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December 18, 2025

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Chester, Deep River, & Essex Vol. XXV Iss. 51

Students Doing Their Part to Honor Veterans of Deep River By Christian Maldonado Staff Writer

Since the start of the school year, three Valley Regional High School seniors have found a unique way to not only give thanks to veterans who have served their country, but find a way that it can benefit their schooling and future as well.

Gavin Abderhalden, Rinze Knoop, and Patrick Finnegan, members of their school’s National Honor’s Society, have spearheaded “Roots of Remembrance,” an initiative that is close to home in Deep River. In 1952, townspeople planted 14 trees in remembrance of veterans from Deep River. Now, 73 years later, the three boys are planning to re-plant all 14 trees, as a continued support of the

veterans who fought to protect their country, and the town of Deep River. They are also working alongside a U.S. Navy veteran, Richard Nagot, who is the Senior Vice Commander of American Legion Post 61 in Deep River. He has been assisting these students with the project so far, and he See Students page 7

North Pole or Bust Rudolph, elves, and Santa & Mrs. Claus await the North Pole Express locomotive as it pulls into the North Pole station through fresh snow on Dec. 14. The crew climbed aboard the Essex Steam Train's seasonal journey to greet families bundled in their warmest pajamas for a train ride of holiday sing-alongs, hot chocolate and sugar cookies, with each child receiving a gift from Santa during the journey.

Photo by Wesley Bunnell/ Valley Courier

Longtime Essex resident Cheryl Harger has actively looked for ways to be involved in the community for over 20 years................................2

The Chance to Develop The Hand girls’ ice hockey co-op team, which includes athletes from Westbrook and Old Saybrook, is focused on development and staying competitive this winter.................12

Christmas in the Philippines Living Editor Maria Caulfield shares her experience with celebrating the holidays overseas........................20

Happy Holidays

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DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Cheryl Harger: Always Finding Ways To Stay Involved In Her Community By Christian Maldonado Staff Writer

There are some people who set out to get involved in as much as they can, and end up wearing many hats. One of those people is longtime Essex resident Cheryl Harger. Since moving to Ivoryton over 25 years ago, she has not shied away from getting involved in her community, whether it was her local church when she initially moved to Essex, or even owning a local business. “The involvement that my husband and I have had in our community has really just been organic,” Cheryl says. “It was based on things that were going on in our lives, and we just got involved.” She has made it common practice to step up and support the organizations that she has been involved with. For many years, she had not only been a common attendant of First Congregational Church in Essex, but also was asked if she could be the treasurer of the church, which she agreed to do for five years. Her back-

Person

of the Week ground and education was in accounting, so she stepped up in order to help out an organization which she felt very strongly about and connected to. During this time, she also stepped in as the handbell director at the same church, adding to her responsibilities and involvement at the church. She did this for 25 years. This had inspired her to go further, joining the Ivoryton Library Board for a while, as well as being heavily involved in programs that her kids were a part of when they were in school. This included being a key member of the Valley Regional High School volleyball team booster club, and other casual involvement as a parent in the school system.

She also joined fellow longtime resident Herb Clark at the Clark Group, a family-owned real estate group in Connecticut, becoming a bookkeeper/accounting manager for the firm. “He (Herb Clark) then got me involved in the Essex Foundation, since he was the treasurer,” she says. “He was getting ready to step down from his role and asked if I would like to step into that position when he left, so I have been doing that for about eight years.” As if all of this was simply “not enough” for Cheryl, she then took on small business ownership with her husband, Scott. As of right now, they own not one, but two small businesses in Essex. She and her husband opened Essex Indoor Golf, an indoor golf simulator at the height of the pandemic in June 2020. While golf was way more of her husband’s hobby than hers, she still found a way to make a big impact on the business, taking care of a lot of the photo submitted

See Cheryl Harger page 8

Cheryl Harger

Wishing You The Best This Holiday Season Essex Bank has proudly served the needs of individuals and families, as well as business, trust and investment clients since 1851. Throughout the years, Essex Bank has never lost sight of our forefathers’ goal – a commitment to personal relationships. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers, directors, trustees, officers and staff who support our mission to continue to provide service and trust to our community.

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COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

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Winter Basketball Camps Madison Hoop Dreams is holding a three-day basketball camp the week after Christmas............................................. 14

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Improve your hearing for the holidays!

A Must-See Show Goodspeed’s production of White Christmas is leaving people impressed with its final product.......... 23

Every few years, technology takes a significant leap forward. The Doctors of Audiology at County Hearing and Balance use this new technology to help improve your hearing in ways never even imagined just a few years ago. Sound is crisp, clear, and more natural, providing a truly advanced listening experience.

Arts and Events Check out the list of upcoming events happening all across the shoreline...... 21

Trust your hearing to a Doctor of Audiology at County Hearing and Balance. We are the area’s oldest, locally owned, full service Audiology Center. We provide a professional and thorough assessment of your hearing ability and provide several options if improvement is needed. If hearing aids are necessary, we work with several of the largest manufacturers to ensure that you are getting the right instrument for your hearing loss, at the right price. Plus, we participate or process most insurance and discount plans, including Medicare, Medicare supplements, Anthem, United Health, Tricare, Aetna, Sterling, Connecticare, Cigna, Electric Boat, Pfizer, all current and retired State and Federal Employees and AARP.

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Madison 82 Bradley Rd 203-245-1950

Middletown 198 S. Main St 860-301-9984

Quote

of the week

“I feel that girls’ sports don’t get the recognition that boys’ sports do. The more that people recognize it, I think that is what the people should be doing.” - Greg Thompson..............12

Valley Courier

(usps 021-267) Published weekly, 52 times per year by Shore Publishing, LLC 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 Periodical postage paid Deep River, CT 06417 Postmaster: Send address changes to Valley Courier, 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320

Mixed Feelings Yale Rep’s production of Hedda Gabler leaves an underwhelming impression..................................................... 24

Index Obituaries............................................ 5 Sports..................................................12 Fishing................................................13 Tides....................................................14 Classifieds..........................................15 Sudoku...............................................19 Living..................................................20 Calendar.............................................21 Horoscopes.......................................28 Crossword Puzzle...........................28 Real Estate.........................................30

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Laura Giannelli Chief Revenue Officer Ext. 4304

Laura Robida Managing Editor Ext. 6119

Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant

Lori Gregan Valley Courier Ext. 6167

Alan C. Ellis Production Director

Lisa Martin Real Estate Advertising Ext. 6122

Betsy Lemkin The Sound Guilford Courier Ext. 6130

Cindy Breckheimer The Source Ext. 6140

Editorial Staff

Maria Caulfield Living Editor

Alicia Gomez Specialty Publications Editor

Gabrielle Maljanian Sports Editor

Christian Maldonado Valley Courier

Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent

New Before- and After-School Program Wins Approval by the Board of Finance in Chester By Christian Maldonado Staff Writer

Drawing inspiration from the afterschool program recently started by Chester Parks and Recreation, Recreation Director Cailey Anderson, approached the Board of Finance on Dec. 10 to spark a conversation regarding a new before- and after-school program for the children of the town that will be located at Deep River Elementary School. Similar to Chester, the program will include games, crafts, and other activities for the students both inside of the school cafeteria and outside on the playground. The Board of Finance made a motion for a before- and after-school program in the town of Deep River to be evaluated twice in the next year, under the condition that only part-time employees are hired to work at the program. According to Anderson, the program will be Monday-Friday, with the morning program running from 7:15 a.m. until the bell rings for class at 8:25 a.m., and the afterschool program lasting from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. She also told the board that she plans on hiring two para-professionals from the school for the morning as well as one paraprofessional and three high school students for the afternoon. Para-professionals will be paid $21.50 an hour and students from Valley Regional High School $18.50 an hour. When discussing this topic with the board, Anderson presented the program as a revenue generator for the town, with an estimated monthly cost of $5,263 and a projected monthly revenue of $11,558. “This is something that we need here in the town,” Board of Finance member Jacquelyn Calamari said. “Parents have been desperate since COVID for an afterschool program… We should check in after six months, and then after one year, to see if this is still profitable, or at least breaking even.” Kathryn Russell, another member of the board, brought up the potential barriers that Anderson and the Parks and Recreation Department could find, acknowledg-

ing that these daily commitments by the para-professionals at the school could bring them into full-time status. The board was clear that employees found for this position must be part-time, so that neither they, the school, nor the Parks and Recreation Department would have to deal with having to supply full-time benefits and having an issue with the school. Anderson then mentioned that it did not have to be a para-professional that came in, and it could be someone else who would have an interest in joining the program. “I plan to put it out as a job post on the website,” she said. “I would be fine if it was not a para from the school, and it was someone else who wanted to come in and run both the before- and after-school program.” Sign-up and registration from parents will be on a month-to-month basis, with parents and guardians selecting which days of the week they want their child in the program. “So they would sign-up for however many days they could do in the week,” Anderson said. “We also want them to make sure that they are coming to pick their child up from the program on time.” Anderson was looking for startup funding for this program through the Board of Finance, and board member Tim Pugliell emphasized his support, saying that this will benefit not only parents, but the children, as well as the tax payers in Deep River. “This is a real benefit for the town, and does not cost the town any tax dollars longterm,” he said. “Provided that this program is revenue generating, or at the very least, breaking even …there is a long way to go to break even, but my opinion is it is a good program for the town.” There are still members of the board who are a little concerned with finding part-time employees to help fund the program, but Anderson hopes to start looking to hire in January, with the goal of the program starting sometime in February if all goes to plan.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography

Eric O’Connell Harbor News

Aaron Rubin The Source Guilford Courier

TOPS Club CT 84 hosts a weekly weight support meet to help those who want to shed off pounds sensibly. The meet takes place at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at St. Marks Church (basement), 222 McVeagh Road, Westbrook. Attendees weigh in from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m., followed by a meeting with motivation speakers. For more information, call 860-767-0705.

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Obituaries

Contacting Valley Courier

Obituary

Joan Terranova Essex Joan Schaff Terranova of Essex, passed away peacefully Nov. 15, 2025, at the age of 81 at her home at Essex Meadows. She was born on May 13, 1944, the daughter of the late Norman and Florence Schaff (Bigelow) in Dane County, Wisconsin. Shortly after birth, her family moved to Fairfield, where she spent her childhood. As a child, Joan was particularly close with her father Norman and her late brother "Roddy" (Norman Jr). She graduated from Garrison Forest School (GFS) in Owings Mills, Md., in 1962. While attending GFS, Joan made lifelong friends with whom she remained close throughout her adult life. It was at GFS where she developed a fondness for horseback riding, and where she spent treasured time at ranches with classmates. Later in life, Joan completed higher education courses at Davis and Elkins College, University of Bridgeport, and the Katherine Gibbs Business School. She was a lifelong learner. Joan was a devoted and experienced world traveler. In her lifetime, she travelled to four continents and marveled at many of the world’s wonders. Joan’s employment history was adventuresome and diverse. Between working in sales and real estate, Joan stayed busy and engaged. Joan was particularly proud of the time she spent working on the 1980 presidential campaign for President Reagan where she had multiple roles within the campaign, specifically working with President Reagan’s press secretary, Herb Klein. Joan was never shy in discussing politics. Joan generously volunteered her time working for nonprofit organizations. While living in Madison and Essex, she was actively involved in working with the local Chamber of Commerce, and local music schools. Joan came from a long lineage of philanthropy and volunteer work. She was never opposed to donating her time for a cause where she could make a positive impact for the better. In her golden years, Joan patronized

local art organizations, and particularly loved going to New York City to visit museums, attending operas and symphonies, richly immersing herself and supporting the arts. Joan was a communicator and so enjoyed being around and interacting with friends and family. To be certain, she was thoughtful and kind. Her mission was always to improve someone else’s day with anything from a flower to a pleasant conversation and everything in between. If you found her sitting down, it was no doubt with one of her favorite books. She was an avid reader and consumed everything from fiction, current events, sports, and mostly non-fiction in her later years. Joan was always excited to share with friends a new author she had discovered or a newly discovered fact of history she gleaned from her reading. In later years, Joan was a member of the Essex Garden Club and filled her house with colorful bouquets of fresh flowers year-round. Joan also had a fondness for animals. Throughout her life, she had dogs surrounding her. Her most recent, Sofia Loren (Brown Labrador Retriever) went everywhere with her and they shared many precious memories. The number one joy of Joan’s life was to spend time with her family. She is survived by her son Torr Terranova; his wife Brittany; NS her grandchildren, Hudson and Caiden. She will be warmly remembered and deeply missed by family and friends. The family would like to thank the entire Essex Meadows community for their acceptance, care, and compassion they showed Joan throughout the last decade. Joan was so grateful to be able to connect and share so many memories with the members of Essex Meadows community. The family would also like to thank the caregivers that looked after Joan for the past several years ensuring Joan’s quality of life stayed as high as it could be. Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life at 3:30 P.M. on Friday, Dec. 12, at Essex Meadows. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Community Music School, 90 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT 06409 https://cmsct.org/support/endowment/

