary change and our fully human ancestors were most definitely creating abstract and representational art. From carvings on tools and sculpted fertility idols to cave paintings of wild boars, horses, and bulls, humans showed a deep-seated need to create images reflective of the world around them and to leave their mark. The desire to create marks artists across every culture.

Like our ancestors from long ago passing an artistic torch through time, Wes Swanson’s artistic drive was handed down through generations. His grandfather was an artist who designed the Milford Bank logo, one of his uncles was a wood sculpturer, and another an illustrator for Reader’s Digest. With this sort

of artistic blood coursing through his veins, it was no surprise he has been drawn (no pun intended) toward art since childhood.

It was his Foran High School art teacher Mr. Czajkowski, or “Mr. Chip”, who pushed Swanson and encouraged him to take his art seriously. “He was the first teacher to take me under his

Swanson’s

wing and give me the belief that I could be good at this,” says Swanson. “He really had a big impact on my life.”

After high school, Swanson moved on to

Swanson (left) sees inspiration everywhere, from the beach which provided his mermaid materials, to the kitchen drawer that birthed a cat (above).

COURTESY OF WES SWANSON ART

ode to Marilyn Monroe made of classic Hollywood imagery.

MARYALICE MANNING (2)

Paier College of Art where he was given an assignment that would lead him to focus on two visual art forms: collage and mosaics. There is a difference: a collage is made by combining different materials like magazine pages, photos, fabric, maps, and other ephemera onto a larger backing to create an image. Mosaic is the art of taking small items like glass or beads to create a larger coherent picture or pattern. Depending on the piece, Swanson uses magazine photos, sea shells, film, fabric, thumbtacks, or Reese’s Pieces candies to make his collages and mosaics.

Like Andy Warhol, much of Swanson’s art is made up of pop culture icons, from a Beyonce image made up of hundreds of pictures of Beyonce, to Elvis created with vinyl records

for his hair. Swanson is inspired by the music, movies, and yes, even mass murderers, that impact our culture. “I just have a passion for it,” he says. “When I start a new piece or get the idea for a new piece, I get excited. I did a mosaic of E.T. I’ve loved that movie since the first time I saw it,

so I got this idea to do an E.T. with thumbtacks and Reece’s Pieces. It wasn’t until I started and was buying 30 boxes of candy or 3,600 yellow thumb tacks that I started thinking, ‘Wow, this is a lot of work’,” he laughs.

Swanson has also made mosaics of Janet Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, George W. Bush, Charles Manson, The Beatles, and Vincent Van Gogh. (He notes, somewhat disturbingly, that the Manson mosaic sold the fastest.)

Besides the mosaics, Swanson also makes sculptures, including a turkey made from a tea kettle, garden rake, BBQ forks, and a cat made of colanders, cheese graters, and spatulas. This kind of creativity comes with the fact that not everyone is going to like your work. “It can be

Swanson’s take of Milford’s First Church of Christ is made up of brides and grooms.

COURTESY OF WES SWANSON ART

hard to put yourself out there and have people judge you,” he says. Even finding a place to show your work can be a challenge, he says. “You have to summon up the nerve to ask places if they’ll give you a show. One time I had some work at a gallery, and someone used my art as a coat hanger. The gallery hung my piece on a coat rack and then someone hung their coat over it… It’s funny now.”

With the excitement of creating a new piece also comes some anxiety and stress. “I find the work to be therapeutic…but at the same time there is this feeling of, ‘What did I get myself into?’ ‘When am I going to finish?’ ‘Is this coming out the way I hoped it would?’” Like any job, art has its good days and bad. The

Swanson began leaning into the medium of collage and mosaic while attending Paier College of Art.

bad? “When you know you saw a picture in a magazine that would be perfect for a section of a piece but then I can’t find the picture and I go back and forth trying to find it until I have to give up and choose something else, it can be exhausting.” The good? “When I’m finally done, there’s a great feeling of accomplishment and

relief, like something new has just been born. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

No doubt homo erectus felt the same way.

You can see Swanson’s work at www. wesswansonart.com and at Café Atlantique and the Gilded Lily Gallery.

—Gerry McGuire

St. Mary School

COURTESY OF WES SWANSON

Career and Technical Education

College and career planning begins well before young people enter high school. With Connecticut’s recent passing of a statute requiring school districts to provide a comprehensive school counseling program from K-12, children as young as five might begin exploring careers in an age-appropriate manner, building on their interests as they move through their school years towards graduation. While students are often encouraged to consider some form of post-secondary education, there are many reasons why a young adult might decide to forgo college. Cost, interests, or simply being unsure of one’s direction are among those often mentioned.

School counselors are entrusted with the task of helping learners develop a college or career plan and a program of study that aligns with their goals after graduation. Aside from ongoing individual meetings with their counselor, students in middle and high school have opportunities to engage in orientation sessions, college and career expos, and elective fairs which highlight their options. These include career clusters and career pathways, some of which can lead to certifications for entry into a job or apprenticeship right out of high school.

Milford Public Schools has 11 career clusters within which there are currently two career pathways. A cluster is a grouping of jobs or industries related by skills, products, or services. A pathway is a collection of courses relating to a specific career, offering a deeper understanding of the field. The 11 clusters include Health Sciences, Marketing, Business Management and Administration, Finance, Education and Training, Hospitality, and Tourism,

Architecture and Construction, Audio/Visual Technology and Communication, Information Technology, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. Several of the clusters provide experiences that can lead to employment after graduation. Among them are:

(Above) Students in the Certified Nurse’s Assistant program at Jonathan Law check a “patient” wristband; (Below) STEM students work on their candy dispenser designs.

• The Health Sciences cluster, with its popular year-long Certified Nurse’s Assistant Program that prepares students to take the State of Connecticut Nurse Aide Competency Exam. Students take two half-year courses and engage in 12 clinical experiences which provide a combination of theory and clinical application of skills. Successful completion of the coursework and exam can lead to certification and employment in a variety of healthcare settings.

• The Hospitality and Tourism cluster, in which courses related to restaurant, food, and beverage services provide students with real-world experiences in the field. The successful completion of a series of three courses allows students the opportunity to earn a nationally recognized and accredited Food Handler certificate, with career potential in various restaurant, kitchen, and food service occupations.

• The Education and Training cluster offers courses in child development and early childhood education. The Foran High School Child Learning Center and course-required field trips provide experiences students can use after

An automotive student diagnoses an electrical problem on his vehicle using the SnapOn Solus Legend.

high school to work in childcare settings.

• The Transportation Distribution and Logistics cluster offers a series of courses on power technology that provide students a background in the design, construction, and application of automobile components. This cluster is popular among students who enjoy working on cars.

There are two career pathway options, Computer Science and Entrepreneurship and Business Management, the latter offering students a concentrated series of business, marketing, and finance courses that provide an understanding of the basic principles of starting and running a business. Particular

attention is given to opportunities for small business ownership. Several Milford Public Schools students have used the skills gained in this pathway to develop and begin their own business plans.

You might already know “The Detail Gentlemen,” doing business as TDG Autodetail, a local auto detailing business started by three 2020 graduates of Foran High School. While two of the three original “gentlemen” have gone on to college, Tyler Borer found that just wasn’t for him. “I started at Southern during the pandemic year and was stuck in my dorm room taking five courses online,” he explains. Borer left after

finishing the semester and currently keeps very busy running the business full time with his new partner, Alex Moreno, and their employee, Nikolas Cruciani.

