Granby Drummer | December 2018 by Granby Drummer

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Volume XLIX, No. 4 • December 2018

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Policies and goals discussed at special BOS meeting By Shirley Murtha After a brief bit of business in approving an application for alcohol use at a Nov. 17 private party in the Park House, the Board of Selectmen discussed policies and goals during a special meeting on Nov. 14. The first discussion centered around the long-standing policy of the board not replying to questions asked of it during the public sessions of regular meetings. It has been left to the discretion of the First Selectman to reply to a simple specific question, which on occasion he does. Kuhnly noted that this inconsistency bothers him, and wondered if a more precise policy should/could be developed. Selectman Lofink agreed that there are times when the board’s lack of response leads to frustration on both sides. As a specific example, he noted that during the sessions on the use of the former Evonsion property, “the board took a lot, and gave nothing back,” making it seem as if they were not concerned with the public’s concerns, so perhaps a remedy should be formulated. Other selectmen noted that replying to some and not others can foster the view that residents are treated in a discriminatory fashion. If all questions are answered, on the other hand, the

meeting is “hijacked” to those particular concerns. Once a question is answered, it becomes harder to not answer the next one and time is eaten up. Kuhnly noted that the consensus of first selectmen from surrounding towns was to simply just listen to all remarks and questions offered during public sessions. Granby selectmen suggested possible changes to the policy, such as having the questions answered in the next meeting during either the First Selectman’s report if it is a legislative issue or the Town Manager’s report if it is an operational issue. It was also noted that residents could be told to email their concerns to the First Selectman, or consult with him during his Koffee with Kuhnly hours. If a decision is made to keep the status quo, a reminder announcement should be made at the beginning of the public session that no replies can be given at that time. As a decision could not be reached, it was agreed that the selectmen should give the issue further thought. A second meeting on this topic will be announced. Budget goals In a second discussion, Kuhnly brought to light the fact that the annual budget goals have not been changed in many years. The Board reviewed the six goals as they stand now: to continue to maintain or increase the efficiency of town

BOS budget cont’d. on p. 5

First GMHS graduating class celebrates 60 years Members of the Granby Memorial High School Class of 1958, the first class to graduate from GMHS, recently gathered at New England Pizza in Granby for a luncheon to celebrate their 60th class reunion. Pictured are (L-R), Ken King, former Athletic Director and coach, Chris LeBaron, David Thorstenson, Sandra Roth Tabak, Richard Morency, Theresa Bergeron Salls, Patty Lembo Bush, Halvard Ljongquist, Linda Ryder Munet, Raymond Gilbert. Missing from photo is Bruce Sparrow.

Inside Library director................ 19

Humans of Granby............ 26

Waypoints....................... 23

GMHS Sports.................... 30

Granby Memorial High School 2018 field hockey team. Photos by Kelly Hennessey

Granby girls ‘will be back’

Bears fall to Immaculate in state final By Kelly Hennessey & Kathleen Olchowski

in the last six years. Granby has won the state title 14 times since 1973. Senior captains Haley, Georgia and Gabi leave the field hockey program with these parting words, “This season was about so much more than winning. Granby field hockey is a family first, which brought us success after success. As captains, we are so incredibly proud of every person and accomplishment, from the little things to our play on our final day of the season. Great things are coming next year.”

The Granby field hockey team won its NCCC division with an impressive (18-1-0) record. The team scored over 40 goals on its opponents in regular season play, and gave up only five goals with its strong defensive play and goal-keeping. The Bears were equally impressive shutting out opponents in tournament play posting an early tournament win versus Bethel 7-0, a quarterfinal win versus Valley Regional 3-0, and a 2-0 win against Canton in the semifinal game. But on Nov. 18, Immaculate proved to be too much for the Bears beating Granby 3-0 in the state championship Class S game. Granby will graduate three seniors Haley Clark, Georgia McDougall and Gabi Sturgeon, but will return 14 seniors to lead Granby to another winning season. You can bet Granby “will be back” shooting for the state title again next year. Granby field hockey has been no stranger to winning seasons and championship games. Granby has been led by Field Hockey Hall-of-Fame coach Sandy Wickman Mason with her sister Granby defender Haley Clark sends the ball and coach Jody Bascetta. Together they upfield in the state championship game have been to the state finals four times versus Immaculate.

Granby Police Dept. public info session Dec. 11, 6 p.m. A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive Dec. 10, to examine all aspects of the Granby Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. As part of the assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the police department, 15 North Granby Road. Comments may be phoned in as well. The public may call 860-8445313 on Dec. 11, 2018, from 1 – 3 p.m. Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Granby Police Department. Local contact is Captain William Tyler who can be reached at 860-844-5335. Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Granby Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320 Gainesville, VA 20155.

Photos by Peter Dinella

Page 2 The Granby Drummer

Public Works New equipment to clear new sidewalks

By Robert Fetzner Have you seen the latest addition to Granby’s Public Works Department? You are sure to see the bright orange machine this winter so keep an eye out for it. The DPW recently purchased a new $33K Kubota utility vehicle to clear snow from the sidewalks in the town center.

The Kubota has all the attachments necessary to clear the snow from sidewalks including a 78” vee plow, 66” snow blower and salt spreader. Kirk Severance, director of Granby’s DPW, said the new Kubota will be much faster than the Ventrac previously used and therefore will save the taxpayers money in the long term. Because the cab is both heated and cooled, Big Orange will also be used for ground maintenance and to collect trash in the park during the summer season, an upgrade from the golf cart previously used. The good news is that the DPW and taxpayers should not need to make any other purchase for sidewalks or park trash collection for quite a while.

December 2018

Trash Holidays Tuesday, Dec. 25, and Tuesday, Jan. 1, are holidays for Paine’s. All Tuesday through Friday trash/recycling pickups will be delayed by one day for those two weeks. Monday, Jan. 21, Martin Luther King Day, is not a trash holiday. Receive an e-mail alert if a holiday or weather event will affect your trash service by signing up at painesinc.com Extra trash If your trash piles up during the holidays, consider buying extra trash bags, on sale at both the DPW and Transfer Station during hours of operation. Bags are $2 each and can be placed next to your trash barrel on your pickup day.

Recycling advice Please visit recyclect.com Christmas trees Public Works will pick up Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January. Weather permitting, trees will be picked up on the same day as your trash. Please make sure the tree is visible and accessible. 2019 Recycling calendar The recycling schedule for 2019 is included on page 24 in this issue of the Drummer. Also, the calendar is always available on the Public Works page on the Granby website. Winter Operations Please read the DPW Winter Hints below or check the Public Works page on the Granby website.

Winter Hints Winter storms and snow removal can be a challenge. Public Works employees do their best to keep the roads passable and safe. Please note the following suggestions, ordinances and rules to ensure a safe winter season for all: Trash and recycling Unless the roads are closed, Paine’s will collect trash/recycling on its regular schedule. You must have your barrels out by 6 a.m. If you choose not to put your

trash/recycling out due to a storm, your barrels will not be emptied until your next scheduled pickup day. Barrels should be placed at the end of your driveway in a location accessible to the trash hauler and at least two feet from the roadway. Barrels should not be placed in the street or on top of a snowbank. Sign up at painesinc.com to be included in Paine’s e-mail alert system for notifications of any changes to your service schedule due to a holiday or inclement weather. Driveways Before your final cleanup, check to see if the street has been plowed all the way to the curb. If it has, you should be safe to clean the end of your driveway. If it hasn’t, be assured the plow will be back to make another pass and fill up the end of your driveway. You can reduce the amount of snow deposited in your driveway by shoveling or plowing snow to the right side of your driveway as you face the street. Do not shovel or plow snow into the street. It creates a hazard and you may be held liable in the case of an accident. Mailboxes It is inevitable that some mailboxes will fall victim to winter’s forces. In accordance with Granby Town Ordinance, the town will repair or replace a mailbox that is damaged as the result of direct contact with a town snow plow. Mailboxes damaged from the force of snow thrown against them or mailboxes located closer than 9-inches to the road are not eligible for repair. If your mailbox is damaged, you may report it to Public Works and a department employee will investigate the damage, determine the cause and schedule repairs if applicable. Parking Granby Town Ordinance prohibits the parking of any vehicle on a town road from the start of a storm until 12 hours after the storm has ended. Vehicles that violate the parking ban may be towed at the owner’s expense. Sidewalks Granby Town Ordinance requires a homeowner whose property abuts a sidewalk to keep the walk clean of snow and ice. Residents have up to eight hours after the end of the storm to clear the sidewalk. If the storm occurs overnight, residents have up to eight hours after sunrise to clear the sidewalk. Sand Sand mixed with salt is available at 166 Salmon Brook Street (Granby Animal Shelter), opposite McLean Game Refuge. Residents of Granby may take one five-gallon bucket at a time. Child Safety Do not allow children to play on snowbanks along the side of the road. The plow may return to push back snowbanks. Even in good conditions, it is difficult for a driver to see the children.

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 3

Board of Education Notes — October 17, 2018 ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Board of Selectmen approved the $170K BOE appropriation for the high school roof repair. Four teachers from the Foundation Public School in Pakistan joined the district for three weeks and were to come to the board meeting on Nov. 7. The mentoring program will be up and running in early November with a small number of primary school students to start. We are close to hiring the high school security monitor as a contracted service by CREC. Communication regarding STOPit will be sent to parents this week. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Sports report: Boys’ and girls’ soccer both won vs. East Windsor and field hockey won 3-1 vs. Canton. Maria Nolan, a junior soccer player, has been selected as a Hartford Courant Varsity Athlete of the Week. Model UN is going on its yearly NYC trip to meet with Cuba and Brazil delegates. BUSINESS MANAGER

Anna Robbins, business manager, presented the September statement of accounts and said that there is a negative forecast of $558K. Special education expenditures are unfavorable at $545K and regular education expenditures are projected to be unfavorable at $14K. The unfavorable forecast for special education includes expenditures for four additional teaching assistants to meet the requirements for students’ individual education plans as well as tuition and transportation for three out-of-district placements this month. The unfavorable forecast in regular education is due to the need for additional longterm substitutes to cover for medical leaves. Additional funding for the excess cost grant should be $163K, which corresponds to the increase in out-of-district placements. Regular education tuition from other towns is favorable at $15K. The Quality and Diversity Fund continues to show an unfavorable forecast of $137K as it includes two of the three additional teaching assistants to support Kindergarten. SCHOOLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Jeannie Bryanton, art teacher at Granby Memorial Middle School, and three of her 8th grade students, Isabel Gravlin, Taylor Henry and Amy Rogers, presented to the board how they incorporate writing into art class using personal artist’s sketchbooks. This project was started three years ago when all of the students were in 6th grade. As 6th graders, students set up their sketchbooks by creating sections for each year as well as copying several pages of notes. In 7th grade, students began to add samples of work. In 8th grade, students took their own notes and only wrote down important information. Students shared paintings they created from an original

piece and compared the two stating they often refer to their notes when they need assistance with art techniques. Michael Dunn, principal of Granby Memorial High School, updated the board on the recent visit by the NEASC visiting committee on Sept. 23-26. He thanked the entire high school community for its work in the self-study and the board for attending the events. The committee worked in teams interviewing students, attending classes and reviewing evidence. The co-chairs of the committee gave Dunn updates in the morning and the afternoon. On the last day of the visit, one of the co-chairs read a summary of their findings, and one of the most important ones was that the high school was on target with its self-study. The committee also found that the high school was getting the big things right and had a clear vision for graduates. They were also impressed with the cleanliness of the physical plant. Dunn stated he expects to get a draft of the report around the holidays. DISTRICT TESTING REPORT Christopher Tranberg, assistant superintendent, presented the Annual Testing Report to the board for the 2017-2018 school year. Tranberg presented per- pupil expenditure graphs for Granby as it relates to test scores for SBAC ELA, SBAC Math and SAT. The graphs show that Granby is doing a very good job in testing with the money spent per pupil. He presented the SBAC results for ELA and stated there was a strong area of growth in ELA for Grades 3 and 4. He went on to state SBAC performance this year was very steady. SBAC Math results, were favorable in growth in Grades 3 and 4. Grades 3, 4, 6, and 8 improved in their standing in the District Reference Group (DRG). Lynn Guelzow commented that Granby is generally well above the state average and this year is at the state average. Tranberg stated, in general, these are our scores and we have work to do; however, the scores are stable and this is not where we want to be. Dr. Addley stated that in Grades 3-8 the general average of students meeting goal is 73 percent and the state is 82 percent, which means 13 students per grade level in Grades 3-8 need to do better. Guelzow would like to have a breakdown of students in the advanced category by grade. Advanced Placement testing was presented and the number of students taking at least one AP exam increased and there was also an increase among all test takers scoring a 3, 4, or 5. Lastly, SAT scores were reviewed and, for the Class of 2018, there was a 20-point increase in aggregate performance. The high school will continue to connect students to the free resource Khan Academy as well as utilize PSAT data and College Board analytics to inform instructional decisions. Guelzow requested a breakdown of SAT scores in the DRG for the last three years as well as a breakdown of AP test scores by course.

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Mark Fiorentino inquired what the difference is in the number of questions correct/incorrect in a 561 score vs. 585 score. Tranberg reviewed the strategic actions for ELA and Math and stated the district will be aligning the school improvement plans with district strategic actions. Guelzow thanked Tranberg stating she appreciated his honesty as to where the scores are. Jenny Emery stated she is interested in understanding what comparable DRG schools do that are doing better than us and spending more money than us. Dr. Addley stated other districts are spending more money, but it is very hard to compare districts, as structures that work in one town may not work in Granby. It is difficult to draw out the greatest variable of a district that spends more money and receives greater results than Granby.

Powell will circulate a resolution from CREC to the board for review. This will not be voted on at CREC until Dec. 5. The board may have to separately approve this as a resolution but will cross that bridge when it comes up. Respectfully submitted, Rosemarie Weber

ADMINISTRATORS’ CONTRACT APPROVAL

Over 12 local farms will be at Lost Acres Vineyard for a Holiday Farmers Market, Saturday, Dec. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Locally grown and produced wine, a wide variety of produce, meat and specialty products will be available at the indoor market at Lost Acres Vineyard, 80 Lost Acres Road, North Granby. Holcomb Farm and Gresczyk Farm will offer a full range of locally grown vegetables including orange and rainbow carrots, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, many types of lettuce, broccoli, kale, radishes, winter squash, white turnips, potatoes, onions and more. A wide variety of locally raised meat will be available. Sepe Farm will bring pastureraised lamb and Maple View Farms will offer grass-fed beef and pork. Turkeys from Millers in Avon can be preordered at lostacresvineyard.com for pick up at the market. Lost Acres Orchard will offer baked goods while Sweet Pea Cheese will bring its award-winning chevre and other goat and cow dairy products. Apples, honey, maple syrup, flour, eggs and jams and jellies will be among the specialty products also available. Give thanks for your local farmers by filling your holiday tables with locally -grown produce. You’ll find everything you need for a local, sustainable holiday at the Lost Acres Vineyard Farmers Market. Not hosting this holiday? This is a great chance to stockup on locally grown and produced food and wine. They make great gifts.

