final_December 21 issue

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

DECEMBER 21, 2023

State DOT response to Route 7 tree cutting leaves more questions

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REDDING, CONNECTICUT

Volume 2 / Issue 28

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Index

Big Outdoors Editorial Letters to the Editor Legal Notice

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Zoners extend hearing on temporary museum By Rocco Valluzzo

By Donna Christopher

State representatives were on site on December 7 to review a completed tree-clearing project on a four-mile stretch of Route 7 in Ridgefield near the Redding border. Many residents have been concerned that tree workers may have cut too many trees and have raised questions about the impact on the environment and nearby wetlands. Neighboring property owners and others who stopped by the site to view the tree work noted wood chips and tree stumps following the tree-clearing. Several of these residents contacted representatives of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), which conducted the work, and made inquiries to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Some of the responses they received were reported in the November 16 issue of the Sentinel, at which time the CTDOT had not been reachable for comment. CTDOT spokesperson Josh Morgan has since provided the following statement responding to the Sentinel’s inquiries about the project’s scope, clean-up, funding, and permitting. “Along a four-mile stretch of Route 7, crews worked to ensure the public's safety by removing dead, dying, hazardous, or invasive vegetation. That work included removing dead ash trees, which the emerald ash borer has decimated. Work also included removing trees with poor root structures, leaning over the roadway, and species that had defects from previous storms or roadway crashes. Wildflowers were planted after the trees were removed, which helped establish a new pollinator corridor. This location and all vegetation management safety improvements statewide are thoroughly reviewed before performing this work within the CTDOT right-of-way. An environmental impact review of this area was performed by CTDOT prior to any work being performed. A post-review of the area was also conducted with CTDOT and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) representatives. This work was completed with an approved vendor awarded under the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) contract working for and directed by CTDOT.” Drivers passing the site this fall while the work was being conducted may have seen a large harvesting machine used to cut and chip trees in minutes. “Poof. They’re gone,” said Laurie Heiss,

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find their paths useful in getting through some of the brush. Lots of deer, he says: “Sometimes I let the dog out at night and there are twenty eyes in the flashlight!” I cross the road onto our field, a mowed square behind several mature sugar maples, birches, hickories; the field is dotted with a dead, cornflake-barked black cherry cloaked in wintercreeper, an eastern red cedar, a couple huge spruces. The back edges of the field, away from the road, are marked by tulip poplars and dead ash trees towering over a low tangle of multiflora rose, barberry, and wineberry. Among the prickers, I find an opening just big enough for a deer, or me, and enter the woods. The tulip trees rise tall and straight before branching out at all angles, decorated for the season with

The Zoning Commission agreed to continue a December 13 public hearing on January 10 for a special use permit for a temporary museum at 4 Fox Run Road. Steven Mandel, CEO and President of Aspire One Communications of Cornwall, NY, plans to use a house that is under construction as a site for a temporary museum for a 20-day period once construction is complete, currently planned for late September or early October 2024. During that time, it will showcase the work of interior designers. “What we’re asking to do is have professional, well-known designers come in,” Mendel’s attorney, Robert Jewell, told the Commission at its December 13 hearing. “Each gets a room and decorates it in their mind’s eye as artists, creates a canvas where they can create whatever they want.” All visitors must park at a fixed location off-site and will be transported to the property in a passenger van. There will be one van that comes every 30 minutes from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (12 trips per day) from Wednesday through Sunday for the 20-day period. No food will be served. Visitors must purchase tickets, which will not be sold on-site. “People who come to these things are architects, design students, interior designers, people who are in those industries,” said Jewell. The ticket price of $60 defrays the cost of the show, and a portion of the sale will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Redding-Easton, which has already received a donation of $25,000 from the applicants. “It’s a totally philanthropic effort,” said Mendel. “We do not profit one iota from this.” Citing an article in a magazine for museum professionals, Jewell noted the biggest trend in museums today are temporary pop-up museums. “They happen all over the country,” he said. “They happen in spaces that are available between leases, buildings that are under construction, or in other areas.” According to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary, a museum is “an institution devoted to the procurement, study and display of objects of lasting interest or value and also a place where objects are exhibited.” Jewell added that there are museums throughout the country that are dedicated to design, including New York’s Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian and Design, the Museum of Arts and Design, and Kips Bay Show House. By continuing the hearing until January, Jewell also hopes to return to the Planning Commission and have the group reconsider its negative referral on the proposal. The application drew criticism

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Photo by Andrew Elliott

Santa made a few dozen special deliveries to homes in Redding on Saturday, December 16 with the help of Redding Fire and EMS Company #1. This annual tradition is a favorite among families and a fundraiser for the Company. If you have a photo you’d like to see featured here, with credit of course, e-mail editor@reddingsentinel.org

December storm takes out power, blocks roads l By Jessie Wright

With the mercury hovering near 60 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, December 18, the heavy rains and winds lashing Redding felt more like the outputs of a tropical hurricane than a nearwinter storm. A total of 3.2-4.14 inches of rain were reported throughout town by residential weather stations, with sustained winds of nearly 25 miles-per-hour and gusts of 40 miles-per-hour recorded at Danbury Municipal Airport. By 6:00 a.m. on Monday, nearly 30% of Redding homes were without power, according to the Town of Redding; this number ultimately rose to over 1,500 homes (close to 40%) as the storm continued and restoration efforts began. Redding and Region 9 schools

began Monday morning with the message of a two, then three-hour delayed start, before announcing the decision to cancel classes altogether due to power outages and impassable roads. Mark Twain Library and the West Redding Post Office were closed on Monday, and phone and internet service at Town Hall were down. The Heritage Center and Park and Recreation Department cancelled programs for the day. Numerous roads were also closed due to the storm, with downed trees, utility wires, and flooding making several major throughways impassable, including Route 53, Route 58, Simpaug Turnpike, and Route 107. The impacts of the storm continued into Tuesday, Decem-

ber 19, as temperatures plummeted to near-freezing. ER9 schools announced another three-hour delay. Eversource had restored power to over 1,000 Redding homes by 8:30 p.m. Monday evening, though over 300 remained without power Tuesday morning, according to the Town of Redding. Crews continued to clear several roads still blocked on Tuesday, including Sanfordtown Road, Topstone Road, Glen Road, and Olmsted Road. The massive storm impacted much of the East Coast, with flooding and power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of people from Florida through Maine. Four people died across four states due to the storm, according to several national news reports. g

Redding’s Big Outdoors Cemetery Brook l

Photo by Cole Tucker-Walton

Every fall, properties owned or managed by Redding Land Trust are divided among the Trustees for monitoring. I did half of mine in October, starting near my house, getting to know the borders of unfamiliar lots, exploring curious

Sports Business Spotlight Book Review Library Corner

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By Cole Tucker-Walton

features visible by satellite. This week, I head over to Fox Run Road to visit my second half, mostly adjacent to the Town’s Stormfield trails. I park in the elbow of Fox Run and realize I forgot my boots by my back door. Eh – hopefully not an issue. A man walks down the hill with a pretty hound and says hello. “Are you going up the road?” he asks. “A tree just fell and is leaning over the road!” There it is, with a truck narrowly missing it as we watch. We introduce ourselves, and when I say I’m visiting 31 Fox Run Road across the street, he says, “Oh, I walk through your property all the time!” Good! All the properties the Land Trust owns are open to the public for wandering, whether blazed with trails or not. “Deer like to sleep there,” he says, telling me I’ll

Real Estate The Natural World Calendar of Events

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2 l Redding Sentinel l December 21, 2023

Editorial

Letters to the Editor

We wrote a few weeks ago about charitable giving trends in Connecticut, the importance of December donations to non-profits, and the impact that we all can have on moving mission-based work forward. As this will be the Sentinel’s final issue of 2023 before the holiday break, we wanted to make sure to use our platform to share information on local organizations and people making a difference in our community. You will find content throughout this week’s paper celebrating stories of generosity, inspirational charitable business ideas, and resources available for a wide spectrum of needs and interests. We especially encourage all our readers to peruse the messages on page 6 and 7 from several local organizations – representing a cross-section of interests, needs, and programs – to learn more about the work going on and consider where your support or involvement may be needed. The listings are by no means comprehensive, but we hope they provide a spark or two of inspiration and pride in the community we call home. Here at the Sentinel, we are truly grateful for all you have given us this year. Your encouragement, financial support, and feedback continue to bolster us and make it possible to bring you the news each week. We wish you all a healthy, happy holiday season and look forward to arriving in your mailboxes and on newsstands again in the new year! g

We welcome Letters to the Editor. Please be clear, civil, and concise. E-mail editor@reddingsentinel.org with submissions.

A most thoughtful legacy for Redding seniors

To the Editor,

The Brunissen Trust

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If you keep an eye on the legal notices in the Sentinel, you’ll have noticed a small one that appears every so often announcing a public meeting of the Brunissen Trust for Redding Senior Citizens, Inc. The Trust is a modest one, with assets of just over $60,000, and it distributes investment income only. The Trust’s mission is to help and assist the needy senior citizens of Redding. Working with the Heritage Center, the Trust funds, for example, monthly luncheons for seniors in town. It has also paid for gift cards from Caraluzzi’s for those in need. The legator of the Trust, Charles H. Brunissen, was born in Redding in 1911 and appears to have lived here all his life. He was a true Redding oldtimer. He attended Umpawaug School, graduating in 1925 and moving on to Danbury High School. In an interview in the Redding Pilot in 1993, Brunissen recounted walking to school on top of stonewalls during deep snowstorms. The education he received in that one-room schoolhouse and later in Danbury must have been excellent – for in 1929, at the age of 18, he became known as the “second-brightest boy in the country.”

