Guest submission.
Gorgeous weather on Sunday! Crowds are returning to the streets, so lots of our fellow photographers were out there. The great weather also turned out the street performers and the transit prowlers. Where the people go, the showmen, the hucksters and the troubled follow.
On a stretch of the Red Line, just north of where the underground moves above ground, a young woman or girl, maybe in her late teens, all of 5-feet tall and no more than 80 pounds soaking wet, began her pitch by explaining that she'd found a shelter near a Blue Line stop that charges $18.00 a night: "I have five-dollars-and-eighty-seven cents, so far. Can anyone help me with the rest?" She wanted us to know that she counts pennies.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
" Conversations after sunset"; Elegant Simplicity in Poetry
In his twelve years in Southington, as pastor of St. Dominic Church, Fr. Henry C. Frascadore touched the hearts of many who came to see, hear and be spiritually uplifted by his unique style of pastoral leadership, his self-disciplined style of organization and empowerment, his exceptional communication skills and his exquisite passion for words that paint homiletic pictures of the details of everyday life and the human spirit through simple stories of life, the Gospel and biblical characters, all inspiring personal connections with the Divine. In the fall of 2013, five years into his retirement as a priest in 2008, Fr. Henry, (as he likes to be called), published his second book of poetry, entitled: “Conversations After Sunset”, following his 2011 successful publication of “Beyond the Weeping Willow Tree: Mystery is a Gift Wrapped in Ordinary Paper” which was an immediate sensation with his now vast following.
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| Fr. Henry and Ramsey |
This sensitivity to urban nature echoes Fr. Henry’s keen spiritual connections with creation and its mysteries, the genuine value of the collection being the inspired discernment of the simplicity and complexity of the gifts of the universe. One may weave such thoughts into his/her own mind’s web, allowing the poet’s observations to penetrate our own worlds, savoring new sensations of life in our own hearts and minds, urging one to spiritually ruminate our own mysteries of life, re-examining vibrant moments that may have been inadvertently left along the wayside of our own life’s journey.
“Conversations After Sunset” offers 125 pages that move the reader to closely held secrets of the soul where the poetic insights come alive in the privacy of one’s own prayerful reflections. The book may be purchased on Amazon. or in Southington, at the Bradley Memorial Hospital Gift Shop.
Friday, January 10, 2014
A New Year Is Not Just One Day!
The year 2014 is still new. It's only the tenth of 365 days to come this year. Why is there value in think about that? It's certainly important that we salute the passing year and welcome the New Year with renewed aspirations and resolutions, that we gather in celebrations of family and friendship and a million or so people gather at New York's Times Square, even in frigid weather, to celebrate and cheer on the New Year to the very last second of the old, as megamillions more watch on television.
I like that it's a good time to review how far we've come, or not, in the past year and to re-assess the direction our lives are taking with our eyes on hopeful plans to make the next twelve months better, productive. Personally, I think about the fact that it takes everyone to bring about change for the better in our culture, in our society and our way of life. More of us, I believe, must be the architects of change and improvement where it is needed not only to make our own place in the world better but to take help those who are not sharing the "successes", the joy and the means to have better lives. It's also time to think about teaching everyone. One citizen at a time is the first step in bringing about meaninful societal change.
This year, I remember those left behind many New Year's Eves through the years of my own life and I'm sure others did the same. Some think of friendship, "success" and "progress" in life with goals of a whole variety of ideas about what we are searching for in life. Myself? I've reached the age and comfort to say, what about others?
On January 6th millions celebrated the ending of the 12 Days of Christmas and celebrated the Feast of the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, the Epiphany. Millions, following the Christian tradition, open their hearts to an annually re-newed awareness of the Light of the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi, Casper, Melchior and Balthasar, to a stable in Bethlehem to pay homage and bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrr to a New-Born King, a king of a realm we did not know, with a mission of saving us from the ravages of evil within us. I don't need to repeat the story here to make a simple point:
No matter who we are, what our heritage, what our religious beliefs and traditions, we are spiritually and physically binded together as a race of humans who need other humans in our lives. Imagine the proposition of one of us being the only person on Earth! We can't imagine it in any way that makes sense.
Men and women need others of their own species to live with and to love as they love themselves.
My new year's review for this year took this route. It's not easy; it's hard mental, emotional and spiritual work to think about our purpose in life or the responsibility for what we leave behind us, too vague, with many doors in our minds that we are not comfortable opening.
But, I started my assessment in appreciating my family, our home, a place in our community, and the spirit, (for me with a capital ‘S’), that guides us through each day and every day, using our talents and gifts to help others and make the world at least a little better place.
We are so very grateful to live in Southington, Connecticut, a community so rich in the good will of its people in all walks of life, their genuine compassion, generosity and love for others, whether through a small kindness or sharing something more substantial. Our community’s spirit gives hope and lightens the burdens of others in need.
We have so many groups by the dozens like Southington Community Services, Bread for Life, charities initiated in the activities of many faith congregations and our inter-faith community, civic, fraternal and service organizations and institutions in Southington.
Beyond the reality of serving the essential human needs of our own people, our town’s unrecognized corps of volunteers are a shining paradigm for others. They light the way for others who realize that there but for the Grace of God, go you and I. . Thanks, Southington, for welcoming us here in our retirement during the past nineteen years and for opening us to the splendid folks we’ve met in our churches, temples, charities, community service, civic and fraternal organizations as well as in our outstanding educational, professional, business and municipal institutions of this town. Writing your stories have been as uplifting to me as I imagine writing music can be.
And that, my friends, is what I thought about this New Year's Eve and how I plan to remain proactivley involved in life as a card-carrying member of my community every day this year, God willing.
Happy New Year! What are you going to do for the next ...
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
The Bread of Life
This just in, over the transom. erf 1/8/2014
Why go to Church?
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
"Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing..... God is UP to something!
"Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!"
The Bread of Life comes to us in more than one form.
Why go to Church?
If you are spiritually alive, you're going to love this!
If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.
If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope.
--------------------------------------------
A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
"Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing..... God is UP to something!
"Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!"
The Bread of Life comes to us in more than one form.
Friday, January 3, 2014
A Veteran's Christmas Visit to D.C: A Mission of the Heart
By E. Richard Fortunato
Since his retirement as a police officer in Cheshire, John DeMello, Sr. puts a lot of time and energy into helping his community. He is a veteran of the time of the Vietnam War and a member of the American Legion, Kiltonic Post 72 in Southington, CT, where he is always ready to help veterans in need and those actively serving in the armed forces defending freedom and our country's interests. He often initiates missions of good will, faith and mercy with his wife, Jin, joining in many of his efforts.
On December 21st, John and his wife left for Washington, D.C. They were going to celebrate Christmas with their son, John, Jr. who is an Air Force Captain stationed at the Pentagon, and his fiancée, Nikki. They were also celebrating the forthcoming marriage of John, Jr. and Nikki who would be departing for Thailand late on Christmas Day after a joyful visit with his parents. Nikki and John, Jr. are to be married in Thailand on January 8th, after a tour of that beautiful country.