The board discussed the approval of the contract for the Granby Association of School Administrators effective July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022. A motion was made by Jenny Emery and seconded by Rosemarie Weber to approve the contract for the Granby Association of School Administrators effective July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022. Emery stated the threeyear salary includes a wage and step increase of just under $134K. With regard to health benefits, the PPO is eliminated. Administrators agreed to an increase share in the cost of an HSA from 16.5 percent to 18 percent, as well as assumed a smaller but gradual increase of dental costs. Contract language was agreed upon as related to a reduction-in-force where the superintendent will have the ability to manage the system as seems most appropriate and taking seniority out of that language. This motion passed unanimously at 8:21 p.m. SUPERINTENDENT’S GOALS Dr. Alan Addley presented his goals for the 2018-2019 school year and stated that they are aligned with the board’s goals. He reviewed some of the goals in each category of student achievement; professional/personal leadership; board and community relations; educational leadership (instructional and curriculum); and, business matters. He was asked, if he could add another goal that is not listed, what would it be. He stated he wished he had more time and resources to give to the Kearns building, as well as another opportunity in town concerning agricultural resources as they relate to educational opportunities for students. CREC/CABE Mark Fiorentino reported CREC met today and discussed the under funding of magnet schools. The state has been under funding CREC schools for some time and if the state does not pick up the tab, districts will have to pay the difference. Linda

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Page 4 The Granby Drummer

Drumbeat Letters to the Editor Granby Community Fund needs your help

As I, once again, sit at my kitchen table sending thank you notes to the Granby Community Fund contributors, I’m always thrilled by the community members who year after year make a donation and am even more excited when a neighbor or business donates for the first time. Nearly 5,000 requests are mailed out each year resulting in approximately 500 donations from our community, both residential and business. I think to myself, wow, can you imagine if every household and business sent at least $10 to the Granby Community Fund how much funding that would generate? The Granby Community Fund was developed in 1960 by a group of community members who wanted to find a way to help raise much needed funding for the organizations that support the residents of our community. I became a member of the Granby Community Fund 15 years ago as an agency representative. After moving to Granby, I know firsthand, as a provider of services and a resident, the impact the Granby Community Fund can have on our neighbors. Unfortunately, donations are on the decline. We are concerned about the future of the Granby Community Fund and whether or not we will be able to sustain enough funding to continue to support our 15 member organizations. Our board of directors meet monthly to strategize ways to acquire more funding. If you, or someone you know, is interested in helping by serving on the board of directors, please contact me at granbycommunityfund@gmail.com Whether it is a healthy meal, transportation and support for the elderly and disabled, or programs to enable our children to participate in safe, local activities, your support of the Granby Community Fund has great impact. Donations can be mailed to Granby Community Fund, PO Box 94, Granby, CT 06035 or visit our website to learn more or make an online donation at www.granbycommunityfund. com Best wishes for the holidays, Jean Miller GCF President

Herbicide and Pesticide Study Committee recommendation

FIND US

editorials, commentary & letters to the editor Unsigned editorials are the consensus opinion of the editorial staff and publisher. Commentary pieces express the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of the Drummer.

no Herbicide/Pesticide policy. In July 2018, Monsanto was ordered to pay $289 million to a cancer patient in a highly publicized Roundup lawsuit. Every day new evidence is brought forth demonstrating the hazards of this product. More towns in Connecticut continue to ban the use of Roundup. At the Oct. 15 BOS meeting, a resident inquired about the status of the town’s use of Glyphosate (Roundup). Town Manager Ward stated that he was not banning it but would minimize its use. He stated that this would be his policy and his directive to DPW. The Herbicide and Pesticide Study Committee had rejected the idea of a single individual having the ability to arbitrarily decide when and where Glyphosate was to be used and had recommended a written Herbicide Policy that eliminated the use of Glyphosate. The public has waited seven months to hear the official BOS response to the committee’s recommendations. The BOS charged the Herbicide and Pesticide Study Committee to forward a recommendation to the BOS after completion of the study, which it did. If the Town Manager has rejected this recommendation, is this the BOS’s official response? I had hoped Granby, with our long history of protecting the environment, would be one of the first towns in Connecticut to ban the Town’s use of Glyphosate, but more than a dozen other towns in our state have already taken this critical step to protect the health of the residents and preserve the environment. Marge Goslee

College Highway Roundabout

With the State of Connecticut facing a proposed 2 and 2.6 billion dollar deficit budget for the next two years at least, it behooves all of the state agencies, especially the DOT, to pay special attention to state spending. With that thought in mind, the best thing that we can do for the College Highway (Route 10 and 202), Notch Road and East Street proposed roundabout is to cancel the project all together. This project, #55-141, is not

GRANBY FOOD BANK

The following is a letter sent on Nov. 11 to the BOS. The Herbicide and Pesticide Study Committee recommended to the Board of Selectmen on April 17, 2018 that the Town of Granby discontinue all use of Glyphosate (Roundup). The Town Manager’s office informed me in May 2018 that Town Manager Ward and DPW Director Kirk Severance were working on an Herbicide/Pesticide policy. I was encouraged to see that DPW did not spray Glyphosate along our roads and streams this summer. In September 2018, I was advised by the Town Manager’s office that there was

We currently need: Jellies/jams Beef stew/chili Paper towels Canned corn/carrots Canned fruits Hearty soups Canned pastas Potato/rice mixes

Donations can be dropped off at the VNA office on Salmon Brook Street and the Granby Senior Center

desirable or necessary. If this project is completed then the traffic speed in the roundabout area will drop from the present 45 to 50 mph on the College Highway to less than 25 mph. This will be about a 50 percent drop in traffic speed when the usage is high. Traffic will back up for a long way on the College Highway. Since auto traffic flow information was not provided at the public information meeting on Sept. 26, we do not know how severe this congestion will be. I asked the presenters for present auto traffic flow information at the meeting but did not get a satisfactory response. It looks like the College Highway will become a slow moving parking lot at times when traffic is heavy. This is not in the best interest of the motoring public. If the roundabout project is cancelled, it will save 4.1 million dollars or more. The state government will save some of the money and the federal government will save the rest. This is not a lot of saving for the state when you consider that the proposed deficit budget will be 2.6 billion dollars in 2020 when the roundabout is expected to be complete. However, anything saved will be helpful. Remember the old adages: “A penny saved is a penny earned,” and “Some savings is better than

Letters cont’d. on p. 5

A volunteer, non-profit publication established in 1970. The Granby Drummer (ISSN 1547-1497) is published monthly except January and August by Citizens for a Better Granby at 11 North Granby Road, Granby, CT 06035. It’s delivered free of charge to all Granby households and businesses. Out-of-town subscriptions are $25 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Granby, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE GRANBY DRUMMER P.O. Box 165 Granby, CT 06035-0165 Copyright ©2018 Citizens for a Better Granby, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization all rights reserved. CBG Board Kathy Norris, President David Tolli, Vice President Roger Hayes, Treasurer Becky Mikus, Secretary Flo Bischoff, Carol Bressor, Karen Cleary, Sam Mikus, Lew Noble Staff Rita Isaacson, Managing Editor Chris Levandowski, Copy Editor Hank Rau, Copy Editor Amanda Lindberg, Special Pages Andrea Leshinskie, Photo Editor Dave Tolli, Photo Editor Barbara Blanchette, Mindy Borrego, George Borrego, Carolyn Carter, Elaine Girard, Joan Griswold, Karen Cleary, Patricia Kovaleski, Eileen Longhi, Lew Noble,

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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

Town of Granby Meeting Calendar Board of Selectmen, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, Mondays, December 3, December 17 Board of Finance, 7:30 p.m., Police Community Room, Wednesday, December 26 Board of Education, 7 p.m., Central Office, Wednesdays, December 5, December 19

Inland Wetlands & Watercourses, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Wednesday, December 12

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Nancy Dudenhofer, Nancy Fischer,

Planning & Zoning, 7 p.m., Town Hall Tuesday, December 11, Wednesday, December 26

Social Media www.facebook.com/Granby-Drummer

December 2018

Development Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall, Monday, December 10

Donna Schedinger, Faith Tyldsley, Lou Urban, Kay Woodford Reporters & Contributors Alan Addley, Lori Blackburn, Jennifer Benson, AnnMarie Cox, Marisa DeLuca, Peter Dinella, Bernadette Gentry, Jay Harder, Rachel Hennessy, Carol Laun, Amy McCue, Shirley Murtha, John R. Nieb, Lisa Salazar, Emma Smith, Faith Tyldsley, Kristine Vincent, John Violette, Laura Wolfe, Paul Willis, Sandy Yost Advertising Team Carol Bressor, Deborah Kulwich, Beth Rathey, Karen Eustis, Advisor Subscriptions & Delivery Sam & Becky Mikus

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 5

Volunteers needed for airport’s information center

Simsbury-Granby Rotary donates to Community Fund and Holcomb Farm

Last month the Simsbury-Granby Rotary Club presented checks from its Happy Dollar fund to the Holcomb Farm and to the Granby Community Fund. As club president Patrick Slater said as he presented the checks, “This is my favorite part of this job.” The local Rotary has several fund raising events throughout the year, but the club’s Happy Dollar source is unusual. At each weekly meeting, members can stand with one or more Happy Dollars and share some personal news, be it happy, sad, bitter sweet or just plain funny. All proceeds go to local charities. The practice builds camaraderie, and is very popular as evidenced by these donations.

Simsbury-Granby Rotary Club President Patrick Slater presents a check to Patty Sansone of the Granby Community Fund. Proceeds from Happy Dollars supported this donation.

Letters cont’d. from p. 4 nothing,” and “If it works, don’t fix it.” In conclusion, it is better to spend as little money as possible while we are dealing with our presently over spent state and federal government deficits. This is especially true for the roundabout project because the slow moving traffic will cause the highway to become a slow moving parking lot. This will infuriate drivers and create dangerous conditions. Philip Haynes

Veterans’ tribute concert

I wish to thank the Granby Senior Center, especially Lori Blackburn, and the Valley Brook Community Church for the special veterans’ tribute concert featuring the Governor’s Foot Guard Band on Nov. 8. Bandmaster, Captain David Carlson and the band started with an inspiring John Phillips Souza march, followed by a Civil War medley and some significant

WWI songs as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the end of the “war to end all wars.” They also treated us to some other music such as John Williams’ Star Wars from the latest movie, a rendition of some famous songs from Disney movies that Captain Carlson called “Disney at the Movies” and music from Chicago. The band ended the evening with God Bless America (I could almost hear Kate Smith singing) and the Second Connecticut Regiment March made famous by Bob Steele as he used this march to end his morning show. Finally, Captain Carlson announced the Armed Forces Salute for each of the branches as the veterans stood to be recognized. It was a great patriotic, uplifting evening ending with America the Beautiful. Again, thank you to all who made this night possible. Eileen Longhi

The Connecticut Airport Authority and Travelers Aid has announced that in October, Travelers Aid International began serving the passengers of Bradley International Airport as the operator of the guest service volunteer program at the airport. Travelers Aid now operates the Information Center in Terminal A on the lower level, which is the baggage claim level. There are currently 45 volunteers, and Travelers Aid will be recruiting additional volunteers to better serve the airport’s passengers. The center’s current hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Mary Kate Doherty, an experienced volunteer manager, has been retained by Travelers Aid to manage and expand the program. “We are excited about this opportunity to serve Bradley’s travelers, and we will work with the airport to improve guest relations. “We value our passengers and we are always looking for ways to enhance

their travel experience at Bradley International Airport,” said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E., Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. “Travelers Aid brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Bradley Airport and we look forward to bringing an even higher level of customer service to Bradley passengers together.” Some of the changes include expanded hours at the Information Center and an increased presence of volunteers at the center and other locations within the terminal. Bradley International Airport will be the 18th airport in the Travelers Aid Transportation Network, which had consisted of 17 U.S. airports, four North American railroad stations and a cruise terminal. For those interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Doherty at 860-500-8582 or atmarykate@travelersaid.org.

BOS budget cont’d. from p. 1 services by the use of new technology; to attempt to hold the line in the number of full-time and part-time employees by evaluating services and studying alternative service delivery methods; to meet payments for debt service by budgeting from the town’s capital reserve set-aside fund set in place to meet unanticipated costs; to pay by cash for some capital expenditures when deemed appropriate; to continue to update the town’s long-range operating and capital forecast models to better predict the impact on the mill rate; and to budget revenue sources reasonably and put in place competitive user fees to fund both essential and non-essential but desirable programs for non-mandatory services. Perhaps in light of the changing populations, some alterations in these goals should/could be made. Granby has concerns for its aging infrastructure. It also has a growing population of older residents, but wants to attract young families, and these two groups have different needs. Town Manager Ward noted that the main financial goal is set by the Board

of Finance, and the departments work backward from that, with not much room for changes, but that he would take the departments’ goals under consideration and bring their priorities back to the selectmen in order for the board to try to align the dollars with the goals. To that end, Selectman Ohannissian suggested a change in the budget workshop process. Instead of each selectman reiterating the budget to the various department heads, it was agreed that reversing the process would lead to a better understanding of where the budget shortcomings exist for each department. In the workshops, the department heads should bring their budget concerns to the various board representatives. First Selectman Kuhnly and the board have become concerned with the efficiency of their communication with residents. They will consider what ways work best with the various age groups: email? FaceBook? Twitter? website? One thing was clear: they hope to have more public hearings on issues of concern to Granby’s citizens.

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December 2018

McLean Hospice welcomes new volunteers

McLean graduated ten new volunteers in October, adding to the dedicated team that supports the McLean Hospice program. The McLean Hospice Volunteer program currently includes 50 volunteers from varied backgrounds who want to contribute purposefully to the community. “We are so pleased to welcome these dedicated volunteers to our Hospice Team. Many have experienced firsthand the difference hospice care made for a loved one, and now they have chosen to touch other lives with the same compassion and support,” said Christine Novak, McLean Hospice Volunteer Coordinator. All volunteers who support McLean Hospice must successfully complete an initial 20-hour training program. The training is a combination of online self-

study and classroom instruction. New volunteers are first mentored by their experienced peers to get accustomed to their role. Hospice volunteers become members of the care team of nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors and nurse aides. Volunteers provide social support for adults facing terminal illnesses, as well as respite to their families. They may visit patients in their homes, apartments, or nursing facilities to provide companionship, a listening ear and a caring presence. They also may assist patients in recording a life story, or help with specific tasks and errands. McLean Hospice serves adults of all ages and works with families in the Farmington Valley and surrounding towns of Bloomfield, West Hartford and Windsor. For more information on McLean Hospice or to learn about becoming a volunteer, please contact Chris Novak (Chris.Novak@ McLeanCare.org) or call McLean Home Care and Hospice at 860-658-3950 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Congratulations to McLean’s new class of hospice volunteers, pictured left to right: Lori Scribner, Stephen Fields, Marilyn Henry, Lynn Jaeger, Patty Murphy, Lynn Danajovits, Linda Duff, Jeannie Cavagnaro, and Sandy Orluk. Not pictured: Elizabeth Henderson.

Wells students thank veterans November is a special time for Wells Road School, when we invite veterans who may be either family members or members of the community to come for breakfast and be a part of our assembly. The students practiced the official song for each branch of service, which they sang to honor guests on Nov. 12. Veterans spoke to the children because there is no better way to understand Veterans Day than to hear from those who have served. Many veterans were able to visit classrooms before leaving the school. Photos by Laurie Smith

Granby Artists Association announces grand opening of gallery By Rebecca Mikus The Granby Artists Association announces the opening of its gallery at 2 Park Place. Located in the center of Granby, the Granby Artists Association’s goal is to open the gallery to the public on Nov. 23 (Black Friday), between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The works of nine local artisans will be featured. Future plans for the gallery include a welcome reception, lectures and space for future activities. The artisans want to make it an active space for creative events. For those who have supported and are interested in the work of these artisans, the gallery will provide a permanent venue for their work. Christmas is just around the corner, come in and find that special gift for someone on your list. Or just come in and browse and see what beautiful creative pieces these artisans

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have designed, created or painted. Please come to 2 Park Place in Granby and support the artists of Granby. Town Events The Granby Artists Association’s Gift Show and Holiday Marketplace, in cooperation with the Town of Granby Recreation Department, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 2, from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Holcomb Farm. There will be two buildings filled with vendors plus lunch and refreshments served by Want Not Waste Not. On Saturday, Home School children will provide musical performances. On Sunday, the music performances will feature children from the Granby Memorial Middle School. Granby Artists Association is growing. Would you like to become a member of this talented group? New exhibiting members are being reviewed.

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 7

Safe Grad Night needs your help

Youth Service Bureau

By Thérèse Mulvey

Winter Break Programming

The GMHS Grad Night event, held at the Granby YMCA every year on graduation night, offers a free, funfilled, substance-free celebration. This can’t happen without volunteers to help with food, room set up, decorations and chaperoning. If you would like to volunteer for the June 2019 event, please join us at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month in the media center at GMHS. There is no meeting in December.

Middle School Open Rec: Thursday, Service Building. This will become an Dec. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday, annual event, and hopefully as word Dec. 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. Dungeons and spreads about how much fun it is, the Dragons and/or Magic the Gathering Youth Action Council will not only break will meet on Thursday, Dec. 27, from 7 even on the dance, but will be able to use to 9 p.m. any profit towards the annual scholarship Self Advocacy for Teens: Dec. 27, the YAC group funds. Each year it gives 2 to 3 p.m. Geared towards teens with a $500 scholarship to a graduating boy special needs but open to anyone age and girl from GMHS, honoring the quiet/ 13 to 18 who wants to explore how to advocate for themselves. This one-hour workshop will cover the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), two important laws for those with an identified disability. Transition planning, and how to prepare to attend meetings where others are making decisions for you will be addressed. First parent/child Zombie Shufflle was a huge success. Refreshments will be served. Call by Dec. 22 to register for unsung leaders of the class. this free program. Last year the YAC group held its first Community Service Opportunities: Sweet Heart Dance for Kelly Lane kids We still have spaces for high school helpand parents. Another Sweet Heart Dance ers at Open Rec programs and as Peer will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10, from Educators. Must be responsible, able 4 to 6 p.m. Kids in grades K–2 can grab to work well with adults and willing to a beloved adult, and get dressed up to model appropriate social behavior. Call come dance and craft and play ValenAnneMarie to request more information tine’s themed games. Refreshments 860-844-5355 will be served. So if you have a kiddo Zombie Shuffle: The Youth Action in Kelly Lane, save the date. Call the Council is pleased to report that the YSB to register to attend. Tickets are first parent/child Zombie Shuffle was a $10 a pair, with a $20 cap for families. success. Over 40 kids from Wells Road Any proceeds will go towards the YAC School grabbed a parent and came to scholarship program. dance and play the night away in the community room at the Senior/Youth

Safe Grad Night is chaperoned by underclassmen parents not by senior parents. Senior parents can help with the planning prior to the event. Volunteers are needed so please contact: Coreen Thompson at coreenlt@gmail. com to help with room set-up; Michelle DeGagne at mdegagne@cox.net to help with food, either set up or pick up from businesses; Sara Scotto at scottofamily@ cox.net to be a chaperone. Please be a part of this special tradition of giving the seniors a night to remember.

