final_December 14 issue

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DANBURY CT PERMIT NO. 254

DECEMBER 14, 2023

Restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast on Putnam Park Road one step closer to reality

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REDDING, CONNECTICUT

Volume 2 / Issue 27

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Continued on page 2

Index

Big Outdoors Editorial Legal Notices Sports

1 2 2 4

Georgetown selected for Main Street Accelerator program

By Donna Christopher

By Jessie Wright

Adjacent to Putnam Memorial State Park on Route 58, just over the town border in Bethel, stands a disheveled looking historic building at 150 Putnam Park Road.

Owners of the eight-acre property – which now includes a combination of three total adjacent lots – hope to transform the site into an organic farmstand, restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast.

“The unique combination of the park’s nature, water, and locations of the property with its own scenic resources – the Little River Pond and its giant white oak tree, the centerpiece of property attraction – suggests extension and use of the property by the general public,” said Yelena Shafeyeva, Redding resident and principal member of Begell LLC, which purchased the property in late 2021.

The owners have undertaken clean-up of the property over the last two years, including clearing debris from Little River Pond, according to Shafeyeva, working with Bethel’s Planning and Zoning officials to follow environmental guidelines and develop the concept for the future site operations.

“We had to work with the Town of Bethel Zoning Department and met with (Bethel Town Planner) Beth Cavagna to discuss possibilities of ideas and made a presentation of what there can be potentially done,” said Shafeyeva.

The initial project they proposed included a farm-stand for seasonal growing of organic vegetables, a year-round greenhouse, a retail store for locally grown and imported food and crafts, daily operational cafeteria, professional kitchen, and a restaurant. A second plan for development included the addition of a spa and suites for overnight guest accommodation.

“It is envisioned to apply sustainable planning process for the property development from the beginning and implement the latest renewable energy technologies,” said Shafeyeva.

On Tuesday, November 28, the Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission considered Begell LLC’s application to amend the Town’s zoning regulations to include a bed-and-breakfast and personal services as allowed uses in the existing Neighborhood Services Overlay District.

“They do have an Overlay Zone for that area that allows for all different things – you’ll notice there’s a Mitchell’s right down the street that’s a gas station, convenience store, and deli – that’s part

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Photo by Toby Welles

A moody capture of the near-solstice time in Redding, when it’s not quite fall and not quite winter.

If you have a photo you’d like to see featured here, with credit of course, e-mail editor@reddingsentinel.org

Georgetown Holiday Fair Sunday, December 17

Photo by Jessie Wright

Santa Bill Dexter greets paradegoers at last year’s Georgetown Holiday Fair.

Welcome Santa (and Martin, the North Pole’s senior elf) to town as they ride through Main Street in the annual Georgetown Holiday Fair parade starting at

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By Jessie Wright

11:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 17. The festivities will continue following the parade, with antique tractor hayrides, refreshments, live music, holiday crafts, and the chance to sit with Santa and Martin to capture the perfect Christmas photo.

Members of the annual event’s planning committee, made up of Georgetown residents and business owners, have been hard at work putting together another magical afternoon to ring in the holidays.

Rising Starr Horse Rescue will be participating in the parade this year and will have horses and ponies to greet the rest of the day.

The Joel Barlow Select Choir will serenade attendees as they enjoy the holiday craft tent, and folks can try their luck at entering the raffle, which will have items donated by local businesses like restaurant

gift cards, a cord of firewood, and more. The Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department will be conducting traffic control and riding in the parade and the Georgetown Lions Club will be on hand to help again this year.

Bill Dexter, a longtime Georgetown resident and member of the Connecticut Society of Santas, says he loves to help bring the tradition of parades back to Main Street in Georgetown and to help raise money for local causes and charities. All the proceeds from the event this year will go to support the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department, Malta House, Daily Bread Food Pantry, and local families in need.

Families can meet with Santa and Martin the Elf until 2:00 p.m. in the heated tent at Lombardi’s Trattoria at 22 Main Street for a suggested donation. g

Redding’s Big Outdoors A love letter to Huntington State Park

By Jessie Wright

Photo by Jessie Wright Photo by Jessie Wright

The first two years we lived in Redding passed by in a dreamlike haze – pandemic shutdowns and the absence of our usual Manhattan frenzy tinged the days with pregnant pauses and the smell of fresh air. For all their quietude, however, those days were also filled with overwhelming growth and change – learning how to

manage an 18th-century home and all its quirks, balancing pool chemicals, becoming backyard chicken keepers, surviving six-daylong power outages, welcoming two puppies, mourning profound family losses, hosting visitors, changing jobs, preparing for our first child’s arrival…

We found ourselves going

Obituaries Remembering Redding Business Spotlight Book Review

Library Corner The Natural World Calendar of Events

6 7 8 9

9 10 11

on contemplative walks often in Huntington State Park for respite, seeking a sense of connection to this new place we called home.

Just a six-minute drive from our house, it was the first place we found on the map that called to us to explore.

Huntington was where we exchanged our first “hellos” with new neighbors and potential new friends, connections we were hungry for – and that felt safe – during the height of Covid on the Park’s wide-open trails. It’s where we brought our puppies to learn almost everything about the world – this is what gravel feels like on your paws, this is what a horse looks like, that strange contraption rolling towards us is a “stroller” – no, it won’t attack you, this is how you keep respectful Continued on page 7

Georgetown has been chosen as one of six Connecticut communities to participate in Connecticut Main Street Center’s (CMSC) new Main Street Accelerator program. Members of Georgetown Village Restoration Inc., (GVR) an organization dedicated to celebrating the past, supporting the businesses and residents, and facilitating the continued revitalization of the historic village of Georgetown, will participate in the six-month program.

Participants will learn and practice the Four Point Main Street Approach, which looks at economic vitality, design, organization, and promotion, while focusing on community transformation – and then apply what they have learned to a challenge in their community. The virtual, six-month program begins in January.

The Accelerator program provides the framework for learning about downtown best practices while simultaneously working together to solve a challenge, the release announcing the selection of Georgetown said. Applicants were asked to identify a team of at least three people who could directly impact their identified challenge.

Three GVR board members will take the training to find new ways to increase exposure and foot traffic in Georgetown to support businesses and the local community.

GVR first bought a membership to Main Street Accelerator and then applied for the program, said Board Member Kate Perry, who will take the training along with two of her colleagues.

“We think it’s going to be a great benefit to GVR and Georgetown,” Perry said. “Our organization is on the precipice where we want to learn how to prioritize projects and learn what other towns are doing that may be able to relate to an issue as well.”

Perry noted the benefit of being able to meet participants and learn from other success stories.

The courses will feature guest speakers and content provided by organizations such as Sustainable CT and Preservation Connecticut, coaching calls, and group assignments.

She expects they’ll learn a lot. “It’s an acceleration of all the things they learned that can help communities like ours in the courses,” Perry said.

In addition to learning strategic approaches for downtown development and Main Street management, Main Street Accelerator participants will apply what they Continued on page 7

2 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023

Board of Education welcomes new members

Editorial In just the last week-and-a-half, my family has sung Christmas carols in a barn at New Pond Farm, listened to blessings at the Menorah Lighting on the Town Green, experienced the Live Nativity outside of First Church of Christ Congregational, dropped off a gift at Redding Fire Company #1 for Santa to deliver via firetruck, chose a small tree on the Town Green to decorate on behalf of the Sentinel to help “light up” Redding, sorted our coats for donating to the Westbrook Nature School coat drive, and completed our holiday shopping at the Redding Artisan Holiday Fair. Who says living in a small town is boring?

Redding has come alive this holiday season, and it cheers me so to see the wide array of events, initiatives, and service opportunities that our neighbors and local organizations are putting together. Some are treasured traditions that are coming back after a pandemic hiatus, some are new ideas being made a reality for the first time, and some are mainstays people count on each year to mark the holiday season.

The dedication and tireless efforts of so many people in Redding are to thank for this wonderful selection of experiences. Being the editor of a local newspaper gives me the privilege of hearing about – and helping to share – the passions of our neighbors being put into action. From festive wine-tasting lessons to new non-profits working to combat loneliness to the celebration of different faith traditions in our community, there has been a palpable sense of energy and excitement in town this year.

My family usually tries to make it down to New York at least once during the holidays to experience a bit of the magic of the big city, but this year has got me feeling like maybe we have all we need right here at home. g

Legal Notices Notice is hereby given that there will be a caucus of all enrolled Republican electors of the Town of Redding on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. at The Redding Roadhouse, 406

Redding Road, to endorse the 2024-2026 candidates for the Republican Town Committee. g

At a meeting of the Redding Conservation Commission on December 5, 2023, the following action was voted: App’l #23-13, Redding Country Club (owners), Nazzaro, Inc. (agents), 109 Lonetown Road.

Approved with conditions an ap-

plication to restore two ponds and to restore and enlarge one pond.

The above-referenced file is available for inspection at the Redding Land Use Office. g

Jill Cilo Chair, Redding RTC

David R. Pattee Chairman

Restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast on Putnam Park Road one step closer to reality / continued from page 1

Photo by Jessie Wright

The property at 150 Putnam Park Road. Owners envision transforming it into a restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast.

of the Overlay Zone supporting that,” explained Aimee Pardee, Redding’s Land Use Director at a recent Planning Commission meeting.

The Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve the proposed amendment, with an important limitation – the use of the Overlay District for bed-andbreakfast and personal services purposes will be limited to properties that are a minimum of five acres and have frontage on and direct access to a state highway.

Following the November 28 approval, the property owners will now work on securing a wetlands permit and developing a site plan with their engineers to be reviewed again by Bethel’s Planning and Zoning Department. At that point, noted Pardee, the Redding Planning Commission would `

have the opportunity to weigh in on the plans.

“We will have the opportunity to look at the fully developed site plan, and we’ll have a really good idea of whether it’s going to be generating traffic into Redding – they’ll most likely have to do a traffic study,” said Pardee. “We’ll get a much better feel for what impact it’ll have on Redding.”

Shafeyeva is confident the plans will present a positive addition to the area. “We hope that bringing this project will enhance the cultural and educational offerings to local and out-of-state visitors who would come to explore the park,” she said. “The property provides a peaceful nature retreat, leisure, accommodations, and would be accompanied by international food fair and farm-to-table experiences.” g

Thank you to our advertisers Caraluzzi’s Calvary Independent Baptist Church Coldwell Banker Realty Community Shellfish Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center New Pond Farm Education Center Oak & Vale Portofino Restaurant and Wine Bar

Group also reviews school climate, curriculum, and budget planning By Anne Young Albanese

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The Redding Board of Education held its first meeting on Tuesday, December 5 since the swearing in of new board members Megan Bendish (D), Amanda Guarniere (D), and Bria Pepe (R). The meeting started with the election of the board officers for the upcoming year. Laura Worosz was elected as Chair, Chirag Sadana was elected as ViceChair, and Amanda Guarniere was elected as Secretary. All officers were elected unanimously.

Elementary and middle school events and initiatives The meeting included administrative reports from both Redding Elementary School (RES) and John Read Middle School (JRMS), highlighting recent initiatives and events at the schools.

According to Melissa Labrosciano, RES Principal, several special events and activities are ongoing at the elementary school.

The school-wide Veterans Day celebration on November 10 included representatives from all branches of the military and brought out double the number of veterans that attended last year.

She also reported that the RES Chorus will take a trip this year to perform holiday songs for residents at Meadow Ridge.

“This event has always been a huge success and a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season for both the seniors at Meadow Ridge and the RES students,” added Labrosciano.

