Issuu

September 24, 2026

.com

Guilford Vol. XXIX Iss. 39

Voters Approve $1.77M Property Purchase By Aaron Rubin Staff Writer

Guilford voters overwhelmingly approved the purchase of 370 Church Street at a special town meeting Sept. 16. The property will become another town-owned space within the public safety complex and is being considered as a potential location for a new police headquarters in Guilford.

The official vote tally was 93-10, according to a count conducted at the special meeting at Guilford High School. The property, formerly owned by financial consulting firm Prospector Financial, will be purchased for $1.77 million, an amount that comes from a $20 million bonding package Guilford residents approved at a referendum in 2022. First Selectman Matt Hoey said the

purchase follows a trend of Town Hall purchasing properties that have “immediate, medium, or long-term potential for future town use,” and investing in the community. The town is currently considering the property at 370 Church Street as the location for a new headquarters for the Guilford See Voters page 10

Danielle Eadevito knows there's more to a library than just books....2

Hog Wild

Four-Touchdown Night Shane Connelly scores four times as Rosaire’s Royal Racers sprint around the track during a pig race Guilford football improves to 2-0...11 at the Guilford Fair on Sept. 18, with the winner of each race rewarded with a cream-filled cookie. Established in 1859, the Guilford Fair is Connecticut’s second-oldest agricultural fair and is organized by the all-volunteer Guilford Agricultural Society. The fair features music, entertainment, amusement rides, vendors and traditional fair food.

Photo by Laura Matesky/ The Courier

JUST LISTED

Scotland Calls A journey through castles, coastlines, and the Highlands...............19

#1 #1 FOR LISTING MORE HOMES

IN GUILFORD SINCE 2017! SmartMLS 2017-2025

THAN ANY OTHER REALTOR

83 Crestwood Drive, Guilford 3 bedroom colonial with pool

List Price $549,000

#1 FOR SELLING MORE HOMES

THAN ANY OTHER REALTOR

OVER 1/2 BILLION DOLLARS IN CLOSED SALES! EXPERIENCE. RESULTS. TRUSTED.

ROSE CIARDIELLO 203.314.6269

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Danielle Eadevito: More Than Books By Pam Young Correspondent

When Danielle Eadevito joined the Guilford Free Library as a part-time librarian in 2015, she found a place where two of her interests came together: working with people and everything a library could offer its community. Eleven years later, she has grown along with the library. Danielle grew up in Branford and attended Branford High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in social science from Albertus Magnus College and a master’s degree in library and information science from Southern Connecticut State University. An avid reader, she had always enjoyed libraries as places to read, study, and work. But her undergraduate studies and visits to local libraries, including the Blackstone Library in Branford, began to show her how much broader their role could be. “My background in social science and working with people led me to

Person

of the Week working in the Guilford Free Library,” Danielle says. “It really has offered me the opportunity to learn, connect with people, and be involved in the community. I really enjoy it.” When the Guilford Free Library advertised for a part-time librarian in 2015, Danielle applied and was hired. She became a full-time librarian in 2016, supervisory librarian in 2019, and associate librarian in 2023, the position she holds today. “I really enjoy that I have been able to grow in my career as the library has grown,” she says. Along the way, Danielle has seen firsthand how many different roles a library can play in a community. “There are so many different ways a library can serve people,” she says. Programming is now one of the primary focuses of her work, giving

Danielle the opportunity to bring people together around everything from languages and cooking to technology and music. “It is my main focus and I love it because I get to create programs that bring people into the library to connect with others and to introduce new interests,” Danielle says. The library offers Italian classes taught by a local teacher, with levels ranging from beginner to advanced, as well as cooking and technology classes, concerts, and guest presentations. The library also recently completed its summer concert series. Danielle is also responsible for the library’s historical room, which preserves and shares Guilford history with the community. One of the biggest examples of that connection between the library and its community comes this week with the 45th annual Friends of the Guilford Free Library book sale. The sale will be held Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and See Danielle Eadevito page 10

Photo courtesy of Danielle Eadevito

Danielle Eadevito has grown from a part-time librarian at the Guilford Free Library to associate librarian, developing programs that bring people together while helping connect the community with the library’s many resources.

Indoor Holiday Craft Fair Seeks Vendors An Indoor Holiday Craft Fair will be held Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2311 Boston Post Road, Guilford. Admission is free. Vendor spaces are still available for $30 for the entire weekend. Space is limited, and vendors will be accepted through Thursday, Sept. 24. For more information about becoming a vendor, email bijouxab50@yahoo.com.

Christ Church Holds Annual Tag Sale

MexItalē Kitchen brings together the flavors of Mexico and Italy through delicious food and hospitality. Stefanie and Carlos created a place where everyone is welcome and every meal feels special.

THANK YOU SHORELINE!

We are deeply honored to be voted into the Top 3 for Latin/Mexican Cuisine & Best New Restaurant! Thank you for making our first year great! 2311 Boston Post Road, Guilford (203) 643-1540 Mexitalekitchen.com | mexitalykitchen@gmail.com

Christ Episcopal Church, 11 Park St., Guilford, will hold its annual tag sale Saturday, Sept. 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale will feature furniture, clothing, artwork, decorative items, toys, household wares, jewelry, antiques, and more. Admission is free, and proceeds benefit Christ Church. An early sale preview and reception will be held Friday, Sept. 25, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes wine and cheese and three raffle tickets. For more information, call the church office at 203453-2279.

NEW ENGLAND FALL IS CALLING! PAIR YOUR PERFECT FALL DAY WITH OUR PERFECT FRESH SEAFOOD. OPEN YEAR ROUND 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH & DINNER

COMMUNITY NEWS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Inside Living

With the Kinks Ironed Out Karen Isaacs finds plenty of laughs in Legacy Theatre’s The Odd Couple.............21 The Millionaires’ Unit New Haven Museum explores Yale’s pioneering World War I aviators..................24 First Friday in Chester Art, music, and celebrations fill the village Oct. 2............................................................25

Quote

of the week

Index Letters................................................... 4

“We've had a couple running backs that have been the last couple years and he's Obituaries............................................ 5 waited his turn, and we've known he's been a fantastic athlete and he's got Sports..................................................11 tremendous potential. I think he's starting to really kind of feel it right now.” Tides....................................................13 — Brian White.................11

Scan to Schedule Your Tour or Call (203) 654-3360 ACTIVE ADULT • INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING • SKILLED NURSING • REHAB 88 Notch Hill Road • Branford, CT 06471 (203) 654-3360 • Evergreen-Woods.com

Guilford Courier (usps 019-979)

Published weekly, 52 times per year by Shore Publishing, LLC 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 Periodical postage paid Guilford, CT 06437 Postmaster: Send address changes to Guilford Courier, 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320

Classifieds..........................................14 Sudoku...............................................18 Living..................................................19 Calendar.............................................20 Real Estate.........................................31

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

to Letters the Editor A Leading Voice Guilford’s Hometown Newspaper

Laura Robida Managing Editor Ext. 6119

Alan C. Ellis Production Director

As a mom in Guilford, I spend a lot of time thinking about schools. But our children’s education begins long before they walk into a kindergarten classroom. That is why Connecticut’s new Early Childhood Education Endowment matters to me. The state has now invested $711.7 million in the fund to expand access to early care and education. It is already supporting more than 1,000 additional child care spaces, including hundreds for infants and toddlers. I am especially glad to see our state treating these earliest years as part of

the education conversation, not as an afterthought. We know how difficult it can be to find high-quality, affordable care, and our youngest children deserve strong places to learn, grow, and be cared for. Our Representative Moira Rader was a leading voice in Hartford and voted for the legislation creating this endowment. As a parent, I appreciate an investment in children starting at the very beginning. Kristina Powell Guilford

Very Deserving

Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant

Lori Gregan Valley Courier Ext. 6167

Lisa Martin Real Estate Advertising Ext. 6122

Betsy Lemkin The Sound Guilford Courier Ext. 6130

Cindy Breckheimer The Source Ext. 6140

Editorial Staff

Serenity Bishop Sports Editor Ext. 6141

Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography

Alicia Gomez Assistant Editor

The Guilford Parks and Recreation Commission would like to congratulate Ruth-Ann Meoli on being named Volunteer of the Year by the Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association (CRPA). For those who may not know Ruth, she has been volunteering in the Guilford Parks and Recreation office for more than 10 years. During that time, she has become so much more than a volunteer—she has truly become an important and valued part of the department. Ruth is a breath of fresh air in the office. She is always ready to help, no matter what needs to be done. She takes on the many tasks that our staff simply cannot always get to—and gets them done! At 88 years young, Ruth has her own desk in our office and is a regular and much-loved part of the day-to-day operations. She helps with everything from answering phones and assisting cus-

tomers to supporting our senior programs, trips, and special events. She is also a driving force behind our annual Senior Holiday Fair and is always the first to jump in whenever an extra hand is needed. What makes Ruth so special, however, goes beyond everything she does. Her dedication, energy, kindness, and genuine love for Parks and Recreation and the Guilford community are truly remarkable. Other departments would be lucky to have a Ruth like ours in their office! We are incredibly proud that CRPA has recognized what we have known for years: Ruth is an exceptional volunteer and is very deserving of being named Volunteer of the Year. Congratulations, Ruth, and thank you for all that you do for Guilford! Laura Hartmann Guilford

SEA Supports Seniors and Caregivers

Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent

The Shoreline Eldercare Alliance (SEA) is a network of professionals and community members helping older adults and their families navigate aging with dignity, confidence, and independence. Through free educational presentations, local resources, and connections to care providers across the shoreline, SEA helps seniors and caregivers make informed decisions about health, housing, finances, and daily living. For more information, to access resources, or to join the mailing list, email info@sea-ct.org or visit sea-ct.org.

Artists Sought for Guilford Art Center’s Holiday Expo

Eric O’Connell Staff Reporter

Aaron Rubin Staff Reporter

Guilford Art Center is seeking artists and makers for Holiday Expo 2026, its annual holiday shopping event featuring original, handcrafted work. The eight-week shopping event runs Friday, Nov. 13 through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027, and is open seven days a week. Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis beginning Saturday, Aug. 1. Artists should submit three high-resolution images of their work, along with titles and brief descriptions, to ealbergo@guilfordartcenter.org. For more information, contact Elena Albergo at ealbergo@guilfordartcenter.org.

COMMUNITY NEWS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Obituaries Obituary

James Scott Guilford James Scott did things his own way, like one of his favorite Paul Anka compositions that he loved playing on his trumpet and piano. On Aug. 13, 2026, James “Jim” Scott, also affectionately known as “Scotty” to many friends, passed away, age 76, in Connecticut. Despite health challenges that grew over time, he insisted he continue mentoring students on the Apple Pi Robotics Team, working in the garden while hoeing weeds from a lawn chair, and researching his genealogy. The week before, he worked on a robotic hand with his grandson Tycho, sang songs with the family while his granddaughter Samantha danced, and tastetested frosting for his daughter Stephanie’s 35th birthday. Even as a kid, Scotty always did things his own way. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and raised in Middle Island, N.Y., Scotty met his future wife Kathryn (Fingar) Scott in the band room when they were 12. He played trumpet; she played clarinet. Their childhood friendship grew into a lifelong partnership. In addition to his musical inclination, athletics were also a major part of his childhood. He pitched for Longwood High School’s baseball team and was known for his repertoire of pitches, with the Long Island newspapers dubbing him “Great Scott” in many articles. With an ERA in 1967 of 0.48 and 0.52 in 1968, he was scouted to play professionally. The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals invited him to join their farm teams, but that same year he was offered a full academic scholarship to Cornell University, where he ultimately decided to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. Using his experience working home construction during college, Scotty later built his family’s home from the ground up on top of a steep hill in Guilford, Conn., alongside his wife and many family and friends. His son Cameron was born in their home not long after their home was completed, followed by two daughters, Valerie and Stephanie. Scotty worked as an electrical engineer for his entire career. His unique way of looking at a challenge made him

Contacting Guilford Courier

invaluable and allowed him to travel and advise customers overseas across Asia and parts of Europe. He partnered with diverse industries, advising on everything from international manufacturing plants, paper mills, chocolate factories, and more, which led him to chime in on everything from the brakes used on roller coasters to the paper used on Pokémon cards and how a Mounds candy bar got to the counter shelf. Athletics and music continued to play major roles in Scotty’s life into adulthood. He coached multiple baseball teams while his son played. He later joined the Men’s Senior Baseball League, where he continued pitching for many years. Scotty also continued to play trumpet and also taught himself how to play piano, learning the left-hand part by relying on a music theory class he took in high school. Cameron and Valerie shared Scotty’s passion for music, with Cameron playing trumpet and later picking up guitar, and Valerie playing piano alongside him. Near retirement, his daughter Stephanie introduced him to a new sports team in 2007—the FIRST Robotics Team, Apple Pi, a team dedicated to providing life-changing robotics programs that give young people the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world. What began as mentoring his daughter grew into 19 years of mentoring more than 200 students, earning him multiple awards for his contributions to the FIRST Robotics community. Over the years he was known for building community through sailing, volleyball, baseball, and the garden. Lately, when he wasn’t mentoring at the shop, Scotty could be found at the Community Garden at the Dudley Farm, enjoying being in the garden with friends. Scotty always did things his own way and took pride in forging his own path, from refining the perfect pitch to sharing an understated, perfectly timed joke to creating a remarkable village of friends and family. He is survived by his wife, his three children and their families, and his sister. In lieu of food or flowers, the family asks that you contribute a donation to either Apple Pi Robotics Team 2067 (www.gofundme.com/letsgoapplepi) or to the Dudley Farm (dudleyfarm.com/joindonate/), where he was an active member of both organizations. See Obituaries page 6

As your hometown paper, the Guilford Courier welcomes reader contributions and questions. If it’s important to you, we want to know about it. Here are the best ways to bring matters to our attention. LETTER TO THE EDITOR The Guilford Courier encourages letters to the editor that offer a uniquely local perspective on local issues. Writers may submit letters as often as every two weeks. Letters must include the writer’s full name, street address, and phone number for verification. Letters must be written by the submitter; anonymous, pseudonymous, or third-party submissions will be declined. No more than four signees are permitted. Letters must be 300 words or fewer; election-related letters are limited to 200 words. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Writers may be asked to provide sources for factual claims. Civility is required. Letters containing personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined. For candidate endorsements, Shore Publishing accepts one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative candidate content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections. For editions through Oct. 29, all letters must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, nine days prior to publication, and verbally confirmed by 4 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Complete policies are available at www.zip06.com/live-content/letters-policy. Letters may be emailed to shoreletters@shorepublishing.com. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CALENDAR To have your item considered for print, please email news@shorepublishing.com. Announcements and calendar items are printed as space allows. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday at noon, nine days before publication. These are just a few ways to get involved in your newspaper. If you have an idea for a story, a question about news deadlines, or any other news-related inquiry, email news@shorepublishing.com or call the News Department at 203-245-1877, ext. 0. OBITUARIES The Guilford Courier publishes paid obituary notices in print and at Zip06. com. Obituaries should be sent to obits@theday.com. The deadline for all obituaries is Wednesday at 4 p.m., eight days prior to publication date. Obituaries will also be posted as quickly as possible at Zip06.com. ADVERTISING To speak with someone about newspaper and online advertising, contact the Sales Department at advertising@shorepublishing.com or 203-245-1877. All advertising is subject to the approval of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing shall have the right to revise, reject or cancel, in whole or in part, any advertisement at any time for any or no reason. LEGAL NOTICES To place a legal notice, email legal@theday.com or call 860-701-4410. CLASSIFIEDS To place an ad in the Classifieds section or in the Classifieds Service Directory, call 860-701-4200 and/or email classifiedads@theday.com. CIRCULATION To speak with someone about receiving or canceling the paper, please call 203-245-1877, ext. 6 or email shorecirculation@shorepublishing.com. Guilford Courier 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 news@shorepublishing.com 203-245-1877 Fax 203-245-9773

SPONSORED CONTENT: Find Obituaries Posted Daily Online

While our press schedule often does not allow us to publish death notices in time to announce memorial services, readers can find obituaries posted to the Guilford Courier website, www.zip06.com, five days a week as they arrive.

Stories and features denoted with the Shore Publishing “Sponsored” icon are sponsored by advertisers. Sponsored content is content created or commissioned by advertisers in collaboration with Shore Publishing’s marketing team. As with all advertising, sponsored content does not necessarily reflect the views of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing will ensure the treatment and design of Advertising and Sponsored Content is clearly differentiated from its editorial content.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Obituaries Continued from page 5 Obituary

Aaron Cost Guilford Aug. 23, 2026, Aaron Cost, 50, longtime resident of East Hampton and most recently of Guilford, passed away at his home. Aaron was born in New Haven on March 19, 1976, beloved son of Henry A. Cost Jr. and Ruth (Chello) Cost. He was the father of Jayden Cobb of Colchester; brother of Andrea Cost of Kasilof, Alaska, and Alden Cost of East Hampton. He is also

survived by two nieces, Ashley Cost and Alicia Christensen; and two nephews, Gabe and Austin Gometz of East Haddam. He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, the Rev. Henry A. Cost Sr. and Betty Cost, and his maternal grandparents, Norman L. and Margaret J. Chello. Services will be held privately. Arrangements in care of the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St., Guilford. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com. See Obituaries page 8

Recycle Your Old Paint Page Hardware & Appliance Co., 9 Boston Street, Guilford, allows residents and businesses to bring old, unwanted paint for recycling during regular business hours through the PaintCare program. For more information, visit www.paintcare.org.

COMMUNITY NEWS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Guilford Foundation Launches Volunteer Connection Website By Aaron Rubin Staff Writer

Guilford residents looking to volunteer in their community now have a new way to connect with local organizations that need their help. The Guilford Foundation has launched Guilford Volunteers, an online service that brings together volunteer opportunities from 47 nonprofits in up to 16 categories. The service is available at guilfordvolunteers.org. The creation of Guilford Volunteers follows a similar initiative started two years ago by the Branford Community Foundation. According to Liza Petra, the Guilford Foundation’s executive director, the idea stemmed from “two members of the Branford community who were trying to figure out an easier way to connect people who wanted to contribute their time and energy with organizations that needed volunteers.” Options range from the Women and Family Life Center to the Guilford Parks and Recreation Department, while other organizations include small nonprofits in Guilford that “don’t have necessarily robust staff to be able to have their own volunteer coordinator or their own,” Petra said. “We wanted to offer this platform as a way to help them fill needs for any sort of volunteer activities they have,” she added. “Whether it’s a painting job, raking, Meals on Wheels, someone at the high school [who] has to fill their 20 hours of community service - they can go on to this site and learn about the organizations and then connect with those organizations.” After identifying an organization they would like to support, volunteers can go

through the organization’s necessary vetting and training before getting started. Pam Miller, the foundation’s marketing and communication specialist, said Guilford Volunteers provides another avenue for residents to support the community beyond making monetary donations to the foundation. Miller said the foundation facilitating connections between volunteers and organizations “is such a nice complement to what we do because it actually gives a forum for our people, the community at large, to actually be able to give back.” While the opportunities presented through Guilford Volunteers are “super hyper local and focused on our community,” Miller said, there are also opportunities listed on the website in neighboring towns. Organizations not based in Guilford but open to volunteers include Vista Life Innovations in Madison, New Haven Reads, and the Branford-based Community Dining Room. Judith Bishop, the executive director of the Community Dining Room, told the Guilford Courier how the connections provided by Guilford Volunteers can support her organization’s mission. “Having our opportunities featured on the Guilford Volunteers website will help us connect with more people who want to make a difference in their community. Whether it’s helping prepare meals, assisting in the kitchen, or supporting our daily operations, every volunteer makes a meaningful impact,” Bishop said. “The more hands we have, the more meals we can prepare and the more people we can serve. It truly takes a community to nourish a community.” Petra said the Guilford Foundation has

Programs Offered at WFLC Women & Family Life Center (WFLC), 96 Fair Street, Guilford, offers free programs designed to help individuals take the first step when navigating life changes or challenges. Through its Guided Assistance Pathways (GAP), WFLC provides one-on-one appointments with a member of its team to discuss an individual’s situation, identify needs, and explore possible next steps. When appropriate, WFLC can help connect participants with community resources and other organizations that may provide additional support. WFLC also offers Financial Consults, which provide one-on-one appointments with volunteer financial professionals. Participants can receive guidance and education to better understand their financial situation, explore options, and make informed financial decisions. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 203-4586699 or email info@womenandfamilylife.org.

a goal of reaching around 70 organizations listed on the Guilford Volunteers website and making the hundreds of connections that have been observed through Branford’s parallel initiative. For now, the foundation is focused on engaging its current roster of nonprofits to build a strong base and spread the word about its mission to support people in Guilford and other communities. Petra said the foundation is confident in that effort, starting with the generosity of the Guilford community. “Folks in Guilford really do like to give back to their community, and it’s not just financially; it is also through volunteerism,” Petra said. “This is another great way to provide that connection between the people who care and the causes that matter to them. Not everyone can give a $100 check, but people can give an afternoon on a Saturday to help out at the food bank or the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter.”