Borer credits a mutual love of cars and the teachers and experiences he and his original partners had in the business pathway at Foran with giving them the skills necessary

MILFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Culinary Arts students in the quick bread unit, experience the science behind quick leavening agents.

to start the company. “All the business courses played a key factor and built on one another to give us what we needed to get things done,” he says.

Lisa Swanson, an instructional supervisor for Milford Public Schools, facilitates the district’s partnership with the Connecticut Pathway System Institute, which will help review current pathways and future possibilities going forward. In addition to expanding options for students to obtain certifications and credentials that are career aligned, the district hopes to add pathway offerings and new courses in Career and Technical Education that support local labor needs.

“We are always looking for community members to expand our work-based learning opportunities, such as work shadow, internships, guest speakers, and career fairs,” says Swanson, adding the number of students engaging in internships has doubled in recent years.

The benefits of offering a comprehensive array of options for high school students are numerous. With continued emphasis on career and technical education across the country, Swanson points to the importance of giving all learners varying opportunities for career development, whether they go on to higher education or right into the workforce. “Whatever path beyond high school students may be

choosing, having experiences to help them determine what career they may or may not want to pursue will help inform future decisions. Having a variety of experiences that allow students to explore interests in a supportive environment is essential to our work and ultimately strengthens our community.”

—Susan Glennon

MILFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Winter Birding

Since not all birds fly south for the winter, your windows are the perfect portal for exploring the world of winter birds. Some of our year-round residents are easier to observe in the winter when there are less leaves, and possibly a fresh coating of snow, including Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, or woodpeckers. Winter is also the best season to observe groups of White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco that nest to our north.

This winter has many indications of a winter finch irruption. Red-breasted Nuthatches were observed migrating as early as August, and recent numbers of Purple Finches and Evening Grosbeaks are already exciting. The best way to attract these visitors from the north is to provide some sunflower chips and thistle (nyger) seed. While I’m partial to the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point

as a viewing point, Milford has great opportunities for winter birding across town. Birders from across the state frequently visit Silver Sands State Park and Mondo Ponds during the winter. I equally enjoy a stop to look for birds in the water or resting on the

rocks at Gulf Beach, Wilcox Park, and Anchor Beach. A late day walk at Eisenhower Park might lead to a lucky encounter with one of the resident owls.

A short walk at Milford Point is worth it even on a cold winter day, though you want to dress warm. Looking towards the mouth of the Housatonic River you’ll find two species of loons, along with sea ducks like the Greater Scaup. Snow Bunting are sometimes seen on the beach, and in the marsh, keep an eye out for the low-flying Northern Harrier or a Bald Eagle taking a break on one of the small grassy islands.

The open habitat at Silver Sands is a haven for hawks. Our most common hawk in Milford is the Red-tailed Hawk. During the winter you’re also likely to spot a Cooper’s Hawk or a Merlin chasing a flock of small birds. The brushy areas along the edge of the old landfill and gravel parking area are perfect for sparrows, Carolina Wrens, and Northern Mockingbirds.

Mondo Ponds is a unique location to find ducks during the winter. The largest of these five man-made ponds rarely freezes over completely, thus attracting a variety of

JACK BULMER

JACK BULMER

Carolina Wren

Snow Bunting

Red-bellied Woodpecker

different species of duck. Almost as common as Mallards during the winter are the Ring-necked ducks, who sport a more prominent ring around their bills than their necks. Bring your field guides and binoculars and you might be able to pick out a Hooded Merganser, American Wigeon, and one of CT’s most uncommon winter visitors, a Eurasian Wigeon.

Wilcox Park might seem like an isolated patch of forest to us, but to the birds, it’s a perfect small refuge. Listen for tapping on the trees to locate a Red-bellied Woodpecker or the more secretive Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Keep an eye to the skies or higher perches to find a Red-shouldered Hawk that frequents the downtown area.

Some birds prefer a change in habitat, and the rocky shores of Anchor Beach are a great location to spot birds roosting out of the water. Among the Double-crested

Cormorants you might find a larger, stouter Great Cormorant. As you take your time scanning the rocks, it might look like smaller rocks start walking. There are

ROBIN ARNOLD

GEORGE B2

Purple Finch

Red-tailed Hawk

some shorebirds that overwinter along our coast, like Ruddy Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers.

Taking a moment or two to observe the birds around us this winter might be just what the doctor ordered. New studies have proven that observing birds makes us happier and less stressed. Listening to

their songs is an even more

mood booster. On those gray days in February, stop and enjoy some of the first harbingers of spring, birdsong.

powerful

—Ken Elkins

Northern Cardinal

Greater Scaup

Ken Elkins is the Director of the CT Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point.

Great Cormorant

JACK BULMER

HENRY VAN OPPEN

(Pod)casting about in Milford

BY CINDY PAPISH GERBER

Podcast producer, educator, author, and journalist Emily Prokop has lived in Milford since 2013. “I started listening to podcasts in 2012 when the purple Apple Podcasts app first appeared on my phone. From there, I was hooked,” Prokop admits. After diving in headfirst in 2015, Prokop’s second podcast, The Story Behind, “was turned into a book and audiobook and nominated for a Webby Award for Best Series.”

By 2017, Prokop started her own podcast production company, and has been “producing, editing, and educating others about podcasting ever since.”

If you’re among the millions of Americans who has never listened to a podcast, Prokop’s advice for newbies is simple: “Check your phone to see if you already have a podcast app. For iPhones, the app comes preinstalled. Google Podcasts or Stitcher are popular for Android users. For those already using Spotify for music or Audible for audiobooks, there are podcasts available on those apps as well.” From there one can search for topics or ask

Emily Prokop has her own podcast production company; she hosts, produces, and edits podcasts.

friends what they’re listening to. Prokop says “newsletters like EarBuds Podcast Collective, ListenNotes, and Podcast Brunch Club, are good resources.” For wannabee podcast creators, Prokop offers strategy sessions and recommends asking yourself these basic questions: Who is your podcast is for? What is the purpose? What do you want the podcast to do for you?

The Milford area podcasters interviewed here have dutifully answered those questions. Now, they invite our readers to search, download … and listen!

PANTOCHINO PODCASTS

Creating a podcast for Pantochino’s awardwinning theatre company didn’t occur to co-producers Bert Bernardi and Jimmy Johansmeyer until 2019. That’s when music engineer Scott Simonelli (husband of a Pantochino actor) suggested podcasting to “keep their shows going” beyond curtain calls. “We had shortform musicals that Justin Rugg and I wrote for Pantochino’s Summer Theatre Camps,” Bernardi recalls, “and thought that by breaking them into episodes…they would make perfect podcasts.” Recorded in Scott’s Killingworth

(Clockwise from top left) Mary Mannix, Justin Rugg, Jimmy Johansmeyer, and Bert Bernardi in Pantochino Podcasts’ “Lil’ Red Ridin’ Boots.”

home studio, the episodes were an instant hit. But the team was so busy with live shows and in-school programs, the podcast idea was shelved. “Then along came COVID 19.”