Meanwhile, John, Sr. and Jin had another mission in mind. On past visits to D.C., they had seen many veterans living in clusters on the streets of Washington. With a note of sadness and hope in his mind's eye, John told his friends at the American Legion about the homeless vets in our nation’s capital. They encouraged and helped John reach out within the community of Southington for support of a collection of donated new or clean used clothing.
Executive Director of Southington Community Services, Janet Mellon, got wind of John’s project and her team responded immediately with bags of winter clothing donated by the people of Southington for the homeless and threadbare.
With astonishing speed, the generosity of the people of Southington abounded with donated blankets, gloves, coats, gloves, scarves, hats and warm socks and more. Energized by the community's spirit of giving, John and Jin laboriously sorted and packed large bags of clothing in their home and garage, loading it all into their pickup for the trip to Washington.
On Christmas Day, we received an email from John:
“Today was a great day for us, very humbling. Jin and I met so many homeless veterans and other homeless individuals. We don't know how lucky we are. I met a homeless vet named Harrison, he did not want anything. He said his hope is just to be out of the homeless shelter one day and once again lead a productive life. What an outstanding person who you could quickly see was intelligent. Though he had clearly had his share of pain in life, he did not talk about it in specifics”.
“It was deeply moving ...sad ... to see homeless men and women living in the parks, sleeping on the grass with no place to go but a shelter for the homeless. The shelters allow individuals to come in at 7:00 pm but they have to be out at 7:00 am.”
“My wife and I are grateful to the American Legion Post#72, Southington Community Services, Janet Mellon, and so many great people of Southington that made this Christmas special for the homeless vets in D.C. None of this would have transpired were it not for all of you. God Bless you all.”
On his return to Southington, John told me much more about the experience. He could not get the scene out of his mind of the homeless people surrounding the pickup truck for anything that might help them keep warm: a blanket, a hat, a pair of gloves. Jin was standing in the truck dispensing clothing as fast as she could to meet the outstretched hands and then began throwing some items out beyond the immediate human circle surrounding the truck to reach others while John moved among them handing clothing to all he could reach to be sure everyone got something.
As the crowd grew, John saw a truck parking just in front of theirs on the street. It was a truck with volunteers handing out hot cups of soup to the cold and hungry, many of them clutching their new Christmas gifts of clothing.
"Seeing homeless Americans in the parks and streets of Washington, is as sad as it gets", John said. He thought a while and said to me that he remembers standing there, wondering how the people of Southington who had gathered and donated these articles of winter clothing would react to the scene... a sea of humans, many of whom have served our country, with outstretched hands, clinging to the hope of a gift of mercy to help them stave off the pain of the bitter cold.
In God's mercy, many of us are spared the sight of these everyday situations of human suffering.
But a few pictures speak volumes... Click on each photo to enlarge.
John DeMello, Sr. and his wife, Jin, (left), stop at our home on December 18th to pick up clothing we donated and collected for their trip to Washington, D.C. Grace Fortunato is on the right helping as best she can with heavy bundles of clothes.
Jin DeMello, on Christmas Day, distributing clothes to homeless veterans gathering around their pickup truck on a street adjoining a park in Washington, D.C.
Crowd of homeless grows, many anxious,
unsure if they'll receive some of the clothing being dispensed.
As the word spreads and homeless in the park see a crowd gathering they come over to the pick up truck, (could have been Santa's sleigh), bringing them articles of clothing to relieve them of the long cold days outdoors.
Another view of the park which is day time
homeground for many homeless veterans.
Since his retirement as a police officer in Cheshire, John DeMello, Sr. puts a lot of time and energy into helping his community. He is a veteran of the time of the Vietnam War and a member of the American Legion, Kiltonic Post 72 in Southington, CT, where he is always ready to help veterans in need and those actively serving in the armed forces defending freedom and our country's interests. He often initiates missions of good will, faith and mercy with his wife, Jin, joining in many of his efforts.
On December 21st, John and his wife left for Washington, D.C. They were going to celebrate Christmas with their son, John, Jr. who is an Air Force Captain stationed at the Pentagon, and his fiancée, Nikki. They were also celebrating the forthcoming marriage of John, Jr. and Nikki who would be departing for Thailand late on Christmas Day after a joyful visit with his parents. Nikki and John, Jr. are to be married in Thailand on January 8th, after a tour of that beautiful country.
Meanwhile, John, Sr. and Jin had another mission in mind. On past visits to D.C., they had seen many veterans living in clusters on the streets of Washington. With a note of sadness and hope in his mind's eye, John told his friends at the American Legion about the homeless vets in our nation’s capital. They encouraged and helped John reach out within the community of Southington for support of a collection of donated new or clean used clothing.
Executive Director of Southington Community Services, Janet Mellon, got wind of John’s project and her team responded immediately with bags of winter clothing donated by the people of Southington for the homeless and threadbare.
With astonishing speed, the generosity of the people of Southington abounded with donated blankets, gloves, coats, gloves, scarves, hats and warm socks and more. Energized by the community's spirit of giving, John and Jin laboriously sorted and packed large bags of clothing in their home and garage, loading it all into their pickup for the trip to Washington.
On Christmas Day, we received an email from John:
“Today was a great day for us, very humbling. Jin and I met so many homeless veterans and other homeless individuals. We don't know how lucky we are. I met a homeless vet named Harrison, he did not want anything. He said his hope is just to be out of the homeless shelter one day and once again lead a productive life. What an outstanding person who you could quickly see was intelligent. Though he had clearly had his share of pain in life, he did not talk about it in specifics”.
“It was deeply moving ...sad ... to see homeless men and women living in the parks, sleeping on the grass with no place to go but a shelter for the homeless. The shelters allow individuals to come in at 7:00 pm but they have to be out at 7:00 am.”
“My wife and I are grateful to the American Legion Post#72, Southington Community Services, Janet Mellon, and so many great people of Southington that made this Christmas special for the homeless vets in D.C. None of this would have transpired were it not for all of you. God Bless you all.”
On his return to Southington, John told me much more about the experience. He could not get the scene out of his mind of the homeless people surrounding the pickup truck for anything that might help them keep warm: a blanket, a hat, a pair of gloves. Jin was standing in the truck dispensing clothing as fast as she could to meet the outstretched hands and then began throwing some items out beyond the immediate human circle surrounding the truck to reach others while John moved among them handing clothing to all he could reach to be sure everyone got something.
As the crowd grew, John saw a truck parking just in front of theirs on the street. It was a truck with volunteers handing out hot cups of soup to the cold and hungry, many of them clutching their new Christmas gifts of clothing.
"Seeing homeless Americans in the parks and streets of Washington, is as sad as it gets", John said. He thought a while and said to me that he remembers standing there, wondering how the people of Southington who had gathered and donated these articles of winter clothing would react to the scene... a sea of humans, many of whom have served our country, with outstretched hands, clinging to the hope of a gift of mercy to help them stave off the pain of the bitter cold.
In God's mercy, many of us are spared the sight of these everyday situations of human suffering.
But a few pictures speak volumes... Click on each photo to enlarge.
