Welcome to our August Issue. Our theme this month is Kids & Pets and we have several stories that focus on both!
Our Local Limelight this month is Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital , a family-owned veterinary clinic that's been locally owned since 1965. It was recently purchased by longtime Glastonbury residents Jason and Griffin Haviar, veterinarians who are proud to continue the family-focused tradition at Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital.
We also spoke with the owners of The Learning Experience , an Oak Street preschool that focuses on teaching young children about the value of philanthropy. That theme of giving back is woven throughout the school's curriculum and is a central tenet in the owners lives.
Looking for something to do with the kids in the waning days of summer?
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Cultural Center is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year and part of its celebration includes a new exhibit called 13 Moons, which teaches about the native calendar and how each month focuses on a different aspect of nature.
We also spoke with the leaders of the First Tee - Connecticut , a nonprofit that uses golf instruction to bring the game into the lives of kids who might not otherwise have access to it and to teach them valuable lessons about life.
Lastly, if you had a son or daughter who attended Smith Middle School in the last 25 years you probably have met or heard of Richard "Dr. Bro" Broggini. The 8th grade science teacher has a knack for connecting to kids through humor and years ago established a routine of telling each of his classes a joke of the day. It became so popular that Dr. Bro has even written a book containing hundreds of his jokes. We spoke with him about how his "Joke of the Day" got started and endures.
Speaking of school, did you know that parents in the greater Hartford area have a choice about what schools their kids can attend? We took a look at a state program for students entering Pre-K through Grade 12. Their parents can apply for free public schools outside of their home district that fit their child's unique interests and passions.
We hope you enjoy this month's issue of Glastonbury Lifestyle Magazine and that you enjoy these last few weeks of summer!
GARY PERRELLI, PUBLISHER @GLASTONBURYLIFESTYLE
August 2023
PUBLISHER
Gary Perrelli | gary.perrelli@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR Eileen McNamara eileen.mcnamara@citylifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Jill Barry | jill.barry@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Ivy Perrelli | ivy.perrelli@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brian Ambrose, Melani Lust, Carrie Draghi
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Tiffany Slowinski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein
CONTROLLER Gary Johnson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Emily Lisenbee
Let’s
• Urgent appointments available for infections and fractures.
• Comprehensive foot and ankle care.
• Conservative management of foot and ankle conditions.
• Surgical management of foot and ankle conditions.
• Minimally invasive surgical management of foot and ankle conditions.
• Minimally invasive Bunionectomy.
Common Issues:
Hammertoe Correction / Warts
Athletes’ Foot + Fungal Toenails
Foot + Ankle Fractures / Heel Pain
Ulcerations + Wounds
Gout / Ingrown Toenails
What makes this procedure better than traditional bunion surgery?
1. Smaller, more cosmetically appealing scar
2. Less pain post operatively
3. Walking recovery
4. No decrease in range of motion of the big toe joint
Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @glastonburylifestyle
Comparion Insurance Agency is hosting a “Small Business Spotlight” across town at various businesses on Aug. 8. Please stop by the following businesses and meet your local Comparion agent. Pinwheels, Silver Dhalia, Panera, Luna Pizza, Fresh Monkey, Brown Butter, Edge Fitness, Zenniken’s Waffle, Spicy Green Bean and Jersey Mikes. There will be giveaways as well as chances to earn gift cards back to the establishment, you will not want to miss it! Visit Comparioninsurance.com .
Darya Olegovna Barshak, DDS, has joined the team at Advance Dental in East Hartford. Dr. Barshak earned her degree at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. To provide her clients with state-of-theart multi-disciplinary treatments, she pursued extensive training via internationally renowned implant coursework and two residency programs Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the University of Maryland and General Practice Residency at Bellevue Hospital Center of Manhattan. For more information visit Advanceddentalct.com.
