Granby Drummer | March 2024

Six months and counting for 37 Hartford Avenue proposal

By Chris Levandowski

The overgrown lot at 37 Hartford Ave. has been the focus of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission since July 2023, when New York-based Vessel RE Holdings, LLC, filed a permit application for a fourstory, 48-unit apartment building.

The state-mandated review and permit are prerequisites to a Planning and Zoning application. Without IWWC approval, the entire project is rejected.

The 2.5-acre parcel extends down a steep hill to an extensive wetland

where a small stream feeds Salmon Brook, a tributary to the Farmington River. Both are federally-designated Wild and Scenic Waterways.

At public hearings, Professional Engineer Seamus Moran and Soil Scientist James Sipperly quoted data on pollution levels from septic seepage and surface runoff far lower than presented by Town Engineer Kevin Clark and then-IWWC-Agent, Kate Bednaz. Those disparate values caused Vessel to request IWWC hire an independent consultant to review the data.

Consultant Dr. Steven Danzer clearly stated his sciencebacked opinion that nitrate seepage from the proposed septic system would harm the wetland and ultimately the streams. An ad hoc citizens group also confirmed an endangered species in the

37 Hartford Ave. cont’d. on p. 3

News from Town Hall

With spring approaching many updates and announcements have come from various departments at Granby Town Hall. Park and Recreation has two very exciting events coming up in March. The next Comedy Night will take place on Saturday, March 9 at Holcomb Farm North Barn. This event will celebrate Women’s History Month with an all-female line-up. A cash bar will be provided by Two Pour Guys, but you can bring your own snacks.

For families, the upcoming Great Granby Egg Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 30 at Salmon Brook Park. The cost is $5 per child, ages one to ten, and there will be three separate egg hunts based on age group. Look forward to art tables, bounce houses, coffee and more!

One spring sport program has opened for registration: the 2024 Flag Football Program. NFL Flag Football is the pre-

mier youth football program for both boys and girls. The program provides young players a fun and exciting opportunity to engage in non-contact, continuous action sporting while learning lessons in teamwork.

Booking programs for summer 2024 has begun. To see more information, please visit GranbyRec.com

The Granby Police Department welcomes Officer Chris Dufresne, who fills an open vacancy in the department. Dufresne, who was sworn in at the end of January, previously served the Town of Enfield for 20 years, and is starting the next chapter of his career.

The police department also hired a new dispatcher, Christine Hedges. She will embark on an extensive training schedule and will soon be answering calls for service.

The police department was also awarded a certificate from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for Excellence in reporting crime data in 2023. This shows the hard

Puzzle Slam Dunk!

Managing the Fiscal Challenges

By Michael B. Guarco, Jr. Chair, Board of Finance

As anticipated, the Board of Finance set operating budget guidelines that reflect both the challenges faced by the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education as well as the impact of inflation and scarcity in today’s postpandemic environment.

The initial forecast numbers presented by those boards to the Board of Finance at the January Three-Board meeting, and subsequent revisions, would have indicated a mill rate change of 5-6 percent. After review, Finance set the operating budget guidelines at just under 5.5 percent for each operating board. targeting a mill rate change of less than 4 percent—in this case 3.97 percent.

Over the month of February, the two administrations focused on refining their budget requests for FY25, balancing what is needed to meet their perceived needs within the fiscal constraints set by Finance.

At the same time, we are looking at the revenue side of the equation. The Grand List grew by 1.24 percent, primarily driven by completion of the second phase of The Grand across from Floydville Road and the initial phase of construction at Station 280 just north

of the center. The bulk of the Grand List growth from the latter will materialize on the October 1, 2024 Grand List, with any residual being included the following year.

The governor’s budget revisions did us no harm, with the statutory grant formula monies for Granby essentially flat. The one exception is the anticipated fall-off of the $1.1M auto tax relief received in the current fiscal year going to zero for next fiscal year because our mill rate fell below the threshold for reimbursement.

To help offset this loss of revenue and the budget increase itself, a heavier draw on the General Fund is anticipated. Though the annual draw has been relatively light in recent years, the financial dynamics are different this year on both sides of the budget equation.

The Special Education Excess Cost Relief Grant is projected to be essentially flat currently from year to year, even though the case load and costs continue to escalate markedly. The services provided range from remedial and early intervention work to the often very expensive outplacements, all exacerbated by the disruption of the recent pandemic. The state commits to reimburse a town the cost for a particu-

Photo by Dave Tolli

On Feb. 3, the Drummer hosted its inaugural fundraiser, the Granby Puzzle Slam, a speed jigsaw puzzle contest. Forty-one teams competed to finish a 500-piece puzzle, finishing in 51 minutes, 30 seconds, were, from left, Callie Santasiere and Kristina Santasiere of Granby, Ally Bonarrigo of Windsor Locks and Andy Felder, also of Granby.

Photo by Nicole Muller

Rendering of the proposed Vessel Holdings complex in Simsbury.

Charter Revision Committee applauded

At its Feb. 20 meeting, the Granby Board of Selectmen honored the members of Granby’s Charter Revision Committee for the important work they did for the town in 2023. From left, Anthony McGovern, Terri-Ann Hahn, Rebecca Brewer, Francis Brady, Lynn Guelzow, Ed Ohannessian, Mark Lockwood and Ben Perron. Photo by Shirley Murtha

Town Hall cont’d. from p. 1 A patron favorite, Mother Goose on the Loose, is now offered to children ages two to four years. It introduces literacy through nursery rhymes, flannel and picture book stories, and musical activities

work that happens every day behind the scenes. We are thankful for the great work done by Records Clerk Sue Jurras, and by Sergeant Joseph.

The Granby Police Department, Granby Public Works, and Granby Ambulance have been working together to complete the town-wide AED (Automated External Defibrillator) program. The plan is to install AEDs in eight locations, including every town building. Previously, these devices were only available at the police department and Senior Center. To date, six of the eight units have been installed and are operational. The funding for the purchase of four of these AEDs was sourced from ARPA funding and four additional units were generously donated by a resident. Granby Public Library is excited about its new programs for children. Thursday mornings now include a new Toddler Time program for children ages 15 to 24 months. Library Assistant Joanna Daigle engages children with stories, sign language, music activities and free play. Daigle also leads the new Baby Rhyme Time program that is geared toward infants who are not yet walking (birth to 14 months old).

Library Assistant Lori Lavery has created two new art programs: Miss Lori’s Art Box (for grades two and three), which gives children an opportunity to practice their fine motor skills while creating fun crafts; and Simply Art (grades four and five), which introduces a variety of art mediums and art forms. Registration is required for these programs; see more at granby-ct.gov/157/ Library and go to Library Calendar.

The transformation of the F.H. Cossitt Library is well underway. The shelving and books have been relocated, the walls have been repaired and are getting a new coat of paint, and the new makerspace equipment has arrived. If all goes as planned, the Cossitt Creation Station is expected to open mid- to late-March.

To receive updates about these events and other topics of interest, sign up for notifications at granby-ct.gov, click on the yellow Subscribe button on the homepage and follow the instruction

Spring Fire Safety

By Brian Long, Fire Marshal

On March 10, we will set our clocks ahead by one hour to return to daylight savings time. This time change is a good reminder to replace the batteries in our smoke alarms. It is also a good time to check the age of your smoke alarms. The life expectancy of smoke alarms is 10 years. If you are unsure of the age of your smoke alarms, it would be a good idea to replace the unit.

Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom, in the hall outside of the sleeping areas and on every level of the home.

The Granby Fire Marshal’s Office offers free inspection of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for one- and two-family homes in Granby. There is no cost or obligation involved. We have a limited supply of replacement smoke alarms available to homeowners. Help us keep you and your family safe. Contact us today at 860-844-5321 or firemarshal@ granby-ct.gov

More Spring Fire Safety Tips

Clothes Dryer Safety

• Clean out your clothes dryer vent pipe.

• Remove combustible items on or around your clothes dryer.

• DO NOT machine-dry clothes that have been in contact with gasoline, paint thinners or similar chemicals. Air dry these items outside.

Flammable Liquids Safety

• Only store gasoline in a container designed for that purpose.

• Never store gasoline containers or power equipment in basements or occupied space of the home.

• Be sure the container cap and vent are closed completely.

Grills and Propane Safety

• Never store LP gas grill propane tanks inside your home or garage.

• Inspect your grill to make sure it’s free of grease or other combustible debris.

• Check the grill propane tank hose for leaks or damage prior to use.

Home Address Numbers

To be sure your house can be found by emergency teams, display your house address number where it is easily seen from the street.

Granby PD welcomes new officer

By Chief Scott Sansom

The Granby Police Department welcomed a new team member when Officer Chris Dufresne was sworn in on Jan. 31.

Dufresne started his police career in 2002 with the Enfield Police Department, where he served for more than 20 years before retiring. During his career he was not only an outstanding police officer, he was also a highly respected K-9 Officer, winning numerous awards including the region’s United States Police K-9 Competition in 2022. He and his partner were highly decorated. They apprehended many dangerous criminals, found missing people and were always seen at community events.

Dufresne is from the Granby area and waited for a position to open in the department so he could become part of the Granby team.

Submitted photo

GRANBY BOARD OF SELECTMEN HIGHLIGHTS

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Present: Mark Fiorentino, Mark Neumann, Kelly Rome, Frederick Moffa, Margaret Chapple and Student Liaison Ben LaVigne. Also present: Town Clerk Scott Nolan, Public Works Director Kirk Severance, Finance Director Kimi Cheng.

Appointments

The board appointed Michael Lengvarsky (R) and Maureen Eberly (R) to the Commission on Aging effective immediately with terms ending Jan. 8, 2026.

The board appointed Karen RichmondGodard (D) to the Board of Education effective immediately with a term ending Nov. 18, 2025.

Business Commission on Aging Chair Jean DoniheePerron said the commission will be updating the policies and procedures of the Senior Center and will be submitting a monthly newsletter to The Granby Drummer.

The upgrade of the town phone system was completed in December. The transition went smoothly. The project total of $63,778.17 exceeded the amount appropriated by $8,778.17. The board authorized the additional allocation from ARPA funds to cover the overage, and approved the allocation of $1,102 to purchase a bundle of 25 VPN access licenses.

Fiscal Challenges cont’d. from p. 1

lar student that is more than 4.5 times the cost of a typical student in town. However, in recent years they only reimburse a percentage of what they should. While lately that has been at 73 percent of the state obligation, last year the Lamont administration and the legislature made a big deal of raising the percent thresholds, to where we should have been at 88 percent reimbursement. But as the number of statewide-filed claims has grown, we will end up at about 70 percent for the current year and are using the same estimated percentage reimbursement for next year.

One has to count one’s fingers when dealing with the state. They will make a lot of noise about some new initiative to throw money at, while reneging on the obligations they already have committed to. The term “deadbeat” comes to mind…. As the saying goes, if the shoe fits….!

While the mill rate change isolated from revaluation has been fairly modest for the past dozen years, this year looks to be greater, given the combined revenue and expenditure projections to

Fiorentino reviewed the history of the town’s ownership of the property at 83 Salmon Brook St. most recently occupied by Freshies Café. Fiorentino recommended an RFP (Request for Proposals) be issued for a commercial real estate broker to provide advice and guidance on an arrangement most beneficial to the town, which may include a lease or a sale. The Board authorized the Community Development Director to issue the RFP.

Broadleaf Solar, the owner of 322 acres at 90 Salmon Brook St. and 35 Floydville Rd., is proposing a solar energy facility of up to 100 MW (megawatt) on the property. Although approval is required from the Connecticut Siting Council (the town does not have jurisdiction), the developer is seeking input from the town.

Fiorentino scheduled a briefing for the board and members from other town boards and commissions on Feb. 13. The developer will meet with abutting property owners in March.

The Board of Selectmen will collect input from the boards and commissions and provide the developer with comments in the spring.

The search for a new Town Manager continues. Fiorentino, serving as Acting Town Manager, is limited to 125 consecutive days in that role. To “reset the clock,” Cheng was appointed as the Interim Town Manager from Feb. 5 to Feb. 8, with Fiorentino resuming the Acting Town Manager position on Feb. 9.

date. The budgets and mill rate changes have averaged less than 2 percent since 2010, while inflation was low and stable, reflective of the impact of the Great Recession that hit beginning in 2008. Similar macroeconomic forces in the other direction have impacted the economy and therefore the budget scenario we face today, as we look to balance the perceived needs of our community with the ability and willingness to pay the cost of doing so.

Some challenges are greater than they had been. For example, the special education expenses are about 22 percent of the projected FY25 education budget vs. 16 percent a half dozen years ago. Similarly, the work needed for security and internet technology concerns are a modern-day issue compared to a decade or two ago. Symptomatic of life in the world these days, the responses to today’s issues call for a different mix of expenditures and at a higher cost than in days gone by.

Striking a reasoned and proper balance is the goal as the boards work to craft a budget that meets the vast majority of the town’s needs while bearing in mind a sensitivity to the cost we bear as taxpayers in Granby.

THREE-BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY 16, 2024

Present: First Selectman Mark Fiorentino, Selectmen Mark Neumann, Kelly Rome, Margaret Chapple and Frederick Moffa, BOE Chair Monica Logan, Superintendent of Schools Cheri Burke, BOE Business Manager Anna Robbins, BOE members Rosemarie Weber, David Peling, Donna Nolan, Heather Lombardo, and Liz Barlow, BOF Chair Michael B. Guarco, Jr., BOF members Jenny Emery, Kevin F. Hobson, James Tsaptsinos, Alfred G. Wilke and William J. Kennedy, Town Treasurer John Adams. Town Clerk Scott Nolan, Finance Director Kimi Cheng, Public Works Director Kirk Severance, Library Director Amber Wyzik, Human Services Director Sandra Yost, Building Inspector Joel Skilton, Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon, Chief of Police Scott Sansom, Director of Recreation and Leisure Services Kristine Vincent.

Plus One Budget

The Town of Granby works within a budget process that includes a “Plus-One Budget” and that budget requires the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education meet with the Board of Finance to review expenditure needs and fund balance expectations for the upcoming fiscal year. This is a high-level view of big-ticket items such as contractual obligations, anticipated benefits and insurance costs, utilities, and other mandated expenses. The Plus-One Budget also addresses items believed to be important to maintaining service levels and addressing issues identified in the town’s strategic goals and objectives that include modernizing IT infrastructure and systems, increasing the

Farmington River. Vessel withdrew its application.

Vessel submitted a new application on Jan. 24, 2024—42 units, revised plot plan, lower building height and redesigned septic system.

At the Feb. 14 IWWC hearing, Moran and Sipperly discussed the revised septic system they said was capable of processing waste and with effluent nitrate values near drinking water standards. There won’t be any pollution, they said. Danzer, on Zoom, agreed that decreased occupancy and septic redesign lowered the probability of wetland damage.

Like an earlier misstep, Vessel’s attorney shared that the Farmington Valley Health District and the Connecticut Department of Health had not responded to the revised plans forcing continuation of the hearing. On Feb. 21, FVHD confirmed to the Drummer that Vessel had not submitted new project plans. Their last communication was on Jan. 29.

At every public session, knowledgeable residents with relevant expertise or career experience in related government and public positions spoke against the project. Attendees urged denial of the permit and repeatedly asked why Vessel wasn’t connecting to

investments in public safety, and addressing staffing and human resource matters.

Logan gave an overview of the BOE budget and noted that contractual obligations are up 4.34 percent which includes salaries, benefits, health plan, transportation, fuel, oil and electricity, and that special education is up 2.43 percent which includes out-of-district tuition, out-of-district transportation and personnel.

Logan reviewed all other areas which resulted in an overall total reduction of 0.34 percent

Guarco said that this meeting allows the BOF an early opportunity to get a sense of what is coming. Chairman Guarco explained the worksheet that was presented at last FY’s budget time and noted that the current sheet shows a mill rate change of 0.5 percent and that the revenue picture was strong due to the car tax money. The Grand List was due at the end of January and the Governor would be addressing the legislature in early February—it is possible more will be known about the state budget and what the Town of Granby can expect.

Public Comment

Susan Regan (62 Hungary Road) spoke about East Street Farm, Kearns School and 137 Salmon Brook and said the town needs to look at unloading these properties.

Bill Regan (62 Hungary Road) spoke about the school system. He feels the test scores were abysmal, with a 40 percent math score and the reading scores a little bit better. He said the town was rewarding teachers who have not done their job, the kids were not learning up to where they should and that we have to hold the Board of Education and the teachers accountable.

the town sewer system. Many suggested Vessel be required to connect to the sewer system or withdraw its proposal. Vessel has cited the expense and time as reason not to connect.

In closing, Vessel argued IWWC must present irrefutable proof that the project would harm the wetland, or it cannot deny the permit, asserting that assumptions and possibilities are not acceptable—scientific facts must form the decision. The meeting adjourned to March 13.

The next evening, at its request, Vessel sat with the Development Commission that acts in an advisory role to the P&Z. Economic impacts on businesses and town services were discussed and no negative issues came up. Franchising of individual units, with Vessel retaining building ownership, is a future possibility. An in-house caretaker will be hired. A monthly rental of $1,625 plus a $20 utility fee for affordable housing units is proposed, if they are included.

If the IWWC issues the permit and Vessel commits to the 30 percent affordable housing allocation required by State Statute 8-30g, and meets all town building regulations, P&Z denial of the project would be difficult.

For more detail of the presentations, visit granby-ct.org, chose Agendas and Minutes and scroll to IWWC.

Officer Chris Dufresne (left) being sworn in by Town Clerk Scott Nolan in the Police Department Community Room.

37 Hartford Ave. cont’d. from p. 1

Drumbeat editorials, commentary

& letters to the editor

Letters to the Editor

Contract Settlement for Teachers

This fall the Granby Board of Education entered negotiations with the Granby Education Association (GEA) for the next contract cycle starting in July. The board and GEA were able to come to an agreement in mediation in October and both parties ratified the agreement shortly thereafter. As mentioned in Ms. Weber’s December article, both the board and the association recognized a need to bring teacher salaries up to a more competitive level.

The disparity of pay between Granby teachers and those in surrounding communities has been widening over time due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the timing of previous negotiations coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as some difficult state level stand-offs over educational cost-share funding. As a result, other communities have put more money into teachers’ salaries over time. We in the association recognize that these financial hurdles cannot be overcome overnight, and we are encouraged that this settlement begins to address the problem that the board and association agreed needs attention.

The three-year contract commencing on July 1, 2024 does add wage growth for teachers at all levels of experience. While other districts may still pay more, the support shown by so many in the community during this round of negotiations has buoyed spirits. We thank you all for your time and efforts, be it writing letters, attending/speaking at meetings or putting up a sign as a show of support. It does mean a great deal to the talented educators here in Granby that you care.

The next stage in this process is the annual budget work being done by Superintendent Burke and the board of education. This contractual obligation is part of the overall education budget going to the town later this spring. As the board works through recommendations from stakeholders, please take the time to understand this budget—cuts could mean jobs, programs or other changes to educational services.

If you would like to know more about our schools please check out the school district and town websites for budget

CORRECTIONS

Please tell us if you find an error in this issue of the Drummer. We’ll attempt to correct it in the following issue. Leave a message at 860-653-9222 or send an email to: editor@granbydrummer.org

documents and board meeting information. Or consider volunteering, or even substituting, come in and get to know us and our work better—we look forward to seeing you.

KC Petruzzi President, GEA

The pitfalls of presentism: learning from the past, preparing for the future

In today’s fast-paced world, the tendency to view historical events through the lens of contemporary values and norms, a phenomenon known as presentism, is a growing concern. Presentism involves judging the past based on present-day standards, often leading to misinterpretations and oversimplifications of historical contexts. While it is essential to acknowledge progress and social advancements, embracing presentism can hinder our understanding of history and impede societal growth.