John DeMello, Sr. and his wife, Jin, (left), stop at our home on December 18th to pick up clothing we donated and collected for their trip to Washington, D.C. Grace Fortunato is on the right helping as best she can with heavy bundles of clothes.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Southington Town Manager Announces Plans to Meet Expected Severe Weather, Heavy Snow and Bitter Cold
Be informed as Local Weather Condition Bulletins are Announced by Southington Town Manager, Garry Brumback who made the following annoucement at 3:15 pm today, January 2, 2014. -- E. Richard Fortunato
During the next 48 hours we are expecting severe weather with heavy snow and bitter cold. The following are the actions we are taking to prepare:
1) Highway staff is on duty and will remain so until the snow storm has passed. They have pretreated most of the roads and all are passable. They will start to plow when conditions warrant it and will bring the contractors in when the heavy snow begins to fall.
2) Calendar House and the Library will be open and serve as “warming shelters” during normal duty hours tomorrow. We don’t expect power outages so there are no plans to provide food or off hours shelter.
3) Janet (Mellon) is coordinating with a local hotel to make sure we have a few rooms available if needed for homeless needing shelter. The Police and Fire departments have been alerted to be on the lookout for those needing assistance.
4) Schools released early today and are planning to discuss how to respond tonight but will probably make the call in the morning.
5) If the roads are really bad for the morning commute I will delay opening Town offices until 10:00 am.
I will keep you posted as information is updated.
Thanks,
Garry Brumback, ICMA-CM
Town Manager
(860) 276-6200
www.southington.org
During the next 48 hours we are expecting severe weather with heavy snow and bitter cold. The following are the actions we are taking to prepare:
1) Highway staff is on duty and will remain so until the snow storm has passed. They have pretreated most of the roads and all are passable. They will start to plow when conditions warrant it and will bring the contractors in when the heavy snow begins to fall.
2) Calendar House and the Library will be open and serve as “warming shelters” during normal duty hours tomorrow. We don’t expect power outages so there are no plans to provide food or off hours shelter.
3) Janet (Mellon) is coordinating with a local hotel to make sure we have a few rooms available if needed for homeless needing shelter. The Police and Fire departments have been alerted to be on the lookout for those needing assistance.
4) Schools released early today and are planning to discuss how to respond tonight but will probably make the call in the morning.
5) If the roads are really bad for the morning commute I will delay opening Town offices until 10:00 am.
I will keep you posted as information is updated.
Thanks,
Garry Brumback, ICMA-CM
Town Manager
(860) 276-6200
www.southington.org
Monday, December 9, 2013
A Community of Faith, Sharing Religious Beliefs and Traditions
The Quest for Common Ground is pleased to present a series of posts this month during this joyful holiday season in the hope of providing our community of Southington, Connecticut, and other communities of people greater understanding of the diversity of relgious beliefs rooted in their rich heritage and traditional creeds. Freedom of religion is a cornerstone of the American credo that extends beyong tolerance and reaches out to understanding so that we may love one another as we love God. It is, our faith, after all, which offers us the values of our most cherished beliefs and religious traditions which enrich our lives in this great country.
We begin today with a joyful reflection by Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker of the Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation in Southington, CT. Please feel free to share your comments with our community.
By the time you read this, Chanukah, the 8-night Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights, will be over. I am fortunate to celebrate with family and congregants, lighting the chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) and enjoying potato pancakes, known as latkes. They are a traditional food of the holiday but jelly donuts may be consumed as well. It is all about the oil so any fried food will do!
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| Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation, Southington, CT |
We begin today with a joyful reflection by Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker of the Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation in Southington, CT. Please feel free to share your comments with our community.
By the time you read this, Chanukah, the 8-night Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights, will be over. I am fortunate to celebrate with family and congregants, lighting the chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) and enjoying potato pancakes, known as latkes. They are a traditional food of the holiday but jelly donuts may be consumed as well. It is all about the oil so any fried food will do!
As a
rabbi I have been asked many times this year about Thanksgiving and Chanukah
falling so close together. I am sure you
have read about it and a search of the Internet will bring up the particular calendrical computations that produced the phenomenon. But in musing on the overlap of
these two days, I offer this: Thanksgiving was the feast of gratitude the early
settlers of America offered for the bounty of this new land that marked their
survival over the hardship of their migration to the unknown and their
appreciation for religious freedom.
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| Chanukah Menorah |
This
year however, I am more focused both personally and professionally, on the
resultant separation of the Jewish holiday from Christmas. For you see,
Chanukah is not the Jewish Christmas and so I have an opportunity to teach that
two great faith traditions celebrate joyous events both very different and very
meaningful to each of us. I hope the understanding and compassion that can come
from each holiday having its own fullness of time for observance signifies a
wonderful new year to come.
- Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker, Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation,
Southington..
Monday, December 2, 2013
An Exciting Thanksgiving Journey
I received this very special Thanksgiving Story in e-letter form from a professional colleague of mine from Seiko Corporation of America of twenty years ago. Lynn Dansker was always the consummate professional in her work, but there's much more than that in this simple story of love and giving. - ERF
Dear Friends and Family,
Joe, Cole and I would like to wish you all a safe and joyful Thanksgiving.
We will not be sharing the holiday this year with our family, instead we are embarking on an exciting journey. We would like to share this story.
A little more than 3 years ago we looked into sponsoring a child through the Adoption Agency I used to bring Cole into our lives. They offer a Sponsorship program that offers children in several countries the opportunity to attend school. In many countries in order to attend school you have to be able to purchase a school uniform and shoes. Thousands and thousands of children (maybe more) do not attend school in these countries because they do not have the means to make such a purchase. We decided we wanted to sponsor a child and give him/her the gift of education.
We chose Guatemala because the native language is Spanish and Cole has been attending a Spanish immersion school for the past 4 years. Cole always wanted a little brother or sister and we thought it would be a great opportunity for him to feel like a big brother and a way to practice his Spanish writing skills. The little boy that we have been matched with is named Selvin. He is the youngest of 4 children and to the best of our knowledge, no one in his family has attended school. He turned 8 years old last month, and lives in a hut with no floor and no refrigerator. Our annual donation pays for his uniform and shoes. To our great joy, Selvin has completed 3 years in the sponsorship program; beginning his 4th year in January when the children return from a 2 month Holiday break.
Selvin not only has to keep his grades to a high standard, he is only allowed to miss a few days of school each year and his parents must remain engaged in the program. If these 3 qualifications are not met, he would not be able to continue in the program. The fact that he has remained in the program for 3 full years is an anomaly. Most children do not, mostly because there are so many stresses on the family that it does not remain a priority.
We have kept in touch with Selvin and his family through the Agency and have shared letters, drawings, photos over the years. We are been allowed to send him books, pencils, crayons, paper, markers (anything that is considered a school supply) but no toys or clothes or anything that his family may need.
