October, 2015 - TurleyCT.com

Transcription

LIFE
west hartford
October 2015 • TurleyCT.com
A product of TurleyCT Community Publications
VOLUME 3, EDITION 1
A new
chapter
Martha Church has
always felt at home
in the library
See page 57
PRESIDENTS’ COLLEGE, 4 | TEACHER OF THE YEAR, 9 | LIVING SPACES, 43
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2 WEST HARTFORD LIFE | October 2015
3
LIFE
west hartford
October 2015
Read online: TurleyCT.com
QUOTE OF NOTE:
“I think I was a feminist from the time I
was a little girl. My brothers tried to take
over like boys do, I just didn’t see that.”
- Jetta Roth
See story page 26
9 Teacher of the Year
12 Alumni LIFE
16 LIFE in the kitchen
18 Gold Star Mother wins award
22 Effie’s: a neighborhood hub
ON THE COVER
Martha Church takes over as
the new library director.
540 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT 06070
t 860-651-4700
TurleyCT.com
4 Presidents’ College
Photo by Abigail Albair
See story page 57
25 Town’s first business
31 Wendy Martinson helps patients
33 Pirouttés and pliés
39 Hall’s Market marks 80th year
42 A new leash on LIFE
54 Banned Books Week
Corrections
The story we wrote last month about the transportation service
ITNCentralCT listed the wrong number. The correct number is
860-521-3600.
In the “Pleased to Tweet You” story in last month’s edition,
Dr. Jerri Lynn Hogg was referred to as he when it should have
read “… she’ll be attending.” LIFE regrets the error.
60 A day in the LIFE
62 Meet the deputy town clerk
64 Talking to kids about bad sports
68 Writer’s block: story sources
CLOSE TO YOU,
WHEREVER YOU ARE.
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uchc.edu
October 2015 | WEST HARTFORD LIFE 3
4
Meeting of the minds
Presidents’ College celebrates 25 years of intellectual pursuits
by Lynn Woike
Editor
While on a trip organized by the
Presidents’ College, Barbara Andrews
visits the site used by Thomas Hardy
in “Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure
Woman Faithfully Presented.”
Courtesy photos
W
hat began as a
series of lectures
on Shakespearian
plays attended by 200
people 25 years ago has turned into a
college for older adults within the
University of Hartford that draws more
than 5,000 participants annually.
“It actually began soon after
I arrived in Hartford as president.
I decided at a fairly early stage that
it would be a good idea to try to get
out to the community around the
university,” Humphrey Tonkin said.
“I began by giving a few public
lectures, at weekly intervals, on
individual plays of Shakespeare, and,
since the idea caught on, I simply kept
going – for four years.”
Then, he repeated the entire
series. Those who attended them
all received a certificate.
People began asking for other
programs on opera and classical
philosophy.
“Before we knew it, we had a
program, at [which] point we called it
the Presidents’ College,” he said. “As
soon as we came up with the overarching idea, we began to offer additional
[non-credit] courses [and activities].”
“The program grew from there,”
he said.
In the fall, there are about 20
courses between September and
December, another half a dozen in
January, 20 between January and
April, and about eight in May and
June. Each is normally three, four
or five 90-minute sessions, in which
the public is invited to enroll.
Early on, the Fellows program
was established, Tonkin said,
allowing members to participate
in numerous events on campus,
including lectures, performances
and art shows. Fellows get library and
sports club privileges, parking passes
and discounts, special invitations and
other advantages.
At the end of the 2014-15 academic year in June, Fellows numbered
300 for the first time. Annual enrollment is 2,000 and 3,000 for classes
with the same number also enrolling
in the lecture series each year. In all,
Tonkin estimated between 700 and
800 individuals take part.
If enough people suggest a
subject, the college will put together
a course.
“We try not to repeat courses,”
he said.
The Presidents’ College draws
heavily on the university’s faculty,
some of whom are regulars, Tonkin
said, noting, “Faculty tends to be very
enthusiastic about it. If [a professor] is
writing a book, we’ll offer a course on
the subject of that book.”
Professors, he said, have their
own following.
“If I teach a course … on
Shakespeare, I know who half the
class is going to consist of. We have
Patrick McCaughey [formerly] of the
Wadsworth Atheneum. … He is a
regular teacher of our courses, gener-
ally in the fall. He teaches art history
and he’ll bring in well over 100 people
for his courses. Michael Lankester,
formerly of Hartford Symphony, also
teaches for us generally every year;
he is also very popular.”
The college offers courses that tie
into stage performances or concerts
from the Hartt School, helping to
build an audience. Each spring there’s
a trip abroad. Last May it was to
Tuscany; next year it’s to Japan.
“The program itself that we offer
is different from any program I know
of,” Tonkin said.
From the beginning, all through
the 1990s, the number of participants
steadily increased.
“When I left as president of the
college, there was a period … when the
numbers were not so high,” he said.
“When our director left office in 2005,
I took over as director of the program
and proceeded to grow it again. …
Every year the numbers go up.”
The college’s annual one-day
5
symposium will be held October 4,
offering more than a dozen panels,
presentations and performances
showcaing the full spectrum of topics
and interests pursued by the program.
Among them will be a panel
discussion with Hartford Police Chief
James Rovella, West Hartford Police
Chief Tracy Grove, and Albert
DiChiara, director of the university’s
criminal justice program, on current
trends and community policing.
Astrophysicist James McDonald, and
chair of physics, mathematics, and
computer science in the College of
Arts and Sciences, will lecture on the
history of “dazzle” camouflage in
World War I and its subsequent adoption by art and fashion. Other topics
include the health effects of extreme
exercise and the history of astronomy.
Tonkin said that as much as he
loves his 20-year-old students, “working with older people has enormous
rewards because older people who
choose to take our courses are
really hungry for knowledge and
intellectual challenges. As the
instructors challenge them, so they
challenge the instructors to think
about their subjects in new ways and
to learn from the experience of an
older generation.”
One story he shared occurred
when he was teaching a course on
Shakespeare and referred to a
famous production of “Othello” in the
1940s with Paul Robeson, the son of
an ex-slave, cast in the lead role.
Only a few stills from the show
remain. After class, an elderly
woman came up to tell him she’d
seen the production on a school trip
from Hartford. The person behind
her had also seen the production on
a field trip from school.
“That’s so very frequent with
these people; [they can say] ‘I was
there.’ They’ve done things that faculty would have loved to experience.
Nancy Meyer, publisher of the Hartford
Courant and keynote speaker of the
Presidents’ College Symposium 2014,
chats with University of Hartford Provost
Sharon Vasquez and Presidents’ College
Director Humphrey Tonkin before the
first session.
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• Learn more about our student service areas
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6
for the Performing Arts. The event
will feature a panel discussion with
noted academics on why the humanities continue to matter, and where
humanities study is likely headed.
There will then be wine and hors
d’oeuvres, accompanied by remarks
from University President Walter
Harrison and Nancy Mather, director
of Presidents’ College volunteers.
Actors Joanna Morrison and Alan
Rust will perform as a tribute.
In addition to drawing on the
… At 70, they’ve done it all; they’ve
done all these amazing things.
That’s one of the huge rewards for me
from this program.”
Tonkin is retiring at the end of
December. Taking over January 1 will
be Joseph Voelker, the former dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences who
now teaches in the English department and has taught courses, mostly
on Irish literature, for the program.
“The Presidents’ College has been
Humphrey’s personal labor of love for
25 years. It has grown astonishingly
over that time, to become an important cultural resource in the West
Hartford region. Humphrey was a pioneer in realizing the powerful benefit
that colleges and universities can
bring to the community of empty-nesters and retirees,” Voelker said.
“From the modest beginnings of
a series of lectures on Shakespeare,
he has developed an outreach program that, in any given semester, will
have 800 people taking classes and
attending lectures. I am both excited
and a little overwhelmed to be filling
the shoes of someone with such scholarly and administrative abilities.”
He envisions no “swerves in
direction” and will keep the program
as “intellectually advanced as it is now.”
Voelker is coordinating the 25th
anniversary celebration – and Tokins’
retirement – scheduled for November
1 at the Mort and Irma Handel Center
“We did a cooperative course
[with the Noah Webster House and
West Hartford Historical Society] on
West Hartford history last year and
we’ll do another this year,” he said.
The second group of classes in
the West Hartford’s Hidden History
series will explore some of the major
farms that put it on the map, the
industry that helped West Hartford
become a town, the architecture that
followed the suburban expansion, and
the cemeteries where past residents
“Working with older people has enormous
rewards because older people who choose
to take our courses are really hungry for
knowledge and intellectual challenges.”
–Humphrey Tonkin
talents of the university’s faculty, the
Presidents’ College has many outreach programs. It cooperates with
several organizations, including the
Ancient Burying Ground Association
that looks after Hartford’s oldest historic landmark, a graveyard beside
the First Church of Christ in Hartford.
“We recently joined up with
them to do an annual lecture on
17th century American history. The
Thomas Hooker Lecture this spring
was first. There’s another in the fall,”
Tonkin said.
have been laid to rest.
“We also work with West
Hartford Community Television; we
have a monthly program,
‘Conversations with the Presidents’
College.’ We’re always looking for
partners,” Tonkin said. “If it’s mutually beneficial, then we’ll try to work
with them.
“We cooperate with several
retirement communities: Duncaster,
McAuley, also Summerwood. And
we’ve just started a cooperative program with the new Residence at
Collecting new or gently used
Brookside in Avon.”
As part of its monthly lectures at
Duncaster will be a course featuring
the six finalists for England’s Man
Booker Prize. Participants will discuss two novels per week. The final
meeting will take place at the retirement community, watching as the
winner is announced and seeing who
agrees with the judges’ decision.
Also contributing to the program
are a pool of 30-35 volunteers – often
Fellows – who help coordinate courses
and organize special events while keeping costs down, Tonkin said. A small
group of them form a steering committee that helps shape the program.
Catherine Banbury is one of those
volunteers. She began attending classes to continue her “education without
it breaking the bank” and was drawn
to become more involved.
Calling the program “a resource
of exceptional richness, offering a
wide range of intellectual pursuits
under the tutelage of a great group of
professors,” she said she looks forward
to each semester.
It was the international trip,
“Walking in the Footsteps of Thomas
Hardy” to Dorset, United Kingdom,
that “lured” Ray Andrews to the program 10 years ago.
“I was so impressed that I began
taking courses and signed up as a volunteer to support the program. My
volunteer work was so rewarding that
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Courtesy photo
I accepted an invitation to join the
steering committee – and took four
more of those great trips,” he said.
The opportunity to learn about
subjects of interest to her is what drew
Rose Mary O’Connell to the Presidents’
College.
“It is stimulating and the other
participants are great people,” she said.
The college falls under the
administrative umbrella of Randi
Ashton-Pritting, director of University
of Hartford Libraries.