One of the inherent flaws of presentism is its potential to distort the true complexity of historical circumstances. It oversimplifies the intricacies of the past by superimposing modern beliefs and values onto historical events, neglecting the nuances that shaped those times. This oversimplification impedes a thorough examination of historical contexts, preventing us from gaining a deeper comprehension of how societies have evolved and progressed.

Presentism can inadvertently perpetuate cultural arrogance. By applying present-day ethical and moral standards to historical figures or societies, we risk imposing a sense of superiority, failing to grasp the distinctive challenges and circumstances they faced. Every era is a product of its time, influenced by its unique social, economic, and political forces, and we should strive to appreciate this diversity rather than imposing our contemporary world view.

Presentism can also hinder our ability to learn from the past. By dismissing historical figures or events due to their perceived failings, we risk missing valuable lessons and opportunities for growth. History should be viewed as a teacher, offering insights into human behavior, societal progress, and the consequences of our actions. An honest assessment of history, free from pre-

KEEP US IN THE LOOP

Send your news articles and ideas, photos and letters to: editor@granbydrummer.org. Please include your name, phone and email address. Deadlines for the next issue are printed on the back page in this issue or visit our website: granbydrummer.com

sentist biases, enables us to make more informed decisions in the present and chart a better course for the future.

To counteract the negative impacts of presentism, we must strive for historical understanding rooted in empathy, context and nuance. By acknowledging the historical context, we can comprehend the complexities of past societies, its challenges and the rationale behind actions. Instead of passing judgment from a 21st-century standpoint, we should seek to understand and learn from the perspectives of those who lived in different eras.

While it is essential to celebrate the progress and advancements of our time, presentism impedes our ability to truly understand history and its lessons. By fostering a balanced and informed approach to the past, we can appreciate the progress we’ve made while learning from the mistakes and achievements of those who came before us.

Bill Regan Just ask the pet who doesn’t have one.

Letters cont’d. on p. 5

There’s no place like home

Please consider adopting a pet from your local shelter or rescue group.

Town of Granby Meeting Calendar

Check Town of Granby website or call Town Manager’s office to verify date, time, location, and get information on how to participate on Zoom, if needed.

Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Mondays, March 4 and 18

Board of Finance, 7:30 p.m., Police Dept. Community Room, Monday, March 25

Board of Education, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Wednesdays, March 6 and 20

Planning & Zoning, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Tuesdays, March 12 and 26

Inland Wetlands and Watercourses, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Wednesday, March 13

Development Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Monday, March 11

Tolli, Photo Editor

Kathy Agresta, Carol Bressor, Carolyn Carter, Nancy Dudenhofer, Karen Handville, Rick Handville, Rita Isaacson, Patricia Kovaleski, Andrea Leshinskie, Eileen Longhi, Nicole Muller, Patty Sansone, Donna Schedinger, Faith Tyldsley

Reporters & Contributors

Chase Alexander, Jennifer Benson, Kate Bogli, AnneMarie Cox, Rob Flanigan, Mark Fiorentino, Bernadette Gentry, C.J. Gibson, Mike Guarco, Jay Harder, Holly Johnson, Brian Liss, Nicole Muller, Shirley Murtha, Kim Periera, Scott Riley, Faith Tyldsley, Todd Vibert, Kristine Vincent, John Violette, Laura Wolfe, Amber Wyzik, Sandy Yost

Advertising Team

Deneika Janski, Advertising Coordinator

Deborah Kulwich, Beth Rathey

Website Manager

Jake Kean

Subscriptions & Delivery

Sam & Rebecca Mikus

LETTERS POLICY

The Drummer welcomes letters. Letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the CBG Board and the Drummer. The length of letters will be held to 500 words and less. To be published, letters must be signed and include an address and phone number. This information will not be given to anyone other than the necessary editorial staff. Letters from readers who do not reside in Granby will have the town of residence noted with the letter. The Drummer reserves the right to edit and shorten letters, and to run them in any electronic form. Letters become the property of the Drummer. Email your letters to: editor@granbydrummer.org

ADVERTISERS AGREEMENT

The Granby Drummer reserves the right, without explanation, to reject any advertisement. Advertisers assume the responsibility for the content of all ads they submit for publication, including having authorization for all photos, trademarks and brand names used in their ads. The Granby Drummer will assume no liability for failure to publish an ad or for any typographical errors or omissions beyond the actual cost of the ad.

Wake Up Granby!

By Robert Flanigan

Dear fellow residents of Granby. The time has come for everyone to stand up for all that this town offers: open spaces, scenic rivers and streams, a park, lands for agricultural products, professional services, and lots of good restaurants, just to name a few.

Vessel Technologies, located in New York City, originally proposed a 48-unit prefabricated housing complex at 37 Hartford Ave., Route 189. Today, after many meetings with the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, its original proposal continues but on a somewhat modified plan. There are many issues. Central to the main issue, in my opinion as well as other residents, is that they negate the importance of the federally recognized and protected Salmon Brook, which has an endangered species and two additional “species of concern.” Trust me that this is only one major issue; there are others.

At the last meeting held Feb. 14, Vessel’s attorney, Timothy Hollister, attempted to disregard this watercourse by focusing his attention on the “uplands.” He blatantly told the commission members that state statutes dictate that they concern themselves only with the uplands.

Why doesn’t he realize the totality of his project and that the entire site is of concern and well within the scope of this project? Is he applying state statutes as he interprets them to ONLY these

Letters cont’d. from p. 5

Dear People of the Great State of Connecticut,

Hello! I am a third-grade student in Northern Virginia. Our class is learning about the United States, and I will be teaching our school about the state of Connecticut. In May, I will create a display for our State Fair that I hope will make you proud.

Although I have gathered facts about your state from books and websites, I think that I can receive the best information from the people who live there. This is why I am writing to you. I am hoping that you would be willing to send me some items to help me learn more about the best things in your state. You might consider sending items such as postcards, pictures, souvenirs, this newspaper article, or any other unique items that would be useful or show your state’s pride.

uplands where the now-downsized 42 units will sit and there is no threat to the Salmon Brook? His many permits should also include a request to build a type of retaining wall, especially if it is on the site as it “may potentially” cause harm. A landscape team member described activities that are occurring along and below the cliff/slope. Those too are well within the “uplands area.”

Moving forward, initially Vessel indicated that they are 200 ft away from the federally protected brook and wetlands that run into the Farmington River; however, they are actually less than 72 ft and 151 ft from the running watercourse. After I descended the 32° cliff/ slope to measure and report on my measurements, Vessel agreed with me at the Feb. 14 meeting.

The pristine and federally-protected brook, river and wetlands are protected by the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Title XIV subchapter B, which was developed in 1972 and subsequently passed by the Connecticut General Assembly.

Another serious issue is that these 42 units ultimately will become franchised and sit on approximately 1.4 acres of sandy soil. After months of Vessel being less than consistent and transparent, its representative disclosed, at a Granby Development Commission meeting on Feb. 15, that the units would indeed become franchises. The meeting was not taped. This goal would give “these”

Here are a few questions:

Why do you live in your state? What first brought your family there?

How do you make money? What is your job?

What does your state look like?

What do people do for fun?

What animals live there?

What traditional food or recipes does your state have?

What type of music is native to your state?

Do you have a state athletic team?

What geographic features are unique to your state?

I will need to gather all of my information by the second week of May. You can mail items to the address below. I really appreciate your help!

Sincerely, Aria

Miss Campbell’s Class

The Langley School 1411 Balls Hill Road McLean, Virginia 22101

Looking for additional information?

You can access the entire minutes from any town meeting by visiting granby-ct.gov/ AgendaCenter

people an opportunity to become more knowledgeable about investing and developing their own businesses! Keep in mind we are still under a state mandate to have 10 percent of our housing stock dedicated and deed-restricted as affordable housing—Vessel never even presented that “set asides” would be a part of this development.

One more important issue that plagues this proposed development is that Vessel Technologies continues to disregard and acknowledge that they could hook up to the town sewer system that extends to Rushford Mead. Why? Money. To do so would present a substantial cost to them. You read in between the lines. Using a dictatory tone of voice, Vessel’s Attorney Hollister told the commission members that they will vote to approve this proposal because they have made modifications, and that every facet has been approved or waiting for sign off Not really, but that’s more information YOU as residents need to discover! They’ve even developed a schedule for when they’ll begin digging!

Other issues and problems worth noting regarding environmental impact continue to exist for this once-proposed two-office building site containing a three-sided foundation set in sand.

Registrars’ News

I urge you to view the video-taped programs on GCTV (see town website for link).

I acknowledge, as do many others, that our boards and commission consist primarily of volunteers who are doing the best they can. Some have jobs, others are retired. However, several members of the public have repeatedly spoken to and questioned based on their own expertise—in-depth investigations and working knowledge that members of the IWWC need to acknowledge and accept equally as much as those presented by a developer that wants to assuage their concerns or inevitably threaten going to court. What statute or regulation states that any developer’s “team” of professionals is always right or supersedes local intelligence?

I urge you to become involved. As with other local issues your presence at meetings, writing to town officials and members of boards and commissions, voting, and even speaking out help many causes. In today’s society, remaining silent and then complaining after the fact and shaking your heads and asking “how did this happen?” won’t do anymore.

Editor’s Note: The next IWWC public hearing on Vessel’s application is Wednesday, March 13, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room

Early Voting Opportunities

Connecticut will debut early voting at the end of March, for four days, for the Presidential Preference Primary. The legislature made a special exception to consecutive days this year to avoid Good Friday and Easter Sunday, so the days are March 26, 27, 28 and 30.

While the state approved bonding money for new equipment, it will not be available for early voting or the April primary. Since our current voting machines are not designed to allow multiple days of voting, votes cast early will be placed in envelopes, and run through the voting machines by the absentee ballot crew on Primary Day, April 2.

To assure that anyone casting a ballot only votes once, there is an affirmation to be filled out on the envelope before receiving a ballot. Please note, early voting ballots cannot be rescinded once cast. And lastly, early voting will be held at Town Hall. Here is the process:

At Town Hall, enter the line by the side entrance.

Show a valid ID, or if previously confirmed, fill out a form attesting to your ID.

Complete electronic check-in to confirm you are a registered major party member.

Your name will be crossed off on the Major Party Registry paper list, same as at the polls. Fill out the early voting envelope, affirming you have not/will not vote again.

Vote your ballot in a privacy booth and seal it in your envelope.

A second check-in will occur to cross your name off electronically in the statewide data base.

Place your sealed ballot into the slot of the black bin.

Unaffiliated? Last chance to enroll

There are 3,319 registered voters in Granby listed as unaffiliated. Any unaffiliated voter who wants to join a political party and vote in the April 2 Presidential Preference Primary can go online or mail in a form by March 15. To change party in person you have until noon the day before voting. This applies to early voting as well. New or unaffiliated voters to early voting can register in a major party, but they will need to come back the next business day if they register before noon, the following day after that if they come after noon. This caveat is because both major parties have rules requiring registration by noon the day before voting in their primaries.

To vote in the presidential primary on Tuesday, April 2, you must be registered as a Democrat or Republican. Voters are encouraged to check their party affiliation online at portaldir.ct.gov/ sots/lookup.aspx In Connecticut, those who are 17 years old but will turn 18 by Nov. 5, can participate in the primary if they register with a party by the cutoff dates listed below.

For all primaries in the state of Connecticut, you MUST be a party member of the party you wish to vote for. State party rules prohibit cross voting in another political party’s primary. Unaffiliated or Independent voters are NOT allowed to vote in primaries.

To gain party affiliation, go online to fill out a voter registration card and check the box marked “party enrollment change” and be sure to write in a political party. The website is at voterregistration.ct.gov until the postmark and online deadline to register to vote on March 15. The unaffiliated and new voter in-person deadline is noon the day before voting.

Registrars cont’d. on p. 9

TOWN COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

The following are highlights from recent commission and committee meeting minutes. To read the full reports, please visit the Town of Granby website, choose Agendas and Minutes and choose the board or committee.

Development Commission

January 8, 2024

Present: Chairman Marty Schwager, Matt Brady, Jim Caldwell, Ken Kuhl, Rob Rome, and Anna Sogliuzzo. First Selectman Mark Fiorentino, and Director of Community Development Abby Kenyon.

Fiorentino provided background about 83 Salmon Brook St., which is owned by the Town of Granby. Since 2011, the town leased it to a restaurant, and the lease expired in December 2023. The unoccupied building needs improvements, including foundation work.

Fiorentino was looking for commission feedback as to whether the town should issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a broker to list the property for sale or lease, or both. Caldwell asked about advantages to retaining the property, or a portion of it, such as the rightof-way where Murtha’s Way is located. The commission discussed access to the property and the right-of-way that provides access to the apartment development to the rear of 83 Salmon Brook St.

Kenyon provided maps of the property, including an as-built plan showing all improvements; a map showing easements and utilities that extend across the property to the apartments located to the rear; and an aerial map showing the property in the context of the surrounding area.

When questioned about next steps, Fiorentino said the Board of Selectmen would be asked to authorize the issuance of an RFP to hire a broker to market the property and the commission should consider any parameters to put into the RFP and report back.

Town Bridges Building Committee

January 9, 2024

The committee updated the status of five bridge replacement projects.

Moosehorn Road: Construction is complete. Installing a temporary one-way bridge was advantageous. Even with the additional expense of a traffic light, this decision reduced the cost of the project.

Griffin Road: Construction is complete. A retainage is being held on the construction contractor, Arborio, due to CHRO guidelines that have not been met. Reimbursement requests have been submitted to the state.

Hungary Road: Construction is complete. Submission of reimbursement paperwork is pending.

Donahue Road: Construction is complete and reopened in early December. The replacement went well. Support walls and elevation issues were worked out. Final detail work is shut down for the winter and will resume in April.

Simsbury Road: CHA Consulting, Inc. is working on a preliminary design of the project. The construction work will require the road to close during construction. It is anticipated that the work will begin in 2025.

Granby Center Advisory Committee

January 31, 2024

Present: Mark Fiorentino, Meg Jabaily, Abby Kenyon, Eric Myers, John Oates, Martin Schwager

The Center Advisory Committee heard a presentation by Stacey Vairo of Preservation Connecticut regarding establishment of a local historic district and how it would differ from State and National Registers of Historic places. Possibly pursuing this designation as part of a plan for the town center is under consideration and would require a vote to approve it by property owners within the district.

Kenyon presented a statement consolidated from member input for why the study is being done: “To provide a framework that supports an inviting, connected, healthy, vibrant and resilient town center for its businesses, residents and visitors as discussed in the 2016 Plan of Conservation and Development.” Public input is invited.

School Projects

Building Committee

January 18, 2024

Present: Toby Proctor, Eric Brown, Bill Kennedy, and BOE Business Manager Mark Migliaccio, Anna Robbins, and BOE Director of Facilities Shannon Sullivan.

High school roof project, leaks and other issues

After the Christmas break, roof leaks were found in many classrooms. Slush and water pooling on the roof was causing water to back up against the flashing. The manufacturer determined that defective material was supplied to the roofer and used on this job. A temporary solution has been put in place and repairs are being made at no additional cost. The project is not complete, and the final inspection has not been done. Two change orders submitted to the state for flashing and additional drain work have been denied and rebuttal has been sent back. Robbins reviewed the change order process; the project must be completed before paperwork for reimbursement can be started and submitted. It was determined that the roof drains were plumbed wrong and need to be fixed.

Moving forward, final numbers are needed for the complete roof project. State reimbursement on the roof project—there are still questions, but Robbins and Silver Petrucelli are working on this matter. Before any further payments are made to Nutmeg, all work, and repairs due to water damage are satisfactorily completed and the roof has no identified leaks.

Use of remaining bridge funds

There are remaining funds from the bridge projects; the committee is exploring ideas for best use. The BOS suggested replacing the boilers at the middle school. Sullivan explained Gordian, thru CRCOG, did a physical assessment and provided a quote of $487,761 to replace the boiler. CRCOG has a bid process annually and the contractor is an approved bidder. If the project moves ahead, work could be done during the summer vacation. Selectmen thought the project should go out to bid, but the quote from Gordian, a CRCOG approved contractor, seems to make putting the project out to bid redundant. Proctor suggested speaking with Selectmen moving forward.

GRANBY BOARD OF EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY 3, 2024

Present: Liz Barlow, Heather Lombardo, Monica Logan, Donna Nolan, David Peling, Whitney Sanzo, Rosemarie Weber, and Student Representatives Chase Alexander and Katie O’Neill.

Public Comment

Debbie Reelitz, Silkey Road, stated she was pleased to see a request in the budget presentation for more mental health staffing and was glad this is getting attention. She said, however, there is very little attention given to how diet has an enormous impact on mental wellness. Reelitz said she would like to see a healthy diet included in strategies for children with mental health challenges and dietary recommendations given out along with other resources for children suffering with mental health conditions.

Mike Kramarenko, Notch Road, said the extended absences of the family and consumer science, and technology teachers at the middle school were causing multiple study halls being held. He stated that parents should have been informed about staffing. He also spoke of concerns around disruptive students during class time at the middle school.

FY25 Plus One Budget

The board approved the Plus One Budget being forwarded on to the Board of Finance. Superintendent Burke reviewed the Plus One Budget increase of 6.43 percent that includes a 4.34 percent contractual increase, 2.43 special education, and 0.34 percent for other factors. Further discussion and details are available on the Town website—click Agendas and Minutes and choose Board of Education.

JANUARY 17, 2024

Present: Liz Barlow, Heather Lombardo, Monica Logan, Donna Nolan, David Peling, Rosemarie Weber, and Student Representative

Katie O’Neill.

Awards and Recognition

Logan recognized Ingrid Budlong, Granby’s 2023-24 Teacher of the Year and second grade teacher at Kelly Lane Primary School. Budlong has been a member of the Granby Public Schools since 2017 and is very involved in the school community.

Public Comment

Mike Kramarenko, Notch Road, said students in the family and consumer science class at the middle school are receiving passing grades for a class that was not taught due to teacher absence. He also said that he heard that a cell phone was taken away from a student to view a possible video that was not present on the phone. He stated he heard that a student has been able to take breaks to play Minecraft during class, which is disruptive. He stated that he has instructed his child to do so as well. Lastly, he shared that the traffic at Kelly Lane in the morning and afternoon is very unsafe and asked the board to please address these issues.

Graduation Date

The Board set the 2024 graduation date for Friday, June 7, with a rain date on Monday, June 10, (held indoors if it rains) as recommended by the Superintendent of Schools.

Town advisory committee to manage participatory process to allocate grants

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has established a Greater Together Community Fund for each of the 29 towns in the Greater Hartford region, which includes Granby. The Hartford Foundation has since provided each Community Fund with $180,000, with $70,000 being maintained in the Funds’ endowments and the remaining $110,000 to support current grantmaking efforts.

A selection committee of Granby residents is seeking individuals to form an advisory committee that will manage a participatory process to identify local needs and allocate community funds. To be eligible you must be a Granby resident, at least 14 years of age, and not be an elected official. Previous experience in community organization or in grant-making is not needed. To date, the selection committee has received a handful of applications and strongly encourages interested residents to apply by the March 31 deadline.

With the support and guidance of the Hartford Foundation, the advisory committee will:

• Design and lead an inclusive process to identify community needs.

• Design and lead an inclusive grantmaking process.

• Provide periodic updates to the Hartford Foundation.

• Keep track of funds available for grantmaking.

Residents interested in serving on the inaugural advisory committee can apply online at hfpg.org/granbycf or pick up a paper application at the Granby Public Library, 15 North Granby Road. Applications are due no later than March 31.