Brunissen’s flash of fame as a teenager came when he placed second in a competition to be Thomas Edison’s understudy. The competition was judged by Edison, Henry Ford, George Eastman, Harvey S. Firestone, and Charles Lindbergh. The winner of the competition received a prize of a four-year scholarship to MIT. Edison decided that the four boys who did not come first deserved a four-year scholarship as well. Brunissen chose to attend Yale. But then a generous woman from El Paso, Texas offered him a full ride at MIT, and he took her up on the offer. His unused scholarship from Edison was offered to the next boy on the list. The winner of the Edison scholarship, Wilber Huston, went on to be an aerospace engineer with NASA. I’ve been unable to find any career information about the boy from Redding who came in second… but he left a lasting legacy for Redding seniors. Charles H. Brunissen died the day after Christmas in 2009 at the age of 98 and is buried in Umpawaug Cemetery. In 2010, his estate formed the Brunissen Trust, the sole purpose of which is to make the lives of Redding seniors better. g

By Susan Clark

Legal Notice THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF REAL ESTATE and PERSONAL PROPERTY AND 1st Installment SUPPLEMENTAL MOTOR VEHICLE TAXES ON THE GRAND LIST of OCTOBER 1, 2022, IS DUE AND PAYABLE JANUARY 1, 2024. TAXES DUE JANUARY 1, 2024, MUST BE POSTMARKED OR PAID ONLINE, NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1, 2024, TO AVOID PENALTY. TAXES ARE DELINQUENT FEBRUARY 2. Payments postmarked, Paid in Person or Paid online, on or after February 2, 2024, are delinquent and will carry an interest penalty. Interest is charged at the rate of Eighteen (18%) percent annually or one and one-half (1.5%) percent per month, from the January 1, 2024, due date. Supplemental Motor Vehicle Taxes are due in full January 1, 2024. Failure to make payment in accordance with the above will result in suspension of registration privileges in addition to the interest charges. Delinquent Mo-

tor Vehicle Taxes must be paid in cash, certified check, money order or online by credit card, to obtain a registration clearance. FAILURE TO RECEIVE A TAX BILL DOES NOT EXEMPT YOU FROM PAYMENT OF TAX OR PENALTY. Oldest outstanding taxes must be paid prior to paying current taxes. Taxes can be paid or viewed at www.townofreddingct.org. Credit card payments are not accepted in person at the Tax Office. You may call (866) 923-8245 to make a credit/debit card payment. Town Hall hours may vary due to weather conditions. However, due dates do not. Verify the Town Hall is open and the department you need is open before coming in person. The Town Hall is closed on Fridays. We are located at 100 Hill Rd, Redding, CT; Telephone: 203 938-2706. g Patricia J. Moisio, C.C.M.C., C.C.M.O Tax Collector Town of Redding

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To the Editor, Last week, while giving my two little kids a bath, I noticed that Police Chief Mark O'Donnell was calling my cell phone. As Library Director, I immediately panicked. Was the Library on fire? Was someone caught stealing Mark Twain's books? No. Chief O'Donnell was calling to let me know that he had stopped to help someone who was lost driving on the backroads of Easton, and that person happened to be presenting at the Library that night. Chief O'Donnell wanted me to assure the Library staff that our presenter was safely on her way. Our Chief ended up giving our presenter a police escort back to the Mark Twain Library and even walked her into the building. I can't thank our Chief enough not only for calling me but also for the helpful hand he gave our presenter. This is what makes small towns the best. And the Library's speaker, ironically, was presenting a program on "10 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress." Hats off to the Chief. g Erin Dummeyer Director, Mark Twain Library

December 16, 2023, marked the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. On that day, colonists in Boston, frustrated with high taxes without representation in the British parliament, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor that had been imported by the British East India Company. This simple act of defiance by a few hundred colonists triggered a series of events that snowballed into a full-fledged revolution against the tyranny of King George III. As we commemorate this seminal event, it is worth recalling the context of the times, and how a seemingly isolated incident led to such a monumental outcome. The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts, a series of laws that punished Massachusetts. The Acts were seen as an attack on the rights of all colonists, which helped unite the colonies against British rule. The First Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia a year after the Boston Tea Party in September 1774. It protested against British policies, called for a boycott of British goods, and for colonies to form militias to resist British aggression. The American Revolution began the following year on April 19, 1775 with the Battles of Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts. A year later, on July 4, 1776, America became free from Britain when the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. And that was how a tea party helped make America free. g Dan Souza for the Board of Directors Redding Historical Society To the Editor, Kudos to the Sentinel for shining a light on Georgetown, that neglected, historic, and important corner of Redding that has become a kind of stepchild of the town, pushed aside perhaps because of all the problems that the Gilbert & Bennett site poses, and the unsurprising aging and lack of renovation of Main Street. Brent Colley’s historical piece was an eye-opener, and partly explains how the devastating push-through of Rt. 107 cut poor Georgetown into unmanageable pieces. But we now see how energy and innovation may yet revive the area, with Julie and Bob Marty’s opening of the GTown Gallery, the prospect of fresh cultural activity centered on the Granite Church, and the ongoing dining pleasures of good old Lombardi’s, steadfast Rancho Alegre, and the “newcomer” restaurants Milestone, the Wire Mill BBQ, and Black Cat Grille. All of us Reddingites should pay more attention to Georgetown, urging our Town government to keep up the pressure on recovering the G&B site, patronizing the enterprising food purveyors and new arts activity, and maybe even lobbying the State one day to create one or more pedestrian bridges to knit Georgetown back together again, providing more badly needed parking, and linking business on both sides of the road. g Robert Morton Poverty Hollow Road To the Editor, What a pleasure to read Jessie Wright’s ode to Huntington Park. When we arrived in Redding forty-six years ago with our two young daughters, we were astonished to find this extraordinary natural haven hardly a stone’s throw from our new (then) weekend home. We share “our park” with every new and repeat visitor: breathtaking at every season; a place redolent of legends – true or false – of the Huntingtons. We, our children, and grandchildren (and dogs) have delighted in trail walks, sledding and cross country skiing, and great adventures – as early on, we four survived being lost with a freezing night in the forecast scouting our way west to the sunset. In many ways Huntington – just an hour-and-a-half from the city – is a metaphor for all things Redding. g Ginny and Dick Keim Sunset Hill Road

SENTINEL HOLIDAY PUBLISHING SCHEDULE The next issues of the Sentinel will arrive to subscribers and hit newsstands in the new year on Thursday, January 11 and Thursday, January 25, after which we will resume our regular, weekly publishing schedule. Please submit any event information or letters to the editor by the Sunday prior to the publication date. Visit reddingsentinel.org/publishing-schedule for a complete list of Volume 2 issue dates. Contact us at publisher@reddingsentinel.org with any questions. We wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!

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

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December 21, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 3

Forum against hate speech planned for new year Riverbrook Regional YMCA to host local leaders February 4

Stephen Hudspeth will moderate the "Confronting Acts of Hate in Our Community: Antisemitism, Religious Intolerance, Ethnic Exclusion, Racism and LGBTQ+ Hate" on February 4.

The Riverbrook Regional YMCA (formerly the Wilton Family YMCA Branch) will be

hosting a forum to address hate speech and actions on February 4 from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The forum, titled “Confronting Acts of Hate in Our Community: Antisemitism, Religious Intolerance (Islamophobia), Ethnic Exclusion, Racism, and LGBTQ+ Hate”, is free and open to all Redding residents. It is offered in cooperation with the AntiDefamation League (ADL), an organization dedicated to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all,” according to its website. The forum will allow attendees to share information on hate incidents and provide a more personal understanding of the impact they can have. It will create a network of support to prevent hate

speech and actions. “The network will continue to meet periodically to follow up on the events from the forum’s discussions and implement ways to prevent hate speech and acts of hate from invading our community,” said Andrew Bayer, spokesperson for Temple B’nai Chaim’s Kulanu/ social action group to confront antisemitism and hate. This ongoing support network will address the development of a coordinated system of responses to future hate incidents. It will also help to ensure support for those who are victims of such acts. The forum will be moderated by Stephen M. Hudspeth, an adjunct professor in the University of Connecticut’s Graduate School of Business where he has served for the past seven years teaching

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By Anne Young Albanese

courses in business law and ethics; securities law and compliance; revolutionary technology law; and data privacy and internet protocol law. He began teaching law at academic institutions after his retirement from large firm legal practices at the end of 2004. Hudspeth is the Chair of the Wilton Interfaith Action Committee and is a recipient of a Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award. The event will unite a series of faith leaders and government officials. Some of the participants include Cantor Harriet Dunkerley from Temple B’nai Chaim in Georgetown; Father Reggie Norman from Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Wilton; and Cadence Pentheny, Community Education Manager for the Triangle Community Center in Norwalk.

The event will also include a representative from the local Muslim community. Some potential government officials attending may include Richard Blumenthal, United States Senator from Connecticut; Chris Murphy, United States Senator from Connecticut; and Jim Himes, United States Representative from the 4th district, which covers 17 towns including most of Fairfield County and some of New Haven County. A few of the towns he represents include Easton, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, and Wilton. Local politicians are also expected to attend. Additional information will be made available closer to the February 4 event. g

Contagious canine respiratory illness spreading this winter Tips for protecting your dogs If you're a dog owner, it’s important to be aware of the highly contagious Canine Respiratory Illness that continues to spread across many parts of the country with thousands of dogs being sickened and some even dying. The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, one of the first organizations to warn dog owners about the illness, reported over 200 cases this fall. Other possible cases have been reported in California, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, and other states. “While we can’t speak to New England or the state of Connecticut, we can confirm that Connecticut Humane Society has not yet seen any cases. We do not have any specific information regarding the types of dogs this is affecting,” said Kathryn Schubert, Marketing & Communications Manager, and Allyson Simerlein, Assistant Director of Operations, of the Connecticut Humane Society.

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By Pamela Brown

According to Dr. Carol Gamez, DVM, of Georgetown Veterinary Hospital, the mysterious Canine Respiratory Illness is a potentially alarming situation. “Veterinarians are not sure if many of the cases are truly related or simply isolated events,” said Gamez, who noted the issue continues to evolve. The cause of the illness “remains a mystery” despite hundreds of dogs contracting it, notes the American Veterinary Medical Association; however, it was recently reported that the University of New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Hubbard Center for Genome Studies have made a potential breakthrough in uncovering a bacterium, atypical of normal bacteria, that’s causing the illness. It remains an early discovery and more research is being conducted. Veterinarians report that the illness causes lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia in dogs that doesn’t respond to antibiotics

or the usual course of treatment and urge dog owners to be on the lookout for any symptoms. “Monitor your dogs for any of the following symptoms – coughing, sneezing, runny eyes, and difficulty breathing. Contact your veterinarian should any of these occur,” said Gamez. Some dogs might not be eating or drinking as usual. In some cases, it’s been reported that the pneumonia can progress quickly and make dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours. The illness is spread through close contact with other dogs and having them breathe the same air. Gamez said it’s important for dog owners to do all they can to protect their pets. Along with staying on top of the latest information, some basic precautions she offered include: limiting your dog’s exposure to other dogs by keeping them away from dog parks, doggy day care, and boarding or grooming facilities until more is known about what’s going on and

keeping your dog up-to-date on vaccines, including Kennel Cough Vaccine and the Canine Influenza Vaccine. At this point, Gamez noted they are unsure if it's a viral disease, so it's best to stay current on these vaccines. In addition, avoid the use of communal water bowls. Schubert and Simerlein encourage dog owners to ask relevant questions of the businesses where their dog receives services, including but not limited to if they’ve seen any cases, what their cleaning and sanitation protocols are, and what their processes are if a pet in their care becomes ill. “If their pets are not presenting any symptoms, and they feel comfortable with the disease control and sanitation processes of the facilities they’re visiting, they should go about their routine as usual. As usual, it’s best to avoid contact with potentially sick pets,” said Schubert and Simerlein. Should owners be overly

worried? “As with any concern about your pet, if your dog is presenting symptoms, it’s a good idea to speak with your veterinarian. There’s not yet enough information on this new illness to panic or disrupt your pet’s normal routine,” they said. “In general, we recommend that pet owners and pet-focused businesses stay up-to-date on this illness through reputable, science-based sources, and take thoughtful, reasonable steps to protect themselves and their pets. Veterinarians across the country are aware of this illness and are working together to get more information.” g For reliable information, visit: www.avma.org

4 l Redding Sentinel l December 21, 2023

Sports Bethel edges out Barlow in opener Wrestling

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By Rocco Valluzzo

Photo by Rocco Valluzzo

Joel Barlow High's Zach Jhilal (top) battles Bethel's Nelson Rodriguez in the 120-pound class in a wrestling meet on Wednesday, December 13. Barlow lost a close 36-34 decision in the season-opener.