“Over the past several years,
I have watched basically strangers come
together as a community of learners,
friends, companions. I have watched
them enjoy not only the Presidents’
College session but the entire university. They have become supporters of the
student musical events, attended the art
shows, enjoyed lectures sponsored by
other University departments and have
truly valued their experience on our
campus. I wouldn’t have traded a single
day of working with this group of people
for anything,” he said. WHL
Many of the more than
700 people who participate
in the Presidents’ College
attend more than one class.
For more information, visit
online at http://library.hartford.edu/presidentscollege/.
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A
life
in
literature
Teacher of the Year helps students learn
Jennifer Lanese leads a
freshman English class
at Hall High School. She
was named Teacher of
the Year for 2015-16 at
the conclusion of the
last school year.
and live through books
by Abigail Albair
Executive Editor
L
Photos by Abigail Albair
iterature can evoke
emotions and memories
for a reader. It can lead us
to draw personal connections
to our lives and experiences.
That is precisely what Jennifer
Lanese loves about books.
Every day, West Hartford’s 201516 Teacher of the Year imparts that
love to her students.
On a recent Thursday morning,
she sat at a student desk amid her
classroom full of freshman students
engaged in Sustained Silent Reading
as they each dove into a book of their
choice and, hopefully, got lost for a
few moments in the characters
and storylines.
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“’Of Mice and Men’ is probably my
favorite book to teach with freshman,”
Lanese said before the class period
began. “The language is really beautiful, the story is really powerful and
they get attached to the characters.
Even if some of them know the ending,
it doesn’t make it any less painful
when it does happen. I’ve taught that
every year of my career.”
Lanese was named one of three
finalists for the title of Teacher of the
Year last May. At the time, she spoke
of her deep love of both her students
and the literary worlds she opens to
them year after year.
During an interview at the
reception for finalists, Lanese, who has
taught in the Hall High School English
department for more than a decade,
said she was inspired by her eighth
grade English teacher, who read “The
Hobbit” aloud to her class from his
rocking chair.
She retained a passion for literature since, and said she loves sharing
that passion with her students –
young people she described as “really
funny, curious and dynamic” –
because, while the words remain the
same, each group of students has a
unique reaction and appreciation
to the works they read in her class.
“Romeo and Juliet still die at the
end, but it’s fresh for the people in
front of me,” she said.
Lanese was chosen Teacher of
“This is a great
high school and I’m
so pleased to be
working here. It
really reminds me
of a college campus
with the ideas and
ways it continues
to grow.”
–Jennifer Lanese
the Year later that month.
Superintendent Tom Moore
called her an “active member of the
staff,” and one who is “deeply committed to the culture and community at
Hall and making sure that each
student has a place.”
That commitment was evident
in her classroom in early September
as she endeavored to get to know her
new group of students.
A study of “Tuesdays with Morrie”
was how Lanese chose to begin the
school year. Although she usually ends
the year with the work as it is about
growth, relationships, the dynamic
nature of life and changes, the opportunity arose to take the students to
see a live performance of the work at
Playhouse on Park, so it’s location on
her syllabus was altered.
“I don’t know them super well
yet,” Lanese said of her students.
“This is a book that can be really
personal. It speaks to relationships
they have with members of their family or community, so we’ve been working on how to tap into that in a
non-threatening way.”
As a precursor to the book, the
students watched a YouTube video on
a 17-year-old boy’s last months of life.
The documentary, created by the
YouTube channel SoulPancake for its
reality series “My Last Days,” was both
heartbreaking and uplifting as the
viewer fell into the world of a beloved
young man, Zach Sobiech, who was
surrounded by friends, family and
music as he lived out his days.
An avid musician, he composed a
song titled “Clouds,” which was made
into a music video in tribute to Zach
by several celebrities during his battle
with cancer. Zach’s single of the song
chartered on the Billboard Hot 100.
After the video concluded, the
students were given a worksheet for
homework filled with questions to
help them better identify with the
storyline and the message as they
prepared to read a book on a
similar subject.
In the opening moments of the
video, Zach discusses the typical feeling a teenager has of being invincible.
Not invincible like Superman, he says,
but invincible like: “I’ll see you in five
months.” He was planning for college
when he learned his cancer was terminal, but he encourages the audience:
“You don’t have to find out you’re
dying to start living.”
The message of the video, Lanese
said, is one of dignity, courage and
resilience or grit.
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“The lesson of this video, the
lesson of that song and the lesson
of ‘Tuesday’s with Morrie’ is to try to
bring as much light into the world
while you’re in it for yourself and for
others,” she said.
Working with a student teacher
this year, Lanese said her educational
focus is on helping students learn
and grow both academically and
personally through literature.
It’s important to her, she said, to
practice sincerity with her students
while building a rapport based on
mutual respect.
“That way when you have to have
difficult conversations with them, they
hopefully know it comes from a place
of care,” she said.
Lanese often draws on one of her
own earliest school memories: one of
struggle. In an elementary school
classroom, she and her peers were
learning how to cut folded pink
construction paper with scissors to
make hearts.
“I just remember how tough it
was to master that motor skill and to
understand that the paper, when you
opened it, would be mirrored,” she
recalled. “It was that conceptual piece
that, when you’re really little, I don’t
think you really get.”
“I always try to think, if I were 14,
would I be able to do this assignment?
How would I do it? If I was struggling,
how would I try to problem solve?”
she explained. “Whether it’s a physical
task like making a presentation or a
poster board or doing something conceptual, I try to think of that, though I
don’t know if I’m always successful.”
Although fiction literature is a
love for Lanese, it isn’t all worlds of fiction in which the students live while in
her classroom – non-fiction Fridays
are a feature of her freshman classes.
During her Thursday class, the
students were given a nonfiction
article to read and annotate for the
following day.
This particular article was on the
topic of “antisocial networking” and
the drawbacks of social media. Friday
would feature a discussion of the article from which the students would
gain both relevance to their own lives
and also an understanding of how to
properly analyze a nonfiction work.
Students will choose their own
articles in the weeks and months
ahead, articles Lanese said must be at
least thematically related to whatever
book they are currently studying.
Her second period freshman honors class began with a timed writing
exercise based on a poem similar to
the “Odyssey,” with which they began
their year. The exercise, she said, was
aimed at helping them learn to
approach unfamiliar text, though she
encouraged them not to be stressed
WEST HARTFORD TRAVEL
BOYS BASKETBALL
about their grade on the exercise.
“Every assessment is an opportunity,” she said.
Outside the classroom, Lanese
serves as the faculty advisor to the
Action Club, which “meets to increase
awareness of social justice issues,
contribute to positive change in our
school and community and encourage
student leadership,” according to the
“I always try to think,
if I were 14, would
I be able to do this
assignment? How
would I do it? If
I was struggling,
how would I try to
problem solve?”
–Jennifer Lanese
school’s club information booklet.
She also recently took on the role
of one of the advisors to the school’s
new Drag Club.
This year the Action Club began a
new tradition of Friday Morning Sings
for which students gather to sing an
inspiring song together. The first was
to the song “We’re All in This
Together,” which matched the Hall
Link Crew theme for the start of the
year, “We’re Hall in This Together.”
“It’s really cool,” Lanese said of her
advisory roles. “I love being in the
classroom, but oftentimes I find when
I go home and my wife asks about my
day, I talk about the club stuff. It’s
amazing to me. This is a great high
school and I’m so pleased to be working here. It really reminds me of a
college campus with the ideas and
ways it continues to grow.”
Much has changed in education
for Lanese throughout her career,
specifically with the introduction of
technology.
“There is always something new
and that makes it kind of exciting,” she
said. “For me, when I started college I
used a typewriter, and when I sent my
first email from a computer lab, that
was huge.”
The journey of finding ways to
meaningfully integrate technological
advantages into the classroom continues, she said, and she is looking forward to what the future holds.
Perhaps, she said, that will mean
all students use e-readers rather than
traditional books, but her love of paperbacks and hardcovers will never fade.
Both her mother and grandmother were active readers and such a
passion is one Lanese will never shake.
“I’ve been a reader my whole life,”
she said. WHL
YOUR ROAD TO A BETTER HOME
5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Graders
First Tryout:
5th Grade - Saturday Sept. 26th 5:00–7:00 PM (KO-Highland St)
6th Grade - Friday Sept. 25th 6:00–8:00 PM (King Philip)
7th Grade - Saturday Sept. 26th 7:00–9:00 PM (KO-Highland St)
8th Grade - Thursday Sept. 24th 6:00–8:00 PM (King Philip)
Second Tryouts:
5th Grade - Wednesday Sept. 30th 6:00-8:00 PM (King Philip)
6th Grade - Thursday October 1st 6:00-8:00 PM (King Philip)
7th Grade - Friday October 2nd 6:00-8:00 PM (King Philip)
8th Grade - Tuesday Sept. 29th 6:00-8:00 PM (KO – Highland St)
Questions? Please call Mark Walker (860) 593-5232
or e-mail [email protected]
www.homedesigndistrict.com
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12
LIFE
Courtesy photos
alumni
Performers return for Gifts of Music fundraiser
G
regg Kallor, who
graduated Hall High
in 1996, and Tom
Zemon, who graduated
Conard High in 1982, will be two of
the featured performers October 24
at the fundraiser for Gifts of Music.
Both took the time to email answers
to a series of questions.
Presented by the Department
of Fine and Performing Arts of
the West Hartford Public Schools,
the event will be held in the
Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial
Auditorium at the Intensive
Education Academy at 840 North
Main Street. It benefits the
public-private initiative to
provide music instruction to
deserving students.
Seating is cabaret style.
Tickets begin at $25 per person.
The event typically sells out in
advance. For more information,
call 860-561-6638 or visit
giftsofmusic.us.
Gifts of Music helps those who cannot afford instruments or private lessons.
presents the 36th annual Fall
October
23rd - 25th
Admissions
Open
House
Sunday,
October 25th
Wayne Carini
from Velocity’s Chasing
Classic Cars
saturday, 1pm-4pm
Friday 5pm-9pm • Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 10am-5pm
Celebrity
Guest
Kevin O’CO
nn0r
from this ol
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sunday, 12pmHouse
-3pm
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over 300 exhIBIts In one ConvenIent loCatIon!
tICKets: adults $10, seniors $8, 12 & under $5
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1:00 – 3:00p.m.
Serving children 15 months through 15 years
Programming available 7:30a.m.–5:30p.m.
Presented by:
Celebrity Guest
Dock Diving
Competition!
tica cat show and akc meet the breeds
oCt 24th-25th • hall B
ConneCtICut ConventIon Center, hall B
100 Columbus boulevard • Hartford, Ct
SATURDAY 10AM-6PM • SUNDAY 10AM-4PM
141 North Main St., West Hartford, CT
860.236.4565| msgh.org | Est. 1964
MSGH does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment, or otherwise on the basis of race, color,
religious creed, gender or sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental
disability (unless such disability prevents performance of the work involved), or on any other basis prohibited by law.
over 100 exhibiTorS wiTh PeT SuPPlieS
ServiCeS PluS So muCh more!