The Granby Greater Together Community Fund at the Hartford Foundation selection committee members are: Anne Marie Elder, Helen Frye, Karen Handville, Eric Harrison, Eric Hutchinson and Rose Mouning.

at 7 Mill Pond Drive, Suite C, C2 Zone: File Z-23-23.

Stefan Drago, 72 Kimberly Road, East Granby wants to open a restaurant at 7 Mill Pond Drive, Suite C. The existing space was previously occupied by a restaurant but has been vacant for years. Drago’s restaurant would be open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for breakfast and lunch, and the applicant also proposes to host private events after hours. Therefore, he is requesting the overall hours of operation be from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Kenyon stated for the record that hosting private events is accessory to the restaurant and not a separate use. The commission previously approved a Special Permit for a restaurant with alcoholic beverages in this space with the condition that the hours of operation be limited to 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; therefore, a modification is necessary to accommodate the new hours of operation. The proposed signage complies with the zoning regulations in regards to size and would be illuminated by an existing overhead light. There was no public comment.

The commission voted (7-0-0) to approve the application subject to the following: 1) Hours of operation from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., 2) Installation of an illuminated building sign, as detailed in the Jan. 4 memorandum from Kenyon to the commission.

Application seeking a Special Permit for a restaurant serving alcoholic beverages, for property located at 518 Salmon Brook Street, Suite 8 and 9, I Zone: File Z-24-23.

Yoelin Edith Sanchez Lopez of New Britain, wants to open a Mexican restaurant in Suites 8 and 9 at 518 Salmon Brook Street. Suite 9 was

previously occupied by Toni Ann’s restaurant, and Suite 8 was once a Karate Studio.

The total proposed area of the restaurant will be around 2,200 square feet and the main entrance will remain at Suite 9. Since restaurants require Special Permit approval in the Industrial Zone, expansion into the adjacent space requires commission approval.

Alcohol sales were not previously approved, so the sale of alcoholic beverages at the proposed restaurant also requires Special Permit approval. The existing restaurant space will be renovated to accommodate a bar and an opening will be made in the wall to connect to the other unit, which will be a dining area. The proposed hours of operation were stated as 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. However, after discussing the possibility of serving breakfast, the applicant requested 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. No exterior changes will be made and new signage will be installed in the existing sign cabinets. Kenyon noted that the required parking conforms with the regulations and existing site plan, and the proposed bar area is 6 percent of the gross floor area; the regulations allow a bar area up to 15 percent of the gross floor area.

There was no public comment.

The commission voted (7-0-0) to approve the application, subject to the following conditions:

1) Hours of operation from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.,

2) Restaurant and bar area square footage, and site plan to be sized as detailed in the Dec. 27 memorandum from Kenyon to the commission.

Informal Discussion: 254/256 Salmon Brook Street, Proposed Four Unit MultiFamily Residential and Office Use

Property owner John Pagliaro discussed a concept for his properties located at 254 and 256 Salmon Brook Street, which he purchased in August 2023. The properties are located in the Center Edge (CE) zone and consist of a single-family home, a garage and a print shop. The existing structures will remain and be refurbished both internally and externally.

The owner would like to convert the existing, detached garage into a professional office space for a speech pathologist on the first floor, consisting of two offices, a restroom, a waiting

Board of Education welcomes familiar face

By Heather Lombardo

The Granby Board of Education is pleased to welcome a new member who is a familiar face to the school community. Karen Richmond-Godard, a former Granby Memorial High School teacher, will fill the remaining two years of a four-year term vacated by Whitney Sanzo.

Godard’s career in education began just over 30 years ago outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion School District. With an undergrad degree from Penn State and a masters’ degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Godard taught French and Spanish for 12 years. In 2005, she moved her family to West Granby and began teaching at King Philip Middle School in West Hartford.

First Selectman Mark Fiorentino congratulates Karen Richmond-Godard after her swearing in as a new member of the Granby Board of Education during the Feb. 5 Board of Selectmen meeting. Photo by Shirley Murtha

Godard’s three sons, Sam, Noah, and Teddy attended Granby public schools and when the opportunity arose to teach in 2009, she jumped at it. Godard believes Granby schools provided her sons with strong, beneficial connections to quality teachers and an educational foundation that has served them well.

Over the course of 14 years, she became a well-regarded, high-impact teacher in Granby. Eventually, she decided to take steps that would allow her to help other teachers optimize their impact on education.

In 2021, Godard completed her Sixth Year in Education Leadership, Policy and Tech at Central Connecticut State University. With a higher-level education into how school systems operate, she accepted a position in Region 10 as the District Coordinator for World Languages and ESL.

While Godard feels her new role will create a ripple effect of high quality, high impact teaching, leaving her students was not easy. She said it was especially difficult saying goodbye to her Granby

room and a kitchenette. The second floor would consist of a one-unit efficiency apartment. The print shop would be converted to office space, while the single-family home would be renovated to accommodate three residential apartments.

Land Surveyor Brian Denno was retained to lay out a site plan that would accommodate the proposed uses, as well as access to the sites. The proposed multi-family use is not permitted

seniors whom she taught and nurtured since their freshman year. That’s one of the reasons she jumped at the opportunity to re-join Granby Public Schools through an open position on the board of education.

“I have witnessed the heart-breaking choice many excellent teachers have had to make to reluctantly leave their beloved students and coworkers to seek higher pay in other districts to meet their families’ financial needs. Kids need solid relationships with adults they can trust, and losing fine teachers is destabilizing and detrimental to kids and the community. The impact of this attrition is part of what inspired me to serve on the board. I hope to support the staff of GPS to have a positive school climate that benefits all stakeholders. I am deeply committed to education, and I look forward to working with other members of the Granby BOE to help guide policy through the perspective of someone who knows the GPS system from inside the classroom.”

in the CE zone therefore, a zone change to the Commercial Center (COCE) zone would be necessary. Kenyon noted for the record that a zone change would not impact the historic overlay district. The commission discussed next steps and shared their thoughts, as a zone change would increase the number of potential commercial uses; however, they are open to the concept.

Town of Granby well-covered with AED devices, thanks

By Shirley Murtha

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are potential life-saving devices for those suffering cardiac arrest, and Granby now has six of them installed and operational, with two others awaiting installation.

Before further discussing the AEDs, it is necessary to understand the difference between having a heart attack and having cardiac arrest. A heart attack is essentially a plumbing problem, involving constrictions or blockages in cardiac blood vessels. A heart attack can be minor and treated with minimally-invasive procedures and medications, or it can be a major event and require open heart surgery.

A cardiac arrest is essentially an electrical problem, occurring when the electrical

activity of the heart is disrupted. The electrical activity is controlled by nodes of nervous tissue within the heart between the upper atrial and lower ventricular chambers. Cardiac arrest requires immediate attention or the person will probably not survive. This is why the AED is so important: it can correct that electrical disruption.

If you are thinking that you wouldn’t know how to use one, fear not. If you come upon a non-responsive victim and there is an AED nearby, you should immediately call 911 or designate someone to do that. Then you open the cabinet containing the AED, remove it and place it on the ground or floor next to the victim. The device audibly tells you exactly what to do and how to do it. You simply follow the steps.

Once you have placed the pads where

the diagram illustrates, the machine assesses the patient’s condition. It may indicate that an electrical shock is not necessary. If it is, the machine guides you through the entire process. Of course, it is a benefit to take one of the courses made available by the Granby Ambulance Association or other organizations to help eliminate the anxiety you might feel when performing defibrillation for the first time.

With the ARPA money, the town purchased and installed AEDs and cabinets in December 2023. They are located in the Granby Public Library (main lobby), the town hall (main lobby); Granby Public Works in the kitchen, and in Salmon Brook Park on the outside of the main office building.

At the same time, Granby residents John and Linda Oates made a very generous donation to fill in some of the gaps in town where the devices might be needed: Ahrens Park, Holcomb Farm, the high school track, and the Rovers Field in Salmon Brook Park. The units at Ahrens Park and Holcomb Farm are installed and operational. The Ahrens Park unit is located under the pavilion and the one at Holcomb Farm is on the outside of the main barn at the site of the original office. The unit for the high school track will be installed by the public works department on the side of the snack shop at the entrance to the track. The unit at Rovers Field is delayed due to issues with the power source for the cabinet. DPW is working on that and investigating the use of solar power.

When asked what spurred the Oates donation, John said that the idea started about a year ago when he was watching the Buffalo Bills game in which Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and survived in great part due to the almost immediate defibrillation. That got Oates thinking about whether Granby was adequately covered, so he contacted Chief Coupe of the Ambulance Association. She identified some of the gaps in coverage. Oates noted, “Linda and I decided that it would be a great way to honor my parents, Jim and Nancy Oates, for their long-time involvement in the community.”

The town approved $13,000 of ARPA money for the AED project. Close to $10,500 has been spent, with $2,500 set aside for the remaining installation costs. AEDs are warrantied for eight years and have an estimated useful life of 8-10 years. Monthly inspections will be conducted by the Granby Ambulance Association.

John and Linda Oates stand by the AED installed at Holcomb Farm. It is one of four they have donated.

Photo by Shirley Murtha

Party membership does not cost anything, nor are party members obligated to vote along party lines. Unfortunately, the deadline to switch from one party to another has already passed. There is a 90-day waiting period for those switching political parties to attain party privilege. Anyone switching political parties between January 2 and April 2 would be ineligible to vote in either primary.

On Feb. 27, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas announced that national candidates will appear on each ballot. Sample ballots are available for viewing on the SOS website.

Democratic & Republican Town Committees will hold Party Caucus

Starting March 26, Granby will hold two caucuses, one Republican and one Democrat, for party members to vote on the town delegates to send to the State and District party conventions in May. At these conventions the party candidate endorsement selections are made. The town delegates chosen in the caucus to attend the May conventions can be committed to a particular candidate or can be uncommitted. To participate and vote in the caucuses, you need to be a party member. Unaffiliated and unregistered voters can register with a party by noon March 25, the day before the caucus to be eligible to participate. (Switching parties requires a 90-day waiting period before attaining party privilege.) On the ballot in November will be seats for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House 62nd Representative, State Senate (7th for District 1 and 8th for District 2). The delegates to attend the National Conventions to choose a Presidential Candidate are selected in the Presidential Preference Primary held on Tuesday, April 2.

Early Voting and poll workers are urgently needed

Lots of poll workers will be needed for 2024. If you are good at typing, there are 25 days of early voting (late March, mid-August, late October–early November.)

Poll workers will also be needed April 2 for the Presidential Preference Primary; April

15 for the Budget Referendum, Aug. 13 for the Federal Primary and for the Presidential Election on Nov. 5. March training sessions are being scheduled and will be repeated prior to each event as needed. If you would like to participate, please register for the new training by sending an email to the Registrars at: registrarofvoters@granby-ct.gov Classes will be held in the Town Hall Meeting Room, 15 North Granby Road. All are welcome.

Calendar Review

Tuesday, March 12: first day absentee ballots for Presidential Primary are available.

Friday, March 15: deadline for online and postmarked voter registrations to participate in the April 2 Presidential Preference Primary.

Friday, March 15: Special Voter Session in Registrars’ Office from 1 to 3 p.m.

Monday, March 25: noon deadline for unaffiliated voters to register with a party to participate in the first day of Early Voting for the Presidential Preference Primary

Monday, March 25: Special Voter Session in Registrars’ Office from 9 a.m. to Noon.

Tuesday, March 26: Early Voting will be held at Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 27: Early Voting will be held at Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 28: Early Voting will be held at Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 30: Early Voting will be held at Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (The PPP is only for registered party members. New and Unaffiliated voters who register in person with a party by Noon during early voting are eligible to vote the next day.)

Stop by to register to vote, to determine your voting district or to make corrections in person at the Registrars’ Office in the Town Hall every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voter registration forms are also available at town halls, libraries, DMV offices and online at the Secretary of State’s website: sots.ct.gov

Questions? Contact the registrars, Laura Wolfe and Paul Willis, at 860-844-5322 or -5323 or registrarofvoters@granby-ct.gov

Granby Public Schools are Full “STEAM” Ahead

On Feb. 9, Wells Road and Granby Middle School students joined the Granby Men’s Breakfast Group to share their passion for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education and to highlight some of the engaging projects underway in our Library Makerspaces and Coding and Computer Science Clubs. In addition, students from Granby Memorial High School’s Food II class prepared delicious muffins, cookies and fruit for breakfast.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Parsons, Wells Road Intermediate School Library Media Specialist Laurie Smith, Granby Memorial Middle School Library Media Specialist Leigh Ann Ryan and Teaching Assistant Yuri Dominguez shared the concepts taught in Makerspaces to engage students in hands-on and creative ways for students to engage in design thinking and problem solving with a variety of tools and technology. The elementary students engaged with each table to lead the men in a hands-on STEAM challenge to build the longest cantilever using KEVA blocks. A tape measure had to be taken out to declare a winner! The GMMS students demonstrated their own projects and programming skills with LEGO and BricQ Motion sets and presented their experiences writing code with the MIT program SCRATCH. It was a fabulous morning of hands-on learning and fun for all ages.

Budget Process Underway

Please follow our budget development by visiting our website and attending the board of education budget presentation and workshops. Information will be updated regularly on our district website and social media platforms @Superintendent_Burke on Facebook and Instagram.

Submitted photos

A superintendent community conversation will be held on Thursday, April 4, 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom. Please contact Linda Powell at powelll@granbyschools.org to receive a link for this meeting. This is a time where the community and parents/ guardians can ask questions about the budget or other educational issues.

The FY25 administrative budget will be presented to the Granby Board of Education on Wednesday March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room and via Zoom. In addition, the board of education budget workshops/ budget adoption meeting will take place on March 13 and March 20, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room and via Zoom.

The Public Budget Hearing is scheduled for April 1, at 7 p.m. at the GMHS Auditorium.

Granby soccer seniors making waves

By Chase Alexander, GMHS Class of ‘24

During a winter season when snow blankets the turf fields at Granby Memorial High School, the days of late nights beneath the lights seem ages ago.

Amidst a busy winter sports season, it can be easy for our minds to drift from the games that filled the fall calendar, and the approaching spring season headlines the thoughts of some athletes and fans. But for two seniors at GMHS, Addy Earl and Chas Orluk, their accomplishments on the soccer field will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Each is a multisport athlete, and several other similarities exist between the pair. For starters, both Addy and Chas served as co-captains on their respective soccer teams this fall, a testament to their leadership and commitment to improve the entire Granby soccer program. They each don the number 10 on their soccer jerseys, a number that has long been reserved for some of the most dynamic players on a team.

However, the similarities extend beyond the traits observed on the field. Both Chas and Addy were recently named All New England—an honor that recognizes their talents as some of the best in the entire region. It’s difficult to believe that a pair such as this exists on both the boys and girls teams in many other towns, especially a small Class S school like Granby.

Addy, who set a Granby girls scoring record with 112 career goals, was also named Academic All State and will continue her academic and athletic career when she attends the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the fall. She intends to study biology and chemistry. “I

have always enjoyed representing my high school in academics and athletics,” she said when asked about her memories from playing in Granby. She added, “I take pride in building my future and I look forward to continuing my academic and soccer career.”

Addy’s teammates describe her as having an unmatched work ethic that is only outdone by her humbleness.

Chas, who will attend Swarthmore College in the fall, will be continuing his academic and athletic career at a highly competitive program. He is a recipient of Academic All State honors as well as the prestigious Valerio Moretti Scholar Athlete Award, which recognizes athletic prowess and academic achievement.

When asked about receiving this award, Chas said, “I’d like to think I’ve worked hard on the field and in the classroom, so it means a lot to be recognized…It’s an honor to receive All New England honors, as well as the Valerio Moretti scholarship… I’m so grateful for Coach Dombrowski, my high school teammates and fellow captains, my Rovers coaches and teammates, and my family.”

In describing Chas, teammates refer to his commitment to helping them develop strong habits that would benefit the team as a whole. His high school coach, Michael Dombrowski, added, “Chas exemplifies what it means to wear the maroon and gold…He is deserving of all the accolades he has received but he is an even better person.”

While the fall sports season may have ended, these two accomplished athletes have left a legacy on the Granby soccer program to be proud of as they enjoy the bright futures ahead of them.

CSAG’s long history of giving

The Community Scholarship Association of Granby (CSAG) has been awarding deserving graduating high school seniors scholarships since 1958. CSAG has awarded more than $650,000 in scholarships to nearly 400 college-bound Granby Memorial seniors, making a significant impact on their young lives.

CSAG has been performing this service while managing contributions of all kinds, but particularly funds from a Holcomb Family Endowment and annual fundraising in conjunction with The Granby Road Race. Applicants must be Granby residents who are soon-to-be high school graduates accepted at an institution of higher learning approved by the selection committee. Additional scholarships take into consideration need, initiative, character,

responsibility and higher than average involvement in the Granby community.

With continually rising costs of a college education, CSAG asks former scholarship recipients, as well as the Granby community, to please consider making tax-deductible contributions to CSAG so that the organization can award more scholarships and provide more substantial awards. Checks should be made out to CSAG and mailed to Ted Cormier, 12 Silkey Road, West Granby, CT 06090.

Scholarship applications are available online through Naviance, at the College and Career Center or through the high school guidance counselor. Completed applications should be submitted to Mrs. Caruso in the GMHS counseling office no later than May 1.

Addy Earl, submitted photo

Chas Orluk, photo by Jay Harder

Safe Grad planning and fundraising efforts underway

By Deneika Janski

The folks who put the parents in Granby Parents for a Safe Graduation (GPSG) have been busy! Planning for the party is in full swing, but the committee is still working to fund this celebration of the Class of 2024. You can help by supporting one of its upcoming fundraisers.

GPSG will hold a Bake Sale on March 23 at Geissler’s Supermarket between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to pick up a sweet treat. If you are a baker at heart, reach out to granbyparentssafegrad@gmail. com to find out how you can provide some tasty treats to stock the sale.

Have you ever noticed that every spring a flock of flamingos finds its way to Granby? Want them to roost on your lawn, or the lawn of a friend or loved one? Simply reach out to GSPG to make that happen! The Safe Grad committee will gladly surprise your friends with a “flocking” for a $30 donation. Email granbyparentssafegrad@gmail.com for more details or to order a flocking.

GPSG is currently collecting contributions for raffle prizes. The raffle is a highlight of the evening for the kids. Through the generosity of local businesses and community members, GPSG is able to ensure each student goes home with a raffle prize (usually a gift card).

If you would like to donate a gift card for the raffle, GPSG recommends cards for grocery stores, gas stations, Amazon, Door Dash/Grub Hub and Visa gift cards. When you make your donation, remember that Granby students’ postgraduation plans take them across the country (and sometimes the world!)

As always, cash donations to fund the party are always welcome. To make a donation, please send your check payable to “Granby Parents for a Safe Graduation” to Granby Parents for a Safe Graduation, Attn: Treasurer, PO Box 81, Granby, CT 06035.

That said, one of the best donations you can make to GPSG is your time! It takes many hands to put on this event, from assistance on organizing fundraisers, lining up entertainment, and coordinating food donations to day-ofparty assistance with picking up those food donations and chaperoning the party itself. Parents of seniors are NOT ALLOWED to chaperone the party, so it is very important for volunteers to step up each year to help—and it is a lot of fun!!

GPSG has hosted the Grad Night celebration for the last 38 years, so please, jump in to lend a hand now to help keep this Granby tradition going strong!

Footloose is coming to Granby

By Paige Janney

The Granby Dramatic Arts’ production of Footloose is coming March 15 to 17. This musical gets you on your feet with uplifting songs like Footloose and Holding Out for a Hero, while touching on important topics like grief, and how people handle connections when emotion takes over.