Missing a few eligible competitors in certain weight classes put the Joel Barlow High wrestling team at a bit of a disadvantage in its season-opener last week. The Falcons had to forfeit four weight groups when they visited Bethel on Wednesday, December 13. Although things went down to the wire, they wound up on the short side of a 36-34 score. Barlow had no wrestler for 106 pounds. In one of the closest matches of the night, Bethel’s Marco Perrone then outlasted Barlow’s Ben Azzara, getting a

point in the third period to hold on for a 1-0 decision at 113 pounds. Things were also close in the 120-pound class. Barlow’s Zach Jhilal had a slim 5-3 lead over Nelson Rodriguez at one point, only to have the latter manage a takedown in the third period for an 8-7 win instead. Kai Lee got the win by forfeit when Bethel could not produce an eligible wrestler at 126 pounds. At 132 pounds, Bethel’s Jonathan Louzada outlasted Ryan Knob for a 5-3 decision. Another forfeit win went to the

Falcons’ Alex Krois when Bethel had no wrestler for the 138-pound division. It marked the first of three wins in succession for the visitors. Barlow also prevailed at 144 pounds. Stryder Hanson allowed only one point in an 11-1 decision over Esther Ribeiro. Getting a victory by pin, Scott Romano defeated Bethel’s Shane Rowser in the first period of the 150-pound class. It was a doubleforfeit at 157 as neither side had an eligible wrestler. The Wildcats’ Derik Espinal won by forfeit at 165 pounds. Barlow dominated the 175-pound class with Logan Bacas defeating Miguel Moreira 11-1. It turned out to be Barlow’s last win of the night, as the Wildcats took the three remaining weight classes. At 190 pounds, Cris Menendez managed several takedowns for a 9-1 win over Dylan Cooke. Bethel’s Matt Tarzia then pinned Chad Pranzo at 215 pounds. Lincoln Ackerman took the 285-pound class by forfeit to end the match. Barlow visits Notre Dame of Fairfield on Thursday, December 21 at 6:00 p.m. and has a tri-meet at New Milford on Friday, December 22 at 3:00 p.m. that includes East Hartford and Shelton. g

Barlow’s Debate powerhouse persists By Rob Sample

Since its post-Covid revitalization, the Debate Team at Joel Barlow High School has racked up an impressive array of accolades. Its recent performance continues to burnish its reputation as one of the best debate teams in the state. “This year, we have a young roster with hardly any seniors, but they're plucky and fearless,” said Debate Coach Randall Smith, a Social Studies teacher at Barlow. “As kids grapple with real-world political questions and their implications, they're positioning themselves to become proactive and productive citizens.” At these debates, students research and argue from all sides of a topic at hand. In so doing, it trains students in the art of considering a range of viewpoints and effectively presenting the pros and cons of each. The team’s most recent tournament took place on Saturday, December 7, at Westhill High School in Stamford. The topic at hand: whether Ukraine should pursue a negotiated peace with Russia. Earlier tournament topics this season have included whether college degrees are overvalued, whether the U.S. should have a maximum age for elected

representatives, and whether ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools should be allowed for schoolwork. All four events thus far this season (three tournaments and a pre-season novice scrimmage) took place under the purview of the Connecticut Debate Association (CDA), which helps to coordinate debate activities at approximately 50 public, parochial, and private high schools in Connecticut and neighboring portions of New York. Barlow also takes part in Debating Association of New England Independent Schools (DANEIS) events, which chiefly feature private-school debate teams. “We are currently the only public school with membership in this prestigious debate society,” noted Smith. Hats off to these winning debaters! The following members of Barlow Debate have earned awards this year at the three debate tournaments held thus far: • Owen Fellows - second varsity team and fifth varsity speaker at the tournament held at Joel Barlow. He also was first varsity speaker at the Westhill tourney

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and won the novice scrimmage exhibition at AITE. Cade Fravel (Team Co-captain) - first varsity team and third varsity speaker at Joel Barlow, winner of novice scrimmage exhibition at AITE. Siddharth Gupta - 2nd place varsity team at Joel Barlow, 5th varsity speaker at Westhill. Griffin Speck - first place varsity team at Joel Barlow. Dylan Winegar - second varsity speaker and fifth team at Bethel. Priti Kiefer - fifth varsity team at Bethel. Yu-Min Cho - first novice speaker and first novice team at Joel Barlow, second novice speaker at Joel Barlow, and fifth novice team at Westhill. Brady Decker - first novice team at Joel Barlow and fifth novice team at Westhill. Arianna Pereira - second novice team and fifth novice speaker at Joel Barlow. Maansi Tibrewal - second novice team at Joel Barlow. Andrew Jortner - second novice team at Bethel. Kosta Nani - second novice team at Bethel. g

Newington survives threat from Knights Hockey

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By Rocco Valluzzo

Photo by Rocco Valluzzo

Joel Barlow/Weston/Abbott Tech's Theo Spitzer, right, battles Newington Co-op's Josh Beaudoin for the puck during a hockey game on Saturday, December 16. The Knights lost a close 3-2 decision in their home opener.

A rematch between the Joel Barlow/Weston/Abbott Tech (JBWA) hockey team and Newington Coop may be in the cards when it comes time for the state playoffs in a few months. Since both teams play in Division III, chances are likely the Knights will get another chance at the same opponent. They will also try to avenge the close 3-2 loss in their home opener at the Danbury Arena last Saturday, December 16. “We’ll definitely see them again, I would imagine,” said JBWA Head Coach Bob Stearns. “If the formula works out, they’ll be one of the top teams up there. Even a couple of weeks from now when we get a little bit more chemistry on our team, I think we’ll give them a little bit better run for their money.” The Falcons, who beat Housatonic Co-op 5-1 three days earlier to start the season, found Newington to be a greater challenge. The defending Central Connecticut Conference South Division champs, the Nor’easters got the jump on the hosts early in the first period. Less than a minute into the action, JBWA was called for a tripping penalty. With 13:26 left, Cole Brandon’s shot bounced off the crossbar, and Jack Guilmartin redirected it in for a 1-0 lead. JBWA found itself with a manadvantage with 2:49 left when Newington’s Mason Buckley got two minutes for high sticking. The Nor’easters killed off the penalty, and only seconds after Buckley was back on the ice, he scored, taking a pass from Connor Blais and going one-on-one with Knight goalie Connor Thomas.

Overcome holiday stress with yoga and meditation l Holiday stress. Many of us have it. According to the results of a 2023 poll by the American Psychological Association, nearly nine in ten U.S. adults say something causes them stress during the holiday season. “The holidays can be stressful for myriad reasons, but frequently it’s a result of being out of our normal routine paired with all of the modern-day pressures to accomplish so many things before the end of the year,” said Whitney Coccaro, owner of The Yoga Station in Georgetown within Elevation Fitness. An important step in dealing with stress is being aware of how you’re feeling. “Stress often manifests itself in various ways within the body, and each person may experience it uniquely. Addressing stress can be as simple as taking a few minutes to check in with yourself,” said Coccaro, who advises dedicating time to observe physical and mental aspects of your well-being, noting common areas where stress tends to manifest physically: shoulders,

hips, jaw, and lower back. Stress can also impact digestion and your ability to focus. “Whether you choose to engage in meditation, mindful movement, breathwork, or other forms of self-care, the key is to start by acknowledging and being conscious of the stress. Recognizing that there are effective tools available allows you to tap into practices that can help alleviate and manage stress in a way that suits your individual needs.” Since it incorporates breathwork, intentional movement, and guided rest, yoga facilitates a connection with the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). “The PNS orchestrates the body's rest and digestion response, promoting a state of relaxation during periods of rest or eating. In contrast to the well-known ‘fight or flight’ response associated with the sympathetic nervous system, the activation of the PNS during yoga induces a calming effect,” said Coccaro, noting yoga shifts the body into a tranquil, balanced state.

Coccaro offers three easy ways to ease stress. Breathwork. Take five minutes to tune into your breathing. The "three-part breath" is a yogic breathing technique that involves sequential inhalation and exhalation into three distinct areas of the lungs –abdomen, chest, and upper chest – to enhance breath awareness and promote relaxation. Videos online can offer guidance. Child’s Pose. A common, simple yoga pose accessible to most people that evokes calming and relaxation as you stretch through the spine, open your hips, and relax your back muscles. Legs up a wall. Find an empty area of a wall in your home, lay on your back, and lean the back of your legs against the wall with your feet pointing toward the ceiling. This pose reverses the movement of the body and blood circulation to induce relaxation. Coccaro recommends doing it for five minutes.

With just under-a-minute to go in the first period, JBWA answered. A pass from Jack Zuch found an open Wes Arees, who scored with 56.5 seconds left to get his team on the board, trailing 2-1. “We left a lot on the table early in the game,” said Stearns. “I don’t think we played a particularly good first period. I think we kind of got away with it.” Thomas and Newington goalie Anderson Claffey were each called on to make a number of saves when play resumed. Newington broke through again, this time on Jack Petronio’s goal with 7:39 to go in the second period to give his team a little breathing room. It turned out the Nor’easters would need it, as the Knights had a good start to the third period. The Arees brothers got their team one step closer when Wes flipped a shot to Emmett, who redirected it into the goal, and the Knights trailed by one with a lot of time left (14:31). JBWA was hit with a roughing call with 5:08 left and kept it a one-goal game. The team pulled its goalie with a minute to go in favor of an extra skater, but the score stood. “The second period we played a little bit better, and the third I felt we played a very good period,” said Stearns. “We got better as the game went along, which is what we’re looking for and hopefully we’ll get better as the season goes on.” The Knights, now 1-1, host Milford Co-op on Wednesday, December 27 and are home to Newtown/New Fairfield on Wednesday, January 3. Both games are at 5:30 p.m. g

By Pamela Brown

Mediation can also help alleviate unsettled feelings. “Meditation is about remaining in the moment. Whether that's done by focusing on the breath, a sound, a word or phrase, something visual, or even a movement – staying present keeps us from worrying about the future (which makes us anxious) and dwelling on the past – the 'should haves, would haves, and could haves,' which can make us depressed,” said Diane Barnett, owner of Grounded Meditation in New Canaan. For those who’ve never meditated, Barnett suggests a “walking meditation.” “Take a stroll outside in nature. Notice everything – from the feel of the ground underneath your feet, to the details of everything you see, to the layers of sound you can hear, to the feeling of the air on your skin,” she said, also encouraging the use of positive affirmations. “Try sitting or lying down, closing the eyes and beginning to deepen the inhales and lengthen the exhales. With each inhale, say silently to yourself the word ‘Let’ and with

each exhale, the word ‘Go.’ You can also use any other word or phrase that has meaning to you and pair it with the breath. The words and breath give the mind an anchor for its attention.” Barnett explained Progressive Muscle Relaxation helps identify and address physical manifestations of stress. “Starting at the toes, gently squeeze and release each muscle group of the body, up to the top of the head. Breathe in, tense (feet, for example), hold breath for three counts, and breathe out. Move each body part around after completing it to notice the difference between feeling tense and feeling relaxed,” she said. Sometimes, keeping things in perspective is just as important as the physical movements. “Try to stay present; set realistic goals and expectations for yourself and others,” said Barnett. “And don't believe that the entire rest of the world is having a better, happier, time than you are.” g

December 21, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 5

Family 5

New Year’s Eve for kids – and parents – who can’t make it to midnight By Pamela Brown

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Redding Scouts donate toys – and trains – for tots By Rob Sample

(203) 364-4009 or e-mail: info@ everwondermuseum.org. Child must be accompanied by an adult. Library membership pass can be used. Discounts available for EBT card holders and Blue Star active military families.