BEAT THE

CHILL HEATING INSPECTION

MAINTENANCE

INSTALLATION

(203) 248-8110 NEROAC.COM

SPECIAL FINANCING FOR 60 MONTHS *SUBJECT TO CREDIT APPROVAL, ASK DEALER FOR DETAILS

FHA REVERSE MORTGAGES Regulated and insured by FHA • • • •

Supplement retirement income Stop depleting your savings Help pay off other debt Improve your quality of life!

Rick Schluter NMLS: 485946 Reverse Mortgage Specialist

5 Crescent Bluff Ave., Branford, CT 06405 rschluter@mutualmortgage.com

973.723.5106 for your your free free guide! guide! Call 475.372.6283 Located locally in Branford. Your trusted local reverse mortgage agent. Borrower must occupy home as primary residence and remain current on property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, the costs of home maintenance, and any HOA fees. Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc. dba Mutual of Omaha Reverse Mortgage, NMLS ID 1025894. Connecticut Mortgage Lender License ML-1025894. Licensed by the New Jersey Banking and Insurance Department. New Jersey Residential Mortgage Lender License 1025894. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and the document was not approved by HUD, FHA or any Government Agency. Subject to Credit Approval. For licensing information, go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org #1600693569 Expires 02/2028

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Obituaries Continued from page 6 Obituary

where he was enrolled in medical school. more confident in. Even years later, peoAfter enjoying city life for a few years, ple would come up to Amy, tell her how they moved to Madison, where they much they loved her store, and tell her Clinton raised their son James, developed about clothes from the store that they NHU-Y DAO, MD WELCOME friendships, and loved life on the shorestill own and love to this day! Another line. After 25 years in Madison, they mark of Amy’s influence is that 20 years Amy Grant Vender, 75, beloved wife, Expanding moved to Clinton, where they enjoyed she remains friends with a number mother, and grandmother; everyone’sExpert NHU-Y DAO, sense MD later nature, friends, and a wonderful of her former employees, all of whom favorite aunt; stylish Eye Care in Guilford & of community. remember their years together with the sister-in-law; loving Expanding Amy was a schoolteacher at Expert the fondest memories. godmother; and Middletown cherMooreland Hills School before the birth After 20 years devoted to her busiished friend to many, Care in Guilford of James,Eye where she was adored by her ness,&Amy chose to retire to have more passed away peacestudents Middletown and her fellow faculty. Howtime to enjoy life. In her retirement she fully Aug. 14, 2026, ever, at heart she was an entrepreneur became a devoted volunteer at Smilow from complications of and decided to pursue her interests in Cancer Hospital, where she brought a Parkinson’s disease. business. She created Amy of Guilford, a smile, a comforting presence, and a A native of Conclothing boutique on the Guilford Green. receptive manner to the women she necticut, Amy was Amy was an incredible buyer, someone served who were receiving chemotherborn on July 4, 1951, who attracted an amazing group of apy. Patients would arrive for chemo and always believed the annual firewomen to work for her, and created a and ask if Amy was there to spend time works were to celebrate her birth. Her with them. People were drawn to her love of the water and nature began with shopping environment that was warm, welcoming, and helpful. At heart, Amy compassion, patience, and simply felt summers spent on the beach in New was interested in empowering women better being in her presence. She had London. Although she left Connecticut by helping them look and feel their best. the unique ability to make people feel briefly to receive both her college and She wanted to make sure that her cusseen, heard, and understood. master’s degrees from Boston College, tomers purchased clothes and accesAmy had the same effect on her famshe quickly returned as a newlywed to sories that they would wear and feel ily and friends. She was open-hearted, join her husband Ron in New Haven, Book Now (203) 453-3100 receptive, nonjudgmental, compassionate, and fun! She was the aunt who would buy you not one but two lobster Book Now (203) rolls, take453-3100 you shopping, go for ice cream, and delve into your private lives. middlesexeye.com Never satisfied with “cocktail chatter,” she wanted to know what was really going on in your life. She was aptly middlesexeye.com known as Radiant Heart to some friends. Even later in life, and as her illness progressed, Amy continued to make a few new cherished friends. She was the grandmother who beamed at her grandchildren Elliott and James no matter what they were doing. She wanted to watch their activities, observe them interact with friends, watch movies together, go out for sushi dinners and pancake breakfasts, visit museums, go to the theater together, and enjoy numerous family vacations in California, Florida, and Connecticut. Amy enjoyed a charmed life with her husband of over 50 years, Ron. They were “Amy and Ron,” or sometimes “Ron and Amy,” a couple that had an identity beyond their individual identities. Whether walking in the neighborhood holding hands, sitting looking at the water, or even having a simple dinner at home, they shared touch and

WELCOME Amy Grant Vender

WELCOME WELCOME

NHU-Y DAO, MD Expanding Expert Eye Care in Guilford & Middletown

Book Now (203) 453-3100 middlesexeye.com

warmth. A dinner of leftovers at the kitchen table was enjoyed with candlelight and quiet music. Evenings reading in matching chairs were enriched by playing “footsies.” They never seemed to run out of things to talk about and loved sharing life together. Although not a natural traveler, Amy and Ron visited over 100 destinations in North America, from Yosemite to Acadia National Park, and most cities in between. They particularly enjoyed weeks alone on the beach. Their favorites were Caneel Bay on the island of St. John and the Gasparilla Inn in Florida, but they explored a number of other islands in the Caribbean, numerous destinations in Florida, Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica. They also traveled widely in Europe, preferring smaller cities and the countryside. Though they enjoyed major destinations like London and Paris, their favorite vacations were to Provence, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, and smaller cities like Prague and Amsterdam. Over the years their travel also brought them to many inns in New England, with the coast of Maine and the Berkshires being their favorite. Amy enjoyed many ski trips with her family and friends. Although she enjoyed visiting Aspen, Vail, and Utah, she recognized that skiing in the West would ruin skiing in the East, so weekends were spent skiing in Vermont, and vacations were spent on the beach! She enjoyed raising James at Stratton Mountain and had many wonderful visits with family and friends in Vermont. In her retirement, Amy took up golfing. What she lacked in expertise she more than made up with enthusiasm. Amy loved the women she played golf with, made a number of friends, and loved being outside on a beautiful golf course. Amy will be remembered for being beautiful, inside and out, and for her vibrancy. She radiated warmth and compassion. She was also incredibly stylish, but understated, and always looked like she just stepped out of a magazine. However, what Amy is most remembered for is her love for others, her joy at life, her sincere interest in others, her lack of pretense, and her honesty. She loved deeply. She was deeply loved.

COMMUNITY NEWS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Forever Freckles

NAMI Shoreline Family-to-Family Class The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Shoreline will offer Family-to-Family, a free education program for family members, partners, friends, and significant others of adults living with mental illness. The nine-session program is designed to help participants understand and support their loved ones while maintaining their own well-being. Topics include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other mental health conditions. The in-person class will meet weekly beginning Monday, Sept. 21, through Monday, Nov. 16, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Registration is required at NAMIct.org under “Support and Education.” For more information, visit NAMIct.org or text Carol at 203-444-5253.

Story by Carol Andrecs

Imagine the hardship Freckles endured being kept in the basement of a neighborhood market without food so that he would eat the rats. Thankfully, someone noticed him when he got outside. His face was covered with a black substance, and he appeared to have an eye infection, but Freckles was so hungry he went right into a trap for some actual food. He is a sweet young orange-and-white tabby who is so happy to receive kisses, hugs, and love from the volunteers. He is curious, loves to play, and is a great nap buddy. Will you be the lucky one to welcome Freckles into your home? Come meet him at our open house or apply to adopt him online at www.forgottenfelinesct.org. Find Your Match at Forgotten Felines: Forgotten Felines holds an open house every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 153 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook. No appointment is necessary. Forgotten Felines is run entirely by dedicated volunteers with no paid staff. We are always in desperate need of volun-

Shoreline Soul Gospel Workshop Seeks Singers

Photo by Tracye Mueller

teers to help care for the cats and keep our facility clean and organized. If you can donate your time, it will be very rewarding and much appreciated. Call the volunteer line at 860-669-1347 or send an email to volunteerinfo@forgottenfelinesct.org.

Rx Disposal Box The Guilford Police Department, in cooperation with the It’s Worth It initiative and the Connection, Inc., have installed a pharmaceutical collection drop box in the lobby of the Guilford Police Department, 400 Church Street. Area residents can dispose of unused and unneeded medications at any time. For more information, call the Guilford Police Department at 203-453-8061.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF Alice Hughes Macy (26-0305) The Hon. Seth C. Klaskin, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Madison - Guilford Probate Court, by decree dated September 8, 2026, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim. Priscilla H. Geer, Clerk The fiduciary is: William H. Campbell c/o STEARNS BRYANT, NUGENT & BRYANT, 36 STATE ST, SUITE 3, PO BOX 217, NORTH HA VEN, CT 06473

LEGAL NOTICE

Professional singer and choir director Angela Clemmons will lead another season of Shoreline Soul, a five-session gospel music workshop open to singers of all experience levels. No audition or previous gospel experience is required, and songs are taught by ear rather than from sheet music. Sessions will be held Mondays, Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and 19, and Nov. 9 and 23, from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 122 Broad St., Guilford, culminating in a free public concert Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. Some scholarships are available. For more information or to request a registration form, call Angela Clemmons at 203-619-1415 or email shorelinesoul@gmail.com.

Legal Notice Guilford Inland Wetlands Commission The Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer took the following action: APPROVED: Anita Soucy, located at 63 White Birch Drive, Guilford, Connecticut, Map 58, Lot 53, Regulated Activity, Deck replacement within Guilford Inland Wetlands Commission 100-foot upland jurisdiction review area of a wetland and or watercourse. Dated at Guilford, Connecticut this 30th day of July, 2026. Jeff Parker, Chairman

LEGAL NOTICE GUILFORD PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Notice is hereby given that the Guilford Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a VIRTUAL Public Hearing Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 6 P.M. via the Microsoft TEAMS platform by using the following link. https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2627496241378?p=MqzmqW86eRye7AQV1i Meeting ID: 262 749 624 137 8 Passcode: UW9mx9nY Dial in by phone: +1 469-208-1374 Phone conference ID: 976 120 669# The following applications will be heard: Text Amendment: Definitions change to align regulations with PA-25-1. Applicant: Anne Hartjen, Town Planner, on behalf of the Town of Guilford. Text amendment to bring language into conformance with State statutes. 5 Meriden Street (Map 17 Lot 46, Zone R-2). Applicant/Agent: Gregg Fedus of Fedus Engineering LLC on Behalf of Owners: Jacqueline & George Rissotto. Special Permit to allow up to 25% building coverage per §3.4.B Table Note 2. 635 Nut Plains Road (Map 86 Lot 33, Zone R-5). Applicant/Agent/Owner: Chad Greenlee. Special Permit for construction of an ADU in excess of area requirements and within the front yard per §3.9.A.1.e and §3.9.A.2.

All persons liable to pay water main assessment billings in the Town of Guilford are hereby notified that the first installment of water main assessment billing is due October 1, 2026. The last day to pay taxes without penalty is November 2, 2026.

41 Mulberry Point Road (Map 21 Lot 5713, Zone R-5). Applicant/Agent: Mark Alex Maidique of Bridger AAD on behalf of Owner: the Shoemaker Howard W Family Trust. Special Permit for an accessory structure in excess of 750 SF per §3.3.A.3.A.3.

If payment is not made by November 2, 2026 interest will accrue to the original due date of October 1, 2026 at the rate of 1 ½% per month, or 18% per year from the date of the installment.

40 Whispering Woods Road (Map 125 Lot 7-9, Zone R-8). Applicant/Agent: Todd Anderson of Anderson Surveying LLC on behalf of Owner: Daniel B. Tucker. Special Permit for an accessory structure in excess of 750 SF per §3.3.A.3.A.3.

Payments can be mailed to the Town of Guilford, Tax Collector, 31 Park Street, Guilford, CT, 06437. Please make sure to include your coupon with your payment. Payments may be made at the Tax Office at 31 Park St. Monday -Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, checks, money order or cashier’s check. Please bring your bill with you.

43 Bay Street (Map 9 Lot 67, Zone R-2). Agent: Attorney Marjorie Shansky on behalf of Applicant/Owners: Sean and Leah Ann Portley. Special Permit for Excavation, Fill and Grading for a single family residence per §8.3.

For questions regarding your water main assessment billings, please call the Tax Office at 203-453-8014. Deborah A. Milano Tax Collector, CCMC

Copies of these applications are available for inspection in the Planning & Zoning office and on the Town’s website. At this hearing, persons may attend via web connection and shall be heard. All written correspondence shall be submitted to BridgesJ@guilfordct.gov 24 hours prior to the meeting day. Documents are available at the Planning & Zoning office. Dial 203-453-8039 for assistance. Dated at Guilford, Connecticut this 24th of September, 2026 – Roger Joyce, Chairman

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Voters Approve $1.77M Property Purchase Continued from page 1 Police Department. The department previously considered renovating its current facility to meet new structural and space needs and received an analysis from architectural firm Silver Petrucelli that estimated the project could cost $19.9 million. The firm recommended that the needs the department wishes to address through renovations may be better met by constructing a new facility. The department and town officials also recognize the strategic benefit of keeping a new facility within the public safety complex, adjacent to state and local roads. The current concept has a preliminary budget of more than $35 million to construct a new facility that meets the department’s needs. However, town officials stressed that this is a preliminary estimate based on initial evaluations by Silver Petrucelli. According to a posting on the town’s website, “That study was meant only to provide a general idea of what a new building could cost.” Hoey emphasized that the purchase of 370 Church Street does not automatically put the town on a path toward constructing a new police station, and other options for the property will be available if a station on the lot is deemed unfeasible. While a new police station is the current consideration, Hoey explained that “if we decide it doesn’t fit into our long-term plans, we can always put it back on the market, most likely at a nice profit, as we are purchasing at below market pricing.”

Otherwise, “We are nowhere near any recommendations or decisions regarding the police department facility,” Hoey added. While one resident voiced support for a new police station at 370 Church Street, the possibility of an alternative future use for the property was also a factor in support for the purchase. Selectman Jonathan Trotta, who has concerns about Guilford expanding its footprint through multiple property purchases in the past, favored purchasing 370 Church Street “with the goal of consolidating town departments to a larger public safety facility, and then selling as many other properties as possible.” Trotta said the current police facility has a “much longer useful life” than is implied through Silver Petrucelli’s analysis and that the anticipated high costs of constructing a new facility should be the focus of a “completely independent discussion and should not be considered without significant deliberation.” Police Chief Christopher Massey said neither study conducted by Silver Petrucelli on the current and possible new facility “represents a formal plan currently before residents for a vote.” If the town decides the property is suitable for a new police headquarters, the proposal will ultimately require a renewed evaluation and public approval through a referendum. “Additional work will be required before any plan is presented for community consideration through referendum,” Massey said.

Volunteers Needed to Tutor Adult English Learners

Danielle Eadevito:More Than Books Continued from page 2 Sunday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “This year will be the 45th annual sale, so it is a special event for the library and the community run by the Friends of the Library,” Danielle says. “It is the largest annual fundraiser.” Thousands of gently used books for children, teens, and adults will be available, including fiction and nonfiction titles. The sale also includes puzzles, DVDs and CDs, paper materials, and records, along with a special section celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. A bake sale will be held Saturday, with live entertainment Friday and Saturday. Sunday is the sale’s half-price day. “We have a lot to offer, and there is a bake sale on Saturday,” Danielle says. “There will also be live entertainment on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is the half price day.” The sale has become a popular annual tradition, with people typically lined up outside the library before the doors open on the first day. For Danielle, seeing that turnout is about more than having a successful fundraiser. “All the support from the community helps us purchase equipment and provide services to patrons,” she says. “It is nice to see the community come together.” That relationship with the public is also what Danielle has enjoyed about building her career at the library. “I like being a part of an organization that has such a direct connection with the community,” she says. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the com-

munity and library. It is really great working with the public.” Over the years, Danielle has also watched libraries expand the ways they serve their communities. The possibilities she first noticed while visiting libraries as a student have only continued to grow. “It was really amazing to see what libraries provided then and how much more they have to offer now,” she says. “We offer so many different things and people can take a lot away from the programming that is offered.” That variety is something Danielle wants residents to know about, whether they come through the doors for a book, a program, information about Guilford history, or simply a chance to spend time with other people. “I would like people to know that the library is more than books,” she says. “We have a lot of things geared toward local history and resources are available to people. They can learn something new, connect with others, come in and enjoy an important part of the community.” As Danielle looks ahead, she hopes to continue growing in her own career while developing programs that are interesting and meaningful to patrons. She also wants to devote more attention to the historical room and its role in preserving Guilford’s past. For someone who came to the Guilford Free Library for a part-time position 11 years ago, that combination of learning, connecting, and serving the community remains what keeps the work meaningful. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the community and library,” Danielle says.

Neighbor Helping Neighbor

Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore is accepting applications for its Fall 2026 tutor training workshop. Volunteers will learn how to teach English to adult residents from around the world. No teaching experience is required. The free 12-hour workshop meets over eight sessions beginning Thursday, Sept. 24. Morning sessions are held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Dr. Evening sessions are offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in a hybrid format. An online self-paced training option is also available. A $40 donation for training materials is requested. For more information or to apply, contact 860-399-0280 or info@lvvs.org, or visit www.lvvs.org.

Guilford Interfaith Volunteers offers several programs designed to support individuals and families in the community. Meals on Wheels provides homedelivered meals to Guilford residents. Charlie’s Closet and Chloe’s Closet provide adult and pediatric medical equipment to families in need throughout Connecticut, regardless of where they live. Friendly Visiting provides companionship and social connection to help reduce isolation for Guilford residents in need. The organization’s mission is “Neighbor Helping Neighbor.” For more information about these services, call Guilford Interfaith at 203-453-8359.