Renbrook School’s recent “Flight Day” celebrated its deep connection with the family of Frederick B. Rentschler, who founded Pratt & Whitney and donated to the school his estate atop Avon Mountain. Students flew drones and kites, launched rockets, engineered balsa gliders, enjoyed campus flyovers by a Pratt & Whitney pilot, and learned about the huge engines Pratt & Whitney brought in. For more information on Renbrook, which “brings learning to life” for children, visit Renbrook.org Scan
Greenwich Medical Spa, which operates at 140 Glastonbury Blvd., recently won the Best Medical Spa category in the Connecticut Magazine's Readers Choice Awards. "We are beyond grateful to announce that Greenwich Medical Spa has been awarded Best Med Spa in 2023! We'd like to thank our loyal patients and the entire Hartford County community for your continued support, this award wouldn’t be possible without you," said Marria Pooya, CEO of Greenwich Medical Spa. Visit Greenwichmedicalspa.com.
Steve Lamantini, owner of Lion's Share Family Services, has attained his Certified Dementia Practiioner certification. "I'm proud to announce that I have obtained my CDP certification. The CDP recognizes the highest standard in Alzheimer's and dementia care education. As a CDP my goal is to enhance the use of new methods, theories and tools related to dementia care practices for my clients." Lion's Share provides personalized "concierge" home care services. Visit Lionssharefamilyservices.com for more information.
June was National Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and New Season In Life, as a Certified Dementia Practitioner, was out and about using our knowledge, experience and passion for seniors to host seminars. We provided free information sessions at libraries and senior centers around the state, with educational presentations on brain health and dementia. To learn more visit Newseasoninlife.com
Photography Melanie Lust
Photography Carrie Draghi
Hoffman Auto Group is breaking ground on a new facility at the company's headquarters at 630 Connecticut Blvd., in East Hartford. “The next 100 years of Hoffman starts now," said Bradley Hoffman, Hoffman Auto Group co-chairman. “We’re leading with a totally new, ‘next generation’ Porsche facility, making it one of the first of its kind in the world. Our clients will get the pure expression of the Porsche experience." Visit Hoffmanauto.com for information.
With deep roots here, Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital has long been a family-focused animal-care practice.
“This really is a family story about a local veterinary practice with a long history of caring for local family pets,” says Dr. Griffin Haviar.
Griffin, along with her husband, Dr. Jason Haviar, recently purchased Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital, which is located at 121 Pratt St. The couple are longtime Glastonbury residents and have two children, a daughter, Finley and a son, Maxwell. The family also includes a cat, Sushi, and two Rhodesian Ridgebacks: Bodhi and Sparkle.
Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital was founded in 1965 by a local veterinarian, Ed Stewart. Dr. Stewart sold the practice in 1993 to William Keish. He practiced veterinary medicine for over 40 years. He prided himself
in practicing alongside his daughter, Laura Sprague for many years and she eventually purchased the practice from him.
Griffin and Jason decided to purchase the facility when Dr. Sprague needed the help of additional veterinarians. She was also looking forward to slowing down and eventually relocating to the midwest after her daughter Caitlin, an aspiring veterinarian herself, heads to college.
“It was always our longtime dream to own our very own veterinary practice and we’re proud to continue the tradition of a family-owned practice here,” Griffin says. “It’s very rare for a veterinary practice to be sold to a family as compared to a corporation, this was important to Dr. Sprague as well to continue that tradition for her clients and staff. She didn’t want to lose that family-feel and was very happy to find the right fit.”
CONTINUED >
Griffin earned her veterinary degree in 2007 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Jason earned his veterinary degree in 2003 from Purdue University and is the former owner of the Animal Emergency Hospital of Central Connecticut. Both his father and sister are also veterinarians graduating from Purdue University and own the Animal Hospital of Rocky Hill.
“Dr. Jay grew up watching and learning from the very best, his father,” Griffin says. “From a young age, he was always in the clinic watching and assisting his father. This is why having his own practice and now letting his children learn from him is very important. Finley has hopes to follow in the family’s footsteps of becoming a veterinarian (likely from Purdue.) Max would like to be a police officer. The children have helped with a few puppy deliveries as well!”
Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital has a staff of 12, including two veterinarians. Dr. Sprague and Dr. Haviar. Griffin works to manage the practice while fulfilling veterinary obligations nearby. GVH staff also includes a few receptionists and veterinary technicians.
Griffin says GVH’s mission is to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to family pets through progressive preventive care, customized to the unique needs of every patient. The hospital’s staff also seeks to provide a comforting environment for pets to mitigate the fear that some animals might experience during a veterinary visit.