During shut downs, the Pantochino troupe held weekly Zoom brainstorming sessions. “Scott suggested we could record our voices separately, making us sound like we were all in the same place at the same time,” Bernardi reports. “We were happy to have something to do! Genius! It worked!”

The podcast added titles to their show roster and attracted thousands of listeners. To Simonelli’s surprise, “Without promotion, we’re still getting 30-40 downloads per month! Strong numbers for a podcast starting from scratch with $0 budget.” Bernardi and Johansmeyer are thrilled those episodes (available on Spotify and Apple) have been downloaded by listeners from US, Canada, UK, and across Europe. “And WOW—many, many listeners in India!” says Bernardi. “It was a great to keep moving forward, trying new things, and connecting with our fans while gaining followers from around the world!”

They call their podcast “road trip ready and family friendly” with episodes including “The Wizard of Oz (Sort Of)”, “Super Groovy Aladdin,” and “Little Red Ridin’ Boots.”

BRETT BROESDER

WIN THE FUTURE

A veteran communications strategist with nearly two decades of experience working in the public, private, and non-profit sector, Broesder is an elected member of Milford’s Board of Aldermen and former member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board. “My wife, Jessica, and I are homeowners who have lived

in Milford for nearly a decade. We both work in Milford and are active members of the community,” he says. “We love it here.”

Broesder launched his first podcast in 2016. Most recently, he produced Win the Future, “interviewing folks with an entrepreneurial spirit; paving the way for future economic growth.” On his new podcast Democrats Serve, Broesder interviews “Democrats running for office with public service backgrounds.” Broesder believes podcasting “offers a great opportunity to highlight many of the amazing people, at the local, state, and national levels, who are working hard to make our communities stronger.” His Milford-specific podcast guests have included Mayor Ben Blake, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, State Senator James Maroney, Economic Development Head Julie Nash, and P&Z Board Chair Jim Quish. Looking ahead, Broesder plans to “get the Democrats Serve podcast up-and-running with a few well-known national guests to kick it off.”

Broesder’s list of favorite podcasts includes: Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman, American History Tellers, American Scandal, Business Movers, and The Startup of You

JOY’S CORNER

Every Wednesday, Milford resident Joy Daniels hosts her weekly popculture podcast Joy’s Corner. “I talk about some of what is in the news, celebrity gossip, and mention some upcoming events happening in Connecticut,” says Daniels. “I’ve been doing this show for four years. I initially did it on live radio for WHRT at Sacred Heart University.”

Daniels was able to transform the format of her former radio show to a podcast, producing weekly themed playlists and adding commentary. “I love getting recommendations and requests. Listeners and readers can email me at Joyscornerradio@ gmail.com.” Although she has yet to interview

any Milford musicians, “a while back, I featured Russell Petrini, the owner of Papa’s Pizza. He told me a lot about how he got started in the business and his Milford upbringing.”

Daniels has “quite a few Milford listeners” and those around the CT Metro area, as well as a fanbase down South. She records the show (streaming across Spotify, TuneIn Radio, and Soundcloud) from a studio in Fairfield, CT.

Her hope is to bring Joy’s Corner back to LIVE radio. “I grew up in the 80s and 90s. I listen to a lot of stuff from my childhood and to today’s artists as well. Much of what I listen to privately ends up in the weekly playlists.”

THIS HAPPY PODCAST

A resident of Milford since 2020, communications professional John Grosso serves on the HOA of his Lexington Green neighborhood. “I’m an advocate for personalized, common sense social media solutions to help bring organiza-

Joy Daniels hosts Joy’s Corner, a weekly pop culture podcast that began life as a live show on WHRT.

tions into the 21st century,” he says. Up until September, Grosso co-produced Let Me Be Frank, a podcast featuring Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT. “We had monthly guests and dealt primarily with current events in Catholicism,” says Grosso.

One might say his new podcast embraces a “Whole New World.” Grosso co-hosts (with Paul Jarzembowski and Matt Palmer) This Happy Podcast, and calls it “a joyful conversation reflecting on the magic and nostalgia of Disney

theme parks,” mixed with Disney news and vacation planning tips. “We record and post weekly about our experiences with favorite rides, family memories, nostalgic sights, smells, and sounds,” he says. “We keep it positive.”

Disney fans of all ages can tune in on Apple, Spotify, Podbean, and Audible.

DIABLO’S DEN PODCAST

Danny Diablo (aka Lord Ezec) and Jay Reason focus on bringing attention to underground art-

ists and musicians and discussing new music, films, and current trends. “Danny and I started Diablo’s Den in 2018 and brought some of our guests to Milford, including legendary hardcore/punk rock guitarist Vinnie Stigma,” says Reason, who also operates Static Era Records, a record label with a retail storefront in Downtown Milford. “We won best record store (Reader’s Poll) in CT Magazine this year.”

Prior to the pandemic, Reason and Diablo were doing all in-person NYC interviews but these days they’ve gone hybrid, conducting interviews in person and remotely “to keep content coming.” After joining the Evergreen Podcast Network, the reach of Diablo’s Den has significantly expanded. “A new episode will usually do about 1,000 downloads in its first week and our YouTube will get about the same,” Reason says. “This has been really helpful with gaining listeners.”

Other Evergreen Network favorites they recommend: Axe To Grind, The Punk Rock MBA, and The Smokin’ Word

Jay Reason, Danny Diablo, Vinnie Stigma, and Lou DiBella recording Diablo’s Den podcast.

This Happy Podcast hosts Paul Jarzembowski, John Grosso, and Matt Palmer.

MIKE LIVINGSTON

THE 20-SOMETHING MOM

WITH MCKENZIE FRANK

Originally from East Haddam, CT, this multitasking mom does marketing and advertising for Milford’s Dockside Brewery. “I’ve always worked in television and media production both here and in L.A.,” she says. “When I got pregnant with my daughter Jagger in 2020, Covid closed down everything. I was new to this ‘mom-ing’ experience. There was so much info around, yet I couldn’t find one reliable place to refer to. Since I’m a daughter, a mother, and wife, I created The 20-Something Mom to deal with unspoken topics and shine a light upon difficult conversations.”

Frank’s “judgment-free” discussions with sleep-experts, marriage counselors, sex therapists, fellow moms, her husband Dan, and even her own mother, have attracted more than 20,000 listeners across the US and internationally. “I started in November 2021 and created a studio in my house where I would record weekly episodes after my daughter went to bed,” she shares. She’s grateful to her family for providing constant support… and a steady stream of mom material!

In the works: producing accompanying YouTube video clips.

MOST PREVAILING STORIES (MPS)

“The main focus is to present the most prevailing stories we can find throughout the district,” says Cameron Wilkitis, the digital content specialist for Milford Public Schools. “We want people to get a strong sense of what our school culture really is about and use actual voices to tell these stories. And since there is always something good going on, this gives us yet another way to share that good news with everyone!”

Superintendent of Milford schools, Dr. Anna Cutaia, “has been empha-

‘mom-ing’

sizing our need to embed more digital tools into our work, so the concept of creating podcasts has been a part of our planning,” says Wilkitis. “We started developing the project, created the launch timeline, and were happy to coordinate our first feature with the start of school.”