The RES Climate Committee also met recently and identified the acronym PAWS to support consistent student behavior expectations and shared language throughout the school. PAWS stands for “Positive attitude, Act responsibly, Work hard, and Spread kindness”. The acronym ties into the paws of the school’s raccoon mascot, Rocky, and will make it easier for substitute teachers, lunch monitors, and recess supervisors to use language that students recognize so they understand the administration’s goals for behavior.

According to Labrosciano, “You will often now hear us start to say that we use our PAWS every day at RES. We will be rolling that out to staff next week at our December faculty meeting, and then we are rolling that out and what each word means and its attributes to students at our whole school assembly in January. So, if you have kiddos at RES, you can start asking them if they are showing their PAWS. We hope to make posters and signs and just have more of a shared language

with our students and staff.”

JRMS Principal Jennifer Desmarais followed with her report.

She started by recognizing Danielle Lingo for the honor of being one out of sixteen Connecticut teachers to be a semifinalist for the 2024 CT Teacher of the Year.

(Editor’s note: see story on page 5 for additional coverage of this honor.)

Seventh and eighth grade art students attended a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 5. Students worked with their teacher, Bonnie Spies, to organize the trip. According to Desmarais, “They made connections and visited the galleries that link directly to what they are learning in class.”

JRMS also recently hosted a Math Information Night for parents. Desmarais hopes to host more of these evenings to facilitate collaboration between the school and parents for helping students.

Curriculum alignment with state requirements and standards Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Stephanie Pierson Ugol, then gave several updates on curriculum planning and integration during the meeting. In English and Language Arts (ELA), the district has implemented a pilot program and incorporated state reading legislation for students in kindergarten to grade 3. Teacher and parent feedback indicates a high level of satisfaction with the RES pilot program so far, according to Pierson Ugol. The district is planning to identify time for small group instruction and independent reading to further student development.

Pierson Ugol noted that the district still has time to explore other options and make decisions on a reading curriculum. She will look at some other compilations that have been approved by the state and explore state grant options to provide additional materials for teachers. Pierson Ugol also plans to visit other districts in the area to get user feedback on the different programs.

For students in grades 6-8, teachers from Easton, Redding and Region 9 schools spent the past month reviewing and revising writing assessments. Teachers continue to focus on development of reading and writing strategies, academic vocabulary, and an understanding of content.

Art and music for the district have been aligned with state and national Core Arts Standards.

Once this curriculum has been

reviewed, it will be submitted to the Board of Education’s Curriculum Committee for further review and revisions.

Library media specialists will also work together to identify opportunities to embed coding experience within the school’s curriculum. Students will be engaged in learning about patterns and coding through hands-on experience.

Physical education teachers are aligning the curriculum using updated Connecticut Healthy and Balanced Living standards.

Easton and Redding teachers are working together to yield new ideas for both teams.

Budget reports and planning As activities and curriculum planning continue for this school year, the Board also will begin its budget planning process in the coming weeks for 2024-2025.

Director of Finance, Operations, and Technology, Sara Scrofani reported that Redding is on track with its spending for fiscal year 2023-24 and hasn’t seen any surprise expenditures.

For the health insurance report, expenditures are also currently in line. Scrofani said she keeps an eye on deductions and claims to compare them to where they thought it would be.

Vice-Chair Sadana explained that Redding uses a self-insured program and essentially serves as the insurance company for all staff.

“We have a pot of money that we allocate at the beginning of the year that’s used for essentially providing healthcare services to the staff. That pot of money we look very closely at as we’re going through the year,” he said.

“We looked at the cost benefit of going with a private insurance company, and this was the most cost-effective way for our district to manage the health insurance.”

Looking ahead to the 202425 budget, while Redding saw enrollment drop from 2012 to 2020, it is expected to continue to grow over the next decade.

Redding is expecting to gain 36 students next year and 400 students over the next ten years.

According to Superintendent Dr. Jason McKinnon, because of this increase in students, the district “expects a small budget impact.”

Budget meetings will start in January. The schedules for all Boards of Education meetings are available on the district’s website, er9.org. The schedules are also listed at townofreddingct. org/events with all other town meetings. g

New officers elected on boards and commissions Following the November 7 municipal elections, several Town boards and commissions have recently elected, or re-elected, officers for the current term. g Board or Commission

Elected Chair

Elected Vice-Chair

OPEB Trust Board

Jenifer Wyss

Roger Van Ausdal

Board of Finance

Ward J. Mazzucco

Karen Gifford

Planning Commission

Steve Gagnon

Redding Board of Education

Laura Worosz

Redding Sentinel Ltd News and Views of Redding, Connecticut Publisher, Susan Clark Managing Editor, Jessie Wright Creative Director, Debora DeCarlo Rosa Assistant Graphic Designer, Connor Feeney

Elected Secretary

Regina O'Brien Chirag Sadana

Amanda Guarniere

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December 14, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 3

Menorah Lighting draws large crowd l

By Jessie Wright

Photos by Richard S. Lerner

Close to 100 people gathered on Thursday, December 7 to celebrate the start of Hanukkah with the first-ever lighting of a menorah on the Town Green. Neighbors of all ages, bundled in cozy winter gear, sang traditional blessings led by Cantor Harriet Dunkerley of Temple B’Nai Chaim and Rabbi Jason Greenberg of Temple Shalom in Norwalk before and after the center and first bulb on the giant menorah were illuminated.

Greenberg noted that Hanukkah is always celebrated close to the winter solstice, when the days are shortest, and according to the lunar year, in the days just before and after the new moon, when the sky is darkest. The ceremony came at a

time as reports of antisemitism and antisemitic incidents have been increasing in Connecticut and the country. “My mother always liked to say, ‘it’s darkest before the dawn’,” Greenberg said. “And times have been pretty dark.”

Following the menorah lighting, people enjoyed traditional Hanukkah treats, including latkes, applesauce, and Sufganiyah (jelly doughnuts) as well as hot chocolate.

“Events like these are being canceled all over the country,” Dunkerley said earlier in the ceremony. “It says something about our special community here in Redding that we can gather and celebrate the light.” g

Planners, Zoners review Wire Mill report Commission involvement needed to accomplish five year goals By Rocco Valluzzo

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At a joint meeting that also included the Redding Planning and Zoning Commissions, the Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill Advisory Committee reviewed its annual report on the 44 acres of Townowned property in Georgetown on Wednesday, December 6.

The Committee also made recommendations for the development of the property and how these would affect Planning and Zoning, citing goals that can be accomplished within the next five years.

According to Committee Chair Amy Atamian, her group not only recognizes the complexity of the Wire Mill site, but also its key role in unlocking the potential of Georgetown. The synergy between the Wire Mill and Georgetown calls for coordinated stewardship and planning efforts within and outside the site that will complement each area.

“We can’t just move forward with the Wire Mill and not consider the Town,” she said. “The Town really isn’t going to move forward as fast as it could without consideration of the Wire Mill.”

The Committee has proposed several goals for the property to be completed by 2029, which marks the 40th anniversary of the Wire Mill closing. This involves reopening portions of the property to the public and transforming it from a liability to a community asset.

Over the next five years, this can be accomplished by enhancing the main office building and surrounding area as a gateway to the site, completing a public accessway to the pond and through the site, improving site aesthetics, reopening connections between Georgetown and the surrounding community, and remediating portions of the site.

The Committee would also like to engage a professional planner

to plan not only for the Wire Mill site but for all of Georgetown. This would help in understanding what the development potential is for Georgetown and what resources that would take. Longer term actions would be project and site management.

“As we start to move along and implement some of these things, we will really need someone as a project manager to oversee any subcontractors doing hazardous building remediation and safety improvements,” said Atamian.

“We need to have somebody on site more regularly to look at what the tenants are doing and make sure they are complying with the leases.”

This past spring, the Committee applied for a second $200,000 Brownfield remediation grant to complete the environmental work, which will result in a Phase III environmental investigation which will determine the extent of any soil or groundwater contamination on the site, and to prepare some preliminary remedial action plans to implement.

It has also applied for a $2 million Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleanup grant. If approved, it will go to cleanup certain areas of the site such as the West Pond, OMS, and Gateway areas.

The Town is preparing to apply for a $20,000 grant from the State Historic Preservation Office

(SHPO) to update the architectural assessment that was done in 2015 to look at the condition of all the buildings, which will give the Committee guidance on what it would take to stabilize the buildings on the property.

The Committee also plans to request funds from the Town budget for fiscal year 2024-25, including: • $20,000 for a one-to-one match by the Town for the SHPO grant • $500,000 for temporary building stabilization based on the 2015 study • $60,000 for contracting

improvement

• $50,000 for a property manager • $200,000 for planning studies • $50,000 for economic studies “But it’s going to take a consensus among our commissions in order to be able to agree on what should be done and how to fund those activities,” said Atamian.

“Now it’s up to Planning, Zoning, the Board of Selectmen, and the Board of Finance to look at the report, see if you agree, what should stay in, what should go out, what should be expanded, and what should be funded going into the next couple of funding cycles.” g

4 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023

Sports Barlow Football – state champions once more! l

Photos by Rocco Valluzzo

The Joel Barlow football team brought home their second-straight state title on Saturday, December 9, defeating Watertown 21-20.

Joel Barlow High’s Andrew Watson (15) and Cole Peterson (31) bring down Watertown quarterback Braden Gambee during the state Class SS football championship.

Joel Barlow Head Coach T. J. Cavaliere gets doused with the team water jug at the conclusion of the state Class SS championship.

At the beginning of the season, Joel Barlow High’s Football Head Coach T. J. Cavaliere was uncertain if his team would be competing for another state Class SS championship.

The Falcons had graduated their

straight year, they again reached the title game, holding on for a 2120 win over Watertown at Rentschler Field in Hartford on Saturday, December 9.

“We felt if we could make the playoffs that would be a really

starting star quarterback and front line from last season’s championship team. What they didn’t lack, however, were incentive and determination.

This earned them another trip to the playoffs, and, for the second

Lopez wins amateur championship Golf l

Photo by CSGALinks

Arabella Lopez became the youngest golfer to win the junior division of the Connecticut Women’s Amateur golf tournament in July when she was 13. She trains at Redding Country Club with Mike Argentine (left), who was also her caddy for the tournament.

Remaining patient and focused would be key for Arabella Lopez in the final round of the junior division of Connecticut Women’s Am-

ateur golf tournament this summer.

After the first nine holes, she trailed frontrunner Annie Dai by five strokes. There was still a lot of

By Rocco Valluzzo

good year for us,” said Cavaliere, whose team was seeded seventh.

“We got hot at the right time, and it worked out for us.”

A defensive battle at first, the championship game featured both sides trying to move the ball in the first quarter without much success.

Despite making some progress in its opening drive, Barlow was hurt by a couple of penalties before having to punt.

The Falcons’ defense kept the competition in check until their offense got in gear. Starting at midfield at the beginning of the second quarter, they managed three first downs on runs by quarterback Jack Gilbert and running back Luke Bishop. Later faced with fourth down on the Watertown one-yard line, they found the end zone on the keeper by Gilbert, and with Keane Horne kicking the extra point, Barlow led 7-0 with 7:23 left in the half.

Eighth-seeded Watertown answered on its next series. On third down, Aiden Arline found some room down the right side for a 60yard touchdown run, and with the extra point, the Warriors tied it up.

“We were misaligned on the long run,” said Cavaliere. “Unfortunately, our linebacker went to the wrong side of the field, and they hit us at the right time and had quite a big play on it.”