Dog Agility • Rare Dog Breeds • Juried Cat Show • Pet Adoption • Pet Foods
Rescue Groups • Birds of Prey • Police Canine Demos • Dock Diving Contest
A Special Show for Pet Lovers of all Ages!
Jenksproductions.com • (860) 563-2111
tICKets: adults $10, seniors $8, 12 & under $5
Please no personal pets.
13
Courtesy photo
Gregg Kallor
G
regg Kallor is a composer
and pianist whose music
fuses the classical and
jazz traditions he loves
into a new, deeply personal language.
He began improvising on the piano
in his home as soon as he could walk
over to it, started classical piano lessons when he was 6, and added jazz
lessons a few years later. Since graduating from Hall High in 1996 and
Tufts University in 2000,
he has recorded three critically-acclaimed albums, received an Aaron
Copland Award for composition,
joined an all-star roster of musicians
for “An AIDS Quilt Songbook: Sing
for Hope,” and became the inaugural
composer-in-residence at SubCulture
in New York City. Among his music
videos is “Broken Sentences,” which
features the 88 artist-designed pianos that Sing For Hope placed in
public spaces all around New York
City in 2013, where anyone could
play them. Gregg did. A lot.
What were your favorite
classes in high school?
I kind of had a thing for the
concert jazz band. Spent a LOT of
time rehearsing, performing, and
touring with Haig Shahverdian,
the band director and founder of Gifts
of Music – it was an incredible growth
experience, and invaluable professional training that continues to serve me.
I loved my American Studies
teachers, Mrs. Pandolf and Mrs.
Ludlow – they brought a special
magic to the material. And my
senior year English teacher, Mrs.
Kennedy, was fantastic.
What are some of your earliest
memories of music?
Listening to “Free To Be, You and Me”
over and over – my mom had it on
vinyl, and I loved the ritual of listening to it almost as much as the
music: pulling the record out of its
sleeve, setting the platter in motion,
watching the needle descend into the
groove and the anticipation that the
music was about to begin.
14
My parents and grandparents
took me to hear the Hartford
Symphony Orchestra perform at the
Bushnell, and to Hall High School for
the Pops ‘n Jazz shows. I got to know
some of the musical theater classics
through West Hartford’s Summer
Arts Festival: “West Side Story,”
“Guys and Dolls,” “Singing in the
Rain” (they made it rain onstage!).
What was your first
performing experience?
Probably playing at a family event.
Who was your biggest
influence?
Brad Mehldau has been an enormous influence since the first time
I heard him play at Pops ‘n Jazz, and
he continues to inspire me. Even better, we’ve become good friends.
What are some highlights from
your career?
My first solo concert at Carnegie Hall’s
Weill Recital Hall in 2007 was incredibly special. Conducting Fred Hersch’s
project, “My Coma Dreams,” and having him co-produce my solo album
What show could you binge watch?
I just watched all three seasons of
“Elementary” while getting over a
nasty cold. Loved it.
were thrilling. Winning an Aaron
Copland Award was amazing – I got
to spend nearly a month at his house
composing a piano concerto.
One of the most special highlights: I’m the composer-in-residence
at SubCulture in New York City, a
gorgeous and intimate performing
arts venue that was founded by my
life-long friends – and fellow West
Hartfordites – Marc Kaplan and
Steven Kaplan.
What’s the strangest thing that’s
ever happened to you on stage?
A quirky presenter once introduced
me to the audience this way: “This
guy’s supposed to be some kind of
talented composer from New York
City. But what I want to know is: can
he play?!” Then he walked offstage.
Have you achieved any of
your dreams?
Absolutely! I get to write music and
share it with people. I get to help students explore their musical voices.
I’m off to a good start!
What never fails to make
you laugh?
The Pavarotti/Goat Edition
of “Nessun Dorma.” Gets me
every time.
What are people surprised
to learn about you?
I make a fantastic risotto. Creamy
and delicious, but light enough that
it doesn’t make you feel disgusting.
How much time do you spend
practicing your craft?
A lot – but less than I might prefer,
given the amount of time I spend
running a freelance business. When
I’m composing, I live and breathe the
music – I’m hearing it in my head
constantly. My piano practicing
amps up as performances approach.
Do you have any superstitions
as a performer?
Nah. I just try not to suck when
I play for people.
Who is on your Mount Rushmore
of musical greats?
Brad Mehldau, Fred Hersch, Martha
Argerich, Gil Shaham, Mark Padmore,
James Levine … and many others.
What were some of your favorite
things to do in West Hartford?
I love hiking up Talcott Mountain,
especially as the leaves change color.
J. René Coffee serves up very tasty
caffeinated beverages; I go there
when I’m in town.
Do you miss anything here? How
often do you get back to town?
I get back fairly regularly to visit
my family. And thanks to Haig
Shahverdian’s gracious invitations,
I come back for the Gifts of Music
Benefit Concerts. I’ve also been the
composer-in-residence at the BRVS
Summer Vocal Intensive Program for
the past five years.
Do you have advice for someone
wishing to enter your profession?
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LIFE Quotes
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere
with what you can do.”
– John Wooden
Courtesy photo
Light up the Night
Tom
Zemon
T
om Zemon, who has
gone from being a shy
child on local stages
to Broadway, attended Webster School and King
Philip Middle School; he graduated Hall High School in 1982
and attended the Hartt School
where he got a degree in music.
After traveling around the
country, working at regional
theaters, he earned his equity
card. Returning to New York
City, he was cast in the
Broadway production of “Les
Misérables” at an open call.
Then came more travel, doing
theater, films, commercials
and television shows. (He’s
been a rapist, a killer and an
adulterer on “Law and Order,”
a carpenter on “Splurge and
Save” and a sea captain in an
Old Spice commercial that
went viral.)
Now living in Saugatuck,
Michigan, Zemon spends most
of his time directing, saying,
“I’m enjoying this new phase –
working on a given piece as a
whole rather than experiencing
it from one individual character’s perspective.”
What were your favorite classes
in high school?
Music of course!
What are some of your earliest
memories of theater?
I remember doing a dozen
musicals with Haig Shaverdian.
What was your first performing
experience?
Playing Cornelius Hackle in
Haig Shaverdian’s production of
“Hello Dolly.”
What are some highlights from
your career?
Broadway: “Les Miserables”
(Javert), “Scarlet Pimpernel”
(Chauvelin).
Regional: “Sweeney Todd”
(Sweeney Todd); “The Light in
the Piazza” (Guiseppe) at the
Sundance Theatre Lab; “Men”
(Sebastian); “A Tale of Two
Cities” (Sydney Carton); “Elmer
Gantry” (Gantry), for which he
was nominated for a 1998
Joseph Jefferson Award for
Actor in a Principal Role in a
Play; the L.A. premier of
“Assassins” (Booth);
“Brigadoon” (Tommy), Robbie
Award, Best Actor, Musical;
“Children,” “Pericles” and
“Androcles and the Lion” (The
Lion) at Hartford Stage
Company
Television: “Gossip Girl,”
“Law and Order,” “All My
Children,” and recurring roles
on “Guiding Light” and “One
Life To Live” (Morgan Guthrie).
Home show credits include
TLC’s “Broken Homes,” HGTV’s
“My First Place” and “Splurge
and Save.”
as a performer?
Only if I haven’t put in
the work.
Have you achieved any of
your dreams?
Yes, all of them! I’m the luckiest
man in the world.
Who is on your Mount Rushmore of musical greats? Bublé, Sinatra, Streisand,
Torme, Mraz
What are people surprised to
learn about you?
That I’m shy and suffer from
pretty acute stage fright.
Do you have advice for
someone wishing to enter your profession? Don’t do it unless you
can’t imagine doing anything
else. WHL
Do you have any superstitions
What show could you binge
watch?
“Mad Men”
What’s the strangest thing
that’s ever happened to you
on stage?
I once jumped a cue and cut
about 10 pages from the script.
What never fails to make
you laugh?
My 7-year-old, Devin.
How much time to you spend
practicing your craft? I’m directing these days and
nearly all my free time is spent
on that in one way or another.
16
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LIFE
in the kitchen
with chef Emiliano Brites
by Alison Jalbert
Assistant Editor
www.ehrlichdecorating.com
Not Affiliated With Ehrlich Interiors in Farmington
67th
Annual
2015
Appearing on the concert stage:
Friday
AVENUE GROOVE - 6:30pm, Blacktop Stage
1974 - 6:30pm, Concert Stage
Saturday
NASHVILLE DRIVE 3:00pm opening for Casey James
AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST/COUNTRY RECORDING
ARTIST CASEY JAMES - 4:00pm, Concert Stage
POCKET FULL OF SOUL - 6:30pm, Concert Stage
NASHVILLE DRIVE - 6:30pm, Blacktop Stage
Sunday
PHYSICAL GRAFFITI/THE LED ZEPPELIN SHOW WITH
LAST LICKS BAND - 2:30pm, Concert Stage
Racing Pigs • Arts & Crafts
WKA Kart Racing • Food
Sheep, Swine, Cattle, Rabbits
& Poultry • Exhibits
Truck, Tractor, Oxen, Horse Pulls
Emiliano Brites, chef at The
Corner Pug, has worked in the
kitchen of many restaurants
in Greater Hartford.
Painted Pony
RODEO
Bullriding, Barrel
Racing and Much,
Much More!
First Time in CT!
Stephen Siller
Tunnel to Towers
“Never Forget
911 Mobile
Exhibit”
Daily Shuttle Service Fri., Sat., Sun., • 12 pm-10pm only
Friday, Oct. 3rd - Park @ BHS & Shuttle to the Fair!
FAIR HOURS: FRI. 11 A.M.-10 P.M.
SAT. 9 A.M.-10 P.M.; SUN. 9 A.M.-7 P.M.
October 2, 3 & 4, 2015
the now-closed Whitman House in
Farmington, Avon Old Farms Inn, Max a
Mia, the Elbow Room, what was then the
Civic Café in Hartford, the now-closed
Pastis in Hartford, the Hartford Club and
then, in 2001, at The Corner Pug as a line
cook. After a year, he was promoted to chef.
After two years, Brites left The Corner
Pug to work at Peppercorn’s Grill in
Hartford and then served as chef at Piccolo
Arancio in Farmington, the former
Grist Mill in Avon and Trumbull Kitchen
in Hartford.
Photo by Alison Jalbert
ALL BAGS SUBJECT TO SEARCH
E
miliano Brites, chef at Elmwood’s
The Corner Pug, got his start in
the restaurant industry out of
necessity.
He started as a dishwasher 20 years
ago in Colorado. He had dropped out of
college and needed a job. After a few years
of washing dishes, he began rising through
the ranks. Brites worked in restaurants in
Colorado and Las Vegas before returning
to this state in 1995.
His first job back in Connecticut
was at a Chili’s. He went on to work at
17
He returned to The Corner Pug in
2011, wanting to be closer to home and
his four children.