Wilkitis records and edits in a dedicated MPS space as well as “on the road” to obtain relevant quotes. Others involved in MPS include Jim Richetelli, Pat Bradbury, Sherrod McNeill, and Sue Glennon. “We have 14 different schools, so there is always plenty of great news to share with listeners and to address topics in a comprehensive way so everyone can learn about the great things happening.”

Episodes are available every other Friday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and Google Podcasts.

(Above) Cameron Wilkitis recording an episode of the Milford Public School’s podcast Most Prevailing Stories. (Below) McKenzie Frank shares her unique perspective on

in her weekly podcast.

AMAZING TALES

FROM OFF & ON CONNECTICUT’S

BEATEN PATH

Mike Allen was recently chosen as one of “20 Game Changers in Connecticut” by the State Historian’s Office and CT Explored Magazine. In his podcast, he combines his experience in journalism, broadcasting, and public speaking to delve into historically significant people, places, and events throughout our region.

“Amazing Tales has seen about 28,000 downloads, with the audience primarily

from Connecticut, but also reaching all 50 states and 48 other countries,” says Allen. New episodes are released every Thursday.

Allen has explored many Milford topics, ranging from Charles Island lore to details about a WWII underground missile facility on Rock Lane/ Conklin Field. He plans to record a future episode about Simon Lake as well as “Milford history stories that your magazine has covered” for more episodes.

Mike Allen, podcaster of Amazing Tales.

Mona Costantini and her dance partner Bella Kogan glide through a competition. 40 Milford Living • Winter

DISTINCTIVE DIVERSIONS

By Susan Carroll Dwyer

Many of us yearn for a distraction from the dayto-day routine, something fun that offers an escape hatch from the doldrums. Not only a pastime, but opportunities to meet new people, tackle interesting challenges (physically or mentally), and collaborate with new friends. While stamp collecting is nice, others pursue less common leisure activities.

Competitive Ballroom Dancer

Mona Costantini comes from a long line of Polish farmers. “We all farmed on Wheelers Farms Road,” she says. Dance, apparently, is also in her blood. “As a young child my best friend Susie took dance lessons and tried to teach me some basic steps. My parents sent

me for lessons at age seven.” Fortunately for Mona there were more opportunities to dance. “In the 50s elementary schools included dance as part of the curriculum. There were monthly dance parties on Friday nights,” Mona remembers. “I met my husband at the “New Haven Bandstand” TV show.”

Once married, Costantini had little time for dancing. “It wasn’t until after my husband’s death that I began watching ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ I realized what I was missing, just a simple pleasure. Now at 70 it was time to find fun…to dance.” The first time Costantini entered the Fred Astaire Dance Studio (547B Boston Post Road, Orange) was hard. But, she says, “The music was soothing and the staff joyful…and patient. The owner Nedd Pavlovic transformed me into a competitive dancer in most regional and national competitions around the country.”

“Although I have learned a lot of dances, my favorite is smooth dancing,” says Costantini,

referring to dances like the waltz, foxtrot, and tango. She highly recommends trying a step or two. She calls the Fred Astaire Studio “an outstanding studio that functions like a family. We are all ages, genders, sizes, nationalities as well as abilities. Dance has given me new life and I am forever grateful.” (You can see video of Mona in action on the studio Facebook page.)

Astronomer

Greg Barker spent his childhood looking skyward. “When I was a kid growing up in Monroe you could see lots of stars. My dad would point out constellations to me and he frequently took me to the Museum of Art Science planetarium in Bridgeport, now the Sacred Heart Discovery Museum,” Barker recounts. “I was around 12 when I got a little 2” refractor. The kind of scope I tell people NOT to get. I spent time with [Milford astronomer] Allan Sacharow, enjoying the planetarium at Foran.”

“The simple telescopes kids receive as gifts are essentially toys with a purpose,” Barker explains. “The type of scopes my wife and I have are known as Dobsonian telescopes. We were both able to make mirrors with John

Greg Barker poses proudly with his hand built Dobsonian telescope.

COURTESY OF GREG BARKER

Korea and Kempo from China. Kyoshi Herbie Bagwell, of Bagwell Academy of Martial Arts combined the two disciplines.”

“Martial arts provide discipline, physically and mentally,” Mongillo-Korkmaz says. “I started in my 40s and have been practicing for 10 years. What pushed me was something that I told my daughter. I noticed that she was much like (Right) Tina Mongillo-Korkmaz wields the Kamas with intensity during practice. They are based on an ancient Okinawan farming tool.

Dobson, the inventor of that design, 10 years ago.”

The Astronomical Society of New Haven brings their remarkable telescopes to public viewing events where you can star gaze like you never have before. (Follow them on Facebook for events.)

“I love the idea of inviting people to ASNH viewings,” says Barker, who serves as the current president of the group. “I think the reason we enjoy doing the public outreach is seeing the reaction people have when viewing Saturn for the first time. People are incredibly surprised how clearly you can see the rings and some of its moons.” Barker always encourages people to learn more. “Join a local astronomical club you’ll learn a lot about the night sky, telescopes, and you get to meet like-minded people.”

Martial Artist

Tina Mongillo-Korkmaz made a long-held curiosity a reality. “I have always wanted to study martial arts since I saw Bruce Lee. I thought, and still think, that he was just amazing,” she explains. “I study Tae Kempo, which is two disciplines: Tae Kwan Do from

SUSAN CARROLL DWYER

THE NHAS STARGAZING AT SILVER SANDS

me as a child, shy and painfully quiet. I told her that I would start if she started. Now it is truly a family affair for us, my son Deniz began at 5, my daughter Ava at 10.”

This past November, Mongillo-Korkmaz competed in the 8th Annual Mid-Connecticut Karate Championships at Jonathan Law High School. “We compete in three categories traditional weapons, traditional forms, and point fighting.” Mongillo-Korkmaz is a former all-around champion in Connecticut for weapons, forms, and fighting. She earned the title of Sensei (black belt) at the age of 50. Now, she enjoys helping teach others. “I am more fulfilled working with the under belts. My advice to them is do not be afraid to make mistakes, which is how we all learn.”

Magician

When he was still in school, Bill Hoagland became intrigued by magic. “I got interested when I was young and started taking books out of the library. The first book was Henry Hay’s Amateur Magicians Handbook,” Hoagland recalls. “Finally, I bought a copy. I read things over and over until they made sense.” Hoagland says his father helped him realize that “by physically doing things I learned quicker,” and he moved on to performing magic shows in the house for his family.

Magic eventually took a backseat to other teenage interests, but as Hoagland finished high school, the magic reappeared. “My cousin had a friend named Bob who did a lot of card tricks, and he was very generous with his library and knowledge,” says Hoagland. “I learned so much from him and then he introduced me to the Society of American Magicians; some were working professional magicians and some amateurs like me.”

“I started going to monthly meetings where I learned all kinds of magic.” One of the people he met was a man named Tom Prete, who went by the name “Mr. Magic,” and owned a magic store. “He was generous with advice,” Hoagland recounts. “Tom

taught me how to entertain. If they know you are having fun, the audience has fun too. My favorite part about being a magician is making people laugh.”

Considering learning the magnificent art of magic? Bill offers some advice. “Anyone that wants to get into magic, young or old, should look for one of the Magic Organizations, like the Society of American Magicians or International Brotherhood of Magicians. The people there are very friendly and always looking to help you learn more and more about magic.”