Connecticut Renter’s Rebate Program Available for Seniors, Disabled Residents

Guilford Veterans Welcome at American Legion Post 48

The Connecticut Renter’s Rebate Program offers a one-time payment for eligible seniors and disabled residents who paid rent and utilities in Connecticut during 2025 and currently live in the state. Eligible applicants may qualify for a rebate ranging from $50 to $900. To qualify, applicants must have been age 65 or older in 2025 or be a totally disabled Connecticut renter age 18 or older. Income limits are less than $46,300 for a single person or less than $56,500 for a married couple. Applications are available through Guilford Social Services. For more information or to schedule an appointment to apply, contact Guilford Social Services at 203-453-8009 or griederd@guilfordct.gov.

American Legion Guilford Post 48 invites local veterans to join the post and meet fellow veterans with similar interests and experiences. The post addresses veterans’ issues, organizes community projects such as food baskets for those in need, and sponsors programs such as Boys and Girls State, an oratorical contest for high school seniors, and a scholarship for Guilford High School students. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month, except for July and August. Meetings begin with a short ceremony to honor MIAs and POWs. Locations and times of the meeting vary. For specific times and locations or for more information, call Fred Brisbois at 203-605-7747.

SPORTS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Guilford Courier Valley Courier24, 2026 Thursday, September

Sports

Connelly Scores Four Touchdowns as Guilford Tops Rockville By Serenity J. Bishop Sports Editor

Shane Connelly is a name opposing teams have to circle when they see Guilford on their schedule. The standout running back ran wild Friday night, rushing the Grizzlies to victory with a four-touchdown performance. Connelly powered the Grizzlies to a 38-6 victory over Rockville, helping Guilford remain unbeaten and improve to 2-0 on the season. The performance marked a breakout night for Connelly, who said the Grizzlies needed to find another gear after a sluggish first half. “Honestly, in the first half, it was really slow,” Connelly said. “But I think in the second half, we just knew we had to turn it up, and we definitely came out way stronger than we did in the beginning.” He said he wasn’t necessarily expecting a four-touchdown night, but as the game progressed, he found opportunities and took advantage of them. “I mean, honestly, not really,” Connelly said. “But I saw a lot of holes, and I just had to hit them. And four touchdowns is wild. But, yeah, that was pretty good.” Guilford’s offense took some time to get going, but the Grizzlies began to establish control in the second quarter. Rockville’s special teams helped open the door when a bad snap on a punt resulted in a safety, giving Guilford a 2-0 lead. The Grizzlies then capitalized on the momentum, finding the end zone and building a 16-0 advantage by halftime. The special teams blunder proved to be exactly what the Grizzlies needed to change the pace of the game. Guilford came out of the break with renewed energy, dominating on both sides of the ball and continuing to build its lead. While the offense eventually found its rhythm, Guilford’s defense continued to provide the foundation for the victory. The Grizzlies recorded five sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, keeping Rockville off the scoreboard until the Rams’ final drive. Head coach Brian White said that defensive production has been a point of emphasis for a team that returned much of its experience on that side of the ball. “I think we came into the season thinking we were definitely a defensive-oriented

Photo by Serenity J. Bishop/The Courier

The Guilford football team gathers during its 38-6 victory over Rockville. The Grizzlies improved to 2-0 with the win.

team, at least at the start of the season, because that’s where we brought most of our guys back,” White said. “So that’s what most of our experience is. So I think that we leaned on that when we have to.” White said it’s a bend-but-don’t-break mentality, and when the Grizzlies add big plays and takeaways, the defense continues to put the offense in good position to score. White credited the defense with helping Guilford turn the game in its favor while the offense gradually became more productive. “Eventually, I think we kind of just did

more offensively and kind of got some opportunistic turnovers on defense and kind of pushed it that way,” White said. For Guilford, the next challenge will be significantly tougher. The Grizzlies return home Friday night to face Xavier, which also enters the matchup at 2-0. The matchup will test a Guilford defense that has impressed through the first two games. The Grizzlies will also bring their stout defense and bruising rushing attack into the matchup. White praised Connelly for his breakout performance. He said that

after waiting his turn behind other Guilford running backs in recent seasons, Connelly is now becoming a major part of the Grizzlies’ offense. “Shane has kind of been that,” White said. “We’ve had a couple running backs that have been the last couple years and he’s waited his turn, and we’ve known he’s been a fantastic athlete and he’s got tremendous potential. I think he’s starting to really kind of feel it right now.” The Grizzlies will kick off at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, when they host Xavier.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • SPORTS

Photo courtesy of Doug Grimes Photography

The Guilford field hockey team gathers during its 1-0 loss to rival Daniel Hand.

Guilford Fall Teams Off to Strong Starts By Serenity J. Bishop Sports Editor

Two weeks into the fall sports season, the Guilford High School athletic programs have already produced plenty of highlights, with several teams off to strong starts and others continuing to battle through challenging early-season schedules. The football team remained unbeaten Friday night, rolling past Rockville 38-6 to improve to 2-0. Junior running back Shane Connelly led the way offensively for the Grizzlies, rushing for four touchdowns. Reed Hovik also found the end zone as Guilford built a commanding lead and controlled the game throughout. The Grizzlies’ defense was equally impressive, keeping Rockville off the scoreboard until the Rams’ final drive. Guilford recorded five sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the victory. Guilford will now face its biggest test of the young season

when the Grizzlies return home Friday to take on 2-0 Xavier. The boys soccer team has also put together an unbeaten start, entering the third week of the season with a 3-0-1 record. Guilford opened the season with a 2-0 victory over North Haven before defeating East Haven 5-2. The Grizzlies followed with a dominant 5-0 shutout of Cheshire before playing Daniel Hand to a 0-0 draw. Through four games, Guilford has scored 12 goals while allowing just two. The next five games will send Guilford against West Haven, Fairfield Prep, Amity, Sheehan, and North Haven. The girls soccer team has been one of the more productive offensive teams in the opening weeks, entering the third week with a 3-2 record. Guilford won its opener over Hamden 6-1 and followed with a 3-0 shutout of Notre Dame. The team then fell to Mercy 2-0 before responding with a 6-0 victory over Branford.

Guilford then dropped a 2-0 decision to Daniel Hand. The Grizzlies will face Jonathan Law, Amity, Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden, and Notre Dame over their next few games. Field hockey has already been involved in one of the most anticipated matchups of the early season. The Grizzlies opened with a 2-1 victory over Trumbull before facing Daniel Hand in the annual earlyseason rivalry matchup. The game remained scoreless through more than three quarters, with both teams creating opportunities but struggling to break through. Guilford goalkeeper Stella Pepe kept the Grizzlies within striking distance, making eight saves before Hand finally broke through. Just 1 minute, 21 seconds into the fourth quarter, Hand earned a penalty corner. Ella Bodner inserted the ball to Campbell Leckey, who pulled beyond a defender before firing a low wrist shot into the right corner for the game’s only goal.

Guilford increased the pressure following the goal and challenged the Hand defense throughout the remainder of the game, but the Tigers held on for the 1-0 victory. Guilford’s upcoming field hockey schedule includes Amity, Hamden, Stonington, Sheehan, and Shelton. The Grizzlies volleyball team entered the week still searching for its first victory after a difficult opening schedule. Guilford opened with a five-set loss to Hamden before dropping 3-1 decisions to North Haven, Foran, and Shelton. The Grizzlies then secured their first victory with a 3-0 sweep of Cheshire. The Grizzlies will look to build on that momentum with matches against Hillhouse, Lyman Hall, Branford, Amity, and Hamden next. With several significant matchups on the horizon for Guilford athletics, the third week of the season could provide an even clearer picture of where Guilford’s fall teams are headed.

SPORTS • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Academic and Enrichment Classes Offered Registration is now open for Shoreline Adult Education’s catalog of free academic programs and affordable enrichment classes. The free academic programs are open to adult residents of Branford, Clinton, Guilford, and North Branford. With federal funding from a grant, adults living outside this four-town region are eligible to enroll in the National External Diploma Program (NEDP), an alternative to the GED. Multiple program options are available for adults interested in earning their high school diploma. Confidentiality and flexible class schedules are available to those enrolled in the NEDP. In addition, English for speakers of other languages is offered for non-English speakers, as well as workforce preparation classes and courses for families with young and school-aged children. Citizenship preparation is offered with a two-semester class designed to support adults in their pathway to U.S. citizenship. Shoreline Adult Education has also partnered with local business owners and instructors to offer enrichment classes through June. Course topics include retirement planning, arts and crafts, music, dance, health and wellness, lectures on local Connecticut history, computers, and foreign languages. For more information or to register in any of the classes, call the Branford office at 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.

HIGH

Tides GUILFORD

Sept. 24 to Sept. 30

Day 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

A.M. 10:04 10:43 11:20 12:24 1:08 1:55

P.M. 10:23 11:03 11:43 11:58 12:38 1:22 2:10

Instant shade at the touch of a button. Enjoy more quality time with family and friends.

Call 1-844-331-3789 now to

Up to 10-Year Limited Warranty.

DENTAL Get dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company, Inc. Get your FREE Information Kit It’s easy! Call or scan today

AND

Butcher’s Classic Grill Collection

1-855-363-9746

MILY PRO FA

100%

E IS

Product/features not available in all states. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. To find a network provider, go to physiciansmutual. com/find-dentist. This specific offer not available in CO, KS, NY, OR – call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for a similar offer in your state. Certificate C254/B465, (ID: C254ID; PA: C254PA); Insurance Policy P154/B469 (GA: P154GA; OK: P154OK; TN: P154TN).

$ SPECIAL PACKAGE PRICE 82395ACX separately $205.95

smash

BURGERS on $99+ shipments GUARANTEE O

SCAN NOW!

4 Butcher’s Cut Top Sirloin Filets (5 oz.) 4 Air-Chilled Chicken Breasts (5 oz.) 4 Boneless Pork Chops (6 oz.) 4 Omaha Steaks Classic Burgers (6 oz.) 1 Omaha Steaks Seasoning (3 oz.)

GET 8 FREE M

or go to Dental50Plus.com/TheDay

6370

ONEYOU’LLBITE KNOW

Big dental bills? Get protection.

Insurance

WILL LOVE

ORDER NOW! OmahaSteaks.com/Classic3720 1.844.241.2351 Ask for oﬀer 82395ACX

Savings shown over aggregated single item base price. Free shipping will be applied to select package (SKU 82395). Minimum purchase of $99 per shipping address to qualify for free gift. 1 free gift per shipping address. The free gift does not apply to the purchase of Gift Cards, Certificates, Wine, Wine & Food Packs, Gift Baskets, Gourmet Salame, Caviar, and Custom Cuts. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer and is not valid on pending or prior purchases. Other restrictions may apply. Some products may not be available for sale in your area. While supplies last. Items may be substituted due to inventory limitations. Sales are subject to OmahaSteaks.com/terms-of-use. Expires 09/30/26. Omaha Steaks, LLC 26M10301

Animals and Pets

Business Directory

Animals and Pets

Employment

Business Directory

Employment Services

Employment a d dea dli n e: Services

14 • CLASSIFIEDS • GUILFORD COURIER

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Automotive

mFRIDAY o n dayATa4 t PM 10 am AD DEADLINE:

or Call 1-800-582-8296

PlaCe your liner ad online at

Service Directory and Classified Displayand/or Ads: 860.701.4412 Service Directory and Classified Display Ads: 860-701-4200 Email classifiedads@theday.com Employment Financial Financial Announcements Announcements

Go to Zip06.com, select your town and click on classifieds or call weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Shore Publishing reserves the right to reject any advertisement. Shore Publishing is not responsible for the content of any ad or consequences of any misprinted ads. Shore Publishing will rerun any misprinted classified ad. no cash refunds are available.

Employment Top Job Services

Automotive Automotive

Currently has the following employment opportunities

Cafeteria Worker - Part-time Financial Monday - Friday 4 hours per day

Animals Animals and Pets 1980 MGB Convertible

District Wide 4 hours per day - as needed

and Pets anted W Automotive

JUNK CARS WANTED Business Title or No Title Business CA$H PAID ON SPOT Directory Directory 203-907-7766 —

Instructions

Cafeteria Substitutes Paraprofessional Legals Permanent Positions District Wide

Substitute School Nurse District Wide - RNs 7 hours per day - as needed

Custodian - Evening Shift Instructions 12-Month Full-time Position 8 hours per day

_______________________________________________

For additional information regarding the above and additional employment opportunities, please visit our website at

Employment Employment

Legals Wanted to Buy

North Branford Public Schools

Antique & Classic Cars

Yellow, new top, only one owner. $3,000. Call 860-3957598 —

Legals Wanted to Buy

Top Job

www.northbranfordschools.org Marine/ and click on the Employment Tab.

—

Boats

**WANTED**

Marine/ Marine/ Boats Firearms Boats

Single or Collections ______________________ Including military and related items. Merchandise Merchandise Federal firearms license. Appraisals. ______________________ Richard Pleines 860-663-2214 Real Estate Real Estate

Top Real Estate GUILFORD FURNISHED LAKE-FRONT 1 level 1 bed / 1 bath Large eat-in kitchen, W/D included, central air, generator, patio No pets, no smoking $2300/month includes utilities Call 203-623-4087

House

cleaners

Wanted: Full or Employment Part time. Flexible Employment Services hours. Area: GuilServices ford to Old Lyme; Old Saybrook to Haddam. $20 + to start - will train. Call for more info: Amy 860-398-0215

—

Financial

Merchandise

Coal/Wood/Fuels Firewood For Sale Seasoned, Split & Real Estate Delivered. Stacking Available. 860-767-2811

FREE WASHING MACHINE Frigidaire, front loading in working condition. Switched to top loader. You pick up. Call (860) 575-7735 to make arrangements

PROMOTE YOUR SERVICE OR BUSINESS

Call (860) 701-4412

Rental

Storage/ Warehouse

AUTO STORAGE

—

Climate controlled auto storage located In Essex CT area. 3, 6, and 12 month rentals available. Call Eric 860-662-6151

Help us

keep the shoreline green by recycling

partments/ A Unfurnished CLINTON RENTALS: Studio Single Occupancy Only $1200/mo. All util included. 2 bed /1 bath home $1900/month

this paper.

2 bed/2 bath large apt w/ deck $1800/month NO PETS OR SMOKING 1 year Lease. 1st, last & sec. Call: 860-662-0555 —

classifieds community

Free Items General Help

Finished with your newspaper?

Sell Your Items FAST! Call 860.701.4412 or toll free 1.800.582.8296

or look online at www.zip06.com

Financial

SERVICE DIRECTORY

BUILDING & REMODELING

Rental

MR. FIX IT

Legals

Instructions

Instructions Marine/

d239532 d239532

Legals

HOME HOME IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTING CONTRACTING

Kitchens Kitchens •• Bathrooms Bathrooms Basement Basement Plumbing •• Electrical Plumbing Electrical I Will Call Back!

203-245-2592 203-458-8222 203-458-8222

www.mrfixitllc.com www.mrfixitllc.com

Stephen Stephen S. S. Simonetti Simonetti Licensed Licensed & & Insured Insured Lic. Lic. #578530 #578530

Love The House You’re In

Decks Decks Repaired Repaired // Replaced Replaced // Power Power Washed Washed // Vinyl Vinyl & & Wood Wood Floors Floors Installed Installed // Stairs Stairs Repaired Repaired or or Replaced Replaced // Vinyl Vinyl Siding Siding & & Cedar Cedar Clapboard Clapboard Installed Installed or or Replaced Replaced /Windows /Windows & & Doors Doors Installed Installed

Your To Do List & Much More

Chuck Sharples

Home Home Improvement Improvement Contractor Contractor

860-575-0020

charlessharples@sbcglobal.net Fully Insured | HIC# 681304

SERVICE DIRECTORY

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

GUILFORD COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 15

BUILDING & REMODELING

Repairs • Remodeling

SKY CITY HOME IMPROVMENT LLC

ALL TYPES OF BUILDING REPAIRS $50.00 per hour Carpentry • Doors • Locks

• Windows • Stairs • Closets Decks • Drywall • Painting • Siding Small jobs are fine • Windows Jim 203-530-2670 LIC. #0663008 LIC.#0570590 • • • Gutters • Siding • Repairs • Siding • Windows • Windows24MO 0% OR 860-230-0853 RI • Gutters • Gutters $500 OFF • Repairs • Repairs 860-230-0853 860-230-0853 24MO24MO 0% OR 0% OR RI RI $500$500 OFF OFF 860.230.0853

DECKS! DECKS! DECKS!

Reg #43858

Reg #0654527

*credit terms apply 24 mo 0%

•

• FREE • ESTIMATES! • HIC#0646127

Decks Carpentry Painting Windows

Reg #0654527

• Decks • Finish Carpentry • Tile Work • Custom Kitchen • Bathroom and Home remodeling. No Job Too Small!

203-444-6297 Joseph Casanova Jr. CLEANING SERVICES

ROWELL CLEANING C ROWELL CLEANING SERVICELLC LLC SERVICE S

SPECIALIZING IN WINDOW CLEANING, SPECIALIZING IN RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CLEANING

WINDOW CLEANING, CARPETS & FLOORS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIALTel. CLEANING P.O. Box 589, 203-245-8647

203-245-8647

email. rcsllc64@gmail.com

39 ORCHARD PARK ROAD • MADISON

Reg #0654527

Additions • Dormers • Decks Basements • Roofs • Rip Jobs Build Up or Build Out We Do It All!

Since 1956

Madison, CT 06443

Doors Siding Gutters Roofing

skycityhomeimprovementllc.com skycityhomeimprovement.llc@gmail.com

Casanova Builders, LLC

• • • •

Since 1981 45 38 Years Exp.

T. Robert’s Construction, LLC

www.jfkroofing.com * credit terms apply

Reg #43858

Reg #0654527

Reg #43858

*credit terms apply 24 mo 0% 24 mo 0% *credit terms apply

Reg #43858

Shoreline Deck Company, LLC Making Ideas Happen

Soft Washing - Roofs Complete Power Washing

Additions, Bathrooms, Pergolas, Pool Houses, Pavilions, Outdoor Kitchens

Quality Hand Staining

Please call for a free design consultation & estimate

From Design To Completion

Fully Insured

Lic #563264

(203) 507-6902 • Branford, CT

DECKS

WeResidential Stain& Commercial Decks! Decks, Fences, Houses, Concrete

203-453-2333

Decks, Fences, Houses, Concrete Affordable Rates • Free Estimates Call for an Appointment We also do Interior Painting

Mike 203-589-0442

www.shorelinedeck.com | chris@shorelinedeck.com

HIC.0547261

Lic #0633727

DECKS

DECK RESTORE Serving the CT Shoreline and Beyond

Deck Sanding, Cleaning, Staining & Repairs Softwash House Cleaning

DECK RESTORATIONS Guilford

203-980-2288 HomeFredImprovement Bennett

Patios/Concrete/Walkways Power Washed & Sealed Hardwood Floors also Sanded & Refinished

Free Estimates

203-996-4981 Brian

licensed / insured HIC #0678344

Insured HIC License #0640258

• Deck Restorations • New Decks Built • Deck Sanding • Structural Repairs • Deck Boards Replaced • Stair Replacement

• Power Washing & Staining

GuilfordHI@gmail.com

DRYWALL

ELECTRICAL

Carrier Drywall

Daniel Brown Electric LLC

Drywall Specialist Over 40 years experience • Hanging • Textured Ceilings • Taping

I’m French Canadian! I’m not saying I know it all, but when it comes to drywall, give me a call.