“I live within walking distance;
I’m seven minutes away from here,”
he said. “I wanted to move to try to
be more available to the kids. I’m close
enough where I can break away to
see their school functions and come
back here.”
What kept Brites in the restaurant
industry, moving from restaurant to
restaurant, is the challenge.
“I wanted to outdo the next guy
that was above me. It’s almost like a
game. I pushed, pushed hard. I became a
very reliable worker and am fast learning.
I could work at any station and learn any
recipe. If you ask me to make my own
stuff, I could do it. I accelerated without
to move that’s not moving [in the kitchen]
and, do I see something that catches my
eye at the market?” he explained. “If I see
broccoli rabe, [I know] I can make a pasta
with that. I see what fish is on sale –
what’s good, what’s fresh.”
If specials are popular enough,
they can make it onto the menu, which
is how bangers and mash made its way
onto the recently updated lunch menu.
Two grilled, Guinness-infused pork
sausages are served atop garlic-mashed
potatoes and finished with pan gravy
and onion straws.
The top four items at The Corner
Pug are the macaroni and cheese, chicken
potpie, shepherd’s pie, and fish and chips.
Brites said those four dishes make up
almost 50 percent of all the food sales.
Having worked in a variety of
“This job is great – if you
can make the food as fast as
it needs to be at the quality
it needs to be, you’ve got
the job. You either take
the heat or you can’t.”
– Emiliano Brites
culinary school; I moved up pretty
quickly.”
To fill in any gaps in his culinary
knowledge, he turned to books. At the
beginning of his career, the Internet was
in its early stages, so he did a lot of book
reading. If he worked in an Italian restaurant, he read up on Italian recipes. If he
worked in a French restaurant, he
sought information on French dishes.
“I filled myself with ideas,”
Brites said.
Before he became a chef himself,
the chefs he worked under allowed him
to be creative with his cuisine. He understood that not every dish he created would
be a success – some things work, while
some things don’t.
The Corner Pug’s menu – offering
traditional American pub fare and comfort
food – has not varied much since its inception in 2001, but Brites said he has “free
reign” on the daily specials. There are a
number of factors he takes into consideration when creating the specials.
“It’s a mixture of what do I need
kitchens, he said having good
workers is the key to success.
“Having a solid team makes it
successful,” he said. “I can’t do it by
myself. From the dishwashers to the
pantry line to the sauté cooks, these
guys have to have a good line of
communication. They have to have
talent as well; if there’s no talent, they
get pushed out or they quit.”
There’s a simple barometer for
success working in a kitchen, Brites said.
“This job is great – if you can make
the food as fast as it needs to be at the
quality it needs to be, you’ve got the job.
You either take the heat or you can’t.”
He has been teaching his children
the basics of cooking, but isn’t encouraging them to follow his career choice.
“It’s like that song ‘Mammas Don’t
Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ –
don’t let your babies grow up to be line
cooks,” he said with a laugh. “I’m teaching
them how to be a good cook at home
and explaining their partner will love
them for it.” WHL
We asked Chef Brites
some questions for more
insight on his personality
and know-how.
Q: What’s your least favorite food?
A: I pretty much eat everything down the
board. I’m not a huge fan of seafood, but I
eat it. I like just about every single vegetable out there. I eat vegan food and tofu.
Q: If you could take any celebrity chef
out to dinner, who would it be and where
would you take them?
A: Anthony Bourdain. I wouldn’t take him
anywhere; if I could hang out with him, I’d
probably make some food at the house,
show him some skills.
Q: What is your favorite cookbook
of all time?
A: Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen
Confidential.” It’s a great read. Anyone
who’s been in the business will understand
it and fall in love with it.
Q: If you weren’t a chef, what profession
would you be?
A: A social worker; I went to college for
sociology.
Q: What spice or herb best describes
your personality?
A: Sriracha – it’s spicy but not too spicy.
Q: What’s your “go to” staple recipe/dish?
A: Any pasta dish, any variation: fresh
made raviolis, gnocchi, lasagna or ziti.
Pasta is definitely my favorite.
Q: What do you like to cook when having
guests to your home?
A: A good cookout is always great: steaks,
corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.
I’m Argentinian, so I’d make chimichurri.
Q: It’s your last meal on earth.
What’s on your plate?
A: Pasta with Parmesan cheese and
a little white truffle shaved over it
18
Gold Star work
Leesa Philippon honored with Americanism Award
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
L
eesa Philippon knows
about military life.
“My father retired from
the Army, my oldest brother was in the Marines, my next
brother was in the Air Force, a sister
served in the Air Force, I was in the
Army and my youngest brother was
in the Army,” she said. The family
tradition of military service extends
to uncles and great uncles who also
served in the armed services.
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Leesa Philippon is the
recipient of the 2015
Americanism Award
from the Connecticut
Department of the
American Legion.
LIFE
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19
She married Ray Philippon
– he was in the Army, too – and
in fact that is where they met.
Ray has siblings who were in
the Air Force.
Leesa Philippon also
knows about being the mother
of a soldier.
Her oldest son, Lawrence,
joined the Marines and her
youngest son, Bryan, is a also
Marine, currently in the
reserves.
The Philippon family is also
a part of a special group; they
are a gold star family. LCPL
Lawrence Philippon was killed
in action on May 8, 2005 in
Ubaydi, Al Anbar Province in
Iraq. It was Mother’s Day and
the Philippons’ 24th wedding
anniversary.
“It was a Sunday night
and we got a knock on the
door,” she said.
Following such a devastating loss, Leesa Philippon was
determined to do what she
could to assist other families. In
2005 she joined the American
Gold Star Mothers Inc. and has
worked as a counselor for others who have experienced such
a loss, as well as serving as
chaplain in the organization
and overseeing the
Americanism program.
“We would have meetings,
share with other mothers, to be
able to support them and help
them know you do live through
this, you survive,” she said.
Her work recently earned
her the 2015 Americanism
Award from the Connecticut
Department of the American
Legion, having been nominated
by the American Legion HayesVelhage Post 96 in West
Hartford. At the time she
received this honor, Philippon
was also presented with a special recognition for the
Americanism Award from
Senator Richard Blumenthal.
American Legion Post
Commander Moe Fradette
reached out to Philippon asking
if he could nominate her. After
some consideration, Philippon
agreed.
She received the award
in July.
“Leesa Philippon, a Gold
Star Mother, represents every
definition of Americanism associated with the Connecticut
Department of Americanism
Award,” Dana Murphy, department chairman for the
Americanism Award, said in a
statement.
“When you meet Leesa, and
her entire family, you immediately understand why she loves
our country and continues to
demonstrate that love through
her actions. She is a true
American,” Fradette wrote in
an email.
He said he first met
Philippon and her family when
the American Legion presented
a new flag to the West Hartford
Memorial Skating Rink, which
has a memorial garden in honor
of her son.
“When you first meet her,
and her family, you understand
why see loves our country. Her
patriotism and dedication to
support our servicemen and
women and her commitment to
making our nation better and
stronger is a true representation
of what Americanism is all
about,” Fradette said. “There
were other people given consideration when we tried to identify the best person who symbolized what the Americanism
award represents. Her work as a
Gold Star Mother, a speaker to
high school students, and her
continual demonstration of her
dedication to our country
made her our choice for the
Americanism award.”
The tradition of recognizing gold star families dates
back to World War I. Families
with a loved one serving in the
military were known as blue
star families, those whose loved
ones lost their lives became
gold star families.
Philippon was unaware
that such an organization as
the Gold Star Mothers existed
until her son died.
When she first began
attending meetings, she said
she was surprised to meet so
many mothers like herself.
“Most Gold Star Mothers in
the organization at the time
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– Larry Winget
20
had lost a son in Vietnam; their
sons have been gone 40-plus years.
It’s devastating to say one day,
“My son has been gone 40 years,’”
she said.
The family suffered a private
death, however, due to circumstance of how their son died; they
also experienced a public death.
“You can’t just shut the door
and go into hiding,” Philippon said.
“There are so many who weep with
you: other veterans, other families.”
After her stint in the Army,
Philippon kept her association with
the armed services by working eight
years at the Connecticut State
Veterans Home in Rocky Hill. She
currently works in the reports and
records department with the state
police.
Philippon has also served as
chaplain with Gold Star Mothers.
“When we had meetings I
would conduct the prayers,” she
said. “I have a very strong faith. The
day I received the award I remembered my great uncle was a chaplain; he obtained the rank of rear
admiral. I guess it’s in the blood.”
Her compassion extends to
those outside the military, too.
Philippon said she and her husband
regularly speak at engagements,
rarely turning down the
opportunity to share their story.
“Ray always said Larry did not
say no,” Philippon said. “It’s one of
our things, to promote veterans and
their needs, our fallen and their
families.”
Philippon said she and her
husband were surprised when their
oldest son announced his intention
from Conard High School in 2001
where he played hockey and
lacrosse.
“He loved being a Marine,”
Philippon said. “I can’t take that
away from him.”
He served in the color guard,
first stationed in Washington, D.C.,
and always asked to be sent to Iraq.
“When you first meet her, and her family,
you understand why see loves our country.
Her patriotism and dedication to support
our service men and women and her
commitment to making our nation better
and stronger is a true representation
of what Americanism is all about.”
–American Legion Post Commander, Moe Fradetter
of joining the Marines, but after
9/11, his mother said, he just could
not sit idly by.
“He was very troubled our
country had taken a hit,” she said.
“So many said their sons and
daughters said the same thing; it
was a huge turning point in their
lives.”
Larry Philippon graduated
Philippon and her family,
including her daughter Emily,
have been embraced by not only
other Gold Star families, but by
the local hockey and lacrosse
communities, too.
Each year the family hosts a
fundraising dance at the VFW
hall in town. The event is held in
February on the night of the
Conard-Hall hockey game and benefits a scholarship in Larry’s name
for both Conard and Hall students
as well as Operation Smile, a children’s charity that helps those with
cleft palates.
The Philippon family is also in
attendance each July at a lacrosse
tournament held in Glastonbury,
rooting for Team Lawrence
Corporal Philippon.
Philippon serves in the auxiliary of the VFW. She and her husband
are members of the American
Legion and often stop in on Friday
nights for dinner.
“It’s like ‘Cheers’ in there,” she
said of the camaraderie of the
members.
This past Memorial Day,
Philippon was invited to participate
in the Rolling Thunder Inc. Ride in
the nations capital, an event that
initially began as a peaceful protest
against the Vietnam War, where
thousands of motorcycles descend
on the city. As many as 500,000 bikers participate.
“They had one goal – to honor
America and those who had given
their lives,” she said, adding that she
was impressed with their efforts.
“We will always be there to
support our fallen, their families
and veterans,” Philippon said. WHL
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A neighborhood hub
Effie’s Place celebrates 25 years on Park Road
Courtesy photos
22-effies
by Abigail Albair
Executive Editor
Effie and Charlie Paindiris (above)
opened their restaurant on Park
Road 25 years ago October 16. The
following day they celebrated their
25th wedding anniversary.