Photo courtesy of Everwonder Children's Museum

The balloon drop at last year's Noon Year's Eve at Everwonder Children's Museum.

It’s time to ring in 2024 – almost! New Year’s Eve celebrations are not just for grown-ups. Kids can have fun and celebrate at noon at these local events, so they don’t have to stay up past their bedtime. There are many family-friendly celebrations in the area that offer hands-on activities, music, food, and socializing! New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop at the Ridgefield Library 472 Main Street, Ridgefield Saturday, December 30 from 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Families and kids of all ages are invited to join in the Ridgefield Library’s annual countdown to the new year. There will be a balloon drop from the balcony at noon with an apple juice toast. DJ Miles of Bach to Rock in Ridgefield will host a dance party and kids can make a craft. “This is the sixth year the Ridgefield Library is presenting a noon year’s eve party and it’s a wonderful tradition. It’s a fun celebration for families and young kids. It’s very exciting. People love it!” said Andy Forsyth, Assistant Director. Free event. Drop-ins welcome, but registration required for refreshments; register as a family unit. Space is limited; registration closes on December 30 at 11:45 a.m. Parents must remain in the building for the event. Redding Neighbors & Newcomers Celebrates NOON Year’s Eve 37 Lonetown Road Sunday, December 31 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. A festive celebration at the Community Center will feature New Year’s-themed crafts and games, balloons, and party hats. There will be a photo booth for fun

Barlow Beat l With Thanksgiving Break freshly behind us, and Winter Break right around the corner, Barlow’s student activities seem to have gone into a form of hibernation, as students take it easy and count down the days before their time off from school. However, despite the lack of much happening, on December 9, Barlow performed strongly in two different areas—while Debate traveled to Westhill High School in Stamford to earn four awards,

pictures and a countdown to noon with a video of the ball drop. Kidfriendly snacks will be provided along with coffee, juice, water, and other brunch items. “Staying up late with young kids is never fun, but we wanted to include them in the New Year's celebration, so why not do it earlier in the day?” said Jess Tyson, Redding Neighbors & Newcomers President and leader of the Children’s Playgroup. “The kids won't know the difference but will enjoy it all the same! Some of our surrounding towns offer this tradition, and we thought it was time to start our own in Redding.” The event is targeted for kids up to six-years-old. Cost: $10.00 per child. Kids under 1 are free. Parents must accompany the child. Registration required: reddingneighborsandnewcomers.org/ event-5508283 Noon Year's Eve at EverWonder Children's Museum 11 Mile Hill Road, Suite 1, Newtown Sunday, December 31 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Kids are encouraged to dress up in their best party attire to take part in a variety of creative crafts and activities blended with learning opportunities. There will be a balloon drop at noon and a virtual Times Square fun photo opportunity. Kids can visit with the chinchillas, bearded dragon, and ball python. “Not everyone wants to stay up until midnight, so this is a fun family event that’s happy and energy-filled. We’ve been doing this for years, and it’s really fun and kids sometimes don’t even realize they’re learning, too,” said Niki Giordano, Museum Manager. Cost: $10.00 per person. Preregistration recommended. Call:

Family Fun Noon Year’s Eve 2024 Celebration Party at Newtown Community Center 8 Simpson Street, Newtown Sunday, December 31 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. A DJ will be spinning tunes along with dancing, a fun craft, and other family-friendly activities for all ages. There will be a countdown to noon along with hot chocolate and snacks. “It’s a nice way to celebrate New Year’s with your family. We have a lot of fun with it every year,” said Maria Neufeld, Program Coordinator. Cost: $8.00 for members, $11.00 for nonmembers. Child must be accompanied by an adult. Preregistration required: Call (203) 270-4349. For more information, visit newtowncommunitycenter. org Noon Year’s Eve Party at THE CAVE (formerly Monster Mini Golf) 13 Stony Hill Road, Bethel Sunday, December 31 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Kids, ages 3-10, can have fun at the indoor, glow-in-the-dark venue counting down to a noon balloon drop with noisemakers and a glow necklace. Ticket includes mini golf admission. A DJ will be playing music and facilitating games, dancing, and fun. “The Cave strives to offer glow family fun events throughout the year, providing memorable experiences worth repeating,” said Dorothy Lewis, Events Director. In addition, a surprise character will make a special appearance to golf with the kids and be available for photo ops. Every child will be entered into a drawing for a gift card and free Mini-Golf for a Year (2024). Cost: $10.00; limited tickets; must be purchased in advance. Reserve at: thecavect.pcsparty. com/store/ Parents must accompany children; no drop-offs. g

Photo courtesy of BSA Troop 15

Scouts Alex Parkin, Luke White, and Gabe Koegel wrap train kits in bubble wrap for safe transport to the U.S. Marines Northwest Connecticut volunteer unit.

Boy Scout Troop 15 holds a Toys for Tots drive every year. This year’s drive aims to be a great success – with an added twist. Or, might we say, whistle? This Christmas, as part of their annual toy drive, Troop 15 is giving away 12 HO-scale model train sets. “At a recent meeting, our Scouts assembled 12 large electric train sets from new parts generously donated by a software services company in Danbury,” said Scoutmaster Scott Morris. “A dozen lucky kids will be thrilled when they open these new train sets.” Each train set consists of approximately 12 sets of tracks, cars, motorized train engine, and other accessories. And in a world chock full of electronic toys, model trains have endured in popularity. HO-scale trains such as these are the most sought after. “The donor knew that the train sets we put together would make great gifts for our Toys for Tots drive,” noted Troop 15 Scout Eddie Chiaramonte, a Joel Barlow freshman who was part of the crew that readied the train sets for the drive. “This was a fun thing to do at a troop meeting.” To put together the train sets into a total package, the Scouts formed an assembly line. Some Scouts were responsible for the tracks that went into each kit, while others added engines or cars, and still others wrapped everything in bubble wrap to ensure no breakage. `

By Siddharth Gupta Football defended their CIAC Class SS State Championship against Watertown in a close game of 21–20 at UConn Stadium. Lastly, on December 14, the administration allowed anyone to come to the auditorium and watch the movie Frozen for free, along with receiving free drinks and popcorn, courtesy of SOUP (Serving Our Underprivileged) Club. An optional donation box collected funds for the Connecticut Food Share, which the National Honor

The trains make up just part of the Troop’s donation to Toys for Tots. “As we do every year at this time, we’re collecting and donating new, unwrapped toys to share with needy children through the United States Marines Corp’s holiday charity,” Morris noted. Assistant Scoutmaster Sarah Unfried has been accumulating donated toys at her house in Redding. Additionally, each Scout brought one or two toys to Troop 15’s holiday party, which took place on Tuesday, December 19. All toys and trains will go to the United States Marine Corps volunteer unit that handles Toys for Tots in Northwestern Connecticut. These volunteers in turn will donate the toys to town and school social workers, churches, and state agencies that work with children and families in the region. Troop 15 consists of young men between 11 and 18 years old from five area towns. “They meet weekly during the school year, camp out each month year ‘round, and give back to the community through hundreds of service hours, including through Eagle Scout projects,” Morris said. “We’re always happy to welcome new members.” g Interested? Contact Scoutmaster Scott Morris at scoutmasterredding@gmail.com Likewise, Redding’s Troop 306 provides a similar experience to young women interested in Scouting. For more information or to join, contact Kelly Donahoe at honeybeeam@hotmail.com

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Society had recently partnered with for a Thanksgiving Food Drive. Superintendent Dr. McKinnon has already announced that the next movie will be in January, presumably for a similar charitable cause. Student activities will most definitely become more frequent again with the start of the new year. g Siddharth Gupta is a senior at Joel Barlow High School

Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center New Pond Farm Education Center Portofino Restaurant and Wine Bar Redding Land Trust SOAR Together Bill Whitehead, Broker; John Talley, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

6 l Redding Sentinel l December 21, 2023

Local organizations and people m

The Connor Fund: A tragedy spurs local couple to action By Justin Reynolds

In July 2020, Barbara and Dan Sheehan got the phone call no parent ever wants to receive. Their son, Connor, had died from an opioid overdose at the age of 26. “At the time, he was living on his own in Ohio,” Dan said. “He had struggled for many years with both mental health issues and substance abuse issues. He had been in rehab, trying to make it. Unfortunately, it caught up to him, and he overdosed.” That night, the Sheehan family — who moved from Ohio to Redding seven years ago — immediately decided to turn tragedy into action, conceiving of a non-profit: The Connor Fund. The organization aims to help parents, teachers, school administrators, and peers alike identify signs of mental health and substance abuse issues among students to prevent other families from experiencing what the Sheehans have been forced to. “The mission is to educate, inform, and support programs with charitable funds,” Dan explained. “Connor exhibited signs early on. They weren’t caught; they were missed. There wasn’t enough of that sort of information, communication, and education to identify it and make sure the right professionals were engaging with our son to address the issues and not let them go untreated for years.” While teens have struggled with these sorts of issues for a long time, the Sheehans think they’re even more prevalent today. “This is a big problem now,” Dan continued. “Covid really exacerbated that situation a lot. We lost him at the height of the pandemic; he was very isolated.” The Connor Fund partners with other organizations — including the New York City and Connecticut chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Bethel Public Schools — to help them bring new programs to youths, including NAMI’s Ending the Silence initiative. “Young adults go into the schools and talk about their own experiences with substances and mental illness, telling the students that these topics are okay to talk about,” Dan said. “Our grants help bring that program to more schools — including underserved school districts and communities that need educational and informational programs.” In 2021, The Connor Fund gave $7,700 to Bethel schools, where Barbara teaches, to launch a program called Mental Health First Aid. “It’s an in-school program for the staff to be trained and the students to be informed about communicating when they feel that one of their peers is struggling,” Dan said. “We seeded them to get the program launched. It’s now up and running. We got an e-mail not too long ago talking about the positive impacts.” The Connor Fund has also granted money for another seed program for the Ridgebury Riders, a non-profit based in Ridgefield that supports mental and physical Continued on page 8

Get involved with the Connecticut Humane Society today! Whether through adopting, volunteering, or donating, you can make a difference in the lives of local pets. Plus, now through December 31, your gift to pets in need will provide 2X the comfort and 2X the joy, because your gift will be matched! CHS is the leading resource in the state for companion animal welfare, enriching the lives of community members through adoption services, medical care, education, and the prevention of cruelty to animals.