203-623-4087

carrierdrywall.com

• New Construction • Generators Chargers • Remodeling/ • Car Landscape Lighting Additions • Pools • Service Upgrades • Troubleshooting • Kitchens • Baths • Finished Basements

860-399-4444

CT License #199056-E1 Licensed & Fully Insured P.O. Box 221, Westbrook, CT 06498

Finished with your newspaper?

Help us

keep the shoreline green by recycling this paper.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

16 • CLASSIFIEDS • GUILFORD COURIER

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

EXCAVATING

GUTTER SERVICES

CLUTTER IN THE GUTTER The Original

Complete Site Work - Paving - Driveways Mulch, Stone, Screened Topsoil, Sand & Gravel

Owner/ Operator Scott Behler

A - TEAM SERVICES

Scott’s Gutter Fully Insured Cleaning

Window Cleaning • Power Washing Painting • Gutter Cleaning Solar Panel Cleaning Dryer Vent Cleaning Detailing • Home Repairs

HIC #0634550

House Sites, Septic Systems, Demolition

No Job Too Small • No Job Too Large

Water Mains, Sewers

Complete Cleaning, Installation and Repairs for Gutters

203-421-5388

Roof Repairs • Handyman Services Power Washing • Roof Washing Black Stains & Algae Removal Prompt Courteous Service, Done on Time

756 Middlesex Turnpike, Old Saybrook, CT

www.blexcavating.com - 860-388-9665

203-466-0520

GUTTER SERVICES

www.callateam.com Madison, CT

HIRE A VETERAN

LANDSCAPING

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

CHAMPLIN’S LANDSCAPING & EXCAVATION

203-530-7191

SEAMLESS GUTTERS PLUS

Located in Old Saybrook

Gutter Installation • Gutter Guards Gutter Cleaning • Maintenance Program abguttersplus.com We do half-round, seamless gutters

Joe Scala

Fully Insured | HIC. 061885 References upon request

LANDSCAPING

COUNTRY HILL LANDSCAPING Eric Werle • Guilford, CT 06437

www.waterworksirrigations.com

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

203-457-0483

Fall Leaf Removal Full Lawn Service Walls & Walkways Spring Cleanup Mulch Work

• Mowing • Drainage Work • Shrub Pruning • Utility Trenching • Brush Cutting • Shed Removal • Fall Clean-Up • Demolition • Tree Removal • Dump Runs • Stump Grinding • Top Soil • New Plantings • Stone www.waterworksirrigations.com CT Lic# P1-0204385 • Excavation • Mulch • Land Clearing • Swimming Pool Removal • Gravel Driveways • Snow Plowing YPH: 104940 Sprinklers Garden & Lawn, Inst YPH: 104940 YPSH: FULLY Sprinklers Garden & Lawn, Inst INSURED 860-510-3509 Rep: 14521 - rd1979 YPSH:

Tree Work Snow Plowing PlantingAdId: S 3200005796409 - 01 Tractor WorkCustId: 3317909816 PruningDir/Iss: SHLCT YP1 06/2018

www.waterworksirrigations.com

AdId: S 3200005796409 - 01

DQC - CIP CustId: 3317909816 SERVICING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988UDAC: ATTUID: vignet01 Dir/Iss: SHLCT YP1 06/2018 Date: 04/27/2018 02:13:PM

LANDSCAPING

NOW SERVICING THE SHORELINE AREA FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE Residential

Commercial

Condominium

Weekly Mowing Spring/Fall Clean Ups Aerating & Overseeding Pruning Mulching

Landscape Design & Installation Paver Patios & Walkways Retaining Walls Cobblestone Poolscapes Fire Pits Outdoor Kitchens Concrete Fencing CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

860-635-1030

CELEBRATING OVER 41 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

www.violalandscapingllc.com

Fully licensed HIC #0561037 & Insured

UDAC: DQC - CIP ATTUID: vignet01 Date: 04/27/2018 02:13:PM

S 3200005796409 - 01 : 3317909816 : SHLCT YP1 06/2018 DQC - CIP D: vignet01 04/27/2018 02:13:PM

DOW ROBERT

YPH: 104940 Sprinklers Garden & Lawn, Inst YPSH: Rep: 14521 - rd1979 DOW ROBERT

Rep: 14521 - rd1979 DOW ROBERT

LANDSCAPE SERVICES LLC

Serving All Shoreline Communities Spring & Fall Clean Ups • Mowing Complete Lawn Maintenance Bed Design • Plant Installation Mulching • Retaining Walls Lawn Repair Sod and Seed Lawn Installation Is Our Specialty!

We Use Ryan Aeration and Slice Seeding Equipment Call for Free Estimates and Mowing Quotes!

203-481-2436

perfectturflandscapeservices.com www.perfectturfservices.com

SERVICE DIRECTORY

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

GUILFORD COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 17

LANDSCAPING

Lic. # 0653900

203.727.6405

rml.landscaping24@gmail.com

Ivan.acevedo6475@gmail.com ivan.acevedo6475@gmail.com

• Landscaping • Painting • Mowing • Trimming • Masonry Service • Mulching • Gutter Cleaning • Powerwashing • Small Tree Removal • Fall & Spring Clean-Ups

residential

The CT handyman LandsCaping LLC

Serving the Shoreline Area Since 1996 Call today for consultation 860-767-2811 like us www.sullivanlawnservices.com CT HIC #0606162

Tree Work - Mulching of Beds - Spring & Fall Clean Ups Weeding of Beds - Pruning of Shrubs – Firewood Deck Repairs - Landscape Design - Brush Hogging of Fields

860-490-0986 ask for Jim

CT HIC#06060162 CT Lic# P1-0204385

Licensed & Insured

FERT #B2547

MASONRY OLD WORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP

SOSOLI’S M AS O N RY, L LC

MOVING & HAULING

Over 30 years experience Specializing In:

203. 469.6670

Stone Walls • New Fireplaces Special Steps • Stone Design Swimming Pools • Sidewalks • Stucco Chimneys • Patio Bricks & Blocks Small & Large Jobs

Specialized Masonry Work Owner on Every Job 30 Years Experience Free Estimates

Serving the Shoreline with Pride Great Prices Italian Craftsmanship All Work Guaranteed

Cell (203) 598-2524 www.greatmason.com PAINTING

Gold Star Painting Specialists Connecticut Shoreline

Dominic Bosco

cell: 203-444-3465 dominic@GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com www.GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com

Cell: 203-510-9162 - Jeff Office: 203-565-9079 - Jimmy

• Pointing & Brick • Caulking • Power Washing • Patios & Water Proof • Chimneys / Chimney Cleaning • Block • All Types of Masonry Work & Repair Lic. #616858

Accept Major Credit Cards

“No Job Too Small”

Will do Dump Runs also. Call Luke at

203-464-0444

*Free Estimates*

PAINTING

Quality Work Since 1987

M.A. PAINTING

MARTIN ARDOLINO CTHIC#0638601

Commercial & Residential

Interior/Exterior Painting • Power Washing - Staining • Parking Lot Striping

HIC.0571018 Fully Insured Free Estimates

Free Estimate/Fully Insured/Licensed CT HIC.0578520

Interior/Exterior • Minor Carpentry Popcorn Ceiling Removal Wallpaper Removal

203-483-5590 203-645-8717 Valentinopaintingllc@yahoo.com

ot m a RC egC oR notpPLUMBING maRRC eC gnRampton o R ogeR ogeR Rampton RRogeR CpR Rampton RRogeR CRampton SERVICES POWERWASHING

c: 203.430.4194 • martinardolino@gmail.com

OITl ID NOCONDITIONING C RIA l GNITAEH l GNIBMULP lIT HEATING AIR HEATING lppmm AIR GNINOITIDNOC RPLUMBING IA lPLUMBING GRNogeR AGENHIlNC lRampton G NnPLUMBING BpttM UaaRRLRl CC PCONDITIONING PLUMBING HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING no t m a eoogRloR nIo o C RR g R eeg Rampton R ogeR C Rampton ogeR C HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING C R C Rampton C Rampton ogeR Rampton SHEATING RogeR IR ANIogeR PlNll AIR EAIR RNTSCONDITIONING RO O A LGGA INO O IRampton D NOOCS RE GINNT AEES MS ULN P I WEN GGIN ICONDITIONING N IC TITIO D NC IIAAPA ll GG A HHLEllH NNlIIBBT M N E PLUMBING W I NPLUMBING SR TAl HEATING LogeR AT O N R RCIRN IIITTR llL PLUMBING HEATING G I O I D N O R A l N I T A G N I B M ULP AIR CONDITIONING n o t a e g N E W I N S TA L AT O N S O R I R S R ogeR C PLUMBING lRampton HEATING CONDITIONING PLUMBING lL HEATING CONDITIONING PemberS R Plumbing, LLC SO RIRR IAp ARPRPIEm EPA RlllRAIR RAIR OSSR SNNC O ITTA AR LLLR ATTE SN NPA Io WR S R R O S O I L A S I W E N N E W I N S TA L L AT I O N S I R PLUMBING l HEATING AIR CONDITIONING W I N S TA L L AT I O N S O E PA I R I AP E R R O S N O II NTS•ATA LGNWater LWogeR ASIN TISpSHeaters, SW N I ROIORrRWell W ERRHTA NrEISEeTPA ETA N LSAAT IoI O N S O R R E PA I R S R A E RC O O SGlNiN N E WBoilers, L,sN AT INRO N R EA IG RRRN u eNIRampton aSS elN tTAL aAILIW ,sTlre ELp N LW AT N StSPA O RE pumps, Water •O Water Filtration W IO LO AT O RLSH Im NHeaters TITA IlDllSPLeLNAIR C,IIsCONDITIONING IPA IBBWMEUNLP PLUMBING l HEATING

sppm up llepumps, rteeattaW aeeHH•rreetI taaW W ,,ssrreS ellisioorBTA B lioB • L L AT Boilers, ,s,n epumps, W N W N I O NWASHING S O R SOFT R EWASHING PA I R S PRESSURE Plumbing repairs Boilers, Water Water•Heaters, Heaters, omWell iuWell tfiltration apIrltlO iW fE r,s,esrS e •N Boilers Water E•Tanks, W TA Lfiltration, AT N O RaWW EansaaekTPA ItRaW S Boilers, Water Heaters, pumps, ,n stteWater e F,n ,Faucets, nFaucets, aTanks tlr lfi fie rt etta ,sWell skk,n Tn W Well Water sL Fa otoit rrctm rFaucets, ,R lllleeR W • Cement & Patios Leaking Pipes Well Well Tanks, ,Tanks, sIWater tN eScWater uWater a•Rampton FFaucets ,,filtration, oclcul•uieataW rHeaters, ltirttafi W PLUMBING l HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING Well filtration, Boilers, Well e ua aa FeH •aC spumps, rpumps, ea te H rra eeT n o p R R g o • House Washing Boilers, Water Heaters, Well •Boilers, Water Heaters R ogeR C , s p m u p , s e t e r e t W , s ollBe•W Heaters, Well pumps, • Boilers • Water filtration gnO nip ipip iR pS saaN G,,sE seepp ippT gn nIiikR kaL aeeS L A TliS •N Tennis Courts Leaking pipes, Gas piping g s G i g L S R I A P E R R O I A L N I W E Leaking pipes, Gas piping N E W I N S TA L L AT I O N S R PA you’ve been putting off? • Roof Cleaning Tanks, filtration, ,spmup lleW ,sretaeH r•Well eWell t•aLeaking W•l Boilers, ,sWater rWell lAIR oFCONDITIONING Faucets p gFaucets ntO ils •a mn ua pT G N,sB IeGas NWater Opipes Ia DBoilers, N Ck Ie ltp GW N IFaucets, Tn As,Esp la Ge NFaucets, UW LP• Heaters, Well pumps, Tanks, •Water Heat Pump Installations pumps •ogeR Leaking PLUMBING HEATING lHeaters Well • Brick iiWater ip sWater aiIipTt•Rampton G ,filtration, p gFaucets, iHWater LIlBllMleeW Water ,Tanks, sWell tg ee cn u apfiltration, n o rpiping fieaRfiltration, rAeLipiping kk R C pipes, Tanks, Faucets, pumps, • Solar Panels 0Gas 2--piping 3IWell 0R 860-434-2200 gpipes, iO iRSP s0a G •4O s8AkR naE T lPA leW •I R S • DrivewaysHeaters, Well Leaking pipes, Gas Well •O N Gas W TA LlSLeaking LOnPiping IHeaters, N 0O 2eS2S 2p 44gA--0n SRAT R•R N T L66L8 860-434-2200 EW I Tanks N SITA LS L AT Ipumps PA IpR • Well Pumps Splits Boilers, pumps, •N Well •n Trusted by shoreline homeowners for over 25 years. N•NE PLUMBING AIR • Cedar Wash gHEATING iGas pIiAMini pEPpipes, sEalRLeaking G ,0sCONDITIONING i4Op3pipes ipiping kaTeS LN I W E N Water Leaking pipes, piping Leaking Gas • Walkways

Water filtration, oFaucets, t,sprm goR R Rampton pWater m pHeaters, l2l12l81e4e elicmW tWell eHanooetpumps, rmemraeatrtrCaaCnrWreW eliaoddeeR BC Refiltration, Boilers, Water ,stecuaF ,noitartoday tlogeR fi atretC ainsured W ,www.RogerCramptonLLC.com sk,•sWell n auTTanks, lHeaters, 80420W -P1P# #cicl,iTl s TCr oa Faucets, Fully CTCT -21W rruussnnii yylllluuFF cc,.sC.CrLeLPiping Fully insured www.RogerCramptonLLC.com muCpIpumps, lllicem Boilers, •O Gas • Decks 860-434-2200 NWell E W I Tanks N S TA860-434-2200 L,sLpWell AT N SP1-204812 Cross it off your to-do list- call Chip 0Well 0##oP1-204812 2O2lLfiLtRnGas 4NeRtHptpTanks, 4,,IsTks-IegRnIg0k,oDoasSRrTnR6Ne..wwllOali8weowWTCwBw RlWater 860-434-2200 G IaE3 NWPA O IlAeW l GNITAEH• Fence l GNIBMULP PLUMBING l HEATING l AIR Well CONDITIONING • Gutter Cleaning piping Ft,nlo itarrte Faucets, ,sTanks, tecuWater aLeaking F ,filtration, no,stfiltration, ietcuaarpipes, fi t-raFaucets, W Well Tanks, Water

RogeR C860-434-2200 Rampton Boilers, Water 0Heaters, 022-434-0Well 68 pumps, www.RogerCramptonLLC.com

Well Tanks, ﬁltration, Faucets, 860-434-2200 Leaking pipes,Water Gas piping gnipip saGPLUMBING ,sepiplwww.RogerCramptonLLC.com gniLeaking kFREE al eAIRLEstimate sg EanrEiCk ErR 860-434-2200 cG.C,eLspiping Lteanpm oitpiptm gTanks, npipes, ipipmsWater aoGas aeFegoLR.www HEATING CONDITIONING 203-671-0415 Well FULLY For Heating and INSURED dna gﬁltration, nitaeH roF Faucets, Call 203-318-0308 860-434-2200 Leaking pipes, Gas piping CTN lic P1-204812 •SnLic #oiS1-390795 N E W I N S TA L L ATAir IO S #OLeaking RFREE R E PAEstimate dnoCpiping riA 860-434-2200 0I Rg0pipes, 2sin2nand -o4itt3aiGas 4 0 6 8 www.RogerCramptonLLC.com For860-434-2200 Heating 860-434-2200 002ROOFING 2-434-0www.RogerCramptonLLC.com 6Installations 8Conditioning llatsnI Air Conditioning Fully Fully insured insured

www.RogerCramptonLLC.com

CTCTliclic# #P1-204812 P1-204812

Leaking Boilers, pipes, Gas piping gniHeaters, pip saG ,sWell epip gpumps, Water N E WFully I Ninsured S TA L L AT I O N S O2R S RlicI#AnP1-204812 PikaEeRL R O S N O I T A L LdA CT 184R 02E-1PA P # IciRl TSC Tanks, Water ﬁltration, eruTsnSi N yllIuFW E N Fully insured www.RogerCramptonLLC.com 21840Well 2-1P # cil TC derusni ylluF moc.CCT L0Llic0n2o#2tP1-204812 860-434-2200 -p4m 3Faucets, 4a-r0C6r8egoR.www

Insured, CT Lic # P1- 0203471

Gas,piping Boilers, WaterFullyHeaters, Well pumps, LeakingCTpipes, spmup lleW ,sretdaere HyllurF etaW ,srelioB 218402-1P # cil TClic # P1-204812 u# sniP1-204812 moc.CLLnotpmarCregoR.wwwCT lic Fully insuredinsured www.RogerCramptonLLC.com Well Tanks, Water ﬁltration, Faucets, ,stecuaF ,nCT oilic ta#rtP1-204812 lﬁ retaW ,sknaT lleW Fully insured Leaking pipes, Gas piping Boilers, Water Heaters, Well pumps, gnipip saG ,sepip gnikaeL

• Window Cleaning

• www.whitegloveservicesct.com

Fully insured www.RogerCramptonLLC.com 218402-1Pﬁltration, # cil TC860-434-2200 derusni ylluF mFaucets, oc.CLLnotpCTmlicar#CP1-204812 regoR.www Well Tanks, Water 34-068 Installations CT lic # P1-204812 “Quality Roofing piping 21Since 8402-1P #1928” cil TC derusni ylluF 0022-4860-434-2200 moc.Cwww.RogerCramptonLLC.com LLn860-434-2200 otpmLeaking arCrepipes, gFully oRGas .insured ww w www.RogerCramptonLLC.com “Quality Roofing Since 1928” oc.CT CLRoof Llic no#tpP1-204812 marCregoRAbove .www Fully insured www.RogerCramptonLLC.com mA The Rest • Shingle Roofs 860-434-2200 Fully insured A Roof Above The Rest CT lic # P1-204812 www.RogerCramptonLLC.com • Shingle Roofs • Flat Roofs • Seamless Gutters Flat Roofs ••Shingle Roofs • Leaders Fully insured

Fully insured

• Fully Insured • Licensed

Residential • Commercial (203) 562-8077 (203) 624-ROOF Free Estimates www.russoroofing.com • Fully Insured • Licensed

www.RogerCramptonLLC.com

CT lic # P1-2048122V_70 9718 D

•Seamless Leaders Repairs • Skylights • Slate Repairs ••Flat Roofs •Gutters • Repairs ••Seamless • Skylights Leaders Residential • Commercial • Free Estimates SlateInsured Repairs• Licensed •Gutters Repairs INC. ••Fully • Skylights • Free Estimates www.russoroofing.com Residential • Commercial (203) 562-8077 • Slate www.russoroofing.com (203) 624-ROOF Repairs CT Reg No. 00509027 CT Reg No. 00509027

CT Reg No. 00509027

NEED SOMETHING MOVED?

D. Masonry & Restoration

Father & Son Masonry Stonewalls, Seawalls, Special Steps, Patios, Sidewalks, Swimming Pools, Chimneys, Fireplaces, Belgium Block, Blue Stone Pavers, Stucco, Big & Small Jobs Welcomed We do it all!