O
ctober is a month of
milestones for the Paindiris
family as Effie’s Place
marks 25 years in business
and Effie marks 50 years of marriage
to her husband, Charles.
For more than 40 years the pair
have been in business in West
Hartford, initially as the owners of a
lunch counter inside the now gone
Concord Pharmacy, a place later
replaced by Walgreens in a building
that was just recently demolished to
make way for a new structure.
Their son, Johnny Paindiris, who
now runs the successful Park Road
restaurant that is Effie’s Place, remembers childhood days at the Concord
lunch counter followed by teen years
spent doing anything he could to gain
knowledge of the business.
“I remember going to work at the
Concord. If you were on the grill,
which I had to do a lot of times, the
servers would shout the orders out to
you and you had to remember them
and do them and send them back out.
I couldn’t even imagine that in this
day and age. People barely remember
their own phone number,” he recalled.
“The staff there was so great to me. I
used to beg my parents to take me to
work with them when I didn’t have
school. They would wake me up at
5 a.m. and I’d go with them. I would
clean tables, wash the glasses. That’s
how it started. They weren’t any easier
on me than anyone else.”
At one time the family also owned
a restaurant in Manchester and
Paindiris worked both there and
involved, they just asked us what we
wanted to do and provided that for
us,” he said. “It’s really amazing to
think how through it all they raised
three kids, put us through college. It’s
a different climate now and it’s a lot
harder to do all that, but it’s just a
testament to how hard they worked.”
Effie and Charlie sold the lunch
“We know a lot of customers
personally. We don’t have a
large turnover of staff, so it’s
not always a different face. We
offer good, home cooked food.”
–Johnny Paindiris
at the Concord.
His two older brothers didn’t see
the restaurant business as a lifelong
calling, though Paindiris recalled it
was one of his brothers who taught
him how to flip an egg and cook a
burger. The two became an electrical
engineer and an attorney while
Paindiris said he was always the
one who knew he’d follow his
parents footsteps.
“They never forced us to get
counter with a desire to open a larger
restaurant in West Hartford that
served three meals a day. On October
16, 1990 they opened Effie’s Place
and the following day they celebrated
25 years of marriage.
Paindiris was a senior in
high school.
It was a logical fit, Paindiris said,
to be on Park Road. It was close
enough to the Concord so as not to
loose the business of customers who
regularly walked to the spot. Breakfast
has always been a popular meal for
the business, and the expansion to
Effie’s offered a quiet place for patrons
to enjoy breakfast while having a
meeting without sitting nearly on top
of each other as they would at the
lunch counter, Paindiris said.
Over the years he has seen
everyone from families to judges to
politicians enjoy their morning meal
at Effie’s.
Sitting at a table in his family
restaurant on an early September
morning, Johnny talked about all that
has happened in the 25 years since
the place first opened. Though he has
taken on full responsibility for running the restaurant, one thing that
hasn’t changed is his parents’ desire to
serve the public. His father still often
works the floor and his mother can
frequently be found cooking in the
kitchen, as she was that day.
Paindiris has worked at Effie’s his
entire adult life, holding only one other
job for a brief time at a restaurant on
the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield,
where he grew up.
He went to culinary school at
Johnson and Wales and took business
courses at the University of
Connecticut, all while honing his
love for being in a kitchen.
“I started washing dishes as a
young teen and then I did a little waiting on tables. I did a lot of cooking, I
bused tables. I’ve done it all,” he said.
“I do like to revisit all the aspects.
Cooking, I enjoy dishwashing once
in a while, I enjoy every part of it.
The hard part is that I’m always
getting pulled in a million different
directions.”
The cooks often give Paindiris a
good-natured hard time, knowing
whatever dish he starts work on,
they’ll have to finish because it won’t
be long before he’s called away.
Although the menu has been
tweaked to stay current with the
times, many items available in 1990
are still staples today.
“We didn’t offer egg whites or egg
beaters back in the beginning, however the oatmeal is still made the same
way,” Paindiris said. “We didn’t have
eggs benedict or veggies burgers but
we do now, but the chicken marsala,
chicken piccata and meatloaf have
been on the menu from the beginning.
The rice pudding we’ve made from
scratch as long as I can remember.”
The layout of the restaurant is
exactly the same today as it was 25
years ago, though Paindiris added
a patio four years ago as a way to
combat the economic recession by
investing money into a new element
that would attract more patrons. The
patio has been popular since, and
Effie’s now offers live music there on a
weekly basis from April to October.
Another thing that has remained
unchanged is his commitment to the
community. Paindiris was involved in
the first Park Road Parade in 1998 –
an event founded to celebrate the end
of a two-year construction project and
to bring people back to the neighborhood – and he is still involved in the
annual event today, while now serving
as the co-president of the Park Road
Association along with Tracy Flater of
Playhouse on Park.
Because he grew up in the business and, as a result, in the association, there were times he said he
would be the youngest person in the
room but the one with the most
experience in the neighborhood.
“Now I’m slowly starting to
become one of the older ones in the
room,” he said with a laugh.
He and many customers see
Effie’s as a main hub of Park Road, a
distinction of which he is very proud.
“It’s a great feeling to know that
certain things work and stand the test
of time,” he said. “It’s a great feeling to
be a part of that and to know that I
never thought of it as an anchor or a
staple, but at this point I kind of do.
A.C. Petersen has been here for over
Photo by Abigail Albair
23effies
Effie’s Place owner,
Johnny Paindiris,
has made few changes
to the restaurant his
parents opened.
100 years and Quaker Diner, those in
my mind were only the landmarks,
but I feel like I’m inching in on that
now. You think back on 25 years and
it’s both surprising and overwhelming.”
Looking to the future, Paindiris is
excited for the new apartment building slated for the Sisters of Saint
Joseph property at the corner of Park
Road and Prospect Street that will put
hundreds of new residents within
walking distance of the neighborhood.
The Park Road Association recently
signed up for the iBeacon iPhone
platform to help attract customers
and is always looking for new ways
to promote the area.
Beyond that, Paindiris plans to
stay the course for the business that
has seen success for the last quarter
century. He and his 16 employees
enjoy coming to work every day, which
he said is of utmost importance.
His twin 5-year-old sons visit
Effie’s every Thursday, and though
they already seem to feel as if they
own the place, he noted with a smile,
there is a while to go before they could
take dad’s place.
“The good news is I’m young.
My plans are to keep going the way
we’re going,” he said. “I have no plans
to do anything different. I love being
here. At 42 years old I’ve spent more
than half my life here. It’s like home.
We know a lot of customers personally. We invited customers to my wedding. We don’t have a large turnover of
staff, so it’s not always a different face.
We offer good, home-cooked food.
People ask me, ‘Why don’t you open
another place?’ but I don’t want to
change the dynamic of what we
have here.” WHL
Anniversary Specials
DINNER PRIX FIX FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER $25
Appetizer:
Spanakopita or stuffed mushroom caps
Salad:
Greek Salad
Entreé
(choice of one of the following):
Lamb Chops
Roast Pork Loin
1/2 Roasted Chicken w/lemon and Oegono
Spinach and feta stuffed flounder
Oregano
Above served w/roasted oven potatoes and vegetables
Dessert:
Greek Sample Plate
Kindly no substitutions
WWW.EFFIESPLACE.NET
91 Park Road, West Hartford, CT 06119
860.233.9653
24
A Liberal Education.Practically Applied.
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WEST HARTFORD
LIFE | October 2015
3
9/10/2015 11:43:17 AM
25
Photos courtesy of the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society
This is the site of
the first mill in town,
constructed in 1679
and operated by
Stephen Hosmer.
Way back when
First settler left behind old mill site
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
T
he history of West
Hartford starts about four
miles to the east in
Hartford. Thomas Hooker,
in 1635, left Massachusetts with
about 100 others and settled along
the shore of the tidal river there, just
north of earlier Dutch settlers.
Among those in Hooker’s group
was Thomas Hosmer, who gave his
son Stephen Hosmer a tract of land,
amounting to about 300 acres, in
what was known at the time as the
West Division – a section of land
stretching out towards what is now
Farmington.
It was here that Stephen Hosmer
began the first business in what
would become West Hartford.
According to “History of West
Hartford” by William Hall (1930),
“The first settlement in the West
Division was made in 1679 by
Stephen Hosmer. His father, Thomas
Hosmer, purchased land about half a
mile north of what is now West
Hartford Center, and built for his son
a house and a saw-mill on the west
side of the road and the north bank
of the stream which in recent years
has been called Trout Brook.”
In their book “The West
Hartford Story” (1954), Richard N.
Boulton and Bice Clemow, noted,
“Thomas Hosmer built a crude dam
and a grist mill for his son, Stephen,”
and said this was the first business
in West Hartford.
According to Boulton and
Clemow’s book, Hosmer eventually
sold the land his father had purchased for him.
Nelson Burr refers to it as a
“saw mill” in his book, “From Colonial
Parish to Modern Suburb: A Brief
Appreciation of West Hartford” (1982).
Burr went on to say, “The mill
pond still exists, and a grinding
stone from a later gristmill is the
front doorstep of a house at 175
North Main Street. Thomas Morgan
built a gristmill on the north bank of
the brook. After his death in 1725, it
was operated by his son-in law, Isaac
Goodwin, then by Uriah Goodwin.
It was called a corn mill, and apparently was the first gristmill in town.”
Thomas Hosmer died in 1687,
having returned to Massachusetts.
Stephen Hosmer would return to live
in Hartford after his father’s death,
and died in 1693 at age 49.
Although Stephen Hosmer’s time
in town was short, he continues to
be remembered today. The blue West
Hartford sign in the center refers to
Stephen Hosmer and his mill declaring him to be “our first settler.”
The Noah Webster House and
West Hartford Historical Society
website makes a note of this
forefather as well. WHL
26
Celebrating a centennial
Jetta Roth reached her 100th birthday
this past summer
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
“I think I was a
feminist from
the time I was a
little girl. My
brothers tried
to take over like
boys do, I just
didn’t see that.”
–Jetta Roth
Jetta Roth reached a
milestone birthday in
July – on the 25th she
turned 100 years old.
T
urning on the lights is as easy
as, well, a flip of a switch.
For a 5-year old Jetta Roth,
flipping the light switch was a fascinating phenomenon. Up until that time
she and her family had to contend with gas
lamps and when her home was outfitted
with electricity, it was quite a thrill to turn
the lights on and off.
“It was like a new world, the electricity,”
she said.
Roth has witnessed a number of inventions that changed life as she knew it.
“I can’t get over myself,” the Canterbury
Retirement Community resident said of
turning 100 years old on July 25.
She attributes her longevity to always
thinking positively.
“You have to be able to deal with the
present-day life. You can’t look in the past. You
don’t know what the future will bring, so you
have to be strong in the present,” she said.
Roth was born in the Bronx, the youngest of five children born to a carpenter
father and homemaker mother.
When Roth was about 17, just finishing
up her last year in high school, a friend
invited her to spend a weekend in the country. Roth’s mother agreed she could go. The
two friends ended up at a nudist camp.