Housatonic Habitat for Humanity is a local non-profit that provides affordable housing solutions. Their Aging in Place program offers home repairs and ADA assistance for seniors, veterans, and low-income homeowners. You can support their mission by directly making a monetary donation, volunteering, or donating furniture, appliances, cabinets, home decor, and vehicles with clean titles. Items will be used in building homes or will be sold at their local "treasure" shop, ReStore, located at 51 Austin Street, open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, and new items are available daily!

Learn how to get involved at CThumane.org/LocalPets

By working together, we can build a stronger community, one home, one family at a time. So, join hands with Housatonic Habitat for Humanity and let’s make a difference. Learn more at housatonichabitat.org.

Cub Scout Pack 118

Welcome to New Pond Farm Education Center

Thank you to the Redding community for your support of Redding Cub Scout Pack 118 in our annual Wreath Fundraiser! We are happy to share that we sold more than 650 wreaths and centerpieces, which highlights our community's generosity and engagement.

If you are not a member, please come on over for a visit! We have a fantastic environmental education center and working farm over here on Marchant Road, and throughout the year we share the wonders of nature, agriculture, science, local history, and the arts with people of all ages.

The pack invites boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade to join a world of adventure, character-building, and community engagement. The inclusive program focuses on nurturing citizenship, fitness, and character. Scouts enjoy the excitement of the raingutter regatta, the creativity of the pinewood derby, the exploration of hiking, and the camaraderie of camping trips. We would love to invite your family to learn more about Cub Scouting and we are always open to new members.

Visit our website to learn about our hands-on field trips for 5,000 school children a year, in addition to the exciting discovery programs offered throughout the seasons for adults, families, and children. Read about our Scholarship Fund that allows us to offer programs to children and families in need and learn about our Dairy Annex with its supply of freshly pasteurized milk and yogurt. As a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, we manage to do great things on a modest budget. We are supported largely through memberships, donations, and program revenues. We would be grateful for your help! newpondfarm.org

Please contact ReddingCubScouts@gmail.com for more information, or drop by one of our monthly Pack meetings, held the second Tuesday of each month at the RES cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.

Needed Now More Than Ever…

Thanks to your ideas and support, the Granite Church is on its way to becoming a vital community gathering space for artistic expression and the exchange of ideas. We’ve made a lot of progress in readying the building this year and are grateful for our amazing volunteers and the many people who have attended our open houses and events. But much work remains. The building still needs about $3 million in historic rehabilitation and building infrastructure. As this year closes and we turn to funding a new heating system, we need your help in bringing our vision to reality. We want to open The Granite as a nonprofit community arts space next spring. Please consider donating to support the Granite Church at thegranitechurch.org/donate.

Dedicated to protecting, preserving and revitalizing the trees and forests of Redding to enrich the health and quality of life in our town. Redding Tree Conservancy members: Treasure the benefits that trees and forests provide as climate change challenges our environment and habitats. Rally with community organizations, state/local government officials, and national/regional associations to monitor special interest groups and create legislation to keep Connecticut green. Educate residents to the asset value of trees and assist in helping them when confronted with the removal of healthy trees on their property by private businesses. Ensure the ongoing care and maintenance of Redding’s trees and forests while encouraging the replanting of native species to guarantee future growth and renewal. For more information: reddingtreeconservancy@gmail.com

A diverse community filled with love, acceptance and a social conscience striving to make the world a better place. Temple B’nai Chaim is your spiritual home – regardless of how you connect to Judaism. Visit us at: templebnaichaim.org Temple B’nai Chaim 82 Portland Avenue, Georgetown, CT

Redding Historical Society Holiday Greetings from the Redding Historical Society where history comes alive. RHS is a non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers. Our mission is to act as preservation stewards of three of Redding's historic landmarks, and to help educate our community about the history and heritage of our town. The 1714 Guild is a RHS initiative bringing together owners of homes constructed prior to 1900, in order to preserve the architecture and ambiance of Redding. We welcome your interest in joining the 1714 Guild, becoming a member of RHS, or volunteering to help with the many exciting RHS events planned for 2024. Please contact us at: Redding Historical Society, P.O. Box 1023, Redding, CT 06875 or by phone 203-938-9095.

The First Church of Christ, Congregational Outreach to others is a core value of The First Church of Christ, Congregational. At the request of Christian Community Action, members donated dozens of Thanksgiving dessert items that were distributed to families in need in New Haven. Youth from First Church traveled to New Haven to help pack hundreds of Thanksgiving “meal baskets.” During the Christmas season, in conjunction with the Dorothy Day center in Danbury, we collect winter coats that are distributed at their “Santa’s Workshop” event. Every year, along with other outerwear and children’s books, we collect and give away roughly 100 new and gently used coats. Concurrently, we pursue an annual “Dove Christmas Gift” project. This year, working with Redding Social Services, we fulfilled the Christmas gift requests of 22 Redding senior citizens. Also, partnering with Family & Children’s Aid, 80 beautifully wrapped, specifically requested Christmas gifts were delivered to children and family members in neighboring Danbury. Thanks to all our generous First Church families!

December 21, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 7

aking an impact in the community

Oh no, it’s that time of year again…your shopping list is daunting, as is the notion of the post-holiday bills. But here’s a clever solution – a way to kill three birds with one stone! – give the gift of the Mark Twain Library to any and all on your list. It's easy! A gift to your Library means a gift to the entire community, as it will go directly toward stocking our shelves with books that can be borrowed time and time again. It’s a win – win – win…for the gift giver, the recipient, and, of course, for your Library. For more information, please contact our Library Director Erin Dummeyer at (203) 938-2545 or donate directly online: marktwainlibrary.org/donate. Your friends and family will thank you – and so do we. (And just think – you don’t have to wrap it!)

Since 1939, the Boys & Girls Club of Redding-Easton has been committed to helping youth in our community BUILD GREAT FUTURES. Our mission is to “enable the young people of Redding and Easton, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens, and to be a positive force for good in our communities.” As our Club continues to grow and evolve, we wish to thank our dedicated Board of Directors and the army of incredible volunteers that keep our organization running. If you would like to learn more or offer support, please visit us at BGCRE.net

Christ Church Parish During the past year, the members of Christ Church Parish (Episcopal) had a number of opportunities to work and grow together helping others both within Redding and its neighboring communities. Once a month we supplied pasta, sauce, and meatballs to Dorothy Day Hospitality House to feed 125-150 persons. Support also was provided to Laundry Love Of Greater Danbury for laundry cards and detergent to enable persons to use the White Street Laundromat in Danbury. Our wonderful “Shoebox” project enabled us to fill Christmas Shoeboxes with gloves, hats, scarfs, and daily living essentials for all the men and women residents in Danbury’s two homeless shelters. Thanks to the hard work put forth by Joel Barlow High School baseball team members, our annual “Redding Rakes” program was once again a complete success. We also were pleased to be able to make meaningful financial donations to six area non-profit organizations in December. Christ Church has an active, supportive, and inclusive congregation. Mission is an important part of who we are. We heartily welcome all who would like to join us in worship and in service to others.

For 51 years, the Wilton Family Y has faithfully served the communities of Wilton, Redding, and Norwalk. Now called the Riverbrook Regional YMCA, we are a safe space where high quality programs and services are delivered in an environment that promotes caring, respect and responsibility. The needs of our area are diverse. Every day, the Y is focused on the personal potential of kids, adults, seniors, and families with programs that protect, teach, connect, heal, and encourage. As 2023 draws to a close, we kindly ask you to consider a donation to our Annual Giving Campaign. Funds raised support our financial aid program and allow us to continue to provide assistance to the most vulnerable individuals and families in our community. Through your generosity, Our Y can continue to be The Heart of Your Community! Your support matters; wiltonymca.org

Westbrook Nature School Westbrook Nature School would like to express our deep gratitude for a decade of support from our community. Helping young children build an authentic relationship with nature through experience and education continues to be our primary mission. In doing so, we work to fulfill our commitment to grow a new generation of stewards of the earth. Over the years, we have partnered with other non-profits to help those in need, demonstrating to children the true meaning of compassion. With your kindness and generosity, collectively we have impacted the lives of many through organizations including Pajama Program, Amos House, The Diaper Bank of CT, One Warm Coat, The Center for Family Justice, Clothes to Kids of Fairfield County, and Dorothy Day Hospitality House. We look forward to continuing to offer high-quality nature-based learning and seasonal celebrations to the community, and, together to shape the future for good. With Gratitude and Peace, Your Friends at Westbrook

Redding Land Trust Redding Land Trust says thank you to our supporters! In 2023, you helped us mow meadow habitat for our pollinators, protect pond habitat for wetland wildlife and groundwater filtration, continue to cosponsor our Town’s Open Space Manager, maintain our walking trails, and more. We’re especially proud to have collaborated with Aquarion Water Company to purchase and protect the new Barbara and Anthony Delia Preserve, 30 acres of forest, streams, and ponds that have been part of the Town’s long-term plan of conservation for decades. Your donations have been the foundation of our work since 1965 and will carry us into 2024. Together, we can secure healthy air, healthy water, and Redding’s quality of life for generations to come. Join us outdoors — become a member today! www.reddinglandtrust.org/join

Best Wishes for An Illuminating New Year From the Redding League of Women Voters

John Read Middle School PTA is an entirely volunteer-run, memberand donor-funded organization whose mission is to advocate for and support its middle school students, teachers, and staff. JRMS PTA produces fundraisers and events throughout the year to support its mission including student assemblies, cultural events, student socials and community Chat and Chews. New for 2024 will be a Volleyball Tournament in early spring and a Color Run at JBHS on May 19, open to the community. Currently the PTA is planning a Professional/ Career Day for students in March and is seeking professionals from across all industries who are passionate about their own careers to speak with students. To stay up to date on current PTA happenings and opportunities, please visit www.jrmspta.org or www.facebook.com/ jrmspta or e-mail us at jrmsptainfo@gmail.com

We pause during this holiday season – grateful – more than ever – to serve Redding as a non-partisan force, providing voter education and services, encouraging voter participation, and advocating in a non-partisan manner around issues of importance to our town. In November 2024, Redding citizens will have the opportunity to vote for candidates running for critical state and national offices. We are inspired to fulfill our pledge to our community to "empower voters and defend democracy" and will continue to provide nonpartisan informational programs built on fact and solid research. Please watch for announcements of our annual Speak Up, Candidate Debates, and the Conversations Series (sponsored in partnership with the Mark Twain Library). Consider joining us. We embrace inclusivity: we welcome people of all genders into our membership and leadership circle. Visit our website: my.lwv.org/connecticut/local-leagues/lwv-redding And however you celebrate – We wish Happy Holidays to all.