The cast and crew, including our fantastic seniors, have worked tirelessly on this show. Lucas Scotto brings all the humor and love to Willard, Ryan Pelletier perfectly portrays the hot-tempered Chuck Cranston, Luke Ranicar expertly explores Reverend Moore and the deep emotional battle he hides, Caroline Hall is the definition of a sweet and attentive mother as Ethel McCormack, Lex Kerr is fantastic as both Wes Warnicker and Cowboy Bob, Mackenzie Janski does an amazing job as Chuck’s troublemaking friend Lyle, and Grace Jennings dazzles as Eleanor Dunbar. And there are all the senior featured-dancers who came in to lend a hand, such as Sophia Karabestos, Sadie Kennedy and Carolina Gentile.

And we can’t forget our amazing senior techies, without whom we wouldn’t be able to do the show. The wonderful stage managers are Riley Kuester and Ali Dobbert. Mikayla Munson has done a tremendous job as student director.

They and Kylie Matthis have worked overtime to make sure the set and props are perfect for the show. And of course, there are the wonderful seniors working sound and lighting—Megan Casavant, Noah Collen and Alexis Dimeo. We couldn’t have done the show without their constant and consistent support.

And a huge thank you to choreographer Meg Fenton-Funk and assistant choreographer Lexi Rome. They take time out of busy schedules at Nutmeg Dance Theater and Sunflower Yoga to work with the dancers, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Finally, Granby Memorial High School Dramatic Arts is excited to introduce the Fine Arts Booster Club, a group of parents who came together to help with fundraising.

Tickets for children 12 and under are free (caution: show has some mature content). Tickets for seniors, Granby teachers, and students are $12 presale and $15 at the door. General public tickets are $18 and $20 at the door. The show dates are March 15 and 16 at 7 p.m., and March 17 at 2 p.m. The Saturday performance is free for GMMS eighth graders.

Clemons Spring Shadows

In Memory of .

Geigner, Edward H. “Eddie”, Jr., 57, January 10

Veirs, Linda Windrow, 85, wife of James Veirs, January 16

Hawk, Stephen (“Steve”), 62, husband of Valerie (Kilgen) Hawk, January 17

Perry, Janet Lee (Blair), 70, wife of David George Perry I, January 20

Longest, Brian Lee, 61, January 22

Morehouse, Berdina Faye (Hanscom), 91, wife of the late K. Elwyn Morehouse, January 22

Hannon, Marion Virginia (Morrison), 96, wife of the late William “Bill” Hannon, January 24

King, Kathryn J., 86, wife of the late John G. King, January 24

Chandler, Dr. Robert Augustus, Jr., 93, partner of Betty Hancock and former husband of the late Sandra L. Chandler, February 1

Hart, William S., 101, husband of the late Sally (Balch) Hart, February 2

Hunt, Mary Jane, 95, wife of the late James Thomas Hunt, Sr., February 7

Maule, Charles Frederick, 71, February 10

St. John, Anne Camp, 88, wife of the late Russell G. St. John, February 14

Evelyn Mulligan’s Jan. 8 photo at Clemons Spring in North Granby captures the shadows across the snow perfectly.

Out of Town

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

The North Canton Community United Methodist Church will host a Saint Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage dinner on Friday, March 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. Besides corned beef, diners will enjoy potatoes, carrots, Irish soda

bread, and the church’s homemade heavenly desserts. Dinner will be $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for children 6 and under. The church is at 3 Case St. in North Canton, about five miles north of Route 44. Come hungry!

Musical Club of Hartford March Concerts

The Musical Club of Hartford’s spring program series will take flight with two morning concerts open to the public, on Thursday, March 7, and Thursday, March 21. Both concerts will take place in the spacious sanctuary of Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford. Programs begin at 10 a.m. and run about 90 minutes without intermission. Ample free off-street parking and handicap accessible entry are available.

On March 7, the club hosts its annual Evelyn Bonar Storrs Piano Recital, showcasing gifted, classically trained pianists (ages 18-30) who were the season’s recipients of the Musical Club’s

Evelyn Bonar Storrs Piano Scholarships. Admission is free.

On March 21, the club presents Bach and Beyond, A Birthday Tribute, showcasing Musical Club members in chamber music works by Bach, Dvorák, Haydn and Weber. Admission is free to club members and students, $5 for the general public.

The club’s spring season will continue with a variety of Thursday morning concerts throughout April and May at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. All programs are open to the public. Visit the Musical Club of Hartford website (musicalclubhartford.org) for detailed program information, as well as more information about the club’s history and membership benefits.

Pancake Breakfast

The Northern Connecticut Veterans group invites everyone in East Granby and surrounding communities to its free pancake breakfast on Saturday,

March 9. Breakfast will be served from 7 to 11 a.m. at the East Granby Senior/Community Center, 7 Memorial Drive.

Suffield Players search for theatrical directors

The Suffield Players, a renowned community theater organization known for its outstanding productions, has commenced a director search to find dynamic and creative individuals to lead its upcoming 2024-2025 theatrical season.

The Suffield Players has a rich history of delivering exceptional and memorable theater experiences to the local community. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for the performing arts, the organization is now on the lookout for visionary directors who will continue to uphold the tradition of excellence.

The chosen candidates will play pivotal roles in shaping the 2024-2025 season. Responsibilities will include directing productions, collaborating with the dedicated production teams, and inspiring and nurturing local talent. The ideal candidates will bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and a deep appreciation for the performing arts. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply on our website: suffieldplayers. org The Suffield Players welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences who share their commitment to the art of theater.

American Legion Opening Day pancake breakfast, April 13

The American Legion will hold its famous pancake breakfast on Saturday, April 13, from 6 a.m. until noon at the Legion Hall, 244 North Granby Road. The date coincides with the opening of fishing season. The breakfast features genuine, fancy-grade Vermont maple syrup, along with choice bacon and special pancakes, orange juice and coffee. All are welcome. Proceeds will fund the Post #182 American Legion Scholarship Award, given annually to a deserving Granby Memorial High School student.

Shakespeare in Focus: The major tragedies

Of the nearly 50 plays penned by William Shakespeare, four major tragedies dominate: Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear. It’s generally agreed that Hamlet is about youth, King Lear about age, Othello about the deception of sight, and Macbeth about the deceptions of imagination. University of Hartford President Emeritus and

Shakespeare scholar Humphrey Tonkin will help you see how these themes actually crisscross all four works. Sponsored by Presidents’ College Lifelong Learning at the University of Hartford on Wednesdays, April 3, 10, 17 and 24, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Visit hartford.edu/pc for more information.

Take-Out Corned Beef Dinner

Enjoy a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner without all the fuss. Reserve a corned beef dinner, with potatoes, carrots, cabbage, rolls, Irish bread and a variety of cakes for dessert – pick it up and eat in the comfort of your home!

Call Mary at 860-653-2834 to reserve, then pick up on Saturday, March 16 between 2 and 4 p.m. at Copper Hill United Methodist Church, 27 Copper Hill, East Granby.

No seatings, take-out only. Must reserve in advance.

Race, Religion and Politics Workshops come to Granby

By Denny Moon

Granby Racial Reconciliation (GRR) is hosting a series of workshops with the first two on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday May 19. The Race, Religion, and Politics workshops will be guided conversations where participants can deepen their understanding of the dynamics of these social forces at work in our nation.

It is the GRR Education task team’s hope that these workshops will promote civic engagement by supporting an environment where attendees can explore the typically-avoided topics of politics, religion, and race through responsive listening and shared discussion.

Our presenter and guide for these explorations is Dr. Matthew Hughey, a tenured professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut. He wrote several books including the award winning, White Bound (Stanford University Press, 2012). He speaks on college campuses and at other institutions seeking a deeper understanding

of the social forces that influence our thoughts and behavior. Hughey writes, “…I aim to illumine and educate others about social scientific truths that may be…[hidden] by fear, prejudice, habit, or various interest groups opposed to scientific reasoning…”

Hughey’s methodology rejects “labeling any one person or group as either ‘prejudiced’ or ‘racist’” and employs both lecture and dialogue with participants, in order to deepen our collective understandings. He does not belong to a political party and is a member of the Baháa’íi faith, which encourages its followers to refrain from partisan politics lest it become a source of disunity and antagonism.

All workshops will be held at the Granby Senior Center. Spring workshop dates: Saturday, April 20, 12–1:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 19, 3–4:30 p.m. The fall workshop dates are still to be determined. To register for the first workshops, go to Granbyrr.com

Photo by Bill De Nio

Buzzing about the Gran-Bee

Submitted photo

By Michael Sanzo

Have you been hankering for a night out of the hive with friends? Looking to show off your queen bee costume skills? Does trivia sweeten the honey pot? The 19th (not quite) Annual GranBee flies into view on Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the GMHS Auditorium. This free community event is a great family evening to cheer on teams from civic organizations and our schools, and busy bees who just love trivia!

As the major fundraiser for the Granby Education Foundation, the Gran-Bee pollinates knowledge and creativity with prizes for trivia mastery and for creative costumes. All teams have three worker bees competing to win the coveted Grand-Bee Award and the Yellow Jacket Crown. Gather your swarm together to compete and register at granbyeducationfoundation.org/register

The Gran-Bee is a free community event because of the generosity of our local businesses. They sponsor the Gran-Bee knowing that GEF creates the metamorphosis from ideas to innovative education opportunities for all Granby residents. Many of our sponsors return year after year because their donations have tremendous community impact. To learn more about sponsorship, visit granbyeducationfoundation. org/sponsor Bee sure to mark your calendar for Friday, April 19 and buzz by the Bee for laughter, trivia and community.

Thoughts

Lack of kindness and lack of compassion equals lack of love.

So let us begin by being kind.

—Bernadette R. Gentry

Drumrolls

Katherine Kaczkowski was named to the dean’s list at the University of Hartford for the fall semester.

Molly Katzman, of Granby, was named to the dean’s list at Penn State University for the fall semester.

Zach Brewer, of North Granby, was named to the dean’s list at the College of William and Mary for the fall semester.

Lauren C. VonHassel and Maureen VonHassel, of Granby, received dean’s list honors for the fall semester from Fairfield University.

Grace Darling, of North Granby, was named to the dean’s list at the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts for the fall semester.

Women’s Breakfast

On Wednesday, March 6, the Granby Women’s Breakfast Group will host the well-known chef-owner of one of Simsbury’s finest restaurants, Metro Bis, Chris Prosperi who will demonstrate and serve samples of one of his favorite risotto recipes. A delicious breakfast prepared by some of our members will be served at 8:30 a.m. and Prosperi will follow at 9 a.m. to prepare, demonstrate and pass out samples for all to enjoy. Cost is $5 and the program will be held at the Granby Senior Center. This would be a great opportunity to invite a friend to attend with you. Simply call the Granby Senior Center to register, 860-844-5352.

Men’s Breakfast

The Granby Men’s Breakfast on Friday, March 8, welcomes First Selectman Mark Fiorentino to update us and to answer questions about Granby. If you wish to attend, please register as soon as possible by calling the Granby Senior Center at 860-844-5352. Early registration helps the cooks plan for food orders and table setup. Arrive between 8 and 8:30 a.m. to check-in and pay the $5 fee. While waiting for breakfast at 8:30, enjoy coffee, and hear some announcements. Breakfast will be served at your table. The program starts at 9 a.m.

Camera Club

The Granby Camera Club will meet at 7 p.m. at the Granby Senior Center on Monday, March 4. The program will be Critiquing Photographs with Robert Floyd. Floyd approaches critiques in a nonconfrontational way and always has something good to say about an image. Bring several photographs on a memory stick for a very informative and enjoyable evening.

Civic Club

After a two-month winter break the Granby Civic Club will meet on Thursday, March 21 at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. Guest speaker Sandra Flagg, president and coordinator of Waste Not Want Kitchen (WNWN) for the past 15 years, returns to tell us about some of the changes at WNWN. In Flagg’s words, “We are always looking for better ways to serve and meet the needs of the public whom we serve.” These changes, although not all inclusive, include how people were served during and after Covid; food sources; Foodshare; Meal Connect; volunteer opportunities; hair salon services twice a month; clothing distribution and much more. Refreshments will be served. Please contact Ginny Wutka (ginny@lostacres.com) for additional information.

The Drummer welcomes announcements of upcoming events sponsored by Granby organizations. Announcements may not exceed 120 words. Send notices by email to: editor@granbydrummer.org

Empty Bowls fundraiser set for April 26

With the change from winter to spring comes a student favorite event at Granby Memorial High School—Empty Bowls. The GMHS National Honor Society’s annual Empty Bowls dinner will be held on Friday, April 26, 5 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of Granby Memorial High School. Empty Bowls at GMHS unites delicious soups, hand-made artisan bowls, and a silent auction to help raise money to support food banks in our community. Each ticket comes with a hand-made ceramic bowl and unlimited soups and bread generously donated by local restaurants. The bowls have either been donated by local artists or thrown, fired

and glazed in the GMHS art room by students, alumni and teachers. The silent auction will have various pieces hand-crafted by local artists up for sale.

Empty Bowls is a grassroots organization that works to fight hunger in local communities. The bowl each person takes home should serve as a reminder of those in the community who struggle with food security. The National Honor Society anticipates several hundred attendees this year with the proceeds going directly to the Granby and Hartland food banks. The cost will be $8 for soup only, $15 for soup and a bowl, and $10 per bowl with soup for a family of 3+. We hope to see you there.

Kimi Cheng:

Helping the town in myriad ways

By Shirley Murtha

The Town of Granby’s very capable Finance Director, Kimi Cheng, who has led the finance team to an award for excellence every year of her tenure, recently added to her resume.

Since the search for a new town manager was unsuccessful, and the acting town manager can hold that position for only 120 consecutive days, it was imperative to find someone to relieve First Selectman Mark Fiorentino from his double duty in order to re-set the 120 days. On Feb. 5, the board of selectmen appointed Kimi Cheng as interim town manager for four days.

Although her tenure as acting town manager didn’t last very long, Cheng has been doing yeoman work for the town for more than four years. She was hired as Granby’s Finance Director in September 2019, with a lot of experience, having worked at Price Waterhouse Coopers in New York City, Barefoot Bay in Florida, and in Connecticut’s State Treasurer’s Office. She graduated from the University of Scranton (Pa.) with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in mathematics and Japanese. After a few years in the work force, she returned to the University and got another bachelor’s degree in accounting. In 2022, she received her master’s degree in accounting.

When asked if she had always wanted a career in finance, she replied that after working a few years in business management and not enjoying it very much, she wanted to try something different. “I always have had a special intuition with numbers. I love solving math problems,

reconciliations, checks and balancing, forecasting, and statistical analysis to discover patterns and trends.” Clearly, finance and accounting made sense to her.

Cheng has dogged persistence and dedication to whatever she undertakes. For example: when she returned to college to get her accounting degree, she intended to achieve it in one year. Her academic advisor told her that no one could take 10 accounting classes (30 credits) in just two semesters. Cheng told the advisor that she would be the first, and she was. Not only did she get the degree in one year, she also did an internship during that time!

As Granby’s Finance Director, Cheng oversees budget development and monitoring, annual audit preparation, banking and investments, cash flow control, debt administration, capital

assets control, contract negotiations, purchasing support, accounts payable processing, payroll compliance, fund management, general ledger maintenance and financial analysis and forecasting. When asked what about the job gives her the most satisfaction, she replied, “I am an analytical thinker. When I see a problem, I love to get to the bottom of it and fix it. I get the most satisfaction when I can find a solution to fix a long-term problem.” She admits that she sees financial things in black and white. “There is no grey area for me because you are either getting a finding in say, the audit report, or you aren’t. There is no such thing as ‘maybe’ in an audit report.”

Cheng loves working in Granby. She praises her “great team of volunteers that devote their time and energy to serve the town and make Granby a better place to live, work and raise families.” She notes that the staff always has the town town’s best interest at heart when making difficult decisions. “Honestly, you don’t always see board members and staff actually working collaboratively in other towns.”

If it sounds as if this woman spends her life thinking about numbers, be assured she is well-rounded. She is married and has three children (two boys and a girl, ages 12, 10 and 8) and two puppies who are just turning one year old. She loves to do Pilates and yoga, attend the kids’ sports games, and walk the puppies.

Public Works

Waste oil: Effective March 1, the waste oil depository at the town garage will be closed. This change has been recommended by Atlas, our MS4 consultant, due to DEEP requirements and an increase in contaminated material being dropped off. Used oil will still be accepted at the transfer station but an attendant must verify the material and be present when material is poured into the drum. Used motor oil is accepted at our hazardous waste collection and at some local retailers.

Cooking oil: Residents may drop off used cooking oil at the DPW during business hours. Please check in at the front desk.

Changes to trash service: Paine’s has an alert system that will notify you of any changes to service. This includes reminders as to whether a holiday will affect service. Sign up at painesinc.com

Good Friday (March 29) is not a trash holiday. Trash barrels must be out on your regularly scheduled day.

Barrel placement: When at the curb, please leave a two-foot gap between your barrels so the automatic arm can grab the barrel. Also, barrels should never be placed in the road.

Household Hazardous Waste: The first 2024 collection will be Saturday, April 20, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington.

Transfer Station: The Granby Transfer Station is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please bring proof of residency. Fees may apply. Check out the Public Works page at the Town of Granby website (granby-ct.gov) or call 860-653-8960 for more information.

DPW updates: For updates on the transfer station or the DPW, check the Granby website, granby-ct.gov, or our Facebook page, Granby CT Department of Public Works.

Kimi Cheng, photo by Shirley Murtha.

Social Services

The focus of the Social Service Department is to coordinate existing federal, state, regional and local services, to increase community awareness of these services and to develop new programs to meet the needs of Granby residents. For more information about any of the following programs please call the office at 860-844-5351. Office hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP): Designed to help offset home energy costs of Connecticut’s lower income families, specifically those households whose annual income falls at or below 60 percent of the state median income ($79,910 for a family of four in 2023). Be advised that benefit levels are lower than last year due to less allocated state funding this year. Call Granby Social Services at 860844-5350 to schedule an intake appointment or apply online at: portal.ct.gov/heatinghelp/ connecticut-energy-assistance-program-ceap

Deadline for deliverable fuel authorizations or deliveries from Basic Benefits or Crisis Assistance for clients already awarded CEAP benefits is April 1, 2024. Last day to apply for CEAP is May 31, 2024.

Eversource Assistance Programs: Winter protection for income eligible households prevents shutoff between November 1, 2023, through May 1, 2024. Call Eversource at 800286-2828 or visit Eversource.com/BillHelp

Operation Fuel: Offers emergency energy assistance for heating expenses for households who meet program guidelines with incomes at or below 100 percent of the State Median Income guidelines who are in crisis. (operationfuel.org/about/how-we-help/)

Elderly (65+) or Disabled HOMEOWNERS

TAX RELIEF: Applications for the Homeowners Tax Relief program are accepted through May 15. Income qualified applicants may receive up to $1,250 for married couples, and up to $1,000 for singles. A SSA 1099, or its equivalent, is required from each applicant. To apply contact the Assessor’s office at 860-844-5312.

Elderly (65+) or Disabled RENTERS RE-

BATE: Applications for the Renters Rebate program will be accepted beginning April 1 through Oct. 1. Applicant must have turned 65 years of age by the end of 2023. Persons under 65 years of age who are receiving Social Security Disability are also eligible.

Renters Requirements (not comprehensive): Must have rented in Granby, CT during 2023 and currently reside in Connecticut; Provide proof of rent paid in 2023, such as rent receipts from landlord or cancelled checks; Provide proof of actual bills paid in 2023 for electricity, gas, water, and fuel; Bring in proof of income, for example, Form SSA 1099, pensions, etc.

Granby Local Assistance Program: Granby residents facing financial hardship may access funds once in a 12-month period. The gross household income cannot exceed 60 percent of State Median Income unless extenuating circumstances can be documented.