Following a Barlow punt, Watertown began its next scoring drive with good field position on the Falcon 40. A 25-yard pass from Brayden Gambee to Arline got them to the Barlow 12. Although the Falcons’ defense would force a fourth-and-goal situation from the three, Gambee broke through for the score with 19 seconds left in the half, and with the extra point, the Warriors led 14-7.

Barlow responded early in the third quarter. Starting on its own

35 following a Watertown punt, it got some help in moving the ball due to a facemask call against its opponent. On first down, Bishop went 17 yards up the middle for the score, and with the extra point, it was tied at 14-14.

A Watertown fumble on its next series proved costly, as Barlow’s Conor Smyth recovered the ball at the Warriors’ 28. Runs by Cole Peterson got the Falcons to the one, and Gilbert scored to put his team on top for good, making it 21-14 with the extra point.

It remained a seven-point game until late in the action, when Arline scored on a 13-yard run. Instead of kicking the extra point for the tie, the Warriors attempted a two-point conversion for the lead, but the Falcons’ defense held up to preserve a one-point lead with 1:38 left.

“It was appropo, because we depended on our defense a lot this year,” said Cavaliere. “The defense had to step up and make one big play at the right moment, and they did it.”

Recovering an onside kick is something the Falcons practiced all season. The first time they actually had to do it came when Dylan Taylor smothered the ball on his own 48. Unable to get a first down, they had to punt one more time with 20 seconds left, and Watertown had the ball on its own 20.

Victory was assured when Sam Guidera intercepted an errant pass

by Gambee, giving the Falcons their second straight state title.

“We were talking about how we wanted them to make a moment for themselves this year,” said Cavaliere, whose team finished at 9-4 overall, winning its last six games. “We’re super proud of them. It’s a big step forward for the program for us to be able to do this two years in a row.” g

By Rocco Valluzzo

golf left to play, however.

Making up the difference in the remaining holes, Lopez would not only overtake her opponent, she finished the round with a one-under-par 71 for a combined score of 143, good enough for victory on July 18 at Tashua Knolls Golf Club in Trumbull. At age 13, she became the youngest golfer to win the tournament since it started in 1966.

This was Lopez’s second appearance in the tournament. A year ago, she finished tied for tenth.

“I first learned how to play golf when I was in the backyard with my dad at around four years old,” said Lopez, who now trains at Redding Country Club. “I don’t remember much, but I must’ve loved it, because I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love it.”

Lopez, who shot an even-par 72 for the first 18 holes in the first round of the tournament, parred

the first hole of the next round and was tied with Dai. The latter then birdied the next hole as well as the seventh to retake the lead.

Following a two-hour rain delay, the tournament resumed; after nine holes, Dai was two-under-par and led Lopez and Mia Gryzwinski by five.

Lopez adjusted to the wet playing conditions. She birdied the 12th hole and began to close in on her opponent.

“I tried to not over-think it and just play my game,” she said.

Dai had some difficulty on the 13th, 14th, and 15th holes while Lopez parred all three to tie her with three holes left to play. Making a big putt on the 16th, she birdied the hole and was up by two strokes.

After parring the 17th, Lopez hit her tee shot in the rough on the 18th. Her approach shot hit the green, and with two putts, she

parred the hole to clinch victory.

A freshman at Ridgefield High School, Lopez plans to travel to North Carolina to compete in a few tournaments this year. She will also go to Puerto Rico for a tournament or two.

Next year, she will continue to play in Connecticut State Golf Association and American Junior Golf Association events, as well as the Peggy Kirk Bell Tour and whatever other opportunities are available.

“What makes me want to play golf is the competitive aspect,” she said. “I’m a very competitive person – combining that with my perfectionism makes me love golf even more. I love that with golf, there are always ways to improve and get better.” g

Baseball team participates in “Redding Rakes”

Photo courtesy of Christ Church Parish

Christ Church Parish organized its annual “Redding Rakes” event in partnership with Redding Social Services to rake and blow leaves on Saturday, December 9 for neighbors in need. Members of the Joel Barlow High School baseball team, under the leadership of Coach Matt Griffiths, participated by raking and blowing leaves at several of the properties.

December 14, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 5

Danielle Lingo of JRMS a semifinalist for State Teacher of the Year

By Pamela Brown

Danielle Lingo, eighth grade English teacher at JRMS.

Making people feel important and that they matter. That has formed the life and work philosophy of Danielle Lingo for as long as she can remember.

“The worst feeling you can have is when you feel like nobody is there for you. My whole platform in teaching and in life is to make people feel like they matter in this world. It improves people’s life quality to know there’s somebody out there rooting for them, even if they’re not rooting for themselves,” said Lingo, an eighth-grade English teacher at John Read Middle School (JRMS)

since 2006. She was recently honored for her excellence in teaching as the 2024 Redding School District Teacher of the Year and was a semifinalist for the State of Connecticut Teacher of the Year award.

Jennifer Desmarais, Principal at JRMS, said having Lingo be one of 16 semifinalists for the State of Connecticut Teacher of the Year is an amazing accomplishment.

“Sometimes teaching is a thankless job. It’s nice when someone from the outside looks in and says, ‘Hey, you’re pretty impressive.

We want to honor you’, ” said Desmarais. “Danielle is highenergy. She looks for opportunities to make learning in the classroom experiential for students.”

Since 1952, the program, sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Education in partnership with the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council, has recognized and honored educators who inspire a love for learning in their students and distinguished themselves in the profession.

School districts select a District Teacher of the Year through their local process. “It was a very humbling moment for me,” said

Lingo, who has been teaching Language Arts for 23 years. “It was wonderful to feel like I mattered as much as I feel other people matter. That was a really big honor.”

Lingo opted to move forward in the process and spent her summer writing about her educational journey and philosophies for a chance at becoming the Connecticut Teacher of the Year.

In late August, as she was setting up her classroom, she got the call that she was a semifinalist. From there, she worked to prepare for an interview and lesson in front of a panel in Hartford in midSeptember, for a chance at being one of the final four finalists. “I was disappointed not to make it into the final four, but all the people who made it are super worthy and amazing,” said Lingo.

Kiana Foster-Mauro, a fourthgrade teacher at Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School in New London, has been selected as Connecticut’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. “I’m going to continue trying to be the best version of myself and pass the torch on for teachers this year.

Anytime anyone can work toward showing teaching in a positive

Freshman Maximillian Fleming earns perfect PSAT score

Maximillian Fleming

Immaculate High School announced last week that one of its freshman students from Redding, Maximillian Fleming, earned a perfect score of 1440 on the PSAT 8/9. The PSAT 8/9 consists of 98 questions divided into two sections, reading/writing and math, and takes approximately 134 minutes to complete (according to the College Board). It is administered to freshmen and sophomores at Immaculate High School to

practice for the PSAT their junior year. Fleming was the only student taking the PSAT at Immaculate this year to earn a perfect score.

“We are incredibly proud of him,” said Dean of Counseling Timothy Nash. “This is no easy feat. We also want to encourage all students that, no matter what score they earned, there’s always time to practice and improve. This is precisely why we give the PSAT as a practice exam.” g

Redding Scouts complete national leadership training program l

By Rob Sample

Photo courtesy of Martin Jara

Scouts participate in a team-building exercise as part of the National Youth Leadership Training program.

As the Allied Force’s supreme commander during World War II, and later as U.S. President, Dwight D. Eisenhower knew a thing or two about leadership. He said it involves “getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

Leadership is also an important skill in scouting, particularly for those who achieve the Eagle rank in Scouting BSA or the Gold Award in the Girl Scouts. Eagle Scout Martin Jara, a Redding senior at Joel Barlow High School, recently completed two key segments of the BSA’s National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).

Jara, a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster for Redding’s Troop 15, also helped teach the second class of the training. “The rationale is that we’re the target demographic and can make the class more relevant to the other Scouts than it might be if it were taught by adults,” said Jara. “When you attend NYLT, about 95-percent of the time you will be taught by other young people.

“NYLT’s motto is ‘for youth, by youth’,” Jara continued. “It has

a huge impact on us as Scouts.”

The earlier training took place at the Deer Lake Scout Reservation in Killingworth last March. The second session was at Camp Pomperaug in Union in August.

About 70 people attended the training in August, which spanned six days. Immediately upon arrival, they were divided into groups – “patrols,” in scouting parlance – of six to eight Scouts.

None of the Scouts in Jara’s patrol had ever met, he recalled, which is by design. As a result, each group had to complete a team-building exercise.

“We all took part in a presentation on communications, planning, and problem solving – after which we applied what we learned to the games and activities held throughout the week,” Jara said.

Scouts also focused on how to identify and utilize people’s individual talents.

Because it was summer and the weather was pleasant, many of the exercises took place outdoors. One fun exercise was a geo-caching scavenger hunt. Participants use navigational methods to find

containers called “geocaches” at certain locations.

“Our patrol members had to work together and help each other out to complete the hunt,” said Jara, who expects to learn in the next few weeks where he might be attending college next year.

“And, we had to return to the camp headquarters in a certain amount of time.”

The final project for each group was an exercise called the Quest for the Meaning of Leadership.

Afterward, each patrol put on a skit for the whole group about what they had learned.

A second Eagle Scout from Troop 15, Owen Bower, also completed the NYLT several years ago. Bower, who is a senior at Henry Abbott Technical High School in Danbury, credited this training with helping him to develop better skills as a leader.

Bower has applied the training within and outside the troop.

“NYLT gives you some great tips on how to guide other people toward a common goal,” he said.

“I also found the training very useful in helping me to become a much better speaker when I’m in front of large groups.”

As somebody who has already turned 18, Bower is considered an adult leader with Troop 15. He recently became an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 15 – something he credits the Leadership Training program with helping him to achieve.

“I’m planning to stay in this role for the rest of the school year, and next year as well, because I’m taking a gap year after I graduate,” said Bower. He’s unsure of his higher-ed plans but tentatively has his sights set on attending the Advanced Welding Institute in South Burlington, Vermont. g

light and show there is good going on out there, why not?” Lingo said.

Lingo’s passion is giving her students a voice, and she’s helped them do that by co-founding the annual 8th Grade Poetry Slam to bring students’ perspectives to a new level. “They perform pieces of original poetry that are often raw and emotional, sometimes humorous, and always relatable,” said Lingo, attributing the evolution of her teaching methodology to being a mom to her two children, Sophie, 13 and Noah, 11. Her goal is to forge positive relationships with her students, offer them a support system, and understand their diverse backgrounds. “When I come into the classroom every day, I want students to walk away, if not having learned the content, having learned how to be a good human, to make others smile or laugh. I can teach my students how to read critically, and write effectively because I have a passion for English, but I want to foster a feeling they’re important to me. If I can make my colleagues and my students feel like they matter, even a little bit, it solves so many other problems.”

Even after many years, Lingo

remains passionate about her career. “I want to effect change.

I always put forth my best effort and energy. I feel when I’m in my class and teaching something I absolutely love, it’s infectious,” she said, appreciating JRMS’s team model. “I’m a collaborator.

I’m learning and growing with my colleagues and proud to be part of them,” said Lingo, who is Coteam leader of eighth grade, coteaches with the Special Education teacher, is Co-president of the Redding Education Association, is a teacher voice as a member of the School Climate Committee, and is a Chairperson of the Sunshine Committee. According to Desmarais, “At John Read we’re a family, but Danielle always looks out for the school and hones that.”