HIC.0618942

. commercial . condo • Irrigation Systems Installs/Maintenance • Lawn & Landscape Maintenance • Fertilizing & Tick Control • Retaining Walls • Architectural Pavers: Poolside & Patios • New Lawn Installations: Sod Installs/Hydroseed • Excavations & Drainage • Landclearing/Foundation: Dozer Site Work • Dumpster Services

FRESH EGGS

Mejia’s Lawn Cut Services, LLC

All Aspects of Residential/Commercial Lawn Care * Spring & Fall Cleanups * Tree Work * Power Washing * Snow Plowing * Brush Removal * Gutter Cleaning * Stonework * Lawn Installations (Seed or Sod) & Maintenance * Planting, Pruning, Mulching, Trimming, Weeding * Weekly Lawn Cutting Available * Painting No Job Too Big or Too Small Call (203) 928-0241 today for your free estimate!

Landscape Design & Build Hand Drawn Renderings Full Estate Plans

www.RogerCramptonLLC.com

CT lic # P1-204812

D817907_V2218402-1P # cil TC

CT lic # P1-204812

D817907_V2

RESTORATION,LLC

ROOFING

derusni ylluF

203-453-5571 203-453-5571 Family Owned & Operated

Family Owned & Lic. #613241 Insured Financing Available Family/ Fully Owned & /Operated Operated

www.ENHRestoration.com www.ENHRestoration.com

ROOFING • SIDING • GUTTERS Lic. #613241 / Fully Insured / Financing Available

SERVICE DIRECTORY

18 • CLASSIFIEDS • GUILFORD COURIER

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

ROOFING

ROOFS WASHED Moss, Algae, Black Stains

SKYWAY

Roofing Specialists 24-Hour Emergency Service Available

Free Estimates All Work Guaranteed

860-526-2127 SHINGLE

SLATE

SPANISH TILE

Call Scott’s Gutters 203-466-0520 HIRE A VETERAN

FINANCING Roofing / Siding / Gutters / Skylights / Windows / Doors AVAILABLE 0% Interest 1000’S OF SATISFIED HOMEOWNERS! 18 Months Have your project done the RIGHT way, 60 Months Low Interest with SKYWAY.

203-234-1906 | 203-671-1368 www.skyway-roofing.com

PROTECTING YOUR HOME. ENHANCING YOUR INVESTMENT

HIC #0634550

ROOFINGProfessionals

FATHER & SONS OWNED & OPERATED

EXPERT ROOFING IN EVERY STYLE FLAT

Residential

Restoration LLC

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

Licensed & Insured Lic. #0573204

COVONERESTORATION.COM

Senior & Veteran Discounts

TREE SERVICES

YOUR ROOFING AND SIDING EXPERTS

ROOFING SIDING GUTTERS WINDOWS

1000 OFF

FULL ROOF OR SIDING REPLACEMENT WITH THIS AD

LICENSED & INSURED FREE ESTIMATES • FINANCING AVAILABLE

860.381.9336 christopherimprovement.com TREE SERVICES

Licensed

Insured

203-483-7314

TOP NOTCH TREE, LLC • Full Service Tree Removal • Land/Lots Cleared • Brush Piles Chipped • 60’ Aerial Truck/Climbers • Stump Grinding OWNER ON EVERY JOB

860-552-9376

We Make Tree Work Affordable

WATERPROOFING

Fun By The Numbers

LANDSCAPE & TREE SERVICE A FULL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE COMPANY Landscape & Lawncare Services Lawn Mowing • Spring & Fall Clean-ups • Mulching • Pruning Tree Removal • Planting • Diagnosis • Treatments • Stump Grinding

Basement Waterproofing Services

(860)227-2774

FOOTING DRAINS GUTTER DOWNSPOUT DRAINS CRAWL SPACES LANDSCAPING DRAINAGE GRAVITY DRAINS CRACK SEALING SUMP PUMPS PUMP INSPECTIONS

RT R T TREE REMOVAL

BrianMiller Miller Brian

Brian Miller Over20 20Years YearsExperience Experience Over R RTT&& Over 28 YearsClinton, Experience Clinton,CT CT TREE Clinton, CT REE R REMOVAL EMOVALL.L.C L.L.C Brian Miller

Over 20 Years Experience Clinton, CT

L.L.C Free Estimates - Fully Insured TREE REMOVAL L.L.C Affordable and Professional Tree Services

Tree Removal • Chipping • Storm Cleanup • Stump Grinding Shrub Trimming • Emergency Response • Line Clearance Certified

Affordable and Professional Tree Services Competitive Prices - Credit Cards Affordable and Professional TreeAccepted Services 203-731-7710 • 1-877-669-1535 Same day call•back. We accept•credit cards. Tree Removal Chipping Storm Cleanup ••Stump Grinding Tree Removal •Removal Chipping • Storm Cleanup Stump Grinding www.rttreeremoval.com • brian@rttreeremoval.com Tree • Storm Cleanup • Stump Grinding Shrub Trimming • Emergency Response • Line Clearance Certified Free Estimates - Fully Insured - Competitive Prices

Shrub Response ••Line LineClearance ClearanceCertified Certified ShrubTrimming Trimming••Emergency Emergency Response

Free Estimates - Fully Insured - Competitive Prices

203-731-7710 •• 1-877-669-1535 203-731-7710 1-877-669-1535 Same day call back. We accept credit cards. Same day call back. •We accept credit cards. www.rttreeremoval.com brian@rttreeremoval.com

www.rttreeremoval.com • brian@rttreeremoval.com

SUDOKU

HOME IMPROVEMENT LLC.

Rob’s TRee Removal

••Tree TreeRemoval Removal ••60’ Truck 60’Bucket Bucket Truck StormDamage Damage ••Storm BranchPiles Piles ••Branch Firewood ••Stump Grinding AllCalls Calls Returned ••All Returned Reasonable Rates ••Reasonable Rates

SUDOKU

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

Over 31 years experience

Lic & Ins. FREE Est.

860-639-7935

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Last Week’s Answers

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

My Whirlwind Trip to Scotland Golf and Sticky Toffee Pudding By Liz Egan Special to Living

Recently, my brother Paul called and asked me to join him on a long weekend golfing at St. Andrews in Scotland. After hearing his story of the planned trip, I enthusiastically accepted, effusively thanking him for his generous offer. During the course of our extended phone conversation, I booked my flights. Guided by my brother, I immediately found my passport and went online to have the SHERPA UK visa linked to it. Uploading it to my airline dashboard meant an easier time at customs at Edinburgh Airport, our destination. The captivating town of St. Andrews is one rich in history and heritage. History can be found in every corner of town and evidenced in the architecture and landmarks. The earliest recorded history of St. Andrews dates back to the sixth century, when St. Regulus introduced Christianity to the town. The town became the ecclesial capital of Scotland and was renamed St. Andrews after Andrew the Apostle. What do you think of when you think of St. Andrews, Scotland? Why, golf, of course! In sporting history, St. Andrews is renowned as the birthplace of golf, with the modern game established in the early 1400s. St. Andrews is home to the oldest golf courses in the world, including The Old Course, with play starting in the 1500s. In 1754, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded, a private membersonly golf club that, until 2004, was the governing authority of golf. A retired marketing executive, Paul had already prearranged our transfer by car to the historic Rusacks Hotel. Occupying an iconic 1800s building, the hotel overlooks the 18th green of The Old Course at St. Andrews. A chance meeting in the lobby yielded a serendipitous tee time for my brother at The New Course with three gentlemen from the States. Designed by Old Tom Morris, the “new” course was built in 1895 and is one of seven courses at St. Andrews Links. While waiting to go our separate ways for the afternoon, we walked past the Royal and Ancient Club to the Pavilion to enter the Singles Lottery for the next day. The Old Course operates on a ballot system for nonmembers. The two-day ballot can be entered 48 hours in advance with limited tee times. With individual singles entry, the chance that we would play together was unlikely. We would find the results later that evening. After he

Photo by Liz Egan

Ancient churches and historic architecture are part of the landscape of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and clotted cream at Rusacks Hotel inspired the accompanying recipe.

Liz Egan’s brother, Paul, stands in front of the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral during their visit to Scotland.

departed, I spent my afternoon relaxing and healing my aching shoulders during a visit to The Spa at The Old Course Hotel. With a low score in the lottery, I was able to play The Old Course the next afternoon. I had an amazing young caddie, Theo, who reminded me of my husband Paul. He was a 17-year-old senior in high school and, like my husband, had been caddying the St. Andrews Links courses during summers and on school-year weekends since he was 13 years old. Like my husband, Theo golfed 18 holes every day after his multiple caddying rounds. He was a gentle, kind soul whose advice was given without judgment. It made a huge difference for me. Tired, my poor form and lack of 18-hole seasoning got the better of me. The views along the course were fabulous. Thankfully, Theo was gracious about not counting my mulligans, and my final score was near what I hoped. That evening, we had dinner at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, 18, with views of the course and the countryside in an elegant setting with a five-star menu. Known for its dry-aged Angus steaks — we could see many ranches and farms dotted with cattle from our drive from Edinburgh to St. Andrews — the ribeye I ordered was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The locally raised green leaf salad was dressed with a delicate sweet onion vinaigrette. I had a traditional British sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and clotted cream for dessert. By far the best dessert I have ever eaten!

My brother Paul had videotaped me on the first two holes of The Old Course going out and the last three coming in. We watched the videos before bed. My brother made commentary and suggested corrections. As hard as it was to hear, it helped me the next day during our prearranged play at Kingsbarns, a gorgeous coastal course that is part of the seven courses known as St. Andrews Links. At Kingsbarns, Paul had arranged for me to be paired with my prior day’s caddie, Theo. The course has the most spectacular landscape views that I have ever seen. While they are burned into my memory, I wish I had taken more photos to reference the necessary paintings I will do. The course was challenging with undulations, speedy greens, and many, many pot bunkers. When I listened to my caddie Theo, I did well, and when I didn’t, well, disaster. In the end, my score, while improved, was lowered by half a dozen strokes. Who cares about the score? It was an amazing experience, and Theo and I had a pleasant walk. After an early dinner at the course, we were able to quickly explore the old town as the sun set. The purpose of the trip for my brother Paul was to play The Old Course, so he rescheduled his flight to New York in the hopes of expanding his chances. Our lottery standing notice revealed that Paul had number 19, and I had number 36. He was more than optimistic about his chances to play. I had already played the best golf course in the

world, so I removed my name from the list. My brother Paul chose to be available at the Pavilion, watching players tee off with the hopes of getting to play before the day ended. Popping into the local shops, I saw an amazing scarlet tweed wool coat in the window of what I would come to know as the famous Johnstons of Elgin, a historic clothier of Scotland, opened in 1797. It is hard to imagine that one could be elevated by the experience of trying on a coat, but I absolutely was. The level of fit was a cozy, warm hug as well as an expression of the person I know myself to be. When inquiring about the price, I gasped. Pacing the store with the coat on, I heard a voice in my head whisper quietly, “You should have it, it will be with you for the rest of your life.” It reminded me of the ways my husband Paul cared for me, encouraging me to want and enjoy good things. I am grateful I purchased the coat, which was wrapped ever so carefully and later delivered to the hotel. I went on to explore the town of St. Andrews and the University of St. Andrews. The university is the third oldest in the world after Oxford and Cambridge (1441 A.D.). Lots of parents as well as students were in town for the start of the new year. How grateful I am to have this experience. I walked about the town all day, reading placards, exploring shops, and learning about this amazing place. See My Whirlwind Trip page 20

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Calendar for the Week of September 24, 2026

For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, email news@shorepublishing.com.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 Access Health CT: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Trained enrollment specialists will answer questions about health and dental insurance options and assist with enrollment. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-6692342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Understanding Connecticut’s Adult Family Caregiver Program: 1 to 3 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Julie Cruz, RN, CSA, discusses Connecticut’s Adult Family Caregiver Program, including eligibility requirements, available services and resources for family members caring for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit nbranfordlibraries.org.

ers. Registration requested. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Diamond Art: 4 to 5 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Route 81, Killingworth. Children in grades 3 and up can create an animal-themed diamond art project using styluses and gems. Registration required; supplies are limited and walk-ins cannot be accommodated. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000. Opening Reception for the Elected Members Exhibition: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Andrews Memorial Town Hall, 54 E. Main St., Clinton. Features an exhibition of works by more than 30 artists. The exhibit runs through Nov. 12. Free and open to the public. For info, email casclinton@gmail.com or visit clintonartsocietyct.org. All About Artists: Judith Scott: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. For ages 6 to 12. Participants will learn about artist Judith Scott and create a weaving craft. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.

Teen Crafternoon: Journal Stickers: 3 p.m. Henry Carter Evening of Guitar at the Blackstone: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. ParticiBlackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Features perpants will design and make stickers for journals or plann- formances, discussions and instruction exploring the

connections between classical music and guitar. Led by local guitarist and teacher Neal Fitzpatrick. Free. Registration required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. Trusts: Everything You Wanted to Know but Didn’t Know to Ask: 6:30 p.m. Virtual. Estate planning and elder law attorney Erin Duques discusses trusts and whether a trust may be suitable as part of an estate plan. Registration is required. For info or to register, contact 860-7671560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Stony Creek Forum: Author Event: 7 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Award-winning author Gish Jen discusses Bad Bad Girl. In person. For info or to register, call 203-488-8702. Where the Paletero Man Goes: A Journey of Neighborhood, Music, and Art with Lucky Diaz: 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Spanish-language presentation at 8 p.m. Features a conversation with musician and author Lucky Diaz about his bilingual picture book, Paletero Man. Registration is required. Presented online by The Library Speakers Consortium. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. See page 22

My Whirlwind Trip to Scotland Continued from page 19 St. Andrews is home to many, many charity shops, secondhand stores, each supporting a different charity. Back home in Connecticut, I love shopping at the local Goodwill, finding the unexpected. For me, these shops were a fruitful adventure at a modest price. In addition to a conveniently purchased raincoat, I was able to find small gifts to bring home to my neighbor buddies who were caring for my house, as well as special Christmas gifts of old books. The length of this travelogue has allowed me to revisit with gratitude the joys of an amazing adventure. Adventures are the memories we keep for a lifetime. Being present enough to experience each moment is the process of a life well-lived. I am deeply grateful for my brother Paul’s generosity and my willingness to enjoy new adventures without my darling husband Paul. Who knows what adventures I will have in the future? It is more important to be filled with grace and gratitude for my life and all the blessings that I have, where my feet are, in the present. b

Old-Fashioned Sticky Toffee Pudding This classic British dessert blends moist cake with a rich, buttery toffee sauce. The 18 restaurant atop Rusacks Hotel served this dessert warm with clotted cream, but it

can also be served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A splash of brandy is often added to the toffee sauce; here, it is omitted. Ingredients and Directions 8 ounces dates, pitted and roughly chopped (not date paste) 1 cup water 1 teaspoon baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper. Use ramekins for individual servings. Boil water. Combine dates and boiling water in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in baking soda. 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Combine in a separate bowl. Set aside. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the date mixture. (Several recipes recommend pureeing first.)

Pour batter into prepared dish or dishes. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Toffee Sauce I am using the words butterscotch sauce here interchangeably. This is a creamy caramel sauce. Do not let the sauce boil hard or sit too long on the stove. It can become thick and will not sink into holes in the pudding but rather sit on top. For an extra-sticky pudding, double the toffee sauce recipe. You won’t regret it! 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Once the pudding is baked, pierce it all over with a skewer and pour half of the toffee sauce over the top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to soak up the sauce. Serve warm with remaining sauce drizzled over the top. Notes: Beating the flour too long makes the batter tight and elastic. It won’t rise as well and comes out rubbery instead of light and tender. When adding the baking soda to the dates, it will fizz up, so be prepared. This is an important step. It helps the fruit break down more.

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

With the Kinks Ironed Out, Legacy’s The Odd Couple Will Provide Lots of Laughs By Karen Isaacs Special to Living

Legacy Theatre is presenting an enjoyable, if not perfect, production of The Odd Couple, the Neil Simon comedy, through Sunday, Oct. 4. Some of the elements that did not quite work on opening night will have been fixed by now as director Eric Santagata and the cast settle into their roles. The company had only two performances before audiences prior to my seeing the show; the pace of the show dragged, and lines that should have been sure laugh-getters did not land. While the comedy — which was a major hit for Simon on the stage, screen, and television — still has its moments, it also shows its age. After all, the stage production opened in 1965 starring Art Carney and Walter Matthau, followed by the film in 1968 (Jack Lemmon and Matthau) and the TV series (1970-75) with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Plus, there have been an updated version and one with two women playing the leads. The classic comedy about two people with very different habits sharing a household is universal. In this case, the two men, Felix and Oscar, are both divorced. Oscar is a slob, while Felix (who has just been kicked out by his wife) is fastidious, anxious, and compulsive. Though it may seem reasonable that Oscar (the slob) would invite Felix, still an emotional wreck over the pending divorce, to stay in his large apartment, it is a recipe for disaster. It proves the old saying that you can’t really know someone until you live with them. For though Oscar is aware of some of Felix’s quirks, it isn’t until he is confronted with them 24/7 that they can become maddening. Erik Bloomquist, the one Equity performer in the cast, plays Felix Unger — a man with enough compulsions and idiosyncrasies for 10 people. He is a germophobe, a hypochondriac, compulsively neat, and prone to making weird sounds at night trying to clear his sinuses, his ears, and his throat. Plus, he pouts, cries, and feels sorry for himself. He is a master at making people feel guilty for being annoyed with him. He is also in the early stages of grief and anger that his wife told him to leave. It’s obvious that his idiosyncrasies have finally become too much for her. Bloomquist does a good job with the role, though occasionally his characterization becomes overly fussy. It can verge on a

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

A poker game brings together, from left, Vinnie (Dominic Paolillo), Speed (Stephen Depasque), Roy (Max Evans), Felix (Erik Bloomquist, seated), Murray (Neil Fuentes), and Oscar (Ben Pitts) in Legacy Theatre’s production of The Odd Couple.

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

The Pigeon sisters, played by Penny Amara, left, and Desi Amato, make an appearance in Legacy Theatre’s production of The Odd Couple.

stereotype. Yet, he does invoke some sympathy for the character’s distress over the pending divorce. It is just that his annoying habits cause you to want to strangle him. As Oscar Madison, Ben Pitts needs to be

more of a slob both in his personal appearance and his apartment. His relative youth detracts from the character’s grumpiness. Rather than appearing kind, he at times just appears weak. Oscar Madison is a successful and experienced

sportswriter for a major New York paper; Pitts just doesn’t project that. The play opens in Oscar’s apartment with a group of friends playing poker, a weekly occurrence. They wonder and worry why Felix isn’t there, but they also complain about each other: Murray the cop deals too slowly, Vinnie repeats too often that he must leave by midnight, and Speed is annoyed that the game isn’t going faster. The scene needed to be brisker. Then Felix shows up, and poker is the last thing on their minds. Did Felix try to kill himself? Has he taken pills? The scene ends with Oscar telling Felix he can stay in the apartment. By the next card game, Oscar’s apartment has been transformed — it has curtains and coasters, which Felix keeps reminding the men to use. They also have gourmet snacks that detract from playing poker. This production does not showcase why the play is often considered one of Simon’s best. Artistic director Eric Santagata has cast mostly younger performers in the show; this is problematic since the characters seem to be older — both Felix and Oscar had been married for a decade or more and had children; they are well established in their careers. The guys who play in the weekly poker game are similar. The remainder of the play builds on Oscar’s growing irritation with Felix, who has taken over the house and insists that things be done his way. At times, the dialogue sounds like that of a bickering husband and wife. A highlight of the second act is the arrival of the Pigeon sisters, two ditzy British single girls who live upstairs. Oscar convinces Felix to have a double date; of course, Felix messes it up as his tears change the atmosphere from possibly sexy to absolutely funereal. When Oscar finally tells him to leave, the Pigeon sisters invite him to live with them. Desi Amato and Penny Amara play into the stereotype of the 1960s British “birds,” as girls were sometimes referred to. Their high-pitched voices, passable accents, and frequent laughs can become annoying; Simon knows to keep their appearances relatively brief. The scenic design by Jamie Burnett is effective, as are the props. Costume designer Jimmy Johansmeyer has outdone himself with the outfits for the Pigeon sisters. This is an enjoyable and funny production. Tickets are available at LegacyTheatreCT.org.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • LIVING

Photo courtesy of Essex Historical Society

Artisan broom-maker Brenda Vynalek demonstrates her craft at Pratt House. Vynalek will lead an all-day workshop on traditional hand-tied broom-making Nov. 1.