GMHS students participate in NCCC Music Festival By Camden Robertson The annual Northern Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) Music Festival took place on Nov. 13 and 15. This exciting event includes selected instrumental and choral musicians from Granby, East Granby, Bolton, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Somers, Stafford Springs, Suffield and Windsor Locks. Twenty-four students from GMHS participated in the festival, 14 of them taking part in the concert band, and 10 participating in the choir. The participants ranged from freshman through seniors, many of whom have attended the festival in previous years. Students missed a school day and travelled to Ellington High School for a tiring six-hour rehearsal, returning again two days later for another long rehearsal and a concert at the end of the night. Some schools additionally participated in a “prefest,” the week before hosted at Bolton High School, which provided students with the chance to work with their specific instrument or vocal group.

The festival provides students with a unique opportunity to collaborate with other schools from across the state. Mark Jones, a junior at GMHS, played in the concert band on clarinet. “It’s a fun way to create music with new people you wouldn’t be able to work with otherwise,” says Mark, participating in the festival for the past three years. Ella Baggott, also a junior, participated in the festival for the first time this year on the trumpet. According to Ella, the NCCC Music Festival gives students the opportunity to “work with lots of different people and teachers from different schools and improve your musicianship.” Ella says she loved her experience at this year’s festival, and intends to take part in the event again next year. “I am a junior at GMHS and have participated in the festival for the past three years on the flute. I have always found the event to be a fantastic learning experience, and a unique chance to work with incredible musicians from around our state.”

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Land Trust leads winter hikes Cold Moon Hike Hike from the Granby Land Trust’s Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve to Emery Farm on Saturday, Dec. 22. Meet at Emery Farm at 3:30 p.m. sharp. Watch the full moon rise from atop Crag Mountain, then descend to Emery Farm for refreshments. This moderately strenuous hike, led by GLT board member Dave Emery and his wife (GLT property steward) Jenny, will take us from the GLT’s Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve on Silver Street to the top of Crag Mountain for a 4:37 p.m. moonrise, then down to Emery Farm on Loomis Street. We will park at Emery Farm, be shuttled to the Holcombe Preserve, and end our hike back at Emery Farm for refreshments and holiday cheer. The Emerys are very good friends to the Land Trust and a portion of Emery Farm is preserved forever through a GLT conservation

easement. No dogs, please. Headlamps encouraged. Registration is required; please send an email to dwemery79@ gmail.com New Year’s Day Hike Hike the trails of the Land Trust’s Mary Edwards Mountain Property on Tuesday, Jan. 1, starting at 9 a.m. sharp. Ring in the New Year with a walk in the woods. Join Land Trust board member Fran Armentano for the 11th annual New Year’s Day Hike on the Land Trust’s spectacular Mary Edwards Mountain Property in North Granby. The hike will be about three miles, and terrain is variable with some steep sections. Should there be deep snow, please bring snowshoes. Meet at the Mountain Road entrance to the property (just north of the intersection with Silkey Road) by 9 a.m. To register or for more details, please contact Fran Armentano at 860-653-0631 or at farmano@cox.net

December 2018

PTO Corner

By the PTO Executive Board

The PTO Executive Board would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Kelly Lane and Wells Road families, teachers, staff, and administrators, as well as the Granby community at large, for supporting the PTO’s fundraising efforts with the 2018 Jog-a-Thon/Fall Fest. Over 200 families participated in the run on Oct. 20, where they also enjoyed face painting, an obstacle course and GAGA pit donated by the Farmington Valley YMCA. A vendor fair and food trucks rounded out the event. The Granby Police and Fire Departments also made a special appearance. We are happy to announce that, through the hard work of the Fundraising Committee, co-chaired by Jess Tsaptsinos and Corrine DelGallo, the PTO grossed approximately $27,000 from the Joga-Thon/Fall Fest. Student and family

Granby boys soccer sweeps up! The Granby Rovers U12 boys soccer team ended a successful season with a 4-0 sweep of the Target United Cup tournament in South Windsor on Oct. 28. Led by coaches John Ehmann, Chris Jones and Chris LaVigne, the Rovers defeated teams from Greenwich, Thomaston, Manchester and Suffield to capture the Division 2 U12 Boys title. The team also had a winning fall season CJSA record of 4-2-1, winning its last four games in their division. L-R, front row: Tyler Uveges, Sean Jones, Ben Zacchera, Max Kanter, Declan Newcomb; second row: William Sleavin, Cody Ehmann, Isai Alvarez, James Gies, Matthew Becker, Evan Wiggins, Ben LaVigne, Nicholas Lang; third row: coaches Chris LaVigne, Chris Jones and John Ehmann.

donations made up the largest portion, $23,000; each class will receive 10 percent of the total amount they raised to spend on item(s) for their classroom. The remainder of the gross proceeds were realized through t-shirt sales, day-of donations and, most significantly, generous sponsorships from local businesses. Please join us in thanking these sponsors by patronizing their businesses: TEC, Joy and Whit Studios, Granby Rovers, Valkyrie Equestrian Center, High Meadow Day Camp, Arrow Concrete, 2Way Lacrosse, Farmington Valley YMCA, Beman Hardware, Simsbury Bank, Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital, Beacon Mechanical, Necker’s Toyland, Holloway’s Appliance Center, Caldwell Excavating, State Line Oil, Hair Gallery at the Mill and Granby Pharmacy. We truly appreciate everyone’s hard work in making this year’s Jog-a-Thon/ Fall Fest so successful. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to continuing and building upon this community-wide event in the future. If you plan on doing your holiday shopping online, please do so through Amazon Smile and choose “Parent Teachers Organization Granby” as your charity of choice. We earn money back with every purchase. Please add the next PTO meeting date, Jan. 14, to your calendar. We will meet in the Wells Road Intermediate School Media Center at 6:30 p.m.

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 9

Valley Pre-School hosts first Grandparents Day

Valley Pre-School, celebrating 70 years of educating young children in Granby and surrounding communities, hosted its first Grandparents Day on Oct. 25 and 26. Grandmothers and grandfathers from all over New England and beyond, arrived bright and early to spend the morning with their grandchildren, joining them for circle time and gaining an insight into how the playbased curriculum at Valley Pre-School works. One grandmother travelled 2,500 miles, flying in from Washington state, especially for the morning and described it as a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Teachers extended a warm welcome to all and provided plenty of activities to engage the young and young at heart alike. In Mrs. Tawney’s classroom, the morning began with a chemistry demonstration, which was followed by a story about a candy-eating Little Pea, pumpkin decorating, tea-light crafting, and finger puppet theater. Across the hall, children and grandparents in Mrs. Jackson’s classroom, enjoyed an interactive story of The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything. They worked overtime in the VPS “BOOkery” making tasty treats, and together, they traced their hands for a colorful fall tree, and constructed spiders with up to eight eyes, eight legs and 48 knees. Before the morning was over, each child

took a special autumnal portrait with their grandparents to commemorate the occasion. Knowing that not all would be able to attend the event, VPS teachers arranged in advance for grandparents who could not be there to send a surprise for their grandchild to open that day. Honorary VPS grandparents Nannie Brown, Grandma Bernadette Gentry and Grandpa Don Shaw helped children read the letters and were on hand throughout the morning to ensure everyone felt included. After some welcome mid-morning refreshments, grandparents and children adjourned upstairs, where Peggy Shaw, beloved former Valley teacher and now visiting music teacher, played guitar and led the three- and four-year olds in song, putting on a delightful concert for their proud grandparents. The morning ended on a magical note with a visit from Millie the Witch and her puppeteer friend, Audrey Laird. Children and adults were spellbound as Millie and Mrs. Laird gave a Halloweenthemed performance and had everyone in gales of laughter. Kathy Jackson, director and lead teacher at the school, thanked everyone who had worked to make Grandparents Day a success, including Kim Tawney, lead teacher, and assistant teachers Sally Moon, Nancy Canfield and Lucy Kiermaier. A special

Upper Left: Letter From Afar (L to R) Amelia Ginsberg, Nannie Brown. Photo by Kim Tawney Upper Right: Crafting Tealights (L to R) Kylie Marien, Darlene Harris, Bobby, Melisa and Lily Hinckley. Photo by Robin Maycock. Right: Sensory Table Fun (L to R) Patti Rosinski, Matthew Jensen, Natalie Butch. Photo by Robin Maycock

ages 3 and 4 for the 2019-2020 school year. Please visit valleypreschoolinfo. org, email valleypreschoolkids@gmail. com, or call 860-653-3641 for more information or to schedule a tour. Open House is Jan. 19, 9–11 a.m.

word of thanks was offered to all the grandparents who made the journey to Valley Pre-School to help celebrate the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Valley Pre-School will soon begin accepting applications for its programs for

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December 2018

Local students (all good eggs) appear in ugly duckling tale Area residents will flock to Good Company Theater’s production of HONK! JR., a contemporary and comic re-telling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Ugly Duckling. Based on the award-winning musical HONK! by George Stiles (composer) and Anthony Drewe (book and lyrics), HONK! JR. is a witty and heartwarming show celebrating what makes each of us special. Now, more than ever, we need to spread the message of being kind. Plucked as the 2000 Olivier Award’s Best New Musical, HONK! is so inspirational in its message of acceptance and tolerance that the Ministry of Education in Israel made it compulsory viewing for school children. HONK! JR. follows Ugly, who hatches looking quite a bit different from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice, and despite his loving mother’s protective flapping, Ugly’s odd, gawky looks instantly incite prejudice from his family and neighbors. When Ugly is

separated from the farm and pursued by a hungry cat, he must find his way home. Along his harrowing yet hilarious journey he not only discovers his true beauty and glorious destiny, but also finds love and acceptance in all its forms. This incredibly clever show will have you laughing out loud, yet at the center of its humor is a touching message about acceptance. We’d like to applaud the students in Good Company Theater’s production—by working as a part of the cast and crew, each young person has been able to explore what makes him or her unique. The cast is made of up students from Granby, Simsbury, East Granby and Westfield, ages 5 to 17. HONK! JR. hatches at Good Company Theater on Nov. 30 (7 p.m.), Dec. 1 (2 and 7 p.m.), and Dec. 2 (2 p.m.) in its performance space at the South Congregational Church, 242 Salmon Brook Street. Tickets are $12.50 in advance (all ages, general admission) or $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online through EventBrite, on the theater’s website (Good CompanyTheaterCT. org), or in person at the Granby Pharmacy. HONK! JR. is presented through special arrangement with, and all authorized materials are supplied by, Music Theatre International, New York.

The book table at the library for December will be stocked with great selection of holiday gifts including Granby dog collars and leashes.

Holiday gifts on sale at Granby Public Library By Brian Tomasino For the month of December, the Friends of Granby Public Library will have books and DVDs for gift giving this holiday

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season. There will be a number of items for children and adults with a variety of different areas of interest. Many of the items will be wrapped up in holiday ribbon ready for gift giving to that special someone at reasonable prices. We will also have custom made Granby dog collars and leashes as great gifts for your canine family members. The collars come in two sizes and the leashes are 6-feet long. They are locally made with quality materials and a great way to show your hometown pride with proceeds benefiting the library. While we all like to shop locally, if you do use Amazon you can support the Friends of Granby Public Library when shopping through Amazon Smile. Easy to set up at smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone. Sign in and at the top navigation select “search and select your charity.” Make sure to select “Friends of Granby Public Library, Inc. Granby, CT”. For every Amazon order that you place using smile.amazon, a portion is donated to the library, at no extra cost to you. Visit the library to find that special gift and avoid running around. Have a wonderful holiday season.

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 11

Windy Hill Guitar Ensemble performances announced Students of the Windy Hill Guitar Studio of Granby will present a program of music of the English Renaissance, the German Baroque, and traditional Latin American and Celtic folk music, on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the Granby Public Library. The performance is free and open to the public, but registration is recommended. Please call the library at 860-844-5275. On the following Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., the Windy Hill Guitar Ensemble will provide music for the annual Service of Hope and Healing at Trinity Episcopal Church, on Church Street, in Tariffville. All are welcome to attend

this special service, which is intended as a quiet time for those dealing with grief, illness and loss to be supported and strengthened. The Windy Hill Guitar Ensemble includes Evelyn Danke, an 8th grader at Granby Memorial Middle School, and her mother, Sue Canavan; Shannon McCord, a junior at Granby Memorial High School; Nicholas DeFranzo, of East Granby and a junior at Northwest Catholic; Owen Johnson, a 6th grader from Southwick and his father, Chris Johnson; and Stefan Kachala of Avon, a 1st grader at The Masters School.

Farmington Valley Chorale holiday performances Just add milk Very generous customers and associates of the Granby Stop & Shop donated enough cereal to distribute to the Food Banks in Granby and East Granby. Photo shows store employees Caleb Holl and Anja Sheahan.

Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital pet food drive begins Dec. 15

Artists of Novi Cantori

The Farmington Valley Chorale with Ellen Gilson Voth, artistic director, will perform excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (WeihnachtsOratorium) in two December concerts in Granby. The oratorio relates the Christmas story in dramatic style and contains many familiar themes that have been used by other composers in Christmas music settings. Joining the 100-member chorale are

the artists of Novi Cantori, a professional chamber choir based in Westfield. Orchestral musicians from the Hartford Symphony will accompany the singers. The performances will take place at Granby Memorial High School, 52 North Granby Road on Friday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. Donation is $20, free for full-time students. For tickets and directions, contact info@farmingtonvalleychorale.org • Ceilings Walls & Trim • Spray, Brush or Rolled • Textured Ceiling Repair • Insured/Free Estimates • Wallpaper removal • Repair Ceilings & Walls due to water damage, etc.

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Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital will be holding its sixth annual pet food drive on Saturday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., collecting dog and cat food as well as monetary donations. All food donations will go directly to local food pantries, shelters and rescues. Monetary donations will be sent to aid the North Carolina State Animal and Agricultural Response Team (sartusa.org/) and the Humane Society of Bay County (adoptme.org/hurricanemichael/). Both organizations have a hand in helping animals and pet owners in need during the aftermath of the hurricanes. Collection of food and monetary donations will begin at Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital the day after Thanks-

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December 2018

Out of Town NEAM Events Breakfast with Santa

Santa will be returning for breakfast at the New England Air Museum on Saturday, Dec. 1. Breakfast with Santa is an exclusive opportunity to meet Santa and his elves prior to the opening of the museum. Breakfast will begin promptly at 9 a.m. and conclude at 10 a.m. with Santa inviting guests to join him inside the museum and on board his transportation for the day, a Sikorsky Seaguard Helicopter. Breakfast is open to the first 100 registering and pre-paying for the event. Various activities for children will continue throughout the day with Arts and Crafts (ornament making) and a station for signing Holiday Cards for veterans. To register, visit neam.org and click on the “Breakfast with Santa” icon. The cost for non-members is $25 for adults, $20 for children age 4 - 14, children 3

and under are free. Members of museum $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance. The event is sponsored by CPTV. Vacation Week Activities The museum is offering an exciting array of family fun activities during School Vacation Week, Dec. 26 through Dec. 30. Explore three giant exhibit hangars filled with over 60 historic aircraft and experience the wonders of flight through daily hands-on build and fly challenges, interactive flight science demonstrations, computerized flight simulators, scavenger hunts, and open cockpit experiences in historic aircraft. In addition to these daily activities, the following special events are scheduled. Wednesday, Dec. 26: Straw Rocket Challenge, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Find out if you are a rocket scientist by building and launching a straw rocket using our specialized NEAM rocket launchers. Thursday, Dec. 27: LEGO Flying Machine Contest, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Children ages 3-13 are invited to construct a flying machine using the museum’s collection of LEGOs to enter the contest. Winners will be awarded prizes in three age categories; participants need not be present to win. Friday, Dec. 28: Model Airplane Workshop, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Build and fly balsa wood airplanes with help from our team of expert builders. This workshop is for ages 3 and older, and there is a $5 cost per model kit.

McLean Home Care and Hospice recognized McLean Home Care and Hospice was named to the Top 500 of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of topperforming home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite annually identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. Peggy Coburn, MPH, administrator, McLean Home Care and Hospice, says, “This award represents the care

and clinical expertise of an established and incredibly dedicated team. This longstanding group of professionals works diligently, to partner with the Farmington Valley community, and to bring the excellence of McLean services to each person in their home. I am so honored to work with such talented and committed health care professionals each day.”

Author signs books at breakfast

Dennis Sullivan spoke with Granby women at the Nov. 7 breakfast meeting. Sullivan also signed copies of his book, North End Memories of Hartford.