Looking ahead, Lingo’s goal is to continue evolving, planning lessons with intention, and spreading her philosophy of mattering beyond JRMS. “When people look back to knowing me, I want them to say I made a positive difference,” she said. “I want to be an advocate for everyone, to show them that mattering is what we all need to feel valued, heard, and appreciated in this world.” g

Mentors needed for relaunch of Spelling Bee

By Rob Sample

What used to be a proud tradition in Redding and Easton is aiming for a rebirth this spring: the annual Keystone Club Spelling Bee. And to get things off to a great start, the Club is seeking help from high school students who will mentor third and fourth grade Spelling Bee participants.

The Keystone Club is a high school group within the Boys & Girls Club of Redding-Easton.

Membership is open to all students in grades nine through 12. The Club recently reactivated after a dormant period that began during the Covid pandemic and lasted almost four years. Its last Spelling Bee took place on March 10, 2020, just before the Covid shutdowns began in earnest. If all goes as planned, the upcoming Spelling Bee will take place sometime in April 2024.

Prior to the pandemic, the Bee attracted 20 to 30 participants and drew sponsorships from local businesses as well as large companies in Fairfield County, noted Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Meredith Schuchard.

While that is still possible, the Keystone Club is focused on the first hurdle: recruiting high school mentors.

“At the same time that we are recruiting mentors for the Spelling Bee, we are trying to re-grow the Keystone Club,” explained Schuchard.

The Boys & Girls Club of Redding-Easton is an independent chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of America (bgca.org), which was founded in Hartford in 1860 and now has 4,000 autonomous clubs throughout the United States.

Encouraging local chapters to

host spelling bees has long been one the organization’s signature endeavors.

High schoolers who become mentors work with elementary school kids on their spelling abilities. Mentors meet with the youngsters once or twice each week to practice both word lists for the Spelling Bee and overall reading and spelling skills. The goal is to make it fun as well as to prepare kids for higher grades, when academics become more rigorous.

“We need a minimum of six mentors to give as many kids as possible a chance to participate in the Spelling Bee,” said Schuchard, “and ten would be amazing.”

Schuchard encourages high school students who took part in these annual events in their younger years to assist today’s third and fourth graders.

Maritza Jones is the Boys & Girls Club’s Keystone Club liaison. Restarting the Keystone Club from scratch has been an uphill climb. Fortunately, Jones’s daughter, Sara, is a freshman at Joel Barlow High School, and is actively recruiting students there.

“The Keystone Club is not exclusive to Joel Barlow, and meetings take place at the Boys & Girls Club in Redding,” said Jones. “Members can be students who go to private and parochial high schools, magnet schools, vocational-technical high schools, or are homeschooled. We want to reach out to all these groups.”

Sara Jones has recruited several of her friends into the Keystone Club. Others are expected to wind down current sports and other commitments early in 2024 and join as well. She noted that every school requires students to volunteer a certain number of community service hours and being a Spelling Bee mentor is a great way to fulfill that requirement. g If you would like to join the Keystone Club or volunteer as a mentor, contact Jones at (972) 658-1925

Lobster • Oysters • Mussels Crab • Clams • Scallops • Fin Fish

Seasons greetings from all of us working on the waterfront in Maine!

23 Francis Clarke Circle, Bethel 203.800.4040 www.communityshellfishct.com

6 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023

Obituaries Robert Bernstein

Marion Louise Korsmeier

July 22, 1929 – December 5, 2023

August 4, 1937 – November 24, 2023

Marion Louise Korsmeier, 86, passed on peacefully November 24, 2023. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Carl Korsmeier and their three daughters: Loreen Bradley, Denise McNew, and Alison Rose and their families.

Born in New York to immigrant parents on August 4, 1937, Marion grew up in Queens alongside her cousins who lived nearby. Marion graduated Queens College as an RN and became a pediatric nurse for several years. After marrying, Marion lived on Long Island where she and her husband began raising their three children. Marion became a dedicated mom and homemaker and simply enjoyed interacting with her children,

laughing along with all their silly antics.

When the family moved to Redding, Marion’s daughters soon began taking dance lessons at Burdette Dance Center in Danbury, where Marion took on the role of office manager. She provided a safe and nurturing atmosphere for the students, helped out sewing costumes, worked the box office for performances, and recruited other parents to help out. She was a beloved fixture at the dance studio and the go-to person for any assistance. In addition to other countless performances, she assisted with over a decade of the Danbury Music Center’s Nutcracker and never tired of watching her daughters perform.

When her daughters also became interested in acting, she helped out at play rehearsals and sewing more costumes. Marion never missed a recital, play, or concert her girls were in. They were always assured Mom was there cheering them on.

After Marion’s daughters grew up and had children themselves, she enjoyed her role as grandmother, doting on and providing care for the children while their parents

were at work. Marion also kept in contact with the cousins she grew up with in Queens, enjoying family gatherings with them when she could. The most important thing in the world to Marion was family. She always put her family first and only ever wanted to spend her time with her family.

Marion was an avid horror and science fiction show and movie fan. She also had a great sense of humor and enjoyed witty comedy.

She loved decorating for holidays and made each one special with family traditions. She appreciated the fine arts, attending plays and dance performances, all with her family.

Marion was always willing to lend an ear. Family and friends often called her for advice and comfort. She was never too busy to talk to anyone in need.

She will be greatly missed by her husband, daughters, extended family, and friends. To know Marion was to know you were loved and cared about.

Marion will be laid to rest by her immediate family. g

Richard Warren Heggie

January 4, 1948 – December 2, 2023 Richard Warren Heggie passed away on December 2, 2023, a month shy of his 76th birthday.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, on January 4, 1948, he graduated from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School and later earned a Master’s in Fine Arts and Literature from Fairfield University.

Richard’s life was marked by a passion for teaching and art, which he pursued locally and internationally, notably at Udayana University in Bali, Indonesia. He found joy in traveling, sailing, and

historical reenactments, forming lasting friendships with kindred spirits who shared his love for adventure.

Preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Florence Heggie, Richard is survived by his wife, Elisabeth, and daughter, Deirdre. His legacy is felt not only in his family but also in the hearts of those he inspired through his teachings, artwork, and the enduring connections he forged in the pursuit of his beloved hobbies. g

Gethin E. Dalton

Michael W. Bensh

January 11, 1947 – December 4, 2023

February 19, 1964 – December 3, 2023 Michael W. Bensh, 59, passed away unexpectedly on December 3, 2023 at Bridgeport Hospital.

He was the devoted husband of Valeria Costa Bensh.

Mike was born in Booton, NJ on February 19, 1964 to Nickolas and Elinor Bensh. Mike earned an MBA from UCONN and was a talented electrical engineer, working as the manager of the MEP department at BL Companies. He enjoyed volleyball, a good round of golf, gardening, and had a love for his backyard birds. More than anything, Mike loved his family!

In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by his two sons, Dylan and Tyler. He is also survived by his sister, Melissa Ann Bensh. He also leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and so many friends that loved him dearly.

His willingness to help others and genuine spirit will be missed by so many. He was predeceased by his father, Nickolas Bensh, who passed away in 1998.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Connecticut Audubon Society. g

Milton Robert Magnussen May 26, 1947 – December 4, 2023

Milton Robert Magnussen, aged 76, passed away peacefully in his home on Monday, December 4, 2023, in Redding.

Milton was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother.

He was predeceased by his father, Milton Robert Magnussen and his mother, Elinor Magnussen. He is survived by his wife of 54 years,

Phyllis Elaine Magnussen, his three daughters: Sonja Magnussen of Gainesville, VA; Lara Magnussen Mecca and her husband Mike of Norwalk; Erika Magnussen Vibbert and her husband Roger of Redding; and his four deeplyloved grandchildren: Kyle and Ava Zambrana, and Dylan and Derrick Vibbert. He will also be greatly missed by his brother, David Magnussen, his wife Nancy, and their children and grandchildren.

Milton was a Marine Corps veteran who served during the Vietnam War where he received two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and other metals of valor.

Milton started his career working in the tree industry in Massachusetts and later spent several years as a Ranger for the Boy Scouts of America’s Camp Child in Plymouth. In 1980, he moved his family to Redding where

Robert Bernstein, 94, passed away on December 5, blanketed in the warmth of his family and leaving a tremendous legacy of love and laughter.

Bob, Dad, Gramps, was born July 22, 1929, in the Bronx, NY, to the late Regina Bernstein and Harry Bernstein. Bob adored his two older brothers, the late Allen Bernstein and late Jerry Bernstein.

Bob received both his B.A. and M.A. from Brooklyn College, then proudly served in Korea as Sergeant First Class with the 101st Airborne Infantry Division. He returned to pursue his pre-doctoral program at Teachers’ College, Columbia University.

Bob found his life partner and soulmate in Barbara Grishman (Bobbie). It was love at first sight, and they married and embarked on a life together, soon having three beautiful children: Lydia, Doug, and Brian.

Bob began his teaching career in elementary schools in New York City and Westchester County. After an administrative internship, he accepted a principalship in Wilmington, DL. In 1968, Bob found his perfect fit in the principalship of Redding Elementary School. He moved with Bobbie and their three children to Westport. Bob was the beloved principal of Redding Elementary School for 25 years until 1993, dedicating himself to facilitating the growth of children and teachers and profoundly impacting the community. After retirement from Redding, Bob held four interim principalships.

Bob could not go anywhere in Fairfield County without being approached by former students, parents and teachers excitedly sharing memories and thanking him for the difference he made in their lives. Bob also taught adult education in New York City and Westchester County, in addition to ESL in Norwalk Community College and Literacy Volunteers in Danbury. He was a member of the Board and served as President of the Elementary/Middle School Principal Association of Connecticut.

Bob has been a longtime member of the Y’s Men of Westport/ Weston and Temple Israel. Bob was an enthusiastic lover of opera and the symphony, enjoyed playing tennis and ping-pong, and watching his grandchildren play sports. Spending time at Compo Beach remained his favorite activity, from floating in an orange inflatable raft with his children early on, to strolling, watching dogs frisk, and enjoying sunsets with Bobbie.

Bob was the consummate gentleman, treating every person with kindness, respect, and dignity.

We will carry forward his most enduring and endearing quality; a belief in every person’s goodness and their capacity to grow.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Bobbie, their children Lydia, Doug (and Melissa), and Brian (and Lauren); his grandchildren Miriam, Brendan, Ilana, Jason (who left us early and is waiting for Grandpa Bob), Jessica (and Graham), Audrey, Cayla, Sydelle, Esther, and Nate; brother-in-law Hank Grishman (and Jill); and many loving nieces and nephews.

Bob’s favorite educational and cultural arts charities are: A Better Chance of Westport, P.O. Box 2153, Westport, CT 06881 and Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County, Attn: Development, 391 East Washington Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06608 g

he worked for the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company. He spent the rest of his career working for the Ridgefield Board of Education in both its custodial and maintenance divisions. Outside of his career, Milton was often invited by Ridgefield, Fairfield, and Redding schools to share with students his passion regarding the effect war has on soldiers, as well as personal experiences that could not be taught in textbooks.

Interment is planned for Saturday, December 9 with military honors in a private family ceremony in Massachusetts. g

On December 4, 2023 the world lost a larger-than-life character, both literally and figuratively. He left us to reunite with his late wife, Julie, and to be with his former family and friends for eternity.

A bold and eccentric fellow, he enjoyed nothing better than planning a dress up or devising a prank for parties or celebrations – regardless of where athey were in the world, or how formal they were. He embraced everyone, was the first to crack a joke, bellow with laughter, and have everyone in the room in hysterics.

Gethin E. Dalton, “Longfellow,” began his journey of life on January 11, 1947, in Uxbridge, England. He and younger brother Howie were raised by their father, William Arthur Dalton, a member of the Royal Air Force.