As your hometown paper, the Valley 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 Valley 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 purposes. Letters submitted under pseudonyms, anonymously, or through third parties will be declined. Letters must be written by the submitter. No more than four signees are permitted per letter. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Letter writers may be asked to supply sources to corroborate information presented as fact in letters. Civility is required. Letters with personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined. For letters endorsing a political candidate, Shore Publishing will accept one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections to allow for candidate rebuttal. Letters must be received and verbally confirmed by 5 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Publication is subject to approval by the editor. Letter writers who knowingly violate this policy three times will be banned from submitting future letters to the editor. Letters may be submitted at www.zip06.com or email 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 Valley 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. Valley Courier 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 news@shorepublishing.com 203-245-1877 Fax 203-245-9773

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DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

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Students Doing Their Part to Honor Veterans of Deep River learn more about our project.” While each student had the similar desire to represent the veterans who had given their lives for their freedom, they each had separate reasons for wanting to continue to be a part of this initiative. Rinze Knoop said that he had trouble opening himself up during his high school career, and wanted to collaborate with other students for a cause he saw as honorable. “I feel like I haven’t really put myself out there as much as I would like,” he said. “I have been grateful for the opportunity to do this, but also thankful for the credit that I have received already. Though we haven’t made a ton of progress yet, it still feels very rewarding to see what we have achieved so far.” Student Gavin Abderhalden said he is focused on the end result, and doing what he can to represent and thank the veterans who the 14 trees represent. He has volunteered and done events around town before, but appreciates the time and effort that goes into putting together a program like this. “Being able to work with other people in photo submitted

Continued from page 1

says that their hard work and dedication makes him not only appreciative of the time that they have put into this project, but of veterans who came before and after him as well. “I really am just a veteran who appreciates other veterans,” Nagot said. “These boys are doing such a fantastic job, and I know I and many other veterans are very appreciative of the work that they have done and the work that they still have yet to do.” The project is still in its planning stage, with the boys currently trying to raise the money that they believe it would take to have all of the trees replanted. As of right now, they have raised a little over $2,000 of the $10,000 goal that they have set, and are still looking for further donations towards the project. Finnegan created a website, with the intention of having a place to collect more online donations for the cause. “It really has been a great opportunity for us to gain some more donations, but also represent our 14 veterans,” he said. “It has been a great way for us to learn about the veterans we are working hard for, and Pictured from left, Rinze Knoop, Gavin Abderhalden, Richard Nagot and Patrick Finnegan

See Students page 11

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Cheryl Harger: Always Finding Ways To Stay Involved In Her Community Continued from page 2 backroom tasks, and handling much of the financial side of the business. “I definitely work in the back office, while my husband takes care of the front of the house,” Cheryl says. “He is a lot more passionate about golf, so I just like to handle things like scheduling, payroll, and insurance.” Shortly after the purchase of the indoor golf simulator, Cheryl and Scott decided to join the Essex Board of Trade, since they thought it would benefit them, being involved as small business owners in the town. After being a member for a few years, Cheryl was asked to be a director, and then president of the board, continu-

ing her involvement. “We had a new small business and thought it would be smart to join the board,” she says. “We also wanted to promote it…I was then approached to buy Sweet P’s, an ice cream shop on Main Street. Even though I was involved in so many things, I thought to myself, ‘maybe I do want to work for myself and run an ice cream shop.’” Before she made the purchase of the store a little over two years ago, it had been something that she had not previously thought too much about. She had wanted to dedicate her time to something that was not too demanding, allowed her to work fewer hours, and still let her work for herself.

“I really felt like I could handle it,” Cheryl says. “It works out because golf is busier in the winter, when the ice cream shop is closed.” Now, after years of involvement and hard work, Cheryl and Scott are looking to dial back a bit. Cheryl has stepped back from her work with as the treasurer with the Essex Foundation, as well as her roles within the church. She and her husband are also in the final stages of selling Essex Indoor Golf. She says that while she and her husband enjoy the work that they do and the things that they are involved in, it was time to slow down, especially after the birth of their granddaughter. “We want to rebalance, spend more time with each other and with our family,”

Cheryl says. “We love to travel and have many trips planned, but it will be very strange when we don’t have to think about the golf center every day. I am trying to find more ways to fill my time.” When it comes to getting involved in a community, she encourages those who may have an interest in doing so to go out and find something that they are passionate about. “You really just have to find something that is truly meaningful to you,” she says. “Some of the things I was involved with were just natural things that got put into my lap…find something that interests you, there are so many different opportunities that are out there.”

Need Help with Challenging Children?

Food Drive at Essex Library

Struggling to understand your child's behavior? National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Shoreline and Guilford Youth and Family Services are offering free Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) classes. CPS is a non-punitive approach to helping adults care for challenging children of all ages, grounded in 50 years of neuroscientific research. The class runs for six weeks, starting Thursday, Jan. 8, through Thursday, Feb. 12. Sessions will take place on Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is required. To register, email DivinnaSchmitt@gmail.com. For more information, text Divinna Schmitt at 860-876-0236 or visit ThinkKids.org.

The Essex Library Association is hosting a food drive to benefit the Region 4 Backpack Program through Jan. 30. A wagon for nonperishable donated food items is set up across from the Essex Library’s circulation desk. The Backpack Program provides students identified by school social workers at Essex Elementary, John Winthrop Middle School, and Valley Regional High School with nutritious food when other resources are not available, such as on weekends or during school vacations. The food is delivered weekly to students and includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, beverages and snacks. For more information, visit youressexlibrary.org.

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DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that there will be a caucus of all enrolled Republican electors of the Town of Deep River on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Deep River Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Deep River, CT to endorse candidates for the Deep River Republican Town Committee.

LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF CHESTER By the authority of the State of Connecticut, I have received a Tax Warrant to collect taxes due to the Town of Chester on the Grand List of October 1, 2024. All persons whose names are listed on the 2024 Grand List are hereby notified and liable to pay tax to the Town of Chester, with the second installment of Real Estate and Personal Property bills due and payable on January 1, 2026. All persons receiving a supplemental Motor Vehicle tax bill are hereby notified that said tax is due and payable in one installment on January 1, 2026. Failure to make payment on or before February 3, 2026 will result in an interest charge of one and one half percent (1.5%) per month from the due date of January 1, 2026 until payment is made with a minimum charge of $2.00 per bill. Mail postmarked on or before February 3, 2026 will be considered an on-time payment. As a matter of law, the taxpayer is liable to the town for the tax installment(s) as they become due and payable. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the requirement to pay the bill or the statutorily required interest when a late payment is made.

Home for the Holidays: Who Can Resist Snickers? Story by Carol Andrecs

Beautiful Snickers was passed from house to house, confused as to who would love and care for her the rest of her life. Through no fault of her own, this colorful tortoiseshell has endured too many upsetting changes and longs to feel safe and secure. Would you open your heart and home to Snickers and offer her permanent, unconditional love? To bring her home for the holidays, come meet this sweet and affectionate girl at our open house or apply to adopt her online at www.forgottenfelinesct.org. b

Find Your Match At Forgotten Felines

Emily J. Vetter-Haupt Tax Collector

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 volunteers 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. For more information, contact 860-669-1347 or volunteerinfo@forgottenfelinesct.org.

You can help……

Online Nest Gatherings

Tax office hours for January 2026 are Monday-Thursday 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. Closed Fridays except for January 16, 2026 9am-12pm and January 30, 2026 9am-12pm. We encourage you to view and pay your bill(s) online at https://www.chesterct.org/ (payment processing fee applies) or via mail. Checks should be made payable to Town of Chester Tax Collector and mailed to the following address. Town of Chester Tax Collector PO Box 314 Chester, CT 06412

Photo by Tracye Mueller

The Nest Coffee House holds its Nest Gatherings online. For more information on upcoming online events, visit thenestcoffeehouse.org or meetup.com/NestGatherings.

The need is great! In Connecticut River valley & shore towns little children will go cold this fall/winter without your help.

Essex Library Holds December Gift Sale

Just what is The Warm The Children program? Warm The Children Shoreline is a fund of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization) which provides new winter clothing and footwear for our area’s neediest children.

The Friends of the Essex Library is holding a gift sale through the month of December in the foyer of the library, 33 West Avenue. The gift sale focuses on new or like-new books and puzzles. Unless otherwise noted, hardcovers are priced at $3 each or two for $5, and paperbacks are $2 each. For more information, visit the Friends tab at youressexlibrary.org.

How are needy families identified? Youth & Family Service coordinators in Chester, Deep River, Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, East Haddam and Killingworth identify families and pass on contact information to Warm The Children coordinator who assigns each family to a volunteer shopper.

Wiggle Worms Story Time

How will the children’s clothing be purchased? Volunteer shoppers meet their assigned families at Walmart in Old Saybrook and assist in selecting clothing and footwear for each child. No money changes hands, Walmart bills Warm the Children Shoreline for all purchases. Children aged 4-18 have $100 to spend, children under 4 have $50 to spend on clothes. How can I help? Your donation of any amount is appreciated. Donate by mail or on-line. On-line – donations can be made using a credit card at MiddlesexCountyCF.org, Click the Make a Donation button, type Warm The Children Shoreline and select Search. Donations are tax deductible. By mail- Send your donation to: CFMC/Warm the Children, 49 Main St., Middletown CT 06457

The Essex Library continues its program "Wiggle Worms," a weekly play-based music and movement story time for babies and toddlers ages 3 and below with their caregivers. The story time takes place on all Tuesdays in December from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the program room at the Essex Library, 33 West Avenue. For more information or to register, call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

Notice of Decision NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at their regular meeting on Tuesday December 9, 2025 the Essex Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Wetlands Commission took the following actions: -

IWWC #25-18, 81 Main Street, Ivoryton, installation of a pipe to redirect runoff from the property to swale and into an existing pond and maintenance of existing pond by removal of vegetation. Applicant/Owner: James Spallone and Alix Walmsley APPROVED

Respectfully Submitted, David Kirsch, Vice Chairman

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Students Doing Their Part to Honor Veterans of Deep River Continued from page 7 pursuit of an end goal of honoring veterans and leaving a lasting effect on the community is important to me,” he said. “I have really learned so much from this experience so far.” The boys are far from done with this project, with the goal of having all 14 trees replanted by Memorial Day of 2026. The project has also already received recognition and praise from faculty and staff at Valley Regional High School. Principal Mike Barile put out a letter to the VRHS community, including the towns of Deep River, Essex, and Chester highlighting the work that the students have done. “I want to highlight a meaningful student-led initiative taking place here at Valley,” he wrote, calling the Roots of Remembrance project “a community effort to honor the 14 Deep River veterans who gave their lives in World War II.” To help the students reach their goal for the replanting of the trees, visit https://square.link/u/iTktKds0 where they will be accepting online donations.

Choral Scholarship Program for High School Students High school students are invited to audition for a place in The Anglican Singers, artists-in-residence at St. James Episcopal Church in New London. The choir is dedicated to preserving the English choral tradition of choral evensong. Selected singers will rehearse weekly from September through May in New London, receive instruction from Music Director Simon Holt, and sing alongside experienced vocalists. The group performs up to eight services and concerts during the season at St. James Episcopal Church, 76 Federal Street, New London, and at venues from Mystic to New Haven. Students accepted into the program must pass an audition with Holt and will receive a $500 stipend toward voice lessons or relevant training. Positions are open in the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections. For more information or to audition, email Simon Holt at smo.artisticdirector@yahoo.com.