Essex Historical Society Director Melissa Josefiak leads a walking tour through River View Cemetery. EHS will offer three evening cemetery tours in October.

EHS Plans a ‘Spooky Season’ of Fall Events Press Release from Essex Historical Society

As fall settles into Centerbrook, Essex, and Ivoryton, Essex Historical Society (EHS) is welcoming cooler temperatures with twilight cemetery walking tours, public art, and a broom-making workshop. Art on the Pratt House Lawn continues through November at the historic Pratt House. The current installations feature Cameron Clark Taylor’s Dyson Sphere on the back patio and Rob Bunting’s Crane on the side lawn. In October and November, featured artist Peter Kirkiles will exhibit five pieces around the property. Visitors are welcome to view the art, take photos, and explore the Pratt House

grounds. Visitors are asked not to climb on the installations. EHS will offer evening walking tours at River View Cemetery in October. The walks cover approximately half a mile over sloped, grassy, and uneven terrain, and audio devices are provided for registered participants. Essex and the Revolution will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The guided tour, presented in conjunction with America 250, will highlight Revolutionary-era stories and people from and relating to Essex. The Twilight Tour of River View Cemetery will be offered Saturday, Oct. 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 30, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The guided walks through the

Continued from page 20

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 Christ Episcopal Church Tag Sale Preview: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Christ Episcopal Church, 11 Park St., Guilford. Early sale preview and reception for the church’s annual tag sale. Admission: $10, including wine and cheese and three raffle tickets. Sale features furniture, clothing, artwork, decorative items, toys, household wares, jewelry, antiques, and more. Proceeds benefit Christ Church. For info, call 203-453-2279. History Happy Hour: 6 p.m. Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features Charlie Shafer discussing the Mary Stannard and Collier murder cases from the 1800s. The program previews stories that

cemetery’s oldest sections will explore local stories spanning three centuries of Essex and Connecticut River history. House of the Triple Moon is again partnering with EHS for its Spooky Season programming and will host late-night shopping and refreshments following the cemetery walks at its shop on North Main Street. EHS will also hold an all-day broommaking workshop with Brenda Vynalek from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at Pratt House. Participants will learn traditional techniques for constructing handtied brooms and will leave the workshop with three different sizes of custom-made brooms. Registration is required, and space is limited.

will be featured during guided Madison Land Trust hikes in October. Suggested donation: $15 general admission, $10 for Madison Historical Society members. Advance registration requested. For info or to register, call 203245-4567 or visit madisonhistory.org. Bounding Beyond Boundaries: Building Community at Any Age: 6 p.m. The Congregational Church in Killingworth, 273 Rte. 81. Emma Dufresne of Women & Family Life Center presents a program exploring ways to build meaningful connections and community at every stage of life. Free. For info, call 860-663-1789, email office@killingworthchurch.org, or visit killingworthchurch.org.

To register, view pricing, or learn more about the walks and programs, visit essexhistory.org. Essex Historical Society is a nonprofit organization serving Centerbrook, Essex, and Ivoryton. In addition to programming in all three villages, EHS operates Hills Academy, which houses its offices, library, and collections storage, and offers free guided tours of the Pratt House. The organization works with more than 30 programming partners annually on educational programs, walking tours, speaker series, group tours, community events, research projects, and public history publications.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 Friends of the Guilford Free Library 45th Annual Fall Book and Bake Sale: Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Features used books, puzzles, paper ephemera, CDs, DVDs and vinyl. Bake sale Saturday while supplies last. Live entertainment includes The Ukuladies Friday at 1 p.m., Mimi Dudley Saturday at 10 a.m. and The Skunk Misery Ramblers Saturday at 1 p.m. Sunday, everything is half price. Proceeds support the library. For info, call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org. See page 23

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Remember You Must Live Explores Life, Loss, and Impermanence Press Release from Guilford Art Center

Guilford Art Center will present Remember You Must Live: On Life, Loss, and Impermanence, a group exhibition exploring mortality, transition, and the preciousness of life, from Oct. 9 through 30. A free opening reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Grounded in the centuries-old concept of memento mori, which translates to “remember that you die,” Remember You Must Live turns an awareness of mortality into an invitation to embrace the preciousness of life. Rather than focusing on fear, darkness, or spectacle, the exhibition encourages reflection on cycles, transitions, and presence. The exhibition brings together work by artists from Connecticut and throughout New England, offering a range of perspectives and artistic approaches to themes of life, loss, change, and impermanence. Through a variety of media and creative practices, exhibiting artists consider what we leave behind, what we carry forward, and what makes life meaningful precisely because it does not last forever. “Remember You Must Live is ultimately less about death than it is about paying attention to life,” says Maureen Belden, Guilford Art Center executive director. “The exhibition asks us to pause and conPhoto courtesy of Guilford Art Center sider the beauty and complexity of being alive. It encourages us to recognize how an Paulina Ganych’s Memento Mori, egg tempera on clayboard, is featured in Guilford Art Center’s Remember You Must Live: On Life, Loss, and Impermanence.

Continued from page 22

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 Christ Episcopal Church Annual Tag Sale: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christ Episcopal Church, 11 Park St., Guilford. Furniture, clothing, artwork, decorative items, toys, household wares, jewelry, antiques, and more. Free admission. Proceeds benefit Christ Church. For info, call 203-4532279. Priscilla Otte Preserve Bioblitz: 9 a.m. Priscilla Otte Preserve, Guilford. iNaturalist Ambassador Abby Sesselberg and Guilford Land Conservation Trust Director Steve Mayo lead an approximately two-hour search for plants and animals. Suitable for families. Participants are encouraged to create an iNaturalist account and download the app beforehand. Meet at the parking area at 479-499 Saw Mill Hill Rd. For info, text 203-772-9842. Artisan & Antique Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Madison Green, 8 Meeting House Lane, Madison. The festival features artisan and antique vendors, live music, hayrides, and a pumpkin patch with decorating supplies. Free and open to the public. Hosted by the Madison Chamber of Commerce. For info, visit madisonct.com.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s: 9 a.m. event opens; 10 a.m. ceremony; 10:30 a.m. two-mile walk. Ocean Beach Park, 98 Neptune Ave., New London. Features a walk to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s disease care, support, and research. Participants can join the Old Saybrook Rotary Club team, captained by Martha Rothchild. For info or to join the Old Saybrook Rotary Club team, visit osrotary.org or act.alz.org. Shredding Event: 9 a.m. to noon. Old Saybrook High School parking lot, 1111 Boston Post Rd. Features on-site shredding of sensitive documents. Cost: $10 per box, based on banker’s box or copy paper box size. No appointment necessary. Held rain or shine. Proceeds support Rotary Club community service activities in Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and Old Lyme. For info, call John Aforismo at 860-794-5009.

awareness of impermanence can deepen our appreciation of the present.” “I think that focusing on death through a fearful lens robs us of the gift that is being alive,” says Ashley Seneco, GAC education coordinator. “Remember You Must Live reminds us that although our time is finite, we have opportunities to seek kindness and connection while we are here.” The title, Remember You Must Live, intentionally shifts the traditional memento mori message from a reminder of death to an invitation to embrace life. The works on view encourage viewers to contemplate personal and universal experiences of change, aging, grief, memory, renewal, and transformation. Remember You Must Live: On Life, Loss, and Impermanence will be on view at Guilford Art Center Gallery, 411 Church St., Guilford. The exhibition is free and open to the public during the center’s regular hours. For more information about the exhibition, gallery hours, and upcoming programs, visit guilfordartcenter.org. Guilford Art Center is a nonprofit arts organization that promotes and teaches the arts through exhibitions, classes, events, and opportunities for artists and the community. The center presents contemporary craft and art exhibitions and provides opportunities for people of all ages and experience levels to learn, create, and engage with the arts.

Bees & Birds & Butterflies Oh My: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Samuel Smith Farmstead, 82 Plants Dam Road, East Lyme. Free event featuring activities and information about birds, bees, butterflies, pollinators and coastal conservation. Includes a 1 p.m. presentation by Dr. Jamie Vaudrey of the Niantic River Watershed Committee on local water quality and coastal ecosystems. Activities include an observation hive, bird and pollinator activities, garden tours and a coastal conservation model. Donations benefit repairs to the historic house and barn. For info, call Lu Huntington at 860-961-9296 or visit SamuelSmithFarmstead.org.

Become a Green Super Hero!: 10:30 a.m. Ivoryton Library, 106 Main St., Ivoryton. Hands-on workshop with environmental educator Karen Evans of Sustainable Essex focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking. For ages 8 and older. Registration encourBecome a Green Super Hero!: 9:30 a.m. Ivoryton Library, aged but not required. For info, email sust106 Main St., Ivoryton. Hands-on workshop with environ- sxct@gmail.com. mental educator Karen Evans of Sustainable Essex focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking. For ages 4 to 8. Registration encouraged but not required. For info, email sustsxct@gmail.com. See page 24

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • LIVING

Millionaires’ Unit Took Yale Students From Privilege to the Skies Press Release from New Haven Museum

A pioneering aviation squadron formed by Yale University students in 1916, the First Yale Unit became known as the Millionaires’ Unit. The aviators came from the height of privilege but were driven by the belief that their membership in the American elite required personal sacrifice. Historian Marc Wortman will share the unit’s rarely heard history and its relevance today during The Millionaires’ Unit: Yale and New Haven’s Aviation Pioneers at the New Haven Museum on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. A reception will precede the program at 5:30 p.m. The event is free with regular museum admission. Drawing on his book, The Millionaires’ Unit: The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power, and using historical and rare images, Wortman will demonstrate how the Millionaires’ Unit, on its own initiative, became the first Navy air reserve squadron and the nucleus of the 40,000-member U.S. Navy Air Service during World War I. Among the Millionaires’ Unit ranks were a Rockefeller, a Taft, and the sons of the heads of J.P. Morgan and the Union Pacific. “They had everything to live for yet were determined to be the first into the conflict during the First World War,” Wortman says. Among their numbers were

America’s only naval air ace, the first uniformed American killed in aerial combat, the architect of America’s first strategic bomber force, and others who helped lead America into military aviation. After the war, those who survived went on to leadership positions in many fields, including military and civilian aviation. Wortman adds that many leaders of America’s air forces in World War II and the Cold War emerged from the Millionaires’ Unit. Wortman learned of the Millionaires’ Unit from members of the modern Yale Flying Club at Tweed Airport while he was an editor of Yale Alumni Magazine. “I knew much about Yale history and culture, as well as military history,” he says. “I became fascinated by the romance of their early flying adventures, the glamorous world at Yale and the mansions of Long Island’s North Shore, and their wartime heroics, loves, and fears.” When Wortman learned of the Millionaires’ Unit, no book had been published about the group in 75 years. “They had largely disappeared from public and even military awareness; I felt it was time they received modern recognition,” he says. More than a century later, Wortman says the story remains relevant. “We live in a world in which flight is a regular part of our lives, and aviation forms a core of mili-

Continued from page 23 Chess Workshop: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. Features instruction from a ranked chess coach on tactics and strategies, with time for gameplay. Open to children, teens, and adults with basic knowledge of chess. Space is limited. Registration required; each participant must register separately. For info or to register, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.

tary strategy and tactics. That comes directly from these young men’s achievements and heroism, just a few years after the Wright brothers flew.” Wortman says today’s Yale students often come from the same elite realms as these earlier aviators, adding, “With great privilege comes responsibility. Do we see that ethical belief in the students at Yale and elsewhere today?” Wortman is an independent historian and freelance journalist and the author of five books on American military, technology, and social history. His most recent book, The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived: Tom Watson Jr. and the Epic Story of How IBM Created the Digital Age, was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice. The U.S. Military History Group named his previous book, Admiral Hyman Rickover: Engineer of Power, its outstanding military history book of the year. His other books include 1941: Fighting the Shadow War, A Divided America in a World at War, and The Bonfire: The Siege and Burning of Atlanta. A feature-length documentary based on The Millionaires’ Unit is available on streaming services. Wortman has written for publications including Vanity Fair, Smithsonian, Rolling Stone, and Time. He has appeared on CNN, NPR, Disney+, C-SPAN Book TV, History Channel, MS Now, and other broadcast and

Photo courtesy of Marc Wortman.

Members of the First Yale Unit, the pioneering aviation squadron formed by Yale students in 1916 and later known as the Millionaires’ Unit, pose for a photograph. Historian Marc Wortman will explore the group’s history during a Nov. 12 program at the New Haven Museum.

streaming outlets. He also produced the exhibit on Adm. Hyman Rickover now on display at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton. After attending Brown University, he received a doctorate in comparative literature from Princeton University. The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862.

Pokémon Club: 2 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. For ages 6 to 11. Participants can learn the card game, take part in a Pokémon activity and discuss Pokémon with other enthusiasts. Cards will be available for use. Children can bring their own cards to play and trade; parents or caregivers must remain in the library during the program. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.

LEGO Fest: 2 p.m. Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church, GrisAutumn Tea Party: 1 to 3 p.m. United Methodist Church, wold Room, 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme. Features an oppor811 East Main St., Branford. Cost: $30 for adults, $10 for tunity to share LEGO creations or build a creation using children; children under 5 free. Reservations required. For LEGOs provided at the event. Refreshments will be proinfo or reservations, call 203-488-0549. vided. Free and open to all ages. For info, visit saintannsoldlyme.org.

Located at 114 Whitney Ave. in New Haven, the museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and outreach. As a Blue Star Museum, it offers active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve members, free admission year-round. For more information, visit newhavenmuseum.org or call 203-562-4183.

Viewing the Moment Opening Reception: 2 to 4 p.m. Southington Community Cultural Arts, 93 Main St. Features an opening reception for Viewing the Moment, an exhibition by the artists of Gallery One exploring everyday experiences and memories through painting, photography, and collage. Free and open to the public. For info, email galleryonect@gmail.com or visit galleryonect.com. Poetry on the Rails: 3 to 5 p.m. Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River St., East Haven. Poetry program aboard a vintage trolley featuring readings by Fred Gerhard, a museum motorman and poet, and open-mic opportunities for participants. Boarding begins approximately 15 minutes before departure. Admission is free; donations to the museum are encouraged. For info or reservations, contact 203-467-6927 or reservations@shorelinetrolley.org or visit shorelinetrolley.org. See page 25

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

gram and silent auction. Tickets are $150 per person. For info or tickets, visit sltmfundraiser.auctria.events.

Continued from page 24 Music on the Lawn: 4 p.m. Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church, 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme. Features singer/songwriter George Potts and multi-instrumentalist Gordon Titcomb performing contemporary folk music and Americana. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Attendees may bring a picnic. For info, visit saintannsoldlyme.org. Essex Village Walking Tour: 5 p.m. Foot of Main Street, in front of the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St. Features a guided walking tour led by EHS guide Brien Riedell exploring the maritime history of 18th-century Potapaug, Essex's working waterfront, shipbuilding prominence, and development as a visitor destination. Suggested donation: $10 per person. Free for active Essex Historical Society members. For info or to register, call 860767-0681 or visit essexhistory.org.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 East River Preserve Trail Run: 8 a.m. East River Preserve, Guilford. Social-paced trail run through East River Preserve and Eastwoods led by Guilford Land Conservation Trust directors Bernadette Bober and Jodie Lang. Base loop is 4.5 miles, with additional distance available. Open to new and experienced trail runners. Meet at the large Sullivan Drive lot by the Stump Dump entrance. For info, text 203508-2064.

MONDAY, SEPT. 28 Painting With Carol: 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. For grades 5 to 12. Features step-by-step painting instruction. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Composting 101 Plus Worms!: 5 p.m. Ivoryton Library, 106 Main St., Ivoryton. Presented by Sustainable Essex and Ivoryton Library. Registration encouraged but not required. For info, email sustsxct@gmail.com. Photo courtesy of Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery

Arrowhead performs during a Chester First Friday event. The group will provide live traditional and original tunes and ballads at Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Gallery during the Oct. 2 Chester First Friday Night Art Stroll.