Gethin spent his early years living between England and South Africa and attended schools in both countries.

He pursued a career in the international moving and relocation industry starting as a packer and eventually opening his own company, which quickly became highly respected and

regarded in South Africa and worldwide. He was a superb businessman who prided himself on the highest level of service at all times.

In September 1973, Gethin married the love of his life, Julie, who he affectionately called “Winky.” Julie was a saint as she patiently embraced his eccentricities and antics. She grounded him, and he always maintained that she was the best thing that ever happened to him, and vice versa. They were soulmates. Together, they thoroughly enjoyed raising three daughters in Johannesburg until 1987. His time spent there with family, friends, braais, and African wildlife were some of Gethin’s fondest memories.

They started a new life in Ridgefield in 1987. Gethin’s resilience and remarkable work ethic carried his family through the tragedy of losing Julie in 1990. As a single parent, Gethin devoted his life to raising his three girls with a “village” of friends who were, and continue to be, pillars of strength.

Gethin was a voracious reader, avid photographer, writer of countless odes, loyal supporter of the Bokkes and English football, and loved nothing more than stimulating conversation or a vigorous political debate. He was a worldwide traveler who explored almost 100 countries and a master of dramatic entrances to any party or gathering he attended. What he loved most was being with his three daughters, and he rarely missed any family event, either minor or significant, and he was always their number one fan. In Continued on page 7

December 14, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 7

Remembering Redding The Georgetown Story – its past, present, and future Part five: 1950 to 1970

l

By Brent Colley

A close up of the map of Georgetown, before Route 107 was constructed.

The flood of 1955 had catastrophic impacts on the businesses in Georgetown.

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward during the filming of Rachel Rachel on Main Street.

Gilbert’s Hill (now Meadow Ridge) poured into the new culverts that could not handle the volume of water presenting itself. Route 107 had converted a river valley into a basin, and the new drainage in place could not manage the volume.

Sheila Fogarty Johnson noted the impact of the new overpass in her recollection of the flood several years ago: “The normally tiny brook on the western side of Main Street, which had risen and receded all summer, was up and over its banks. Because of the construction of the new overpass, the water had nowhere to go.”

With nowhere to go, the water continued to rise. Several reports claim it rose to 18 feet on Main Street.

The flood damage was extensive, The Wilton Bulletin reported the following day: “The new Calso Building, which housed Sansevieri’s new Barber Shop, J.C. Driscoll’s Insurance and Real Estate suffered heavy damage. Steve’s Bakery was considered a complete loss.

Bonsignore’s Market was also a total loss. The Local Shoemaker Patsy LoPresti, Georgetown Electric, Sabilia’s Liquor store, Georgetown Restaurant, Benny’s Restaurant, Perry’s Market, all ruined.”

(Sansevieri’s new Barber Shop had opened just three weeks prior to the flood; J.C. Driscoll’s Insurance and Real Estate opened one week prior to the flood; Steve’s Bakery opened two weeks prior to the flood.)

Down on the Old Mill Road end of Main Street, Connery Brothers’ new building supply store withstood the flood, being on

higher ground. But the lumber yard was almost completely washed down the Norwalk River.

Many Main Street merchants decided not to return. For those that did return, the clean-up lasted months, as basements had to be pumped, buildings scrubbed and disinfected, floors refinished, and goods re-ordered and stacked. And yet despite all efforts, some flood damage just wouldn’t go away: “For years, when it was damp, the buildings in town smelled of kerosene, which had soaked into the boards,” again recalled Johnson.

As for the factory, it suffered nearly $1 million in damages.

And yet, despite the massive destruction, the company reopened two months later, and still produced 2.6 million miles of wire in 1955 (if you were to stretch that length around the globe, it would wrap around it 104 times!) The volunteer effort in the aftermath of this great disaster exemplifies the character of the local employees and residents. Georgetown was back in operation by the spring of 1956, and ready to grow. The Georgetown Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Squad members were a big reason this re-growth was possible.

As Georgetown headed into the late 1950s and early 1960s, growth was occurring not only within its borders but in all the towns attached to it. Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, and Wilton were all increasing in population and either adding new schools or expanding their existing lower, middle, and high schools.

Redding’s population went from 2,037 to 3,359 between 1950 and 1960; Ridgefield went from 4,356 to 8,185; Weston went from 1,988 to 4,039; Wilton went from 4,558

to 8,026. The population explosion got even more intense between 1960 and 1970. Redding’s population was pushing 6,000, Ridgefield spiked to over 18,000 residents, and Wilton topped 15,000.

Productivity at the factory was also booming as the new machinery added in the 1940s and ‘50s was working as efficiently as management had hoped it would and was allowing Research and Development to create new product lines quickly. The company was continuing to add and acquire new companies across the country, but locally, the heart of Gilbert & Bennett was its employees – and its employees had a great deal of pride in and loyalty to the company and community, qualities that are sometimes sorely missed today.

Gilbert & Bennett recognized and rewarded this loyalty. A great example of this is a dinner that was held on May 28, 1964, at Luigi’s on Route 7 in Branchville, honoring employees with 35 or more years of continuous service.

The employees honored were Eric Ericson (35 years), Joe Ellis (35 years), Eric Swenson (37 years), Chris Larson (35 years), Gus Forsberg (41 years), Len Taylor (50 years), Sue Olmstead (46 years), and Joe Therrien (35 years).

Another example is the 1968 Labor Day picnic honoring 34 Gilbert & Bennett employees with 25 years or more with the company. Vice President Raymond C. Miller said it best when he noted: “Benjamin Gilbert and Sturges Bennett would be proud to know that after 150 years, the Gilbert & Bennett Mfg. Co. is still a successful concern – largely due

This is a multi-part series on the history of Georgetown. To read earlier installments, visit reddingsentinel.org/archive and open the March 2, April 6, June 1, and October 12, 2023 issues.

Up until the 1950s, Georgetown was referred to as a village – and it was. This all changed when the State of Connecticut decided to run a new Route, Route 107, through Georgetown to Route 53 and up to Route 58. On the planning board, it may not have seemed as if this would have a negative impact, but it truly did. Families along the new route were displaced, the village was severed, local travel routes were altered, and within two years of the project’s completion, Mother Nature would expose what engineers had not considered… two hurricanes and a tropical storm occurring within a twomonth period, with dam failures occurring in rapidity above the village on the night of October 15, 1955.

The dams above Georgetown in Danbury and Ridgefield, most notably Great Pond’s dam in Ridgefield, let go around 9:30 p.m. on the night of October 15, sending an avalanche of water towards Georgetown. Residents of Portland Avenue and North Main Street described an “audible POP” when the flood waters burst through the embankment of the Gilbert & Bennett Dam around 11 p.m., sending an estimated nine to ten feet of water through the factory, down Main Street, and southward along Old Mill Road to Wilton.

Main Street’s damage was incredible, as water from Perry’s Pond, Gilbert and Bennett Brook, and rain waters flowing off

to the loyalty and efforts of those being honored today. It must be remembered that PEOPLE – not machines or buildings – make an organization successful. Here today we honor 34 loyal individuals with a record total of 956 years of service to Gilbert & Bennett.”

Its employees made Gilbert & Bennett successful, and at its 150th year anniversary, they were celebrating the fact that the company was the largest producer of light grade welded mesh in the world. Unfortunately, as time would soon expose, locally Gilbert & Bennett had reached its pinnacle, and the decline was soon to come. But at this moment, for employees and residents alike, it was an exciting time to live in and around Georgetown. One of the most exciting times was when Rachel, Rachel, a 1968 American drama film produced and directed

by Paul Newman that starred his wife, Joanne Woodward, was filmed right on Main Street. Many locals were employed as extras in the film, and others were thrilled to have the chance just to watch and see Paul and Joanne up close.

A long-time resident of Georgetown and Redding, Cynthia Nazzaro, recently noted, “We watched some of the filming – so exciting.”

The film exposed a small little town to the world for reasons other than its wire products.

As Georgetown entered the 1970s, just as Rachel’s life changes in the film, Georgetown and Redding would quickly change too. We’ll explore that in the next part of this story. g Brent Colley is Co-Historian for the Town of Redding

Redding’s Big Outdoors: A love letter to Huntington State Park / continued from page 1

Georgetown selected for Main Street Accelerator program / continued from page 1

distance, this is how you walk in a pack. We came to Huntington on days we had been behind our computers all day, trapped in the constancy of the new work-fromhome paradigm. The still waters of Huntington Pond were a sacred balm to us on the day we lost my father-in-law – we watched the sun set slowly that day, saying nothing. I walked the trails often with my son – both before he was born, huffing and puffing with my strange new body, and after he was born, a new mom desperate to get out of her pajamas, if only for an hour.

We bring our friends and visitors there, we mark the start of each new year with a walk around our favorite trail loop, and we recommend everyone we meet who is new to town to make it one

learn to their specific challenges.

Those who complete the course may also qualify for seed funding from CMSC to undertake their identified project. CMSC also designed the program so that the local initiatives can complement state grant funding programs, according to Connecticut Main Street Center’s press release.

Georgetown and the other towns selected were in the “right place at the right time,” said Christine Schilke, Communications & Strategy Director for CMSC. “GVR specifically was chosen because the team has a track record of making improvements; and with plans for the Wire Mill developing, there is a renewed energy to take Georgetown to the next level. We’re happy to have

GVR be a part of this cohort and be part of their journey,” Schilke said.

The Connecticut Main Street Center has an ongoing mission to assess, educate, convene and advocate to develop and grow Connecticut’s downtowns, village centers and mixed-use neighborhoods, supporting Main Streets everywhere.

The Accelerator Program has been in development for over a year. “We realized there were gaps in capacity and implementation in some of our downtowns,“ Schilke said. “A lot of them might have one or two dedicated people who need additional stakeholders to join them to effect change. Or, they may have a clear understanding of a problem area, like a vacant

storefront, but are looking for new ideas or need resources to address it."

“Georgetown is an example of the best of our communities, especially highlighting our local history and community togetherness,” said State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton). “It’s exciting to hear that GVR will work toward supporting its longterm vitality, benefitting businesses and the local region. I look forward to the long-term benefits this work will accomplish.” g

Derek Von Bethman Hollweg.

Gethin is survived by his three daughters and two sonsin-law: Joanne Doherty (Kevin), Lauren Bailey (Carl), and Nicola Broughton; and granddaughter Evelyn Rose Doherty. In England, he is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Diane Scott; nephews Alex, John, and

Tom Scott; and in South Africa, his sister-in-law Alison Lowry and niece Roxanne Dalton, along with many cousins around the world.

The family would like to thank the entire staff and volunteers at the Regional Hospice center who showered him with love, smiles, hugs, extraordinary care that went beyond the call of duty.

A celebration of life is to be determined.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Gethin’s memory to: Regional Hospice of Western CT, 30 Milestone Rd., Danbury, CT 06810. g

of their first stops.

In every season, Huntington is beautiful. The rich dampness of spring, the dappled sunlight of summer, the goldenrod waves of autumn, the hazy mists of winter.

Just last weekend, in the hours before another deluge of rain swept through Redding, we found ourselves at Huntington again.

We lingered at the water’s edge, the rim of trees on the opposite shore barely visible through the mist, creating a delicate mirror image in the glassy surface below.