Dear Reader, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the readers of Shore Publishing’s newspapers for your past contributions to our Voluntary Pay efforts. Your generosity has made a significant difference, and we are truly thankful for every donation. Local journalism is a vital pillar of our communities, serving as the voice that shares the stories of our friends and neighbors, celebrates our successes, and addresses our challenges. Small businesses depend on local newspapers to connect with customers and promote their services. When local journalism thrives, so does our community and economy. As the last independently owned newspaper in Connecticut, our mission has always been to provide local news, share meaningful stories, and elevate the voices within our community. Each week, you can count on our reporters for the latest coverage, including: • Person of the Week Profiles

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While delivering news free of charge is our goal, it is costly. Unlike larger media outlets, we rely heavily on the support of readers like you. We are reaching out to ask for your continued support to keep Shore Publishing thriving and independent. In 2015, we launched our Voluntary Pay program to help sustain our mission and enhance our resources for even better coverage. Due to the evolving media landscape and rising production costs, we now seek your voluntary contribution to help sustain our publication. Your donation will directly support printing and editorial work, continuing to maintain our editorial independence. Thanks to your contributions, in 2024, we donated $40,150 worth of advertising space to several non-profit organizations, including Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County. These donations allowed these vital organizations to promote fundraising events that support their initiatives. We appreciate each of our donors and invite you to make a difference. If you value our weekly product, please consider contributing. We understand everyone’s financial situation is unique, and any gift—large or small—helps us continue delivering the local news that matters. To contribute to our Voluntary Pay program, please visit www.zip06.com/voluntarypay or complete and return the form below. You can also scan the QR code below and help us reduce our costs by donating electronically. For questions or more information about your contribution’s impact, please contact us via phone or email. Regardless of your decision to donate, we will continue to deliver your paper each week. It is our privilege to keep providing you with local news, ads, and information. To remain compliant in our partnership with USPS, please complete the form below or visit www.zip06.com/subscribe. Your request to receive your community newspaper is valid for three years and enables us to provide cost-effective and efficient delivery via mail. Thank you for your support of Shore Publishing. Together, we can ensure our community remains informed and connected. Sincerely,

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VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025 • SPORTS

Sports Hand Girls’ Ice Hockey Co-op

Valley Courier Valley Courier Thursday, December 18, 2025

Embraces Development and Competition By Zachary Halas Special to The Courier

The Daniel Hand girls’ ice hockey co-op team is taking charge and heading into the current season with a lot of optimism and excitement. After a campaign last year that saw the squad loaded with younger, more inexperienced talent, the athletes are ready to make a mark on the ice this winter. Last year was considered a rebuilding year for the Tigers, which are made up of students from Hand, Branford, H-K, Cromwell, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and Valley Regional High School, due to the number of seniors who graduated. The focus was on assessing the roster and building a solid foundation for the future. This winter, Head Coach Greg Thompson and the Tigers are looking to develop the younger talent on the club with the assistance of the experienced senior captains, who are there to help acclimate the new players to the team’s overall play style and philosophy. “They are excited,” Thompson said. “We got four to five freshmen that seem to be kinda jibing. They are excited, they are very excited, they think this year is going to be very competitive, and they want to produce. Last year, we took a big hit and lost a lot of seniors, a bunch of girls went to prep school, so it was kinda like a rebuilding year. They see that the rebuilding from last year is gonna go into this year. We have four seniors, and I think next year, we are having about the same amount, four to five freshmen coming in next year.” Hand has six players from last year who are returning to the program, including four seniors who are captains. Thompson highlighted seniors Brooke Ouel-

Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Chloe Monaghan will be relied on as a strong and experienced leader this winter to help mentor the underclassmen on the Hand girls' ice hockey co-op squad.

lette (Westbrook), Daniella Spaniotis (Cromwell), and Maggie DiNapoli (H-K) who will be taking on expanded defensive roles during the season. Underclassmen Olivia Albino (Hand) and Savannah Johnson (Branford) are expected to make a large impact this season, with Johnson being one of last season’s top scorers alongside fellow underclassman Ana Milne (Branford).

Ice leadership

DiNapoli, Chloe Monaghan (Hand), Ouellette, and Spaniotis will be serving as the squad stewards this winter. They will all be expected to step up into strong leadership roles on and off the ice. With the team consisting of a large number of underclassmen and a handful of experienced seniors, one of the main goals the Tigers are striving for is to develop cohesion among the athletes and instill a winning mindset into the less experienced hockey players.

“One thing with the hockey is that they all kinda know each other,” Thompson said. “If they haven’t played together in their programs, they have played against each other, or even during school, everyone has been kinda bonding with everyone, you know, even during practice, some of the other seniors try to get the freshmen and sophomores to try and buy into how we kinda play.” One of the things Thompson emphasized is the idea of freshmen stepping up into roles this winter that have typically been unfamiliar to them. Having new players thrusted into unfamiliar positions will be critical for the squad’s overall development, as well as that of each individual athlete. Additionally, it will help each player to gain more knowledge of the overall high school game. If everyone is constantly learning and developing, Thompson will see that as a big win for his club. “I would say just to have everyone be able to play any position,

Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Daniella Spaniotis is serving as a captain this year for a Hand girls' ice hockey co-op team looking to do damage on the ice.

and in any circumstance. If a defender can play a wing, or center, or anything, that is success right there,” explained Thompson. “Also develop a hockey sense - hockey sense is huge. That’s our main goal, as long as they are producing, having fun, and being good kids. They are terrific to coach, and I really enjoy it. We don’t have any drama really.” The Tigers’ first game this season was at Guilford on Dec. 9, and Hand lost 4-3 in overtime. Then, on Dec. 13, the team hit the road to Avon and took a tight 2-1 loss. Despite falling short in the first two contests, there are still positives to take away. Hand’s first two goals of the campaign were scored by freshmen, who achieved their first goals of their high school hockey careers. “That game showed what we are looking to do this season,” Thompson said. As Thompson looks ahead to the rest of the winter, he and the Tigers are looking forward to some competitive Southern Con-

necticut Conference (SCC) matches, including against the likes of Hamden. “We always look forward to everybody in our SCC competition,” said Thompson. “We have Hamdem coming up, we have West Haven/Sacred Heart. They are always competitive - we either beat them or lose, and if we do lose, it is not by much. We play Hamden on Tuesday, so we are looking forward to that.” Thompson emphasized how the games are always competitive and provide great learning opportunities for the team, and the community showing support is vital to the group’s overall success. “All the girls enjoy having a big crowd. That is a part of high school sports, support of classmates and parents. Just fill the stands,” Thompson said. “I feel that girls’ sports don’t get the recognition that boys’ sports do. The more that people recognize it, I think that is what the people should be doing.”

SPORTS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Feast of the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve had settled gently over the little coastal town, where the smell of the sea always lingered—briny, honest, and impossible to ignore. But tonight, it mingled with the aroma of frying smelts, simmering tomato sauce, pine boughs, and the faint curl of incense drifting from the corner table where Nonna’s old brass censer still swung on special holidays. Inside the Captain’s cottage—half house, half museum of fishing adventures—the annual Feast of the Seven Fishes was underway. The tradition, rooted in centuries-old Italian Catholic observance, was meant to honor the vigil before Christmas with abstinence from meat, a symbolic purification before the joy of the Nativity. In practice, however, it had evolved into a kind of glorious saltwater marathon: seven varieties of seafood and as many stories (embellished or otherwise) as could be squeezed between bites. This year marked the 47th Feast hosted by Captain Jacopo “Hook” Mancini and his mate of equally long tenure, the ever-loyal and ever-grumbling Lori “Seafox” Mancini. They had been at each other’s side longer than most marriages lasted, and both insisted they were the “real” captain depending on who was within earshot. The living room glowed with twinkling lights. A small nativity scene rested on a mantle cluttered with seashells, faded photos of enormous fish, and one particularly battered buoy that apparently saved the Captain’s life at least twice. Bing Crosby crooned softly from an old radio, occasionally interrupted by the Captain shouting, “Seafox, turn it up, I can’t hear the man hollering!” The table - a cathedral of seafood sported a lace tablecloth (protected by at least three layers of plastic just in case) sagged under the weight of dishes. Baccalà was prepared two ways because Aunt Sophia refused to eat it fried and Uncle Carlo refused to eat it stewed. Calamari rings were so tender they nearly slid off the plate by themselves. Shrimp scampi, glistening in butter and garlic, sent the family dog into a trance. The display also included Zuppa di pesce brimming with mussels, clams, and hunks of white fish, a dish the Captain swore he caught this morning in Long Island Sound - despite the obvious fact he hadn’t left the house since Tuesday. Anchovy garlic knots were also included, guaranteed to keep vampires away until at least Easter. Broiled lobster tails, courtesy of the Captain and Seafox, who bickered about who got the last good deal at the dock, were part of the

Fishing report CAPTAIN MORGAN’S

variety of dishes. And the seventh fish—the wild card every year—turned out to be a massive platter of stuffed flounder, its belly packed tighter than Cousin Joey’s belt buckle after dinner. Wine—red, white, and something homemade that probably wasn’t entirely legal—flowed freely. A few beers, some limoncello, a splash of anisette were also consumed. It was a religious evening, yes, but no one ever accused the Mancinis of under-celebrating the miracle of community. There was a little history and a lot of spirit. Before anyone lifted a fork, the Captain cleared his throat. This meant he was about to attempt something heartfelt, which always caused a mix of fear and admiration around the table. He retold—as he did every year—the origins of the feast: the vigil fast, the symbolism of the number seven, the long tradition of gathering to wait for the arrival of something holy and hopeful. Then he added his own yearly theological interpretation: “See, the Lord gave us fish so we’d have something to talk about and something to cook. And most importantly, we had something to argue about—right, Lori?” Lori raised her glass, “Amen.” And then there was the humor and the heart of it all. As the night wore on, stories grew taller. The mate insisted she once saw a flounder wink at her. The Captain claimed he’d been attacked by a rogue squid. Nonna protested, saying the only squid that ever attacked anyone was in her frying pan. The younger kids made ornaments out of scallop shells. The older kids wandered in and out, snagging shrimp when they thought no one was watching (everyone was watching). Laughter rose and fell like waves against the jetty. Even the incense—smoldering in the corner—seemed to approve, sending up curls of scented smoke toward the ceiling like whispered prayers. It was a Christmas Eve done right. As midnight approached, someone put on a soft recording of Tu Scendi dalle Stelle. Candles flickered. The sea wind tapped lightly at the windows, as if joining in. The Captain stood, lifting his glass once more.

Photo illustration by Captain Morgan

Here is a little twist on the Feast of Seven Fishes as we delve into its significance, tradition, and array of foods mixed with a touch of humor to light up Christmas.

“To the old traditions. To the new memories. To friends who are family, and family who are—let’s face it—not always easy, but always ours,” said the Captain. “And to fish! The one thing we all agree we can’t live without.” Lori muttered, “Speak for yourself, I could live without anchovies,” causing the room to roar. And so they celebrated—faith, food, family, the sea, the season. A night where the line between sacred and silly blurred beautifully, as it always should on Christmas Eve - especially when reaching a traditional finale like, “Oh aye, Happy Anniversary, my Seafox!” She giggled, “Back at ya, my Captain.” b

On The Water Following a cold frontal passage, an associated low pressure deepened while tracking up into the Canadian Maritimes. High pressure then built in from the west. As the high weakened and shifted offshore, a weak clipper low approached the area. It then passed to the north, sending another cold front through the area. A frigid arctic blast dragged pre-dawn air temperatures into the teens and single digits moderating to a low of 29 degrees and high of 49 degrees during the day, as mostly a mix of

sun and clouds interspersed with some rain made up the weather schedule. Small craft advisories battered Long Island Sound as seas reached two to five feet cranked up by gusty north/westerly winds as water temperatures dipped to 39 degrees. Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and International fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media. For last minute holiday gifts and all things fishy, including the latest gear, flies/fly fishing, rods/reels, clam/crabbing supplies, fishing trips, 2026 licenses/permits, and much more, swing by the shop located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison, or call 203-245-8665 for updated shopping/winter hours. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, Authorized Penn Premium Dealer, and promoter of the Daiwa Tournament Program, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better. Tight Lines, Captain Morgan captainmorganusa@hotmail.com captainmorgan-fish.blogspot.com X (formerly twitter) @captmorgan_usa

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • SPORTS

Valley Winter Captains Participate in Leadership Conference By Gabby Maljanian Sports Editor

As the winter sports begin their seasons, Valley is primed and ready with strong captains at the helm. On Dec. 8, all of the school’s winter sports captains participated in the Shoreline Athletic Conference’s (SLC’s) annual Captain’s Leadership Conference held at H-K High School. The

conference focused on developing leadership, sportsmanship, communication, and team culture. The conference involves collaboration with the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) to promote initiatives like “SPORT” (Self, Pride, Others, Responsibility, Team) for a positive environment.

Valley's winter sports captains recently participated in the Shoreline Athletic Conference's annual Captain's Leadership Conference held at H-K High School. Photo courtesy of Valley Regional Athletics

Madison Hoop Dreams Winter Basketball Camp By Gabby Maljanian Sports Editor

On Monday, Dec. 29, Tuesday, Dec. 30, and Wednesday, Dec. 31, Madison Hoop Dreams (MHD) will offer three days of basketball camp. Each day features skill development, competition, and fun at H-K Middle School (451 Route 81). The camp is for players in grades 3 to 8 and is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Players are encouraged to register early to ensure a spot. The limit is 90 campers, and MHD will draw from over 15 towns. MHD plans to have three leagues to provide ageappropriate competition, and all of the programs are co-ed. Each day starts with 45 minutes of skill development. Then, campers will have fun participating in competitive basketball games for the remainder of the day. During the games, the coaches give instruction to help each player improve their

Schedules b

Friday, Dec. 19: at Morgan at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23: at East Hampton at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20: at Norwich Free Academy at 9 a.m.