Geologist a.k.a Rockhound

Like most kids, Brian Young liked collecting interesting rocks. “While on vacation we would go walking old logging roads with my parents. Along the way we would find crystals laying in the dirt,” he recalls. “As a kid it was interesting to just find them on the ground. Then I found out about quarries.”

“When I began to dig, I really got hooked,” Young continues. “To dig up a shiny treasure that no one has touched but me, some of them created tens of thousands of years ago, is intriguing to me. A shiny treasure I had dug up was made by Mother Nature and I am the first to see it.”

Brian Young displays two large Beryl crystals from his collection.

Bill Hoagland working with a future magician at a magic convention.

SUSAN CARROLL DWYER

COURTESY OF BILL HOAGLAND

“The more I found, the more curious I became. I started doing research on geology, learning about what I had been discovering, and finding places to engage in digging, hammering, and chiseling.” It’s natural now for Young to keep an eye out for nature’s treasure. “Most people are surprised by what I find in the area,” he says “Amethyst, beryl, quartz crystals, prehnite, calcite, pyrite, so many more. It is an adventure, the possibility of finding treasure. My best find was a pocket of green gem tourmaline from Maine.”

Young often brings his kids on the digs. “Maggie has her own collection, and we are always trading stones,” he says. His son, however, is still a little young to appreciate the outings. “David eats rocks at this age or drops them…that’s bad news if they are A+ specimens.

Interested in learning more? “Visit minedat.org and, you will probably start digging,” says Young.

Blacksmith

Always intrigued by blacksmithing, Jim Matthews was fascinated by the ability to create something unique from a chunk of steel. “I attended a blacksmithing convention around 17 years ago. The blacksmiths were happy to answer questions and explain the process,” he recalls. “Our daughter was born shortly after we attended. I became a busy dad, building Legos—which I very much enjoyed—and

bringing my daughter fishing.”

“When my wife wanted to take us to a Renaissance fair, I begrudgingly went along. It was okay…and then I saw the blacksmith,” he says. Matthews spent the rest of day watching the smith work and asking questions. “He was very helpful about how to get

Milfordites with vegetable plants, flowers, gourds, SUSAN CARROLL DWYER

(Left) Green phrenite dug up somewhere in CT. Rockhounds tend to be discreet where they dig.

(Below) Blacksmith James Matthews forges a hook with heated steel, hammer, and his trusty anvil.

SUSAN CARROLL DWYER

started, but I was missing the most important tool—an anvil. As luck would have it my uncle had one in his garage and wanted it gone. At 157 pounds he just couldn’t move it. I was more than happy to help him out. It was incredibly heavy, but I was willing throw my back out to get it in my truck.”

After his epic find, Matthews built a forge from scratch, welding it out of spoils from bulk trash season. “After the first attempt at making a hook, I realized the pros made it look easy,” he admits. “I hopped onto YouTube and looked for how-to videos; there were plenty. I forged ahead and continue to learn.”

“Since I started, I have created my own tools, tried different techniques, and made up a few of my own. I’ve made some decent hooks, tried my hand at axes, and am getting better all the time. Learning more with each hammer strike…making the anvil sing.”

Some of the hand forged hooks that Matthews has created.

SUSAN CARROLL DWYER

milford fit

Alternative Fitness

Ask anyone their New Year’s resolutions and they will almost always include improving their fitness. To many, that means hitting the gym for a workout or the road for some running—both popular paths to fitness. There are, however, a variety of other options to have fun and get fit for people of all ages. Here are just a few of the options available locally.

DANCE

“Dance is a fun way to exercise, because it doesn’t even feel like you’re exercising!” explains Stephanie Pavlovic, who owns Fred Astaire Dance Studio (547 Boston Post Road, Orange) with her husband Nenand. “Dance is great because it has a goal, is beautiful, and can challenge the dancer. Plus, it’s fun, so it doesn’t even feel like work,” she says. With dance, “you use every part of your body,” says Pavlovic. “It’s a great way to stay active. We teach ballroom dancing at Fred Astaire Dance Studio and it’s the best kind of exercise: low impact, easy on the joints, and can help to improve balance. We teach people of all ages, from 5-95 through private lessons and everyone has fun.”

For more information and class schedules, visit fredastaire.com/orange.

YOGA

Meredith Munk, yoga teacher and co-owner of Re:Mind Wellness Boutique (460 Naugatuck Avenue) shares that the philosophy behind this exercise is holistic, and while not competitive, encourages practitioners to get fitter with each session. “Yoga can increase physical fitness for participants, and mental fitness too,” she says.

Munk, who also teaches at Bend Yoga (245 Naugatuck Avenue) says that “the benefits of yoga are many since it is tied to endurance, toning muscle, and increasing the heart rate.”

There are many options available to take

RE:MIND WELLNESS BOUTIQUE

yoga classes, both in person and virtually. In addition to those previously mentioned, onsite classes are held at Tranquility Wellness Spa (88 Noble Avenue), Woodruff Family YMCA (631 Orange Avenue), through Milford Parks and Recreation, and more. A comprehensive list can be found at www.yogafinder.com. Also, look for virtual classes online.

CURLING

“The Broom Sport” which most people only know of through the Winter Olympics, is one that offers another unique avenue to fitness. Nutmeg Curling Club, located in Bridgeport, offers league play as well as public events, and has several members from Milford.

“Curling is a physically demanding sport requiring stamina, good balance, and also has a cardio aspect to it; sweeping a rock is not an easy task!” shares member Marianne Roggemann. “If you’ve ever walked on ice, you understand that balance is a necessary skill, and by maintaining it, you increase your core strength, flexibility, and coordination,” she

NUTMEG CURLING CLUB

continues. “The sport also strengthens legs by walking on ice and strengthens the upper body—sliding a 40 pound rock and vigorous sweeping can help tone arms and shoulders.”

Nutmeg Curling Club serves players from age 8-80 and offers more than 15 leagues per week, as well as various public and corporate events during the season, which runs from October – March. Visit nutmegcurling.com to learn more.

TAI CHI

“Tai Chi is a wonderful alternative to traditional workouts for gaining fitness,” shares Shirley Chock, owner of Milford’s Aiping Tai Chi (49 Research Drive), one of the few dedicated Tai Chi schools in Connecticut.

This martial art, initially developed for self-defense, is described by the Mayo Clinic as having “evolved into a graceful form of exercise that’s now used for stress reduction and a variety of other health conditions.”

“It teaches you how to find the tensions in your body and then release them as you are moving,” confirms Chock. “It can be effective in preventing heart disease, help with high blood pressure, increase balance and immunity,

and can reduce pain in the body.” For more information visit aipingtaichi.com.

TENNIS

Tennis is a popular sport and a great avenue to fitness. It gives a full-body workout, burns calories, and gets the heart rate up, making it excellent cardio exercise. While winter is not an optimal time to use Milford’s many outdoor courts, there is an indoor option for enthusiasts!

Charles Guglin, MD FACS

milford fit

Milford Indoor Tennis (580 Bridgeport Avenue) is a year-round facility and offers lessons and leagues for all ages and skill levels. Its five courts are used for group and private lessons, tournaments, league play, and can be rented by individuals or groups. More information can be found at milfordindoortennis.com

BOXING/KICKBOXING

For those looking for a challenging, but fun, workout, kickboxing may be the perfect activity! This aerobic activity burns a lot of calories, and people taking part in kickboxing class tone and build both upper and lower body muscle.