Cole turns 9 on Sunday and next Wed is the first night of Hanukah so Joe and I decided to give Cole a birthday/Hanukah gift that he will never forget. We have surprised him with a trip to Guatemala to meet his “little brother” and his family. We leave this Saturday Nov 23rd and return on Nov 30th. We will be sightseeing for 2 ½ days and then we have plans to spend the next few days with Selvin taking him to the zoo, swimming at the hotel pool and other activities that he probably has never been exposed to. We will meet his family as well and will be escorted by the woman who runs the Sponsorship Program in Guatemala throughout our stay. Thank goodness she is Bilingual as my college Spanish is rusty at best!!! Cole will also serve as our translator on this journey. How exciting it will be to hear him converse with Selvin in Spanish!
We are THRILLED (and a bit nervous) about our adventure, however we are looking forward to meeting our extended family in Guatemala!!
We look forward to sharing our journey with you through stories and photographs when we return.
On behalf of Joe, Cole and myself have a great Thanksgiving holiday! Be safe!
Lynn Dansker
 |
| Lynn, Cole and Joe Dansker |
Joe, Cole and I would like to wish you all a safe and joyful Thanksgiving.
We will not be sharing the holiday this year with our family, instead we are embarking on an exciting journey. We would like to share this story.
A little more than 3 years ago we looked into sponsoring a child through the Adoption Agency I used to bring Cole into our lives. They offer a Sponsorship program that offers children in several countries the opportunity to attend school. In many countries in order to attend school you have to be able to purchase a school uniform and shoes. Thousands and thousands of children (maybe more) do not attend school in these countries because they do not have the means to make such a purchase. We decided we wanted to sponsor a child and give him/her the gift of education.
We chose Guatemala because the native language is Spanish and Cole has been attending a Spanish immersion school for the past 4 years. Cole always wanted a little brother or sister and we thought it would be a great opportunity for him to feel like a big brother and a way to practice his Spanish writing skills. The little boy that we have been matched with is named Selvin. He is the youngest of 4 children and to the best of our knowledge, no one in his family has attended school. He turned 8 years old last month, and lives in a hut with no floor and no refrigerator. Our annual donation pays for his uniform and shoes. To our great joy, Selvin has completed 3 years in the sponsorship program; beginning his 4th year in January when the children return from a 2 month Holiday break.
Selvin not only has to keep his grades to a high standard, he is only allowed to miss a few days of school each year and his parents must remain engaged in the program. If these 3 qualifications are not met, he would not be able to continue in the program. The fact that he has remained in the program for 3 full years is an anomaly. Most children do not, mostly because there are so many stresses on the family that it does not remain a priority.
We have kept in touch with Selvin and his family through the Agency and have shared letters, drawings, photos over the years. We are been allowed to send him books, pencils, crayons, paper, markers (anything that is considered a school supply) but no toys or clothes or anything that his family may need.
Cole turns 9 on Sunday and next Wed is the first night of Hanukah so Joe and I decided to give Cole a birthday/Hanukah gift that he will never forget. We have surprised him with a trip to Guatemala to meet his “little brother” and his family. We leave this Saturday Nov 23rd and return on Nov 30th. We will be sightseeing for 2 ½ days and then we have plans to spend the next few days with Selvin taking him to the zoo, swimming at the hotel pool and other activities that he probably has never been exposed to. We will meet his family as well and will be escorted by the woman who runs the Sponsorship Program in Guatemala throughout our stay. Thank goodness she is Bilingual as my college Spanish is rusty at best!!! Cole will also serve as our translator on this journey. How exciting it will be to hear him converse with Selvin in Spanish!
We are THRILLED (and a bit nervous) about our adventure, however we are looking forward to meeting our extended family in Guatemala!!
We look forward to sharing our journey with you through stories and photographs when we return.
On behalf of Joe, Cole and myself have a great Thanksgiving holiday! Be safe!
Lynn Dansker
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Remembering Alfred George Fortunato
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| Alfred George Fortunato, September 6, 1931 - October 2, 2013 |
Al was born when I was only two. My memories of every phase of our lives has spanned a long lifetime for both of us. Growing up together as third generation Americans in a family culture that reflected our Italian-American heritage, alongside of neighbors, school and team mates, many of whom became lifetime friends, we were part of the early twentieth century products of the largest melting pot of diverse heritages, essentially European.
Close in age, we and our late youngest brother, Vinnie, (aka Jimmy), served in the U.S. Army simultaneously and with pride during the Korean War in the 1950's. Returning to civilian life each of us raised families, between us and our younger sister, Ann Marie Rumpke, presenting seventeen grandchildren to our parents, Mafalda and Jimmy Fortunato.
It was not unusual in those times to have close sibling relationships even in our mature years. Now, through the lens of a lifetime, I see the uniquely special bond in a relationship beyond comparison in our lifetimes. Today, I treasure Al's and Jimmy's memory. Ann Marie refers to we two surviving siblings as the bookends of a family that grew up in an environment that cultivated great interest in the arts, music and in the literary world.
Just a few year's ago, I realized that Al and I never had a personal quarrel. If, as in a few instances, we had differences in our thinking concerning public policy, it never, never became personal or affected our fundamentally sound relationship. In fact, our approach to differences strengthened our mutual esteem and we always kept in sight that we had the same fundamental aspirations for humankind. That played a great part in our shared mutual respect, esteem and love for one another that never wavered.
The last decade of my brother's life was filled with health issues. His discomfort and anxiety stretched the limits of pain in his final year, but he never gave up. Nor did he ever stop caring and loving his family, his friends and the joy of his work in his chosen profession of publishing serious non-fiction using skills that spanned the gamut of historian, researcher, editor, wordsmith, author and profound thinker.
With a firm but gentle voice, Al's words were always spoken and written with an ever-mindful focus on compassion, especially for those who seemed to be left out in the pledge of 'liberty and justice for all'.
His greatest assets were his fine mind, his integrity and his empathy with all living things. Al's gift of intellect, insightful logic and simpatico nature were core components of the elegance of his character.
His departure was shattering for all of us: his loving wife, children and grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and a legion of friends and associates in the literary world and his younger days of baseball.
With a firm but gentle voice, Al's words were always spoken and written with an ever-mindful focus on compassion, especially for those who seemed to be left out in the pledge of 'liberty and justice for all'.
His greatest assets were his fine mind, his integrity and his empathy with all living things. Al's gift of intellect, insightful logic and simpatico nature were core components of the elegance of his character.
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| Al Fortunato, Captain and Center Fielder Erasmus Hall H.S. Brooklyn, NY c 1947 |
His departure was shattering for all of us: his loving wife, children and grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and a legion of friends and associates in the literary world and his younger days of baseball.
After a year, sorrow and mourning have given way to a personal healing process for me. I describe it as having lived through an increasing personal propensity for quiet periods of contemplative spiritual time, reading and study which came to reflect on my thinking and writing. Consequently, I find myself filled with a spiritual energy has renewed a sense of gratitude for the joy and love we've had in our lifetimes.
One step beyond, I have witnessed an increasing sensory phenomenon in the past six months. My meditative reflections of past interactions with Al, and recently with my brother, Jimmy, as well, present a spiritual connection or communion with them of a nature previously unknown to me.