Boys’ Basketball

Fencing

knowledge and understanding of the b game. This is an excellent opportunity for b Wrestling all players to improve their skills and con- Girls’ Basketball Friday, Dec. 19: vs. Morgan at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20: at Waterford at 10 a.m. fidence for the basketball season. Saturday, Dec. 20: vs. Lyman Memorial at 1:30 p.m. The cost is $60/day for the six-hour Monday, Dec. 22: vs. East Hampton at 7 p.m. b camp. However, teams are encouraged to Boys’ Swimming and Diving attend together. If there are three or four b Friday, Dec. 19: vs. Shelton at 4 p.m. teammates attending, MHD offers a dis- Boys’ Ice Hockey counted price of $55/player each day. For Saturday, Dec. 20: vs. Woodstock Academy at five or more teammates, the cost is 1 p.m. $50/day. One of the parents should text Tuesday, Dec. 23: vs. Suffield, Granby, Windsor Coach Bill Barker with the names of the Locks at 1:30 p.m. teammates attending (203-494-6905). If possible, the program will have teammates on the same team. However, trades may be necessary to balance the competition. Day A.M. P.M. For more information and to register, please go to www.madisonhoop 18 9:43 10:09 dreams.com. If you have any questions, 19 10:24 10:50 please call or text Barker at 203-494-6905, 20 11:05 11:32 or email him at wab6933@gmail.com. 21 11:45 22 12:15 12:25 23 1:00 1:05 Dec. 18 to Dec. 24 24 1:45 1:43

HIGH

Tides ESSEX

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DECEMBER 18, 2025

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VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 15

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Addition • Decks • Flooring • Attic/Basement Remodeling Finish Carpentry • Custom Ceramic, Marble & 1956 Since Granite Tile Work & Counter Tops • Total Custom Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Interior & Exterior Painting Addition • Decks • Flooring •• Attic/Basement Remodeling Lic. #561417 ~ Insured ~ Work Guaranteed Finish Carpentry • Custom Ceramic, Marble & 203-444-6297 Joseph Casanova Jr. Granite Tile Work & Counter Tops • Total Custom Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling • Interior & Exterior Painting Lic. #561417 ~ Insured ~ Work Guaranteed

Rental

place your classified online

**WANTED** Firearms Single or Collections ______________________ Including military and related items. Federal firearms license. Appraisals. ______________________ Richard Pleines 860-663-2214

Merchandise

Real Estate

Wanted to Buy

WANTED TO BUY Old Records Purchased 12” LPs and 7” 45 rpm only. No 10” 78s. 203-710-9943

d239532 d239532

Announcements

• • Siding • Windows • Siding • • Gutters • Windows • Siding Repairs • Siding • Windows • Gutters • Windows 24MO 0% OR • Siding • Repairs Gutters • Siding Gutters $500 OFF • Windows Repairs • Windows Repairs 24MO 0% OR • Gutters • Gutters $500 24MO 0% OR 24MO 0% OR OFF 860 •860.230.0853 Repairs •$500 Repairs OFF OFF $500 RI www.jfkroofing.com 860 24MO 0% OR 24MO 0% OR * credit terms apply $500 OFF $500 OFF 860.230.0853 CT

Reg #0654527

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*credit t

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www.jfkroofing.com * credit terms apply

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16 • CLASSIFIEDS • VALLEY COURIER

DECEMBER 18, 2025 BUILDING & REMODELING

Shoreline Deck Company, LLC Making Ideas Happen Additions, Bathrooms, Pergolas, Pool Houses, Pavilions, Outdoor Kitchens

ROOFING SIDING WINDOWS DOORS GUTTERS FAMILY TRADITION SINCE 1955 DECKS

860-552-6027

Please call for a free design consultation & estimate

203-453-2333

www.shorelinedeck.com | chris@shorelinedeck.com

HIC.0547261

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

Since 1981 38 Years Exp.

BRUCE STERLING Remodeling & Building

• Carpentry: Interior/Exterior • Drywall • Siding No Jobs • Decks Too Small! • Doors & Windows • Kitchens, Baths & Flooring • And More!

Cell (203) 915-5084

Lic. #541195 Insured • Over 30 Years Experience

T. Robert’s Construction, LLC From Design To Completion

Fully Insured

Lic #563264

(203) 507-6902 • Branford, CT

CLEANING SERVICES

Home & Business Cleaning info@geniemaids.com

J&P RESTORATION General Contractor J.A. Petrillo - Owner Roofing Remodeling Additions Kitchens Garages Masonry Decks Gutters

Siding Sheet Rock Bathrooms Paper Hanging Painting Plumbing Electrical Windows

203-982-5436 HIC.0560655

Free Estimates - References Over 10 Years Experience

ROBLES CLEANING SERVICE Jeisi Robles (203) 572-7483

HOUSES - CONDOS - OFFICES

E-mail: jeise24@hotmail.com

SKY CITY

HOME IMPROVEMENT, LLC DECKS KITCHENS BATHROOMS ADDITIONS CARPENTRY PAINTING

WINDOWS DOORS SIDING GUTTERS ROOFING

(203) 392-4516

Guilford, CT. Licensed & Insured

Free Estimates HIC # 0646127

DECKS

DRYWALL

DECK RESTORE

Seasons Greetings from

Sanding/Refinishing Softwash House Cleaning Decks/Hardwood Floors Decks Cleaned/Repaired/Sanded &Power Stained • Hardwood Floors Washing of Homes Patios & Walkways Power Washed Protect your investment, Free Estimates beautify your home.

203-996-4981 Brian

licensed /insured HIC #0678344

ELECTRICAL

Early Deadlines for Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 Issues SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS Tues., Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. CLASSIFIED LINERS ADS Wed., Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. and Tues., Dec. 23 at 4 p.m.

Daniel Brown Electric LLC • 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

Early Deadlines for Jan. 8 Issue SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS Tues., Dec. 23 at 5 p.m.

Marc Geoghegan

Community

License #ELC.0203098-E1 Fully Insured

CLASSIFIED LINERS ADS Tues., Dec. 30 at 4 p.m.

Remodeling/Additions Kitchens, Baths, Finished Basements Generators and Service upgrades Troubleshooting • Free Estimates

Call 860-701-4200

4gelectricct@gmail.com • fb.me/4GElectric

860.331.9901

in print every week & online every day at zip06.com 203-245-1877 Ext. 6130 860-701-4200

EXCAVATING

GUTTER CLEANING

CLUTTER IN THE GUTTER

EXCAVATION DEMOLITION & SITE PACKAGES Building Lots Cleared and Developed Site Excavation for New Homes, Additions & Garages Septic Systems, Utilities Trenching

The Original

FOUNDATIONS & CONCRETE WORK Foundations & Concrete Work Additions, Garage Foundations Barns, Slabs & Structural Piers Retaining Walls

Complete Site Work - Paving - Driveways Mulch, Stone, Screened Topsoil,

SEAWALL & DOCK CONSTRUCTION Seawall Masonry Repointing Boulder and Revetment Stone Dock Repairs & Pile Installations.

Sand & Gravel House Sites, Septic Systems, Demolition

Why Hire 3 Contractors When K.E.Braza Construction Handles The Entire Site Process?

Water Mains, Sewers 756 Middlesex Turnpike, Old Saybrook, CT

25 Year Family Business Proudly Serving Connecticut Shoreline

www.blexcavating.com - 860-388-9665

www.KEBrazaConstruction.com 203-530-7191

SEAMLESS GUTTERS PLUS

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

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!

Scott’s Gutter Fully Insured Cleaning HIC #0634550

No Job Too Small • No Job Too Large Complete Cleaning, Installation and Repairs for Gutters

• We Demo We Dig and We Pour your Foundation 1 Contractor 1 Price • Make The Call This Fall, Get it Done Before Next Season Direct: 860-662-0124 | Office: 860-399-5290

GUTTERS

Owner/ Operator Scott Behler

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

203-466-0520

Green Gloves L Gutters, LC

SEAMLESS GUTTERS

JUNK REMOVAL

LANDSCAPING

CHAMPLIN’S LANDSCAPING & EXCAVATION

Commercial & Residential

JUNK REMOVAL SERVICES

Locally Owned and Operated Family Business

• Installation • Repair • Cleaning • Roofing • Window Replacement • Remodeling • Gutter Gaurds • Siding

203-245-9448

SERVING MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW HAVEN COUNTY & FAIRFIELD COUNTY

GREENGLOVESGUTTERS.COM

HIRE A VETERAN

• General Waste Removal • Construction Debris • Sheetrock Demo • Shed and Deck Demo & Removal • Oil Tanks and Drums • Garage Cleanouts

We Donate & Recycle!

860-415-3313

• Fall Clean Up • Snow Plowing • Shrub Pruning • Tree Removal • Stump Grinding SENIOR DISCOUNT

• Fence Repair • Gravel Driveways • Excavator Work • Shed Demolition • Junk Removal

860-510-3509

Lic. # 0653900

203.727.6405

www.thecleanoutcompanyllc.com

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

FULLY INSURED

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

LANDSCAPING

Landscape Design & Build Hand Drawn Renderings Full Estate Plans RESIDENTIAL • 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 Serving the Shoreline Area Since 1996

Call today for consultation (860) 767-2811 www.sullivanlawnservices.com FERT #B2547

CT HIC #0606162 CT Lic# P1-0204385

NOW SERVICING THE SHORELINE AREA FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE 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

www.violalandscaping.com

Fully licensed HIC #0561037 & Insured

VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 17

DECEMBER 18, 2025

CELEBRATING OVER 41 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

860-635-1030 office@violalandscapingllc.com

18 • CLASSIFIEDS • VALLEY COURIER

DECEMBER 18, 2025 MASONRY

OLD WORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP

SOSOLI’S

MOVING & HAULING

Father & Son Masonry Over 30 years experience Specializing In:

M AS O N RY, L LC HIC.0618942

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

10% OFF WITH THIS AD (exp. 4.30.25)

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

Stonewalls, Seawalls, Special Steps, Patios, Sidewalks, Swimming Pools, Chimneys, Fireplaces, Belgium Block, Blue Stone Pavers, Stucco, Big & Small Jobs Welcomed We do it all! Serving the Shoreline with Pride Great Prices Italian Craftsmanship All Work Guaranteed

NEED SOMETHING MOVED? “No Job Too Small”

Will do Dump Runs also. Call Luke at

203-464-0444

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

www.greatmason.com PLUMBING SERVICES

Commercial & Residential Interior/Exterior Painting • Power Washing - Staining Free Estimate/Fully Insured/Licensed CT HIC.0578520

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

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c: 203.430.4194 • martinardolino@gmail.com

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Interior/Exterior • Minor Carpentry Popcorn Ceiling Removal Wallpaper Removal

ROOFING

INSTALLATIONS N NEW EW SSTA OORRREPAIRS RREEPA W IIN N TALLLLAT ATIIO ONNSSOR PAI IRRSS

Fully Fully insured insured

M.A. PAINTING

HARRISON

RogeR NCERampton W I N S TA L L AT I OSince N 1986 S1986O R RSERVICES ESERVICES PA I R S Since R

office: 203-245-7144 cell: 203-444-3465 dominic@GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com www.GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com

ROOFING

PLUMBING l HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING RogeR Rampton RogeR C ogeRC CRampton Rampton

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Dominic Bosco

MARTIN ARDOLINO CTHIC#0638601

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Connecticut Shoreline

Quality Work Since 1987

POWERWASHING

MBING l HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING

Gold Star Painting Specialists

PAINTING

RogeR CRampton RogeR CRampton Cell (203) 598-2524

HIC.0571018 Fully Insured Free Estimates

PAINTING

203-668-0833 office-203-468-9889 cell-

East Haven, CT 06512

SKYWAY

Residential

Restoration LLC

ROOFINGProfessionals

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Licensed & Insured Lic. #0573204

Senior & Veteran Discounts

VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 19

DECEMBER 18, 2025 ROOFING

BENNY’S

A AboveThe TheRest Rest A Roof Roof Above RESTORATION,LLC

CT Lic #06032512 ROOFING & REMODELING, LLC Residential/CommercialCT•License New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types) #603258 CT License #603258

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

CT License #603258

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

ROOFING

www.ENHRestoration.com www.ENHRestoration.com

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

Fully Insured • All Work Warranteed Reasonable Reasonable Prices • 203-640-9820 Free Estimates Prices • Free Estimates

203-640-9820 bennysroofingremodeling@gmail.comA+ Rating

manolyroofing@aol.com 203-640-9820 203-640-9820 CT License #603258 manolyroofing@aol.commanolyroofing@aol.com

CT License #603258 CT Lic #06032512

CT License #603258

Rating A+A+Rating

A+ Rating

TREE SERVICES

TOP NOTCH TREE, LLC Landscape & Lawncare Services

• Full Service Tree Removal • Land/Lots Cleared • Brush Piles Chipped • 60’ Aerial Truck/Climbers • Stump Grinding

Lawn Mowing • Spring & Fall Clean-ups • Mulching • Pruning Tree Removal • Planting • Diagnosis • Treatments • Stump Grinding

We Make Tree Work Affordable

LANDSCAPE & TREE SERVICE A FULL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE COMPANY

Roofing Specialists

Residential/Commercial • New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types) All Types of Chimney Flashing All Types of Flashing Work Seamless Gutters Demolition

All Types ofResidential/Commercial Chimney Flashing • All Types of Flashing Work • New Roofs Residential/Commercial • New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types)• Re-Roofs(All Types) •Demolition Seamless Gutters •Flashing Types of Chimney Flashing • All Types of Flashing Work All Types of ChimneyAll Flashing • All Types of Work • • Demolition Insured • All Work Warranteed Seamless Gutters Seamless Fully Gutters • Demolition Reasonable Prices • Free Estimates Fully Insured • All Work Warranteed • Reasonable Prices • Free Etstimates Fully Insured • All Work Warranteed

OWNER ON EVERY JOB

860-552-9376

(860)227-2774

RT &

Brian Miller

Over 20 Years Experience Clinton, CT

T REE REMOVAL L.L.C Affordable and Professional Tree Services

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

Free Estimates - Fully Insured - Competitive Prices

203-731-7710 • 1-877-669-1535

Same day call back. We accept credit cards. www.rttreeremoval.com • brian@rttreeremoval.com

24-Hour Emergency Service Available

860-526-2127

Roofing Gutter Cleaning EPDM Roofing Flat Roofs COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL COVONERESTORATION.COM

WATERPROOFING

First Time Customers!