Title Boxing Club (169 Cherry Street)

provides cardio classes centered around boxing and kickboxing workouts. Power Hour classes consist of nocontact kickboxing, mixed martial arts training with intense cardio workouts, and toning exercises. Learn more at titleboxingclubmilford.com.

AQUATICS

A good old-fashioned lap swim is a great way to get fit, burning calories and improving the cardiovascular system while toning muscle.

Luckily, there are a couple of options for residents who are interested in taking to the pool for their exercise.

Milford Recreation Department offers passes to purchase for the McCann Natatorium (70 Park Circle) open swim times. The Woodruff Family YMCA (631 Orange Avenue) has lap times, as well as some aquatic exercise classes. Look for information at milfordct.myrec.com and cccymca.org/locations/woodruff/healthwellness/

—Shaileen Kelly Landsberg

TITLE BOXING CLUB

Look Local for Winter Reading

Reading offers a window into another universe. It’s the perfect escape from the tribulations of daily life, whether it’s with blood-sucking vampires searching for love or George Washington’s voyage across the Delaware (or both).

Milford is home to many who are responsible for the transportation of your imagination. These successful authors dedicate their lives to pursuing their passion and sharing a piece of themselves and the narratives they create.

MARISSA D’ANGELO

Marissa D’Angelo was born in Milford, and the city has long been the inspiration for her writing. She moved away at a young age, but her grandparents remained, which kept her closely tied to the community and all it has to offer.

D’Angelo has been writing since she was a kid, using pen and paper to journal the events and emotions of the day. She turned this passion project into a career, self-publishing her novellas on Amazon. Her early books followed dystopian themes, but after the death of her father, she shifted her focus to the spiritual and

supernatural realms of storytelling.

Drawing heavy inspiration from Charles Island, a mystical spot rich with conspiracy and legend, D’Angelo’s Tales of Charles Island series encapsulates this shift, focusing on the island’s lore. Her most recent book, The Cursed Spirit 2, is fifth in the series and follows two Native American women fighting for love, while discretion and curses hold them back. Released in October 2022, D’Angelo donates 10 percent of book royalties to the Paugussett Tribe and Charles Island Reforestation, LLC.

MICHAEL C. DOOLING

Born and raised in Connecticut, Michael Dooling is the author of five books, four of which focus on the New England area he knows and loves. The history of Milford is the focus of both Milford Lost and Found

and An Historical Account of Charles Island, the latter first published in 2006 and re-released last year. The well-researched book touches on the actual history of the famed island, as well as some of its legends. In addition to the treasure of Captain William Kidd and notions about European discovery, the second edition touches on shipwrecks, Navy weapon testing, nudist colony propositions, and much more.

ALAN KATZ

Currently residing in Milford with his wife, Rose, and their four children, Alan Katz began writing when he was just 16 years old, drafting comedy pieces for legendary comedian Henny Youngman. His love for laughter and writing evolved as he grew up, and to date he has written more than 50 children’s books, all of which focus on his main goal: to offer children the ability to laugh while staying informed. Katz’s current project is projected for release in early

January 2023. The new picture book, entitled Got

Nose, tells the tale of the escape of Becky’s runny nose, and the adventure she and her grandfather take to get it back.

PAOLUCCI

Currently living in Milford with his wife and daughter Eden Rain, the inspiration for his most recent book, Anthony Paolucci began writing novels in 2009. He wanted to pursue this career from a young age when he read children’s versions of classic literature and instantly connected to the stories.

He’s grown a lot as a writer since his first published story about how he unfairly

failed his high school English class (which was recalled from his school’s literary magazine shortly after making print.) The author of more than 30 books for children, Paolucci’s most recent title, New Moon Rising: An LGBT Tale of Self-Discovery & Acceptance, was published in early 2019. It is an illustrated story about self-discovery, feeling different, and acceptance.

—Haley McNish

ANTHONY

PENNY’S BOOKSHELF (1099 Bridgeport Avenue) is the ideal spot in Milford to indulge in this necessary pastime. It’s a cozy used bookstore where you can purchase any story your heart desires. In operation for 31 years, the shop’s current owner, Penny Valentine, loved shopping at the former Lynn’s Book Exchange, which inspired her to work there during high school. It got the name we know and love today when Penny purchased the store from her former boss. The shop offers a wide variation of genres, with fiction being their most popular.

When people enter the store, their eyes open with wonder at the towering shelves. “I get a lot of comments from people saying,

‘That’s a lot of books,’” says Valentine. The wide selection is the best part of the shop, and it’s all thanks to the customers. In exchange for their gently used books, Penny’s offers a store credit, half of which can be put toward a new book to purchase.

Penny’s makes reading accessible, luring in customers with its 50 cent or 3 for a dollar book bins. The shop’s Facebook page posts images of covers to make browsing from home quick and easy, and if you can’t find a specific title you can make a request and Valentine will let you know upon its arrival in the shop. Whether it’s to crack a spine to begin a new adventure, or to share your cardboard box of treasures with others, Penny’s is a must-visit.

COURTESY OF PENNY’S BOOKSHELF

senior corner

Poet Robert Frost once wrote, “The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.” Most people, as they age, can relate to this quote. Looking back with wisdom and perspective, decisions made, and plans laid can seem less pressing than they did at the time. No matter a person’s age, though, it is important to continue to make decisions and plans for yourself or for an aging loved one’s future.

MEDICARE

Making the most out of insurance is important, and with the wide variety of Managed Medicare, also known as Medicare

Advantage plans, researching the options is advised. While there is a lot of information online, it can sometimes be confusing, but there are local professionals who can help

navigate the process and help determine whether traditional Medicare or one of the many Medicare Advantage plans would be most beneficial.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

Elder law attorney Jay Jaser emphasizes the importance of financial planning as one moves into his or her later years. “People are living longer than prior generations and according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 70% of seniors will require some form of long-term care (LTC.) As the cost of long-term care continues to rise at an alarming rate, the necessity for long-term care planning is of paramount importance. This will allow you and your family the resources to manage financial, legal, emotional, and healthcare resources during a time of need.” An elder law attorney can help with this planning.

NURSING HOMES

“I am often asked for advice regarding Long Term Care Planning,” shares local resident Andrée Acampora, administrator of Orange

Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. “As a long-term care administrator for over 20 years, the number one piece of advice I always try to give is that a small amount of work upfront can pay huge dividends when or if they require the services of a nursing home in the future.”

Acampora continued, “Trying to visit facilities and make a decision when under the pressure of illness or time constraints can be very stressful, so before one is needed, select a few facilities to visit that are close to family and friends. Once you visit, narrow the choices to the ones you like and put your (or your loved one’s) name on the wait list. The earlier you get your name on the list, the better the

chance you have of getting a bed in your facility of choice when you need it.”

There are several facilities in our city including Milford Health & Rehabilitation Center, 195 Platt St., 203-878-5958; West River Health Care Center, 245 Orange Ave., 203-876-5123; Golden Hill Rehab Pavilion, 2028 Bridgeport Ave., 203-878-0371.