Roth admitted that she partook of the
camp’s theme, after all, she said, when you
are the only person there fully attired you
stand out. It turned out to be a fateful
adventure – she met her future husband
at the camp.
In 1936, Jetta Schauer married Milton
Roth. The couple was married 72 years
when Milton passed away.
They lived in a trailer in the Bronx
when they first married. Milton enlisted in
the Army at the start of World War II and
he and his bride moved around the country
during his time in the service. For a short
time Roth lived with her in-laws in
Brooklyn. The couple then continued to
move–to Florida, Brooklyn again and
Queens– before Milton Roth got a job
in Danbury. The family had grown to
include three daughters: Emily, Jane
and Elizabeth.
“I just loved the family life,” Roth said.
She had worked at Macy’s Department
Store prior to her marriage, leaving the job
when she became pregnant with her first
child. She worked for many years in the
Danbury Public School district as a school
secretary. After she retired from that job,
she worked for the City of Danbury part
time, retiring for good at the age of 75.
When she was 72, Roth earned a
bachelor of arts in English from Western
Connecticut State University.
“We considered it a really amazing
accomplishment,” Roth’s daughter, Jane
Roth, said.
Her parents retired to Boca Raton,
Florida where her mother was very active in
book clubs and other social activities. After
her father died at the age of 93, her mother
returned to Connecticut.
“She had a tremendous amount of
energy,” Jane Roth said of her mother.
She recalled, her mother was very
active in the Girl Scouts, serving as a leader
and counselor for many years. She was a
great reader and loved to garden, both vegetables and flowers. Jane Roth said, too, that
her mother was a tremendous cook and a
snappy dresser.
Jetta Roth was also an avid supporter
of the National Organization for Women.
“I think I was a feminist from the time I
was a little girl,” Roth said. “My brothers tried
to take over like boys do, I just didn’t see that.”
Roth would work on political campaigns, and attended NOW conferences and
participated in the organization’s marches.
To celebrate her milestone, family hosted a birthday party this past summer.
Invitees were asked to write her a letter and
contribute photos, which Jane Roth assembled in a scrapbook. In addition to the congratulations from family and friends, she
also received a note from President Barak
Obama and his wife Michelle, and a commendation from Governor Dannel P. Malloy.
Roth said she is hard of hearing these
days, but there is little to slow her down. She
uses a walker to get around and goes to
exercise classes three times a week. She also
attends a day program at the Hebrew Home
three times a week along with many social
activities at the facility where she lives.
“I was very fortunate, I had wonderful
parents, such a great husband, he was a
wonderful man and father,” Roth said.
“It’s been a wonderful life.” WHL
27-just for wom
Just for Women
Tackling women’s
health issues
by Alison Jalbert & Lynn Woike
LIFE staff
W
hether you’re just trying to stay in shape,
considering your health options or looking to a future where things are starting
to change, area professionals offer tips
and advice on how to navigate areas of concern.
WOMEN in Business
Dianne
Rechel
Realtor, Realty Executives
Founder of
West Hartford Women in Networking
I am a Master Connector of Buyers and
Sellers, and use extensive networking connections to promote the sale of my listings. One
of the ways that I prospect for my business is
through West Hartford Women in Networking, an association that I founded. We hold
inspiring monthly meetings focused on helping our attendees to thrive and succeed, and
we have fabulous speakers, too! Check out this
high-energy group at
www.westhartfordwomeninnetworking.com
A sampling of some of our attendees:
* Pat Giordano, Travel Specialist, Make Your Vacation Dream a Reality, 806-558-0102
* New England Yarn & Spindle: Yarn for Knitting and Crochet; Classes
www.newenglandyarn.com
* Donna Finocchiaro- helping others through her organization and customized approaches
www.OrganizedEast.com.
* Ada Rios Holistic Center - NEW Location - 328 West St Bristol www.adarios.net
* Elizabeth (E.J.) Ross - Financial and Long-Term Care Representative,
Compassionate Customized Solutions, 860-578-1153.
* Trish Thomas, EDGE Career Solutions, helps people find jobs they love, 860-658-6480
* Jacquie Robinson, Certified Dementia Care Practitioner, Personalized home care for seniors.
http://www.nursenextdoor.com/home-care/central-connecticut-ct/
www.westhartfordwomeninnetworking.com
email: [email protected]
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Gene testing
Advances in science now allow for
genetic testing to determine a
woman’s breast and ovarian cancer
risk. According to the Mayo Clinic,
the BRCA gene test is a blood test
that uses DNA analysis to look for
harmful mutations in either one of
the two breast cancer susceptibility genes: BRCA1 AND BRCA2.
Women who have inherited
mutations in these genes have a
much higher risk of developing
breast cancer and ovarian cancer
compared to those who don’t.
One local woman who has benefited from BRCA testing is West
Hartford resident Merle Kaplan.
She was diagnosed as being BRCA1
positive in 2002, meaning she was
carrying the breast cancer gene. At
the time of her diagnosis, she said
she really had to search for a genetic counselor, as not many people
had heard of the gene.
“There is so much more information and options available
today,” she said in April 2014. “In
the same sense, there is still a lot of
mis-knowledge and ignorance.
People tend to believe that since it’s
related to breast and ovarian cancer, it’s a women’s disease. We’re
trying to help the members of the
community be aware of what this
is, the effects it has on your family
and how to move forward so you
can be proactive and not reactive.”
Kaplan is the first woman in
her family in recent history to celebrate her 50th birthday. She
believes that both her mother and
grandmother carried the BRCA
gene, but there was no testing back
then. Her mother passed away at
age 48, while her grandmother was
40 when she died. She said being
tested for BRCA saved her life.
“I was able to, without a diagnosis of cancer, have a mastectomy
and reconstruction and have my
ovaries removed,” she said. “It saved
me from watching and waiting. I
really believe it extended my life
considerably.”
She has a daughter and a son
and said, when they reach their late
20s, both will be tested.
“If they test positive, they will
Life with purpose. . . it’s a personal issue
Ever contemplate what your purpose in life is? Ever have ah ha moments
of clarity and a vision for your path in this vast world? Meet Siobhan Becker and
Paige Davison, a dynamic female duo in the senior assisted living scene who define
themselves by their compassion and commitment to enriching the lives of residents
and family members.
Paige, the Engage Life Director for Atria Hamilton Heights AKA “The Director
of Fun” spends her day making sure the residents are enjoying life. “It’s a calling, of
sorts”, said Paige, whose background she feels has prepared her for this position. “I
have been in the military and I am a Veteran for the US Air Force, completed college
with a marketing communications degree, a teacher, executive chef, and I have travelled the world. All of this comes in to play with my job and I love it.”
Atria, a senior living community in West Hartford, CT has provided the venue
and platform for these two dynamic forces to come together and develop, create and
sustain a fundamental benchmark of excellence ....what they both would want for
their own mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. It’s personal.
Coming from a life long successful professional path of marketing and media
sales. Siobhan had no idea how much her life would change when she took the position at Hamilton Heights.
“I’ve never had such a rewarding opportunity. Each day is filled with fun and
challenges that help me to grow personally and professionally.” said Siobhan.
“The best part of what I do is seeing the friendships that have been formed.
I bring in the new residents and their families and get them set up with the best
plan for them, but I can’t make the friendships. When I see two ladies or gentleman
walking down the halls, or outside walking together, or attending an activity smiling
and having a great friendship, I feel like I am doing what am supposed to. Nothing
compares to the feeling that you changed a life from dark to light. I am so grateful
I get to be a part of Atria Hamilton Heights and the mission” “We strive to enhance
lives and exceed expectations every day.” Said Siobhan
I agree with Siobhan. Said Paige, “The Residents mean so much to me – they
are family.”
This is more than a job for Paige and Siobhan. They both believe they are here
to help people in this stage of their journey. Life does not end at 65 but it begins,
and can be rewarding with a combination of memories, friends, and a whole new
adventure.
Come by today for a lunch and a tour and experience the Atria difference. Call 860-523-9333
Atria Hamilton Heights
One Hamilton Heights Drive, West Hartford, CT 06119
www.atriahamiltonheights.com
29-just for
Just for Women
have the knowledge to know how
to move forward to make sure
that we’re doing the best that we
can for them with the knowledge
we have,” Kaplan said.
Eating and exercise
When setting out to determine
the best eating plan and exercise regimen, there are many
factors to consider, according
to Tom Bondarchuk, APRN, of
MedTeam Weight Loss in
Rocky Hill. Having a good relationship with any sort of professional you work with – a
trainer, nutritionist or even
your primary care physician –
is important so you can openly
discuss any issues surrounding
your weight and your performance.
“[You don’t want to be] in a
position where you have to feel
guilty about being off diet and
not performing to any standards but your own,”
Bondarchuk said. “You have to
be open and trusting, otherwise it shuts off the dialogue
between good and bad behavior. Everybody does it – everybody will have their cake and
eat it, too.”
Being honest will allow you
and those seeking to help you
understand where any issues
come from.
When it comes to working
out an eating plan, Bondarchuk
recommends finding someone
who will treat you comprehensively and not “just rubber
stamp a diet.” All medical conditions and medical history
should be considered when
making a plan.
“We see patients with a
multitude of medical problems;
you can’t just do one size fits
all. You really have to fit them
specifically. Most people are
looking for something that’s as
comprehensive as possible,”
he said.
Remembering that weight
loss is achieved through diet
and that health promotion is
achieved through exercise and
being active is key.
“Having patients that run
the whole gamut, it’s really
whatever fits the patient’s
needs, lifestyles, preferences
and what they can do to stay as
active as possible.”
Every pound of fat gained
equals 3,500 calories, so
Bondarchuk said you would
have to walk 35 miles just to
lose one pound.
“When you put it in that
perspective, people ask, ‘Should
I exercise?’ One hundred
percent,” he said.
Whatever exercise regimen
you choose, he said don’t push
your body to strain, as that
may slow down progress via an
injury or other harm done to
your body.
Looking at diet and
exercise as a whole,
Bondarchuk said people should
do what they like and what’s
healthy or sustainable.
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WOMEN in Business
Lisa Natcharian
Certified Parent Coach
Raising Gifted Children
Lisa Natcharian recently launched Raising
Wizards, a parent coaching business providing
resources and assistance to parents of gifted children. Individualized coaching is available, as well
as Parent Discussion Groups in the Simsbury
area based on the text “A Parent’s Guide to Gifted
Children.”
Her website (www.raisingwizards.com)
offers help to parents of children of all ages,
whether they are accelerated learners, in need
of more challenge in school, or struggling with
social and motivational issues. Parents can learn
about identifying giftedness, testing for giftedness, methods of gifted education, strategies for advocacy, and understanding the unique
challenges of gifted children, including high sensitivity, asynchronous development and
underachievement.