For the doubtful, I am not asserting that I talk to them or to the Holy Spirit in a physical vocal sense. I hear no 'voices'. But my heart is filled and my spirit is warmed by a new sense of the presence of each of them as I reminisce to our relationships in the past.
Closing thoughts: Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. I live and love with both feet solidly grounded in the present while holding onto the wonderful memories and love of the past and my Christian beliefs in the future.
Closing thoughts: Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. I live and love with both feet solidly grounded in the present while holding onto the wonderful memories and love of the past and my Christian beliefs in the future.
In His Spirit,
Ephraim Richard Fortunato
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Meet Molly
This story came via the wonders of electronic mail today. I liked it not only because it was inspiring but because, in itself, it is another wonder for thoughtful reflection. I hope you like Molly' story, too.
- E. Richard Fortunato
Molly' is a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled.
While there, she was attacked by a dog and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected, and her vet went to Lousiana State University for help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes. But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores,so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and a temporary artificial limb was built.
Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there. "This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists. Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood that she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse. Molly's story turns into a paradigm for life in Post-Katrina Louisiana.
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. "The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life,"Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. And she asks for it. "She will put her little limb out,and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.", Barca adds. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay,the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people, and she had a good time doing it! "It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life", Moore said. "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others." Barca concluded, "She's not back to normal, but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.'
As the next photo shows, the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind.
If you liked meeting Molly feel free to comment in the space provided below this post or forward it to animal lovers you know.
It seems to be still another wonder how God's creatures reflect the character to which we aspire, though in different ways.
- E. Richard Fortunato
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| This is Molly with her prosthesis |
While there, she was attacked by a dog and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected, and her vet went to Lousiana State University for help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes. But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores,so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and a temporary artificial limb was built.
Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there. "This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists. Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood that she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse. Molly's story turns into a paradigm for life in Post-Katrina Louisiana.
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. "The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life,"Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. And she asks for it. "She will put her little limb out,and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.", Barca adds. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. "It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse," she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay,the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people, and she had a good time doing it! "It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life", Moore said. "She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others." Barca concluded, "She's not back to normal, but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.'
As the next photo shows, the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind.
If you liked meeting Molly feel free to comment in the space provided below this post or forward it to animal lovers you know.
It seems to be still another wonder how God's creatures reflect the character to which we aspire, though in different ways.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
15-Year Old Life Scout, Matt Leary, Leads Community Service Project
Cross-published In The Southington Citizen
Boy Scouts of America: For God, Country, Self & Others
A breath of positive news inspires a needed ray of hope for good citizenship and patriotism. Such is the stuff of this story of a community service project and a group of Boy Scouts led by a Southington boy of 15.
Established more than a hundred years ago, the Boy Scouts of America is part of a global non-profit endeavor that promotes virtues such as character, citizenship and fitness in youngsters. The Scout Oath declares the central duties to God, Country, Self and others. Service projects undertaken for church, school and community are performed by boys enabling them to responsibly hone skills that prepare them for lifelong duties.
Illustrating the intrinsic value of community work generated by scouts is the story of Star Scout, Matthew Leary of Southington who led a team of eight Boy Scouts of Troop 3, Waterbury in a much needed Southington service project this month. With the approval of his Scoutmaster, Bill Meo, and the Town Manager, Garry Brumback, Matt Leary chose, as his community service project, the clearance of the Laning Street entry to the Town of Southington’s 47 acre Griffin Open Space Parcel.
Describing the project, Leary said: “The entrance to the open space trail became overgrown with brush, impacted by significant storm damage and illegal dumping, to the extent of blocking access to the trailhead”. The energetic crew of Boy Scouts and 5 adults expended 84 man-hours of volunteer service planning and performing the work. In addition to clearing the brush and debris, the Scouts swept the curb, cleaned the water catch basins and posted a ‘No Dumping’ sign at the entrance.
Neighboring property owners expressed support for the Boy Scouts volunteer work, but also indicated their disappointment with the project, fearing that it may attract dirt bikes onto the property, Leary said. On August 14, Matt was presented a letter of gratitude from the Town's Open Space Committee.
Scout Troops are organized by ‘patrols’ with older boys teaching skills to younger boys, building character, trust, preparedness and leadership while advancing through the ranks of tenderfoot, 2nd class and 1st class scout. Boys may then advance to Star, Life and the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
Matt became a cub scout at age 7 in Pack 218 in Waterbury where he ultimately earned the ‘Arrow of Light’, the highest award in Cub Scouts and was tapped for the Order of the Arrow, as was his dad in his boyhood. After completion of the service project this month, Mathew Leary passed his Board of Review, thus achieving the rank of Life Scout. His journey to Eagle Scout now begins with many merit badges to be acquired, leadership effectiveness skills and a new and more challenging project required.
Leary is a sophomore at St. Paul’s Catholic H.S. in Bristol who attended St. Dominic School through 5th grade and St. Thomas through 8th. He loves sports, has played Town of Southington baseball, soccer, and basketball in grade school years and high school.
Matt resides in Southington with his mom, Karen Matthews Leary, a physical therapist at the Consolidated School District of New Britain and at the Hartford Hospital, and his dad, John J. Leary, who is Director of Consolidated Accounting at Tronox in Stamford, CT who also is an elected town official serving as Chairman of the Southington Board of Finance. Mr. Leary has been in scouting himself continuously since his own boy scout days in 1978 at Troop 3, where he is currently an assistant scoutmaster. Matt's older sister, Lauren, is a freshman at St. Joseph University in West Hartford who attended the same schools as her younger brother. The family has been deeply involved at their parish Church of St. Dominic for years.
An accomplished swimmer, Life Scout Matt Leary is proficient at sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and enjoys traveling and exploring. Matt enjoys golf, particularly playing with his grandfather, Dave Matthews. Matt likes science, investigating how things work, enjoys cooking at home and over an open fire while camping. Matt enjoys being a leader in Boy Scouts, teaching skills to younger boys. He’s a tad shy and reserved but has an acute sense of what is going on around him and is a very considerate gentleman. Matt does many chores around home: snow shoveling, lawn mowing, tree trimming, painting, and home repairs. Leary is proficient with a range of power tools. He enjoys working with his hands and using tools. Matt helps his great grandfather who is 96 years old with many household chores as he does at home. He spends time with his great-grandfather watching Yankee games and loves spending time with his 2-year old Golden Retriever, Lucy.
Activities that are not part of Matt's favorite pastimes? Answer:Reading and writing! Well, not just yet, anyway.
With profound thanks to the Leary family for their time and input in bringing you this story, for their many contributions to our community through the years and their treasured family values.
Now, Scouts,citizens and friends, let's keep the campfires glowing!
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| Matt Leary, Life Scout |
A breath of positive news inspires a needed ray of hope for good citizenship and patriotism. Such is the stuff of this story of a community service project and a group of Boy Scouts led by a Southington boy of 15.
Established more than a hundred years ago, the Boy Scouts of America is part of a global non-profit endeavor that promotes virtues such as character, citizenship and fitness in youngsters. The Scout Oath declares the central duties to God, Country, Self and others. Service projects undertaken for church, school and community are performed by boys enabling them to responsibly hone skills that prepare them for lifelong duties.