ASSISTED LIVING

Assisted living is just what the name describes; residents live in an apartment that is a part of a larger facility with services on site to support the needs of those residents. These services can include on-site meals in a community dining room, activities throughout the day,

housekeeping and laundry service, nurses’ aides to help with care needs, and nursing oversight. Many provide a separate memory care program to help those diagnosed with dementia who need specialized programming in a safe but contained area. As it is for nursing homes, it is recommended to tour several assisted living facilities in advance to get a sense of which would best meet your or your loved one’s needs.

In our city we have Carriage Green at Milford, 77 Plains Road, which offers a range of services, and can be reached at 203-5909193. Another option for seniors who are unable to live independently in their own homes are Adult Day Care centers. Sunset

senior corner

Shores in Stratford offers day health services and programs to assist. 203-380-1228

HOME CARE

There are different levels of home care services, and representatives at the different agencies can help you navigate which is most appropriate at any given time. Generally, “skilled” level provides in-home nursing care, physical, occupational, and speech therapies on a limited basis for a period of time, and the recipient must be considered “home bound”. Often, a doctor will order this type of home healthcare after a hospital or short-term rehabilitative stay to maximize functioning in the home environment. There are several

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ADULT DAY CENTER

“skilled” home health agencies that service Milford, including Home Care Plus, 203-8748414; Orange VNA, 203-891-4752; Elara Caring, 203-925-5929, and Visiting Angels, 203-2989700. Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, as well as many commercial insurance policies, cover this level of care for a period of time when certain criteria is met. The second level of home care services is called “non-skilled,” or “non-medical.” This level provides in-home nurses’ aides, companions, or other non-medical caregivers. It is either paid for directly by the recipient or their family, or can sometimes be covered by a long-term care insurance policy, and there is no medical certification needed for this level

of services. Sheri Ganter-Jaser, operations and sales manager of Comfort Keepers, shares that, “When exploring home care agencies, look for an agency that you’re comfortable with and is responsive in their communications with you. Also make sure that the caregivers are actual employees, not independent contractors to ensure they are licensed, insured, and bonded.”

DEMENTIA CARE

Receiving a diagnosis or having a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia can be frightening and overwhelming. Luckily, the Alzheimer’s Association has a local resource to help point you in the right direction for resources and

education. Milford resident Maria Tomasetti is the South Central CT Regional director of the Alzheimer’s Association and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping navigate the needs of someone with the disease. She can be reached at 203-4299134, and she encourages those in need of immediate help to call the agency’s 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900.

Often, we are unfamiliar with something until it is needed by ourselves or a loved one. Staying aware of what is available for potential future needs is always a good idea. Planning ahead can help make for a smoother road as time goes on!

—Shaileen Kelly Landsberg

historical perspective

Memoirs of Colonial-era Milford

It was a September day in 1775 and 15-year-old Joseph Plumb Martin was excited. He stood in a salt marsh in Milford (picture the marshy area behind the Kimberly Diner on New Haven Avenue, because it could very well have been there) with his grandfather, Joseph Plumb, where they would regularly harvest the salt hay. It was Martin’s job to hook up the horses.

But this day was different, and the reason for Martin’s excitement. Sometime before, his grandfather had agreed this would be Martin’s “play day,” a day off from his hard work on the marsh so he could attend the Yale University graduation ceremonies.

His grandfather, however, had forgotten; when he instructed young Martin to again hook up the horses, it turned into an argument that led to the grandfather angrily chasing his grandson through the swampy marsh.

The encounter was the last straw for Martin. The Revolutionary War had already begun, and he was eager to sign up.

We know Martin’s story because he left it behind. His is one of two Colonial-era memoirs of Milford that historians regard as some of the most important records of the period. The other is the 47-year diary of John Downs, the Connecticut minuteman, teacher, and weaver whose house still stands on North Street.

Some of the Founding Fathers referred to Milford in their writings, including President George Washington, whose visit here is the stuff of legend.

“How incredible; in Milford we have two

men of letters. They both became soldiers. One was a Continental soldier, and one was a so-called minuteman or militiaman,” says Milford-based historian and archaeologist Tim Chaucer. “I think they were instrumental in

Joseph Plumb Martin’s memoirs offer a unique perspective from the soldier’s point of view.

helping us understand what Colonial life was like, each of them.”

The two documents are vastly different, as were their authors.

Downs kept his diary regularly, sitting in the red saltbox house on North Street, which was saved from demolition by the Milford Preservation Trust more than two decades ago. His entries, Chaucer said, are “pithy”—short, to the point, without a lot of detail. “Downs talks about the weather a lot,” Chaucer says. “He talks about getting inoculated for smallpox; going to Salem, NY, not far from the Connecticut border.”

Downs sought the inoculation after the British put ashore a group of smallpox-infected colonial prisoners of war in Milford. It almost killed him. “I broke out by thousands,” he wrote on April 15, 1777, “…the pox heavy upon me.”

Downs also wrote of his exploits as a minuteman, being called to “alarms”—British raids—throughout Southern Connecticut. Chaucer points out Downs writing about the burning of Fairfield in 1779, and of Norwalk, which was devastated.

According to his journals, George Washington passed through Milford a number of times.

“As a minuteman, he’s supposed to be responding to these alarms, and he does,” Chaucer says.

Chaucer says Downs’ original diary has been

passed down to descendants and kept in a silver box, presumably by family in New Mexico. But its exact location is unknown.

Martin, by contrast, was 70 years old by the time he wrote and published his memoir.

After the Continental Army was disbanded in 1783, Martin moved to the Maine frontier, becoming one of the founders of Prospect, Maine, and its longtime town clerk.

His memoir was originally published anonymously in 1830 with the lengthy title, “A narrative of some of the adventures, dangers, and sufferings of a Revolutionary soldier,

interspersed with anecdotes of incidents that occurred within his own observation.”

He meant every grim word of that title, says Chaucer. “He wanted people to know the suffering that a Revolutionary War private experienced during the war.” In one passage, Martin described a gory battle and the lesson he learned from it:

“

The sergeant then came down and had not gone half a rod from the foot of the staff when he was cut in two by a cannon shot,” he wrote. “This caused me some serious reflection at the time. He was killed! Had I been at the same business I might have been killed, but it might have been otherwise ordered by Divine Providence, we might have both lived.”

for over 95 years!

Martin described his comrades being “cut down” in that same battle. “I saw five artillerists belonging to one gun cut down by a single shot and I saw men who were stooping to be protected by the works; but not stooping low enough, split like fish to be broiled.” Martin’s book, later ascribed to him, was thought to be lost to history until, in the 1950s, a copy was discovered. It was later annotated, and despite being retitled the whimsical Private Yankee Doodle, has continually been studied by scholars.

“Joseph Plumb Martin’s book is in every Department of the Interior national historic museum,” Chaucer says.

Should it be in the gift shop at Mount Vernon, it would be a curious irony, since Washington is said to have dined in Ye Old Clark Tavern—the very same establishment where Martin signed up for the Continental Army. It stood where the Parsons Complex now stands on West River Street.

“We can’t say ‘George Washington slept here,’” says current city historian Art Stowe. But he did keep “a journal of his travels.” Passages from those journals are kept by the National Archives. They describe Washington passing through the city from Stratford on his way to Massachusetts on his presidential tour of New England.