Manchester Community College Foundation awards local students Manchester Community College Foundation awarded $217,000 in scholarship funding to more than 330 students for the 2018-19 academic year. MCC Foundation gives hundreds of deserving students the opportunity to achieve their academic dreams through the scholarship program. Scholarship awards range from $150 to more than $1,000 and are available for both the spring and fall semesters. In addition, the foundation supports college programs.

The following students from Granby and East Granby were recipients: Ana Clonts and Romaine Hazel were awarded a Raymond F. Damato Scholarship; Lexi Cyr was awarded the Edward and Eleanor Coltman Scholarship; Ronald Duvalsaint was awarded the Douglas and Gail Anderson Scholarship; Emily Marceau was awarded the Thelma Goldsmith-Valentine Scholarship; and Maureen Williams received support from the MCC Foundation.

Saturday, Dec. 29: Paper Plane Contest, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Use your imagination to construct a far-flying plane from a variety of materials. Will your creation go the distance? Sunday, Dec. 30: Parachute Drop Challenge, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Learn the science of parachutes while building and launching a weight-bearing parachute. All events and activities are included with general admission unless otherwise noted. Events and activities are subject to change. Please note the museum will be closed on Monday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Dec. 31. The New England Air Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day. The museum is closed on Mondays during the winter season except for holidays and during school vacation weeks. Admission is $15 for ages 15 and up, $14 for seniors 65 and up and $10 for ages 4 to 14. Members and children under 3 are admitted free. For more information and directions to the museum, please visit neam.org or call 860-623-3305.

December Events at the East Granby Public Library Afternoon at the Movies Every Wednesday at 1 p.m., enjoy free popcorn. Nov. 28: Crazy Rich Asians, PG-13, 120 minutes. This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family. Dec. 5: Pick of the Litter, NR, 81 minutes. Follow a litter of puppies from the moment they’re born and begin their quest to become guide dogs for the blind. Dec. 12: Sister Act 2, PG, 107 minutes. Showgirl Delores Van Cartier returns as Sister Mary Clarence to teach music to a group of Catholic students whose run-down school is slated for closure. Dec. 19: The Christmas Train, G, 99 minutes. A cynical journalist decides to take a train from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles for Christmas to get inspiration for a story in honor of his late father. Bell Choir Concert Thursday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m. at East Granby Congregational Church. Featured Artist Lisa Westervelt’s Felt and Knitting Display is featured in December.

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 13

In Town Focus Women’s Breakfast

Attendees at the Granby Women’s Breakfast, Wednesday, Dec. 5, will be entertained by Choral Voices from Granby Memorial High School with director Mindy Shilansky. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by the concert at 9 a.m. Cost $4. Event will be at the Granby Senior Center. Don’t forget your Granby Food Bank donation. Call Corinne Dickerson 860 653-9801. New attendees are more than welcome to join this group of over 60 ladies who faithfully attend each month.

Valley Pre-School Open House

Bring your children and join us for a fun morning exploring the magic of Valley Pre-School, 219 North Granby Road, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 9–11 a.m. (snow date Jan. 20, 1–3 p.m.) Learn about our play-based programs for ages 3 and 4, meet VPS teachers and families, and find out what makes Granby’s only cooperative pre-school so special. Activities and projects will keep children engaged while you ask questions and connect with current and former VPS families. Please visit valleypreschoolinfo.org or email valleypreschoolkids@gmail. com for more information.

Camera Club

The Granby Camera Club will meet on Monday, Dec. 4, at the Granby Senior Center at 7 p.m. For this meeting we will share our interesting camera equipment and also plan to have a local camera store join us to let us know what is new and available for our cameras. The Monday, Jan. 7, meeting will feature a program on Photography Critiquing. To learn more about the club visit GranbyCameraClub.com

Cat Shelter Needs Volunteers

Mary’s Kitty Korner, Granby’s no-kill cat shelter, is looking for volunteers to help care for its kitties until they find their furever homes. If you love cats and have time on a weekday morning or evening or a weekend morning or afternoon the shelter would love to hear from you. The greatest need currently is Monday and Friday mornings. Call 860-379-4141 or visit maryskittykorner. org to learn more.

Men’s Breakfast

Join us Friday, Dec. 14, at the Granby Senior Center. The center may be senior, but you do not need to be. The entertainment will be the Granby Memorial High School Chorus under the direction of Mindy Shelansky. Breakfast is from 8:30 to 10 a.m. If you are a new participant, please arrive by 8:15 and ask for Nat. After the morning welcome and news update, we enjoy a freshly prepared breakfast, followed by a 45-minute presentation. The breakfast typically includes eggs, pancakes, or French toast, sausage, home fries, coffee, and orange juice.

MS Support

The Granby Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meets at the Senior Center at 1 p.m., on the second and fourth Monday of each month. For more information, please contact Meaghan at 860-428-2463.

Civic Club Holiday Concert

The Granby Civic Club will meet Thursday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m. in the main room of the Senior Center. We are looking forward to enjoying the music of the Granby Memorial High School Singers, an a cappella choir of 26 talented students under the direction of Mindy Shilansky. The public is invited to this special musical event. Join us in our tradition of service and socializing, and enjoy the music of a beautiful holiday season. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Ginny Wutka (ginny@lostacres.com) for additional information.

First Congregational Church Christmas Acoustic Christmas First Congregational Church invites friends and neighbors for a family-friendly Christmas jam session on Sunday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. What’s your favorite Christmas song—Let it snow? Rockin’ Round the Christmas Tree? Bring a request, an instrument, an act, or just come to tap your toes. There will also be a cookie contest for the charity, Fuel Your Neighbor, Inside and Out. To participate, bring three dozen cookies on a plate with your name on the bottom. Votes will be cast by putting money in a jar next to each plate. Winner gets bragging rights and all money goes to the Granby Fuel Assistance program. Blue Christmas Inevitably we all experience loss and the grief that follows. During the holiday season, however, the normal process of grief can be heightened. On Thursday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m., come to the soothing space that is First Congregational Church’s sanctuary for the Blue Christmas to remember, and to receive comfort and support. This is an annual event co-sponsored by Carmon Funeral Home. Christmas Eve There will be two services with carols and candlelight on Monday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. and at 9 p.m.

The Drummer welcomes announcements of upcoming events sponsored by Granby organizations. Announcements may not exceed 120 words.

by post: The Granby Drummer P. O. Box 165 Granby, CT 06035-0165

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Page 14 The Granby Drummer

HEALTH NOTES

By the

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Palliative Care and Hospice What is the difference? Nancy A. Scheetz, APRN, BC Medical language is almost a separate form of English. In a world of growing technology and informational systems, an entire conversation can occur that is loaded with acronyms and terms which are totally confusing. In the doctor’s’ office or emergency room, professional people walk in and out telling you something is happening to you and what they will do to fix it. Terms get thrown around so quickly that, as a layperson, you can’t follow the conversation or make decisions. An example is that palliative care and hospice are not synonymous. These are different types of treatment and, while they can be used simultaneously, they may be used at very different times in life. Palliative care improves the quality of life through prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, assessment and treatment of pain, physical, psychosocial and emotional problems. It is that part of your medical care aimed at controlling pain and various medical symptoms day to day. It includes incorporating your psychosocial and spiritual needs and making sure that your care includes supportive services. Treating unrecognized depression often leads to less perception of pain and may be an integral part of successful pain management. The goal of palliative care is comfort. It can come at any stage of life, not just at the end. Hospice care is given at the end of life. The treatment is a shift in medical care

to support someone who is terminally ill and may have palliative care at the same time. It is with recognition that the care is not going to cure the illness at hand but will allow it to run its course in the most comfortable and peaceful way possible. The end of life does not need to be consumed by pain, anxiety and suffering. This is a time when some routine medications may be discontinued because they no longer have benefit and may lead to more suffering with unwanted side effects. However, other medications will be continued if they relieve symptoms and provide comfort. The decision to accept hospice care must be made with your physician within the understanding that the treatments being done to prolong your life are causing suffering without true benefit. Hospice care is not about making death come sooner. It is not a treatment to end your life; it is an acceptance and a choice that a patient and their family make about medical treatments that prolong a life of terminal illness and suffering. Misunderstanding these two types of medical treatment happens easily. Google palliative care and you will find that it is primarily mentioned in the context of end-of-life treatment. This is not its only use. People suffer from chronic pain syndromes and live many years with suffering because they are afraid to ask about palliative care, possibly because of misconceptions. Even if you are older, pain management is not an indication that you are terminal. The misconceptions about hospice are equally difficult

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December 2018

January 11 solo organ recital Jason Roberts, organist extraordinaire, will welcome the New Year at South Congregational Church, 242 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, with a solo recital at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11. In this, the seventh season of the Bruce Porter Memorial Music, Jason Roberts, the organist who has accompanied the annual Family Night at the Movies for the past six years takes on a new role for a special occasion. Given that the series was founded to honor Bruce Porter, who had been the organist and choir director at South Congregational Church for many years, it was decided to dedicate the January 2019 concert to the magnificent repertoire that Porter loved to play. It seemed only fitting that Roberts, who has demonstrated his storytelling gifts with spellbinding accompaniments to the Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin films screened over the years, would be the one invited for this event. Happily, he agreed to play. In addition to showcasing his improvisational prowess by improvising to themes suggested by the audience, Roberts will showcase the versatility of the Hartford-built Austin organ at South Church with organ masterworks by Camille Saint-Saens, Charles-Marie Widor and Johann Sebastian Bach. to move past, but the treatment philosophy is one of kindness and the goal is to ease suffering. If you are confused, ask your doctor. Find out if either of these treatment modalities is right for you or a loved one. No one should suffer needlessly and there are ways to help manage every situation. The Farmington Valley VNA is here for you with care for the recently discharged or sick, rehabilitative care, palliative and hospice care.

Roberts is associate music director at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City. He began his musical career as a chorister at St. George’s Cathedral in Perth, Western Australia; and is a graduate of Rice University, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and the Manhattan School of Music. He is a winner of the American Guild of Organists National Competition in Organ Improvisation and the national Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition held in Hartford in 2007. Roberts has been a finalist at competitions in St. Albans, England and Haarlem, The Netherlands. Roberts spent several years as organist/choirmaster at St. James’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford before moving to New York in 2014. He serves on the faculty at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J., and maintains an active recital schedule. The concerts in the Bruce Porter Memorial Music Series are sponsored by the music ministry of South Congregational Church and supported by a grant from the Granby Education Foundation. The concerts are free to the public, with a suggested donation of $10 to support the series. The sanctuary is wheelchair accessible from the southwest corner of the building. For more information call 860653-7289 or visit southchurchgranby.org

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 15

Of Rain and Donuts—on the prowl for flea market treasures By Faith Tyldsley Salmon Brook Historical Society’s annual Fall Flea Market was held on Oct. 13. As has been the norm for three months, it rained. It rained on the volunteers who came at 6:30 a.m. to set up. It rained on first-through-the-door dealers, and on intrepid customers in raincoats with dripping umbrellas. Do you remember the spring flea market in May? It rained for that one too. Old friends reminisced over the rubyrimmed punch bowl about yesteryear’s more civilized ways of entertaining; a self-proclaimed “doll lady” fell in love with and joyously bought 12 Madame Alexander dolls; a dealer, loupe in hand, found some gold earrings; volunteer Jean Potetz went home at noon with a bear she

Jean Potetz, the society’s curator of textiles, takes bear home.

Ellen Cunha, director of sales

had yearningly eyed (fingers crossed that no one else would want it) as she was collecting customers’ money all morning. There was a hustle and bustle of people on the prowl for that special bargain, that singular item which they hadn’t realized they’d needed. By late morning the sun came out reluctantly and business picked up. By 3 p.m. the concession tables were empty. Eighty hot dogs had been served and the grill was shut down. Only eight of the original 17 dozen Mrs. Murphy’s donuts remained. It is said that many people come to the society’s biannual flea markets primarily for those donuts, then they shop. Considering competition from the rain, it was decided to re-open on Sunday. Intermittent visitors stopping by after church or on a Sunday drive did not leave empty-handed. One customer paid for

and loaded four bar stools, a large metal grill and three vintage standing lamps into her SUV. Then she bought a pair of earrings. At 2 p.m. Ellen Cunha closed up shop. As director of sales in the Preservation Barn, her two-month marathon of overseeing the sorting and marking of donations—and arranging merchandize on tables, racks, and walls—was over. She had frequently consulted experts in the areas of textiles, jewelry and fine arts. Many volunteers had given hours of help, but Cunha was the mainstay. She had guided the transformation of a mishmash of disparate donations into a boutique-like setting. Todd Vibert, chairperson for flea market planning and implementation, was pleased. Yes, there were fewer dealers who had actually set forth their wares, (20 of the 32 who had paid for space) and the going was sloppy. Admittedly, proceeds were a bit less than the norm, but Vibert said the market had definitely fulfilled its purpose: to provide funds towards upkeep of the society’s buildings, grounds, exhibitions and special projects.

Ruby-rimmed punch bowl and cups (still available).

The spring flea market will be held in May. The law of averages predicts cloudless skies, balmy temperatures and a record turnout. Consideration will be given to increasing the donut order.

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Page 16 The Granby Drummer

December 2018

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 17

Lost Acres sponsoring Giving Tree Lost Acres Vineyard, in partnership with four local nonprofit organizations, is introducing its Giving Tree initiative to raise money and awareness for those in need this holiday season. For every bottle of wine purchased this December, Lost Acres Vineyard will donate $1 to a local nonprofit. At no extra cost, customers can stock up on holiday wine and know that they are giving back to the community at the same time. As an added twist, customers will decide which organization will receive their dollars. All month long, each bottle of Lost Acres wine purchased will earn customers a Token of Gratitude (conve-

niently in the form of a token) to deposit in the gift box of one of the featured nonprofits. At the end of the month, Lost Acres Vineyard will make donations to all four organizations, reflective of the number of tokens in each box. Lost Acres Vineyard has carefully selected four organizations that will provide aid to veterans, the food-insecure, those going through health crises and homeless animals in our community. Vineyard customers will have the choice of giving their token to Fresh Access of Granby, One Call Away of Southwick, Bandit’s Place of East Hartland, VetDogs Puppy Prison Program of Somers or, of course, to all four. Fresh Access donates more than six tons of healthy produce raised by Holcomb Farm to more than 1000 people. Working with partner organizations, Fresh Access serves food-insecure individuals and families who have trouble affording or accessing healthy food and individuals and families who are struggling with a health crisis. One Call Away is a PTSD support network that aids in the prevention of veteran suicide. One Call Away provides a hotline to receive calls from veterans in distress as well as direct financial support when needed. Bandit’s Place is dedicated to rescuing homeless pets and placing them in loving, forever homes. According to founder Liz Bennett, “It mat-

A history lesson for Cub Scouts

Granby Cub Scout Den 7, from Pack 325, would like to thank the American Legion for sharing their vast knowledge on the history and care of the American Flag. The scouts really enjoyed seeing all the artifacts within the Legion hall and learning more about our local veterans. Thank you to Joe Hukill, Jim Hall and Ken Rafoss for your time and service! Photo by Jill Small

ters not where they’ve come from, but it matters greatly where they go.” Inmates at Somers Correctional Institute are raising and training puppies that will work as service dogs for wounded veterans. Each weekend, puppies go home with volunteers who socialize them to the world outside of prison. When the dogs are ready, VetDogs places these highly skilled service and guide dogs

with veterans with physical injuries, PTSD, vision and hearing loss and seizures. Lost Acres Vineyard looks forward to working with its customers and partner organizations to show gratitude and give back to the community this December. For more information visit lostacresvineyard.com

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Page 18 The Granby Drummer

Program on local bobcats draws large crowd By Shirley Murtha

Perpetual travelers, bobcats don’t stay in one place for very long. State programs Sponsored by Granby Public Liof collaring and tracking 25-30 individubrary and the Granby Land Trust, als show them to have a 10 to 36 square national wildlife conservationist and mile range, mostly in young forests or Barkhamsted resident Ginny Apple prewetlands with sufficient understory. They sented a program on local bobcats on will define their territory with distinctive Sept. 17 at the center library. Over 50 claw marks on trees, as do porcupines residents enjoyed the lecture, along with and bears. related slides and artifacts. Able to breed before they reach the age These medium-sized felines are tawny of one year, bobcats mate from January color in the summer, becoming grayer to May. The female may give birth to during the winter, and have the chartwo, or rarely three, kits, but usually just acteristic bob tail, which may turn up one. The kittens are born in two months at the tip, but not always. The largest and are blind for bobcat recorded in nine weeks. The New England was mother may nurse a 60-pound male until the end of in New Hampshire, September, picking but typically males out several places are 15-30 pounds, in which to keep 28-32 inches; fethe kits safe. The males are 18-36 male parent does pounds, 32-37 not stay around to inches. Their black help with childcare; tufted ears have as with most wild bands of white. cats, bobcats live a Bobcats are apex solitary life. predators in Con- This beautiful cat was photographed At three months, necticut, meaning by Ginny Apple next to her house in the kits will begin that they are at the Barkhamsted. to travel with mom, top of their parand by six months, ticular food chain. they begin to start out on their own. The They prefer to dwell in the brushy dense life expectancy of bobcats in the wild is undergrowth of forests, where they hunt five to seven years; in captivity, they can for rabbits, squirrels, mice and the oclive 25 to 30 years. casional weasel or fisher cat. Their eyes We do not have a vigorous breeding have a split pupil, which is an adaptation population of bobcats in the state because for good eyesight in both daylight or there are very high numbers of road kill night time. Their vision is eight times and the kittens are successfully hunted more powerful than that of humans. by great horned owls, fox, coyotes and Although bobcats can swim and run, fisher cats. that is not the usual way they hunt. RathThere is now a ban on international er, they stalk their prey and then pounce trade of bobcat pelts, and it is no longer upon it from as far as 12 feet away. They legal to hunt them in Connecticut, where can climb trees and will pounce on a deer a law passed in 1972 banned the hunting from above. They are rarely a source of or trapping of fur-bearers. The last trapconflict with humans, but they will take per to receive the $5 bounty for one was advantage of chickens, cats and small a 14-year-old boy living on Mountain dogs when in residential areas or farms. Road. The year was 1968.