“We treat our animal patients the same way we would treat our own pets,” Griffin says. “We provide custom treatment plans for all of our patients and we consider ourselves consultants who help clients make the best health care decisions based on their individual needs. Our staff is kind and courteous and takes pride in being honest and always accessible. We’re eager to have every owner and pet receive the highest level of care.”
Glastonbury Veterinary Hospital
121 Pratt St.
Phone: 860-633-3588
Email: Gvhstaff@gmail.com
Online: Glastonburyvet.com
On a recent morning at Smith Middle School, science teacher Rich “Dr. Bro” Broggini is standing on his head in the lobby, singing “Happy Birthday” to a student.
The child’s mother is nearby, taking videos with her cell phone. Her son, she explains, has a summer birthday and missed out on Mr. Broggini’s ritual of celebrating his students’ birthdays by singing to them while standing on his head.
It’s one of the many ways the personable and upbeat 8th grade physics teacher connects with his students to keep them interested and engaged in a subject so many kids find daunting or boring. But for most students, his most engaging tactic is his daily joke.
Q. Why did the cell phone wear glasses to school?
A. It lost its contacts.
Every day, in every class, Dr. Bro starts the lesson with a Q&A style joke, usually connecting it to whatever lessons the kids are getting, either in his class or in one of their other classes.
It came about organically, Dr. Bro says. He liked to tell the occasional joke to students and then one day decided to tell one before starting his class. The corny oneliner got as many chuckles as groans from the kids, but the next day they demanded: “What’s the joke of the day?”
And so, a popular routine was born. Dr. Bro says he tries to come up with jokes that have some kind of science component to them. But he also checks out what his students are learning about in other classes so he can tailor his barbs to other lessons.
ARTICLE BY EILEEN M. MCNAMARAQ. Why was the expecting English teacher yelling Shouldn’t, Wouldn’t, Can’t?
A. She was having contractions.
It became such a hit students started offering up their own jokes for his use. Sometimes Dr. Bro even calls on the students to tell the Joke of The Day before class. Last year, at his students’ urging, he collected all of the jokes into a paperback book that got published last year. “Dr. Bro’s Joke of The Day For School” was illustrated by some of his students and is available on Amazon for $5.99.
Q. How do cows travel through time?
A. They don’t go to the future, they go to the PAST-ure.
And yes, Dr. Bro is aware his jokes are corny, but says that’s what makes them so perfect for a middle school audience. He even got
a small cymbal and drumstick so that someone in the audience can do the obligatory “Badum-dum” drumroll after a joke.
Q. What do you call a dinosaur in a car accident?
A. A Tyrannosaurus-WRECK.
The jokes add a bit of levity and joy and makes the process of learning more approachable. Telling them, he says, is part of his overall philosophy of having fun while learning.
“My wife says being an 8th grade teacher is the perfect profession for me because it matches my maturity level. But there’s a little bit of a class clown in everyone and if you can tap into that, it’s golden.”
This past year he and his students produced a music video that teaches basic scientific theorems. He even got other teachers and administrators to take part in the production.
Richard "Dr. Bro" Broggini in his science classroom at Smith Middle School.
You can watch it on Youtube by searching “Can You Dance Science?”
Dr. Bro is a former chiropractor who became a teacher about 30 years ago. He was a recent recipient of the Presidential Award For Excellence in Science Teaching.” He’s been teaching at Smith Middle School since it
opened in 2001. He lives in South Glastonbury with his wife, Kathy. The couple has three grown children, Matthew, Kristen and Lauren.
Q. Why do students have trouble learning astronomy?
A. Because it’s over their heads.
Whenever
Whenever
100% Independent. 100% Local. 100% Physician-owned.
Within the colorful confines and outdoor play areas of The Learning Experience, young children don’t just play and learn, they’re also absorbing a valuable lesson about the importance of philanthropy in life.
Every month, the administrators and teachers at The Learning Experience, at 86 Oak St., find a new way to teach children why it’s important to help others.