A group of exuberant hikers – all from the U.K., it was clear from their accents – materialized from the trail behind us. “Wow,” they gasped. “Now that’s quite British, isn’t it?” Huntington has a way of making people feel at home. g

Gethin E. Dalton January 11, 1947 – December 4, 2023 / continued from page 6

more recent years, he couldn’t have been more proud of being “Oupa” to his special granddaughter, Evy. Longfellow was one-of-a-kind, and he is imprinted in the memory of many, many friends and colleagues around the world who loved him not just because of his outrageousness, but also because of his generosity of spirit, his

endless curiosity, his compassion, and the fact that he wore his heart on his sleeve. He bore the tragedies that came his way with enormous stoicism.

He was predeceased by his wife Julie; his parents William and Helen; brother Howard; niece Tiffany; in-laws Peter and Peggy Scott; and aunt Molly and uncle

8 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023

Business Spotlight Cannabis retail moves in next door

Budr opens first location in northern Fairfield County

By Justin Reynolds

On the (holiday) menu with…

Robin Grubard, Owner of Daily Fare

By Pamela Brown

Photos courtesy of Budr

A cannabis store has recently opened its doors in northern Fairfield County. In October 2023, Budr — a social equity, adult-use cannabis retail chain — launched its second location in Connecticut, setting up shop in Danbury.

“We opened our first store on July 31 in West Hartford, and we plan to create five or six retail stores in Connecticut over the next 18 months,” said Carl Tirella, who co-founded Budr alongside Derrick Gibbs. “We’ve been looking at Fairfield County as a viable option based on demographics and population, and we settled on Danbury. They’re only allowing three facilities in town, and we were able to find a location that met the stringent regulations.”

Recreational use of cannabis — more commonly known as marijuana — became legal in Connecticut on July 1, 2021 for those 21 and older. Retail sales didn’t begin until January 2023.

Before Budr, Redding residents looking to source recreational cannabis in a more modern way had to make the trek to Stamford. Now, they make the trip 10-odd miles to 108 Federal Road in Danbury, close to Harley Davidson, Best Buy, and Lowe’s.

“We’re excited to be in Danbury, and we’ve been welcomed with open arms,” Tirella said. “We want to be where we are wanted.

We don’t want to be in a town with tremendous opposition. So far, both places have been really receptive.”

Budr sells a variety of products, including indica, sativa, and hybrid flower (i.e., “buds”), prerolled joints, vaporizers, and THC and CBD edibles, the latter of which don’t produce psychoactive effects. They also have a merchandise shop selling things like candles, hats, and hoodies.

“In Connecticut, everyone gets the same products from the same four growers, so there isn’t much product differentiation,” Tirella said. However, the state just gave out new cultivation licenses, so there will be even more variety in the future, he added. “Branding is going to start coming into play, and it’ll be exciting, with more competition.”

Until then, Budr differentiates itself by aiming to deliver exceptional customer experiences to everyone who walks through its doors.

“At Budr, we are all about the customer experience and our educational processes,” Tirella explained. “We want people to feel welcomed and do our part to destigmatize cannabis, teaching people how and why to use it and what to use it for. Most people are self-medicating. We’re here to work with people and guide them on their journeys.”

Tirella has been in the cannabis industry for seven years now.

A year-and-a-half ago, he parted ways with his then-employer and decided to blaze his own trail, and that trail led to Budr.

“I met Derrick two years ago;

he’s a friend of a friend,” said Tirella, who’s from Ardsley, NY. “We stayed in touch, and just by chance, we reconnected earlier this year and decided to jump in on a venture together. It just felt like the stars aligned and we were ready to make moves.”

As a social equity joint venture, Budr is mandated by law to submit a social equity plan and a workforce development plan for each of its retail outlets. According to its website, the company is already working to find “qualified equity participants and create economic opportunities for them and their family members in the form of jobs, job training programs, and educational grants.”

In addition to selling cannabis and educating clientele, Budr is also committed to engaging the communities they operate in. They recently worked with Hands On Hartford to prepare for Thanksgiving and give back to volunteer staff and the community.

“At the end of the day, we’re all about community involvement and customer excellence,” Tirella said.

“We compete on customer experience; it’s our bread and butter. So far, we’ve got something like 400 reviews on Google between our two stores, and we have 4.9 stars.

That’s what our brand is all about.” g

For more information, visit budrcannabis.com

Robin Grubard

In December, many people spend time in the kitchen baking up seasonal goodies. Robin Grubard, Owner of Daily Fare located inside the Bethel Train Station, is happily ensconced in her kitchen five days a week year-round baking all kinds of sweet and savory treats.

“I love the creativity it allows.

I love making customers happy, and I love when people enjoy the foods I prepare,” said Grubard.

“Baking brings people together.

It’s something the whole family can do together and then enjoy the foods they made,” she said.

Opened in 2008, the “very different bakery and café”, as Grubard describes it, is a onehundred-percent homemade bakery that uses all real ingredients.

“We offer lunches and pastries in a friendly, fun environment,” she said. Breakfast includes homemade granola, a full-line of pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and handcrafted teas and locallyroasted coffee. Lunch is all about the pasty, a savory turnovershaped British pie filled with meat and veggies. Daily Fare offers ten varieties and is one of the only places in New England to enjoy the pasty, a centuries-old food enjoyed

by European laborers and royalty.

Grubard grew up loving to cook, using her sister as her guinea pig for new recipes. After graduating from Baltimore International Culinary College, she worked at Hamptons Restaurant in the Harbor Court Hotel in Baltimore before becoming Head Chef at a vegetarian café, also in Baltimore.

After two years, she became Chef Instructor at her alma mater.

She and her husband moved to Connecticut in 2000, when she started her own business, Chef Robin, a personal chef service.

Grubard initially opened Daily Fare as a place where commuters could pick up dinners to-go. “As commuters responded much better to the baked goods in the morning, eventually I transitioned Daily Fare to a full-service bakery,” Grubard explained. The bakery also offers kids culinary classes, high teas, and special pop-up dinners, and provides made-toorder pastries to several local coffee houses, restaurants, and specialty retailers.

Grubard enjoys experimenting, and when she found a recipe online for Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, a dish she could set up in the crockpot on Christmas Eve and serve on Christmas morning, she tweaked it to her liking. “It has since become a staple at our house every year. I like this dish because it’s healthy, hearty, and delicious. It uses all real ingredients, and everyone loves it.”

Here are some more of Grubard’s holiday favorites: What’s the most special ornament on your tree?

The Mr. Potatohead on top.

Favorite holiday spice?

Cinnamon.

What is your most prized handed-down holiday recipe?

Potato latkes.

Best part of the holiday?

Spending the day at home with my family in our pajamas.

Hot cocoa or eggnog?

Cocoa, without a doubt Most unique baked good at Daily Fare?

Our pasty. Many people don’t know what they are and love them once they try them. I like to call them England’s answer to the empanada. g

Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (serves 4) Ingredients: 2 - 3 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1-1/2 cups milk (or non-dairy alternative) 1-1/2 cups water 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats 3 tablespoons real maple syrup 1 Tablespoon butter, cut into 4 pieces 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt

Drop off your letters for Santa The post box with direct delivery to the North Pole will be open until Tuesday, December 19 in front of the Park and Recreation offices at the Redding Community Center (37 Lonetown Road). Write a letter to Santa and drop it in the mailbox, along with your return address – he’ll be sure to write back! g

Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, craisins, maple syrup, fresh apples, bananas, berries, maple syrup, honey, shredded coconut

Directions: Coat inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray.

Add all ingredients (except optional toppings).

Stir, cover, and cook on low for approximately seven hours.

Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired.

Are you enjoying the Sentinel?

Consider giving a gift subscription this holiday season!

E-mail subscribe@reddingsentinel.org or call 203.938.3800

Photo by Jessie Wright

December 14, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 9

Book Review

Library Corner

Small Things Like These

By Erin Shea Dummeyer

By Clare Keegan

Grove Press New York / 115 p.p. / $20 Small Things like These, shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, is a little book with a big message, and Clare Keegan is a novelist of first rank. What are those small things of the title? After portraying them brilliantly, the author answers directly on the last page: “The small things…when added up, amounted to a life.” And the measure of a life is drawn from ethical and moral choices made on behalf of oneself and others.

We are shown a place of horror while Christmastime crows are feeding on roadkill. “It was a December of crows…scavenging for what was dead…roosting at night in the huge old trees around the convent.” These images make us fear that what follows won’t be good.

And it isn’t.

Bill Furlong is a fine family man when his sturdy, but unexceptional life runs full face into deepest definitions of identity. Though we fear for his inner misgivings, we will be given an immensely satisfying ending. Not a happy ending, but a wholly satisfying one.

Kindness that rescues the harmed speaks to an inner necessity of duty to compassion. Inconvenience seems all at once absurdly self-serving. Rationalizations are overcome by relentless, mostly unconscious ruminations that drive a powerful instinct to do the right thing against all argument. Drawn to destiny, Furlong acts.

Our finer impulses come from what is learned, applied to raw

materials of who we are. In most cases, we can be taught compassion, empathy, duty, and responsibility which, once absorbed into character, create self-respect strong enough to withstand slings and arrows and endure outrageous fortune with equanimity.

Keegan greatly respects the humanity that swirls around her. Curious conflicts and contradictions absorb her attention, and counterintuitive impulses verge into doubts about accepted wisdom that foretell change.

An artist’s trust is to give us examples of good and bad with such acute transparency that the work lands in consciousness with transformative force and alters outlook.

That can mean a confirmation of right and wrong, of good and bad, or a definition of duty and responsibility that resonates correct, confirming response. It can also mean a fork in the road of average expectations.

Fiction seeks truth in the ambiguous. It is not the situation, but how character must clarify reality, so often skewed by bias. Stories simulate reality to identify truth.

The best fiction feels real.

Keegan wrote the truest sentence possible to write: “It seemed proper and at the same time deeply unfair that so much of life was left to chance.” g

Photo by Lisa Goldstein

Art Show Juror David Dunlop reviews the galleries at the Mark Twain Library.

By the time you’re reading this column, the Mark Twain Library’s Art Show will have ended its successful 2023 run. This annual event raises much-needed funds

for operations, but there are other benefits that come from it as well.

While the Library receives a portion of the proceeds from art sales, the artists whose work is sold receive the majority. This means that while the Art Show supports the library, the library-turned-gallery supports the local arts community by getting many pairs of eyes in front of these beautiful pieces.

Last Thursday, the Library hosted a gallery walk and talk with the Art Show’s Juror. One of the questions asked by an audience member was, “How do you decide which pieces to give awards to?” David Dunlop, our award-winning juror and celebrated landscape artist, picked a piece off one of the panels. He started to explain why the piece had moved him and pointed out features in the painting that my amateur art-appreciating eye had missed. There

By Virginia Chambers Keim

Review by Tom Casey Tom is the author of Human Error and Strangers’ Gate

By Margi Esten

and intellectually disabled elderly cousin, Nanny Faulk. It begins with Nanny exclaiming, “Oh my!

It’s fruitcake weather!” He called her Sook, and she called him Buddy, and they were two misfits, co-conspirators, and gentle innocents, at the opposite ends of their lives, living in a no-nonsense Southern household sometime in the 1920s. “We are each other’s best friend. She calls me Buddy, in memory of a boy who was formerly her best friend,” Capote writes. “The other Buddy died in the 1880s when she was still a child. She is still a child.”

There are so many beautiful themes throughout this short piece of writing, mostly exploring love, friendship, and the power of giving – even when one thinks they have very little to give. Experience this with the now grown-up narrator as he looks back on this very special Christmas, and strive to live generously with your own loved ones. g

Nod to the pod

Being Well: “The Being Well Holiday Survival Guide” By Amy Maloof

l

Each week, a one-episode recommendation from a podcast you might love.