Illustrating the intrinsic value of community work generated by scouts is the story of Star Scout, Matthew Leary of Southington who led a team of eight Boy Scouts of Troop 3, Waterbury in a much needed Southington service project this month. With the approval of his Scoutmaster, Bill Meo, and the Town Manager, Garry Brumback, Matt Leary chose, as his community service project, the clearance of the Laning Street entry to the Town of Southington’s 47 acre Griffin Open Space Parcel.
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Laning St. entrance to Griffin Open Space area before clearance. From left: Jeremy Melenciano, Andrew Belske, Matthew Leary, Joseph DeCrisanti, Nick Gormley, Timothy Belske, Tom Sullivan, Anthony Belske and Town Manager, Garry Brumback. Absent: Joe Mennillo.
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Describing the project, Leary said: “The entrance to the open space trail became overgrown with brush, impacted by significant storm damage and illegal dumping, to the extent of blocking access to the trailhead”. The energetic crew of Boy Scouts and 5 adults expended 84 man-hours of volunteer service planning and performing the work. In addition to clearing the brush and debris, the Scouts swept the curb, cleaned the water catch basins and posted a ‘No Dumping’ sign at the entrance.
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| Griffin Open Space entryway after restoration |
Scout Troops are organized by ‘patrols’ with older boys teaching skills to younger boys, building character, trust, preparedness and leadership while advancing through the ranks of tenderfoot, 2nd class and 1st class scout. Boys may then advance to Star, Life and the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
Matt became a cub scout at age 7 in Pack 218 in Waterbury where he ultimately earned the ‘Arrow of Light’, the highest award in Cub Scouts and was tapped for the Order of the Arrow, as was his dad in his boyhood. After completion of the service project this month, Mathew Leary passed his Board of Review, thus achieving the rank of Life Scout. His journey to Eagle Scout now begins with many merit badges to be acquired, leadership effectiveness skills and a new and more challenging project required.
Leary is a sophomore at St. Paul’s Catholic H.S. in Bristol who attended St. Dominic School through 5th grade and St. Thomas through 8th. He loves sports, has played Town of Southington baseball, soccer, and basketball in grade school years and high school.
Matt resides in Southington with his mom, Karen Matthews Leary, a physical therapist at the Consolidated School District of New Britain and at the Hartford Hospital, and his dad, John J. Leary, who is Director of Consolidated Accounting at Tronox in Stamford, CT who also is an elected town official serving as Chairman of the Southington Board of Finance. Mr. Leary has been in scouting himself continuously since his own boy scout days in 1978 at Troop 3, where he is currently an assistant scoutmaster. Matt's older sister, Lauren, is a freshman at St. Joseph University in West Hartford who attended the same schools as her younger brother. The family has been deeply involved at their parish Church of St. Dominic for years.
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Matt Leary is in on the far right, standing, holding the Troop 3 flag. John Leary, Matt's dad is seen immediately to his right. John is Assistant Scoutmaster. Standing in back, center, is Scoutmaster Bill Meo.
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An accomplished swimmer, Life Scout Matt Leary is proficient at sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and enjoys traveling and exploring. Matt enjoys golf, particularly playing with his grandfather, Dave Matthews. Matt likes science, investigating how things work, enjoys cooking at home and over an open fire while camping. Matt enjoys being a leader in Boy Scouts, teaching skills to younger boys. He’s a tad shy and reserved but has an acute sense of what is going on around him and is a very considerate gentleman. Matt does many chores around home: snow shoveling, lawn mowing, tree trimming, painting, and home repairs. Leary is proficient with a range of power tools. He enjoys working with his hands and using tools. Matt helps his great grandfather who is 96 years old with many household chores as he does at home. He spends time with his great-grandfather watching Yankee games and loves spending time with his 2-year old Golden Retriever, Lucy.
Activities that are not part of Matt's favorite pastimes? Answer:Reading and writing! Well, not just yet, anyway.
Afterword
With profound thanks to the Leary family for their time and input in bringing you this story, for their many contributions to our community through the years and their treasured family values.
Now, Scouts,citizens and friends, let's keep the campfires glowing!
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| Actual Troop 3 Campfire |
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Giving Back, Girls Fill 400 Backpacks with School Supplies
Smart Start: A Great Back-to-School Project for Giving Back Girls
By E. Richard Fortunato
By E. Richard Fortunato
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| Giving Back Girls Sort Backpacks & School Supplies |
Based in Southington, CT, about 18 miles southwest of Hartford, there's a group of mostly middle school and some high school girls who call themselves the Giving Back Girls. It was actually started in 2010 by Erin and Emily Gibney, 14 year old twin
daughters of Tricia Gibney, COO of The Arc of Southington. Inspired by the
generous community service of their parents and so many in this generous community who help
meet the needs of others who are less fortunate than most. Now in their third year, the GBG have grown to 23 girls, predominantly 7th to 10th
graders, ranging in age from 7 to 15,
The Giving Back Girls are
involved in several service programs during the course of the year. For example, there are “Fill the
Truck” Food Drives held several times a year. The girls distribute flyers outside of the local Walmart requesting shoppers to help by making a food purchase to donate to help feed the hungry as they finish shopping. Food
gathered is put on the truck and delivered by the Fire Department to Southington Community Services
to help feed hungry families.
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| Girls give hundreds of hours to a "Smart Start" |
The GB Girls run Bake Sales to raise money for
the Food Pantry to buy food from FoodShare which are always needed to supplement food and cash donations. The help of GB Girls
is increasingly significant and helps prevent food stocks at the Southington
Food Pantry from falling short at times.
Just this month the girls have collaborated
with the Southington Community Services annual Smart Start Back-to-School Backpack program.
Southington Community Services secures backpack donations for K to 12th grade kids whose families need a bit of financial help.
The Giving Back Girls organize and do the work of sorting backpacks by size,
age, gender and color, labeling them accordingly, filling them with school
supplies such as pencils, pens, crayons, memo pads, markers, color pencils,
pencil sharpeners, folders, fun books and fun bags.
Backpacks and supplies are received from private
donations and special drives, one of which is the “Fill A School Bus Drive” in
which the Giving Back Girls participate. The girls hand out flyers listing
needed school supplies to shoppers going into Walmart. Southington shoppers are
very supportive, generously adding needed school supplies to their planned
purchases. On the way out, the GB Girls assist them in getting donated supplies onto the school bus.
The girls worked at the Southington
Community Services warehouse filling the backpacks with supplies, organizing
them according to age and gender guidelines. The goal was to fill 400 donated
backpacks by Aug. 19th, ready for pickup, delivery and distribution
by SCS at Derynoski School on the next two days. They met their objective and helped the Board of Education and SCS distribute over 400 backpacks to kids who really appreciated it.
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| Erin (L),and Madison organizing material for the team of Giving Back Girls |
Erin Gibney and a few
others organized a system for filling the backpacks efficiently. “In a way,”
Erin said, “My sister, Emily and I feel it’s training and experience for the younger
girls who will be leaders in future years.”. SCS Director, Janet Mellon, said:
“I am thrilled by the growing generosity and cooperation of the Giving Back
Girls, the Board of Education, Walmart and other private donors.” This year,
Dr. Carol Grant decided to promote the program, asking patients and friends to
drop off donations of needed supplies at her office.