ARTICLE BY EILEEN M. MCNAMARA PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARRIE DRAGHIThat experience starts at the very top of The Learning Experience’s leadership. Deepash Patel, who with his wife, Shital, owns several of the pre-schools in Connecticut, knows well what it’s like to have others lend a helping hand when you need it.
AT THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE, KIDS ARE TAUGHT WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK
“I’ve been in tough spots. I’ve been in situations where I didn’t know how I was going to feed my family the next day. So often the world can be a tough place, but there are good people out there and I want to deliver that message to our students at an early age. It’s a true connection for me to help people at an early age learn the value of helping others.”
That mission is part of the school’s curriculum with a revolving monthly theme of philanthropic causes the kids take part in.
In January, students helped raise funds and goods for local animal shelters, in February, they collected diapers for the Connecticut Diaper Bank. Other recent endeavors include a book drive, and drives to get art supplies for children’s hospitals and clothing for the Loaves & Fishes organization.
“We’re teaching students, as soon as they’re toddlers, how to give back and be part of the community and how our families can be part of that philanthropic mission,” Deepash says. “Not everyone is as fortunate as others in life and I love that we can make children aware of that fact and teach them that there are good people out there, people who can help and people who need help. I want to deliver that message at an early age to children.
“It’s a very unique approach and while we’re talking about it with the kids, we’re also asking parents to get involved as well. We believe it’s really important for all of our families to be a part of our lessons in giving back. When the students are conversing with their parents at home and they get very excited about their involvement.”
The Learning Experience franchises child care centers across the country and stresses a “learn through doing” approach in its programs, geared for children from six weeks to six years old.
The Patels own seven Learning Experience centers in Connecticut. Besides the one on Oak Street they also currently operate in New Haven, Cromwell, South Windsor, Cheshire, Enfield and Fairfield.
The preschools develop curricula specifically for each age group because children have “much different learning needs” at all different ages, Shital says.
“Other centers will have kids ages 1, 2 and 3 all in one group. But a 1-year-old is very different developmentally from a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old.”
THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
86 Oak St. 860-781-8363
thelearningexperience.com
The Nonprofit Seeks to Empower and Guide Kids Through Golf
ARTICLE BY EILEEN M. MCNAMARA
When you think about it, most of the rules of sports can pretty much be applied to life in general.
At First Tee – Connecticut, that simple concept spawned a network of national and international nonprofit groups, called First Tee, that teaches and empowers kids to navigate life through the game of golf.
Started in the late 1990’s, the founding principle of the organization was to make golf more accessible to kids who normally wouldn’t have access to it.
“The leadership of the various governing bodies in golf all got together and sort of said ‘We should try to make golf more accessible and more diverse, bring golf to kids of diverse backgrounds,” said Mark Moriarty, First Tee’s executive director and a golf coach with the organization. “And then they realized very quickly that while they were having a round of golf with kids they could teach them some core values about life, to
teach them it’s more than just a game and to teach them how to apply some of the values of golf to their lives.”
The First Tee grew out of that and was adopted by the PGA tour. Today there are 150 chapters nationally, including First Tee – Connecticut, headquartered at the Tournament Players Club in Cromwell.
The nonprofit organization runs dozens of programs throughout the state, partnering with cities, towns and other organizations to operate golf camps year-round, including summer camps, group lessons, family play and winter programs.
First Tee relies on corporate sponsors and individual donors, as well as a cadre of volunteers to help coach and administer its programs. First Tee – Connecticut enrolls about 75,000 children in its programs each year.
“We welcome all kids from all backgrounds. By seamlessly integrating the
game of golf with character-building, we create learning experiences that help kids uncover their inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that they can carry to everything they do.
“For instance, while we’re teaching them about putting, we’re also talking to them about perseverance, how to develop patience, how to listen and receive feedback. While they’re active and having fun we’re exposing them to the nine core values that First Tee seeks to impart to all its participants: Respect, responsibility, confidence, courtesy, integrity, judgment, sportsmanship, honesty and perseverance.”
To become a donor or volunteer contact: First Tee – Connecticut
55 Golf Club Road, Cromwell
Phone: 860-882-1660
Email: info@firstteect.org
Online: Firstteect.org
On Social: First Tee Connecticut
The more than 300,000 square foot Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center was created to help bring to life the tribe’s story and history. It has become a major resource on the history and culture of not only the Mashantucket tribe, but of all the Native American tribes of the northeast.
