Using Music and the Arts To Promote Human Understanding

Southington 16th Annual MLK Celebration: Message pairs music and using personal talents to promote understanding.

Originally published in the Southington Citzen January 20, 2012.

A frigid Sunday, January 15, 2012 didn’t deter a large and brave audience from attending the 16th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at First Baptist Church in Southington. Cheryl Hilton-Campbell, event M.C., gently led the program. “Living Martin King, Jr.’s Legacy in the 21st Century:. The event opened with a cordial welcome and invocation by Rev. Jerrie Shepard Matney, pastor of the hosting church, included musical selections of the youth choral group known as Spirit Joy which under the leadership of Sr. Marie Roccapiore, performed uplifting music of God, country and hope for humanity. Dr. Aaron A. Flagg, Dean of the Hartt School was guest speaker. In his remarks, he suggested that “we reflect on three qualities Dr. King lived which impacted his effectiveness in leading: A passion for people and their potential, courage and moral leadership and great knowledge and intellectual integrity.”

Combining his extensive background in music at the higher education level as well as his intertwined professional career as an accomplished trumpet player, Flagg offered some practical thoughts on “how the arts can encourage and assist us living them ourselves.” The speaker’s message was one for the present and the future based on the heritage of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work and lifetime commitment to all men living together in peace, harmony and love of one another, free of prejudice and hatred based on diversity of color, creed, race, ethnic origins and other differences.

United Way of Southington rises to the many challenges of our times

Cross-published in the Southington Citizen.

An inside view of United Way of Southington—just looking at how it functions as a network of social and community services—reveals some of the mystery and magic of the virtual web of social and community services that are brought together under aegis of UWS.

Defined by its name, United Way of Southington is a way that unites the people of the community in supporting the needs of so many today who are living below the barest norm of economic standards.

The goals of local non-profit, 501(c) charities are to identify and provide help to those who truly need help and to develop programs and efficient ways as well as the funding to handle the diverse kinds of help needed. They also refer certain cases to other local agencies, at times with government support. But more and more, the local charities of Southington are raising funds by appealing to the generosity and compassion of local people.

United Way of Southington plays a major role in enabling such agencies to provide their services. In fact, the mission of UWS is "to facilitate a community-wide collaboration so that funds can be raised and assistance provided to organizations involved in human service programs in Southington, Marion, Milldale and Plantsville."

UWS directs funds it raises to the most important programs of the most important charities where all the money is used for the needs of our community. The UWS vision statement is so true: "Southington People Helping Southington People." Moreover, each donation touches seventeen local charities, partner agencies of UWS; such a simple concept.

Two Southington Boys Spearhead Successful Toys for Tots Drive

Originally published in the Southington Citizen.

There’s no minimum age for compassion for the unseen have-nots in a community, certainly not in Southington, CT. Attesting to that is the generous work of the heart of two 6th grade, eleven-year-old boys. Jonathan Kryzanski and Jonathan Pierson have been friends since the age of six when they played soccer together. Since then, their friendship has grown, extending beyond sports to other mutual interests, such as joining STEPS, (Southington Town-wide Efforts to Promote Success), a movement that has itself grown very successfully in the three years since the program was established under a grant from a federal agency and a great deal of work and effort by a small legion of organized local volunteers from every sector of town.

As members of the STEPS COMETS, Jon K and Jon P had an idea to help kids who probably wouldn’t have much of a Christmas, let alone toys. They discussed and received approval of their idea with their parents and school authorities: Jon P attends JFK Middle School while John K goes to DePaolo Middle School. They would work together while each of them coordinated the efforts at their own school. They designed flyers to distribute to all classes, made daily announcements over the school-wide broadcast system promoting their ‘Toys for Tots’ Drive and decorated a large box for each school for the collection of toys donated by students.

With results successful beyond expectations, on Thursday, December 15th, Lester Pierson , the boys’ soccer coach and Jon P's dad, drove them down to Southington Community Services to deliver two large boxes of toys. Greeted by volunteer, Jeri Matyczyk, they told her their story very politely and respectfully. Matyczyk listened with delight, warmly thanking them for their hard work and generous spirit, "These fine young gentlemen presented themselves very courteously even shaking hands with me," Matyczyk said. Accepting her words of appreciation with a bit of embarrassment at the praise they pointed out that it had been their fellow students who came through. But Matyczyk saw how happy they were that the toys were welcome and that they would be a nice surprise to the kids receiving them.