Affordable Connectivity Plan: The ACP is a U.S. government program run by the Federal Communications Commission to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices like a laptop or tablet. Find out more by visiting affordableconnectivity.gov

Child Welfare Resources: Tools for supporting virtual times for families and child welfare workforce are available through the Child Welfare Information Gateway at cwig@communications.childwelfare.gov

Domestic Violence: If you need help or just someone to talk to, please visit CTSafeConnect.org or call or text 888-774-2900. Advocates available 24/7.

Mental Health and Emergencies: If you are experiencing a true medical emergency or crisis, please call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room. You can also access mobile crisis services by dialing 211.

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-2738255

When it Builds Up, Talk it Out: a campaign launched by United Way 211 and DCF, you can talk to a professional by calling 833-258-5011 or online at talkitoutct.com

State of Connecticut Department of Social Services: For assistance with applying for benefits, such as Medicare Savings Programs, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/formerly known as Food

Stamps, call 860-724-6443 ext 275 for the Benefits Enrollment Center.

Senior Job Bank: A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people over the age of 50 find part-time work in the West Hartford community and surrounding towns. Job seekers are connected with part-time job opportunities in businesses, municipalities and nonprofits as well as per diem work with individuals. Visit seniorsjobbankct.org or call 860-521-3210.

Granby Food Pantry: At 248 Salmon Brook Street, hours are Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. to Noon and Thursday, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Before using the Granby Food Pantry, you must qualify with the Town of Granby Social Services Department. An appointment is necessary; call 860-8445350 to schedule.

Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen: Free meal available as drive up to pick up service every Wednesday, 3 to 5 p.m. at South Congregational Church, 242 Salmon Brook St. The meal is free, but an offering is always welcome.

Mobile FoodShare: Every other Tuesday, 1:30 to 2 p.m. Please park behind Granby Congregational Church only. Please remember to bring your own bags. For more locations or weather permitted cancellations visit ctfoodbank.org/get-help/connecticut-food-banks-mobile-pantry-schedule/

Life Church Hope 4 Life Food Pantry: Located at 23 Griffin Road, the food pantry is open on Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. to members of Life Church as well as anyone who is in need. No qualification necessary. Please bring your own bags. For more information, please call the church office at 860-653-3308.

Open Cupboard Pantry at Granby Congregational Church, North Campus, 219 North Granby Road. Distributions are on Fridays, 3 to 4 p.m. on a drive through basis. Please enter the church parking lot via north entrance on Stratton Road. Call the church at 860-653-4537 with any questions.

SNAP: CT Foodbank will continue to facilitate SNAP applications by phone. For help with SNAP call 860-856-4357. This process will take approximately 30 minutes and CT Foodbank will mail you a packet to sign and return.

Regan speaks to CREC creative arts students

The CREC Great Hartford Academy of the Arts hosted a presentation by Susan Patricelli Regan on Jan. 11. Regan, president of the Sylvia Davis Fine Arts Foundation, spoke to juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in the creative arts about the foundation’s monetary award. To view the presentation and learn more about applying for the 2024 award, see youtu.be/gRfmCQi8IOI

At left, Natasha Miles, visual arts department head and equity team leader for the Greater Hartford Academy, and Susan Patricelli Regan, president of the Sylvia Davis fine arts foundation.

Submitted photo

Puzzle Slam DUNK!

Drummer’s first fundraiser is a whopping success

By Nicole Muller

On Feb. 3, the Granby Memorial Middle School’s gym was packed with 160 dissectologists—people who love doing jigsaw puzzles. Each and every one of them left with a big smile and a cookie, courtesy of The Whisk.

The idea for the Drummer’s fundraiser was born last summer after longtime managing editor Rita Isaacson, Citizens for a Better Granby board member Carol Bressor, Drummer volunteer Amanda Lindberg and Granby resident Eilene Lombardi attended a speed puzzle competition at the University of Hartford. Aware of the Drummer’s need to increase funding in order to stay afloat, Isaacson presented the idea of a Puzzle Slam in Granby to the CBG board.

puzzler at each table took the puzzle home. Surprisingly, Spak did not get a

“My biggest fear is that for my birthday I’m going to receive 10 puzzles from the Slam,” she says with a grin.

With the board’s wholehearted approval, Isaacson, current Managing Editor Jen Bell and board members went to work, planning the event that would energize the community while giving its beloved newspaper a financial cushion.

If you are not yet a dissectologist, there’s no time like the present to start practicing for next year’s Puzzle Slam,

Rick Orluk, president of the Granby Land Trust, eagerly agreed to emcee the event and arrived jauntily decked out in a puzzler shirt and porkpie hat. “It’s an honor to support the said. “It’s a town treasure.”

Orluk was not alone in his support. Among those contributing money and/ or goods to the event’s success were Squadron Capital, Necker’s Toyland, Granby Congregational Church, The Whisk, LMR Assist, Granby Public Schools, Friends of Holcomb Farm, Granby Land Trust and speedpuzzling. com.

Isaacson is beyond pleased by the community response. “We are thrilled with the response to our first-ever fundraiser and look forward to bringing it back next year,” she said. Kathy Norris, CBG chairwoman, agreed. “We’re delighted by the success of our inaugural Puzzle Slam. Many thanks to Rita and Jen for superbly organizing this fun February afternoon.”

Puzzle fans came from across Connecticut while some even traveled to Granby from out of state to participate. Longtime Granby resident Terry Spak bought 10 tables. “I don’t like February. It’s a very depressing month,” Spak said. “I like to find things to do that make me happy, and this was it!”

It started with Spak’s buying one table, but word spread, and with friends of relatives and friends of friends asking to join in the fun, Spak couldn’t have been happier. “I’d buy a table and fill it, buy a table and fill it, and suddenly I had 10 tables,” she said. “All 40 of us had a blast, and afterwards we all piled into New England Pizza because we just didn’t want the day to end.”

Spak said that the people she brought to Granby for the event did not come for a prize. “We all just wanted to get out and have fun together,” she said. “You better watch out though, because my 10 tables are all going to tell their friends, and it’s going to be even more mobbed next year!”

All groups were given the same puzzle to complete, a sunny beach scene reminiscent of Cape Cod in July. One

GRANBY PUZZLE SLAM

Thanks for putting the “fun” in fundraiser

We salute everyone who ponied up and participated in our inaugural event: your enthusiastic and generous support was both overwhelming and appreciated. We had double the number of teams that we expected – and next year we’ll be ready to welcome even more groups.

Thank you to our sponsors – you were our corner pieces! You took a chance on our event and your involvement ensured our success. Our volunteers crushed this event. They tirelessly tended to every detail. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy: many hands made lighter work.

We came, we saw, we collected puzzles for the upcoming Friends of the Granby Public Library Puzzle Sale — and we’ll be back next year. Mark your calendars for Feb. 1, 2025!

At left: winning first place in the Drummer’s Puzzle Slam fundraiser on Feb. 3, completing the 500-piece puzzle in just 46 minutes, 32 seconds were, from left, Andrea Salcius of Manchester; Karen Godere of Norwich; Melissa Godere of Bozrah; Denis Killeen of Columbia. Below, puzzle teams at work.

Photos by Nicole Muller,Dave Tolli and

Dave Pelizzon, President of Squadron Capital presents a check to Drummer Managing Editor Jen Bell. Photo by Aina Hoskins

Salmon Brook Historical Society News

The Research Library in the Preservation Barn is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon or by appointment by calling 860-653-9713. Research Fee $25 per hour.

Museum Store merchandise includes books, maps, mugs, t-shirts, notecards, jigsaw puzzle and many more Granby items. Granby author Faith Tyldsley’s most recent book, To Granby, with Love, chronicles the Drummer articles submitted by beloved genealogist and archivist Carol Laun. This amazing book is available for sale in the museum store for $20. The store, located in the Enders House, is open Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Purchases on Tuesday can be made at the Preservation Barn during Research Library Hours, 9 a.m. to noon. Items for sale can also be viewed on the website at salmonbrookhistoricalsociety.com

Spymistress: The Story of Allied Women Spies of World War 2 on Thursday, March 7, 6:30–7:30 p.m. SBHS is co-sponsoring this virtual talk with the Granby Public Library. Register at the Granby Public Library website and click on Events to receive the link for this exciting virtual program.

Annual Meeting, for members only, will be held on Tuesday, April 23, at the Granby Congregational Church (north campus), 219 North Granby Road. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner, business meeting and guest speaker and/or entertainment. See more details in the upcoming newsletter.

Farmington Valley CT Heritage Network Bus Tour Lively Lore and Legends: Fact or Fiction? The final part of this series will take place on Saturday, April 27, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $50 with stops at Riverside Cemetery, Stanley-Whitman House and Hill-Stead Museum. Expert commentary will be at each location. The tour includes a pre-tour lecture on Thursday evening April 25, goody bag for the bus, and lunch. Contact Nancy WeinerAnstey at 860-680-5298 with questions or to reserve your spot for this popular event.

The Spring Flea Market is scheduled for Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Society’s grounds. Please contact Dave Laun at 860-653-3965 for vendor information. Flea Market donations to the Society will be accepted on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to noon through May 14.

Membership in the Salmon Brook Historical Society at 208 Salmon Brook Street offers many benefits including summer tours, newsletters, annual dinner in April, wassail party in December and the opportunity to learn and help preserve Granby history. Membership dues are Students $10, Individuals $25, Family $40, and Life Membership $300. Donations in any amount are always welcome and appreciated. The Society welcomes everyone. Visit the website or stop by the museum on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 9 a.m. and noon for an application.

NOT WANTED

A campaign to raise awareness of and control invasive plants sponsored by Granby’s Conservation Commission

By David Desiderato

Progress, in town and at home

It sometimes seems impossible to make even a dent against invasives, but a dedicated bunch of volunteers are making big progress in visible public places. Property lines mean nothing to invasive plants, so every step we take at home benefits our neighbors as well.

Great leaps forward in town

It’s amazing what a dozen people can do.

In October a small team pulled out a solid mass of mugwort and other entrenched invasives as part of Community Service Day at Stony Hill Village affordable housing in the center of town.

In November and December volunteers returned to areas cleared over the last couple of years and, in a quarter of the time it originally took, re-liberated native trees and plants along “Shagbark Hickory Row” on Day St. South.

In February the group took a big bite out of the massive winged euonymus infestation along the western Red Trail, which meanders between the Kendall and Salmon Brooks at Holcomb Farm, yanking several hundred young shrubs, with several thousand to go.

Granby Invasive Action takes place on the second Saturday morning of every month. It’s open to all, free and fun. Volunteers gave a whopping 376 hours of invasive action in 2023. Find out more at Granby invasive plants.weebly.com

Early spring invasive action at home

While every month is the perfect time to fight invasives, here are some priorities for early spring.

Fight the jumping worm epidemic

Eager gardeners often call for soil and mulch deliveries in early spring. It’s super important to only procure these products from suppliers that use heat treatment to kill invasive jumping worm cocoons, which hatch after the soil warms.

Until there is a solution to this invasion, all we

can do is kill them and not spread them. Don’t buy potted plants from sources that don’t use jumping worm-free soil. Buy plants bare-root, or grow from seed. Don’t use jumping worms as fish bait. For more on this extraordinarily damaging new threat, see October’s NOT WANTED column and Connecticut Agricultural Extension Service publications.

Plan Plant Pulling Parties

Garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, narrowleaf bittercress and others are easy to pull up by the roots in early spring, while their grip on the earth is still weak. Leaving them to flower and set seeds leads to thousands more next year— and in future years as seeds linger in the soil.

Tiny Asiatic bittersweet sprouts from last fall’s seeds and young bittersweet vines are easy to pull in early spring. Young Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, and winged euonymus plants are more easily subtracted from the landscape before they become tough shrubs. Wineberry has weak roots; a gloved lethal yank stops them from sending out the arching pinkish stems that hatch more roots where they hit the ground, and cancels seed production.

Cut Cut Cut, or Plasticate

Some of the toughest invasives are hard to pull up by the roots, and can spread when root fragments get a new ground grip. Cut Japanese knotweed and mugwort to the ground soon after they emerge. Schedule two more cuttings between now and the end of summer. Nix the Knotweed, an invasive action group in Southeast Connecticut, has demonstrated success in cutting to the ground three times a year for three years, nearly eradicating them and liberating native plants that take their place. Occultation—black plastic securely weighed down for a year or more—also works, but kills everything under cover.

Take action—solo or with neighbors and don’t give up!

Granby men were early members of Monday Evening Club of Hartford

By Todd Vibert

James Lee Loomis and William Mills Maltbie were not only giants of Hartford’s business community—Loomis was president of Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company and William Maltbie was the Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court—but they also led various organizations in Granby. The pair were life-long friends, and both were included in the 1937 edition of Who’s Who in America Loomis and Maltbie were members of the Monday Evening Club of Hartford, a literary club whose membership of state leaders met to discuss essays written by its members. One of its founders was Horace Bushnell (Bushnell Park) and it brought together 20 prominent civic leaders twice a month from December to June.

Hartford was not the only city to have a literary club; there were others in Boston, New York and in Pittsfield. The Hartford club started in 1869, and according to author and member Francis Goodwin, the group had 87 members by 1970. Members included Connecticut governors, U.S senators, college presidents, professors, CEOs, clergymen, firm partners, newspaper editors and noted authors such as Mark Twain.

James Lee Loomis

On these Mondays at 7, one member hosted the gathering at his home and another member would present his essay to the group, after which it would be discussed. After discussion, at 10 p.m., the group would have dinner and the night would be over by 10:30. Before everyone left, another member was chosen to write the essay for the next meeting.

says for the group. He put some of his essays as well as speeches he gave at Connecticut Mutual in a book, Notes of a New Englander. Loomis was a member of the Monday Evening Club for 35 years and he presented his last paper in 1970, the year before he died at age 92.

William Mills Maltbie

Photos courtesy of the Salmon Brook Historical Society

Most of the essays James Lee Loomis presented were related to insurance, including Foolish Ways of Wealth and Power, Corporate Aid to Education, and So You’re Retired. Loomis wrote 12 es-

William Maltbie presented five essays in his 22 years as a member of the club, mostly about judicial matters such as: Personal Elements in Judicial Decisions, The Function of Courts in Democracy, and The Common Law. In 1960, Maltbie retired from the club and the next year he would die at age 81.

Granby was well represented from 1936 to 1970 by two of its prominent citizens. The Monday Evening Club in Hartford still exists and now has 15 members.

To learn more about the Monday Evening Club, or James Lee Loomis and William Maltbie, join the Salmon Brook Historical Society by calling 860-653-9713 or visiting salmonbrookhistoricalsociety.com

SPECIAL EVENT

St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon: Friday, March 15, 12 p.m. A wee bit of fun to be had—come enjoy a traditional corned beef and cabbage meal with good people. Wear your green and maybe you will be in luck! Entertainment by Dave Giardina and friend! Cost: $5.

Lifelong Learning

The Journey of the Countess: Monday, March 4, 2 p.m. The Marriage of Figaro has been called “the most perfect opera ever created.” It is a romantic comedy that evokes both Shakespeare and Broadway, full of divine music, bawdy humor and rich characters. We will explore the opera through the fascinating character of the Countess Rosina as she grows into self-knowledge and reforms her philandering husband. This one-hour program will use performance videos of the great arias and comic ensembles and live demonstrations at the piano to convey the music and the Countess’ deep humanity. The program is non-technical and accessible to anyone with an interest in classical music. Free.

Let’s Get Technical: Tuesdays, April 16–May 7, 1 p.m. Gail Altschwager is back to teach IT classes in this 4-week series. Class 1: Basic Functions: What’s an operating system and why you need to know which operating system your devices uses, calling, texting, voicemail, managing contacts, email, and being security savvy online. Class 2: Finding Stuff: What search engines are, how to use them and how to learn how to use your device. Class 3: Pictures: Taking, storing and sending them. Class 4: Apps: What are apps, passwords, how to find apps, how to install apps, how to use apps and how to delete them. Free.

The Sport of Prohibition—Bootlegging: Monday, March 25, 10 a.m. The Prohibition Era began in 1920 when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed. Bootlegging wasn’t new then, but the amendment expanded bootleggers’ markets. Needless to say, the law was difficult to enforce. The competition between the bootleggers producing and transporting illegal liquor and police trying to stop them almost became a sport. Sometimes the sport had a deadly outcome. Presented by John Cilio. Free.

Spymistresses—A Story of Allied Women Spies: Monday, April 22, 2 p.m. Spies belong to a special group of people with flexible identities, elastic morals and what has been referred to by some as situational ethics. During WWII, several women risked their lives to work within the enemy territory to uncover secrets. They covertly served the Allies and made significant contributions to the war. Learn about some of these women who worked in the European and Pacific theaters of the war. Presented by John Cilio. Free.

Trips

Mohegan Sun: Monday, March 25, depart 8:45 a.m. Test your luck on winning big or take time to explore some of the lovely shops... or do both! Options are endless with your time here. Wear your lucky socks and get ready for a great time! Enjoy lunch at the buffet or one of the amazing restaurants Mohegan Sun has to offer. Cost: $15. Lunch paid on your own.

Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory: Tuesday, April 30, depart 8:45 a.m. The Lepidoptera source in Western Massachusetts, featuring an 8,000-square foot indoor conservatory home to some 4,000 exotic and domestic butterflies in a tropical environment, Magic Wings focuses on butterfly-related education, recreation, entertainment and gardening needs. Stop by Bub’s BBQ, one of Jennifer’s friend’s restaurant, for lunch. Cost: $20. Lunch paid on your own.

See Center Life Newsletter for Monthly Shopping/ Dine and Drive Trips

Ongoing Programs

CRT Hot Lunch: Tuesday and Thursday, 12–1 p.m. Community Café offers a healthy, low-cost lunch for seniors 60+ and the opportunity to join with others. Monthly menus are available at the Senior Center. All participants are required to complete a one-time informational survey. A donation of $3 per meal is suggested to help cover costs, however no one is denied a meal if unable to pay. Reservations are accepted until noon on Friday for the following week by calling 860-844-5350.

Ask the Attorney: Wednesday, March 6, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. By appointment at the Granby Senior Center. Specializing in Elder Law. Please call to set up an appointment for a free half-hour consultation.

New–Ask the Realtor: Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. By appointment only. Lifelong resident of Granby, Judy Guarco has worked for 20+ years representing both buyers and sellers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Her goal is always to be a trusted advisor to help navigate the ever-changing world of home ownership with good advice, solid market knowledge, customer service and attention to detail. Guarco will be here for free 30-minute consultations.

Cribbage: Fridays, 3–5 p.m. and Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Join this lively group. Experienced players will assist with refreshing your game play. Free.

Set Back: Tuesdays, 1–3:30 p.m. Free.

Music Jam–Back in Time: Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bring your instrument and join in. Music from 60s–80s. Open to any type of musicians! Free.

Makers Club: Mondays, 10 a.m. Bring your latest project to work on and enjoy some great conversation. Free.

Please visit granby-ct.gov/senior-services or check your Center Life Newsletter for a complete listing of health services, support groups, clubs and ongoing activities.

If you are a Granby Senior Center member, please register for programs through SchedulesPlus.com/granby If you are not a member of the Granby Senior Center or you do not have access to a computer, please call 860-844-5352

History Revisited: Tuesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Jerry Perkins, former professor and high school history instructor has a unique way of bringing history to life. Join this informative and fun view of events from Pre-Columbian times to the present. Class attendees will have the opportunity to request specific subjects to review.

Free.

Camera Club: Monday, March 4, 7 p.m. A club for photography enthusiasts—each month a different topic of interest is discussed. Annual membership is $10.

Women’s Breakfast: Wednesday, March 6, 8:30 a.m. Cost $5.

Men’s Breakfast: Friday, March 8, 8:30 a.m.

Cost $5.