WINDOW CLEANING

ROWELLCLEANING CLEANING ROWELL SERVICELLC LLC SERVICE S

SPECIALIZING IN WINDOW CLEANING, SPECIALIZING IN RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CLEANING

WINDOW CLEANING, CARPETS & FLOORS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIALTel. CLEANING P.O. Box 589,

Madison, CT 06443

203-245-8647

203-245-8647 email. rcsllc64@gmail.com

39 ORCHARD PARK ROAD • MADISON

Basement Waterproofing Services Over 31 years experience

FOOTING DRAINS GUTTER DOWNSPOUT DRAINS CRAWL SPACES LANDSCAPING DRAINAGE GRAVITY DRAINS CRACK SEALING SUMP PUMPS PUMP INSPECTIONS Lic & Ins. FREE Est.

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Fun By The Numbers

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!

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Christmas in the Philippines: It’s About Faith, Friends, and Family By Maria Caulfield Living Editor

It’s quite literally on the opposite side of the world; take a globe with the United States facing you, then spin it 180 degrees, and somewhere in that region in the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find the Philippines. The time zones also indicate its distance—in the spring, when the United States observes daylight saving time, Philippine time is 12 hours ahead. So, midnight in the U.S. East Coast is noon in the Philippines. Occasionally mistaken as an island, the Philippines is an archipelago with a whopping total of 7,641 islands with three main regions: Luzon in the north, Visayas in the central region, and Mindanao down south. I boarded two plane rides over some 20 hours to get to Manila, the capital and the largest metropolis in Luzon and in the country. My parents and most of my siblings live in different cities within the borders of Manila. Door-to-door and including the wait time, the trip takes at least 24 hours, a journey I say is not for the faint of heart. But traveling to the Philippines to spend the Christmas season with family is well worth the trip. Although my trips don’t always last through Dec. 25, I get the meaning and essence of Christmas by simply being with family around the season, when the Christmas spirit comes alive. Christmas in the Philippines is not a celebration of a day or a week. It is a season far longer than that. While Americans debate whether Christmas displays in stores and on streets before Thanksgiving is too early, there is no such discussion among Filipinos. Thanksgiving is rooted in a historical event in the United States, and so for the Philippines—though a predominantly Catholic country—no such celebration of gratitude exists. Hence, Christmas does not come on the heels of a major holiday marked by family reunions. Instead, once the ‘ber’ months begin (that’s September), Filipinos start hearing Christmas tunes played over the radio, in TV

Photo by Mike Angeles

The author's niece, Isabelle, and nephew, Miggy, in their younger years in their home in Manila at Christmas

Photo by Mike Angeles

Christmas lights and ornaments are put up early at Bag of Beans, a popular restaurant and coffee shop in the Philippines known for its thematic decorations.

commercials, and in live performances. Churches, stores, streets, and even entire residential subdivisions glow with Christmas trees, glimmering lights, religious Nativity scenes, and animated holiday displays. The country also does not experience four seasons. Rather, it has the rainy monsoon season that begins April or May and runs through October, and the drier months spanning November to March. The months of November to February tend to also have cooler weather, though December may experience the fluke of some hot days.

Christmas Day hit a hot and humid 90 degrees years ago when I brought my husband and two young boys for a Philippine vacation. No matter for my boys—they ran around the yard, sweat dripping down their faces but happy to give chase to their cousins and delighted to ignite some sparklers typically not allowed in my household in the U.S. Part of the country’s Christmas tradition is what is called Simbang gabi, literally translated as “night Mass.” The term is a misnomer because Mass is held not in the nighttime hours but just before dawn for nine consec-

Photo by Mike Angeles

Photo by Maria Caulfield

The reason for the season: The birth of Jesus is depicted in Nativity scenes that are common in Philippine homes and churches weeks before and after Christmas Day.

On a warm Christmas Day in the Philippines, the author's son, Justin, runs around the yard and is held back for a brief rest by his cousin, Miggy.

utive days in the lead-up to Christmas. Among Catholics, it’s a novena of Masses in anticipation of the nativity of Jesus; Filipinos literally and figuratively rise to the occasion from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24 and attend Mass in their Sunday best. It’s a tough practice to follow—as I can attest—and I applaud those who have completed the nine consecutive dawn Masses. Growing up in the Philippines, I tried to keep with the practice year after year; the longest I could go was four or five consecutive Masses. Gatherings outside churches usually take place after each predawn Mass. As the sun begins to rise, friends and families share an early morning meal with different rice cakes: bibingka (a delicious rice cake topped with butter, cheese, and slices of hardboiled salted egg and cooked in a shallow terracotta bowl with heat from above and below), suman (sweetened glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves and sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with coconut caramel), and puto bumbong (steamed purple rice slathered with butter, sugar, and grated dried coconut). The food is paired with hot chocolate called tsokolate or ginger tea called salabat. For those who want a more

savory dish, a Filipino-style rice and chicken congee flavored with ginger and garlic called arroz caldo is real comfort food in the cooler early morning hours. Aside from the dawn Masses, Filipinos typically attend the Advent Masses on the four Sundays that precede Christmas. In my teenage years and early 20s, I sang with the church choir on both the Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses. It allowed me to deepen my faith, feel more involved with the church and community, and connect with friends, especially during the Christmas season. Apart from Christmas hymns in churches and songs over the radio and TV, Christmas carols are often heard outside homes when street children go house to house to sing popular holiday jingles. Though not always in tune and with hardly any practice, the children would come to our home to give an amusing—yet endearing—performance as they happily belt out their songs accompanied by bells and tambourines to collect a few pesos before running off to the next house. In my family, Christmas Eve is a boisterous affair. Growing up with seven siblings along with aunts, uncles, cousins, and See Christmas page 21

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Calendar for the Week of December 18, 2025

Concert by Low Lily with Matt Flinner: 7:30 p.m. The

ister (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexli-

THURSDAY, DEC. 18

FRIDAY, DEC. 19

Holiday Jamboree Tea: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $40 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860399-4777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea.

Scranton Library Friends Annual Meeting: 10 a.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Hosted by Scranton Library Friends. Attendees can meet board members and learn about past and planned activities for the Friends. For info, contact 203-589-8303 or chas.reese2@gmail.com.

and activities. For families with children ages 6 and up. Participants are advised that one of the crafts involves peanut butter. For info or to register (required), call the library at 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.

For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old brary.org. www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. Solstice Celebration: 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Guilford Free email news@shorepublishing.com. Library, 67 Park St. Features family-friendly stories, crafts,

Red Cross Blood Drive: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. St. Peter Catholic Church, 30 Saint Peter’s Ln., Higganum. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-7332767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

Red Cross Blood Drive: 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Essex Town Hall, 29 West Ave. For info or an appointment, call 1-800RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. Winter Solstice Craft Workshop: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. For high school-aged teens. Part of GAC's drop-in art club. Free. No prior registration or Guilford residency required. For info, call 203453-5947 or visit guilfordartcenter.org.

Make Your Own Snow Globe: Two sessions: 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. For children ages 5 and up. All supplies provided. Arrive 15 minutes before Friends of the Library “Wrap & Yap” Fundraiser: 9 a.m. the program starts. For info or to register (required), call to noon. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features gift203-245-8722 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com. wrapping with materials provided; attendees may bring their own wrapping paper. Cost: $1 for XS/S items, $5 for M/L items, and $10 for XL items. For info, call 860-663A Christmas Carol: 6:30 p.m. Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St. Features a live, one-man performance by Ken- 2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. neth Noll, professor emeritus of microbiology at the University of Connecticut and community theater performer. Tween Time: Ice Bowling: 4 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Sponsored by the Friends of the Chester Public Library. Ave. Features an outdoor ice-bowling activity for ages 8 To register, contact the Chester Public Library at 860-526- to 12, with participants taking turns rolling frozen balls 0018 or library@chesterct.org. For info, visit chesterctlidown a cardboard lane to knock over pins. Weatherbrary.com/adultprograms. dependent; registered participants will be notified of cancellations by phone or email. Free. For info or to reg-

Living Nativity: 6 and 7 p.m. Lutheran Church of Madison front lawn, 9 Britton Ln. Features a cast of performers, the church choir, and live animals from Tripledale Farm in Guilford. After each 20-minute program, guests are invited indoors for free hot cocoa and cookies. Children are welcome. For info, call the church at 203-2454145 or visit lutheranchurchofmadison.com.

FRIDAY, DEC. 19 AND SATURDAY, DEC. 20 Sister’s Christmas Catechism: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or to purchase a ticket, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

SATURDAY, DEC. 20 Friends of the Library “Wrap & Yap” Fundraiser: 9 a.m. to noon. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features giftwrapping with materials provided; attendees may bring their own wrapping paper. Cost: $1 for XS/S items, $5 for M/L items, and $10 for XL items. For info, call 860-6632000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. See page 22

Christmas in the Philippines: It’s About Faith, Friends, and Family Continued from page 20 grandparents, I have vivid memories of large gatherings around a Christmas tree decorated with festive balls and lights. However, our attention was not so much on the decorations and lights on the tree as on the dozens of presents that lay beneath. As children typically do, we would feel and shake each present, eager to guess what each wrapped package held. Before we could open our gifts, our family would go to the traditional midnight Mass—another loose term because the Mass often takes place a few hours before midnight to allow families to return home

for noche buena, or the traditional Christmas Eve feast. My mother would dress up our large oval table in a red table cloth and layer it with a white table textile crocheted by my grandmother that allowed the crimson color to show through. The table would be laden with ham or lechon (a whole roasted pig), pancit (noodles with vegetables and chicken or pork), queso de bola (Edam cheese formed into a ball), relyeno (filleted milkfish), lumpia (spring rolls), various stewed dishes, and several desserts. As children, we would finish our meal ahead of the adults, eager to get to the presents. It’s fairly common for my family to

get to that exciting part of opening Christmas gifts after the clock strikes midnight and we joyfully greet each other, “Merry Christmas!” There was no order on who opened presents first. As soon as we all gathered in the living room, we would search under the tree for our presents and excitedly unwrap each one. Neighbors always knew when we were done with our noche buena and started opening gifts with our loud laughter and celebration. Now in their 90s, my parents have relegated the Christmas arrangements to my siblings, who organize the Christmas family reunions as a way of passing on some of

the traditions to the next generation. Although slightly different from the counterpart celebrations in the Philippines, the Christmases I celebrate now with my family members in the U.S. carry many similarities. Many of us gather at my aunt’s house in Maryland to be with close friends and family members. Many still attend Christmas Eve Mass, and we all share the traditional noche buena feast. And yes, Christmas gifts still abound in the living room. At the stroke of midnight, we all give each other celebratory greetings of “Merry Christmas,” followed by the opening of gifts and much festive laughter.