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December 2018

What’s for Supper? By Pamela Scherrer I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to spend time with family and friends. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, the gathering of loved ones around the table enjoying a bounty of food the likes of which you only see once a year. This usually leads to a huge amount of leftovers. After you’ve had more turkey sandwiches than you care to admit, the following recipe is a wonderful way to finish up the turkey. Of course, this dish can also be made any time of the year with turkey or chicken. Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini 10 oz. pasta (I use brown rice pasta, either penne or small/med shells) 1/4 cup salted butter 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms 1/2 cup diced sweet onions 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 5 oz. frozen green peas 1/4 cup of dry sherry (not cooking sherry) 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 cups of cooked chicken or turkey grated parmesan and paprika to sprinkle on top

Directions: Cook pasta, drain and set aside. Melt butter in large soup pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper, saute until tender. Stir in soup and broth, cook until just heated. Add the cooked pasta, cheddar cheese, peas, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and the cooked turkey or chicken. Mix well and transfer to an 11x14 baking dish, or a three-quart casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika (as much or little as you like). Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. This recipe will serve up to four adults. If you double the recipe, use two dishes to bake it in. Buon Appetito!

Tully Nicholas joins Boston Partners in Education Board of Directors B o s t o n Partners in Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in the Boston Public Schools through in-classroom academic mentoring services, welcomes Tully Nicholas as a new addition to the already strong and influential group of board members. Nicholas is a vice president at Denterlein, a Boston-based public relations firm that specializes in strategic communications across multiple industries,

including healthcare, real estate, and public affairs sectors. In her eight years as a consultant, she has focused on the education and nonprofit industries, helping clients align communications tactics with organizational goals. In June 2018, she served as a Big Cheese Reader, a Boston Partners in Education initiative that brings corporate and community leaders into middle school classrooms to read aloud and explain how reading and learning have impacted their lives and career achievements. Before earning a bachelor of arts in business management from Emmanuel College in Boston, Nicholas was a 2005 graduate of Granby Memorial High School and her parents are Granby residents.

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Drummer- Dec 2018

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 19

New library director full of enthusiasm By Shirley Murtha It would be hard to not be enthusiastic about the Granby Library system after spending some time with Amy McCue, its new director. Her pleasant personality bubbles about all things library and informs her passion of working with people. As a young girl, McCue read her way through the children’s section of her hometown library in Bolton, devouring all the Nancy Drew, Wizard of Oz and Roald Dahl books. Especially fond of fantasy and magic, she remembers A Wrinkle in Time as a favorite. Despite being an avid reader, she didn’t think of library science as a career at that point in her life. Instead, she eventually graduated from Connecticut College with a double major in psychology and sociology and began a career in social work, for she feels truly rewarded helping others. Her job entailed counseling violence avoidance and drug prevention. As time went on, she found the job weighed heavily on her; experiencing the tragedies of others was just too painful and she left the field. After a stint in a corporate job, she went back to college

at Southern Connecticut State University where she got a masters in library information science. She is surprised that it took her 20 years to realize what her six-year-old self knew: that she belonged in a library. McCue’s first library position was in Windsor, where she became the branch manager in the Wilson section of town. From there, she got a job in the West Hartford system, where she was the head of adult services. Some of the programs she coordinated included a “How-to” festival, in which people adept in various arts and crafts, taught others activities such as cake decorating, playing a musical instrument, fixing electronics and dancing. A program she coordinated in Wilson celebrated the beginning of summer with youth services, the police and fire departments and business owners holding a block party. These programs are examples of McCue’s continuing interest in helping others. Her philosophy regarding being a head librarian is that it is not a solo job. It involves working together with the staff to get the best out of everyone. Indeed, the library staff is inspired by McCue’s

Granby’s new Director of Library Services, Amy McCue. Photo by Shirley Murtha

energy and enthusiasm. She comes in to work with a smile on her face and an encouraging word for all. Holly Johnson noted that she “has a gift for fostering individual efforts that result in a team win,” and is always looking for ways to improve service despite the confines of the existing budget. In the first two months, she has made little adjustments that have lead to improved efficiencies. What attracted McCue to the opening in Granby? In addition to liking the character of Granby, the smaller size of the community was a big factor. She likes to make “personal, meaningful connections” with the clientele. She wants to be able to know that a certain new book will

appeal to a particular person. In taking a page from the New York Times Book Review, I asked McCue some of the questions that are posed weekly to the celebrity in the By The Book page. What would we be surprised to find on her night stand? Teen books! She thinks they are richly written, get to the point quickly. What is she reading right now? Less, the 2018 Pulitzer Prize fiction winner by Andrew Sean Greer. Favorite book of all time? The Night Circus—a not well-known fantasy about circus life. What authors would you invite to a dinner party? The young adult authors John Green, Maureen Johnson, Rainbow Rowell and Louise Erdrich, and multi-genre Neil Gaiman. When she’s not working, McCue drives home to Manchester to take care of her two children, ages 6 and 9, and their cat. She enjoys re-finishing furniture and taking walks in the woods. She also likes to tap dance, which, once you get to know her, seems not at all unusual. It will be interesting to see what this vibrant person has in store for patrons of the Granby Public Libraries.

Hunting and fishing talk at library Cox ® Technic for Neck & Lower Back Pain The Harvest of Field and Stream program was held Oct. 21 at F. H. Cossitt Library. History educator and museum professional Dennis D. Picard gave an engaging presentation of hunting and fishing practices of indigenous peoples and Euro-American settlers in New England. The talk included an 18th century fowling piece and its accoutrements, hand-forged steel traps, animal hide boards and handmade fishing gear. The program was sponsored by Friends of Cossitt Library.

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Page 20 The Granby Drummer

December 2018

Happenings at the Center THE SENIOR SKINNY LIFETIME LEARNING ACADEMY

Ballroom Dance Series: Mondays, Jan. 28 - April 22, at 1 - 2 p.m. Open to ages 25 and up. Enjoy a 12-week dance series where you will learn the waltz, the rumba and East Coast swing. A recent study by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that dancing several times a week was the only physical or cognitive activity to offer protection against dementia and Alzheimer diseases. Frequent dancing was given a 76 percent protection rating—the highest rating compared to any other activity. Learn to dance and sharpen your mind. Certificate awarded upon completion of course. Bring a partner or come alone. Cost $12 per class or $120 for the series. The price will drop to $6 each per class when registration reaches 20 or more. Call 860844-5352 to register by Jan. 21. The World’s Greatest Paintings, Part II: Mondays, Jan. 14 - March 4, at 1 p.m. This DVD course takes you from the 14th century to the 17th century. Great Courses Professor William Kloss reveals a group of works that, in his expert judgment, rank among the greatest paintings ever created. Artists include Monet, Whistler, Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso and more. Cost $25. Call 860-844-5352 to register by Jan. 7. Life in the World’s Oceans, Part I: Fridays, Jan. 18 - March 1, at 1 p.m. An award winning professor of marine science, Sean K. Todd, unlocks the mysteries of life in the world’s oceans. Enjoy Part I of this DVD course from Great Courses. (Part II in March). Cost $25. Indoor Winter Gardening: Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m. Presented by Barry Avery, Master Gardener. Avery will discuss and show us how we can create an indoor winter garden to brighten our souls and cheer us up during the cold, dark days of winter. Call 860-844-5352 to register by Jan. 23. Cost $5. EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS Bobcat Presentation: Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. Presented by Jason Hawley, Wildlife Biologist with Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The program discusses the natural history, biology, management and the current status of bobcats in Connecticut, along with the bobcat research project currently being conducted by DEEP. Call 860-844-5352 to register by Jan. 9. Limited seating. Cost $5 Be Prepared! How to Pack for an Emergency: Thursday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. Presented by McLean Home Care and Hospice. During stormy winter times, be prepared and learn what you need to pack for an emergency in the event you need to leave home. Attendees will receive a red emergency bag with items. Please call 860-8445352 to register by Jan. 10. Free. Electric Choices: Thursday, Jan. 31, 1 p.m. Presented by AARP. Learn about your own individual choices when it comes to electric suppliers. Participants are asked to bring their electric bills to the session so they may review and understand its components. Participants will then learn how to make informed decisions based on their own situations and where to go for the most reliable Connecticut electric supplier information and data. Session runs 45 minutes. Free. Yellowstone Presentation: Thursday, Jan. 2, 10 a.m. Presented by photographer Gary Melnysyn. Enjoy the beautiful photography and presentation of Yellowstone National Park as seen through the eyes of this talented photographer. Call 860-844-5352 to register by Jan. 17, cost $5. Handmade for the Holidays, Wheat Ornament Workshop: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 1 p.m. Make a beautiful ornament for giving or your own tree made out of wheat stalks. Instructor, Liz Carnes. Cost $15. Register by Nov. 27. Christmas in a Teacup: Tuesday, Dec. 11, 1 p.m. Make this beautiful, petite flower arrangement in one of your own special teacups or one that will be provided. Instructor, Linda Markee. Cost $25. Register by Dec. 4. Greeting Card Stamping Class: Thursday, Dec. 20, 9:30 a.m. Create three cards. Instructor, Sharyon Holness. Cost $5 includes materials.

There’s so much happening this Holiday Season at the Granby Senior Center Visit our website at granby-ct.gov

Remembrance Ceremony

Monday, Dec. 3 at noon, sponsored by Hayes-Huling and Carmon Funeral Home, MeadowBrook of Granby and McLean Home Care and Hospice. This will be a reflective time to share memories and pay tribute to those who are no longer with us. This opportunity gives individuals the chance to be with others who are coping with loss as holidays can be a particularly difficult time. Participants will have the opportunity to honor their loved one on our Remembrance Tree. A light lunch will be served while enjoying relaxing music performed by Debra Vinick, professional harpist. There is no charge for this event, but registration is required. Call 860-844-5352 to let us know you will be attending.

Holiday Dinner and Dance

Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. Presented by Granby Senior Center staff. Begin the evening with hors d’oeuvres followed by an elegant baked ham dinner. Entertainment provided by the ever popular Elderly Brothers, singing tunes from the ‘50s, ‘60s and beyond. Be sure to leave room for dessert and dancing. Cost $8. Register by Dec. 5 as seating is limited. HEALTH and WELLNESS

Hearing Clinic with audiology concierge: Thursday, Dec. 6, by appointment. Services include complete audiological evaluations, earwax inspection and removal, hearing aid cleaning and repair, wireless solutions for TV, telephones, audio and more. Call 860-844-5352 to schedule. Alzheimer’s Support Group: Tuesdays, Dec. 11 and Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. Led by Peggy Coburn, McLean Home Care and Hospice. Caring for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming. Learning to cope with the changes in their behavior and understanding how to handle it is sometimes best explained by those who are dealing with a similar situation. Free. Caregiver Private Consultations: Fridays, Dec. 7 and Jan. 4 starting at 10 a.m. Come with your questions and concerns. Offering half-hour personal consultations with Esther Corcoran, the Alzheimer’s Association. Call for an appointment. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Thursdays at noon. Join other grandparents who are raising their grandchildren to share friendships, tips and ideas on being a parent again. Free. MS Support Group: Mondays, Dec. 10 and Jan. 14, 28 at 1 p.m., (no Dec. 24) Self help group for persons with Multiple Sclerosis and their caregivers. On Grief and Loss: Wednesdays, Dec. 12, 26 and Jan. 9, 23, at 2:30 p.m. Led by Jane Johnson. Through discussion this non-therapeutic support group will help in understanding and coping with grief. Find support, information and strategies. Parkinson’s Support Group: Mondays, Dec. 17 and Jan. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Facilitated by Krisztina Jarai, Residence at Brookside. A support group for those with Parkinson’s and their families. Free. Please call 860-844-5352 to register. Foot Care Clinic with Pedi-Care: Mondays, Dec. 17 and Jan. 21; Fridays, Dec. 28 and Jan. 25, by appointment. A specially trained nurse will assess feet and lower extremities, trim, file and clean nails. Cost is $29. (not covered by insurance) Blood Pressure Checks: Every Thursday, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Farmington Valley VNA, held in the Senior Center Community Room. Free. Blood Sugar Checks: Every Thursday, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Farmington Valley VNA, held in the Senior Center Community Room. Free. Relax with Reiki, with Tannia Hotchkiss: Tuesdays, Dec. 11 and Jan. 8, 22, by appointment. Reiki is a non-invasive Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Half hour is $20. Chair Massage, with Bev Harris: Tuesdays, Dec. 4, 18 and Jan. 15, by appointment. Concentration is on upper and lower back and shoulders. Fifteen minutes is $10. Healthy Minds, with Colleen Golnick, LMFT: By confidential appointment, call 860-8445350. When challenges of aging become overwhelming, meeting with a professional

therapist can help. Cost $20 per session.

TRAVEL

Christmas by Candlelight: Saturday, Dec. 8, Old Sturbridge Village: A celebration of favorite holiday traditions, music and food—carolers, horse-drawn sleigh rides, Father Christmas and more. Learn how many favorite traditions originated, and enjoy a four-course traditional turkey dinner. $149pp. A Christmas Carol at North Shore Theatre: Sunday, Dec. 16, Beverly, MA. A musical ghost story that follows Scrooge through a series of strange and magical journeys, where he ultimately discovers the true spirit of the holiday season. With dazzling special effects that have grown even more exciting over time, traditional and original songs and colorful costumes, this award-winning production of A Christmas Carol has been seen by more than one million people since its debut in 1989. SPECIAL EXTENDED TOURS Florida Snowbird–Clearwater Beach: Jan. 4–31, 2019. Escape a New England January for a fabulous vacation in warm and sunny Florida. Accommodations will be at the Marriott Residence Inn; each suite has separate sleeping, dining, lounging space and complete kitchen. Full breakfast daily, planned and independent activities and more. Cost $3,799 double occupancy, $5,799 single occupancy. Atlantic City Holiday: Dec. 27–28. Round trip motor coach transportation, one night at Resorts Casino Hotel located on the worldfamous Atlantic City Boardwalk. This new resort is stylish and sophisticated, from the Grand Lobby to the guestrooms to the lounges, dining and pool areas. Prepare to be swept away into an era of indulgence and fun, with leisure time to relax, play, eat, party and shop. Headline entertainment, extravagant spas, elite shopping and more make this trip complete. Includes casino rebates ($15 slots and $30 food, subject to change), baggage, tax and service, tour director. Cost per person, $159 double, $185 single, $147 triple/quad. Bus only, $85pp. Quebec Winter Carnival: Feb. 1–4. The world’s largest winter carnival featuring special events, parades, parties and a Quebec City highlights tour. Visit Montmorency Falls and Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. Cost $729 double occupancy, $999 single occupancy. Savannah, Charleston and Myrtle Beach: March 17–25. Celebrate spring in these spectacular southern cities. Eight nights’ hotel accommodations, full breakfast each morning, four dinners, several historic tours, leisure beach time and more. Cost $1,649 double occupancy, $2,399 single occupancy. Reflections of Italy: April 3–12. Revel in the magic of Italy on this tour that explores Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice, Assisi, Perugia and Milan. Includes round trip airfare from Boston, hotels, 13 meals, sightseeing and admission costs. Cost $3,949 double occupancy, $4,449 single occupancy. Passports required. Notes: Call the Senior Center for triple rates on

extended tours. For a complete list of available travel opportunities stop by the Senior Center. All trips are non-refundable.