Health and Wellness

Chair Massage: Tuesdays, March 5 and 19, 10 a.m.–12:45 p.m. By appointment only for 15-minute chair massages, $10.

Blood Pressure/Blood Sugar Clinic: Thursdays, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. No appointment needed. Courtesy of the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurses Association. Held in the Senior Center Community Room.

Healthy Minds: By appointment only. Situations such as the death of a loved one, failing health or strained family relationships can be daunting to face alone. Working with our Marriage and Family Therapist may help you move forward. To schedule a confidential appointment, call 860-844-5350.

Exercise Programs

See current Center Life newsletter for cost for all programs.

Gentle Movement: Mondays, 11:15 a.m. Next session: April 1–May 20. This class will gently increase your strength, help your ability to balance, and provide stretching to maintain and increase mobility. Instructor, Paula Pirog.

Chair Yoga: Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. Next session: April 2–May 28. Enhanced breathing, seated and standing classic yoga poses, plus balance training and core strengthening. Guided meditation finishes the class in a calm and relaxing manner. Instructor, Paula Pirog.

Yoga: Thursdays, 4 p.m. Next session: April 2–May 28. Strength building sequences, standing and on the mat. Includes balance and Pilates floor work. Instructor, Paula Pirog.

Chi Gong–Virtual: Wednesdays, 9–9:45 a.m. Next session: April 3–May 29. The practice of Chi Gong helps us to feel grounded, nurtured and relaxed so that the body’s energy can be naturally directed to help our organs function optimally, create flexibility in the muscles, suppleness in the joins and bring balance to our emotions. Beneficial to all skill levels. Instructor, Mary Ellen Mullins

Line Dancing with Jim: Wednesdays, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Next session: March 6–April 24. Instructor Jim Gregory has been teaching dance full-time for 40 years. His expertise will have you learning the steps in no time and having a blast too! This class is for beginners to advanced dancers.

Tai Chi Yang Style 24 Forms 1-6: Wednesdays, 2:45–3:45 p.m. Next session: April 3–May 29. This class is suitable and encouraged for beginners. Tai Chi is a practice that involves a series of slow, gentle, low impact movements, a relaxed, meditative mind set and controlled breathing. People of all ages, especially seniors can benefit from Tai Chi such as improved balance, flexibility, and increased energy. The balanced work of Tai Chi can also help reduce inflammation, improve mental health, chronic pain and increase longevity. It takes time and a commitment to learn Tai Chi as the forms are linked together and progressive. This first session we will work on Forms 1-6. Instructor, Mary Ellen Mullins.

Tai Chi/Qi Gong: Thursdays, 9 a.m. Next session: April 4–May 30. Continuing the forms learned in previous sessions, this class will move on to learn Forms 9—12 of the Yang style Tai Chi. The first half of class will consist of Qi Gong warmups that are suitable for abilities. Experience in first 8 forms required to participate. Instructor, Mary Ellen Mullins

Everybody’s Exercise: Thursdays,1:30–2:30 p.m. Next session: March 7–April 25. This exercise class is suitable for anyone and everyone! This class will include strength and weights, some cardio, balance, and flexibility. All movements can be modified for chair or standing. Instructor Mary Root will personalize your routine based off current flexibility, strength, etc.

All about Balance: Thursdays, 2:45 p.m.

Next session: March 7–April 25. This class focuses on strength for balance efficiency, such as squats, handheld weight maneuvers, and walking drills, as well as core conditioning. Instructor, Paula Pirog.

Know of a candidate for a future Familiar Faces column? Please email your suggestions and contact information to Nicoleoncapecod@gmail.com

Kitchen Talk

By Mark Brady

Hi!! Welcome to my new area here in the Drummer! Once per month I’ll be discussing your questions about kitchen and bath design and remodeling here, and talking about the field of kitchen and bath remodeling, and its associated trades and subjects. You can call me with questions or comments at 860-306-5867 or email them to markbradykitchens@yahoo.com, and I’ll do my best to get to them all.

I’ve been in the kitchen design and remodeling business exclusively since about 1999, but I’ve been a carpenter and general contractor 1966. I settled on kitchens as my life’s work because I thought they were complex enough and so rewarding to do, that they would keep me interested the rest of my life. I lived in Simsbury for a few years before settling here in Granby 6 years ago and I love it. I live upstairs in what I refer to as the “Penthouse” at 490 Salmon Brook. So, 19 steps down in the morning and I’m in my shop and showroom!

We just finished a series of 3 classes Planning a Kitchen Remodel on consecutive Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. that were well attended and fun. I’m offering another series of 3 again on Wednesday nights, March 6, 13 and 20 First night we’ll cover: Appliances, Lighting, Plumbing fixtures; Cabinets and Counters the second night, and Design, Shopping and Contract the third night. Call the number below for a spot in my upcoming classes!

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GRANBY COMMUNITY FUND

The Friends of Holcomb Farm (FOHF) speak regularly, proudly and gratefully about our Fresh Access (FA) program, in which we raise money through donations, grants and farming to provide nearly a quarter of all the produce we grow to people who might not otherwise have access to fresh produce. Since 2018, FA’s support of people right here in Granby has grown 40 percent, and the funding backbone of this support is the Granby Community Fund (GCF). Generous support from the GCF allows us to distribute produce through the town’s senior center and social services department, as well as the weekly Waste Not Want Not Community Dinners and, as of 2023, the Granby Congregational Church’s Open Cupboard Food Pantry. In 2024, we plan to spend almost $25,000 on fresh produce that these local partners will distribute to our friends and neighbors.

Formed in 1960, the GCF is one of only a few such organizations still active in Connecticut. It employs an efficient and effective system of raising funds from residents and businesses, then distributing grants to agencies serving Granby residents. The GCF’s Budget and Admissions committee reviews and vets all grant applications before making recommendations to its board. The GCF’s methods of fundraising have evolved, from its original door-to-door solicitations to an annual campaign using mail, email, and social media, but its purpose—providing a way for people to support organizations in Granby and serving Granby residents—remains.

to support the work of the Friends of Holcomb Farm, and one we urge everyone to consider is supporting the GCF’s Annual Appeal.” You can do so by visiting granbycommunityfund.com

The Friends are grateful for the support of the GCF and look forward to continuing our partnership.

WELCOMING TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Last month, thanks to Shirley Murtha’s great interviews and writing, we introduced two of the four new Friends’ board members. We introduce you to two more this month.

Christiane Pimentel

Although she lives quite a distance from Granby, Christiane Pimentel became very familiar with Holcomb Farm when she was hired to be the Wheeler Clinic’s Community Health Outreach Coordinator. In that capacity, she became familiar with the produce distribution made possible by a partnership with the Farm’s Fresh Access program. Working with farm personnel, she coordinates the produce list and drop-off schedules for the weekly food distribution.

The Holcomb Farm staff could see how passionate and effective Pimentel was in her position and asked her to speak at the June 2022 Fresh Access Fundraiser. Her stories about how the produce was often the only healthy food families received were heart-breaking, and the way she works with the clients (whom she calls shoppers) preserves their dignity and allows them choices. Education is paramount to Pimentel. For example, if a client rejects a certain food, she asks if they don’t like it or if they don’t know about it or how to prepare it. If they don’t like it she simply moves on. If they are unfamiliar with it she presents information about it and a curated list of recipes.

Pimentel’s overarching goal is to prevent clients from feeling that they are just receiving charity which, she says, no one wants to feel. Instead, she notes, “It is an opportunity to engage patients, educate them, address their specific needs, and include them in their health treatments and decisions.” Her passion for the program and her sensitive approach made a definite impression on the Friends and they recruited her to join the board.

On the FOFH board, Pimentel is on the Fundraising and Grants Committee and the Fresh Access Committee. Her role at Wheeler Clinic, Inc. is the associate director of grants. As such, she has garnered millions of dollars in funding to help Wheeler provide primary care, behavioral health and recovery services to medically underserved populations. She is hoping to leverage her skills in this area to help Holcomb Farm secure funding to continue growing its organic produce. She also hopes her direct client experience can help Fresh Access hone its client reach and service.

facility that FOHF board member Rocky Piccirillo and his wife do. It didn’t take long for Piccirillo to suggest that she become more involved with the farm. It was perfect timing, as her younger child was about to transition to public school and Midura wanted to become more involved in the community.

Now a board member, Midura finds herself on three committees. One is the Tree Trail Stewardship group, where she enjoys hands-on activities such as clearing invasives and trail blazing. Another is Fresh Access, where she can pick fruit, bag it and do hand-outs at the Granby Senior Center. The third committee is the Community and Member Engagement Committee. In this group, she plans to organize volunteers and assist with event planning. She hopes to draw more people to the farm and encourage them to take advantage of the extensive trail system.

A licensed social worker, Midura now works for the Town of Granby as the Youth Services Program specialist for the high school WOW (We’re on the Way) group. She also coordinates the Youth Action Council, a high school community service and leadership development group.

As you can tell, Midura likes to be active outside when she is not working—hiking with her family, including the dogs, and mountain biking. She also enjoys CrossFit, dancing, reading and creating

Her

includes husband Mark, 16-yearold son Benji and 13-year-old daughter Sophie. (Laura wants us all to know about their youngest son, Teddy, who passed away shortly after he was born.) Their well-loved menagerie includes dogs Bayou and Scooter, cat Stitch, and two goldfish, Spot and Midnight.

LET’S GET GROWING

Summer CSA sales are off and running, so don’t miss your chance to guarantee yourself access to Holcomb Farm’s bounty from midJune through October. Weekly pick-ups are at your convenience Tuesdays through Saturdays and include pick-your-own opportunities not available to the public, including flowers, herbs, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, husk cherries, hot peppers and much more. (Membership has its advantages!) You can join the CSA online, at holcombfarm.org/join-our-csa

For those who can’t wait, our greenhouses are busy and we have two fresh opportunities for everyone:

Watch our social media pages (or your email, if a member) for a pop-up fresh spinach sale March 1 and 2, at the farm; and

Mark your calendars for the annual Lost Acres Vineyard Easter Holiday Market on Thursday, March 28, from 4 to 7 p.m.

KUDOS TO THE DRUMMER FOR A GREAT PUZZLE SLAM

The Board of the Friends sponsored not one but two teams for the inaugural Puzzle Slam, and we had a great time. Thanks to all who participated.

Moss is Boss (and who doesn’t liken lichen?)

Patty Sansone leads the GCF’s all-volunteer board of directors, and she reports that the GCF’s fundraising budget this year is $50,000. In addition, the directors have begun to engage more directly with some of the businesses and recently joined the Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce. Sansone also coordinates the volunteers at the Fresh Access weekly produce distributions at the Senior Center. She states: “To see our GCF grants stretched to serve so many members of our community is both humbling and gratifying, and the recipients are so very appreciative.”

Donna Snyder, Fresh Access chair for the FOHF, and its representative on the GCF Board, reminds us, “The GCF is a great way to support Granby organizations! Our FA community partners tell us the need (and cost) for nutritious and fresh produce continues to grow. Donations to the GCF help ensure the Granby Fresh Access community partners can continue to serve our community. There are many ways

When she’s not working, this passionate person enjoys drawing “hyper-realistic portraits of family and friends and lost loved ones.” She relishes elaborate hair braiding, helping young girls to embrace their natural hair, and she is a consummate party planner and decorator of special events.

Pimentel lives with her husband and their Bichon-Havanese in Glastonbury.

Laura Midura

Laura Midura was born and raised in Easthampton, Mass. When she and her husband were looking for a place to call home, they settled in North Granby, having been attracted by the numerous hiking trails in the town. One of the first ones they visited was Holcomb Farm. As Midura homeschooled her children (now teenagers), she enrolled them in the Two Coyotes Wilderness School that takes place at the farm. After dropping the kids off, she would hike the trails with her dogs and perhaps pick up the family’s share in the CSA barn.

Midura happens to attend the same exercise

Beneath the tree canopy in a healthy forest lies a community of tiny plants, including mosses and lichens. Lichens are considered an indicator of good air quality, as they are extremely sensitive to sulfur dioxide; they are not usually found in industrial areas. And mosses are believed to lay the foundation for other plant life to thrive. They also protect against erosion, and scientists now believe mosses may be instrumental in reabsorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide.

The next time you’re in the forest, thank those tiny plants for helping keep our planet green—literally and figuratively! Rick Orluk took this photo of moss and lichen near Creamer Pond on the Granby Land Trust’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve in North Granby.

art.

The Friends of Holcomb Farm board of directors welcomes new members Laura Midura (left) and Christiane Pimentel.

Photo by Shirley Murtha.

From left, Laura Midura, Donna Snyder, Jack Lareau and Christiane Pimentel represented the Board of the Friends of Holcomb Farm.

Photo submitted by Laura Midura.

Senior Center volunteers (from left) Pam Lamson, Patty Sansone and Michael Walter, at a weekly distribution of Holcomb Farm produce for Granby seniors. With generous support from the Granby Community Fund and members of the Friends of Holcomb Farm, the Friends plan to distribute $25,000 worth of produce to Granby friends and neighbors via Fresh Access in 2024. Photo by Donna Snyder

family

Granby Grange #5 updates

By Dave Roberts

Phase One of the Granby Grange Hall renovation project is almost completed thanks to a generous donation from the Pomeroy-Brace Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Funds were used to construct a new handicapped-accessible ramp, porch and entrance into the Grange Hall, as well as a new unisex bathroom on the main floor so that the hall can be used as a community room. Wutka Home Improvements did an awesome job.

In the spring, vegetation will be planted around this new enhancement thanks to Lisa and Todd Vibert. In addition to the Pomeroy-Brace funding, this project was partly funded by Carol Innes in loving memory of her mother Lila Innes, the Dave Roberts and Walter Oliver Living Trust, and the Connecticut State Grange Foundation.

The next big fundraiser is the Annual Rubber Duck Race on Saturday, April 20, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Salmon Brook Park, Pavilion 2. There are more than $1,350 in prizes that will be offered to the first 12 ducks that cross the finish line, with a special prize for the last rubber duck across the finish line. All proceeds from this event will be used to

New porch/ramp on historic Granby Grange Hall. Submitted photos

Donor appreciation sign on new ramp help fund the preservation of the historic Grange Hall. For tickets, please contact Dave Roberts at Granbydavidroberts@ gmail.com or 860-469-5067. Tickets are $5 to sponsor one rubber duck or $20 to sponsor five rubber ducks! Good luck!

All are welcome at June 29 festival

On Saturday, June 29, Granby Racial Reconciliation (GRR) will host the first Granby Racial Unity Festival at Granby Memorial High School. This will be an interracial arts and education festival that allows us to learn/appreciate our differences and celebrate/ embrace our similarities. The concept of racial unity is meant to drive collaboration, friendship, equity, access and social justice.

The festival logo was designed by Graphic Designer Lorinn Wooten. Wooten said, “When coming up with the concept of this logo I recalled memories of festivals and parades I attended as a child, most memorably the use of flags by the crowd. It invoked the idea of hands, each one a different skin tone, holding flags unified in celebration.”

GRR wanted to expand its annual celebration to be more inclusive of all races and cultures, which fits with its mission of being committed to the ongoing work of racial reconciliation in and around Granby. We hope you will attend and

enjoy a celebration of cross-cultural music, discussion, food and activities. The festival will include various genres of music such as: Native American drumming, Latin dance, Indian Classical dance, Jewish klezmer, Caribbean music and dance as well as a featured interracial Jazz/R&B band. A Greater Hartford 3-on-3 basketball tournament will also be held in the Community Gym at the beginning of the festival. All teams that want to play in the basketball tournament can register online by April 30.

More information can be found at GranbyRR.com

It’s time for Irish soda bread

By Judy Guarco

I have fond memories of my mom’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations—March 17th was a big holiday in my house! If it’s time for the wearin’ of the green, then it’s time for soda bread. This recipe is special as it was made by my Aunt Fran and served in The Team Room at Johnson’s Bookstore in Springfield, Mass. Johnson’s Bookstore was a legend in the area—new, old, used books of all kinds and I miss it to this day. Another classic of yesteryear gone by the wayside, but I’m delighted to still have the recipe to share!

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1⁄4 cup shortening

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ cups raisins

2 cups milk

Caraway seeds if desired—I love this addition!

Directions

Mix flour, salt, sugar and shortening. Add baking powder, raisins, and caraway seeds if desired. Add milk and mix well. Bake in an iron skillet or loaf pan for about 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°.

What’s Wrong with Mutual Funds?

In our last article, we discussed a number of different fees investors should be thinking about. One category was investment expenses, which often don’t get taken into account, but can be a very important piece of the puzzle. This is especially true when it comes to mutual funds. So, what’s wrong with mutual funds?

Expenses: This gets a bit arcane because there are different share classes of mutual funds that are used in certain situations depending on how financial advisors want to get compensated. A-shares, as I noted last month, are the rattlesnakes of the investment industry. I say that because advisors will use them as a way to say “we don’t charge a fee.” Meanwhile, the mutual fund company is charging a 5.75% commission upfront and paying it directly to the advisor. They also include an ongoing annual fee of 1.03%, on average. You might be surprised at the names of some very well-known financial advisor firms that still use A-shares. Another common share class is institutional shares. These are used when the financial advisor is also charging a fee. The average cost of an actively man-

aged US stock fund is 0.7%. Compare that to Vanguard’s S&P 500 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that costs 0.03%. But I’ll get better performance for the more expensive investment, right?

Performance: Generally speaking, no.

You’ll get worse performance. According to the Standard & Poor’s Index Versus Active (SPIVA) study, as of June 30, 2023, 92.2% of all large cap mutual funds underperformed the S&P 500.

Taxes: Unlike the lower-cost ETFs, mutual funds tend to kick off capital gains every year even if holders didn’t sell any shares. If you’ve ever owned a mutual fund outside of a retirement account, you have felt that frustration.

So why are mutual funds still so ubiquitous? Two reasons: (1) financial advisors and the firms they work for have a financial incentive to keep client portfolios in them and (2) a lack of transparency. Expenses are not detailed on financial statements and most people wouldn’t know where to look to find them. The less you know, the better it is for the financial industry. There are great alternatives to mutual funds; it’s a good idea to explore them.

Data sourced from Morningstar, unless otherwise noted.

For a description of Metric Financial and disclosures, please visit metricfin. com.

Tim Baker, CFA Founder & CEO Metric Financial, LLC

Familiar Faces

By Nicole Muller

A study in contrasts: Dana McSwain

If you’re lucky enough to have encountered Dana McSwain over the 18 months since she and her husband Winston moved from Cleveland to Granby, then you’ve been warmed by her radiant smile. Perhaps you’ve seen her walking Simon and Pippi, her standard poodle puppies.

“Why standard poodles?” you may have asked and seen her flash that impish grin. “Have you seen my hair?” she inevitably responds before adding, “They’re athletic, good with children, and a cross between a person and a cat.”

A graduate of Kent State University with degrees in library science and history, McSwain loves to hike, definitely not a pastime associated with bookworms—or with the darkness and horror that permeate her writing. She is personable and an avid scourer of thrift, consignment and antique shops in search of the quality items that comprise her unique personal style.

“In the Midwest, there’s a big culture of re-selling,” McSwain explains. “My grandmother was an excellent seamstress, and I found the rest of

what I wore in thrift shops. I love good quality and putting together outfits that express who I am.”

McSwain says that she and Winston never planned to live in Cleveland for the rest of their lives. “When the pandemic hit, both of us worked remotely, and with our son and daughter grown, we wanted to live somewhere new, quiet, remote, beautiful,” she says. “We looked all over Connecticut for a place that is not too far from the coast or from places to hike and that is near an airport because Winston travels for work. Everything we need is within a two-hour drive from Granby.”