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

A Holiday Memory: The Wrap & Rap By Liz Egan Special to Living

One of the special memories I have of the holidays is the years I spent between 1987 and 2000 visiting my mother on Long Island and wrapping her gifts for my siblings, their spouses, and children, while she shared stories of my childhood and the history of my family. We called these weekends the Wrap & Rap. Although I grew up in a very large family—the 11th of 15 children—by the time I was a few years out of college, my mother was living at home alone. My father had passed away a year after I graduated. My older siblings had families of their own, and my younger siblings were just starting their post-college careers. I was a nonprofit arts administrator, divorced at the time, and living alone in Connecticut. On Friday of the second weekend each December, I would travel by ferry to Long Island after work. My mother and I organized the dining room table with gift wrap, scissors, cellophane tape, tissue paper, recycled gift boxes, bows, and curly tie ribbon. Down from the closets and under the beds came all of the shopping bags of presents that my mother had purchased all year long. She shopped throughout the year because with the sheer numbers—15 children, most with spouses, a growing number of grandchildren—and a limited budget, doing it all in a few weeks before Christmas was not a logistical option. Throughout the year, when something caught her eye, she bought it. In my childhood, my mother and siblings and I attended many church fairs. My mother did a lot of holiday shopping there purchasing handmade ornaments and white elephant treasures. Special gifts to her working daughters allowed her to frequently shop at her favorite store, Loeh-

Photo courtesy of Liz Egan

Photo credit: Liz Egan

The author's mother, Virginia Bermel

Wrapped presents under the Bermel family Christmas tree

mann’s. Toys and games for a range of ages and her own hand-knit mittens and hats filled dozens of shopping bags. She didn’t always know who she bought what for, and part of the special fun of the Wrap & Rap was assigning gifts to individuals. My mother manned the lined pad, spacing names by family—her child, their spouse, their children—until all the names were listed. I would pull a gift from the bag, and she would say for whom she intended to give the gift or we would decide together. Then, she would write it down next to the person’s name until everyone was accounted for. Usually, she had created a special family gift for all of us, like the year she made a dozen wreaths from the grape vines in our backyard or the year she made handsewn quilt Nativity wall hangings. I would always wrap those gifts first in a gift box,

with her special note. Each family gift would also have one of the handmade ornaments tied to the curly tie ribbon on top. These larger gifts started the piles, set all about the room, by family, that would later be packed into cardboard boxes and addressed, ready to ship by the end of the weekend. After breakfast Saturday, we continued throughout the day, taking necessary breaks, to locate bags of gifts that were overlooked when we emptied the closets before we started. At times, there were as many as 150 gifts, some as small as an ornament, small toy, or a bag of a favorite candy, each individually wrapped. While I wrapped the gifts, my mother shared story after story of Christmases gone by—the hand-knit Christmas stockings, holiday baking, the Christmas play, my Christmas Day birth story, and dozens more. It was

Continued from page 21 Winter Reading Kickoff: Ed Pop Magic Show: 10 a.m. Essex Town Hall, 29 West Ave. Hosted by the Essex and Ivoryton libraries. Features a family magic program for ages 3 and older with magician and storyteller Ed Popielarczyk, with audience participation. Free and open to the public. For info or to register (required), call 860-7671560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Letters to Santa: 10 a.m. to noon RJ Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features a drop-in activity where children can write letters to Santa using provided stationery and coloring supplies. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.

Cookie Decorating and Hot Chocolate Bar:10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Features cookie frosting and decorating along with refreshments from a hot chocolate bar. For info, call 860-526-0018 or visit chesterctlibrary.com. Allis-Bushnell House Open House: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Hosted by the Madison Historical Society (MHS). Visitors can explore the museum and view the exhibit, A Snail-Mail Holiday: Selections from the MHS Collection of Greeting Cards in the tearoom. The MHS shop offers a variety of Madison-themed gifts. Free admission but donations are welcome. For info, visit madisonhistory.org.

too many years before I thought to tape her, but the yearly repetition cemented them in my mind and heart, and I reflect upon them fondly every year around the holidays. Before I left Sunday, I would clean up the gift wrap station and bake a couple of batches of cookies for her to gift to her friends and neighbors. Recently, I attended our town’s craft fairs, supporting local artisans and churches, something I now see is a learned tradition of my holiday. I continue to knit Christmas stockings, bake many of the same cookies, and still wrap my gifts with colorful papers, not bags. The Wrap & Rap allowed the traditions of my childhood to be forged into my life as an adult making every Christmas special. These expressions of love and connection have become part of me and I love sharing them every year, in the form of gifts from my heart.

Holiday Art Fair: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. RiverFire Glass Studio @ SoMA, 500 Main St., Deep River. Features local vendors, a shop and gallery, flash tattoos by Amygdala Ink, and food trucks from Honeycone Ice Cream and Cold Spring Farm. For info, call 860-864-5004 or visit riverfireglass.com. Holiday Jamboree Tea: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $40 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860399-4777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea. See page 24

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Irving Berlin and Spectacular Dancing Highlight Goodspeed’s White Christmas By Karen Isaacs Columnist

How can you go wrong with spectacular dancing, glorious Irving Berlin tunes, and two romantic couples? With Goodspeed’s production of White Christmas, through Dec. 31, you can’t. This may not be a perfect production, but it is a truly enjoyable one. But before I quibble about some things, let’s look at the plot. Developed in 2000, this show appeared on Broadway in 2008; authors David Ives and Paul Blake take the basic plot from the

Review THEATER

1954 movie starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen, and tweaked it; some songs were added and others deleted. The first scene sets up at the background—a European WWII army unit in 1944. Captain Bob Wallace and Private Phil Davis have joined forces to put on a Christmas show for the company;

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

The finale in Irving Berlin's White Christmas at Goodspeed Musicals.

Wallace is an established performer, and Davis seems more of a cut-up. When the commanding officer, General Waverly, is reassigned, he addresses his troops and wonders where they will be in 10 years’ time. Fast-forward to 1954. Wallace and Davis are very successful song and dance men; Wallace is all business, and Davis is a ladies’ man. Just before Christmas, they go to a club to hear a nightclub act featuring the sisters of a fellow soldier, Pvt. Haynes. Phil and Judy Haynes are immediately attracted to each other and set about bringing Bob and Betty together, though there appears to be an instantaneous dislike. All four end up at a Vermont inn where the sisters are booked to appear, which just happens to be owned (not successfully) by General Waverly. Various romantic complications occur, but, as in a Hallmark movie, it all ends happily; even the inn is saved. The show ends with “White Christmas.” The highlight is the dancing. An early number, “The Best Things Happen While You’re Photo by Diane Sobolewski Dancing,” sets up the expectaLauren Nicole Chapman as Betty and Jonalyn Saxer as Judy in "Sisters" tions with a ballroom number by

Phil and Judy. Act II opens with a perhaps overlong but spectacular tap number, “I Love a Piano.” It stopped the show. Director Henter Foster has done a competent job but has made a few choices that seem inexplicable. For example, Ezekiel, a guy who works at the inn, is slow-moving and taciturn in Act I. It’s funny. By the Second Act, he is more vocal, he moves faster and has an apparent romantic exchange with the stage manager. I also expected Foster to make some use of the aisles as well as to make the finale memorable. But there were also some larger problems. Betty’s dislike of Bob is so extreme and exaggerated that it makes their coming together less believable. In fact, while the four leads are very, very good, that inexplicable chemistry is missing. You don’t really feel the immediate attraction between Phil and Judy, nor the growing attraction between Betty and Bob. Omar Lopez-Cepero, who was Emile de Becque in Goodspeed’s South Pacific, is vocally more of a crooner here. He doesn’t try to emulate Bing Crosby but brings

his own take on the role. At times, he doesn’t seem like the driven businessman/performer. Clyde Alves as Phil Davis dances up a storm and projects the devil-maycare attitude of the role. As the Haynes sisters, Jonalyn Saxer as Judy dances up a storm, and Lauren Nicole Chapman is fine as Betty. Chapman is very effective in “Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me.” Sofie Nesanelis, as Martha, the manager of the inn (who just happens to have been a Broadway performer), almost brings the house down with “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy.” The three women join for an unfamiliar Berlin tune, “Falling Out of Love Can Be Fun.” As usual, the production values are excellent, particularly the costumes by Jeff Hendry, the lighting by Kirk Bookman and Nathan W. Scheuer, and the sound by Jay Hilton. The musical direction by Adam Souza and the Goodspeed orchestra were terrific. The star of the show is Kelli Barclay’s choreography. You might be able to snag a ticket to this enjoyable seasonal show at Goodspeed.org.

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Yale Rep Tackles Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler with Mixed Results: The Passion is Missing THEATER

By Karen Isaacs Columnist

Henrik Ibsen in his play Hedda Gabler created a title character who can be difficult to like or to feel sympathy for unless the director and cast help us dive deep below the surface. The Yale Rep production of Hedda, unfortunately, leaves us floundering. Where the emotions and the tension among the characters should be electric, they aren’t. The result: The night I saw the play was one of those rare occasions when an audience did not give a standing ovation. It’s disappointing because this production is director James Bundy‘s swan song as he retires as dean of the Drama School and artistic director of the Yale Rep in June. He is a fine director. Hedda can, on the surface, be a malicious, manipulative, and ultimately destructive person, not just to herself but to those around her. The program tries to point out that she is a woman living in a society that does not give her, in modern terms, agency. But when you need extensive notes in the program to flesh out a show, it indicates there is a problem. Unlike Nora, who in A Doll’s House frees herself, Hedda is lacking, as she will admit, the courage to live outside the boundaries of societal expectation. The result is, she destroys not only herself but most around her. We meet Hedda in her new home in a provincial Norwegian town after returning from a six-month European honeymoon. She is restless and bored; it is clear she does not love her husband, Jørgen Tesman, an academic. Hedda is a romantic at heart. It helps if we realize she had run out of options and had settled for what might be a safe choice. Though her father was a

Review

well-known general, it’s clear she was not left with any financial security upon his death. She’s beyond the normal marrying age, and her options have expired. She is afraid to take the leap into love, particularly when the man she might choose has a destructive streak. Safe, boring, and respectable Jørgen Tesman it is. The honeymoon was dull, with Tesman more interested in researching in dusty libraries than spending time with his new wife. She doesn’t even get to select her own home; rather, Tesman and his aunt have gone into debt to provide a home she didn’t really want. Almost immediately, she learns Eilert Løvborg, the man she may have truly been attracted to, has reformed his self-destructive ways and is about to achieve academic success. She sees herself, day after day and year after year, as being trapped. If she had been a man, you could have pictured her becoming a military officer. The problem with this production isn’t Marianna Gailus as Hedda. It is that a sense of danger is lacking. The play creates triangles of characters; the first triangle is Jørgen, Hedda, and Judge Brack, a friend. You should feel that Brack (played by Austin Durant) understands her all too well and wants power to use over her. The second, third, and fourth triangles involve Løvborg. The first is him with Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted, who is the cause of his reformation. She has demonstrated the courage that Hedda lacks, taking a leap of faith and violating societal norms. The other is with Hedda, Judge Brack, and Løvborg.

Continued from page 22 Drop & Shop Art Workshop: Noon to 2 p.m. Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. Young artists explore holidaythemed art projects while parents have time for holiday shopping. Cost: $25; $22.50 for members. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 203-453-5947 or visit guilfordartcenter.org. Concert by Eric Gales: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

Photo courtesy of Yale Rep

Jørgen Tesman (Max Gordon Moore) and Hedda (Marianna Gailus)

Brack knows about their past relationship. In reality, additional triangles exist in the play. Gailus as Hedda gives a performance that emphasizes her manipulative nature so much so that a friend of mine asked if she was a sociopath. The performance doesn’t reveal enough of her depression, despair, and sense of being trapped. Judge Brack, played by Austin Durant, gives a totally fine performance, but it is only late in the play that you feel any sense of danger. The play works best when the audience recognizes that Brack wants to exert power over her and can destroy her at will. Løvborg represents the romantic hero—think of the poet Lord Byron—as he violates conventions without a care. She

pictures him with “vine leaves in his hair” like some Greek god. James Udom’s Løvborg seems no more interesting or charismatic than Tesman. It is hard to imagine that there was anything romantic or passionate between him and Hedda. Sobriety may have changed him, but in this performance, he has shrunk to a cypher. It is hard for the audience to imagine that there is still electricity between the two. Perhaps the performance that is most true to the character is Max Gordon Moore’s as Tesman—he conveys his love for Hedda, his dedication to his research, and his niceness, though he is oblivious to her feelings and what is going on. Tickets are available at YaleRep.org.

SUNDAY, DEC. 21

Advent Sundays at Emmanuel Episcopal Church: 10 a.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 50 Emmanuel Church Breakfast with Santa: 9 to 11 a.m. Madison Beach Hotel, Rd., Killingworth. Includes lighting of the Advent wreath, 94 W. Wharf Rd. Features breakfast, meet-and-greet with decoration of the Jesse Tree, and an Advent reflection at Santa and time for pictures, and a treat bag for each coffee hour. All are welcome. For info, call 860-663-1800 child. Tickets: $59 per person. Free admission for children or visit churchinthewilderness.org. under 3. Service fees apply. Bring a camera and have your child write a letter to Santa if preferred. For info or Author Talk: Jane Gordon: Noon. Chester Museum at reservations, visit madisonbeachhotelThe Mill, 9 W. Main St., Chester. Book: Christmas Memcurio.eventbrite.com or madisonbeachories: Letters at Christmastime. Part of the museum’s seahotelevents.com/hotel/hotel-happenings. sonal exhibit. For info, email bekwright@gmail.com or call 818-231-4203. See page 25

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

CAS Presents its Holiday Exhibition Press Release from the Clinton Art Society

The Clinton Art Society (CAS) presents its Holiday Members Exhibition on view through Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. The exhibition offers inspiring art, ready for holiday gift-giving. “The show is an uplifting and art-filled way to come together to celebrate the holiday season,” says CAS President Robin Hammeal-Urban. The exhibit is at the Andrews Memorial Town Hall, 54 East Main Street, Clinton, and is open during regular Town Hall hours. CAS is a vibrant arts community with members from across the state and beyond working in all fine art media. The organization sponsors exhibits, educational programs, and critique sessions. New members are always welcome. For more information, email CAS at casclinton@gmail.com or visit clintonartsocietyct.org.