FAMILIAR FAVORITES

Women’s Breakfast: Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 8:30 a.m. Chorale Voices from GMHS. Wednesday, Jan. 9, My Years in South Africa, from a Global Gypsy, Ralph Mayer. Cost $4. Register by calling 860-653-9891. Men’s Breakfast: Friday, Dec. 14 at 8:30 a.m. GMHS Chorus. Friday, Jan. 11 at 8:30 a.m. Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Holcomb Farm’s Joe O’Grady. Register by calling 860-844-5350. Helping Hands Needed: Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Please join Days for Girls International (www.daysforgirls.org) sewing for women in need of sanitary products. Need both sewers and non-sewers to volunteer. To learn more, please contact Josie Klein at 860-6535752 or josiklein640@gmail.com. Community Café: Let someone else do the cooking! Served every Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Monthly menus available at the office. Suggested donation $2.50 for seniors 60+, all others $4.50. Join us twice a week and save on your groceries! Imagine—mouth-watering lemon baked chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, peas and carrots served with wheat dinner roll and fresh, juicy grapes. Meet and enjoy new friends over lunch. If you’re new to the program, call 860-844-5350 to reserve lunch by the Friday before the day attending.

SENIOR VAN SERVICE AND EXCURSIONS

The Granby Senior Van provides rides for adults 60 and over to shopping and activities at the Senior Center. Please call 860-844-5353 one week in advance for scheduling.

Dine and Drive

Sadler’s Ordinary on Monday, Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. Suffield By the River on Friday, Jan. 18 at 11:30 a.m. Cost $4.

Grocery Shopping

Ocean State Job Lot and Big Y in Southwick every Tuesday, departs at 1:30 p.m. Big Y’s 10 percent senior discount available every Tuesday. Geissler’s every Wednesday, call to arrange a time. Geissler’s 5 percent senior discount available every Wednesday. Stop & Shop every Thursday, departs at 1:30 p.m.

Trips

Call 860-844-5352 to register for all trips. Olde Mystic Village: Friday, Dec. 7, 8:45 a.m. Enjoy an abundance of shops near the shore during the holiday season. Lunch on your own at S & P Oyster Co. Cost $5. Berkshire Blanket: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m. Enjoy Christmas shopping and lunch at the classic Salem Inn. We will also stop at the Thorndike Mills carpet and braided rugs outlet. Cost $5, lunch on your own. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art: Friday, Jan. 4, 9:30 a.m. Daniel Wadsworth originally planned to establish a Gallery of Fine Arts, but he was persuaded to create an atheneum, a term popular in the 19th century used to describe a cultural institution with a library, works of art and artifacts, devoted to learning history, literature, art and science. Lunch on your own at the museum cafe, possibly an afternoon treat at an Italian bakery. Cost $17 includes admission. Center Grill and Target: Wednesday, Jan. 9, 9 a.m. Enjoy a traditional home-cooked breakfast at Center Grill in East Granby, then shopping at Target in Windsor. Cost $5. Footprints Shoes and Joey Garlics: Monday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. FootPrints in Newington offers the finest selection of footwear and fashion accessories in New England, with over 200 top name brands and more than 100,000 pairs in stock. Afterwards enjoy lunch on your own at Joey Garlics. Cost $5. Cracker Barrel and Walmart: Monday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in East Windsor provides a friendly home-awayfrom-home in its old country store and restaurant.

Senior Skinny cont’d. on p. 21

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 21

Browse & Borrow GRANBY PUBLIC LIBRARY Main Branch Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Cossitt Branch

Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., and 3 – 8 p.m. Saturday: 12 – 5 p.m.

Find us online

Town of Granby (granby-ct.gov); use the links to join us on Facebook and Pinterest.

Closings

Both libraries will be closed on Monday, Dec. 24 and Tuesday, Dec. 25 for Christmas, and Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 for News Years Day.

Programs for Adults and Teens To register for any program call 860-844-5275 or email gplibrary@granby-ct.gov For more program information visit the library homepage at granby-ct.gov and click on Program Calendar of Events. Programs will be cancelled if there is no school in Granby due to bad weather.

Book Discussions

Copies of featured books are available to borrow from the library. Reserve your copy today. Something About the Author: Monday, Dec. 3, 1:30 p.m. Main Branch. The group will discuss the author Siri Hustvedt. Monday, Jan. 7, 1:30 p.m. Main Branch. The group will discuss the author Ruth Ozeki. Around the World: Monday, Dec. 17, 6:30 p.m. Main Branch. Tibet is the chosen country; the group will discuss The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison. Monday, Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m. Main Branch. Afghanistan is the chosen country; the group will discuss Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg. Sci Fi / Fantasy: Wednesday, Dec. 26, 7 p.m. Main Branch. The group will discuss Annihilation (Book 1 of The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff Vandermeer. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. Main Branch. The group will discuss Walkaway by Cory Doctorow. Un-Book Club: Ongoing (December and January) Main Branch. In this low-key anti-club, patrons are invited to read and submit their comments/discussion on the current selection, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

Events

Fantastic Finishes, with ceramics artist Tim Scull: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Main Branch. Nationally renowned ceramics artist Tim Scull offers a hands-on opportunity to explore his unique art. Learn more about creating raku, saggar and sawdust fired vessels in a one-of-a-kind Naborigama kiln. View and touch

dozens of beautifully crafted pieces during an interactive discussion. The artist returns Jan. 22 with his potter’s wheel for a live demonstration of ‘throwing’ techniques—see listing below. Registration recommended. Windy Hill Guitar Ensemble: Thursday, Dec. 6, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Main Branch. Enjoy a performance of Renaissance, Baroque and Celtic folk music by a talented group of classical guitar students. The multi-generational ensemble is directed by Laura Mazza-Dixon, Windy Hill Guitar Studio. All ages are welcome to relax and bask in the beautiful sounds of these instrumental arrangements. Registration recommended. You Can Uke Group: Mondays, Dec. 10, and Jan. 14, 28, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Main Branch. Ukulele players continue strumming and learning with instructor Jim Lenn. It’s all good fun! Register in advance. Writers Group: Tuesdays, Dec. 11, and Jan. 8, 22, 6–7:45 p.m. Cossitt Branch, Upper Level. Writers of all genres are welcome to join this friendly group. Writing sprints, critiques, and other activities are offered throughout the year. The group is currently working with author Michelle Herman’s collection of character development exercises found in her book Now Write. Registration recommended. DIY Holiday Gift Tags: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 6–7:30 p.m. at the Main Branch, and Thursday, Dec. 13, 6–7:30 p.m. at Cossitt Branch, Upper Level. Make your own holiday gift tags with a wide assortment of papers, embellishments, ribbons and more. There is no fee and all materials are provided in this DIY workshop. Adults, teens and tweens are encouraged to attend. It’s a fun family activity for parents willing to guide and supervise younger, school-age children. Registration recommended. Author Talk with Mike Reiss: Saturday, Jan. 12, 2–3 p.m. Main Branch. Celebrate the 30th season of the television show The Simpsons by meeting Mike Reiss, author of Springfield Confidential and writer for The Simpsons since its very first show. Reiss, a native of Bristol, Conn., is a crowd pleaser wherever he speaks. Don’t miss his humorous presentation packed with plenty of Simpsons’ trivia. Books will be available after the talk for purchase and signing by the author. Registration highly recommended. Book Spine Poetry, a program in the Better Living series: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1:30–2:30 p.m. (snow date Jan. 17) Main Branch. Looking for a way to let out your inner poet? Try this fun workshop with Beverly Army-Williams, a talented author and Westfield State University creative writing instructor. There is no right or wrong way to string together book titles from the shelves of the library. The results may surprise and inspire you! Registration recommended.

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Programs for Children and Families Please call 860-844-5284 for more information or to register. Programs will be cancelled if there is no school in Granby due to bad weather. Write a Letter to the North Pole: Nov. 26– Dec. 20. Main Branch. Write a letter and mail it

Senior Skinny cont’d. from p. 20 Enjoy real home-style food and shopping that’s reminiscent of America’s country heritage; on your own. Afterwards, let’s go to Walmart for more shopping. Cost $5. Buckland Hills Mall: Friday, Dec. 14, 9:30 a.m. Cost $4. Holyoke Mall: Friday, Jan. 11, 10 a.m. Cost $4.

FITNESS AND EXERCISE

MARK BRADY KITCHENS markbradykitchens.com

Playing For Pizza: Saturday, Jan. 19, 3–4:30 p.m. (snow date Jan. 26) Cossitt Branch. Are you ready for a bit of friendly competition? All ages are invited to share a slice of Sotelo’s pizza and a round or two of a favorite board game. Choose from dozens of games at the library or bring your own. Registration recommended. Live Clay Works Demonstration, a program in the Better Living series: Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1:30–3 p.m. (snow date Jan. 24) Main Branch. Watch nationally recognized ceramics artist Tim Scull throw clay and create a vessel on a potter’s wheel. Learn more about this ancient art form when Scull demonstrates the process of forming clay vessels. Finished works will also be available to view and touch. Registration recommended. Aromatherapy, a program in the Better Living series: Tuesday, Jan. 29, 1:30–2:30 p.m. (snow date Jan. 31) Main Branch. Savor the fresh aromatic blends of essential oils and learn more about their use for therapeutic purposes. Sara Thornton, clinical herbalist and proprietor of Ravenswood Natural Health, offers a better way to enjoy your afternoon and banish the winter blahs! Registration recommended. Knitting With Amy, a program in the Crafters Café series: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 6:30–7:30 p.m. (snow date Feb. 6) Main Branch. Adults, teens and tweens are invited to learn the knit stitch, how to cast on and bind off, and other beginning-knitting skills. Take home a sample of your work to use and enjoy! Purchase a Learn to Knit kit ($10) from the instructor or bring your own #7 knitting needles and worsted weight yarn. Families and youth groups are welcome to attend. Registration recommended. Chess Group: Thursdays, Dec. 6 and Jan. 10, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Cossitt Branch, Upper Level. Interested in a game of chess? Join this newly formed group as they play the most popular game in the world. Registration recommended.

Digital Workflow. Computers. Networks. Digital Security.

The Granby Senior Center offers a variety of affordable exercise classes throughout the week including yoga, Chi Gong, line dancing, aerobics and more. Intensity levels range from house cat to cheetah. Classes run by session or you can pay a drop-in fee. For the complete listing of classes visit granby-ct.gov/senior-services or check your Center Life Newsletter.

December’s Featured Class

Chair Yoga: Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. with Paula Pirog. Enhanced breathing, increased blood flow, reduced tension and better posture are achieved through the various yoga poses. Especially good for those with limited mobility.

in our special mail box. We’ll make sure Santa gets it in time! All materials provided. Craft Days at Cossitt Library: Dec. 1, 4, 6, and 8 and Jan. 5, 8, 10 and 12. Cossitt Branch, Lower Level. Stop by the Children’s Room at Cossitt and make a Santa gnome ornament in December and a penguin doorknob hanger in January. All materials provided. Preschool Story Time: Tuesdays, Dec. 4, 11 and 18 and Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29, 10:30–11 a.m. Main Branch. Preschoolers with a caregiver share stories, songs, finger plays and a craft with Miss Joan. No registration required. (No Dec. 25 or Jan. 1) Wee Ones: Thursdays, Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27 and Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31, 10:30–11 a.m. Main Branch. Board books, finger plays, songs and gentle movement for children from birth to age 2 with a caregiver. No registration required. Play Time: Wednesday, Dec. 26 and Thursday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Main Branch. Drop by for unstructured play with toys, trains, puzzles and more for toddlers with caregivers. Family Movie Night: Wednesdays, Dec. 5, 12, 19 and Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, beginning at 6 p.m. Main Branch. Bring the family and enjoy a movie; we’ll supply the popcorn! Call for film titles. No registration needed, just drop in. All ages. Family Movie Matinee: Wednesday, Dec. 26 and Thursday, Dec. 27 beginning at 1 p.m. Main Branch. Take a break from the holiday stress and relax with a family-friendly movie and some popcorn. Film titles will be posted two weeks in advance. No registration needed. All ages. We Love LEGOs: Friday, Dec. 28, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Main Branch. We have LEGOs and Duplos for you to play with. Come be creative! No need to register. Craft Week: Monday – Saturday, Jan. 14–19. Main Branch. Drop in anytime during the week and create a fun project to take home. All materials supplied. ZUMBA: Saturday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m. Main Branch. Move it to music with instructor Amy Thompson. Join us for a fun-filled session for kids ages 5–11. Preregistration is required, as space is limited to 12 participants.

NEW AT THE SENIOR CENTER Holiday Gift Cards

Looking for a special holiday gift for a senior friend, family member or loved one? Granby Senior Center Holiday Gift Cards are available for gift giving. The attractive gift cards can be applied to your recipients account and used for many programs offered at the Granby Senior Center. (Some restrictions apply).

Friendly Caller Program

Seniors can now receive a weekly phone call from a caring volunteer. If you are interested in having a short, enjoyable conversation and weekly contact, call the Senior Center at 860844-5352. Our volunteers are eager to say hello.

Granby Senior Center Beaders Showcase

The Granby Senior Center Beaders have a display of jewelry on sale from now until Christmas ranging in price from $5 to $35. Visit between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to see what you can find for Christmas gift giving. See the front desk regarding purchases. All proceeds from sales are donated to the Granby Senior Center.

Page 22 The Granby Drummer

December 2018

Foxfield F.A.R.M. Foundation Foxfield F.A.R.M. founders are guests on WTIC 1080 for Veterans Day Susan Patricelli Regan and Bill Regan, founders of Foxfield F.A.R.M., a non profit Foundation Groundwork Equine Therapy program for Veterans and First Responders with PTSD and related mental issues, were featured guests on the Nov. 10 Steve Parker WTIC 1080 show. This was a timely opportunity for the Regans, so close to Veterans Day, to educate listeners and potential military participants as to the benefits of this viable organic approach to addressing the challenges of mental illness from traumatic occurrences. For further information visit foxfieldrecoverymission.org L-R, Bill Regan, Susan Patricelli Regan, and Steve Parker.

CTVV covers mid-term election results Kevin Rennie, an icon in the political arena of journalism in Connecticut, joined Susan Patricelli Regan, host of CT Valley Views in a interview at the Connecticut Historical Society to provide comment on the state’s recent mid-term elections. Rennie, a lawyer, former member of both the state house and senate and a venerable political columnist for the Hartford Courant is candid and enlightening about the candidates, the “Trump Factor,” and his views of the national government scene. Viewers won’t want to miss this show on CT Valley Views website ctvalleyviews.com. Check your local PATV listings for time and channel in

your area. Also, see Rennie’s column at daileyructions.com to follow his commentary and views on important issues facing our state.

Kevin Rennie with Susan Patricelli Regan

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Newman’s Own champions Foxfield F.A.R.M. Newman’s Own “Common Good” has reaffirmed its advocacy for Foxfield F.A.R.M. Foundation via an on-line post from which a solicited interview with Susan Patricelli Regan, president and founder of the charity originated. Newman’s Own was one of the first major corporations that made a $10,000 donation to the foundation in 2016. Full article at commongood.com/articles/serving/new-kind-therapy-veterans

VNA’s canine volunteers

Visitors are always a bright spot when you are not feeling well. Even more special is a visit from a very large soft dog that patiently allows you to pet his soft thick fur and look into his understanding eyes. Vikahn and Yulee were a father and son team of a breed called Leonbergers, very large dogs that have worked as hospice companion volunteers along with their owner Vic Neumann at the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Association. Sadly, the dad, Vikahn, recently passed away from age-related disease. He was an amazing dog who provided so much love to many. Vikahn even provided comfort to the families in Newtown following their school tragedy. Yulee is now visiting solo, following well in his dad’s footsteps and providing companionship to the homebound, hospice patients, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, nursing facilities and schools. He brings fond memories of pa-

tients’ own pets and the enjoyment of his company is obvious on the faces of those he visits. He often calms those who are upset and brings company to the lonely. Yulee is so tall that patients can pet him right at their bedside and his gentle nature encourages interaction with all people. All dogs that visit hospice patients need to be certified pet therapy dogs and Yulee is certified through Therapy Dogs International. To contact the Farmington Valley VNA regarding any of its services or the Granby Food Bank, please call 860-651-3539 or visit the website at farmingtonvalleyvna.org