Not to brag, but I have anxiety.

I’ve got strategies to manage it, but one of my favorites is bibliotherapy. Since high school, I’ve collected books that help shift my perspective and give me tools to be a chiller, happier person.

And like all collectors, I have my favorites, the ones on my crowded shelves I’ve turned to over and over again. Author and clinical psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson has written a few of these favorites. He also makes a podcast with his son, Forrest.

Being Well focuses on the “practical science of lasting wellbeing.” It combines the different modalities of modern psychology with neuroscience, spirituality, and very down-to-earth, practical tips, all in the effort to ease the daily struggles of life. Episodes

feature father and son discussing the week’s topic, while they swap ideas, perspectives, and personal experiences. I always get the sense their conversation is expanding farther than their show outline had planned.

This episode talks us through the (potentially) emotional quagmire that is the holiday season.

Rick and Forrest discuss how the gap between who you were as a younger person and who you are now can still dictate our interactions with family, then offer their ideas for how to navigate these old relationships in the midst of celebrations that can feel forced. They use humor, empathy, and common-sense suggestions, some of which definitely gave me the strength I need as my family visits begin in earnest this week.

May the force be with me – and you as well.

Happy holidays, Redding! g

Erin Shea Dummeyer is Director, Mark Twain Library

Book banning – how libraries are working to protect access l

Good books for good readers l Welcome to December and the first of a few holiday columns!

Of all the many, many holiday classics, nothing beats, to my mind, A Christmas Memory, a short story by Truman Capote. As your family and friends are sitting around the fire on Christmas Eve, if they are open to an hour of something different, consider reading it aloud, possibly with everyone taking a turn. I did this with my beloved book group some years ago and then (gently) coerced my rambunctious family to take a break from the madness of the season to go along with this – and, well, surprisingly, everyone loved it. Or, just take a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping and cooking, and read it yourself; it is impossible not to be moved.

A Christmas Memory is an autobiographical story, as is much of Capote’s writing, about his short stint living in Alabama as a 7-year-old child with his eccentric

was a young woman in the audience filming his explanation. It soon became apparent that it was her piece that David Dunlop had hand-selected to examine for the assembled audience. David was delighted that the artist was there, and she was equally delighted to hear his professional interpretation of her piece. Afterward, attendees were able to further discuss the artwork with the artist herself. It was a unique, synergistic experience that left all of us a little more appreciative of the fantastic works in this year’s Mark Twain Library Art Show. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers, staff, and artists that participated and helped to make it happen. g

Photo by Carol Morgan

Mark Twain Library Director Erin Dummeyer holds up a commonly banned book at the Redding League of Women Voters luncheon on December 5.

Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange, A Farewell to Arms, A Separate Peace, Animal Farm, The Diary of Anne Frank, Beloved, Captain Underpants, Charlotte’s Web, Dreaming in Cuban, Fahrenheit 451, Fifty Shades of Grey, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Forever, Judy Blume, Harry Potter, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Lord of the Flies, My Mom’s Having a Baby, 1984, Of Mice and Men, Persepolis, Slaughterhouse 5, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Bluest Eye, The Call of the Wild, The Catcher in the Rye, The Color Purple, The Glass Castle, The Great Gatsby, The Handmaid’s Tale, The House of the Spirits, The Hunger Games, The Kite Runner, The Lord of the Rings, The Martian Chronicles, The Shining, The Things They Carried, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ulysses, Where the Wild Things Are, Year of Wonders…

On Tuesday, December 5, the Redding League of Women Voters gathered at Meadow Ridge for the League’s Annual Holiday Luncheon with guest speaker Erin Dummeyer, Director of the Mark Twain Library. The timely topic: “Book Banning – How Libraries are Working to Protect Access.”

The books listed above are but a partial list of the 2,571 unique titles the American Library Association reports as being challenged this year – up 38% from the previous year.

Book banning is hardly new.

In fact, the Mark Twain Library’s status as an independent association library reflects its founder’s determination that it remained independent of the Town and

capable of preventing book bans.

We know of book banning as early as 1637, when Thomas Morton’s New English Canaan was challenged, as the author was critical of the Puritan way of life and wrote positively about Native Americans: most copies of his book were destroyed. The Bible was even banned during slavery: slave holders didn’t want their slaves to get any ideas about how Moses led enslaved people to freedom.

And so, while this form of intellectual oppression is not new, Dummeyer explained, it is the exponential uptick in book banning attempts over the past few years that is of profound concern.

Remarkably, she noted, the significant increase is the work of a very small, but highly organized minority. The Washington Post has reported that 60% of the more than 2,000 challenges in 20212022 were the work of just 11 people. Dummeyer focused on two factors contributing to this exponential rise in book banning.

First, following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, there have been across the board – in publishing, schools, libraries, and the workplace – efforts to look internally at issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion. These have led to efforts to publish, promote, and lend out books by authors or with themes and characters representing a broad spectrum of ethnicities, sexualities, and genders. The unfortunate upshot: the words diversity, equity and inclusion have become political dog whistles. Dummeyer cited the power of social media and its abundant risks for the spread

of misinformation as the second significant contributor to the rise in banning efforts.

While the Mark Twain Library has not been subject to a book challenge during Dummeyer’s three-year tenure, she outlined the response to challenge procedures in place, starting with a challenge form on the Library website. The individual challenging the book must be a Redding resident and confirm having read the book in its entirety. The Library Director, having read the book, then reviews the challenge, followed by the review by the Library Board, and other members of the community – all of whom are expected to read the book in question. Most likely, she added, a committee would be formed for further review of the challenge. The process is time consuming and, Dummeyer noted, in communities where challenges are more prevalent, library workers are leaving their jobs in droves.

Dummeyer’s comments on this heartbreaking outcome of book banning shed light on the treasured commitment to intellectual freedom of those in her profession.

She focused on the hands-on opportunity every librarian has to open readers’ eyes to new stories.

A book can be a window – a story about a child of a different race or with a disability can help build awareness and empathy and open a window to a new world. And books can be mirrors – how would a young girl who wants to be an author envision such a thing if all books available to her are written by men? While attentive parents certainly know what may or may not be appropriate for their own child, it is not tenable for one parent to make decisions for all parents.

The Connecticut Library Association has said, “It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity including those which some individuals in our society may consider to be unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable.”

And so, what can individuals do to fight book bans in their communities? Dummeyer spoke of the Library’s close collaboration with the Redding schools and suggested resources to help citizens fight book bans. She recommended the website: Unite Against Book Bans (uniteagainstbookbans.org), which has a toolkit with free resources. One can attend a public meeting if book banning is on the agenda. On a smaller scale, people can choose to check out a commonly banned book – libraries rely on usage statistics to demonstrate a book belongs in their collections.

Or on the most basic level, Dummeyer concluded: “If you don’t want to read it. Don’t read it.” g

10 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023

The Natural World Leaving it to beaver? The conundrum of the keystone engineer l

By Jen Wastrom

Beavers have been impacting the land for ages. While an estimated 400 million once thrived in America, they were hunted to near extinction by the mid-1800s.

Re-introduction began soon afterward, along with appreciation for their knack for revitalizing watersheds.

The phrase “busy as beaver” takes on new meaning when you see the number of plants they cut and the amount of mud they move to build dams, canals, and lodges. They re-engineer their environment for their own benefit.

Beavers are excellent swimmers and somewhat clumsy on land, so they are safe from predators while in the water. Flooding forests gives them protected water access to more trees for food and building.

• Beavers’ extremely hard teeth (orange, because of ironrich enamel coating) grow continuously throughout their lives. Daily use creates a chiseled shape that skillfully cuts through wood.

• Their lips close behind their teeth, allowing them to hold a branch in their mouth while underwater.

• Beavers use their dexterous front paws to carry mud, rocks, and sticks to their building projects.

Authorities nationwide must balance the problems beavers cause (road flooding, destruction of crops and trees) with the numerous ecological benefits they provide. Plant life increases near beaver dams, and water quality is improved because dams filter pollutants and allow soil nutrients to enter, creating clean, mineralpacked drinking water.

Beavers are paradoxical creatures, creating and destroying at the same time. Although many consider them a nuisance, they have a valuable and integral role to play in the environment.

Photo by Jessie Wright

Evidence of beaver activity in Collis P. Huntington State Park

Take Wildlands, and the relationship beavers have with these protected areas. The term “Wildlands” may be familiar– especially in conjunction with the Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities’ call to action for land conservation in New England.

Today, while 81% of New England is forested, only 3.3% is considered Wildlands. What is the distinction, and why is it important?

Wildlands are permanently protected areas of any size preserved to allow natural processes to unfold. A groundbreaking report, Wildlands in New England,

created by Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands, & Communities’ partners, proposes a path toward Wildlands preservation. There are 426 known Wildlands-designated properties in New England, ranging in age of protection from one to over 100 years. They include rocky coastlines and ancient forests, alpine meadows on the region’s highest summit, and even small natural areas in urban neighborhoods. The report is the first to map and characterize all known New England Wildlands.

With growing recognition of nature’s role in addressing the

Map Source: Foster, D. et al. Wildlands in New England: Past, Present, and Future. Figure 3. Harvard University.

climate change and biodiversity crises, the need for Wildlands conservation has never been stronger.

Beavers are an example of the natural processes that can occur in Wildlands when the land is managed to be “self-willed” and undirected by people. “When you have a landscape with enough protected Wildlands that allow beaver populations to flourish, it can result in many small openings in the forests from the cycle of beaver ponds, dead trees, and subsequent wet meadows and young, shrubby habitats,” said

Edward Faison, Senior Ecologist at Highstead. “Many agencies and organizations currently cut mature forests to create such habitats for biodiversity reasons. Beavers once provided them naturally and will once again if we allow them to flourish across big landscapes.” g To read the full report, go to bit.ly/ WildlandsInNewEngland Reprinted with kind permission of Highstead

Unwrapping holiday memories with Meadow Ridge residents l

Ann Stoddard puts these papier-

Photos by Carol Morgan

mâché Santa figures out at her door every Christmas.

Joy Styles treasures the many gifts featuring her name, “Joy” she has received through the years.

The holidays are upon us, and a special part of the celebrations is gift-giving. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or anything in-between, offering a small token of good cheer shows you care. Residents at Meadow Ridge took some time to share the special gifts they have either given or received during past holiday seasons and how the gift has brought added joy to this time of year.

cloth handcrafted Advent calendar with 25 different ornaments. The coming of Christ is very important to me, and I have a collection of nativity sets. I’ve given many handcrafted crèches as gifts.

As a merchant, at the holidays I enjoyed helping my customers pick out the right gift. I received so much feedback from people who received the gifts. As far as my family giving to me, their best gift is when my children can get here to visit with us for Christmas.

That’s my gift.”

Ann Stoddard “I think the best gift that I gave my husband, Grove, and my children was my decorating the house for Christmas every year. I went all out. I loved every aspect of it, and sometimes I’ll do a theme. When they were young, they enjoyed their wrapped gifts, but as they got older, they’ve told me so often how they’ve loved, appreciated, and looked forward to my decorating. I owned The Country Mouse gift shop in Fairfield, and I have a storage unit filled full with unique decorations. A favorite decoration is a handmade papier-mâché Mr. and Mrs. Claus that I’ve had for more than 25 years, and I put it outside my front door. Mrs. Claus is holding up her apron, and Santa has a sack – I put candy in that so people can help themselves as they go by. I also have a beautiful,

Bob Wylie “The most memorable thing that occurred to me at Christmas was when my wife, Karen, accepted my proposal on Christmas Day in 1953. I met my wife when she was a secretary for the company I worked for. There was the physical attraction, of course, at first, but I also liked that she had a sense of humor. She’s very liberal with her political views like me, she’s very sophisticated, she was a model, a top-flight secretary, and a successful businesswoman. My proposal wasn’t very romantic – we were in a car, and I pulled over to the curb and asked her and she said ‘yes’, and there were Christmas shoppers all around us.”