“

From the Ferry it is [about] 3 Miles to Milford, which is situated in more uneven and Stoney [ground] than the 3 last Villages through [which] we passed,” Washington wrote on Oct. 17, 1789. “In this place there is but one Church, or in other words but one steeple, but there are Grist and Saw Mills, and there is a handsome Cascade over the tumbling dams.”

He wrote about passing through Milford again on his way back from Massachusetts. “Set out about sunrise and took the upper road to Milford it being shorter than the lower one thru West Haven. Breakfasted at the former...,” he wrote on Nov. 11, 1789.

Almost 15 years earlier, John Adams passed

through Milford and logged the experience in his diary:

“Breakfasted at Bryants in Milford, where there are two Meeting Houses and a Church,” he wrote on Aug. 18, 1774, a Thursday. “We visited the burying Yard and the Tomb of [Thomas] Paines (sic) Great Grandfather [Robert] Treat 30 years Governor and Deputy Governor died 1710, 87 Years of Age. There is an old venerable Monument over him, with an Inscription.”

Treat was actually 86 when he died. You can read the same inscription Adams did at Treat’s grave in Milford Cemetery.

—Mike Patrick

Lenny Napoli

milford memories

The Fishergirl

A Milford childhood memoir

Iwoke up in the hush of the pre-dawn morning, when the birds sounded loud and hap py. Most people were still asleep. My dad whispered in my ear, “The snappers are running! Let’s go!” I pulled on my oldest jeans and sweatshirt, splashed the sleep out of my eyes with cold water, and ran my toothbrush over my teeth. We tiptoed out of the house, sneakers in hand, so we wouldn’t wake Mom. Dad already had the fishing poles in the car, the reels resting by the back window and the tips up on the front dash.

By the time we reached Gulf Beach, the pale pink and orange of sunrise was already pushing away at the night sky. We found an open spot among the fishermen lined up along the rusty old footbridge. As always, I looked around to see if there were any other girls. Sometimes I would find one, sandwiched

in among the very old men who looked like they had been fishing off this bridge forever. Or I might see a girl there with her father and brother, trying her luck for the first time. But today I was the only girl. No one noticed me in my old clothes, with my crumpled cap hiding my long hair.

I turned and peered over the

edge of the bridge. The water churned with the eager splashes of the baby blue fish, called “snapper blues.” I could hardly wait to get my hook baited and in the water! I grabbed a sliver of a shiner, the tiny bait fish, from the bait box. Dad always teased me, “Every fishergirl must bait her own hook!” I put mine on quickly, threading the piece back and forth a couple of times so it wouldn’t fall off.

Taking a very deep breath, I thought hard about each step of my first cast—release the lock on the reel, push the bale bar

back, hold the line with my index finger, bring the pole behind my head, snap it forward and out over the water, and release the line from my finger at “one o’clock,” when the pole was pointing high, but not straight up, in front of me. I only breathed again when I heard the soft humming of the fishing line playing out of the reel. Dad smiled and said “Nice cast!”

“Thanks!” I replied. I knew he was glad that I hadn’t cast over and tangled up someone else’s line. Fishing knots are harder to separate than gum in your hair!

My red and white bobber danced on the waves, winking

MARYALICE MANNING

at me through the glare of the rising sun on the water. I watched closely, because its disappearance would mean that a fish had found my bait and hook. Suddenly, the bobber was gone, and I felt a steady tug on the line. The tip of my rod bowed down toward the water as I reeled in fast and lifted the line and fish up over the edge of the bridge. “I got one!” I yelled. No matter how many times I fish, catching the first one is a big thrill, and I can’t seem to keep

from proclaiming it loudly!

I lay my hand over the slippery, flopping fish to quiet it, while holding the line with my other hand. I drew the hand on the fish slowly down its sides to keep the sharp fins folded in place. Then, wincing yet determined, I wiggled the hook free from its mouth and tossed the fish in our bucket. Then I repeated the whole routine, over and over—bait, cast, catch, bait, cast, catch. That’s the best part of snapper blue fishing when

they’re “running.” No waiting. Just catching. We headed home when we ran out of bait and our bucket was almost full. The smell of our clothes and poles seemed stronger in the car, where the salty sea breezes no longer carried the fishy odors away.

But the smell didn’t bother me. I liked being a “fishergirl.” I smiled and held the poles to keep them from sliding along the dash as we turned into our driveway. We would have fish for dinner. The delicious snapper blues I caught with my dad.

Janet Lawler

AUTHOR Janet Lawler was born and raised in Milford, and many of her story ideas come from her childhood there. Her recent narrative nonfiction picture book Walrus Song is the winner of the 2022 Connecticut Book Award. Her most recent release is Celebrate! A Happy Book of Firsts. Learn more about Janet and her books at www.JanetLawler.com

AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S

Shore and Residential Sales & Rentals Since 1965

The kitchen in the Eells-Stow house (c. 1700) at the Milford Historical Society looks like it’s waiting for someone to begin working in the bright winter afternoon sunlight. The light is perfect for spinning wool or adding a few hundred more stitches to a patchwork quilt. There was always work going on in colonial kitchens. When a fresh load of wood was crackling and hissing in the fireplace, it was the warmest place in the house. There were the aromas of meat roasting, vegetables simmering, and perhaps there was an apple cobbler in the bake oven alongside the fireplace. All these things were the rewards of the past season of harvesting gardens and gathering apples from the backyard trees. Raising domestic farm animals or hunting wild game meant there was meat on the table. Housewives would store flour in the cellar where it was cool and hang herbs in the attic to dry. Imagine how many hours of labor it took before all these things came together to make a hearty evening meal.

—Marilyn May

Photographer: Maryalice Manning

Poem for the 50th anniversary of the Milford Arts Council

Origami Birds

The transformation of many into one, communion of form and substance with dream. The movement of vision through and between one plane and another. Artists weave bridges from barriers, dance in whatever light the world offers, stand in a room or a courtyard and tell one another that anything is possible, your hand, your voice, our hands, our voices, can turn back the rivers, imprint lightning into the landscapes. We unfold history, assemble a tree alight with origami birds. In fifty years more, what songs will artists have set free from their throats?

TEXT: By Joan Kwon Glass Milford Poet Laureate

greetings from milford

SpeedyDelivery

n 1906, it took a mere four hours for this postcard to travel from Milford to West Cornwall in Litchfield County. The unknown sender was very much in favor of a postal correspondence with Miss Katherine Salunski/Salernski and anxious that she should “come down and make me a visit.” Given the speed from posting to reception (perhaps via railway mail), one imagines Miss Katherine had her bag packed and hat pinned firmly in place soon after in anticipation of the promised “good time.”

Ann McGuire

congratulations

The Jonathan Law Lawmen vs. Foran Lions football teams’ friendly cross-town rivalry began in 1973. After 49 years, the overall record stands at 25 wins for Law, 22 for Foran, and 2 tie games. Beginning in 1985, the Lawmen and Lions began to play each other for a now traditional Thanksgiving Day game. This season both teams made Milford proud, each achieving a 9-1 record, and making the playoffs in different divisions. Foran was thwarted in the quarter final round. Law made it to the semifinals. Hat’s off to both teams for treating us to dazzling play and sportsmanship and giving Milford so many opportunities to stand up and cheer!