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 23

Waypoints By Mark Fiorentino

One Last Miracle It was a couple of weeks before Christmas 2002. We were at the home of a beagle breeder we had contacted to see if she had any puppies available. We thought Lincoln, our first beagle, would benefit from a companion, and our son Gage, then four years old, thought a new puppy would add to the holiday spirit. Gage was petting a sweet lemoncolored dog that was busy licking his hands and face. “She’s so nice. We’ll take her,” he said. The breeder smiled sheepishly. “Oh, I’m sorry. That’s our family dog. You came to look at her son. He’s … um … energetic, so I wanted you to get settled before I brought him in. Let me go get him.” She left the room, taking the sweet dog with her. A moment later, she called: “Here he comes!” In thundered a six-month old, stocky dog with a big square head, long floppy ears and paws that looked two sizes too big. As he ran past me in a blur, I thought, “There must be some mistake. That’s a basset hound.” He ran straight to Gage, jumped up and nipped him on the cheek. As the breeder grabbed the dog, her face red with embarrassment, tears welled in Gage’s eyes. “Are you all right, son?” I asked. “I think so, but I think he bit me. Am I bleeding?” He was working hard to keep it together. “No, but you have a red mark on your cheek.” Also trying hard to keep it together, I said to the breeder: “I’m not sure he’d be a good fit for us. We have another beagle at home and a nine-month old daughter. Is he always like this?” “He’s just a very … um … playful dog. That’s why his original owners wanted to give him back to me. They couldn’t deal with his energy. They are a Korean family and told me, ‘If you don’t find someone to take this dog, we’re going to make soup out of him.’” I knew the breeder had an excellent reputation for producing smart, healthy dogs. It turns out she was also a crafty salesperson. I seriously doubt that the family told her that, but Gage was sold. “Dad! We can’t let him become soup. He was just playing when he jumped on me. We have to take him.” I looked over at the dog. He was definitely a beagle, with brown freckles covering his short, strong muzzle. He was sitting in the breeder’s arms, staring right at me. “Don’t make eye contact,” I told myself. But, it was too late. I looked him in the eye, and I wondered at what I saw—not exactly inner peace, but not aggression or turmoil either. His eyes sparkled with what I can best describe as a mixture of longing and confidence. If he could talk, I believe he would have said, “I dare you.” Keeping eye contact with the dog, I said to the breeder, “We’ll take him.” The look in the dog’s eyes changed a little. There was acceptance and gratitude now. He looked to be saying, “We’re going to have a great run together.” We named him Sherman and he quickly became a fixture in our family. As most dogs do, he outgrew his puppy energy. But he never outgrew his quiet confidence. Throughout his life, to the very

end, Sherman carried himself in a manner that said, “Don’t underestimate me. You’d be surprised at what I can do.” And so, it became a tradition in our family to tell stories about things that Sherman had done. At family gatherings, we would take turns spinning yarns that always began with, “Remember when Sherman….” As in, Remember when Sherman had to spend all that time answering questions from the Warren Commission because he thought that the grassy knoll would be a good place to watch the parade? Or, Remember when Sherman was part of the NASA team that was going to land on the moon, but he got kicked off the mission because he ate all of the freezedried astronaut food? Or, Remember when Sherman learned to fly so he could help Santa deliver presents on Christmas? This last one led to Sherman’s true legacy. Each year, he would perform some Christmas “miracle.” Early on, the miracles were, perhaps, a bit fanciful—Sherman helping to make toys the

Sherman watching birds.

year many of the elves got sick with the flu. Gradually, the miracles became more pedestrian—Sherman ate only half of the cookies we left out, saving some for Santa. As the years went by, the kids lost both their belief in Santa and their interest in Sherman’s miracle-performing abilities. Until his last miracle, that is. It was Christmas Eve 2016. Ellie was

now 14, Gage 18. They were lying on the couches in our living room. The couches are arranged so that they form a rough “L”. There is a gap between the couches where the sides of the “L” come together. Through this gap, you can see from the living room a small portion of the hallway that runs the length of our house. The rest of the hallway is screened from view by one of the couches. The kids had humored Kristal Sherman and Ellie waiting for Santa. and me and we had just finished Santa. I looked at Gage. From where he watching ELF, our favorite Christmas was sitting, he couldn’t see through the movie. It was good family time, but let’s gap. But he could see our reaction. He just say there wasn’t much excitement in was smiling, and I saw the little boy who, the air. Sherman was on the couch with years ago, forgave a nip on the cheek. Ellie. He was 15 now, completely deaf Sherman walked slowly into the room, and partially blind. He looked forward to returned to his spot on the couch, and his two walks a day, and mostly slept the went back to sleep. rest of the time. He was sleeping now. We lost Sherman the next summer. As I woke him, “Come on, Sherman. we were waiting in Dr. Violette’s examiNot you too. Somebody has to keep the nation room, I made eye contact with him Christmas spirit alive. You can do it! one last time. He was sad and tired, but One more Christmas miracle. Fly, SherI saw that old sparkle. If he could talk, man, fly!” I think he would have said, “I told you Ellie said, “Dad, leave poor Sherman we’d have a great run.” alone. He’s tired.” Gage agreed, “Yeah, quit bugging him.” Sherman did look a little annoyed. He slid off the couch and began walking slowly towards the hallway, presumably on his way to a different couch in my office. This was usually Sherman’s way of saying that he preferred to be left alone. One of the kids said, “See what you did, Dad? You shouldn’t have pestered him.” In truth, I barely heard what was said. I was fixated on the tinkling of the tags on Sherman’s collar. He rarely moved fast enough anymore to cause tinkling. Ellie and I both looked toward the hallway. We couldn’t see Sherman, but we knew he wasn’t headed to my office. Suddenly, he burst through the gap in the couches. His feet were at least six inches from the floor, his ears floating on air, pointing out from the sides of Sherman on his last earthly walk. his head. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. We only tell one Sherman story now. Swoosh. Every year on Christmas Eve, one of us Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. will say: “Remember when Sherman flew I looked at Ellie. She was smiling and that one last time to remind us about the had tears in her eyes. In those eyes, I true spirit of Christmas?” saw the little girl who once believed in

Drumrolls

Bryant University named the following students to the spring dean’s list: Lindsay Brodeur, class of 2019, Kristen Perry, class of 2020, Alexandra Spica, class of 2018, Danielle Sturgeon, class of 2019. Jacob Falotico has been recognized for achieving academic distinction at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Falotico, majoring in chemical engineering, was named to the dean’s list at UMass Lowell for the spring 2018 semester. Wentworth Institute of Technology named the following students to the dean’s list for the school’s summer 2018 semester: Paul Kardos, Sam Levin, Christian Anders Nielson, Oliver J. Nigro, Joshua A. Dariah and Alexander L. Bodian.

Page 24 The Granby Drummer

Historic Footnotes Carol Laun

Archivist, Salmon Brook Historical Society

Conclusion: The 1919 Granby Center School Granby voted in 1918 to build a tworoom school, and sold the old school at auction to Leslie Korper. The new building cost $5,000 and was of “harmonious design” to the other buildings in the new community center. It was planned to conform to modern principles of education and designed for future expansion, if and when the Granby schools were ever consolidated. The Bushy Hill School was closed and the pupils bused to the Center. Enthusiastic students gave concerts and operettas to raise money to install electricity in their school and buy a Victrola. By 1925, the school was overcrowded and the 7th and 8th graders were bused to the North Granby School (now the Legion Hall). Additions were made to both Center School rooms in 1930. The 1948 Granby Consolidated School In 1945 Granby applied for aid to build

a consolidated school. The town was already busing 270 children to seven small schools, with eight grades in one room. Most of the schools lacked plumbing and playgrounds. The cost of operating seven separate schools had increased from $2,350 in 1893 to $50,000 in 1945. The citizens approved the plan to build a new school and voted $7,000 to buy land. In 1947, 14 acres were purchased on Rt. 10-202 and later Mildred Colton Allison and Carolyn Colton Avery donated three more acres to the school property. The consolidated school was constructed at a cost of $200,000 and opened in 1948. It consisted of the present center of the building and the south wing. For the first time since 1790, all of Granby’s elementary school students were gathered under the same roof. What happened to the center schools? The first known school in the First District was sold to Gift W. Adams for $41 in 1821. It was probably moved to its present location at 200 Salmon Brook Street in 1823. The school was converted to a house and sold to Allen Pettibone who married Amorette Smith on January 2, 1823.

Center School built 1919

December 2018

Both of them had been students in the old school. Allen was the son of Captain Ozias and Elizabeth (Pease) Pettibone, and Amorette was the daughter of Elijah and Anne (Phelps) Smith. They raised ten children in their tiny house. Allen worked as a maker of eave spouts. Amorette died in 1864 and Allen Granby Consolidated School built 1948 married three more times in Granby. The Old Town Hall Kinderbefore his death in 1895 at the age of 93. garten was in use through June 1992. There have been several additions to With the expansion of Kearns School, the the old school and it is still being ockindergarten was moved there. In 1995, cupied as a private home. the old school building was rented to the The 1823 school, also called The AcadVeterans of Foreign Wars, and they used emy on old maps, was sold in 1859 to the it for several years. Finally, it was sold to highest bidder for $63. The buyer was not South Congregational Church in 2009. named, but it must have been Dr. Jairus The 1948 Granby Consolidated EleCase, who moved the two story building mentary School had the north wing added to a site farther north. Case used it as a in 1950 and the school was renamed tenant house for his farm workers. Granby Memorial School. Increased The house at 281 Salmon Brook Street population required the building of Wells now has two apartments. It has been Road and Kearns Elementary Schools remodeled through the years and is well in the fifties. The center school became taken care of. Granby Memorial High School and the The 1859 school was sold to Leslie first senior class graduated in 1958. Korper in 1919 and taken down. He kept More buildings were constructed on the the school bell and took it with him when high school site and the old high school he moved out of Granby. His widow rebecame the Granby Memorial Middle turned the bell in 1961, and it is now on School in 1971. With the building of the display at the Salmon Brook Historical new middle school in 1992, and after Society in the cloakroom of the Cooley extensive renovation and additions to School. Previous researchers have asthe old building, the old middle school sumed that the bell was purchased in became the new Granby Memorial High 1861 but as written about earlier, it may School in 2000. be the original bell from the 1823 school. Out of the five First District school The 1919 Center School was used as buildings in the center, four are still in the Granby Town Hall from 1951 to use. The conservative citizens of Granby 1964, when the present town hall was even recycle their buildings. built. Valley Pre-School, a private kindergarten rented the building until 1968, when a public kindergarten was offered

TOWN OF GRANBY

2019 Recycling Pickup Schedule (recycling weeks indicated by shaded areas) Trash and Recycling barrels must be curbside prior to 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019

6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

New Year’s - 1/1/19

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31

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7 14 21 28

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W 4 11 18 25

No trash holidays this month

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Tu 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

W 2 9 16 23 30

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Th F Sa 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31

Independence Day – 7/4/19

No trash holidays this month

31 7 14 21 28

Tu W Th

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4 11 18 25

December 2019 Sa 2 9 16 23 30

Su 1 8 15 22 29

Christmas - 12/25/19

M 2 9 16 23 30

Tu 3 10 17 24 31

Paine’s 2019 observed holidays

Labor Day - September 2, 2019 Thanksgiving Day - November 28, 2019 Christmas Day - December 25, 2019

When in doubt, put it out!

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31

Trash/recycling pickup will be delayed by one day if your pickup day is on or after the holiday.

New Year’s Day - January 1, 2019 Memorial Day - May 27, 2019 Independence Day - July 4, 2019

No trash holidays this month

November 2019

Thanksgiving – 11/28/19

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 August 2019

30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

October 2019

No trash holidays this month

July 2019

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

September 2019 Su M 1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30

June 2019

1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30 31

Labor Day – 9/2/19

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May 2019

Memorial Day – 5/27/19

No trash holidays this month

W 4 11 18 25

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 25

Granby Land Trust art show awards Artists from across New England Award for Road to Infinity. The Ray Betentered their art in the 2018 Granby ts Award, given by Carol and Greg Reid, Land Trust Art Show: Celebrating New went to Tim Matregrano for No. 448c. England’s Natural Beauty. The artists Linda Lastoff won the Mildred Dewey found inspiration in beautiful natural Award, given by Jenny and Dave Emery landscapes across New England, includfor The Boardwalk. William Simpson ing a number of properties preserved won the Helen and Al Wilke Award for by the Granby Land Trust, such as the Equinox. Joseph Burger won the Tudor Ann Pelka Preserve, the Mary Edwards and Laura Holcomb Award, given by Mountain Property and Lost Acres Nannie and Put Brown for The Room Orchard. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the GLT’s friends, the juried art show offers nearly $5,000 in award money. The juror for this year’s show was Pamela St. Clair, director and curator of Cooper and Smith, a 5,000 square-foot gallery in Essex. The show’s top prize, the Don and Marty Wilmot Award, went to Marija P. McCarthy for her watercolor painting Twin Barns. Jay Harder was awarded the Granby Land Trust Award for his photograph titled A Pelka Sunrise. And Del-Bourree Bach won the Sandy and Dave Schupp Award for The Fox Went Marija McCarty’s watercolor painting, Twin Barns, won the Don and Marty Wilmot Out on a Chilly Night. Additional prizes were awarded as Award. Submitted photo. follows: Lisa Linehan won the Austin McNey Memorial Award given by Upstairs. Stuart Browning won the MatKaren, Scott and Patrick McNey for thew K. Orluk Award, given by Trish Morning Mist. Alexander Anisimov Percival and Rick Orluk for Orchard won the Granby Artists Association Sunrise. Marilyn Cosgrove won the Olof Stevenson Award given by Jamie Gamble for Vibrant Waters. The William Stewart Award, given by Dave and Judy Russell, went to Diane Caswell Christian for Breaking. Stephen Linde won the Carol and Dick Caley Award for August by the Beach. At the show’s conclusion, the People’s Choice Award, given by Lost Acres Vineyard, will be decided, based on votes submitted by visiJay Harder’s photograph, A Pelka Sunrise, won tors to the vineyard. the Granby Land Trust Award. Submitted photo. The Land Trust is grateful to

Lost Acres Vineyard was the place to be on Nov. 1, the opening night of the GLT’s annual art show. Submitted photo.

Mark Wetzel and Fiduciary Investment Advisors, LLC and Ted Cormier and ALIRT Insurance Research, LLC for their ongoing, loyal support of the show. In addition, the Land Trust thanks event co-chairs Els Fonteyne and Laurie Schock for organizing the show’s Opening Night; Bill Simpson and Laura Eden for their wise counsel, advice and hard work and for organizing the show’s Art Talk; and Michelle Niedermeyer and Kevin Riggott of Lost Acres Vineyard for Del-Bouree Bach’s acrylic on panel, The Fox Went hosting the show. Lastly, the GLT Out on a Chilly Night, won the Dave and Sandy thanks Tony Capelli for his beauti- Schupp Award. Submitted photo. ful floral arrangements.

In Memory of . . . Cizman, William “Bill” Thomas, 84, husband of Irene (Polonchak) Cizman, Oct. 20 Wix, Kenneth, 54, Oct. 20 Capen, Beatrice Blanche, 81, wife of John Capen, Oct. 25

Fontana, Anthony, 55, husband of Lori (Hurst) Fontana, Oct. 26 Baker, William “Bill” Raymond, Jr., 90, husband of Regina (Stelmach) Baker, Oct. 26 McKay, Owen, 83, husband of Breda Maureen (Sigerson) McKay, Nov. 12

Page 26 The Granby Drummer

Faye Bowles

Proprietor: Freshie’s Café, 83 Salmon Brook Street, Granby Age: 52

Talk about your roots and how you got to this point in your life… I grew up in Winsted, my father was an engineer and our family had a restaurant in the area. When I was quite young my dad gave each of my siblings and myself $100 and told us to invest it wisely so as to have some money for college. I drove to New York City, bought a hot dog cart and brought it back to Winsted. I sold so many Grote and Weigels that the cart put me through Northwest Community College and Central Connecticut State University. Initially I went into the Army Reserves at age 17 and became a dental hygienist. This allowed me to travel to many different locations in the United

States and instilled in me a great respect for people in the military. Later I studied sales and ended up with a business degree. After this I worked in the corporate world for ConnectiCare Insurance. All the while in the corporate world I began to yearn for the enjoyment of working in or owning a restaurant since I truly love both cooking and meeting new people. My memories of childhood watching my parents cook marvelous Italian meals, and then lingering to

December 2018

relish the time eating and socializing kept edging into my thoughts. My brother has had a restaurant called Fabiola’s in Avon for many years. Oftentimes I would talk with people there who asked, “Why don’t we have a place like this in Granby?” As the years passed, my husband and I settled in Granby and we have been here for about 16 years. At first I worked for James Chen at Han restaurant and then was a part of the new Italian restaurant near Geissler’s called LaFigata. I drove to many different locations in order to find the huge red, round pizza oven in the center of the main room. Eventually I wanted to have my own café and fortunately the opportunity to open Freshie’s presented itself. My husband Mark encouraged me to do this and has been my best cheerleader.

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R CALL FO ! ! SAVINGS

Where does the name come from?... I was one of five children; three boys and two girls. My siblings have habitually teased me saying that I was the freshest one of the bunch. The second reason for the name is, of course, all the ingredients we use are of the freshest quality; for example, all our salad dressings are homemade. Our menu is continually changing based on what is in season and homemade soups can regularly be found on the blackboard. Talk about why you chose to live in Granby…. I have a son who has attended the Granby schools and I can honestly say that I liked every teacher he ever had here. The school system is a very strong one in my opinion. Along with the academics I also like all of my son’s friends. There is a strong sense of community here; people have sent me cards, good wishes and even flowers for the café opening. An activity my husband and I both love here in Granby is snowshoeing at McLean game refuge after a deep snowfall. A few years ago he stamped out a huge heart with an arrow on the backside fields of McLean in celebration of Valentine’s Day!