First Friday Brings Art, Music, and Anniversary Celebration Press Release from Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery

The Merchants of Chester will present the next Chester First Friday Night Art Stroll on Friday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. Most shops, restaurants, and galleries will 26th Annual Lake Gaillard Walk: 9 a.m. remain open late for the evening. to 1 p.m. Buses depart from Atwater At Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Gallery, 1 Spring St., artist Leif Nilsson Branford, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Walk will continue an intimate “show and tell,” around Lake Gaillard, normally closed to sharing anecdotal tales of his adventures the public, with seven-mile and shorter and connections to some of the oldest and route options. Participants must begin the newest paintings of his home and travels trail by 11 a.m. and exit by 1 p.m. Rain or on view in the gallery. The evening will include live traditional and original tunes shine. Advance registration: $10 for ages 11 and up; $5 for ages 3 to 10; free for chil- and ballads by Arrowhead. Pattaconk will offer fall cocktails, along dren under 3. On-site registration: $15. with seasonal selections on tap, including Pay in advance by Venmo @NorthfordWomens-Club or by check payable to Northford-North Branford Women’s Club and mailed to Lake Gaillard Monthly Drawing Class: 1 to 3 p.m. BACA Walk, P.O. Box 264, Northford, CT 06472. Gallery, 1004 Main St., Branford. Drawing Hosted by the Northford-North Branford class with Edith Reynolds. Fee is $10. For Women’s Club GFWC and Regional Water info, call 203-433-4071 or visit branforAuthority. For info, email the Northforddarts.org. North Branford Women’s Club northford.nbwomensclubgfwc@gmail.com. Musical Arts Society Presents: Gilbert Stamp, Coin, and Collectibles Show: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. YMA Annex, 554 Woodward Ave., New Haven. Sponsored by the New Haven Philatelic Society. For info, visit nhps1914.com.

and Sullivan: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Members of the Connecticut Gilbert and Sullivan Society perform music from Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas, including selections from The Pirates of Penzance. Pre-

Oktoberfests, pumpkin ciders, and pumpkin ales. SUNROOM salon & gallery, 1 Main St., will celebrate its first anniversary during the stroll. The celebration will feature AVEDA specials and raffle prizes, work by Jason Paradis, cake by Adriana Leiva, and music on the stoop with Joel Paradis. Annie Gourlie will offer craniosacral mini sessions, Lauren Mahana will offer mini readings, and Jaclyn Shea of River + Rise will be a special guest. Drinks and snacks will also be available. For more information about Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Gallery, call 860-526-2077 or visit nilssonstudio.com. For more information about SUNROOM salon & gallery, call 860-526-3533 or visit sunroom.glossgenius.com.

sented by the Musical Arts Society of Branford. Free. Registration required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. Forging the Future: Innovation and Ingenuity That Moved America: 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Woodwinds, 29 School Ground Rd., Branford. Fundraising dinner hosted by the Shore Line Trolley Museum featuring keynote speaker Anthony “Unk” DaRos, former Branford first selectman and local historian. Includes dinner, a pro-

Social Justice Book Discussion: 6:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Elijah Manning of Inclusive Education LLC facilitates a discussion of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. Copies are available for checkout at the library. Zoom participation is available. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 Artistic Creation in Belle Epoque France: Specific Works: 10 a.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Hosted by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning. Explores one painting, one musical composition, and one ballet from the Belle Epoque period. Cost: $3. For info or to register, visit ssill.org. Branford Community Foundation Charity Golf Tournament: Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club, 294 Pine Orchard Rd., Branford. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m.; lunch at 11:15 a.m.; shotgun start at noon; dinner, awards, and prizes at 5 p.m. Benefits the Branford Community Foundation's mission and operations. Hosted by the Branford Community Foundation. Registration for foursomes and dinner tickets available. For info or to register, contact 203-444-4898, or visit branfordcommunityfoundation.org. Tea and Talk: 2 p.m. Lillian’s Pergola, behind Pa’s Place, 514 Whitfield St., Guilford. Features conversation for seniors. Sponsored by Shoreline Village CT. For info, contact George at 203-747-5939 or email info@ShorelineVillageCT.org. See page 26

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • LIVING

Animal Awareness Day Returns to Guilford Fairgrounds Press Release from Branford Compassion Club

Branford Compassion Club’s feline rescue and adoption center will hold its annual Animal Awareness Day on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane. It is the second year for the event at the rain-or-shine venue, where it moved from its longtime home on the Branford Green as work continues on that town’s Main Street renovation. The annual Blessing of the Animals, an homage to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, was the genesis of the event in its founding year of 1997, along with a small tag and bake sale on the Branford Green. This year’s blessing will be held at 1:30 p.m. with local church affiliates. For more than two decades, Animal Awareness Day has entertained animal lovers from throughout the area while raising funds to support the Branford Compassion Club’s mission of helping homeless felines and supporting its Feline Rescue and Adoption Center, 2027 Foxon Road, North Branford. Event Chairperson and BCC board member Chris Gagne and her committee make a commitment to bring something new and different each year to join such returning attractions as the dog-kissing booth, children’s activity booth with a face painter, photos with Santa Claus, bake

Photo courtesy of Branford Compassion Club

Two dogs take in the activity at a previous Branford Compassion Club Animal Awareness Day. The annual event returns to the Guilford Fairgrounds on Sunday, Oct. 4.

sale, vendors, and crafts. New this year is Madison-based Alpha Dog Events, which will bring its Alpha Dog Fun Run Corral to the fairgrounds. The lure-based course “taps into a dog’s prey drive and herding instincts.” Suitable for all breeds, it provides high-energy exercise as dogs chase the lure at various

Continued from page 25 Can You Dig It?: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Learn about ancient civilizations with archaeologist Becca and create crafts inspired by the topics discussed. This month’s topic is Stonehenge. Recommended for children in grades 2 to 6. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com. Choose Your Own Adventure Author Talk with Ryan Estrada: 6 to 7 p.m. Online. Virtual author talk with artist, author and adventurer Ryan Estrada featuring an interactive, game-based format. Registration required. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. Estate Planning: 6:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Covers wills and trusts, powers of attorney and health care directives, planning for minor children, common probate issues, and steps to protect assets. Presented by Legacy Law Partners. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. Candidates' Debate: 7 p.m. Branford Fire Department Headquarters, 45 N. Main St. (Rt. 1), Branford. Candidates for the 102nd Connecticut House of Representatives Dis-

speeds and directions, stimulating both body and mind. “We’re excited to have them there for the day, so bring your dog,” Gagne says. “There is a small fee to have your dog participate, with more details at their website, myalphadog.net.” There will be live entertainment by

trict seat are Robin Comey, D, and Paul Crisci, R. The League of Women Voters of the East Shore is sponsoring the debate. Questions for the candidates may be submitted to eastshoreleague@yahoo.com. The public is invited to attend. For info, email eastshoreleague@yahoo.com.

singer and BCC member Kelsey Elizabeth Matthew, along with about 30 vendor, rescue, and sponsor booths. Quinnipiac University Professor Donna Latella returns with her mini therapy horses and dogs at 12:30 p.m. The 99.1 WPLR tent will be on site again, and Ruth from the Chaz & AJ Morning Show will be there from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Turtle Haven Rescue will return with its popular gentle turtle ambassadors. Food and beverages will be available from The Greenery and Cinco de Mayo food trucks, as well as the Brew Haus gourmet coffee truck. The Regional Water Authority Water Wagon will also return. Admission is free to the family-friendly event thanks to Animal Awareness Day sponsors. Platinum sponsors are 99.1 WPLR, Alpha Dog Events, Autografix, c2c Graphics, Anne and Jeff Godsey, Guilford Veterinary Hospital, Premier Subaru & Premier KIA, and Regional Water Authority Water Wagon. Gold sponsors are Ascend Bank/Branford Community Foundation and Lakes Veterinary Services. Silver sponsors are Aquatic Pool & Spa, Captain Kitt’s Cat Boarding, Happy Tails Bathing and Grooming, Joint Effort Exercise, and Eunice Lasala. Bronze sponsors are Branford Dental Care, CareFur Veterinarians, Chabaso Bakery, Choice Pet, and Madison Veterinary Hospital.

Chess Club: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Smith Memorial Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. For tweens and teens. Some previous knowledge is required, but beginners are welcome. Registration is not required. Tweens under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult. For info, visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.

Autumn Book Chats with Marsha Bansavage: 6:30 p.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Book: Pride and Library Card Holder Craft: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Killingworth Prejudice by Jane Austen. All are welcome. For info, conLibrary, 301 Route 81, Killingworth. Participants will cretact 860-526-0018 or Library@ChesterCT.org. ate a felt library card holder with a lanyard in celebration of Library Card Signup Month. All supplies provided. Suitable for all family members. Registration required; supplies are limited. For info or to register, call 860-663WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 2000. Baby Playtime: 10 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. For caregivers and young children from birth to age 2; sibWatercolor Workshop: 5 to 7 p.m. BACA Gallery, 1004 lings welcome. Features opportunities for children to Main St., Branford. Watercolor workshop with Sharon explore toys and practice fine and gross motor skills, fol- Hart. Fee is $30. For info, call 203-433-4071 or visit branlowing directions, socializing, and language skills. Free fordarts.org. and open to the public. No registration required. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Resin Necklaces: 5:30 p.m. Deep River Public Library, Free Middle School Drop-In Workshop Session A: 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. Middle school students can work on art projects or explore materials independently. No registration required. Adams Middle School students can walk or take Bus 24 to the Center. For info, contact 203-453-5947 or info@guilfordartcenter.org or visit guilfordartcenter.org.

150 Main St., Deep River. Participants ages 12 and older can create a poured resin necklace with art instructors from Shell & Bee. Free. Registration required; seating is limited. For info, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com. See page 27

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 Continued from page 26

THURSDAY, OCT. 1 A Journey Through the Early Years of Rock 'n' Roll: 10 a.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Hosted by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning. Presented by Harvey Heyman. Explores the evolution of rock 'n' roll through video clips from the 1950s and 1960s. Cost: $3. For info or to register, visit ssill.org.

Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse

Ivoryton Playhouse welcomes guests for its Summer Season AfterParty, the theater’s annual celebration and fundraiser. This year’s event will be held Saturday, Sept. 19.

Ivoryton Playhouse Celebrates ‘The Heart Behind the Art’ Press Release from Ivoryton Playhouse

Ivoryton Playhouse will raise a glass to the people who make the magic possible at its annual Summer Season AfterParty on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. at the historic Ivoryton Playhouse. The second annual signature event celebrates the community of donors, volunteers, artists, and supporters whose generosity and dedication help keep professional theater thriving in Essex and along the Shoreline. More than a fundraiser, the Summer Season AfterParty has become the Playhouse’s biggest celebration of the year, with food, spirited giving, live entertainment, and dancing. The evening begins at 5 p.m. with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. The event then shifts to a live auction hosted by Duke and Bird of Duke Says Sold. Guests can bid on experiences and getaways, including a week in Kennebunkport, Maine, tickets to the Audrain Newport Concours d’Elegance, and exclusive behind-the-scenes Playhouse opportunities. Proceeds support the Playhouse’s annual fund for operational and organizational expenses. Once the bidding paddles come down, the volume goes up. Broadway veterans Ben Hope and Eric Anthony lead The Road Sodas as the evening turns into a dance party, bringing their blend of rock, country, Americana, and crowd favorites to the AfterParty stage.

“All the productions seen on our stage are entirely created here at Ivoryton Playhouse. We do not import touring shows or ready-made presentations; instead, we craft everything ourselves. This includes hiring scenic, lighting, and projection designers, directors, choreographers, actors, orchestra members, and more. Our creations are fully tailored to serve our community. During summer productions, our staff can grow more than fivefold. This massive effort is only feasible thanks to the dedicated supporters working alongside us,” says Ivoryton Playhouse Executive Producer Ben Hope, who also leads the band at the fundraiser. “This evening is our opportunity to honor the volunteers who dedicate their time, the donors who support our mission, and everyone who contributes to making the Playhouse a vital part of this community,” Hope says. The AfterParty comes at the close of another ambitious, record-breaking season at the historic Playhouse and offers audiences, longtime supporters, and newcomers a chance to experience Ivoryton in an entirely different way. The Summer Season AfterParty, The Heart Behind the Art, will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. at Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. Tickets are available at ivorytonplayhouse.org or by calling 860-767-9520. Tickets are limited, and advance reservations are encouraged.

Exploring and Accessing Benefits: 1 to 3 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Julie Cruz, RN, CSA, discusses benefits, financial assistance and community resources available to caregivers and care recipients, with guidance on navigating programs and accessing support. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit nbranfordlibraries.org. Teen Crafternoon: Blackout Poetry: 3 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. For ages 12 to 18. Create blackout poetry using pages from old books and newspapers. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Chair-ity Fundraiser Unveiling: 5 to 7 p.m. Connecticut Cancer Foundation, 15 N. Main St., Old Saybrook. Unveiling of transformed chairs created by local trades professionals and artists, with wine, cheese and crackers, a live auction and an art exhibit featuring works by Cat Francucci, Patrick Ganino and Melissa Imossi. Proceeds benefit the Connecticut Cancer Foundation. For info, email info@tidewaterltg.com. Metropolitan Opera Talk: Così fan tutte with Roger Grant: 5:30 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Wesleyan University Professor of Music Roger Mathew Grant discusses Mozart’s Così fan tutte ahead of the Metropolitan Opera’s Oct. 3 Live in HD broadcast. Presented by Guilford Free Library, Shoreline Opera Club, and Shoreline Village. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, visit guilfordfreelibrary.org/events/event/metropolitanopera-talk-cosi-fan-tutte-with-rogergrant/. Open Craft Night: 6 to 8 p.m. Smith Memorial Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. For adults and teens ages 13 and older. Participants can work on their own craft projects or try something new. Supplies for book bedazzling, cross-stitch bookmarks and scrapbooking will be pro-

vided. Registration is not required. For info or to register for email reminders, call 203-484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com. Shoreline Sailing Club Event: 7 p.m. Clark Memorial Fieldhouse, 210 Elm St., Old Saybrook. For active singles 35 and over. First-time guests are free; cost is $10 for others. BYOB. For info, visit shorelinesailingclub.com. Virtual Author Talk with Veronica Roth: 7 p.m. Online. Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, will discuss her work and upcoming novel, The Sixth Faction. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.

THURSDAY, OCT. 1 THROUGH SATURDAY, OCT. 3 Designers Circus Pop-Up Shopping Event: Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. Features women's clothing and accessories from local, national, and international designers. Prices are 50 to 90 percent below boutique prices. Admission is free. Proceeds benefit Guilford Art Center's educational programs. All sales are final. For info, call 203-453-5947 or visit guilfordartcenter.org.

FRIDAY, OCT. 2 Tweens Magic: The Gathering: 5 to 6 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Participants will learn Magic: The Gathering from the ground up; all levels of experience are welcome. Cards and materials are provided, and participants will build decks to take home. Recommended for ages 9 and older. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. Chester First Friday Night Art Stroll: 5 to 8 p.m. Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery, 1 Spring St., Chester. Leif Nilsson will share stories and paintings from his home and travels, with live traditional and original music by Arrowhead. Other shops, restaurants and galleries in Chester will be open late. For info, call 860-526-2077 or visit nilssonstudio.com.

See page 28

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • LIVING

vendors, nonprofit organizations, children's activities, entertainment, and the inaugural Kids Market for young Sunroom Salon and Gallery First Anniversary: 5 to entrepreneurs ages 5 to 17. Proceeds benefit Deer Lake 8 p.m. Sunroom Salon and Gallery, 1 Main St., Chester. Outdoor Center summer day camp scholarships and the Anniversary event featuring work by Jason Paradis, music HK Backpack Program. For info, visit allthingskillingby Joel Paradis, cake, drinks and snacks, and other activi- worth.com. ties. For info, contact 860-526-3533 or sunroom.salon.gallery@gmail.com. Meowchella: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Greater New Haven Cat Project Center, 1874 Middletown Ave., Northford. Celebrates the organization’s 30th anniversary with live music, local artists and vendors, pet portraits, children’s FRIDAY, OCT. 2 THROUGH activities, wine tasting, food and more. Music by The SUNDAY, OCT. 4 Martin Girls, The Bargain Band and Wry Bred. Tickets: $15; children under 12 free. For info or tickets, visit Northford Community Church Community Fall Festival: 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; noon to gnhcp.org/meowchella. 5 p.m. Sunday. Northford Community Church, 4 Old Post Madison CT Pride Festival: Noon to 3 p.m. Madison Rd., Northford. Features food, activities and music. For Town Green, Boston Post Rd., Madison. The free festival info, visit northfordcommunity.church. features more than 150 artisan vendors, local businesses and civic and social organizations, along with food trucks, music by Sister Funk Trio and drag performances. SATURDAY, OCT. 3 Ann Nyberg will serve as the 2026 Festival Ambassador. Fall Craft Fair: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. North Branford Congrega- For info, visit MadisonCTPride.org. tional Church, 1680 Foxon Rd. Features crafters, raffles and food trucks. Free admission. For vendor information, Corn Husk Wreath Making Class: 1 p.m. Essex Library, contact NBCCevents2@gmail.com. 33 West Ave. Features a hands-on craft class led by local artist and teacher Brenda Vynalek. Participants will make St. John’s Episcopal Church 83rd Annual One-Day a layered corn husk wreath. Free. Space is limited. RegisRummage Sale: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal tration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 Church, Main Street, Essex, opposite the park. Features or visit youressexlibrary.org. clothing, housewares, jewelry, artwork and collectibles. Everything is half price from 1 to 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit Klimt Workshop: 1 to 3 p.m. BACA Gallery, 1004 Main the church’s outreach ministries and local community St., Branford. Klimt workshop. Fee is $30. For info, call organizations. Donations of clean, gently used items are 203-433-4071 or visit branfordarts.org. welcome; no electronics or toys. Donation intake is Sunday, Sept. 27, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 30, FestiFall: 1 to 4 p.m. Essex Village, from North Main and Thursday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For info, call 860Street along Main Street to the Connecticut River 767-8095 or visit stjohnsessex.org. Museum. Features fall-themed activities, including lawn games, a pumpkin scavenger hunt, crafts, pop-up venKids Can Cook: Breakfast “Sushi!”: 10 a.m. Essex dors, merchant activities, and food. A caricature artist Library, 33 West Ave. Cooking program for ages 5 to 12. and petting zoo are also planned. The FestiFall Scarecrow Participants will make a breakfast treat while learning Contest will feature scarecrows displayed throughout simple kitchen skills and basic food safety. Free. Registra- Essex during October with the theme “Haunted History.” tion is required and space is limited. For info, including Free and open to the public. Hosted by the Essex Board allergens, or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youres- of Trade. For info, visit EssexCT.com. sexlibrary.org. Branford Fire Department Volunteer Open Houses: Civic Saturday: Election & Voter Information: 10 a.m. 4 to 8 p.m. Richlin’s Plaza across from Station 2, 341 Main to noon. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford, and Station 5, 41 School St., Stony Creek. St., Branford. Information and Q&A session with Town Hosted by Branford Fire Department’s volunteer compaClerk Bob Siegrist, Branford Registrar of Voters, and the nies. Meet volunteers, learn about fire safety and volunLeague of Women Voters. Topics include the 2026 electeer opportunities, and enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers. tion, voter registration, and opportunities for civic For info, contact Harold Barringham at 203-488-7266 or engagement in the local election process. Registration hbarringham@branfordfire.com. encouraged. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. ONE: For Harmony, For Humanity: 5 p.m. The Morgan School Auditorium, 71 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Guilford Porchfest 2026: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Locations Community gathering begins at 5 p.m.; concert begins at throughout downtown Guilford. Features live music per- 7 p.m. Features the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band, formed by Guilford residents and workers on porches The Morgan School Music Program, Shoreline Theater and outdoor spaces throughout town. Free and open to Academy Kidz Konnection, guitarist and songwriter the public. For info, email guilfordporchfest@gmail.com Michael J. Fox, and Clinton Poet Laureate Bethany or visit guilfordporchfest.com. Howard. Free and open to all. Reserved seating is available with a $25 donation per seat. For info or to RSVP, All Things Killingworth Picnic: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Deer visit handstamp.com/e/one-community-concert. Lake Outdoor Center, 101 Paper Mill Rd., Killingworth. Community event featuring live music, food trucks, local Continued from page 27

Light the Night: 6 to 8 p.m. Clinton Town Beach, large pavilion, Waterside Ln. Kits: $10, include an illumination bag, votive candle, and label for up to four names of loved ones to be honored or memorialized. Names of veterans and civilians will be read aloud. Kits are available at Clinton Art Gallery, 20 East Main St., Clinton, during regular hours. Kits may also be purchased by email. Hosted by VFW Auxiliary Clinton Post 9918. For info or to purchase a kit, email sulowe2001@yahoo.com.

SUNDAY, OCT. 4 Annual Fall Festival and Marketplace: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 West Wharf Rd., Madison. Features live music, children’s activities, and an artisan, crafter, and vendor marketplace. Food and beverages available for purchase. Free and open to the public. Limited beach parking; additional parking at Madison Surf Club with continuous shuttle service from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For info, call 203-245-1404, email Marketing@DHGHotels.com, or visit eventvesta.com/events/ 157898-annual-fall-festival-and-marketplace. Animal Awareness Day: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Ln. Features mini therapy horses and dogs at 12:30 p.m., Blessing of the Animals at 1:30 p.m., Alpha Dog Fun Run, vendors, rescue groups, bake sale, crafts, face-painting, DJ, food trucks, and photos with Santa. Rain or shine. Hosted by Branford Compassion Club. For info, visit branfordcompassionclub.org. Musical Arts Society Presents: Arseniy Gusev: 2 to 3 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Musical program with pianist Arseniy Gusev. Presented by the Musical Arts Society of Branford and the Daro Foundation. Registration required. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.