Together Women Rise Together Women Rise is a national organization which seeks to empower impoverished women and girls living in the developing world to become economically self-sufficient and to promote gender equality. To achieve this, they research charitable groups, assess their needs, and provide information on their goals and progress. In October 2018, the Redding chapter was initiated. At present, there are 50 members and usually 15-25 in attendance at the meetings which are held quarterly on Monday evenings at the Congregational Church. Each month a specific organization is selected. Meetings open with potluck dinner featuring the cuisine of the country of the month followed by a video presentation and discussion of the organization and its accomplishments. We “dine in” yet every participant donates an amount she would pay for dinner if we were “dining out”. All Redding residents are welcome. Please contact vhcints@icloud.com. For more information go to togetherwomenrise.com.

Redding Grange wishes you and yours a wonderful holiday season! Heartfelt thanks to those who helped make 2023 a special year for Redding Grange. We hope to see you around the Hall in 2024! Visit us at reddinggrange.org to become a member, or to simply learn more.

Talking cents: ‘Tis the season… for gifting By Randy Beeman

As we near the end of calendar year 2023, in addition to thinking about ways to celebrate the upcoming holiday season with family and friends, you might want to give some thought to doing some gifting. With all the turmoil in the world today, there are plenty of worthy charitable causes you could consider – or maybe making a gift to some family members in need might be more to your liking. If you find yourself in the giving mood, how much can you gift without running afoul of Uncle Sam? For 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows individuals to make gifts of up to $17,000 per year. You can make a single gift of that amount, or you can make gifts to an unlimited number of individuals or charities, as long as the total isn’t more than the limit, with no federal gift or estate tax consequences. A spouse can give the same amount— doubling the amount a couple can gift. For example, a husband and wife with two children could give away a total of $68,000 a year to them—$34,000 to each child— without any tax repercussions. Once those gifts are made, that money is removed from their taxable estate. If you happen to be Elon Musk or Bill Gates, you can give even more than $17,000 to any heirs or charities and perhaps still not trigger a tax bill — by choosing to have the excess amount reduce the lifetime gift exclusion of $12.92 million (in 2023), or $25.84 million if both members of a couple are in a giving mood. Of course, folks in their tax bracket are likely also using other estate planning tools such as specialized trusts (with acronyms like ILIT, GRAT, SLAT, etc) that are way beyond the scope of today’s subject. But even if you’re not lucky enough to be Elon or Bill (or have been smart enough to start a world changing business), but you still want to create a process to make regular gifts to good causes, you might consider something called a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). A DAF allows grantors (that’s you) to make irrevocable contributions to a charitable fund, and then recommend how those assets are distributed to charitable organizations. Under current federal tax law, grantors can take immediate federal income tax deductions of up to 60% of their adjusted gross income for cash donations and 30% for appreciated assets. Typically, these funds are professionally managed, and grantors have considerable flexibility in suggesting how funds are distributed to charity over time. Check with your own financial advisor to get more details. Finally, many folks wait until year end to take their required minimum distribution (RMD) from their traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Prior to 2019, once you reached age 70 ½, the government required you to take a specific amount of money from your IRA each year. Recently though, there have been changes to these rules and, as of 2023, if you are not already taking the RMD, Continued on page 10

8 l Redding Sentinel l December 21, 2023

Business Spotlight Owner of popular Route 7 cafe set to open new location and donate all proceeds to charity l By Donna Christopher

A rendering of the new Sunrise Cafe at The Meetinghouse in Ridgefield.

The owner of Wooster Hollow Cafe on Route 7 has his sights set on opening a new cafe in the Ridgebury neighborhood and donating all its profits to charity. Sunrise Cafe will have all the cozy coffee shop vibes like your local favorite barista cafe “only a little better, because we’ll have a really incredible purpose,” said Owner Ron Herman. Herman purchased Wooster Hollow Cafe on Christmas Eve in 2014. It was his first business purchase after retiring from 30 years at General Electric. The restaurant has been a homey spot to grab breakfast, brunch, and lunch ever since. The new Sunrise Cafe will occupy the top floor of The Meetinghouse at 605 Ridgebury Road in Ridgefield, which is situated on a five-plus acre property next to George Washington Highway opposite the Ridgebury Congregational Church. It will not have a full kitchen, but will serve Columbian pressed coffee,

cappuccinos, espresso, lattes, cold coffee drinks, cafe mochas, and fresh baked goods, sandwiches, salads, and soups brought over daily from Wooster Hollow. “I wanted to do this for a while,” said Herman. “I dreamed about a business to give to local charities all the profits.” Herman plans to support several charities with this venture, including Ability Beyond, an organization that provides services and employment opportunities to thousands of people in Connecticut and New York with disabilities. He hopes to hire people through Ability Beyond to help staff the new cafe, as well as give job opportunities to youth involved in Grassroots in Danbury and current Wooster Hollow Cafe employees who would like to work more hours. Along with the new cafe, The Meetinghouse offers community programs including a nature school/farm, arts and wellness spaces, restored wetlands paths,

Pollinator Pathways, community and cutting gardens, and a community labyrinth. Other programs are in the genesis stage and are designed to bring people together from Ridgefield, Danbury, and surrounding communities. Underway are art openings and exhibits, open mics, author talks, and other events. The Meetinghouse Director Deborah Rundlett, D. Min., said part of the goal of the programming is to provide a community commons. “We see the cafe as a community in a place to gather. If you think about Cheers (TV show), where everybody knows your name, it’s like that,” she said. "We seek to create space in which people can gather, grow, and flourish.” She envisions that users of the space in good weather can go outside on the lawn near the wetlands or on the paths and “just dwell and come hang out to do their work and with people around.”

The Connor Fund: A tragedy spurs local couple to action / continued from page 6

Dan, Connor, and Barbara Sheehan

health through equestrian therapy. “This is a scholarship-type program for kids who may need help,” Dan said. “Hippotherapy is extremely effective in treating mental health issues.” As a non-profit, The Connor Fund relies on individual donations to fulfill its mission. “We solicit donations online by e-mailing prior supporters, and we also have online fundraisers,” Dan continued. “We’re going to have a fundraiser at the Ridgefield Theater Barn in January, a piano bar where people attend and have a good time listening to folks sing songs they like. [Ridgefield Theater Barn Executive Director]

Pamme Jones is our host; she’s wonderful to work with and very supportive of what we’re doing.” Tickets for the January 27 show are available through connorfund. org and ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org. Though the non-profit is a small operation with no central office, both the Sheehans and their daughter, Morgan, are committed to growing it. “If we can reach just one kid and his or her family and start a conversation that turns them in the right direction and get them the help they need, that’s our goal,” Dan said. “Let’s make sure kids are getting the help they need, they’re being identified, and they’re being

told the struggles they’re dealing with are real. If there had been a more robust program to educate students and teachers about spotting these signs and talking about it, that might have made a difference in Connor’s life.” After Connor passed, the Sheehan family held two services for him: one in Connecticut and one in Ohio, where he lived for 11 years. “The kids that came forward there said he had the biggest heart and would give you the shirt off his back,” Dan said. “Connor was always there for his friends to help support them and ask how they’re doing. He spent more time caring and worrying about his friends than he did about himself. Connor was an incredibly big-hearted kid with a big smile.” The Connor Fund is always in conversations about programs that align with the organization’s mission of informing and educating kids, parents, and teachers. If you have any ideas and want to help, Dan encourages you to reach out via the organization’s website. “Please put your name on our e-mail list so we can reach out to you,” Dan said. “You can also help by donating any amount — $1, $5, $100, it all matters.” g Learn more or get involved at connorfund.org

With the cafe open, people can just come in, sit down for a coffee or work on their computers, read, and use the space and other parts of the building and property. The creation of the Sunrise Cafe has been through collaborative funding between Herman and The Meetinghouse, with Herman taking care of the fit-out costs, and the shell provided through capital funds raised by The Meetinghouse, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit. This isn’t the first time Herman has harnessed his business operations for charitable purposes. He set up a meal giveaway program at Wooster Hollow Cafe during the Covid-19 pandemic, and estimates they provided over 7,000 meals to people in Danbury. In addition, his company helps Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury. “There’s a lot of food insecurity in the wealthy communities,” he said. Herman and The Meetinghouse also collaborate on providing a community pantry. Receptacles are set up at both Wooster Hollow

Cafe and The Meetinghouse in the parking lots, so anyone can contribute non-perishable food items or take what they need. “We think we live in this very secure background. Well – not fully,” Rundlett noted. She expressed that people needing extra help with food donations, for instance, are often people who are employed. Plans for the Sunrise Cafe are now underway, with the goal to open in summer 2024. The 903-square-foot cafe will have 35-40 seats. Hours approved by Ridgefield are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and there is ample parking outside the building. “I like to dream that Sunrise Cafe is a model applicable to any community center,” said Herman. “We’re going to give great service, give great jobs, and give a lot of money away.” g For updates, visit meetinghouse.life

Elementary students spread holiday cheer at Meadow Ridge

Photo by Carol Morgan

The voices of 38 Redding Elementary School students gave a robust holiday concert for the residents of Meadow Ridge on Tuesday, December 12. The choir sang festive holiday songs and was under the the tutelage of Maddie Baker, RES Music Teacher.

The team at SOAR Together, a Redding-based nonprofit with a

mission of ending epidemic levels of loneliness and social isolation, is eternally grateful for the community support and proud partnerships created in our first year. • We launched our first Youth Flower Power team with the Boys & Girls Club of Redding-Easton • We visit residents and staff at Meadow Ridge weekly with flowers and social visits • We make Flower Power arrangements with RVNA Health hospice patients and family caregivers so they can continue to enjoy giving back to their community • We leave “Flower Power Love” and “Spark Card Joy” at Mark Twain Library for visitors to take home and/or “Spark” others with love and social connection

110 Seventy Acre Road • info@soartogetherct.org • www.soartogetherct.org

We ask readers to support all nonprofits in Redding making a tremendous difference and positively changing lives, as well as supporting the Redding Sentinel as they print important news to keep us informed and connected. Let’s be the sparks of positive social connection the world so very much needs in 2024.