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CHRISTMAS EVE

4:00 pm. Children’s Christmas Service 6:00 pm. Contemporary Family Service

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December 25

CHRISTMAS DAY

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December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 27

Fortune & Folly of a

Wall “bearly” repaired

Female Farmer

B y Kate B ogli

Life Is Hard

I’ve vowed to be positive, so don’t get me wrong: life is hard. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. See, we’ve been working hard on the farm. Since the snow started melting, my seven-daya week job just kept getting longer and longer. It’s a hustle in the spring to get seeds started and the garden planted, fences mended from winter’s harsh weather. Summer is a time of endless days and seven-day-work-weeks for weeks on end. Even our kids have been working hard—they don’t spend summer days lounging around the pool or the beach. They are very involved in the quantity and quality of the work we do on the farm from cleaning horse stalls to putting up hay bales. Summer is followed by fall, an equally busy season with harvesting chores and preparing for winter. But this isn’t a terrible thing. I bet Michael Phelps would say life is hard too. Bill Gates and Oprah are notorious work-a-holics as well. But I don’t think any of them believe working hard is a bad thing.

I chuckle to myself when the kids taking horseback riding lessons tell me, “but _______ (fill in the blank with whatever we’re working on) is hard”. Note they don’t usually say “too hard”, just “hard.” To which I reply: “Yes! It is hard! So let’s get practicing!” Sometimes I have to give the pep talk to myself. When it’s 7 p.m. and I’ve been working since 7 a.m., and there are a couple more things to do and I’m dirty and tired, I try to think about all the good things about farming. Hey—I’m not sitting inside, at a desk; I am my own boss. I get to do lots of different tasks in one day; I get to bring my kids to my workplace. Just that change of focus takes me from “I’m tired and dirty” to “how great to have such a fulfilling, accommodating job.” Maybe the connotation of the phrase “Life is Hard” can be reinvented with just a change of attitude. Let’s substitute “Life is Hard (hurrah!)” for “Life is Hard (bummer!)” What can you do to make your life a little harder?

In need of inexpensive repair for your stone wall? This teenage bear will be happy to help you. Photo by Peter Dinella

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Page 28 The Granby Drummer

Friends of Holcomb Farm News The Friends of Holcomb Farm hosted its sold-out Harvest Dinner and Silent Auction on Nov. 3, and raised almost $15,000 for its Fresh Access program. The event, held annually at the Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury, featured a menu of fresh produce dishes expertly crafted by Chef Chris Prosperi. More than 35 items were donated by individuals and businesses from Granby and neighboring communities for the evening’s auction. The funds will be used to provide produce to individual Granby families in the form of CSA shares distributed through Granby Social Services, and to our institutional partners, including the Granby Senior Center, the Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen, The Healing Meals Community Project, the Hispanic Health Council of Hartford, and Wheeler Clinic. We are grateful to all the donors, diners and bidders for their support. The Wheeler Clinic is the newest of our partners, providing food, preparation instruction, and other health and wellness programming to constituents through its Albany Avenue location in Hartford. We will be growing this program in 2019, thanks to a donor-directed grant of $4,000 recently received through the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

The Friends of Holcomb Farm Fresh Access program has been selected by Lost Acres Vineyard as one of its preferred partners for its December Giving Tree initiative. All month, every bottle of wine purchased will earn the customer a token, which can be deposited in a gift box for one of the partner organizations, including FOHF Fresh Access. At the end of the month, the Vineyard will donate $1 for each token to the respective organizations. The Friends of Holcomb Farm thanks Lost Acres Vineyard for including us in this initiative, and we thank all of you who will be purchasing this great local wine to support our cause. We want to take this opportunity in the last Drummer issue of 2018 to thank everyone who has supported the Friends of Holcomb Farm—as CSA shareholders, by shopping at the farm, by volunteering in the fields, in the barns or on the trails, for fundraising, by being dues-paying members of the organization and by donating time, talents or treasures in the myriad ways you do—we wish you a great start to a happy and wholesome 2019. May the coming year be filled with warm sunshine and fresh food from our local farms.

The Friends of Holcomb Farm thank the following individuals and businesses who donated to the 2018 Harvest Dinner. We are so grateful for their support. ANEW Massage/Granby Village Health Kris and Tracy Arnold, Arnold Roofing Put and Nannie Brown Stuart Browning Avis Cherichetti, Honey Hill Pottery Laura Eden David Emery, Emery Farm Jenny Emery Kristal Fiorentino Amy Geigner Jean-Luc Godard Granby Parks and Recreation Dept. Erick Holm Whitey and Paula Johnson Gary Kanter and Kelly Lynch Scott Kuhnly

Shirley Murtha Michelle Niedemeyer, Lost Acres Loft John O’Brien, O’Brien Nurseries Joe O’Grady Jack Lareau Eric Lukingbeal Deb Orosz Chef Chris Prosperi, Metro Restaurant Carol and Greg Reid David Rosen Jim and Donna Snyder Mary Alice Stielau Village Cork and Keg Ed Voskowsky

December 2018

Harvest Dinner was a delight, from start to finish

Above, left, Sarah Leathers, Executive Director of the Healing Meals Programs, shares highlights of their program, and thanks Fresh Access patrons at the Annual Friends of Holcomb Farm Harvest Dinner. Above, right, Al Wilke signals that the Harvest Dinner is a winner, as Shirley Murtha looks on in agreement. Left: Diners line up for a sampling of dishes featuring Holcomb Farm produce, expertly prepared by Chef Chris Prosperi and staff at Metro Bis.

Supporting a Caring Community since 1960 Join us for our Open House!

Saturday, January 19th, 2019, 9-11am (Snow date: Sunday, 1/20, 1-3pm)

Children are Welcome!

Fostering creative exploration

For 70 years, Valley Pre-School, Inc., a non-profit cooperative, has encouraged children to be curious learners and creative problem solvers, preparing them for a confident and successful transition to kindergarten and beyond. Applications can be downloaded from our website at www.valleypreschoolinfo.org or call 860-653-3641 for more information.

Meals-on-Wheels provides home delivery of nutritious meals to homebound residents. Contributing to the Granby Community Fund helps support organizations that provide services to residents in the Granby community. www.granbycommunityfund.com

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 29

Granby Churches: FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 219 N. Granby Rd. 860-653-4537 Dec. 10 Dec. 21 Dec. 24

Sun. 7 p.m. Thurs. 7 p.m. Sun. 5 & 9 p.m.

Acoustic Christmas Blue Christmas Christmas Eve Service

PILGRIM COVENANT CHURCH 605 Salmon Brook St. 860-653-3800 Call church for details.

Mon.

Dec. 25

Tues.

5 p.m. 10 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH 11 Church St., Tariffville 860-651-0201

Dec. 1 Dec. 24

Dec. 8

Sat

Dec. 9

Sun.

WEST GRANBY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 87 Simsbury Rd. 860-653-7437

Dec. 12

Wed.

Dec. 24

Dec. 16

Sun.

Area Churches:

Dec. 24

Mon.

Call church for details.

Dec. 25

Tues.

Sat. Mon.

Mon.

Vigil Christmas Eve Mass Christmas Day Mass Christmas Day Mass

Live Nativity, SB Park Christmas Eve Service Christmas Eve Service

7 p.m. Traditional Candlelight Service

4:30 p.m. Services of Lessons & Carols 4:30 p.m. Services of Lessons & Carols 7 p.m. Service of Hope & Healing 9:45 a.m. Children’s Christmas Pageant 4 p.m. Children’s Service 6 p.m. Contemporary Worship Service 9 p.m. Festive Choral Service 9 a.m. Holy Communion with Traditional Carols

OLD ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 59 Tariffville Rd., Bloomfield 860-242-4660

SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 242 Salmon Brook St. 860-653-7289

Dec. 16 Dec. 23

Sun. Sun.

Dec. 24 Dec. 25

Dec. 24

Mon.

Mon. Tues.

5–8 p.m. 5 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

COPPER HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 27 Copper Hill Rd., East Granby 860-653-7356

ST. THERESE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 120 W. Granby Rd. 860-653-3371 Dec. 24

VALLEY BROOK COMMUNITY CHURCH 160 Granville Rd., North Granby 860-844-0001

5 & 9 p.m. Christmas Eve Service 2 p.m. Christmas Dinner

5 p.m. Tidings of Comfort & Joy 10:30 a.m. Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols 4 p.m. Holy Eucharist 7:30 p.m. Musical Prelude 8 p.m. Chorale Holy Eucharist

Parks & Recreation Kristine Vincent, CPRP: Director of Recreation and Leisure Services Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at Salmon Brook Park; open 24/7 at GranbyRec.com for program registration. Telephone: 860-653-8947 Website: GranbyRec.com Program/Trip Registration: All programs/trips are based on a first come basis and space availability and require advance registration; payment must accompany registration. Please register early to avoid disappointment. WINTER AND SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE

The 2019 Winter and Spring Activity Guide will be mailed to homes in early December.

Letters To Santa

Imagine the excitement in your house when your child receives a hand-written, personalized letter from Santa. Our team of elves are ready to help Santa spread some holiday cheer and good wishes. Each letter is sure to add magic to the Christmas season and can set a worried mind at ease, as each reader learns that he or she is, indeed, on Santa’s Good list. Once you register, print out Santa’s Questionnaire (available at granbyrec.com) and have your child complete the questionnaire and bring him/her to Salmon Brook Park to place it in Santa’s special mail box. Leave the rest to the elves!

Events

Holidays in a Teacup, ages 10 and up: Thursday, Dec. 6 , 6:30–8 p.m. at SBP Gathering Room. Bring your own teacup or holiday mug or choose one at the workshop. Get creative and make a one of a kind treasure for yourself or to give as a gift. Holiday cookies and all kinds of festive, fun supplies. Bring your own beverage. Cost $25 if bring your own teacup, $30 to select one of ours. Bus Trip to New York City: Saturday, Dec. 1. These days in the city are on your own to enjoy the Big Apple. See Chinatown, Little Italy, Central Park, a museum, the zoo, a Broadway show or shop. The usual drop off points in the City are The Metropolitan Museum of

Art, The Plaza Hotel and Rockefeller Center. Pickup is 7 p.m. in front of Stage Coach Tavern, on 7th Avenue between 53rd and 54th Street. $48pp. Holiday Marketplace Event: Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 2, 12–4 p.m., at the Holcomb Farm. Granby Artists Association and Granby Recreation are pleased to present a collaborative Holiday Art and Holiday Marketplace Event at Holcomb Farm, 113 Simsbury Road, in West Granby. Both the North Barn Pavilion and Main Barn will be filled with booths selling a variety of arts and crafts, much of it made here in Granby. You will find treasures to wrap, handmade cards, stocking fillers and much more. Enjoy a festive atmosphere listening to local school children’s music performances. Take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee or small lunch at the Waste Not Want Not pop-up café. Santa’s Breakfast: Saturday, Dec. 8, two seatings, at 8 or 10 a.m. Join us for this annual holiday celebration at the beautiful Holcomb Farm North Barn Pavilion. Holiday crafts, festive music and breakfast that includes pancakes, bacon, fruit, coffee, hot chocolate and juice. Children will get a surprise visit from the big man himself and can get their picture taken with him. $9 for ages 15 and up, $6 for ages 1–14. Register today, this family program is almost sold out.

Ski Sundown

Registration is open for the Wells Road/ Middle School/High School after school ski/snowboard program. Sign up soon, space is limited.

Youth Basketball Program

NOW is the time to register your child (grades K-8) for the Granby Recreational Basketball Program. Games are scheduled for Saturdays and practices are held for grades 2–8 once a week. Volunteer coaches are also needed. Register today at granbyrec.com. Cost $125pp.

Party or Event Planning

Have your next family or other private event at Salmon Brook Park or Holcomb Farm. The Salmon Brook Park House is a beautiful facility that can accommodate up to 99 people, featuring a gas fireplace

and central air. The North Barn Pavilion at Holcomb Farm is built to look like a barn but this gorgeous new building has all of the modern amenities to make your event for up to 125 people a day to

remember. Dates fill fast. Call to get more information or visit GranbyRec.com to see pictures and rental info.

There’s no place like home. Just ask the pet who doesn’t have one.

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

Page 30 The Granby Drummer

December 2018

GMHS SPORTS BOYS SOCCER OCT. 23 VS ROCKVILLE

Co-Captain Daniel Pierce, Goalie clearing the ball.

# 14 Timothy McDonald with a header.

# 11 Grady Kelly kicking the ball down-field.

GIRLS SOCCER OCT. 26 VS. COVENTRY

# 7 Tessa McMillan running with the ball towards the goal.

#15 Sarah Cramer with some keep-away footwork.

#11 Maria Nolan catching some air.

FOOTBALL NOV. 2 VS. GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN

#24 Co-Captain Samuel Attianese running with the ball.

#15 Matthew Zyzdorf, the Kicker.

#25, Andel Smith, Jr. running for a touchdown.

GIRLS SOCCER 11/7 VS. HOLY CROSS IN THE SECOND ROUND CLASS M GIRLS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS WHICH GRANBY WON 1-0 (PK3-1)

#17 Lucy Jacobs passing the ball.

#11 Maria Nolan controlling the ball.

#25 Samantha St. Pierre moving the ball down the field.

Photos by Jay Harder, Granby Camera Club

December 2018 The Granby Drummer Page 31

GMHS SPORTS FIELD HOCKEY

Sophomore Avery Bryanton #25 has a great shot on goal in Granby’s win over Suffield.

Senior and Captain Georgia McDougall makes a great pass down in Granby’s win over Suffield.

Junior Maddy Russell beats her opponent to the ball to help secure the win for Granby.

Captain Gabi Sturgeon wins the ball versus her Simsbury opponent.

Sophomore Meggie Hennessey quickly moves the ball toward goal in Granby’s victory over Pomperaug.

Granby teammates celebrate a goal by #2 forward Mya Rivard.

Photos by Kelly Hennessey

Page 32 The Granby Drummer

Closer to Home

December 2018

Raising funds for the USO

Support our local businesses while saving some gas and time. Tell them you saw their ad in the Drummer. Advertiser Page Beacon Mechanical 9 Beman Hardware 8 Berkshire Hathaway Corp 16 Berkshire Hathaway Reardon 7 Berkshire Hathaway Shepherds Way 18 Brignole Bush & Lewis 2 Cahill’s Motors 5 Cambridge Brew House 18 Carmon Funeral Home 5 Carter Robert Painting 27 Center Grill 27 Chiropractic Care 3 Christopher Bryant 22 Coldwell Banker 32 Command Corporation 9 Connecticut Geriatric Neuropsychiatry 27 Creative Learning Preschool Center 14 D’Agata Granite & Bronze 6 Ensle Paint 11 First Congregational Church 12 GCF-Meals on Wheels 28 Granby Artists Association 26 Granby Dental Dr. Kirschbaum 13 Granby Food Bank 4 Granby Insurance 6 Granby Package Store 5 Granby Pharmacy 15 Granby Village Health 8 Higleyville Coin 11 Horses and Hounds 14 Jen Violette Glass 29 Jim Clark Snow Plowing 22 Jim Clark Don’t Slip 27 Judy Guarco Berkshire Hathaway 9

Advertiser Page Larry’s Construction 11 Main Street Door 21 Maple Corners Farm 14 Mark Brady Kitchen 21 MeadowBrook of Granby 19 Melvin Porter Electrical & Plumbing 12 O.P. Painting 10 Pierce Builders-Meadowgate 6 Public Works Recycle schedule 24 Route 10 Tire 11 Salmon Brook Shops 27 Sanditz Travel Management 13 Santa Realty 15 Seniors Helping Seniors 27 Sig’s Plumbing & Pump 13 Silver Street Glass, LLC 25 Small Town Septic 15 South Congregational Church 13 State Line Oil Propane 8 Strain Family Equestrian Center 6 Subseven 21 Suffield FFA Holiday 26 Sullivan Hardwood Floors 6 Swim Center at Westminster 19 Thomas Sullivan - Morgan Stanley 5 Trinity Episcopal Church 22, 31, 26 Troiano Oil Company 26 Two Park Place 3 Valley Brook Community Church 25, 31 Valley Pre-School 28 Walker Kitchen Design 23 Walsh Chiropractic 19 West Granby Methodist Church 14 Westfield Bank 17 Windsor Federal 10

Granby Stop & Shop’s Rosia Kennedy doing what she does so well— raising funds for the USO. All of the raffle proceeds benefited U.S. service men and women in recognition of Veterans Day. Photo by Sheila White

February 2019 deadlines ADS: Wednesday, January 9 noon Ad Team 860-653-9222, leave message. Email: ads@granbydrummer.org. ARTICLES: Monday, January 14 noon Drummer phone: 860-653-9222. Email: editor@granbydrummer.org WORK DATES: January 8-21 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 at: www.granbydrummer.org.

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