The mission of this blog originally was to reach out to others for common ground, something our politicians and government at all levels still need to do to make this country's generosity more effective and efficient. As time moved along, as the reader can see, my focus on what people in communities are doing to help their neighbors in their own communities. This mission has given me great joy in telling these stories. Our children and their parents and grand parents need to look closely around them to see how many are actually contributing to the community either as volunteers or as donors in kind or in money. There are so many helping to carry the burdens of others. My hope and prayer is for many more who are sitting on the sidelines to join and be part of the community of responsible citizens. Are you reaching out to help others or are you just watching the world go around?
Please comment below and share what you are doing to help your community or your country and forward this blog along to a friend.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
STEPS Never Sleeps: Prepared for Launch of 2013-14 Year
Growing Great Kids is the fundamental essence of the mission of STEPS which is about growing healthy kids who are educated to be the best that they can be, in an environment of trust and respect for others, self-respect, responsibility as good citizens with regard for property and the well-being of the community. .
STEPS is an acronym for Southington's Town-wide Efforts to Promote Success. The Town-wide aspect of the STEPS movement is critically important to the success of STEPS.
STEPS relies heavily on a commitment of a coalition that includes students, parents, grandparents, the Board of Education, Southington Youth Services, Health, Police and Fire Departments, Faith Communities, commercial and professional enterprises, community service, fraternal and civic organizations, the military, media and every citizen who cares about those who will shape the future of society.
STEPS is an acronym for Southington's Town-wide Efforts to Promote Success. The Town-wide aspect of the STEPS movement is critically important to the success of STEPS. STEPS relies heavily on a commitment of a coalition that includes students, parents, grandparents, the Board of Education, Southington Youth Services, Health, Police and Fire Departments, Faith Communities, commercial and professional enterprises, community service, fraternal and civic organizations, the military, media and every citizen who cares about those who will shape the future of society.
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| Prevention Coordinator, Kelly Leppard, works with a town-wide coalition and collaborating agencies to maintain a positive and effective pace for STEPS. |
A preview of the STEPS agenda for 2013-2014 year:
- Funding - STEPS is chiefly funded by a five-year federal grant from Drug-Free Communities Support Program Office of National Drug Control Policy through application with SAMHSA, (Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration).
- STEPS will apply for the next 5-year grant cycle in February 2014. If approved in August 2014, STEPS will continue its work through 2019, with annual renewals.
- New Board members will be announced this month.
- This year, Asset Building Classrooms, (ABC’s), will continue with individual school and district-wide classroom activities directed by the designated STEPS Assets Champion for each school.
- Third biennial round of surveys of 7th, 9th and 11th graders will be administered in March 2014 enabling STEPS and the B.O.E. to evaluate progress in reducing specific negative behavioral areas such as alcohol, marijuana and tobacco abuse.
- Findings will be shared with the community to further engage the coalition. (Four major tenets of SAMHSA are: Behavioral Health is Essential to Health; Prevention Works; People Recover and Treatment is Effective.)
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| Kelly Leppard and Evelyn Ciaburri develop projects, ideas and keep positive communications and action going strong within the coalition. |
- STEPS will continue to promote awareness of the Social Hosting state law, (which makes adults legally responsible for teen age drinking in their homes), Social Norming, Police Department's Medical Drop Box Workshop in September and continue building partnership with SPD in merchant education and compliance checks, (enforcement operations.)
- SPD will work with STEPS Drive-In Committee for Halloween Festival and other community projects.
- Lt. Michael Baribault of the S.P.D. will join Town Council Chairman, John Dobbins and STEPS Youth Prevention Coordinator, Kelly Leppard, as presenters at the Connecticut Youth Safety Conference to be held on September 27, 2013 at Goodwin College.
- This summer STEPS has stepped-up its efforts to partner with the media with the set up of a STEPS blog on Southington Patch, supplementing its website at www.southingtonsteps.org.
- Fall efforts also include the use of popular family conversation cards, work on a town ordinance to effectively deal with substance abuse, Southington Safe Schools Tipline, awareness of Southington Serves and the Social Host campaign: Do not purchase alcohol for minors.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Vacation Bible School Message: "The Kingdom of God is Me"
"The Kingdom of God is Me". That's what 4 to 10 year old Campers at the 2013 Vacation Bible School heard throughout their week of summer camp at the Church of Saint Dominic of Southington, CT. That theme expressed with simplicity the joyful meaning of an exciting adventure: God is Love. God's Kingdom is each and everyone of you.
Invited to be a story teller to help start the fourth day of this year's VBS program, imagine my first steps into the entrance foyer of the church at 8:40 am last Thursday. I had the sense of virtually walking into the Land of Oz.
The place brimmed with the activity of 141 Vacation Bible School Campers from pre-K through fifth grade, eager to start their day of enchanted romping through an aptly themed “The Kingdom of God”.
With 91 junior volunteers, 6th to 11th grade, and 24 adult leaders moving briskly to their appointed posts, campers safely moved with amazing alacrity to their age-appropriate starting places.
In a fun, joy and somewhat fantastic setting, the children rotated through designated play, pray, work and learning experiences in a lively upbeat tempo. Delicious snacks and social time offered kids a break that allowed them to kind of absorb the totality of the journey through the exciting sets and stages of the Kingdom of God, where momentary surrealism met divine reality.
Through the fairy land décor and the imagination, (wink-wink), of campers, the kids were witness and partners in the Social Justice component of service ... their collection of food for Southington Social Services. They knew that they were helping to feed the hungry by stocking the Southington Food Pantry during a slow time of summer.
“This is the 17th year of VBS at St. Dominic.”, said Religious Education Director, Theresa Kamradt. “Our theme was ‘The Kingdom of God is Me!’ We learned that God is King and that we, who serve God and one another, are in reality that Kingdom.”
St. Dominic Pastor, Fr. Ronald P. May was one of the morning storytellers who told the children a story each day about Queen Esther, King Josiah and King David. I was at first somewhat non-plussed by the story I was to tell to kids aged 4 to 10: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. How could I, a person who is a lifetime senior to these young children, tell them this glorious story that is the crown jewel of our faith? It would have to be simple, clear and include sound, tone and word images that were at once beautiful and appealing to the young creative imagination. An Internet Search took me to Amazon's children stories of faith where I was able to order and instantly delivered to my Kindle a story of Easter for only $2.99. Pushing my creative instincts I managed to tell the story of the Resurrection, omitting the Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks; after all it's August not Easter. With a few exaggerated vocal sound effects representing the rain, wind and lightning after the crucifixion and the rolling back of the great stone of the tomb, I was able to avoid my concern of frightening the children who seemed, instead, to be attentively entranced. Whew!
Getting back to other Kingdom activities, our Camp mascot, Chadder the Chipmunk, learned the lesson that spending time with people is more fun than spending time with his electronics. Scatter was joined by Iggy the Dragon and a special appearance by Boomer the Panda after an absence from camp of 2 years.