An online search turned up the McSwains’ dream home 15 minutes from Bradley International Airport. “The house was perfect, and Granby has an abundance of public land for hiking. Now we can do what we love to do right in our town,” she says.

McSwain’s home abounds with staircases and balconies. Its spacious kitchen, complete with a cozy fireplace, plants, flowers and generous natural light, offers ample room for the large desk upon which she writes and the

Award-winning novelist Dana McSwain applies the finishing touches to her latest work in the cozy kitchen of her Granby home. Photo by Nicole Muller rose velvet davenport upon which she rests. “I’m a daydreamer, and I read a lot of both fiction and non-fiction,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to have my own office, but I found myself working in the middle of the Cleveland house to be accessible to the kids. Now I could turn a guest room into my office, but I prefer to write in the middle of everything.”

This Dana McSwain is a woman whom few would associate with the one who, when at her computer, inhabits a dark universe of horror, brutality and fear. Her light, beautifully lyrical style provides a chilling contrast to her prose. Chicagoans have dubbed her “The Stephen King of the Midwest.” Considering her cheerful, outgoing personality, what has drawn McSwain

to the dark side in her writing?

“I love gloomy weather,” she says. “November is my favorite month. Give me gale-force winds and sideways rain over a sunny day in June anytime. I love the feeling of being cozy inside while something overwhelming is raging outside. The Gothic style hits on all those levels for me, and because of that, it’s the style of writing that comes naturally to me. It’s just part of who I am.”

McSwain has six published novels to her credit: Winter’s Gambit, Winter’s Roulette, Winter Unscripted, Brennan’s Lament, Bangkok Vengeance and Roseneath, which she describes as “horror with a touch of fantasy.”

Roseneath has won four independent press awards. The Indie Reader Discovery Award panel described the book as “An unsettling psychological terror…. Exactly what horror should be.” Roseneath’s sequel, Relict, is due out in June.

After McSwain worked for a decade on Roseneath, publishers rejected it, claiming “they could never sell a Gothic novel set in Cleveland,” McSwain says. Having already self-published five titles, she formed her own imprint, Webb House Publishing, in 2020 and proceeded to publish Roseneath Rejection is not in her vocabulary.

“[Roseneath] gained regional popularity, and then pockets of Gothic fiction lovers in Canada, England, Australia and Iceland jumped on board,” she says. “I sent copies to the Frankfurt [Germany] Book Festival, and it was a hit.”

When Covid closed bookstores, McSwain barely blinked. “I had spent years building relationships with bookstore owners, so I designed Covid-friendly events for bookstores to promote Roseneath, and it worked!” she says with a triumphant grin.

McSwain’s “chilling” short story Bus Stop, which she describes as “a foray into noir,” was released in August 2023 as part of the anthology Cleveland Noir, among the newest additions to Akashic Books’ “award-winning series of original noir anthologies.”

In addition to refining and editing Relict, McSwain is working on a memoir cookbook and a science-fiction novel. Asked how she transitions between them, she says, “I hit as many senses as possible, so I have specific music I listen to, a certain scented candle or incense that I burn, and an object that I fiddle with specific to each project. Each set of sensory stimuli helps get my head back into the story I’m writing.”

Considering that Granby is lightyears from Cleveland in just about every way, it’s natural to wonder if McSwain is happy with the move.

“I love it here,” she says. “Granby is already inspiring me. Here, it’s a different kind of Gothic, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me with my work.

“I’m amazed at the women I’ve met in Granby who moved here after a life change,” she adds. “What is the pull of Granby for all of these strong, complicated, talented women? I hope we add to this wonderful, friendly community that we have chosen to call home.”

Dana McSwain has donated copies of Roseneath, Winter’s Gambit, Winter’s Roulette and Cleveland Noir to the Granby Public Library. Her books are available in bookstores and on Amazon.com For more information, see danamcswain.com

Coach Terri Ziemnicki honored with prestigious award

By Kimberly Pereira

Granby Park and Recreation Department’s Recreation Supervisor Terri Ziemnicki is the 2024 recipient of the Thomas R. Monahan Award, one of the highest awards given by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.

The award honors Ziemnicki’s nearly 40-year career as a girls’ lacrosse, field hockey and softball coach for the towns of Avon and Granby. During this time, the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) notes that Terri has made “outstanding contributions … on behalf of the student athletes in our state as well as supporting coaches and all athletes in a very high-profile, first-class manner.”

Indeed, Ziemnicki’s long list of awards demonstrates her far-reaching impact in the world of high school sports, and her importance to Granby. She has been named Coach of the Year by CHSCA three times: 1991 (Field Hockey, Class S), 2009 (Field Hockey, Class M), and 2015 (Girls Lacrosse, Class S). Her commitment to coaching was recognized by the CHSCA in 2004-05 when she was named an Outstanding Coach of Field Hockey.

In addition to being a founding member of the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame, she herself was Hall of Fame inductee in 2019. In fact, she is also an inductee of two other Halls of Fame: New Agenda Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame (1998), and CT High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2013).

In Ziemnicki’s position as Recreation Supervisor, she brings all this experience to bear as she designs youth and sports programming for Granby. “Not a lot of park and recreation departments have someone with that type of experience, and with that wealth of knowledge,” notes Kristine Vincent, Director of the Granby Park and Recreation Department, “Granby is very lucky.”

Ziemnicki, who has worked with the Granby Park and Recreation Department for five years, organizes Granby youth sports including soccer and basketball as well as after-school sports programming and summer camps.

A 26-year resident of Granby, Ziemnicki is originally from Avon where she attended Avon High School and was a three-sport athlete, playing field hockey, basketball and softball. In 1985, after graduating from Ithaca College with a major in recreation and a minor in social work, she was hired

as a junior varsity coach at Avon High School. Four years later, she became the varsity coach, a position that she has held ever since.

Over the past 40 years, Ziemnicki’s coaching style has embraced her capacity to be a role model for her players. “You’re there to teach the sport, but you’re also there to teach these women to grow up to be strong women. You instill a lot of life values and morals and discipline through athletics,” Ziemnicki reflects. “That’s my biggest goal: being able to use field hockey and lacrosse as means for the girls to learn about discipline, teamwork and challenges.” Throughout the course of a season, Ziemnicki watches her players grow not only in athletic ability and skills, but also in confidence, resilience and time-management skills. By the time her first-year players become seniors, they’re transformed into confident young women who can selfadvocate.

One of the most emotional experiences Ziemnicki has had in four decades of coaching came in October 2022. In a now-viral video posted by CIAC Sports, Ziemnicki describes how one of her first-year Avon field hockey players, Kaylie, who is autistic, scored a goal in the third quarter of a game against East Catholic. The moment the East Catholic goalie, Bree Upton, stepped to the side so that Kaylie could score, triggered both sides to erupt in cheers, and was “life-changing” for Ziemnicki. “[Kaylie] has brought more joy to the team, to my life, than I never expected. She’s been a gift,” shares Ziemnicki.

Knowing that she is making an impact on her players is what keeps Coach Ziemnicki going. “As long

as I can make a difference, I want to keep coaching,” Ziemnicki declares, “I don’t think I’ll ever lose a passion for it.” Topping 400 field hockey wins last year, Ziemnicki has chosen to focus on the moments, rather than exclusively chasing wins and achievement. She encourages her players to appreciate the special moments and the people who make them happen. Whenever a player receives a compliment, Ziemnicki expects them to stop and say thank you, pointing to studies where people only internalize negative comments. Above all, Ziemnicki preaches gratitude. “I can’t reiterate enough that it’s the people that I’ve been blessed to have in my life that have made me better,” Ziemnicki muses. One of her team’s requirements is a handwritten gratitude letter that players send to someone impactful in their lives. “When you give someone a piece of your time, you’re giving them a portion of your life you’re not getting back,” notes Ziemnicki. She emphasizes to her players how incredibly important it is to be grateful for those who have supported them, even in minor ways.

As for the people who have supported Terri Ziemnicki in her life, she highlights her assistant coaches, mentors and coworkers, as well as her husband, two sons and friends. “I have a husband and two kids who have been so supportive,” says Ziemnicki, “without them, I wouldn’t be able to coach.” She adds, “It takes a village.”

Coach Terri A. Ziemnicki will be honored by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association and presented the Thomas R. Monahan award at the annual Hall of Fame banquet on May 9, at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Photo by Kristin Weldon

Simsbury-Granby Rotary: Granby Trivia Quiz and schedule of great speakers

The Simsbury-Granby Rotary held a fun and fact-filled Granby Trivia Quiz on Jan. 25 at the Cambridge House Brew Pub in Granby. The 35 attendees had a great time competing in teams to be the winners. With their excellent knowledge of Granby, the team of Mark Deming, Linda Schofield and Prasad and Sree Menon won the competition and received prizes of gift certificates to Cambridge House Brew Pub.

How well would you do on a Granby Trivia Quiz? You can test yourself on this sampling of the trivia questions (answers at bottom.

1. Between 1890 and 1920, a large group of European immigrants from what country settled in Granby?

2. In 1936, what famous event occurred in Granby? (a) Hindenburg flew over, (b) Rotary held its first meeting, (c) an antiwar rally, (d) UFO sighting

3. The highest elevation in Granby, at 1,100 feet, is located in what forest?

4. Name the 210-acre wildlife preserve with great trails for birding and hiking that was acquired in 2020 by the Granby Land Trust.

5. How many students will graduate from Granby high school this year? (a) less than 100, (b) 101-150, (c) 151-200, (d) over 201

6. What is depicted on the Granby town seal?

There were many interesting and fun Granby facts covered in this quiz—including the fact that Simsbury-Granby Rotary proudly supports the Granby Community Gardens located on Hungary Road. This is just one example of great community service opportunities you can get involved in through Rotary. This coming club year is filled with wonderful camaraderie, meetings with inspiring speakers and lots of fun! The club has its general meeting, with breakfast, on Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at Hop Meadow Country Club, except on the last Thursday of each month, when we meet 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at different venues, such as Red Stone Pub or the Cambridge House Brew Pub.

Rotarian Karen Young crafted this great trivia quiz. Here she is joined by her daughter Diana Goldman to open the trivia competition. Submitted photo

Here are just a few examples of some of the upcoming speakers:

On March 7, Sara Adanti will be speaking about The Village Second Chance Shops. These shops are run by more than 500 Auxiliary volunteers, with all proceeds benefiting The Village for Families and Children. The Village’s mission is to provide a full range of behavioral health, early childhood and youth development, substance use treatment and support services for children, adults and families in the Greater Hartford region.

On March 21, representatives from the Horizons program at Westminster School will discuss how this program provides a free, academic and enrichment summer program that leverages a unique public-private school partnership to close opportunity gaps for students from Hartford.

On April 4, Bill Ross and Martha Miller of Salmon Brook Historical Society will speak about this Society of volunteers that is dedicated to procuring, preserving, presenting and celebrating the history of Granby.

To attend one of the Club meetings or for more information, please contact Karen Young at karenyoung@cox.net.

Quiz answers—1: Sweden; 2: a; 3: Enders State Forest; 4: Dismal Brook; 5: b; 6: Dewey Oak

Memorial Day Parade planning is underway

By Bill De Nio

Granby’s Memorial Day Parade is one of the town’s biggest events of the year. The American Legion Shannon-Shattuck Post 182 partners with organizations throughout the area to honor those who paid the ultimate price — like Philip Shannon and Glen Shattuck for whom the post is named.

But Memorial Day is about more than war heroes. The day also honors all of those who signed a blank check to our nation—even to give their lives to protect our way of living. That’s why the American flag starts the day at half-staff but rises to full staff at noon.

For Memorial Day 2024, the American Legion post invites all of Granby to celebrate every single soldier, sailor, marine, airman, coasty and guardian— everyone who has ever served in the military now or in past years. But let’s take it up another step! Let’s also honor those who stake everything to serve our

community: our fire and police departments—the men and women who work and live in our neighborhoods today.

This year Post 182 invites everyone who marches in Granby’s Memorial Day Parade to celebrate the theme of service. Your group may choose to make a float, decorate a car or truck, or carry the torches of freedom. Every group is welcome—indeed is challenged—to “bring it” to our town’s parade. Yes, we still honor those who gave the supreme sacrifice; we also honor all who were, and are, willing to do the same in the name of those we love.

Further information is being mailed to groups that marched in the parade last year. If you would like to participate or have ideas/questions/comments, email the American Legion committee at GranbyMemorialDay@gmail.com

Below, the Marquis of Granby at the 2023 Memorial Day Parade.

Photo by Judy De Nio

Parks

Kristine Vincent, CPRP, Director of Recreation and Leisure Services

Daphne Shinder, Recreation Supervisor

Terri Ziemnicki, Recreation Supervisor

Jamie Savva, Special Events Coordinator

Telephone: 860-653-8947

Website: GranbyRec.com for more information and to register for all programs.

Special Events

The Great Granby Egg Hunt! Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Don’t miss out on the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Salmon Brook Park. Children ages 1-10 are invited to participate in this wonderful community event (though all ages are invited to enjoy the day). Enjoy coffee and snacks, bounce houses, arts and crafts, meet the Easter Bunny, and pick from three different age-group Easter Egg Hunts. Cost: $5 per egg-hunter.

Preschool Program

Granby Nature Preschool: This farm and nature preschool for 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds is based at Holcomb Farm in West Granby. Offering a 5-day program for morning, afternoon or full day, except Fridays which are half day, with visits to or visitors from local farms and nature trails. Some part of every day is spent outdoors except in extreme weather. Offers rolling enrollment for new students including children who turn 3 after school begins.

Youth Programs

After School Childcare at Kelly and Wells:

Monday–Friday, 3:30–5:30 p.m. Held at Kelly Lane School for children in grades K-5. Kelly Lane students will be dismissed from their classrooms after school and brought directly to the cafeteria and Wells Road students will be bused over. The program director is Melissa Young, current media teaching assistant at Kelly Lane School.

McArdle School of Irish Dance, ages 5–16: Tuesdays, 5–6 p.m. at the Gathering Room at Salmon Brook Park. Learn traditional and contemporary Irish Step Dancing, ceili dancing and group figures. Classes are taught by Jack McArdle T.C.R.G. who has over 35 years of experience. Please wear comfortable street shoes that tie and street clothes allowing feet and knees to be seen.

Wilcox Family Preserve’s

agricultural history

After School Art Class with Mrs. Lankford: Mondays, April 1–June 3, 3:20–4:20 p.m. in Room 26 (Art Room) at Wells Road School. Create and build with clay, paint, printmaking, fiber arts and more. Learn about a different artist or type of art and use that as inspiration. Students will continue to build on their drawing, painting and sculpting skills they have from art class during the school day and have the opportunity to try new materials and techniques that they probably have not had the chance to try before. They will come home with new artworks each week. All supplies are included.

After School Mondays PE Games with Mr. Norton: Mondays, March 25–May 20, 3:30–4:30 p.m. at Kelly Lane. Students will be active and have fun participating in such PE activities as capture the flag, climbing wall, tag games, floor hockey, kickball and basketball. All equipment will be provided. Child needs to bring own water bottle. Please wear sneakers and comfortable clothes to play in.

After School Mondays PE Games with Mr. Migneault: Mondays, March 25–May 20, 3:40–4:40 p.m. at Wells Road. Students will be active and have fun with the games and activities you would find in a Wells Road PE Class.

After School Tuesdays Rock Wall Program with Mr. Norton: Tuesdays, March 19–May 14, 3:30–4:30 p.m. at Kelly Lane. The essential skills, techniques and important safety information will be taught. Students will learn various ways to climb a rock wall while improving their muscular strength, endurance and balance.

After School Tchouk Ball with Mr. Migneault: Thursdays, March 7–May 9, 3:40–4:40 p.m. at Wells Road. Tchouk Ball is a fastpaced, moving and passing game with teams and two rebound nets. Teams of 6-8 players try and move the ball close to the net and score points by bouncing the ball off the net so it hits the ground.

April Vacation Granby Bears Youth Basketball Co-ed Clinic: Monday–Wednesday, April 8–10, 9 a.m.–12 noon. Held at the SBP basketball courts or inside HS gym if inclement weather. Granby Memorial Girls Varsity Basketball Coach Mike D’Angelo, his coaching staff and players will work with the kids on ball handling, passing, shooting and incorporate skills games. Each participant should bring their own basketball and water bottle. Grades: K-8.

April Break Music Camp: Monday–Friday, April 8–12, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Held at Martocchio Music, 1 Massaco St. in Simsbury. Have fun, make new friends and play in a rock/blues band this spring break. We emphasize vocal and ear training, rhythm class, instrument workshops and original song writing. Learn to solo on your instrument. Design a band t-shirt, take a pizza break, and at the end of the week participate in a concert performance. One year of playing experience, please. Grades 4–12, please specify. Space is limited so reserve early.

MPower Youth Sports Youth Running: Wednesdays, April 17–May 29, 6–7 p.m. For ages 6–14, held at SBP band shell. Finishing a 5K is an impressive achievement at any age— now imagine the sense of accomplishment and pride your child will feel when they cross the finish line of the Celebrate! West Hartford 5K on June 9! MPower Youth Running will prepare them to do just that. The training program is designed for all levels of runners, from beginners to experienced racers. We will concentrate on proper form and pacing while we build endurance over the weeks through a combination of running drills, games and core strength exercises.

Adult Programs

Aroma Yoga: Thursday, March 14, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Immerse yourself in a yoga class designed to delight your senses and unwind your body. Experience the wonderful synergy of yoga and essential oils. Open to all levels. Bring your own yoga mat and water. Aubrey Schulz is the instructor for this delightful class held in the Gathering Room at Salmon Brook Park. Dress comfortably.

Basketball, Adult Rec Program: Tuesdays and Thursdays, through April 18, 7–9 p.m. at the high school community gym. Granby residents can pay $75 for the entire session (includes both nights) or pay a $5 drop-in fee per night. Non-residents drop-in fee is $10 per night.

Pickleball, Adult Spring Program: For those who want to learn the game of Pickleball, as well as those who know how to play and are looking for a place to play this fun game with old and new friends. Equipment will be provided or you are welcome to bring your own racquet. Instructors teach the game/rules to any interested

Today,

beginners and will set up tourneys for the experienced players. This fun, lifelong activity is becoming more popular. Choice of five schedules.

Mondays, April 15–May 20, 4–5:30 p.m. Instructor, Nancy Geaglone.

Mondays, April 15–May 20, 5:30–7 p.m. Instructor, Nancy Geaglone.

Tuesdays, April 16–May 21, 5:30–7 p.m. Instructor Eric McPeat.

Thursdays, April 18–May 23, 4:30–6 p.m. Instructor Kim Chamberlain.

Thursdays, April 18–May 23, 6–7:30 p.m. Instructor Kim Chamberlain.

Scrapbooking Spring Weekend/Crafting

Event: Friday, April 26, 1–9 p.m. for $25 and Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. for $40. Sign up for both days and pay $60, saving $5 and you may leave your supplies set up overnight in the secure facility. There will be demonstrations and classes. Please feel free to bring your own food or other beverage. This event is being held in the North Barn Pavilion at Holcomb Farm. You may contact Cheryl Bliss at blister123@ cox.net if you have any questions.

Pawsitive Steps Dog Training: Beginner classes on Thursdays, Intermediate classes on Mondays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. at the Gathering Room at Salmon Brook Park. Join certified dog trainer Kim Michalewicz for this introductory 7-week course to learn how to effectively communicate with your best friend. Open to all dogs. Please contact Kim with any questions, 860-614-6625 or kim_michalewicz@hotmail. com

TAZ Fitness Challenge: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8–8:55 a.m. at the Gathering Room at Salmon Brook Park. Join Terri Ziemnicki for this high energy, low impact fitness class which includes a full body cardiovascular, interval and strength training workout. Please bring your weights, exercise mat and water bottle.