Photo courtesy of the Clinton Art Society

Lucretia Bingham, Winter in Westbrook Bay, oil

Continued from page 24 Annual Handel’s Messiah Sing or Listen: 2 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Features a combination of Cappella Cantorum’s professional soloists with a chorus of talented volunteers. Singers rehearse at 1:30 p.m. in sections. Bring Messiah scores if available, or they will be provided. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. Silver Bells: A Holiday Handbell Concert: 4 p.m. Tabor Lutheran Church, 45 Tabor Dr., Branford. Features a holiday concert by Shoreline Ringers, a community handbell ensemble. The program includes Christmas classics and arrangements of traditional holiday hymns. A freewill offering will benefit the Shoreline Ringers and the Tabor Handbell Choir. Free and open to the public. For info, call the church at 203-488-2541 or visit taborchurchbranford.org. Concert by Storm Large: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

TUESDAY, DEC. 23 Music Together Demo Class: 10:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. Smith Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. Features an early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers accompanied by a parent or guardian. Recommended for ages birth to preK. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com. Fireside Holiday Tea: Noon to 2 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $49.95 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860-399-4777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea.

Magical Shrinking Keychains: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a craft program for children ages 5 to 12 to design, color, and cut shrinkable creations. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Pickin’ Party: 6 to 8 p.m. Nightingale’s Acoustic Cafe, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Features a performance by blues musician Ramblin’ Dan Stevens. Tickets: $5 at the door, free for first-time guests. For info, visit musicnowfoundation.org.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24 Red Cross Blood Drive: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. East Creek Landing, 390 S. Union St., Guilford. For info or to make an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

FRIDAY, DEC. 26 Red Cross Blood Drive: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Water’s Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2 767) or visit redcrossblood.org. The Magic of the Honmoon: K-Pop Demon Hunters Music and Craft Event: 3 to 5 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features themed craft stations for children ages 5 to 12 with music from K-pop Demon Hunters. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

SATURDAY, DEC. 27 Fancy the Flamingo’s Christmas Adventure Story Time: 10:30 a.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Features a reading by Connecticut author Tara Cantore from her book, Fancy the Flamingo’s Christmas Adventure, followed by a related craft activity. For info or to register

(required), call 860-526-0018 or email library@chesterct.org. Professor Sepoc’s Wizard School: 11 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a science program for children ages 5 to 12 exploring chemistry through hands-on activities. Free. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Frames in Film Encore: Van Gogh of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown on The Kate’s big screen, in collaboration with the Florence Griswold Museum. Running time: 90 minutes. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. Concert by Unforgettable Fire (Tribute to U2): 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. Saturday Cinema: 2 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. For info, including the movie title, or to register (required), call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.

SUNDAY, DEC. 28 Red Cross Blood Drive: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Soundview Family YMCA, 628 E. Main St., Branford. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. Concert by Lez Zeppelin: 7 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

See page 26

26 Continued from page 25

MONDAY, DEC. 29 Red Cross Blood Drive: 12:45. to 6 p.m. First Congregational Church, 26 Meetinghouse Ln., Madison. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Chester Museum at The Mill Hosts Holiday Exhibit Press Release from Chester Historical Society

Sixth Annual New Day Hike: 11 a.m. Chatfield Hollow State Park, meet at the toll booth. Hosted by the Friends of Chatfield Hollow State Park. Features a pinecone bird-feeder activity for children at the Oak Lodge Museum led by naturalist Wray Williams. For info, call Cheryl Buckley at 860-391-1919.

Chester Historical Society’s (CHS) Chester Museum at The Mill is in full holiday mode with a special installation of festive seasonal décor, live music performances, and an upcoming talk from Chester resident Jane Gordon about her book of holiday newsletters that spans decades. In conjunction with Chester’s Holiday Market, the museum will be open TUESDAY, DEC. 30 on Sundays through Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. Ms. Rae’s School of Faeries: 5 p.m. Essex to 1 p.m. Library, 33 West Ave. Features a program Gordon’s romance with the holidays is for ages 5 to 12 led by Ms. Rae, introducon full display on the first floor of Chester ing participants to different types of fairies Museum at The Mill, which is brimming and their folklore. Children will make with décor on loan from Gordon: a twinksmall offerings to place outdoors. Free. ling tree, vintage cards from 1903 to 1914, Registration required. For info or to regis- antique decorations dating back to the ter, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexli- Gilded Age, an ornate birdcage, and a handcrafted crèche with 1950s Fontanini brary.org. figurines. Also on tap are favorite holiday pieces from Chester Historical Society’s Winter-Inspired Sea Glass Ornaments archives and from CHS members’ perCraft Workshop: 5:30 to 7 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library Auditorium, sonal collections. On Dec. 21 at noon, Gordon will talk 758 Main St., Branford. Led by Courtney of about her book Christmas Memories: LetRe-loved Designs. All supplies provided. For info, call 203-488-1441 or visit blacks- ters at Christmastime. The book reflects both Gordon’s personal memtonelibrary.org. ories—recipes, traditions, cards— and what was happening in the world—annual Pickin’ Party: 6 to 8 p.m. Nightingale’s holiday stamps, music, gifts—in a timesAcoustic Cafe, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Fea- pan stretching from 1950 to 2023. tures a performance by blues musician “Since I was a child, I’ve always written Ramblin’ Dan Stevens. Tickets: $5 at the door, free for first-time guests. For info, visit musicnowfoundation.org. For info, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.

Friday Movie Matinee: 2 to 4 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Chester resident Jane Gordon will talk about Post Rd., Madison. Features an afternoon her book of holiday newsletters that spans decades. film screening. Popcorn and soda provided. Registration preferred. For info, Christmas cards to family and friends,” visit scrantonlibrary.org/events. Gordon says. “This time of year is the glue that keeps me in communication with Cupcake Celebration: 2:15 to 4 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, Community them.” Room, 61 Goodspeed Dr. Children will frost and decorate cupcakes to mark the arrival of 2026. For ages 4 and older. Dropins welcome. No registration required. For torium, 758 Main St., Branford. For chilinfo, call 860-399-6422. dren ages 5 and below. Drop-ins wel-

TUESDAY, DEC. 30 AND WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31

come. Sponsored by the Friends of the Blackstone Memorial Library. For info, visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.

First Night: Bonfire Night 2026: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Branford Town Green. Features entertainment, ice carvings, wood carvings, s’mores, and a bonfire. In celebration of the New Year and America's 250th milestone anniversary. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Branford Parks, Recreation, and Senior Services Department. For info, visit branfordct.myrec.com/info/activities.

Concert by Dar Williams: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

Best of Boston Comedy Festival: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31 Red Cross Blood Drive: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Essex Town Hall, 29 West Ave. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. New Year’s Eve Storytime: 10:30 a.m. Deep River Library, 150 Main St. Features stories, music, and movement celebrating New Year’s Eve. No registration necessary.

Noon Year’s Eve Party: 10:30 a.m. to noon. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd. Features a "Noon Year’s Party" with crafts, snacks, and a bubble dance, all leading up to the balloon drop at noon. Free and open to all. No registration. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. A Magical Noon Year’s Eve: 10:30 a.m. to noon. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a family celebration with a New Year’s craft, themed games, and a photo booth. The event concludes with a sparkling cider toast at noon. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Noon Year's Eve Storytime: 11:30 a.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library audi-

FRIDAY, JAN. 2 Prehistoric Games with Janet Lawler: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. For ages 3 to 7. For info or to register (required), call 860-5266039 or visit deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com. Photo courtesy of the Chester Historical Society’s Chester Museum

THURSDAY, JAN. 1 Annual Frosty 5K Road Race: Race day check-in and bib collection from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Features a 5K race, a kids fun run, and a 2M walk. All events begin at the Guilford Green. Kids fun run starts 10:30 a.m.; 5K race and 2M walk start 11 a.m. Post-race celebration at 11:45 a.m. Cost: 5K run and 2M walk, $35; kids fun run, $10 through race day. Proceeds benefit local community programs. Hosted by the Guilford Rotary Club. For info or tickets, visit guilfordrotaryclubct.com or runsignup.com/Race/CT/Guilford/GuilfordFrosty5K.

Tween Time: Intro to Dungeons & Dragons: 3:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features an introductory session on the basics of Dungeons & Dragons for ages 8 to 12. Includes character creation and gameplay concepts. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.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.

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Christmas on the Rocks is a Hilarious Antidote to Too Much Holiday Sugar

Review THEATER

By Karen Isaacs Columnist

New this year is Matthew McGloin, who is playing all the male characters. Jen Cody returns for another year as the women in the show and Richard Kline is back for his third year as the bartender. He’s even more comfortable in the role, which includes sly references to his role in Three’s Company. Improved video quality of scenes from the various films and TV shows that play before the show is new this year. The scenes are crisper and clearer—a big improvement. Audience members will all have their favorite scenes. I was glad to see ZuZu return, but I do wish Karen (the little girl from the TV cartoon, Frosty the Snowman) was permanently retired. The joke has gone on too long. Jen Cody is a fine comedian who has the dexterity to play The Elf on the Shelf to perfection. McGloin is still finding his way with some of the characters. He was terrific as Ralph, and good as Kevin and Charlie Brown. HerPhoto courtesy of TheaterWorks Hartford mey, from the Rudolph the RedRichard Kline as the bartender and Matthew McGloin as Hermey the Elf from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Nosed Reindeer cartoon, is always Reindeer cartoon an audience favorite. Christmas on the Rocks is a Last year, Ralphie from A I’m glad to report that this year gone, after several years, Zuzu delight. For more information or Christmas Story was no longer in he is back and better than ever. from It’s a Wonderful Life has tickets, visit TWHartford.org. the show. I was disappointed, but While the Little Drummer Boy is returned.

If you need a break from Hallmark movies or Scrooge discovering the joys of Christmas, then take yourself to TheaterWorks in Hartford to see this year‘s production of Christmas on the Rocks, which runs through Tuesday, Dec. 23. Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero developed this concept years ago, but each year it is slightly different. The premise is original: What happened to those iconic children whom we all grew up seeing in movies and TV shows? What are they like as adults? A series of accomplished playwrights have answered these questions, sometimes in surprising and/or cynical ways. In The Nutcracker, Clara is a young girl in love with her Cavalier. But what happens when she grows up? Does the romance continue? Is it happy? Her Cavalier is still young and handsome, but Clara is desperate to remain a young girl. In a series of short scenes, we meet a number of these child characters, now as adults, who wander into a lonely neighborhood bar on Christmas Eve. They tell the bartender, in this case the marvelous Richard Kline, their tale of woe. You will laugh your head off. This is definitely not for kids, although older teens will enjoy it. A few of the sketches have been in the show since the beginning, including the absolutely wonderful Charlie Brown sketch (written by Jacques Lamarre) that ends the show. Over the years, some sketches have been Photo courtesy of TheaterWorks Hartford removed, others have changed, Richard Kline with Matthew McGloin as Charlie Brown and some have returned.

Photo courtesy of TheaterWorks Hartford

Jen Cody plays the Elf on the Shelf in Christmas on the Rocks with Richard Kline

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Horoscopes

For the week of December 18 - December 24 ARIES • Mar 21/Apr 20

LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23

If you are feeling half-hearted about what you are working on, then put it off for a little bit and focus on something more interesting this week, Aries. You can use the rest.

You have reason to be suspicious of someone’s motives this week. Just don’t go to extremes and start reading into every message or nuance, Libra.

TAURUS • Apr 21/May 21

SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22

Make it your business to remind others not to take life so seriously this week, Taurus. The best way to do that is to show them how to laugh by example.

Scorpio, you might look super confident on the outside, but underneath you get anxious like everyone else. At some point this week you may need to ask for some help.

GEMINI • May 22/Jun 21

SAGITTARIUS • Nov 23/Dec 21

Your thoughts are on an important decision that you need to make, Gemini. It’s best to wait a few days before you get into the thick of things. You need to mull all possibilities.

It is easy to believe you have enemies around every corner, Sagittarius. Although you might have rubbed a few people the wrong way, most people actually are on your side.

CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22

CAPRICORN • Dec 22/Jan 20

Cancer, you may have the courage and the confidence to deal with whatever life throws at you right now, but not everyone is as dedicated as you. Make allowances for others this week.

Capricorn, usually you couldn’t care less what other people think about you. But this week it seems important to get another person’s approval for your actions.

LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23

AQUARIUS • Jan 21/Feb 18

Sensitive feelings are coming to the surface this week and you are not sure what to do about them, Leo. You won’t find peace of mind until you have dealt with them thoroughly.