Lisa Natcharian, M.Ed., is a certified Parent Coach specializing in raising gifted children. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the College of William & Mary, an M.Ed. in
Educational Psychology/Gifted Education from UConn, and an M.S. in Mass Communication from Boston University. She is also holds certification as a Family Life Coach, and
is a trained SENG Model Parent Group facilitator. She is a former member of the Massachusetts Gifted & Talented Statewide Advisory Committee, and served on the board of
directors of Academy Hill School for the Gifted in Springfield, Massachusetts. She is also
a member of Mensa and the mother of three gifted sons.
Simsbury CT
860-877-6086
www.raisingwizards.com
Jill
Coscarelli
Owner
+45 Fitness
Jill has been in the fitness business for over
10 years. She holds a National Exercise
Instructor Certification as well as other certifications in Balance and Flexibility, Dance
Aerobics, and StrengthTraining. All fitness
levels are welcome and modifications can
be used for a low impact workout. She
has a loyal following because the women
who attend +45 Fitness know that they are
walking into a comfortable environment.
They are supportive of each other and
have fun while getting a great workout. Her
classes have three components: Aerobic
Dancing, Strength Training and Stretching
which are all choreographed to music.
All classes are held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, M, W, F: 8:45-9:45.
Class are $8 and there are no joining fees. Free weights, exercise bands, and mats are provided.
Phone: (860) 561-0631
Email: [email protected]
Westminster Presbyterian Church M, W, F: 8:45 am
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Just for Women
“When you look at diet and
exercise, it’s for the rest of your life.
It’s never a short-term solution,” he
said. “For health promotion and to
prevent diseases, you have to have a
healthy lifestyle. You want a diet that
you like and suits your needs, and
exercise that keeps you active for as
long as possible.”
periods come more frequently, perhaps every 20 days instead of 29.
“That’s all in the realm of normal,” Hunter said.
The time from which a women
begins to notice changes until the
“I think it’s important for people
to know that not everyone reacts the
same way. It’s their response to
what’s happening that is what
matters.”
Menopause
Menopause is the day one year after
a woman’s last menstrual cycle.
The average age for that to occur
is 51, said Sharon Hunter, N.D., of the
Connecticut Center for Health, with
offices in West Hartford and
Middletown, adding that most
women will reach menopause
between 45 and 55.
“The first major indicator of
menopause may be changes in the
menstrual cycle, which can happen a
number of years before you’re officially in menopause,” she said.
Menstrual cycle changes can
include bleeding more or bleeding
less, missing periods or having
not everyone is bothered by them, she
said, and some women have a smooth
transition into menopause.
“However, others may experience more of the problematic symptoms” as the amount of estrogen and
–Sharon Hunter, N.D.
year marker is known as perimenopause, which can last three to five
years or longer; anything after that
day is postmenopause.
Some women begin to
experience hot flashes even before
the menstrual cycle changes,
Hunter said.
While hot flashes and night
sweats – caused by changing hormone levels – are the classic symptoms associated with perimenopause,
WOMEN in Business
progesterone the ovaries produce
change: mood swings, depression,
anxiety and insomnia.
Again, Hunter said, these
symptoms are normal for hormonal
changes, and that not everyone is
bothered by the same conditions.
“I think it’s important for people
to know that not everyone reacts the
same way. It’s their response to
what’s happening that is what
matters. ... Some people might get
a hot flash every day or two and
some are getting 20 a day. When the
symptoms are disturbing to them to
the point it’s affecting their quality
of life, it’s time to seek help,” she said.
A naturopathic doctor will take
into account the woman’s whole health
picture and can help address specific
concerns with a variety of tools
including dietary and lifestyle changes,
nutritional supplements and herbs.
“If a person seeks support before
menopausal changes begin – or early
in the process – there is a lot we can
do to help ensure a smoother
transition,” she said. “There are
many things that can be done shy
of hormone replacement therapy.”
Menopause can also be a time
of opportunity and change.
“Many women seek support to
improve their diet and their overall
health and make lifestyle changes,
such as exercising, as they move into
a new phase of life,” Hunter said,
adding that often as women approach
menopause, their children are out of
the house and they have more time to
focus on themselves. WHL
GREATER HARTFORD
Hannah Steel
WOMEN’S HEALTH ASSOCIATES
[email protected]
860-985-0271
Eva Carignan, M.D., Mario Cohen, M.D., Michael Hemphill, M.D.,
Deborah Hoffman, M.D., Ewa Jacunski, M.D., Kristine Macomber, M.D.,
Marine Sahakyan, M.D., Helen Trymbulak, M.D.
Degrees:
Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI)
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
Accredicted Buyer Representative (ABR)
Certified Luxury Collection Specialist
Boards Served:
Greater Hartford Board of Realtors
Connecticut Association of Realtors
Sales Awards:
Leading Edge Society
President’s Circle
Chairman’s Circle - Gold (top 2%)
American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology Certified Physicians (ABOG)
Claudia Guynn, APRN and Maureen Schade, APRN
Women’s Health Care Certified Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BC)
Lauri Hober
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
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Doreen Nassimos and Kim Yezewski
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS)
We are happy to welcome new patients to our practice.
We pride ourselves on excellent care of women of all ages,
from puberty through menopause.
Our offices are located in West Hartford (Bishops Corner),
Glastonbury (Hebron Avenue), Hartford (Retreat Avenue)
and Enfield (Hazard Avenue).
Call us to schedule your visit: 860-561-7222
970 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, CT 06107
Office: 860-561-8005
Cell: 860-985-0271
E-mail: [email protected]
A member of
31
Help when needed
Wendy Martinson directs Connecticut
Center for Aging
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
A
Courtesy photo
Wendy Martinson is the
new program director at
the Connecticut Center
for Healthy Aging.
LIFE
Read
online at
www.TurleyCT.com
s a registered nurse,
Wendy Martinson
understands the stress
and strain patients and
their families undergo when
assisting an ailing family member.
While her work focused on hospital care during her tenure as a
clinical nurse in the ICU at Saint
Francis Hospital and Medical
Center, she knew her patients
faced challenges at home after
they were discharged from
the hospital.
Later in her career, in care
management at the University of
Connecticut Health Center and at
Hartford Hospital, she continued
to see the needs of patients
increase once out of hospital.
Martinson is also an adjunct professor of Health Care Reform and
Nursing in the master’s program
at he University of Hartford.
In April, she was named
the program director at the
Connecticut Center for Healthy
Aging, where she oversees a staff
whose job is to assist clients coordinate care for a loved one.
“I really developed a passion
for helping people stay at home
in more of a creative way,” she
said. “Each person has different
problems, issues that need to
be addressed. There is no cookiecutter approach.”
Martinson grew up in town
and attended St. Brigid School
and Conard High School. She still
lives here.
In her new role, she and her
staff help patients stay in their
home, work with a number of specialists and help to educate families about their options when
planning for the future.
“I feel this is really what my
calling was,” Martinson said.
“Everyone wants to be at home,
and it can be hard for some people
to be at home.”
The initial consultation is
offered free of charge.
“We help people in the
community find resources to stay
at home longer,” Martinson said.
“We help them find solutions.”
The center provides families
with a resource coordinator that
assists with socioeconomic issues.
The center also offers Alzheimer’s
and dementia specialists who
meet with the patient and their
families or caregivers.
“The goal is to help the
caregiver manage this terrible
disease,” Martinson said.
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Staff can advise and help find the
appropriate resources for their patients,
whether it’s adult day care, assisted living or
getting on a waiting list at a nursing home.
There is also staff to help with geriatric
care management, which is especially beneficial for families whose parents may live in
Connecticut, but their children are out of
state, she said. A care manager can help
with such services as transportation to doctors’ appointments and reporting back to
family members on the health status of
their loved one.
Transitional care nurses are available
to help patients who are discharged from
the hospital and their caregivers to ensure
good care at home.
Martinson said that healthcare has
changed considerably, and increasingly more
patients and their caregivers are expected to
provide more care at home that once would
have been done in the hospital. For instance,
a patient who is discharged may need a family member to provide wound care or take
However, even if a family calls for
assistance later, there are many ways
they can receive attention.
“It’s what we are here for,”
Martinson said.
Families can call the center and ask
questions. Sometimes, the program director
said, they may feel intimated and are not
ready to have a home visit done, but may be
willing to speak by phone or to come in for a
consultation at one of the center’s three locations: The Hospital of Central Connecticut at
Bradley Memorial in Southington, The
Hospital of Central Connecticut in New
Britain and Midstate Medical Center in
Meriden.
Ultimately, the center’s staff will sit with
the family to learn more about the situation
and their specific goals. Staff can then do an
assessment and make recommendations as
to what services might suit them best.
“We give them a plan of care,”
Martinson said. “We are very good at finding
the resources in the community.”
“We help people in the
community find resources to
stay at home longer. We help
them find solutions.”
–Wendy Martinson
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blood pressure readings or even set up a
feeding tube. These things once done by
trained staff are now expected to be done
by someone who is not only emotionally
involved in the case, but who also has never
been trained.
The center is available to step in and
create a system of assistance.
“They will spend a couple of hours at
the home,” Martinson said of her staff.
“There are risks of staying at home and
they will help put services in place.”
Additionally, staff will stay in touch with
the patient for 30 days after the initial visit
to ensure they are doing well and to answer
any questions they may have. These services,
Martinson said, lower the chance of the
patient returning to the hospital to receive
further care.
Martinson used the example of patients
who may have just received an Alzheimer’s
or dementia diagnosis.
These particular illnesses can impact a
patient and family over an extended period
of time. If a family is willing to reach out to
the center, they can get assistance on planning for the long term.
“People are desperate for a solution,”
Martinson said, adding that many people
who are contending with an ill loved one do
not know that there are services that can
help and often end up feeling overwhelmed.
“Ideally, we’d like to meet them before
a crisis situation,” she said.
The center offers a number of
educational programs on topics of interest
as a way to get the word out about their
services that are available to individuals,
families and caregivers.
“The center staff is [a] compassionate,
caring, phenomenal group. They are truly
dedicated. I feel very blessed to be working
with them,” Martinson said.
She said she feels the center is one
of the best-kept secrets around and she
does not want it to be. Initially the center
focused on older patients; after receiving
a $2.1 million grant from the Department
of Social Services, it now has the
resources to assist patients starting
at age 18.
“Give us a call,” Martinson said.
“We’d love to be able to help, even if it’s
just wondering what we do.” WHL
33
Pirouttés and pliés
USJ’s Center for the Arts to offer a variety
of dance programming
by Alison Jalbert
Assistant Editor
T
Photo by Ron Compton
Lorelai Chang, co-founder of
dancEnlight, and her company will
have a “light residency” at USJ’s
Center for the Arts, performing
its unique combination of dance
and Chinese calligraphy.
he University of Saint
Joseph’s Carol Autorino
Center for the Arts
has always been a
dance-friendly environment,
and the lineup of programming
scheduled into the spring will
continue that tradition.
Steven Ginsburg, the newly
appointed director of the center,
said in meeting Susan Murphy,
instructor of dance and adviser
to the USJ Dance Ensemble, and
talking to patrons, he learned
there is “a real core strength”
for dance both at the school
and beyond.