December 21, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 9

Book Review

Library Corner

Tropic of Stupid

By Erin Shea Dummeyer

By Tim Dorsey

356 pages / William Morrow / $15.99 Tropic of Stupid, by Tim Dorsey, is novel as buddy movie, a road trip of ongoing buffoonery, coincidence, and loopy purpose. It is a comedy novel in the vein of A Confederacy of Dunces, but has unique inflections that conjure also Thomas Pynchon, of all unlikely writers. Dorsey’s situations and names come at the reader with sometimes stunning velocity, but his humor, like Pynchon’s, is sophisticated slapstick that beguiles. Dorsey’s narrative moves from satirical cleverness to more serious writing, reflective of character and plot with a pacing balance usually pitch-perfect. When the narrative occasionally falls off its fast pace, it follows contours of a road trip with episodes of tedium and challenge contributing to the action. And it works. Tropic of Stupid might also stand as sign-off of the author to a 25-book series, begun in 1999. Dorsey died last month at the age of 62. Novels of this kind have been around since the form began in the 18th century, when Tristram Shandy, a rollicking satire, was published in 1762. Since that time, the novel has been through many styles and humors. Today, social realism stands as the dominant form. The novel of manners and the internal monologue are in abeyance, and magic realism has had its day. The comedy novel remains thriving and, in some quarters, authors like Tim Dorsey have staked out a region (in Dorsey’s

case, Florida) with enough shared insight to make fun of nationally perceived excessive aspects of regional culture. Florida is therefore a main character in all of Tim Dorsey’s 25 novels. He capitalizes on regional stereotypes. Speaking of attorneys, and their material lifestyle, he compares them to the mad excesses of Al Pacino’s character in Scarface. “They got trophy wives with pre-nups and divorces with restraining orders. They had full domestic staffs, including nannies for unexpected children they never saw. Steinway pianos and Swiss watches, vases from the Ming dynasty…One soiree featured a real oil derrick in the foyer, spewing champagne.” Ever on the road (in this case, in pursuit of DNA linking everyone, it seems, to a serial killer), characters Serge and Coleman explore new Florida venues: “The main street through the small town was one of those quaint ones. So quaint, in fact, that all the buildings were now antique shops that tourists visited on the weekend. The street T-boned into another rural courthouse with a big clock on top.” Tim Dorsey is a happy discovery, and his substantial oeuvre will produce a lot of pleasure to the readers who find him. g Review by Tom Casey Tom is the author of Human Error and Strangers’ Gate

In Iceland, there is a Christmas Eve tradition where people give each other books and then stay up late reading into the night. During World War II, imported giftware was limited in the country, but there were fewer restrictions on imported paper. Books became the gift of choice and the tradition continued. In Icelandic, the tradition is called “Jólabókaflóðið,” or “The Christmas Book Flood.” At the beginning of the holiday season, a catalog is sent to every house in Iceland, listing all the

books published that year by the Iceland Publishers Association. Even though Iceland is sparsely populated, more books are published there per capita than any other place in the world. The practice of giving books as gifts is truly enmeshed in the culture of this sub-arctic country. Today, on the Winter Solstice, I’d like to propose a new American tradition. Rather than giving each other books on a holiday that isn’t universally celebrated, let’s instead spend the shortest and darkest day

of the year reading books and being cozy. Whether you buy them, give them, receive them, or borrow them – find a book that suits your interest and a warm place to put up your feet. With a warm beverage by your side and a dog or cat at your feet, let’s spend the evening of the Winter Solstice reading and being cozy. Now that’s a tradition I can get behind. g Erin Shea Dummeyer is Director, Mark Twain Library

Good books for good readers l

I think we all know the story about the elderly miser visited by his late partner and three ghosts on Christmas Eve whereafter he is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. I had planned on writing about this perennial Christmas favorite – A Christmas Carol by

Charles Dickens. The original novella was titled A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. I serendipitously stumbled on something new last night to accompany this timeless tale. In 2008, The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford was published. And, wow. Such fun. The Man Who Invented Christmas was also made into a film in 2017 with Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as the character of Scrooge. Many of the other characters we all know so well from the book appear in the film in Dickens’s brilliant imagination and – literally – help him write the

By Margi Esten

story that will save his floundering career. A Christmas Carol was published on December 19, 1843, and by Christmas Eve, every copy had been sold. Overnight, charitable giving soared. “It has become one of the bestselling books of all time, forever changing the way we celebrate Christmas, reminding us of the joy to be found in friendship, kindness, and generosity.” g

Charles Dickens

Real Estate November 2023 real estate report A look at trends in the local housing market

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By Bill Whitehead and John Talley

In this month’s report, we have added the individual “price per square foot” for the houses sold and currently for sale in Redding. The price per square foot is calculated on the “living area” versus the “gross area” of the houses in question. In November, six Redding properties sold, bringing the year-to-date total for the town to 99 properties sold. Year-over-year, sales volume is -27% (YTD November 2022: 136 sold properties) while the average price of the houses sold has increased by 6%. YTD on average, houses sold +4% over list price. The price-per-square-foot of the house sold has increased by 17%, or $347 per square foot, versus $296 a year ago. As of December 15, there were 25 properties for sale in Redding with the average “Days on Market” (DOM) of 118 days, the highest level for 2023. g Bill Whitehead and John Talley are REALTORS® with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services New England Properties

10 l Redding Sentinel l December 21, 2023

The Natural World Christmas Eve with llamas l

A sketch of Dr. Jane reading to llamas at Christmas time.

As darkness comes on this blistery cold day, I’m with my llamas – but not to read to them the story of Christmas as depicted in my favorite sketch above – but to buttress their stalls with extra blankets and straw. We have been out of electricity for three days, and the temperature with the nasty wind is way below zero. As I hang blankets with frozen fingers, I muse on the story told by llama owner and friend Katrina Capasso, who posts every year about the magic of Christmas Eve at midnight until Christmas Morn. This legend says that animals can speak about the miracle of the birth

of Christ. I note that Katrina’s post always includes a night scene of her llama barn where dim, reddish lights hang from the barn’s beams, announcing that it’s the night that the animals might be given the gift of speech to proclaim this miracle. I talk to 14-year-old llama Marisol who watches me climb about to fasten the blankets to the ceiling. She understands. She has watched me do this every winter but usually not at Christmas. Yearling Princess Nutmeg is wideeyed curious. I tell them I would love to turn on the wall heater, but my generator can’t tolerate any more load. I do leave a single

By Jane Hamilton-Merritt

bulb burning. As I leave the girls’ quarters, this small light invitingly silhouettes their barn in the dimness. Need to hurry to the boys’ barn as darkness threatens. Can’t lift straw bales after fracturing my back this past spring, so I push them to the boys’ sleeping area and put out extra hay. Fortunately, all three boys are heavy fiber guys. They will lie down, folding their legs beneath them, with their fiber flowing to the ground making it appear that they are sitting on nests. I talk to them, too, telling them that tomorrow the special Christmas treats — carrots — will be added to their grain. They raptly listen to me moving closer, thinking that maybe I had some treats for them since I don’t usually come to the barns at this time of night. If it weren’t so miserably cold and windy, I might have bedded down with them to silently await the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve — just in case. g Jane Hamilton-Merritt is the founder of Poverty Hollow Llamas

Talking cents: ‘Tis the season…for gifting / continued from page 7

you can delay pulling money from the IRA until you hit age 73. Regardless of when you start taking the money out, typically that distribution is counted as taxable income by Uncle Sam, whether you actually need the income or not. But, if you don’t need the funds for living expenses, there’s a cool way you can avoid having the distribution counted as taxable income. You would make something called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) instead. If you’re at the age when you must start taking an annual distribution, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution provides you an opportunity to make taxfree contributions to any qualified

public charity from your IRA. The gift counts toward your annual RMD; however, it does not count as taxable income to you. Hence, this is a win-win situation – the charity gets the benefit of a nice donation, and you don’t have to count the funds distributed as income in the year of the gift. One caveat, the contribution must go directly from your IRA custodian to the charity and not come to you first. The strategies discussed here can be complicated and confusing, so if this brief introduction has piqued your interest and you want to investigate whether any of them might be appropriate for your individual situation, my suggestion is to ring up your

financial advisor and schedule a face-to-face meeting to get totally informed. g Randy Beeman is a Redding resident and has more than 25 years of experience managing financial assets for individuals, retirement plans, and businesses. Randy currently serves as the Director of Wealth Management for Glass Jacobson Wealth Advisors. He co-hosted a popular live, call-in radio show (The Wise Investor Show) on WMAL 630 AM and 105.9 FM in Washington, D.C., for 15 years. He is the co-author of "Value Returns: Wise Investing for the Next Decade and Beyond"

Zoners extend hearing on temporary museum / continued from page 1

as well as support during the public hearing, with several residents speaking and sending letters both in favor and against the project. Jim Sanders of Fox Run Road mentioned Section 4.2.3F of Redding’s Zoning Regulations, which concerns public libraries, museums, nature centers, art galleries, playhouses, and similar institutions serving the community cultural need. “I do not believe that a pop-up show house meets a cultural need in Redding,” he said. “From my perspective, approving the exception will completely undermine section 4.2.3F.” Kent Friedman, also of Fox Run Road, felt the proposal had many commercial as well as potential financial aspects to it and was not something for a residential area. “House tours in a home on a

purely residential road seems to flout Redding’s zoning laws and Redding’s rural character,” said Sandi Martin of Fox Run Road. “My primary concern relates to safety and increased traffic on a road commonly used as a cut through.” Others showed support for the proposal, noting its benefit to the Boys & Girls Club. “Just like many families today, our Club is facing significant financial burden,” said Meredith Schuchard, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of ReddingEaston. “Our building is in need of physical repairs, more room for programs, and better access for all children. I ask you to be a champion for our children and, despite the short-term inconveniences, encourage the long-term impact

that this partnership would have on the children of Redding, The Boys & Girls Club, and I ask you to please consider the approval of this permit.” Alexis Bennett of Gallows Hill Road suggested a different approach – to not look at this as a nuisance, but more as a fundraising event. She proposed a compromise that would allow the tours to take place over a shorter period. “We’re asking to do something that’s outside the box,” said Jewell. “We get it. Our position is that it is under this definition, and it is allowed. I think the benefits will last well beyond that temporary period where you may be inconvenienced or may not be inconvenienced.” g

Are you enjoying the Sentinel? Consider giving a gift subscription this holiday season! E-mail subscribe@reddingsentinel.org or call 203.938.3800

State DOT response to Route 7 tree cutting leaves more questions / continued from page 1

Photo by Laurie Heiss

A portion of the four-mile stretch along Route 7 that CTDOT recently cleared of trees.

a Redding resident and co-founder of the Redding Tree Conservancy. Heiss said she thinks some of the trees removed were not "dead or dying" ones. Heiss said she talked to someone from the state familiar with the site who shared her concern tree crews could become "over-aggressive" using the equipment. "He acknowledged that chips were supposed to be trucked away (he had removal trucks in place) –

instead, they’ve been left behind, some filling a wetland north of Brandstrom Instruments," Heiss said in an e-mail. Heiss also said that on her site visit in early November, "I could count the stumps. they were supposed to be removed. You put a foot into the wood chips there, it’s all dead. The notion that there are wildflowers there is hilarious.” g