Aquarius, be careful when dealing with someone in a position of power. They may have sights on a promotion you also hope to earn. Keep your cards close to the vest.

VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22

PISCES • Feb 19/Mar 20

Virgo, some unexpected news could come your way between now and the weekend. It may seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it will only be a minor issue.

Pisces, some people believe the world is full of doom and gloom, but you know that every day is what you make of it. Brighten the days of others with your positivity.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

Crossword solution for December 11, 2025

DECEMBER 18 Sia, Singer (50) DECEMBER 19 Ken Marino, Actor (57) DECEMBER 20 Jonah Hill, Actor (42) DECEMBER 21 Samuel L. Jackson, Actor (77)

Crossword

DECEMBER 22 Meghan Trainor, Singer (32) DECEMBER 23 Finn Wolfhard, Actor (23) DECEMBER 24 Ricky Martin, Singer (54)

CLUES ACROSS 1. American automotive titan 4. Tire term 7. Two-year-old sheep 10. Indigenous people of Thailand 11. Anti-Soviet Cold War group 12. Actress de Armas 13. Not moving 15. Cool! 16. Plants of the arum family 19. Connected with touch 21. Pen stain 23. Monetary units 24. School kids’ art project 25. Early Bell Canada executive 26. Sword 27. Hates 30. Fixed in one place 34. Pie _ __ mode 35. Moved swiftly on foot 36. Carrier on vehicle 41. A path to get through 45. “Rule, Britannia” composer 46. Spiritual leader 47. Flowing 50. Respectful compliments 54. Cure 55. Soft, lightweight fabric 56. Building material 57. Japanese delicacy 59. A way to cause to be swollen 60. One and only 61. You might get one in summer 62. Wreath 63. Thus far 64. They __ 65. Employee reference number

CLUES DOWN 1. Policemen (French) 2. Toy dog 3. Intestinal condition 4. Muscular weaknesses 5. Helps little firms 6. Alphabetical lists 7. Takes down 8. Facilitates 9. Ethnic people of Ethiopia 13. Engine additive 14. Explorers group 17. Written account 18. Consumed 20. Opposite of first 22. No (slang) 27. Government lawyers 28. NY Giants great 29. Small amount 31. A way to save for your future 32. Fall behind 33. Midway between northeast and east 37. Head pain 38. Wildly popular sport 39. “Princess Diaries” actress Hathaway 40. Boat race 41. About fish 42. Nursemaid 43. Able to be marketed 44. Not as large 47. Parts per billion (abbr.) 48. Paddle 49. Oneness 51. Bitter chemical 52. Not around 53. Very fast airplane 58. Main tributary of the Rhine

Word Search

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, and diagonally throughout the puzzle.

FOOD SERVICE WORD SEARCH

Word Scramble

Word Scramble solution for December 11, 2025: PURRS

A LA CARTE ALLERGENS BUSSER CHAFING COMPLIMENTARY COST COVER EXPEDITER GRIDDLE GUEST HOUSE MENU PANTRY RESTAURANT RUNNER SALE SEATING SERVICE SOMMELIER TABLE TIP TURN OVER WALK-IN YIELD Word Search solution for December 11, 2025

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Transactions BRANFORD

1 Osprey Cmns S: Tamara Sutfin and Kathleen Wadlow of Clinton to Stephen E. and Judith Y. Vance, $1,350,000 on 11/24/2025

22 Bayberry Ln: Laura Jane Zilinskas RET and Matthew Zilinskas of Branford to Michael Stocker and 7 Rocky Ledge Dr: Zachary Plourde Patricia Wang, $1,760,000 on of Clinton to Gianna Abbatello and 11/24/2025 Timothy Smith, $365,000 on 11/24/2025 13 Brushy Plain Rd: Clifford A. and Linda M. Trudeau of Branford to Salem Development LLC, $430,000 on 11/24/2025 75 Harbor St: Robert Falcigno of Branford to Steven and Dana Anderson, $1,280,000 on 11/25/2025 13 Hill St: Rcf 2 Acquisition T and Us Bank TNa Tr of Branford to Philippe Manuel, $215,000 on 11/26/2025

CHESTER 59 Castle View Dr: Joseph E Kmetz T and Janice M. Kmetz of Chester to Theresa Kmetz and Rodney Mcdaniel, $283,330 on 11/25/2025 54 Maple St: Edward F. Mcgrath of Chester to Northofgrace LLC, $325,000 on 11/26/2025

CLINTON

7 Taylor Ridge Rd: Deena R. Gallerani of Clinton to Thomas M. Mayeski, $765,000 on 11/26/2025 56 Uncas Rd: James and Dana Ian of Clinton to Michael and Heather Vigeant, $539,000 on 11/24/2025

EAST HAVEN 119 Bradford Ave: Susanne Pellegrino of East Haven to Lauryn L. Reinhardt, $300,000 on 11/24/2025 218 Dodge Ave: Travis Williams of East Haven to Franklin G. Jimenez and Mercedes E. Vintimilla, $320,000 on 11/19/2025 89 Eddon Dr: Anna Belli Irt and Angela Belli-Infante of East Haven to Jose L. Morales, $568,000 on 11/25/2025 60 Edward St: Albis Helen M Est and Michael A. Albis of East Haven to Jesse E. and Michael Brown, $545,000 on 11/25/2025

Clinton Yacht Dockominium Unit 49 Foote Rd: Constanza V. Mcnellis B3609: James and Karen Piscitelli of of East Haven to Jade P. Salvattore, Clinton to Melissa B. and Lucille $335,000 on 11/19/2025 Crescenzi, $14,000 on 11/24/2025

GUILFORD

NORTH BRANFORD

24 Copper Hill Dr Unit 24: James H. Ballentine of Guilford to Sharon Crockett, $440,000 on 11/26/2025

2 Burr Hill Ter: Lawrence Cawley and Nancy Abrams of North Branford to Elel Properties LLC, $330,000 on 11/24/2025

249 Driftwood Ln: Anthony W. Sorrentino of Guilford to Mandie S. Canestri, $70,000 on 11/26/2025 19 Polpis Ln Unit 19: 19 Polpis Lane LLC of Guilford to Raffaele and Amanda P. Romano, $162,500 on 11/26/2025 602 W Lake Ave: Michael Vespoli Dynasty T and Michael N. Delgass of Guilford to Goran Micevic and Cristiana Baloescu, $1,050,000 on 11/25/2025 140 Wildrose Ave: Gerard M. and Kimberly L. Schmid of Guilford to Viviane K Briggs T and Viviane K. Briggs, $850,000 on 11/24/2025

KILLINGWORTH 252 Chestnut Hill Rd: Beck Lorraine A Est and Amy B. Nashwinter of Killingworth to Murphy S. Hackett, $750,000 on 11/25/2025

4 Overlook Dr: Zachary W. Hawk of North Branford to Albert C. Nyack and Brooke L. Somers, $510,000 on 11/26/2025 Totoket Rd: Lp Home Improvements LLC of North Branford to Richard J. Esposito, $697,300 on 11/24/2025 834 Totoket Rd: Michele B. and Richard A. Kinrade of North Branford to Coastal Ct Home LLC, $180,000 on 11/24/2025

OLD SAYBROOK CHIARITO REAL ESTATE

30 Plains Rd., Suite 2, Essex | chiaritorealestate.com

BUY • SELL • RENT

Al Chiarito

Kim Chiarito

al.chiarito@gmail.com

kim.chiarito@gmail.com

860.227.2074

860.575.7170

593 Route 148: Edward M. Alexandro and Madalyn G. Conforti of Killingworth to Kara A. Rogers, $630,000 on 11/25/2025

117 Ayers Point Rd: Matthew and Annmarie Ryan of Old Saybrook to Weifeng Lu and Yuying Xue, $695,000 on 11/24/2025

MADISON

48 Great Hammock Rd: Sharon A. Crockett of Old Saybrook to Kara Meleski, $579,000 on 11/25/2025

102 Long Hill Rd: Marie A. Lancaster of Clinton to Kyle L. Fillion, $302,000 on 11/24/2025

75 Henry St: Superior Prop Group LLC of East Haven to Dylan P. Mcallister, $260,000 on 11/21/2025

28 Maple Ave: Robert Klein and Brenda Wiley of Clinton to Patricia Gallagher, $425,000 on 11/24/2025

52 Copse Rd: Deborah J. Dahl of Madison to Barbara E. Parker and Michael K. Hawkes, $799,000 on 11/26/2025

3 Jorgensen Ln: Yvonne Healey of Old Saybrook to Carmine Carpanzano and Rosina Bonesse-Carpanzano, $887,000 on 11/25/2025

ESSEX

16 Eastwood Dr: Jeffrey Y. and Susan P. Ngeow of Madison to Michael J. and Jennifer C. Siteman, $700,000 on 11/24/2025

WESTBROOK

27 Maplewood Dr: James and Jill E. Nenninger of Clinton to Evan T. Barillaro and Carly R. Ruzbasan, $600,000 on 11/25/2025 25 Olde Orchard Rd: Andrew Hurley of Clinton to Zachary Plourde and Caitlin Glazier, $610,000 on 11/24/2025

Contact me to learn more about the current market and the value of your home.

SUSAN A. MALAN Broker Associate CT & & Licensed in RI

o. 860-767-5011 e. smalan@wpsir.com

110 Randi Dr: Thomas F. Swank of Madison to Kevin P. and Melody Becker, $1,400,000 on 11/25/2025

60 Winterhill Rd: Frank J. Kuszpa of Madison to Brandon G. Spadory and 91 Main St: Ann M. Bates of Essex to Davia A. Schioppo, $620,000 on 11/25/2025 Briana Fioretti and Scott Wilson, $650,000 on 11/24/2025

1525 Boston Post Rd Unit 166: Dgg Properties Co Inc of Westbrook to Lorraine L Hughes T and Lorraine L. Hughes, $14,000 on 11/25/2025

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

REAL ESTATE • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 18, 2025

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Top Producing Realtor

Broker Associate

Licensed CT Real Estate Broker williampitt.com ESSEX BROKERAGE | 13 MAIN| 860.767.7488 STREET | 860.767.7488 ESSEX BROKERAGE | 13 MAIN STREET Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2025 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the OLD LYME BROKERAGE | 103 HALLS ROAD | 860.434.2400 OLD LYME BROKERAGE | 103 HALLS ROAD | 860.434.2400MORTGAGE FINANCING AVAILABLE 1.855.298.5650 MORTGAGE FINANCING AVAILABLE 1.855.298.5650

860.227.3191

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© 2013 Citibank, N. A. equal housing lender, member FDIC. Citi, Citibank,ofArc Design and Citi withLLC. Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Anywhere Advisors The Coldwell Banker System fully supportsInc. the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

3 1 W h i t t l e s e y B r o o k Ro a d , D e e p R i v e r

5 3 E l y s Fe r r y R o a d , L y m e

S O L D • L i s t e d a t $ 5 7 1 , 0 0 0 • 3 1 W h i t t l e s e y B r o o k Ro a d . c o m

S O L D • L i s t e d a t $ 1 , 2 9 5 , 0 0 0 • 5 3 E l y s Fe r r y R o a d . c o m

SUSAN A. MALAN Broker Associate CT & Licensed in RI o. 860.767.5011 • c. 617.645.4392 smalan@wpsir.com susanmalan.williampitt.com Essex Brokerage: 13 Main Street, Essex

#1 DOLLAR VOLUME IN ESSEX 2024-2025(YTD)*** #1 TOTAL TRANSACTIONS IN ESSEX 2019-2025(YTD)* #1 TOTAL TRANSACTIONS IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY 2023 & 2024** #1 IN DOLLAR VOLUME IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY 2025(YTD)** DIAMOND AWARD WINNER 2020-2025**** *Source: S ma rtM LS, 1/ 1/ 1 9 -1 2/ 8/ 25, to tal t ransactions by agent , Essex ; al l proper ties liste d or so l d by agent. * *Sou rce: Sm ar t MLS, 1/1/2 3-12/ 8/ 25, total tra nsactions by a gen t, M id dl esex County; al l pro p erties listed o r so l d by agent . * **Source: Sm a rtM LS, 1/ 1/ 24-12 /8 /2 5, to tal t ra nsa ctions by agen t, Essex; a l l prop erties listed or so l d by agent . * ** *Source: Wi l li am Pi t t Sotheby’s Inter na tiona l Realty 2020 2025 Awa rds Recog nition, Essex B rokerage. Each O f f ice is Indep endently Ow ned and Op era ted.

DECEMBER 18, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

2025 BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL THE DAY

TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2025 MOHEGAN SUN ARENA TICKETS: $12

Purchase tickets by scanning the QR code or visiting the Mohegan Sun Box Office

NEW LONDON VS. NFA 4:00 PM PRESENTED BY

GRISWOLD VS. OLD LYME 6:00 PM

WEST HAVEN VS. NOTRE DAME WEST HAVEN

8:00 PM