Mary Madelyn Attanasio “Christmas is a wonderful

time of the year. The major gift I received around holiday time was my mother gave me my tuition to go to Yale University School of Public Health. I was very happy they accepted me. My mother’s gift was special to me, and I was grateful for it. She didn’t want me to end up with loans. I graduated in 1975, and it gave me a career as an epidemiologist. I thought it was a wonderful gift and the most meaningful. I like to give gifts, too.

I’ll be spending some time with my daughters at Christmastime this year, and I will be helping my family financially this year so they can use it for whatever they need.

They will be absolutely delighted and appreciate it. Christmas is all about thinking of others, and we have to enjoy this period.”

William Brown “Following our wedding and those of our siblings, at holiday time we gifted to each other for many years – but we always struggled over what gifts our siblings would desire or need and that we wanted to give. About fifteen years ago, we all agreed that we didn’t need to give each other a gift. We each agreed that we would make a contribution to a charity of our choosing and advise everyone of our choice. It could be an additional amount to a charity to which we had given in the past, or a charity new to us. So, my wife, Margaret, and I decided to gift to local charities that provide support for cancer survivors (Ann’s Place), victims of domestic violence in need of support (Center for Empowerment), and/or to a local Food Bank (Redding Food Pantry) for people with food insecurity. All of us feel wonderful about helping those less fortunate than we are.”

Judi Sewell “I have a special gift I received for Christmas – the birth of my beautiful grandson, Cooper, a couple days before Christmas by

his mom, my stepdaughter, and her husband. Cooper is now twenty years old and is a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon. My heart just melted. I did not have children, and Meg, his mother, is my late husband Frank’s daughter. He is just the light of my life. The other gift that I received was Frank and I honeymooned on Nantucket Island, and I took a picture of him going up into the dunes and into the beach looking out as if he’s looking out at the rest of our life. I gave the photo to his sister who is a watercolor artist and she painted almost exactly the same picture and sent it to us for Christmas. That was my gift to Frank who passed away this April. For 24 years, it has held a very special place in our life, and it sits on my mantel above the fireplace.”

By Pamela Brown

Joy Styles “My most memorable gift is something I received from my daughter every Christmas for 30 years. Joy is a name you see everywhere this time of year – on sweaters, stockings, decorations, and especially ornaments. Each year, Carrie, my daughter, would lovingly choose a unique “Joy” ornament for our tree. Early ones were handmade or bought with her father. As she grew, they were purchased while at college, on her travels, or during her years in New York City. Each one is different and special. Every year I look forward to hanging them on the tree with her while we reminisce.

Soon, I will pass them on to her and her daughters. I hope they will remind them of all the joy we felt at Christmas.” g

December 14, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 11

Calendar of Events

$ = fee applies R = registration required

This Week’s Featured Events Joyful and Triumphant Concert

Georgetown Holiday Fair

Sunday, December 17 6:00 p.m.

Christmas concert featuring adult and children choirs and soloists. Reception with refreshments afterwards.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church 711 Redding Road cibcredding.org

Sunday, December 17 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Parade begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by crafts, refershments, music, and photos with Santa at Lombardi’s Trattoria.

Main Street

Arts Saturday, December 16

Crafts Thursday, December 14

Caren Cole Performance 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Performance of beloved favorites and seasonal classics with singer and pianist Caren Cole.

Georgetown Arts & Cultural Center 5 Main Street gtownarts.com

The Collective @ MTL - A Community Pop-Up Market 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org

Sunday, December 17

Gaudete Market 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Shop wares from local artisans at the Georgetown Oratory.

Georgetown Oratory / PryorHubbard Hall 30 Church Street jesusguild.org

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Joyful and Triumphant Concert 6:00 p.m.

Christmas concert featuring adult and children choirs and soloists.

Reception with refreshments afterwards.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church 711 Redding Road cibcredding.org

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Tuesday, December 19 Community Messiah Sing with String Quartet 7:00 p.m.

Hosted by Music on the Hill, suggested donation to support Wilton Social Services.

Wilton Congregational Church 70 Ridgefield Road Wilton musiconthehillct.org

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Wednesday, December 20 Community Carol Sing 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Join in with the Concert Band, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, Nothing But Treble, and A Choired Tasted for an evening of holiday carols.

Joel Barlow High School / Auditorium 100 Black Rock Turnpike er9.org g

Children I Teens

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Sunday, December 17

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Sunday, December 17 Last Minute Shopper’s Holiday Market 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Nod Hill Brewery 137 Ethan Allen Highway Ridgefield nodhillbrewery.com

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Wednesday, December 20 Kids Crafting 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Students can make a snowman ornament and other winter crafts.

WorkspaceCT 16 Trowbridge Drive Bethel workspacect.org/event-details/ kids-crafting $, R

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Thursday, December 21 Holiday Floral Centerpieces 2:30 p.m.

Make-your-own holiday centerpieces with traditional greens and unexpected flowers.

Heritage Center 37 Lonetown Road RSVP to mstillman@ townofreddingct.org $, R g

Saturday, December 16 Winter Stories by the Fire (age 3-5) 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Holiday stories and snacks. Dropoff program.

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

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Monday, December 18 Hot Chocolate Kindergarten Story Time 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Enjoy a hot chocolate mini bar and wintery stories. Drop off event.

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

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Wednesday, December 20 Storytime for Children with Adults (ages 1-5) 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Nature stories and related activities.

New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

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Wednesday, December 27 – Friday, December 29 Ultimate Frisbee Party, Grades 4-8 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Frisbee drills, skills, and competitions.

Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org/parks-andrecreation $, R g

Food, Wine Saturday, December 16 Holiday Cookie Sale 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

St Thomas’ Episcopal Church 95 Greenwood Avenue Bethel stthomasbethel.org

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Sunday, December 24 Christmas Eve Brunch with The Hot Club of Black Rock 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Musical brunch by the fire.

The Redding Roadhouse 406 Redding Road thereddingroadhouse.com $, R g

Fundraisers Thursday, December 7 – Monday, December 25 Operation Blue Santa Ongoing Donate to The Redding Police Fund to help anonymously provide gifts, toys, and gift cards for local families in need this holiday.

Mail or drop off tax-deductible contributions to: The Redding Police Fund c/o Blue Santa Redding Police Department 96 Hill Road, Redding CT 06896 facebook.com/reddingctpolice

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Community Carol Sing Wednesday, December 20 Join in the Joel Barlow High School music ensembles for an evening of holiday carols.

Joel Barlow High School Auditorium 100 Black Rock Turnpike er9.org

Thursday, December 7 – Friday, January 5 Westbrook Nature School Coat Drive All day collections Drop off new and gently used coats in the gray bin on the school’s front porch, to benefit the non-profit One Warm Coat.

Westbrook Nature School 7 Long Ridge Road westbrooknatureschool.org

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Tuesday, December 12 – Thursday, December 14 RES PTA Toy Drive All day drop off Bring new, unwrapped toys and gifts to benefit Toys for Tots.

Redding Elementary School 33 Lonetown Road facebook.com/RESPTA g

Health I Wellness Tuesday, December 19 Yoga Nidra 4:00 p.m.

Virtual yoga session through the Heritage Center RSVP to mpilato@townofreddingct.org or (203) 938-9725 R

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Wednesday, December 20 Meditation 12:00 p.m.

Virtual meditation session through the Heritage Center RSVP to mpilato@townofreddingct.org or (203) 938-9725 R g

Holiday Sunday, December 17 Georgetown Holiday Fair 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Parade begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by refreshments, a holiday craft tent, performance by the Joel Barlow Select Choir, and photos with Santa at Lombardi's Trattoria.

Main Street

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Monday, December 18 Holiday Make-Up for Mature Women 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Bring your own makeup and learn from a professional makeup artist.

Heritage Center 37 Lonetown Road RSVP to mstillman@townofreddingct.org or (203) 938-9725 R

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Thursday, December 21 Winter Solstice Welcome Celebration 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Season bell to ring at 6:30 p.m.

Consider bringing a canned food donation for ARC Comida Food Pantry.

Redding Grange #15 399 Newtown Turnpike reddinggrange.org g

Religious Services Bethlehem Lutheran Church Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (in person) or 10:15 a.m. (Zoom) 44 Portland Avenue bethlehemlutheranct.org

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Meetings

Want to feature an upcoming event?

E-mail us at advertise@reddingsentinel.org for more information.

Thursday, December 14 Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill Advisory Committee 6:00 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room Subject to change to hybrid or virtual.

100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

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Thursday, December 14

Calvary Independent Baptist Church Adult and Child Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. / Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday prayer meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Nursery provided for all services 711 Redding Road cibcredding.org

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Christ Church, Episcopal Sundays at 9:00 a.m.

184 Cross Highway christchurchredding.org

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First Church of Christ, Congregational Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

25 Cross Highway firstchurchredding.org

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Long Ridge United Methodist Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

201 Long Ridge Road Danbury longridgeumc.com

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Sacred Heart / St. Patrick Parish

Sacred Heart Church: Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 p.m.

Saturday Eucharistic Adoration: 6:00 p.m.

Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

12:00 noon LATIN Weekday Mass: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday 6:00 p.m. LATIN 30 Church Street St. Patrick Church: Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday Mass: 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m.

Weekday Mass: Monday – Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Mondays and Thursdays Eucharistic Adoration: 7:00 p.m.

169 Black Rock Turnpike sacredheart-stpat.org

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Temple B’nai Chaim Fridays at 7:30 p.m.

82 Portland Avenue Georgetown templebnaichaim.org g

Special Programs Thursday, December 14 and Thursday, December 28

Redding Fire District #2 Commissioners Meeting 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

306 Umpawaug Road townofreddingct.org

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Monday, December 18 Board of Selectmen 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

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Tuesday, December 19 Region 9 Board of Education 7:00 p.m.

Joel Barlow High School / Library Learning Commons 100 Black Rock Turnpike er9.org

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Tuesday, December 19 Conservation Commission 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Old Town House 23 Cross Highway townofreddingct.org

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Wednesday, December 20 Water Pollution Control Commission 7:30 p.m.

Zoom townofreddingct.org

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Wednesday, December 20 Board of Finance 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room Subject to change to virtual or hybrid townofreddingct.org

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Tuesday, January 2 Conservation Commission 7:00 p.m.

Old Town House 23 Cross Highway townofreddingct.org

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Monday, January 8 Park and Recreation Commission 7:00 p.m.

Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org

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Monday, January 8 Republican Town Committee 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

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Tuesday, January 9

Fine Wine or Sour Grapes?

Let’s Talk About Aging 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

Georgetown Fire District Meeting 5:00 p.m.

61 Redding Road townofreddingct.org

Saturday, December 16

Tuesday, January 9

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Krampus and Other Terrifying Christmas Legends (Teens and Adults) 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Recommended for Grade 6 and older.

Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

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Monday, December 18 Joel Barlow High School National Honor Society Induction Ceremony 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Joel Barlow High School 100 Black Rock Turnpike er9.org g

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Planning Commission 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org g

** Town offices will be closed on Monday, December 25 for the Christmas holiday and Monday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.

12 l Redding Sentinel l December 14, 2023