Established in 1998 The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center will mark its 25th Anniversary this year with a grand gala celebration on Aug. 11 at the museum.
The celebration will coincide with the museum’s unveiling of its new 13 Moons Exhibit, said Josh Carter, a tribal member and the museum’s executive director.
The 13 Moons is the traditional Mashantucket Pequot calendar that “provides resources and direction throughout the 13 lunar cycles and guides us in what we should be doing throughout those cycles.”
The exhibit, he added, will include educational and artistic representations of each of the 13 teachings in the Pequot lunar calendar.
For instance, Josh said, during the Strawberry Moon lunar cycle the tribe each June hosts a Strawberry Thanksgiving. August represents the Green Corn Harvest Moon and is the tribe’s largest celebration of the year - Schemitzun - a three-day event to mark the transition from summer into fall “and give us the opportunity to be thankful for the harvest.”
It consists of permanent exhibits, a gallery of temporary exhibits, classrooms, a 320-seat auditorium, a restaurant, and a museum shop. It houses collections, archives, and archaeology and conservation laboratories where ongoing work continues on the study of Native cultures in the region.
There are multi-sensory dioramas and exhibits throughout the museum, along with videos, interactive programs, archival materials, ethnographic and archaeological collections, commissioned art, and traditional crafts by Native artisans.
Each year the research center and museum hosts thousands of school children who visit the museum as part of their school’s curriculum on Native cultures.
The building itself was designed to meld organically with the surrounding woodlands on the reservation while being mindful of maintaining the area’s ecological integrity.
“It embraces the tree line and is nestled into the landscape; two of the five levels of the facility are below ground,” the tribe says on the museum’s website. ”The 185-foot stone-and-glass tower provides visitors with sweeping views of the (Great Cedar) swamp and region. The large, circular, glass-and-steel Gathering Space serves as an arrival and event area.”
Josh says the Aug. 11 gala will center around the last 25 years of celebrating Native culture. The theme of the museum’s 25th anniversary,
he added, is Meesumôk Neetôp, which translates as “giving friend.” The Meesumôk Neetôp initiative, he added, is intended as a tribal outreach to promote community-building through a variety of services and social support.
“We do this by acquiring funding and donations to support various projects designed to enhance the sustainability of our public programs as well as the mission of the Mashantucket Pequot. Our Meesumôk Neetôp initiative envisions the realization of interdependence by bringing communities together in the spirit of supporting and learning from one another.
Community support and donations are powerful commitments that support our efforts to share the Pequot Story and its significance to American history. We’re proud of this initiative and our ability to use those ancient teachings to meet the needs of our communities today.”
The anniversary gala is open to the public and will include a cocktail hour on the museum terrace, traditional music and singing, wampum demonstrations and tours of the facility. For tickets and more information visit Pequotmuseum.org and click on the drop down menu titled 25th Anniversary Gala.
Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
110 Pequot Trail, Mashantucket Phone: 860-396-6910
Email: Museumfeedback@pequotmuseum.org
Online: Pequotmuseum.org
On Social: @Pequot
A diorama inside the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center A diorama inside the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
The Connecticut State Department of Education created the Greater Hartford Regional School Choice Office 15 years ago as a single source of information and support for families interested in school choice.
“At RSCO, we’re all about helping families in Greater Hartford explore their school choice options and access those opportunities that best fit their family,” said the program’s director, Robin Cecere. We spoke with her about the history and goals of RSCO.
A. School choice is the power to choose where your child attends school! Here in Greater Hartford, families with students entering Pre-K3 through Grade 12 can apply to attend free public schools outside of their home district that fit their child’s unique interests and passions. These public school options are unique to Connecticut and generally not available on an interdistrict basis in other states.
A. Families may apply to three different types of free public schools through one online application, available through the RSCO website at ChooseYourSchool.org. First, there’s 43 magnet schools incorporating specialized themes, such as STEM, visual and performing arts, computer science and Montessori.