TAZ Low Impact Fitness Class: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9–9:55 a.m. at the Gathering Room at Salmon Brook Park. Join Terri Ziemnicki for this easy-to-follow low impact class including cardiovascular and strength training exercises to fun and motivating music. Balance and stretching exercises are incorporated in each workout. Please bring your weights, exercise mat and water bottle.

The rich soil of the Granby Land Trust’s Wilcox Family Preserve in the West Granby Historic District has been used for agricultural purposes at least since 1683, when an early colonist, Elizur Hill, was granted 25 acres here. It’s quite possible that Indigenous Americans farmed this land even before that, as it was already cleared when colonists arrived.

340 years after Hill began to farm it, the field is tilled by Gary Cirullo of the Garlic Farm through a no-cost lease granted by the Granby Land Trust. Now that the GLT owns the land, it will be preserved as farmland and open space, forever.

Photo by Rick Orluk

long

Remembering Diane Neumann-Hernsdorf

By Shirley Murtha

At the conclusion of the Feb. 5 Granby Board of Selectmen meeting, members of Diane Neumann-Hernsdorf’s family and Granby residents gathered to reminisce about Diane’s numerous contributions to the town. First Selectman Mark Fiorentino attributes his involvement in Granby politics to Diane’s not too subtle “persuasion.” John Adams, Patty Sansone, Laura Wolfe and Paul Willis all praised her untiring devotion to the town and its citizens.

A plaque in memory of Diane will be placed on Granby Town Hall’s front

The family of Diane Neumann-Hernsdorf were present at the Feb. 5 BOS meeting to honor their wife, mother and grandmother as a plaque donated by Granby residents was presented. Photos by Shirley Murtha

brick wall, next to the one honoring her first husband, Otto. On it, one can read that she was the first woman to serve as First Selectman, and that she served as the election moderator for many years. She was the Bicentennial Committee cochair, and was a member of the Capital Program Priorities Advisory Committee and the Charter Revision Commission.

Former Granby native publishes environmental books

Mark B. Hamilton, who grew up in North Granby, is an award-winning poet, community activist and scholar of pre-industrial America. In January, Hamilton’s two eco-poetry volumes were released.

Upstream (Finishing Line Press) is a wise, sensitive and timely chapbook of environmental literature inspired by the Eastern travelogues of Basho, and guided by the sensibilities aroused by Native Nation cosmologies. It gives form to a belief that life, itself, is a relationship with the Earth. These poems bring the reader on a joyful winter’s journey upstream on the Mississippi River, invigorating our most primal and spiritual connections with this living Earth, our true home. Lake, River, Mountain (Cornerstone Press) explores the Missouri River by

paddling across the Great Plains from Washburn, N.D., to Dillon, Mont. Within the context of American history, these poems evolve as a strengthening of will to grow and adapt, to revise the understanding of self as a part of this wondrous river environment. Here, the author finds communion, establishing insightful dialogues with the natural world.

Hamilton was born in Hartford and grew up in North Granby, later receiving an MFA from the University of Montana. Hamilton has taught writing and literature at Ball State University and at Missouri Western State University for 20 years. His poetry and research have been published widely in the US and abroad. For additional author information, visit MarkBHamilton.WordPress.com.

YMCA News

Chasing away the winter blues

By Katie Lauder and Anna Smith

We all live in New England for a reason but, regardless of the reason, winter can be tough. Seasonal depression is a real thing, and a decline in physical activity is also common over the winter months.

There are hundreds of products and cures on the market to help the winter blues, but what about looking in your own town for a solution. The Granby Road Race is at the perfect time of year to stimulate motivation and happier thoughts. The race this year is on May 4. Just reading those words provokes thoughts of warmth, color, and light!

The Granby Road Race plays many roles in Granby, but one role is often overlooked—its ability to encourage physical activity through the winter months. Getting outside for exercise is not as easy in January as it is in June, but the YMCA offers an indoor location for physical activity.

Another aspect of the Granby Road Race is its ability to bring the community along for the ride (well, run) even if that looks different than registering and participating in the race. The race pulls volunteers from multiple area businesses, is always looking for more, and coordinates with local sponsors, celebrities, and restaurants to make the race run as smoothly as possible. This chit chat about a warm and bright future reminds us that the cold, dark winter months will come to an end. They always do.

How will the Granby Road Race help pull YOU through the rest of winter? Register to run and start training? Volunteer and start coordinating with others? Donate? Find what motivates you and channel it into support for the community—100 percent of race proceeds go toward helping underprivileged families access the YMCA to better their health. Register today, ghymca.org/granbyroadrace

No one fights this battle alone

By Brian Liss

On March 23, at 7, 8, and 9 a.m., the Farmington Valley YMCA will host its signature fundraiser—the LiveSTRONG at the YMCA program. This Bike for the Battle program is a three-hour spin-a-thon to raise the funds necessary to make LiveSTRONG possible.

Cancer survivors know the tremendous toll the disease and its treatment can take on your spirit, mind and body. You want to begin to heal and reclaim your health, but where do you start? LiveSTRONG® at the YMCA can help. In 2008, the YMCA partnered with LiveSTRONG® to help cancer survi-

vors begin the journey toward recovery with the program.

As part of the Y’s commitment to strengthening community through healthy living, the program offers adults affected by cancer a safe, supportive environment to participate in physical and social activities focused on strengthening the whole person—not the disease.

The free, 12-week program meets twice a week for 90 minutes, using traditional exercise methods to ease a person back into fitness and help maintain a healthy weight. Participants focus on building muscle mass and strength, increasing flexibility and endurance, improving confidence and self-esteem. Plus, they learn about wellness, stress reduction techniques and how to continue healthy habits after the program has ended. Just as important, it encourages a warm spirit of community as a comfortable place to build companionship with others affected by cancer and share stories and inspiration.

People don’t all experience cancer in the same way. Participants come to the program with different physical challenges and lifestyle goals. LiveSTRONG® at the YMCA provides individualized attention and an approach to recovery that targets the areas needed to rebuild. There’s no competition; physical activities are tailored to match abilities. This program is offered without cost to participants and includes a free three-month YMCA family membership. The YMCA provides trained instructors, the facility and equipment. Medical studies have shown that moderate levels of appropriate physical activity can reduce fatigue, boost selfesteem and improve muscle strength and physical endurance in individuals following cancer treatment. Cancer survivors themselves are increasingly aware of the positive impact that moderate physical activity and supportive relationships can have on their quality of life. LiveSTRONG® at the YMCA has helped thousands of cancer survivors move beyond cancer in spirit, mind, and body.

All of this is made possible with community support through fundraisers such as the Bike for the Battle on March 23. Call the YMCA at 860-6535524 to register for Bike for the Battle or to learn more about how to enroll in LiveSTRONG.

Mark Hamilton, submitted photo

By C. J. Gibson

Thankful for the word “BUT”

About ten years ago, a Granby man realized that the word “BUT” was very important to a cause about which he felt deeply. Only two or three decades ago, the word “BUT” was usually not part of a conversation between doctors and their cancer patients. Once the patient was diagnosed with cancer there were few effective treatments that gave patients hope.

These days, often, when difficult doctor-patient conversations take place, the doctor is able to say, “You have cancer… BUT…there are several ways to treat this, and many ways for the treatments to be successful.” Cancer research has come a long way, and some cancers are now treated and successfully beaten.

Bob D’Angelo, a Granby resident for over 20 years, was moved by the progress being made in the fight against cancer. Since he knew many people who were stricken with the disease, he wanted to do something to support the fight. Although he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about making a difference, he took some bold steps and got started on what has now become a tremendously successful fundraising campaign, right here in our community and our state.

D’Angelo’s past professional life included experience in sports, teach-

ing, coaching, corporate planning and networking. With those assets in his toolkit, and with a positive attitude, D’Angelo decided to start small, and build momentum with one goal in mind: Keep fighting until cancer is gone from our landscape entirely. His first effort was to hold a modest fundraising dinner and, with the help of Trinity College, networking contacts and a ton of personal elbow grease and enthusiasm, he made it happen. The first event, held 10 years ago at Trinity College, attracted about 150 people and raised a modest five thousand dollars, all of which was donated to cancer research.

D’Angelo connected with the Jimmy V Foundation and for the last 10 years has organized numerous local fundraising efforts, culminating in a large annual event to promote cancer research. From the humble first effort, D’Angelo has formed a coalition of local and national contacts, invited top level speakers, and gained the participation of businesses and prominent citizens in Connecticut and nationwide.

His grass-roots approach to fighting cancer has resulted in donations of over $250,000 for cancer research. D’Angelo is quick to note that every dollar of his fundraising efforts go directly to the cause. His local non-profit organization

McLean recognized as a best choice

U.S. News and World Report, a global authority in health care rankings, has named the top nursing homes for 2023-24. For the 14th consecutive year, McLean has earned best-performance rankings for both Long-Term Care and Short-Term Rehabilitation.

The award is based on evaluations from thousands of homes nationwide. For each year that U.S. News has provided these ratings, McLean has earned top recognition.

“McLean is so pleased to consistently earn these ‘best of’ awards from U.S. News. We couldn’t be prouder of our dedicated staff members who work as

a team every day with the single goal of providing the best care for each resident,” notes McLean President Lisa Clark. “Person-centered care and commitment to each individual’s lifestyle is what makes McLean so special,” added Clark.

Long-Term Care and Short-Term Rehabilitation are offered on the McLean campus in Simsbury. McLean is a notfor-profit senior living community that also includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, an adult day program, outpatient rehabilitation and wellness, home care and hospice.

For more information, please call 860658-3700 or visit McLeanCare.org

is staffed with volunteers, and the Jimmy V Foundation is endowed in such a way that all administrative costs are funded, allowing 100 percent of donations to go directly to cancer research.

The Foundation has raised over $353 million dollars for cancer research since it was formed in 1994 as a legacy to Jim Valvano, the legendary college basketball coach who was stricken with cancer. Before he passed, Valvano formed the foundation, which goes on today.

Right now, D’Angelo is planning this year’s event, which will be held at the Aqua-Turf in Southington on April 30. He is hoping for attendance to top 400 and invites all those interested in supporting this event to contact him for further information, via email at bobjdangelo@gmail.com or phone at 860-573-1150.

It’s a credit to his tenacity, enthusiasm and passion that these events have been held for 10 consecutive years and have grown each year. But even though research continues, D’Angelo knows there is much to be accomplished and

more funds need to be raised. When asked how long he thought he would continue his efforts in this cause, he said, “I’d like to not have to do this, but until cancer is defeated, I will keep going.” Thanks to Bob D’Angelo, and others like him, the fight continues.

Remembering Bill Hart—1922 to 2024

The Drummer staff was saddened to learn of Bill Hart’s death on Feb. 2. Bill was a long-time contributor to The Granby Drummer, served as Director of the Salmon Brook Historical Society and supported many other Granby organizations. His love of Granby and its history came from family roots in Simsbury and Granby that dated to the 1600s.

His childhood memories of summers on his maternal grandparent’s farm at the end of Godard Rd., became a popular column in the Drummer. For a decade, Memory Lane recounted dayby-day farm life in the 1920s and 30s, his school years and WWII military service. Ultimately, the articles were compiled into a book published by Citizens for a Better Granby to celebrate Granby’s 225th Anniversary. It is still in print.

His 101 years spanned much of the 20th Century, and nearly a quarter century of the 21st; he lived them well. Details from his obituary in the Hartford Courant tell his story best:

William S. Hart, 101, was born on Nov. 4, 1922, and passed away on Feb. 2, 2024. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Sally (Balch) Hart.

Hart was a 1941 graduate of William H. Hall High School in West Hartford and was attending Trinity College when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and became a First Lieutenant Navigator on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. His working years were in the insurance industry and in semi-retirement he was employed by

the Farmington Health Department. Hart was a freelance writer for The Granby Drummer, Southwoods Magazine (Southwick, Mass.) and on the editorial staff of Stonewalls Magazine (Huntington, Mass.) In 1999, Hart copyrighted his book of poetry called Walk a Ways in My Shoes

In midlife he became interested in motorcycles and rode until the age of 88. For many years he was a member of the Salmon Brook Historical Society where he served for a time as director.

Bill Hart will be buried in the Oren Godard family plot in Granby Cemetery. His marker is engraved with the words “I Lived”.

Thank you, Bill, for your many contributions to Granby and your country.

Bob D‘Angelo, submitted photo

Submitted photo

William S. Hart, file photo

Black-capped chickadee common in winter

By Shirley Murtha

One of the most common birds to see during the cold winter months is the black-capped chickadee, for these are non-migratory inhabitants of the North American continent’s deciduous and mixed forests.

They can lower their body temperature as much as 12–15 degrees from their normal 108° F when they sleep on cold winter nights—a feat that is quite unusual in birds. During the winter, chickadees travel and nest in flocks of eight to a dozen, looking for eggs and pupae to eat, as the insects and berries they choose in the summer are not available. They are also one of the most common visitors to household bird feeders.

They are confident around humans and can be trained to eat seed from an outstretched hand. Another remarkable characteristic is that they can remember up to a month where they have stored food! Even squirrels are not very good at that.

Another interesting behavioral characteristic of chickadees is that while traveling in flocks, the first one to see a predator gives a special warning call, which causes all the others to freeze in

chickadee perches on an evergreen branch. Photo by Don Shaw, Jr.

place. Once settled, they all emit highpitched vocalizations that sound as if they are coming from all different directions. The predator is confused and not knowing where to initiate an attack, eventually flies off. At that time, the lead bird issues an “all is well” note and the flock comes back to life.

Come April, chickadees will be constructing nests: loose cups of plant fibers, moss and feathers in a tree cavity or nest box. Five to ten eggs can be laid from April through June. Incubation is 11–13 days and the young leave the nest 14–18 days from hatching.

A sweet return for spring

By Nina Jamison

After a cold, dark winter I look forward to spring when senses come alive again and there’s a delicious earthy fragrance in the woods. I find myself searching the hills for clouds of steam billowing from evaporators and envision myself surrounded by sweetsmelling maple steam inside warm, cozy sugar shacks.

Although maple tree sap can start flowing as early as January, March is when tapping season typically begins. The modern method for collecting sap is to run blue piping between the taps from tree to tree, crisscrossing the woods. But I enjoy the old-fashioned metal buckets hanging from individual trees, where one can hear the sap as it

slowly drips, a ping-ping-pinging that announces the flow. Tapping season generally ends when the buds on the birch trees blush a rosy pink.

Here are two maple-inspired recipes to take advantage of the forest’s early spring bounty. One takes a bit of practice—it took two batches before they came out perfect, crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth yummy inside. The other is a quick mix of maple and yogurt with your choice of fruit.

Maple Kisses

3 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup maple sugar *

3/4 teaspoon maple or vanilla extract

1/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Back Yard Friends

By C. J. Gibson

Watching the birds on a snowy morning

They come and go without any warning

Nibbling and fleeing, as flighty they are Running away, but not very far.

Snow came in overnight, covered the grass

All the birds knew it was coming, alas.

So early this morning, they gathered outside Beaks at the ready, mouths opened wide.

By the time I awoke to put out some seed

My backyard beauties were tweeting their need.

“Please hurry,” they chirped, “it’s been a long night.” I scattered the nibblies, and hid out of sight.

It took only seconds for all to re-gather.

They hunted and pecked and worked up a lather.

And I learned when weather folks say it will snow I’d best get up early, and to the porch go.

For my feathered friends, and squirrels that arrive Need us to provide them with food to survive.

It’s such a great show when they all come for chow

I’m just very lucky, and grateful, and how!

Preheat oven to 275°. Line two cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper. Mix the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. With beaters on high speed gradually add maple sugar and extract. Fold in hazelnuts, reserving 1 Tablespoon to sprinkle on top of kisses.

Drop tablespoon-sized dollops of batter onto cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until set. Cool several minutes then peel foil/parchment from bottom of kisses. Makes 2 dozen at 35 calories per kiss.

* If maple sugar is not available at your grocery store, try one of the specialty grocers in the area, or check for a source online.

Maple Yogurt with Fruit

1 pint plain yogurt

1/2 cup maple syrup

4 to 6 cut up peaches, or fruit of your choice

Stir the yogurt and maple syrup together and chill for 2–3 hours. Add choice of fruit just before serving. Try serving in a sherbet glass with a ginger cookie or vanilla wafer on top.

Add a flower or two of Johnny-jumpups or violets and you have a small spring celebration!

Pet food drive at S&S

Black-capped

Granby Stop & Shop customers gave generously at the January pet food drive. Rosia Kennedy, S&S’s program director, teamed up with customers and local pet organizations to run a major pet food drive. Almost $2,000 worth of pet food was donated by customers.

Sandy Flagg (left), founder of Granby’s Waste Not Want Not Community kitchen, with Rosia Kennedy. Submitted photo

Breakfast Groups enjoy delicious food and entertaining speakers

Sandy Flagg, founder of Granby’s Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen, spoke to the Women’s Breakfast Group on Feb. 7 about the organization.

Granby’s School Superintendent, Cheri Burke, spoke to the Men’s Breakfast Group on Feb. 9. The group also participated in a hands-on STEAM challenge to build the longest cantilever with the students. See the Focus on Education article, p. 9.

Submitted photos

And here is the team that prepared breakfast for the women’s meeting, headed by Pat Olechna.

Photos by Joan Ducharme

NEAM Joins Connecticut Freedom Trail

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) proudly announces its designation as an official site on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, a significant recognition that honors the state’s rich history of freedom, civil rights and social justice.

The Connecticut Freedom Trail is a network of sites and events that commemorate the struggles for freedom and human dignity in Connecticut. It showcases key locations associated with the abolition of slavery, the Underground Railroad and the fight for civil rights. By joining the trail, NEAM underscores its commitment to preserving and sharing the diverse narratives that have shaped the region’s history.

One of the museum’s standout exhibits, The Tuskegee Airmen: Their Untold Stories, highlights the courageous contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots who served during World War II. Told through the surviving airmen and their families and friends, this exhibit educates visitors about the remarkable achievements of these aviators and explores the challenges they endured in the face of segregation and discrimination.

“Welcoming the New England Air Museum to the Connecticut Freedom Trail as our latest addition is a great honor,” said Connecticut Freedom Trail’s Outreach Director Tammy Denease. “Featuring the Tuskegee Airmen and their historic achievements enhances the museum’s offerings and adds a rich, educational dimension to the Freedom Trail’s diverse narrative.”

“We are honored to be designated as an official site on the Connecticut Freedom Trail,” said New England Air Museum President Stephanie Abrams. “This designation reflects our commitment to preserving and sharing stories of resilience and courage of those who, like the Tuskegee Airmen, overcame racism and discrimination to hold true to their goal of achieving excellence. We believe in the power of education to inspire and unite communities, and this designation reinforces our role as a custodian of history.”

A commemorative plaque designating the New England Air Museum as an official Connecticut Freedom Trail site will be permanently placed on the theater of the Tuskegee exhibit and also alongside the museum sign on Route 75.

Sunset at Clemons Spring

April 2024 deadlines

ADS: Monday, March 11 at noon Ad Team 860-653-9222, please leave a message.

Email: ads@granbydrummer.org

ARTICLES: Monday, March 18 at noon Drummer phone: 860-653-9222.

Email: editor@granbydrummer.org

WORK DATES: March 10-24 Call or email for times.

The public is encouraged to submit articles and photos about events of interest to Granby residents. The editors urge you to make submissions by email if at all possible. We acknowledge submissions by return email. If you do not hear from us please follow up with another email or leave a message at 860-653-9222. Articles should be written in the third person. More detailed information on Drummer submission requirements is available on the website at granbydrummer.com

Closer to Home

Photographer Evelyn Mulligan arrived at Clemons Spring in North Granby on Feb. 3 in time to capture this gorgeous sunset.