Kamradt said, “The kids had a great time but the junior helpers are the key to success.” The mostly teens youth are valued role models, forming relationships with campers, rising to the great responsibility they are given while developing leadership training. "It’s a total win adventure for all, including those who attended the Sunday 10:00 am liturgy when the Campers offered a musical presentation of what they had learned.
In writing the story of this spiritual junket I decided to do a bit of research about Vacation Bible Schools in America adding to what I have discovered about their being common in the northeast.
Turns out, the Barna Research Group, a noted private, non-partisan, for-profit research organization in Ventura, CA., indicates that two-thirds, (68%), of churches in America offered VBS last summer, a level that has been quite stable in recent decades with a notable high of 81% participation of churches in 1997. The Barna Group has been conducting and analyzing primary research for nearly 30 years to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors.
Not the least of many reasons for the popularity and parental interest in Vacation Bible Schools in America is the all-consuming, fun learning nature of the experience for children. Meanwhile, the trend in participation points, hopefully, to a conclusion that there is an enduring commitment in the United States to the faith and spiritual development of children that correlates to the aspired purpose of their becoming spiritually developed adults, ready to take a meaningful place in their parishes and congregations in service to God and one another.
With roots going back to the antebellum period of the 1870s, summer bible schools continue to do their part in sustaining a valued culture for Americans of diverse faith traditions.
Frankly, I feel privileged to have taken part, albeit a very small part, in this year's VBS at my church. Moreover, the research and writing of this story has been equally pleasurable.
More photos after the jump.
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| "I thought I had stepped into the Land of Oz" |
The place brimmed with the activity of 141 Vacation Bible School Campers from pre-K through fifth grade, eager to start their day of enchanted romping through an aptly themed “The Kingdom of God”.
With 91 junior volunteers, 6th to 11th grade, and 24 adult leaders moving briskly to their appointed posts, campers safely moved with amazing alacrity to their age-appropriate starting places.
 |
| Campers checking in before 9 am. |
Through the fairy land décor and the imagination, (wink-wink), of campers, the kids were witness and partners in the Social Justice component of service ... their collection of food for Southington Social Services. They knew that they were helping to feed the hungry by stocking the Southington Food Pantry during a slow time of summer.
“This is the 17th year of VBS at St. Dominic.”, said Religious Education Director, Theresa Kamradt. “Our theme was ‘The Kingdom of God is Me!’ We learned that God is King and that we, who serve God and one another, are in reality that Kingdom.”
St. Dominic Pastor, Fr. Ronald P. May was one of the morning storytellers who told the children a story each day about Queen Esther, King Josiah and King David. I was at first somewhat non-plussed by the story I was to tell to kids aged 4 to 10: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. How could I, a person who is a lifetime senior to these young children, tell them this glorious story that is the crown jewel of our faith? It would have to be simple, clear and include sound, tone and word images that were at once beautiful and appealing to the young creative imagination. An Internet Search took me to Amazon's children stories of faith where I was able to order and instantly delivered to my Kindle a story of Easter for only $2.99. Pushing my creative instincts I managed to tell the story of the Resurrection, omitting the Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks; after all it's August not Easter. With a few exaggerated vocal sound effects representing the rain, wind and lightning after the crucifixion and the rolling back of the great stone of the tomb, I was able to avoid my concern of frightening the children who seemed, instead, to be attentively entranced. Whew!
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| Religious Ed Director Terry Kamradt welcomes Chadder and Iggy the Dragon. |
Kamradt said, “The kids had a great time but the junior helpers are the key to success.” The mostly teens youth are valued role models, forming relationships with campers, rising to the great responsibility they are given while developing leadership training. "It’s a total win adventure for all, including those who attended the Sunday 10:00 am liturgy when the Campers offered a musical presentation of what they had learned.
In writing the story of this spiritual junket I decided to do a bit of research about Vacation Bible Schools in America adding to what I have discovered about their being common in the northeast.
Turns out, the Barna Research Group, a noted private, non-partisan, for-profit research organization in Ventura, CA., indicates that two-thirds, (68%), of churches in America offered VBS last summer, a level that has been quite stable in recent decades with a notable high of 81% participation of churches in 1997. The Barna Group has been conducting and analyzing primary research for nearly 30 years to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors.
Not the least of many reasons for the popularity and parental interest in Vacation Bible Schools in America is the all-consuming, fun learning nature of the experience for children. Meanwhile, the trend in participation points, hopefully, to a conclusion that there is an enduring commitment in the United States to the faith and spiritual development of children that correlates to the aspired purpose of their becoming spiritually developed adults, ready to take a meaningful place in their parishes and congregations in service to God and one another.
With roots going back to the antebellum period of the 1870s, summer bible schools continue to do their part in sustaining a valued culture for Americans of diverse faith traditions.
Frankly, I feel privileged to have taken part, albeit a very small part, in this year's VBS at my church. Moreover, the research and writing of this story has been equally pleasurable.
More photos after the jump.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
STEPS Youth Dedicate 2nd Annual Tree to Southington Community
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| Trevor Rogers and STEPSYouth Group Dedicate Autumn Flowering Cherry Tree at Mary Our Queen Church, June 17, 2013 |
Stepping up to
community service once again was The STEPS Youth Committee as they dedicated a tree planted on the Mary Our Queen Church grounds on Monday, June 17, 2013.
The tree, an Autumn Flowering Cherry Tree, (Prunus Autumnalis), was donated by Winterberry Gardens of
Southington, thanks to the efforts of STEPS Parent Committee and Advisory Board member, Heather Bartley.
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| Attending dedication: State rEP David Zoni, Youth Prevention Coordinator, Kelly Leppard Trevor Rogers, Town Council Chair, John Dobbins, Austin Sullivan and Councl member Chris Palmieri |
Winterberry Gardens spokesperson, Ashley
Vescera said, “We are pleased to assist the STEPS Youth Committee with this
year’s tree. The gift is our way of saying thanks for their community service
and allows us to be a part of such a wonderful project.”
The tree planting idea has its roots in the first planting of a STEPS tree at Recreation Park in June 2012
by the STEPS Youth Committee. Their purpose to contribute something
lasting to the community from the STEPS Youth. It now appears to have become a tradition of planting a tree in the community annually.
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| STEPS Youth, Advisory Board Members and Dignitaries Celebrating the Tree Planting, |
Fr. A. Waine Kargul, pastor of MOQ, was impressed with the
symbolism of the tree to the mission of the STEPS movement: Growing Great
Kids. Kargul drew the connections between the youth and trees. Kargul said, "It's great to see young people who realize that,
like them, the tree has roots; the tree grows
and matures, getting stronger, spreading its branches and ultimately seeding
other trees.” Kargul also noted the symbolic affirmation of the STEPS mission as it
calls on the community to coalesce in nurturing our youth, teaching them to build
their future, build assets that promote their education, moral values, character
and good citizenship, while directing them away from the dangers of risky
behavior in a culture that presents many challenges.
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