We have three new school opportunities for the 2023-2024 school year:
• CREC Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 program
• First-ever dual-language program for Pre-K4 and Kindergarten students
• Early college advanced manufacturing program for Grade 12
Second, we have Open Choice public schools in high performing school districts outside of their hometown, which is primarily for Hartford residents. And lastly, there are three regional technical high schools specializing in career and technical education.
Q. WHY WOULD FAMILIES CHOOSE A RSCO SCHOOL? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
A. Students receive tailored academic programming aligned with their interests and passions, plus have access to sports, clubs and extracurricular activities at all of our schools. Students also get to go to school with kids from different backgrounds from almost every city and town in Greater Hartford, which is a great way to learn about the real world around them and access the benefit of learning through different perspectives and viewpoints.
Q. DO STUDENTS RECEIVE TRANSPORTATION TO THESE SCHOOLS?
A. Yes, RSCO provides transportation to and from school for students in grades K through 12 living in 43 towns. RSCO also transports CONTINUED >
prekindergarten Hartford resident students to schools outside of Hartford and provides a transportation stipend as a reimbursement for prekindergarten families who live outside of Hartford. If a student lives in the same town as the school they’re attending, they just take the local school district’s bus.
A. Yes, applications are accepted through September 15. There are still great opportunities available. In fact, now families can see waitlist information in real-time, which can help them make informed decisions about their selections.
A. The application will open in early December and close midMarch, with the first round of placements sent in early April. An extended application period will run from mid-April to mid-September. There will be several in-person and virtual informational events throughout the entire application period for families to learn about their options and get help applying.
For more information visit Chooseyourschool.org. On Facebook @RSCOGH.
SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL, 216 ADDISON ROAD | 4:30 PM
Grab your sneaks and run some extra miles at this free event! Children jog for one mile around the Smith Middle School soccer field. Adult courses are 2.4 and 3.5 miles. Register at the Smith Middle School Upper Soccer Field starting at 6:30 p.m. for a 6:50 p.m. start. Visit Glastonburyct.gov for more information.
Riverfront Music Series
RIVERFRONT COMMUNITY CENTER, 300 WELLES ST. | 6:30 PM
The town's free Riverfront Music Series continues with the Glastonbury Town Band's performance of "Broadway Lives." Bring your picnic dinner or purchase dinner on site, and enjoy some great music. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Town Band, which will play the same time and place again on Aug. 9. Visit Glastonburyct.gov.
Saturday Movie: Queen Bees
RIVERFRONT COMMUNITY CENTER, 300 WELLES ST | 11:00 AM
Come enjoy this free movie event sponsored by the town. The "Queen Bees" (2021) stars Jane Curtin, Ann Margret and James Caan. After reluctantly agreeing to move into a senior-living home, a woman encounters a clique of mean-spirited women and an amorous widower. The Saturday matinees will continue throughout the month. Call 860-652-7638 to register. Visit Glastonburyct.gov for more information.
Sunday Yoga & Wine
PRIAM VINEYARDS, 11 SHAILOR HILL ROAD, COLCHESTER | 4:30 PM
Fuller Yoga will host a Sunday Yoga and Wine event on Sundays this month at Priam Vineyards. Enjoy an afternoon of yoga and good friends. This class accommodates all ability levels. We will practice postures that increase strength and flexibility and leave you feeling relaxed and ready for a complimentary glass of wine. Visit Priam-vineyards.com for tickets and information.
HILTON GARDEN INN, 85 GLASTONBURY BLVD. | 12:00 PM
You're Invited to Lullaby Connecticut Baby Expo & the Cutest Baby in Connecticut Contest, an event for new and expectant parents to connect with everything baby related, including baby clothes, quilts, books, decor, maternity, parenting, health and more. Tickets are $5 online, $10 at the door. Plenty of free parking. Visit Eventbrite.com for tickets.
WATKINSON SCHOOL, 180 BLOOMFIELD AVE., HARTFORD | 5:30 PM
Watkinson, a private day school, will host an information session and barbecue for parents of prospective students. You will have the opportunity to meet faculty and school leaders, tour our 40-acre campus, and enjoy a delicious barbecue dinner prepared by our in-house dining staff. Visit Watkinson.org for other info session dates and times.