Redding’s Big Outdoors: Cemetery Brook / continued from page 1

hundreds of brown cups made of layered seeds. Over the roots and the mossy rocks between them, shallow rivulets trickle down from the uphill stretch of Fox Run Road. As I look past the golden trunks, a truck with a cherry picker enters the picture, already responding to the dogwalker’s call. I turn to look downstream. Mostly mucky going – farewell sneakers – but it’s peaceful under the canopy. I see an actual stream, Cemetery Brook according to my map, and start toward it. Christmas fern appears amid the leaves, moss, mud, and water. My steps get squishier; a sharp odor hits my nose; I look down and see a couple leafy spikes. I look up and out and see palest green studs all through the purple shadows: next year’s skunk cabbage. I keep walking, bend down to look at a vine with waxy leaves, some of them still green, some reddish; it looked a little like partridgeberry, but I see it’s just younger shoots of the same invasive wintercreeper fruiting in the sunny field. By a cluster of thick-stemmed witch hazel, I meet the amber brook and listen to it roar toward the road. When I look up, the sky sparkles with light bouncing off the tulip poplar cups. I look down again: burgundy triplets, the leaves of dewberry. Turning upstream, I follow Cemetery Brook back into the property, past hornbeam trees, more witch hazel, the fluffy remains of asters. The brook flows hard over big rocks, some big enough to make little falls, falls pretty enough to stop and watch for a minute in the cold. There are long, pale stalks around me – cinnamon or interrupted ferns, with a few dried leaflets still clinging to the stems, many more scattered like sawdust around my feet. I hold my hand out and laugh. That’s my skin tone, my Crayola color: Dead Winter Stalk. Farther upstream, the bank levels out, even with the water, a wide enough spot to imagine a little picnic. I see dry blades of goldenrod, dry heads of wild rye, and what I think is a sedge at first, with long, fine leaves like angel hair pasta glowing a cool, pale green. Up close, I recognize the tubular strands, break one off, sniff: bright, garlicky. I keep climbing, reach a stack of large rocks that split the brook and force it back together, a washing machine of a waterfall. A gravel mound rises out of the pool in front of me, its submerged base glowing orange, yellow, and green

in the dappled sunlight. I had told the dogwalker that no, the Land Trust didn’t have plans for the property, but now I think the water is destination enough, and there’s already parking across the street. Could use those boots, though. No rocks form an obvious crossing, so I kick around for a sturdy walking stick and do my best. I angle upstream, avoiding the mossiest rocks, and make landfall via downed yellow birch and an obscured, load-bearing plastic tub. I find myself on a steep slope with young hornbeams and beeches, the same old tulip poplar trees, and noticeably more maples and shagbark hickories. White oaks grow higher up, with clumps of spreading sedge among the roots. The property narrows between two houses. I look down at the map on my phone; I look up and see my path through a scrubby patch of barberry, into the shade of a small juniper grove. I clomp blithely toward the bronzy evergreens; a sudden burst of sound and motion, and I’m staring across the barberry into the white domino mask of a buck. I’m not sure if I’ve been so close to antlers since I was a kid. I also don’t know what to do, don’t know what the deer is going to do. Maybe I google what to do when you see a buck, maybe I don’t. We stand there watching each other across the clearing, under the bright blue sky. I don’t know what’s on the other side of the trees, how much room he has to get away from me, so I say goodbye and turn around. Descending carefully through a small maze of young blackberry shoots, I stop to admire a tall, wide hemlock in the middle of the slope. Down below, this side of the brook is bordered by an old stonewall. I follow it, stepping over evergreen wood ferns and old barbed wire. Re-crossing the water, I plunge a branch into the dark for balance and feel an instant tug; it’s a small brook, but strong. Back across the marshy woods, across the field, I stop in front of a hickory tree that’s still holding onto the outer shells of its fruits. The black, split globes are eyecatching against the bright cups of a tulip poplar across the street. Then, I notice someone is sitting in the big truck parked next to my car; I raise my hand in greeting, cross the road to Stormfield, and check 31 off my list. g Cole Tucker-Walton is a member of the Redding Land Trust Board of Trustees

December 21, 2023 l Redding Sentinel l 11

Calendar of Events

$ = fee applies R = registration required

This Week’s Featured Events Winter Solstice Welcome Celebration Thursday, December 21 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Season bell to ring at 6:30 p.m. Redding Grange #15 399 Newtown Turnpike reddinggrange.org

Arts Thursday, December 21 Winer Solstice Concert Event 7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Crystal Cymbalogy hosts a dreamy, meditative, and evening. Open Sky Yoga Barn 95 Cross Highway openskyyogabarn.com $

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Sunday, December 24 Christmas Eve Choral Music and Service 4:15 p.m. – Youth Choral Music 4:30 p.m. – Family Worship Service St Thomas’ Episcopal Church 95 Greenwood Avenue Bethel facebook.com/stthomasbethel

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Saturday, January 6 Songs for Epiphany 5:00 p.m. Featuring the students of Phoebe Madden. St Thomas Episcopal Church 95 Greenwood Avenue Bethel

Redding Neighbors & Newcomers Noon Year's Eve Sunday, December 31 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Children's playgroup Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road reddingneighborsandnewcomers.org/event-5508283

Sunday, December 24

Needle Felting 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Middle/high school workshop – learn to make simple felted animals. New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

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

Fundraisers

Bethel CT Pride’s Open Mic Holiday Party 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Wear your ugliest holiday sweater and enjoy an open mic. All ages event. Molten Java 213 Greenwood Avenue Bethel bethelctpride.com

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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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Thursday, December 7 – Friday, January 5

Lyrics Coffeehouse Dan Zlotnick 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org/parks-andrecreation/upcoming-events/ lyrics-coffee-house $

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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Children I Teens

Health I Wellness

Wednesday, December 27 – Friday, December 29

Thursday, December 21

Ultimate Frisbee Party, Grades 4-8 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org/parks-andrecreation $, R

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Sunday, January 14 Activism in Poetry Workshop Series 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Grades 5-8 Poetry seminar for middle schoolers. Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

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Wednesday, January 17 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 g

Winter Wellness 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Join local wellness practitioners for an evening of shopping, gathering, releasing, and preparing for the winter ahead. Georgetown Collective 28 Main Street A georgetowncollective.org/events $, R

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Friday, January 5 It Takes a Village 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Presented in partnership with the Town of Redding, a support program for new parents. Parents and villagers of all ages welcome to attend. Mark Twain Library 439 Redding Road marktwainlibrary.org R

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Thursday, January 25 12 Tips to Manage Anxiety 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. In person or Zoom Bethel Public Library 189 Greenwood Avenue Bethel bethellibrary.org R g

Crafts 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

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Saturday, January 6 5:00 p.m. Featuring the students of Phoebe Madden, accompanied by Charles Smith. St Thomas Episcopal Church 95 Greenwood Avenue Bethel

Sunday, January 7

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Friday, January 12

Songs for Epiphany

Holiday 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

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Thursday, December 28

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Sunday, December 31 Redding Neighbors & Newcomers Noon Year’s Eve 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Children's playgroup Crafts, games, balloons, and refreshments. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road Reddingneighborsandnewcomers. org/event-5508283 $, R

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Sunday, December 31 Noon Year’s Eve at Newton Community Center 11:30 a.m. Dancing, crafts, and noon balloon drop for kids. Newtown Community Center 8 Simpson Street, Newtown Newtowncommunitycenter.org

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Thursday, January 4 – Sunday, January 7 Christmas at the Coley House Tours – A World War II Christmas 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. tours On your guided tour, explore the Coley House decorated as it would have been during the 1940s and learn about how the holidays were celebrated during World War II. Weston History & Culture Center 104 Weston Road westoncthistory.org $, R g

Nature Monday, January 1 Redding Land Trust New Year's Day Hike 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Mary Anne Guitar Preserve and Barbara & Anthony Delia Preserve Parking past 12 Old Mailcoach Road reddingctlandtrust.org/calendar

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Saturday, January 6 Astronomy – Viewing the Night Sky 7:15 p.m. Dress for this outdoor event. New Pond Farm Education Center 101 Marchant Road newpondfarm.org $, R

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Monday, January 22 Bend me, Shape me, Heal me Join the Redding Garden Club to get in shape for the spring gardening season. 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road reddinggardenclub.org g

Meetings

Want to feature an upcoming event? E-mail us at advertise@reddingsentinel.org for more information.

Tuesday, January 2 Conservation Commission 7:00 p.m. Old Town House 23 Cross Highway townofreddingct.org

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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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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. Christmas Eve: Holy Eucharist, Rite II - Sunday, December 24 at 5:00 p.m. Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist, Rite II - Monday, December 25 at 10:00 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. Note: There is no morning worship service on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve Service: Sunday, December 24 at 5:00 p.m. 201 Long Ridge Road Danbury longridgeumc.com

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Sacred Heart / St. Patrick Parish

Sacred Heart Church: 30 Church Street 12/23 Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 p.m. 12/24 Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 12/24 Christmas Eve Mass: 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. 12/25 Christmas Day: 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 12/31 New Year’s Eve: 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 1/1 New Year’s Day: 10:30 a.m. St. Patrick Church: 169 Black Rock Turnpike 12/23 Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:30 p.m. 12/24 Sunday Mass: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 12/24 Christmas Eve Mass: 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. (carols sung at 11:00 p.m.) 12/25 Christmas Day: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (no Eucharistic Adoration) 12/31 New Year’s Eve: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 1/1 New Year’s Day: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. sacredheart-stpat.org g

Special Programs Thursday, December 28 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

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Park and Recreation Commission 7:00 p.m. Redding Community Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org

––– Monday, January 8 Republican Town Committee 7:30 p.m. Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

––– Tuesday, January 9 Georgetown Fire District Meeting 5:00 p.m. 61 Redding Road townofreddingct.org

––– Tuesday, January 9 Planning Commission 7:30 p.m. Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

––– Wednesday, January 10 Commission on Aging 9:00 a.m. Heritage Center 37 Lonetown Road townofreddingct.org

––– Wednesday, January 10 Zoning Commission 7:30 p.m. Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

––– Thursday, January 11 Redding Historic Cemetery Committee 2:00 p.m. Town Hall / Hearing Room 100 Hill Road townofreddingct.org

––– Thursday, January 11 Redding Board of Education 7:00 p.m. John Read Middle School / Community Room 486 Redding Road er9.org

––– Friday, Janaury 12 Board of Selectmen Budget Workshop 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Location TBD townofreddingct.org

––– Tuesday, January 16 Conservation Commission 7:00 p.m. Old Town House 23 Cross Highway townofreddingct.org

––– Tuesday, January 16 Zoning Board of Appeals 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Zoom townofreddingct.org g

Thursday, January 4 Scams and More Scams: An Expert’s Tips on How to Avoid Them 6:30 p.m. Bethel Public Library 189 Greenwood Avenue Bethel bethellibrary.org R 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 21, 2023