TUESDAY, OCT. 6 Sleeping Giant State Park: How the Giant Was Saved: 10 a.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Hosted by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning. Presented by Trina Learned. Explores the history of the creation of Sleeping Giant State Park. Cost: $3. For info or to register, visit ssill.org. Library Renewal with Stephen Watson: 2 to 3 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rt. 81. Tai Chi class focused on balance, structural stability and ease of mind. Practices can be done seated or with the use of an assistive device. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-6632000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. Cooking Class: Lemon Chicken Over Pasta and Strawberry Pie: 5 to 8 p.m. Branford High School, 185 E. Main St. All ingredients and equipment provided. Participants should bring a carton or cookie sheet to carry home prepared food. Tuition is $35, plus a $30 materials fee. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-488-5693 or visit ShorelineAdultEd.org. See page 29

LIVING • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

The Sarafinas Bring ’Tis the Season! to Legacy Theatre Press Release from Legacy Theatre

A new holiday production is coming to Legacy Theatre in Branford with ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas. The production will feature precision dance, songs, and a new story in which a grandmother and granddaughter gather to decorate their holiday tree. As ornaments are hung and memories are shared, The Sarafinas take them — and the audience — on a journey through music, nostalgia, and holiday traditions. ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas was co-created by former Radio City Rockettes and Broadway veterans Purdie Baumann and Leah Hofmann. The Sarafinas are a New York City-based precision dance group that has performed at Hudson Yards and The Plaza Hotel and was featured in Julianne Hough’s holiday show at Paradise Club inside the EDITION Hotel in Times Square. “We look forward to everyone joining us at Legacy Theatre this December for the world premiere of ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas,” Baumann says. “In this brand-new holiday production, audiences are invited into the heartwarming journey of a grandmother and granddaughter preparing for the holidays. Along the way, cherished memories, festive traditions, and a little holiday magic come to life through beautiful dancing and iconic tunes. From New York City to Legacy Theatre, The Sarafinas are bringing their signature precision and holiday magic to create new traditions for the whole family ... ’Tis the Season!” Legacy Theatre Artistic Director Eric Santagata says, “We are so very excited to debut ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas here at Legacy Theatre. This one-of-a-kind experience is sure to jump-start your holiday with exquisite dancing, glorious singing, and surprises the whole family will enjoy.” Tickets are available at LegacyTheatreCT.org or by calling the box office at 203-315-1901. Legacy Theatre is a nonprofit professional theater and

Photo courtesy of Legacy Theatre

Former Radio City Rockette and Broadway veteran Leah Hofmann co-created ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas, a new holiday production coming to Legacy Theatre in December.

training center at 128 Thimble Islands Road in Stony building with more than a century of history that includes Creek. The theater, renovated before its opening in 2021, performances by Orson Welles and, in 2024, a musical is housed in the former Stony Creek Puppet Theatre, a directed by Julie Andrews.

Brief Cameo’s Octoberfest Fundraiser: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Centerbrook Meeting House, 51 Main St. FeaShoreline Civil War Roundtable: 6:15 p.m. Acton Public tures a reception with light refreshments, wine and beer, Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Civil War a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and a cabaret performance historian Frances Hasuly will present East Haddam’s Civil featuring past Brief Cameo performers. Ticket holders War Soldiers: Book of the Living and Dead. Free and open will receive an announcement of the company’s January to all; no registration required. For info, call 860-3952027 concert production. Cost: $30. For info or tickets, 1124. visit briefcameoproductions.com. Continued from page 28

Trivia Night: 6:30 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Poetry Workshop: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Salt Leaf, 23 West Main St., Clinton. Free writing workshop featuring a reading and discussion of poems by Emily Dickinson that reference witchcraft and magic, followed by an opportunity for participants to write their own poems. Facilitated by Nancy Gerber, Ph.D., author. RSVP required. For info or to RSVP, call or text 860-993-1829.

Photo courtesy of Legacy Theatre

Former Radio City Rockette and Broadway veteran Purdie Baumann co-created ’Tis the Season! starring The Sarafinas, which will have its world premiere at Legacy Theatre in December.

Candidates' Debate: 7 p.m. Guilford Community Center, Guilford Room, 32 Church St. Candidates for the 12th Connecticut Senate District seat are Christine Cohen, D, and Lisa Deane, R. The League of Women Voters of the East Shore is sponsoring the debate. Questions for the candidates may be submitted to eastshoreleague@ yahoo.com. The public is invited to attend. For info, email eastshoreleague@yahoo.com.

THURSDAY, OCT. 8 The Venice Carnivale: 10 a.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Hosted by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning. Presented by Laura Parisi. Features photographs of the Venice Carnivale and the island of Burano. Cost: $3. For info or to register, visit ssill.org.

Art in Flight: Reinventing Postmodernism: 2 p.m. Via Zoom. Features a virtual author talk with Smithsonian curator Carolyn Russo about her book, The Ascent of Rauschenberg. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Teen Crafternoon: Shrinky Dinks Keychains: 3 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. For ages 12 to 18. Create a personalized keychain. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-6692342 or visit hchlibrary.org. Honig Wine Tasting: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd. Features a guided tasting of four wines from Honig Vineyard & Winery paired with seasonal bites. Cost: $60. For info or tickets, visit eventvesta.com/events/159342/t/tickets. Progress Is Inevitable: It Begins With Vision: 7 p.m. Christian Science Church, 49 Park St., Guilford. Free Christian Science lecture by Dave Hohle, CSB, on gaining a clearer understanding of life and reality as expressions of God. All are welcome. Child care provided. For info, visit christianscienceguilford.com. See page 30

30 Continued from page 29 Tick Activity Throughout the Year: 6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a presentation by Natalie Bailey, agricultural research technician, and Jessica Brown, agricultural research postdoctoral research scientist, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, on the life cycles of medically important tick species in Connecticut and when each life stage is most likely to be encountered. Free. Registration suggested. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

FRIDAY, OCT. 9 Stories of Revolutionary Women: 7 p.m. Deep River Historical Society's Carriage House, 245 Main St. Program presented in collaboration with the Deep River Public Library and the Deep River Historical Society. Free and open to all. For info, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10 Rummage Sale: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. St. Lawrence Church, 7 Hemlock Dr., Killingworth. Features clothes, accessories, bedding, household goods, books, and more. Free parking. Cash only. For info, call 860-663-2576. Essex Community Touch-A-Truck Event: 10 a.m. to noon. Essex Fire Department, 11 Saybrook Road, Essex. Families can explore vehicles from local first responders and community services and meet the people who operate them. The event begins with a story time in the Fire Department’s Community Room. Free and open to the public. No registration required. Event will not be held in the event of rain. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Electrify Your Drive! A Free EV Car Show: Noon to 2 p.m. Kathleen E. Goodwin School, 80 Old Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Experienced electric vehicle owners will display their cars and discuss driving and charging electric vehicles. Auto dealers will showcase electric vehicle models. Free. For info, contact Robert Langdon at 203915-4819 or rlangdon1@mac.com, or visit driveelectricmonth.org/event?eventid=5321. STEAM Saturdays: Spider Web Slime: 2:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave., Essex. For ages 5 to 12. Participants will explore the chemistry behind non-Newtonian fluids while making slime. Wear clothing that can get messy. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Annual Harvest Supper: Takeout from 4 to 5 p.m.; dinein from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1382 Middletown Ave., Northford. Dinner includes baked ham, roast turkey, roast beef, side dishes and desserts. $30 per person for takeout; $30 per person for dine-in, $10 for children 12 and younger. Dine-in is limited to 75 people and reservations are required by Oct. 3. Raffle prizes will be available. To reserve, call Nan Monde at 203-710-7005. Proceeds support community outreach programs.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • LIVING Paul Trail Sunset Walk: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Paul Trail, Guilford. Easy approximately 1.5-mile autumn walk featuring rocky outcrops overlooking Great Harbor Marsh and Long Island Sound. Meet at the trail entrance on Sachem’s Head Road across from Community Nursery School; park along the curb and bring a flashlight. Rain date: Sunday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. For info, text 203-8920767. Drag Queen Bingo: 7 to 10 p.m. Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St., Chester. Doors open at 6 p.m. Third annual bingo fundraiser presented by the Friends of the Chester Public Library, featuring the Darling Divas. Ages 21 and older. Attendees may bring their own food and beverages. Tickets: $28.52 spectators; $44.52 general admission. For info or tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/dragqueen-bingo-library-fundraiser-tickets-1997773307742.

MONDAY, OCT. 12 Second Monday Art Program: 2 to 3 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rt. 81. Adults will use leaves, wildflowers, acorns and paint to create images on blank cards. Space and supplies are limited. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.

TUESDAY, OCT. 13 Winslow Homer's America: The Art of a New Nation: 10 a.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Hosted by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning. Presented by Bob Potter. Explores the art of Winslow Homer and its reflection of 19th-century America. Cost: $3. For info or to register, visit ssill.org. Autumn Joy: Celebrating CT Grown Flowers: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Quonnipaug Room, Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St. Michael Russo, floral designer and founding member of the CT Flower Collective, will create two small bouquets using seasonal fall flowers and discuss the Connecticut Flower Collective. Seating is limited and registration is required. For info or to register, contact 203-453-0780 or kayclaiborn@comcast.net. Tuesday Trivia: 6 to 7 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Monthly adult trivia program featuring five categories in a Jeopardy-style format. Teams may have up to four players, with a limit of six teams. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. Nara Aziza Smith: Homemade Book Signing: 6 p.m. RJ Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Digital creator and entrepreneur Nara Aziza Smith signs copies of her debut cookbook, Homemade. Tickets: $37, includes admission to the signing line and one copy of the book. For info or tickets, call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com/event/2026-10-13/nara-aziza-smithhomemade-book-signing.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14 The Web They Wove: Women & Their Wardrobes During New England’s Revolution: 6 to 7 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Program

about women's contributions during the Revolutionary era, with a focus on textiles and clothing production. Sponsored by the Branford Historical Society. Registration required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. Guilford Job Network: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom. Features guest speakers. Open to all job seekers. For info or to receive the Zoom meeting link, contact Russ Allen at 203-457-0121 or RussAllen2@aol.com.

ONGOING EVENTS Farmers Markets Dudley Farm Farmers Market: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 31. Dudley Farm, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods, handmade crafts, live music, children’s activities, and seasonal events. For info, email marketmanager@dudleyfarmfoundation.com or visit dudleyfarm.com. Farmers Market at the Guilford Fairgrounds: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through October, weather permitting. Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Ln. Features locally grown produce, baked goods, artisan breads, meats, seafood, fresh pasta, eggs, specialty foods, and Connecticut-made crafts. Rain or shine. For info, email farmersmarket@guilfordfair.org Madison Farmers Market: 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays through Thanksgiving. Madison Town Green, Boston Post Road. Fresh produce, baked goods, meats, seafood, dairy products, flowers, prepared foods, and locally made products from Connecticut vendors. For info, visit madisonctfarmersmarket.com. Old Saybrook Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 28. 210 Main St., Old Saybrook. Features Connecticut-grown and Connecticut-made products from local farmers, food producers, and artisans. For info, visit the Old Saybrook Farmers Market on Facebook. Stony Creek Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1. Bayview Park, Thimble Island Rd., Stony Creek. Features a weekly market with local produce, baked goods, seafood, meats, crafts, live music, and family activities. For info, call 203-988-9335 or email shreichert@gmail.com, or visit scfarmersmarket.org. Theater The Odd Couple: The Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Island Rd., Branford. Runs through Oct. 11. For info, call 203315-1901 or visit legacytheatrect.org. To submit an event to the Living Calendar, send an email to news@shorepublishing.com. For more events, both local and farther afield, or to enter your event online, visit our website zip06.com. The deadline for submissions is noon, eight days prior to the publication date.

REAL ESTATE • GUILFORD COURIER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

Real Estate Transactions BRANFORD

CLINTON

MADISON

K A REN S T EPH ENS

CLAUDIA BARTLETT (203) 415-4195

The expertise you need, The advisor you deserve.

Rhonda Young

860.876.7340

203.623.4078 | kstephens@wpsir.com

Claudia.Bartlett@Raveis.com

Diana Hartman

Broker, Realtor, ABR, CIPS

dianahartman@wpsir.com 917.509.4700

‘Love Where You Live’

rhonda@ctshoreandmore.com RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | INVESTMENT

WESTBROOK

GUILFORD BROKERAGE, 102B Broad Street

978 Main Street | Branford

Each office independently owned and operated.

16 Driscoll Road: Paul J. Johnson and Guiovanna Carrion to Lucas J. Massella, $535,000 on Sept. 2

23 Cedar Road: David and Sara Vasiliou to Breyden J. and Olivia Kennedy, $505,000 on Sept. 3

211 East Main Street Unit C28: 211 East Main LLC to Alyssa Pelliccio, $267,000 on Sept. 4

128 Concord Drive Rows: Brian N. and Meghan B. McGuire to Michael and Racquelle Thieling, $1,250,000 on Sept. 2

12 Dolphia Avenue: Anne E. Richter Irt and Kara Pisani to Matthew and Kathleen Bowen, $375,000 on Aug. 31

GUILFORD

141 Duck Hole Road: Duck Hole Real Estate LLC to Sean and Lori OConnell, $575,000 on Aug. 31

Note: Real estate transactions are published using publicly available records and are matters of public record. Listings are not removed in response to general privacy requests. Removal will only be considered in cases involving a documented and credible personal safety concern. Requests may be submitted to zip06@shore publishing.com

47 Greenfield Avenue: Gabrielle Harris to Luca F. Richo, $425,000 on Aug. 31 71 Hilltop Drive: Steven J. Turgeon to Derrick White, $106,000 on Sept. 3 66 Knollwood Drive: Thomas J. Ardito to William and Taylor Alessi, $816,000 on Aug. 31

LEIGH WHITEMAN 203-430-1467

Leigh@TheWhitemanTeam.com Call to talk with Leigh about your Real Estate needs!

274 Church Street Unit 4C: Loralei L. ONeill and Edward J. Panczak to Marina R. Cordeau, $315,000 on Sept. 1

141 Durham Road Unit 16: Christopher Anatra to Align Dragonflys Keep LLC, $138,000 on Sept. 2 33 River Edge Farms Road: Prakash Rawal and Tracy G. Love to Frank O. and Marlene E. Meade, $1,750,000 on Aug. 31

Copyright material of Banker and Tradesman / the Commercial Record and The Warren Group. For past transactions, visit zip06.com/realestate.

For Sale in Guilford H I STO R I C O CTAG O N H O M E J UST O N E B LO C K F RO M T H E G R E E N

Sold in Madison 1 1 S I LO H I L L R D $ 1 ,475,0 0 0 R E P R ES E N T E D S E L L E RS

8 4 FA I R ST R E E T $ 1 , 1 2 5,0 0 0 Rarely does a home of such architectural distinction and prime location become available. Crafted in 1859 by renowned local builder Edwin A. Leete, this landmark 4-br, 2.5-bth residence offers an extraordinary blend of mid-19th-century character and seamless modern comfort.

Pending in Madison 3 5 N E PT U N E AV E N U E L I ST E D AT $ 1 , 10 0,0 0 0 R E P R ES E N T I N G S E L L E RS

24 20 5 1 5 8.W PS I R . H O M ES

Kirsten Adams

YOU R A DV I SO R TO T H E S H O R E , T H E R I V E R A N D B EYO N D 203. 5 0 0.4 0 0 0 K A DA M S @W PS I R .CO M K I RST E N A DA M S.W I L L I A M P I T T.CO M Madison Brokerage 696 Boston Post Road Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 • GUILFORD COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Let your loved ones care for you - and get paid!

Funded by Medicaid, choose FAMILY or FRIENDS as your paid caregiver. Your caregiver gets paid weekly!

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Live in Connecticut: You must live in the state of Connecticut. Live with a Caregiver: You must live in the same home as the Caregiver (either your home or the home of the Caregiver).

Have Medicaid or be on a Waiver Program: Be eligible for Medicaid, already have Medicaid or meet the financial requirements for the CT Home Care Program for Elders.

OVER 50? UNLIMITED FOR JUST $35/MONTH. Backed by #1 Network Coverage and Customer Satisfaction.*

Switch & Save Today.

OVER 8,000 5-STAR REVIEWS!

Find out if you are eligible today.

CALL 844.539.2452

877-243-5978

© 2026 Consumer Cellular Inc. Terms and Conditions subject to change. Plans shown above include $5 credit for AutoPay and E-billing. Taxes and other fees apply. Credit approval required for new service. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. For unlimited plans, high-speed data is reduced after 35GB on single-line plans and 50GB of combined usage on multi-line plans for the remainder of your billing cycle. Unlimited data plans only for customers age 50+. *2025 ACSI® Survey of customers rating their own wireless service provider. ACSI® and its logo are registered trademarks of the American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC. For more about the ACSI®, visit www.theacsi.org.

Protection your loved ones deserve ...

Get windows that lower your home utility bills!

GUARANTEED Life Insurance up to $30,000.00

Offer ends 12/31/26

With Window Nation, you get: •

Special discounts you won’t ﬁnd anywhere else this winter

•

Best-in-class service – our A+ BBB rating says it all

•

Energy-efﬁcient windows that keep the heat inside your home

•

Decades of worry-free maintenance with a lifetime warranty

Modified Whole Life Insurance from Physicians Life Insurance Company

Imagine what $30,000.00 could mean to your family after you’re gone — cash to help pay your funeral, medical bills or other final expenses. • Guaranteed acceptance for ages 45 to 85* • No medical exam, no health questions • Lock in your rate for life

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE QUOTE TODAY!

855-202-7273

Limited time offer: Offer valid for all Window Nation window products purchased between 09/01/2026 and 12/31/2026. Buy 4 Window Nation windows at regular price and receive 4 additional Window Nation windows of equal or lesser value free. Free windows will be applied to the lowest-priced qualifying windows in the order. Minimum purchase of 4 windows required. Excludes exterior doors. Does not include cost of installation, labor, or other materials. No online purchases permitted. One offer per home. Replacement purposes only. Not for commercial use. Only installed at purchaser’s home. Not eligible for third-party transfer. No future credit, cash offers, or rebates permitted. Qualifying Window Nation window purchases are eligible for $0 down payment, $0 monthly payments, and 0% interest during the 2-year promotional period. Additional fees or costs (including installation fees) may apply if purchaser’s residence is incompatible with products. Offer requires Window Nation’s receipt of signed contract and deposit within offer dates. Must show this offer before purchase. All discounts valid at time of estimate only. Offers cannot be combined. Limit one offer per household. Not valid on prior sales. Offer valid for residences in eligible zip codes. Call 877896-1837 or visit WindowNation.com to conﬁrm availability in your area. Additional limits may apply. Void where prohibited. We may limit quantities sold to each customer and limited to as long as supplies last. License numbers: MD MHIC # 124358, VA # 2705178069, DC # 420212000037, DE # 2013601804, PA # 104611, MA HIC # 197968, NJ # 13VH07997100, NY #HI-72622, RI RIGL #44067, KS # 9641242, CT HIC # 0661044, WA # WINDONL771PW, OR #249065

Find out how affordable this coverage can be — Call for your FREE Information Kit

1-877-370-2207 Life55plus.info/Theday

 Plus — you’ll also get a FREE

Final Wishes Planner just for calling!

*Ages may vary by state. Guaranteed for one of these life insurance policies. Benefits reduced first two years. Insurance Policy L770 (ID: L770ID; OK: L770OK; TN: L770TN). 6236-0625