AUGUST 10TH AUGUST 15TH AUGUST 15TH AUGUST 20TH AUGUST 26TH AUGUST 29TH
WELLES TURNER MEMORIAL LIBRARY, 2407 MAIN ST. | 6:30 PM
Learn how to paint a real painting with instructor Pamela Halligan of Pam’s Picassos as she walks you through creating your own masterpiece. For this class, we will be painting a lighthouse beach scene. For teens entering grades 7-12. Visit Wtmlib.info to register.
PLAINVILLE SENIOR CENTER, 200 EAST ST., PLAINVILLE | 11:00 AM
LIz Cornish, owner of New Season in Life, a caregiver service for seniors, will host the seminar Caregiving Guilt & Duty, It’s Complicated Isn’t It? "Join us for a discussion of the guilt surrounding caregiving and ways to manage it and manage your own health while caring for others." For more information Newseasoninlife.com.
WELLES TURNER MEMORIAL LIBRARY, 2407 MAIN ST. | 12:00 PM
Come knit, crochet, quilt, or stitch through the afternoon with others who share your passion for the fiber arts. Bring your own project, ask for advice, and get inspired for your next creation. We will have a limited amount of basic supplies on hand for beginners, feel free to bring your own supplies as well. Visit Wtmlib.info for information.
HOPS ON THE HILL FARM BREWERY, 275 DUG ROAD | 1:00 PM
Hops on the Hill Farm Brewery is hosting a "Closest to the Pin Golf Contest," from 1-6 p.m. Presented by Chris Cote’s Golf Shop tickets are $5 per swing or $20 for five swings. Gift certificate prizes of $500, $300 and $150 will be awarded for first, second and third place, respectively. No pre-registration required. Visit Hopsonthehillbrewery.com.
WELLES-SHIPMAN-WARD HOUSE, 972 MAIN ST., SOUTH GLASTONBURY | 8:00 AM
The Historical Society of Glastonbury is now accepting donations for its 11th annual tag sale, held in September. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to noon. Everything is welcome from new to vintage and antiques! Call 860-633-6890 first for furniture and large items. The tag sale will be Sept 29-Oct 1. Hsgct.org.
ADDISON PARK POOL, 415 ADDISON ROAD | 4:30 PM
Bring your pup out to this fun dog swim! Two swim waves will be held, 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 5:45-6:45 p.m. Cost is $10 per each wave. Dogs must be licensed and up to date on all shots. No aggressive dogs, please. Dogs must remain off-leash in the swim area and tennis balls will be provided. Visit Glastonburyct.myrec.com.
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Glastonbury
Chickens have become increasingly popular as pets in both suburban and urban areas during the last 20 years. Backyard chickens may seem to be an unsuspecting animal to keep as a pet but the tried and true egg producers are back in fashion as food costs are soaring and families are looking for more food independence in light of recent supply chain shortages.
There’s a lot to like about raising chickens in your backyard. Surprisingly, chickens are relatively low maintenance. And bonus – unlike dogs, they don’t need to be bathed or groomed, and they don’t shed on your clothes or require training. Could backyard chickens be the perfect pet/producer to add to your home?
First, check local town ordinances to ensure that keeping chickens is even allowed in your neighborhood or if there is a limit to the number of chickens you can keep at once.
Make sure you have the space for a henhouse or a full-size chicken coop. It has to hold a feeder and water containers, a roosting area, and a nest box for every three hens. A proper coop should be large enough that you can stand in it to gather eggs and shovel manure comfortably, but a simple hen house can be quite a bit smaller. Plus, any housing must be sturdy enough to keep your chickens safe from all the predators out there. Gorgeous coops are aplenty on places like Pinterest if you’re building your own, but many pre-made options are available through various farm supply stores as well.
Chickens need food and water daily. Feed is about $20 per 50-pound bag, but prices vary depending on your location and the quality of the feed. How long a bag lasts depends on the number of chickens you have.
Hens will lay eggs through Spring and Summer and into the Fall, as long as they have 12 to 14 hours of daylight. Expect to collect eggs daily, or even twice a day.
Everything you need to get started on your backyard coop.