“It’s known in the dance
community as a good dance venue,”
he said. “That, coupled with Susan’s
years building the Dance Ensemble
on campus, this is not only great for
the community to come here [to see]
dance, but there is also an internal
community that receives dance well.”
Seeing that a strong foundation
exists for dance programming, he
believed it made sense to reach out to
area dance professionals and bring
them to USJ to add to a calendar
featuring local dance companies.
The Sonia Plumb Dance
Company, which has residency at USJ,
will perform its contemporary dance
retelling of Homer’s “Odyssey”
October 2-4. In December, the Ballet
Theatre Company will stage its annual production of “The Nutcracker.”
In the spring, the center will host
Sokeo Ros, dancer and director of hip
hop at the Everett Company in
Providence, R.I. Ginsburg said the
Barbara Honor, DMD
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Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 242-1230
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Read all of our Community Publications online at
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Valley Life • West Hartford Life • Rocky Hill Life
Wethersfield Life • Glastonbury Life • Newington Life
1048 Farmington Ave. (Rt 4), Farmington 860-677-0118
34
Cambodian refugee came to the
United States when he was young,
an experience that led to the creation
of his solo show, “From the Refugee
Camp to the Projects.” Ros’ story is one
of hip hop saving his life; living in the
projects, he was pressured into joining
a gang, but discovering hip hop at the
Everett was a pivotal moment for him.
The center is also working with
New York City-based dance company
Exit12, of which the BTC’s Roman
Baca is the artistic director. Exit12 will
perform another contemporary dance
retelling of “Odyssey,” but with a military angle. Baca served in the Marines
during the Iraq War, so this piece will
look at Homer’s epic poem from the
perspective of a soldier returning
home. Ginsburg said this
fits in with the veteran’s affairs series
starting in the spring, taught by faculty member Thomas Broffman.
The spring will also see the Spring
Ensemble show featuring the USJ
Dance Ensemble and guest performers.
Lorelai Chang’s dance company,
dancEnlight, will have what Ginsburg
called a “light residency” at the center,
performing its unique combination of
“The 5x5 Dance Festival has been a
groundbreaking dance experience for
Connecticut dance aficionados.”
–Roman Baca
dance and Chinese calligraphy as a
partnership with the International
Studies department.
The pinnacle of the center’s dance
programming is the annual 5X5 Dance
Festival, to be held October 16 and 17.
Murphy explained that it began in 2001,
when the center was built.
“We had a meeting with the local
dance community. They came to us
saying there was a need for a place
where they could showcase their new
work,” she explained. “Many of the
smaller Connecticut dance companies
were struggling to fill an audience on
their own. Collaboratively, they could
put together a showcase performance.”
The festival grew to include collegiate groups, and then expanded further when master classes were added,
with the idea that the college dancers
would have an opportunity to meet
and network with the professionals.
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Through the years, a mentoring
program and photography element
have become a part of the festival.
This year, two dance-related forums
will be added, open to students, professionals and the larger community.
David Dorfman, chair of the dance
department at Connecticut College,
will be the lead participant in a forum
that asks, “Is dance relevant?” Murphy
said the open discussion will seek to
understand dance’s artistic, educational and cultural relevance, among
other things.
Jacqueline Coleman, the education consultant for the arts for the
state Department of Education will
speak on the new art standards.
“It will tie in nicely to have a discussion on dance standards with the
dance community,” Murphy said.
Within the last couple of years,
the festival has included an informal
preshow event in the lobby. This year,
The Now Unboxing Project, a projectbased dance company started by local
dancer Spencer Pond, will be featured.
Dance professionals have praised
the festival.
“The 5x5 Dance Festival has been
a groundbreaking dance experience for
Connecticut dance aficionados,” Baca
said. “The wealth of knowledge shared
between professional dance companies
and Connecticut university students
has proved integral to our artistic
development and success. It’s always a
treat to see what other dancers are creating here in Connecticut as well.”
Murphy said 5X5 is the largest
and longest running dance festival in
the state, and the hope is to keep
expanding its offerings.
“The idea is to keep dancing and
have lots of activity going on to give
exposure to new companies,” she said.
Since this is Ginsburg’s first 5X5,
he seeks to investigate what makes it
a festival.
“We’re expanding, but honing in
the lens on Connecticut and how this
is a great festival to feature
Connecticut,” he said. WHL
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39
Market’s
milestone
Hall’s celebrates 80 years of serving West Hartford
by Alison Jalbert
Assistant Editor
.Photo by Alison Jalbert
J
Siblings Jennifer Booth Hettrick
and David Booth are the third
generation of their family to own
Hall’s Market, which celebrates its
80th anniversary this year.
started as a pushcart. Booth
explained that Mr. Hall sold produce
out of a pushcart along the street for
many years before purchasing the
building at 331 Park Road in 1935.
Hettrick said the market used to
be 1/3 the size it currently is; there
were originally three businesses in
the building.
Their grandfather purchased
the market from Mr. Hall in 1967.
Previously a manager at an A&P
supermarket, he left to do deliveries
for Pepperidge Farm, which is how
he became familiar with Hall’s
Market and its owner.
Booth and Hettrick’s father was
13 when the market came into the
family, and he grew up working
there. He bought it in 1982 and
ennifer Booth Hettrick and
David Booth can’t recall a
time when they weren’t at
Hall’s Market.
“We got involved when
we could walk,” Booth said.
“I can’t remember ever not
working,” Hettrick said. “I can’t
ever remember a Christmas not
at Hall’s.”
The siblings purchased the
business in 2009, making them the
third generation of Booths to own
and operate the Park Road institution, following in the footsteps of
their grandfather, Raymond, and
their parents, Ron and Betsey.
Hall’s is celebrating its 80th
anniversary this year, a significant
accomplishment for a business that
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40-
retired in 2009, selling the business
to his children.
Their memories of growing up
are inextricably linked with Hall’s.
“If our dad had to bring us to
school, we came in with him and he
put us to work [before school],”
Booth remembers. “He would give
us a dollar.”
When she was in high school,
Hettrick told her parents she wanted
to stay and work at Hall’s. They
insisted she go to college to be sure.
“They wanted me to try something different to be sure this is what
I wanted to do. I worked as a dietician in Washington, D.C. My dad
called and said, ‘Jen, I think I’m
going to sell the store. I’m tired. I’ve
been doing this for a long time.’”
She said she would come
home to help, and when her brother
graduated from college a few years
later, he started working at the
market full time.
Booth said their father would
always be the first one in and the
last one out, but during the last couple of years of his ownership, he got
burned out. One winter, he was on
his way in to work and slipped in the
driveway, tearing his rotator cuff.
“That was it,” Booth said. “It
forced him to step away. He physically couldn’t do it anymore.”
Their father still comes by and
helps in the market at the holidays,
or fills in when Booth or Hettrick
take vacation.
“Without this location, I don’t
know if we would have made it
as long as we’ve made it.
–Jennifer Booth Hettrick
“It’s not like he sold it to a
stranger. He likes it still being here
when it’s convenient for him,” Booth
said. “He rarely comes in here and
doesn’t get into a conversation with
two or three customers.”
“The customers still like it when
he waits on them,” Hettrick said.
Along with changes in ownership, Hall’s has undergone many
other transformations in its 80-year
run. It was originally all full-service,
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with groceries stacked on shelves
accessible by a ladder on wheels. The
deli was located where the fish and
chicken are now, and it began as
part of the meat counter. Hettrick
said the deli eventually became its
own department, across from the
meats, and started out about 1/6 the
size it is now.
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“In the 1990s, we moved it to the
wall where it is now,” she said. “The
deli has grown tremendously in the
last 20 years. It’s a big draw for a lot
of people. We do an enormous lunch
business every day of the week.”
Booth estimated that Hall’s sells
at least 300 sandwiches a day.
Offering prepared foods is a
marker in the market’s history.
Hettrick said they introduced the
premade options a few years ago and
it has recently become more of a
focus. Options include chicken
picatta, Swedish meatballs, meatloaf
with green beans and mashed potatoes, lasagna and crab cakes. There
are also different featured items
each week.
“People are looking for good
food. This is home-cooked food;
they know everything that’s in it,”
she said. “They can just heat it up
and serve it to their family.”
“It’s made from scratch, like
Mom would make if she had time,”
Booth said with a laugh.
The prepared options started
out in the front of the market, but
Hettrick said more space was eventually needed for the variety of foods
offered. More room was also needed
for catering, a function of Hall’s that
has grown in the last few years as
well. At the end of 2014, A Little
Something Bakery vacated its space
adjacent to the market, which provided an opportunity for the needed
expansion. Prior to the bakery occupying that space, it was used as
Hall’s To Go, so it was already set up
to do prepared foods and catering.
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Hettrick told The West Hartford
Press, sister publication to West
Hartford LIFE, that she and her
brother discussed the idea of adding
on to the market’s building, but that
would involve a complicated process.
“When this space became
vacant, we thought it was perfect,”
she said at the time.
Booth and Hettrick believe
Hall’s has maintained such a vibrant
presence in the community due to
its uniqueness.
“There are not many of its kind
anymore,” she said. “It’s a small
store, but we try to have anything
you could need. … Everything is
fresh – all the deli salads are made
here. The sandwiches are made to
order, the produce comes every day
[and] the fish comes every day. I
don’t think many stores our size do
that anymore. You don’t get that
kind of service.”
Booth said there are many
familiar faces that come into
the store.
“There are people in the neighborhood who come every day and
get something for dinner,” he said.
“When we were kids, half of the customers knew our grandparents. A lot
of people shop here for 50, 60 years.”
“We know them and they know
us,” Hettrick said.
Both say they feel lucky to have
the jobs they do.
“For me, I love this job. It’s really
rare and really awesome. Every day
coming here, I don’t know what’s
going to happen. I’ll have things in
mind, [but sometimes it] doesn’t
happen,” Hettrick said.
One key to Hall’s success
throughout the years is its location.
“Without this location, I don’t
know if we would have made it as
Courtesy photos
41
Hall’s Market has been a neighborhood institution for 80 years.
long as we’ve made it,” Hettrick said.
Booth said when Park Road was
redone in 1998, it helped cement its
status as a good neighborhood.
“There are a lot of locally owned,
owner-operated businesses,” Booth
said. “It’s not like some company
owns it and ships in a manager.”
“It’s a real community, that’s for
sure,” Hettrick said.
Looking to the future of Hall’s,
they know they have to work hard to
keep it the same, but also change it
to keep up with what customers
want. Hettrick said they have to
make the deli bigger – because that’s
what customers want – while still
retaining the old-fashioned feel. The
service aspect must be maintained,
but they will change what they offer.
“While we change, we try to
keep the same feel,” she said.
Booth said they are always
short on space, so reconfiguration
is always a possibility.
“For the future, we’ll see where
it takes us. …We spend all our time
here; hopefully we know what [the
customers] want,” Hettrick said.
There might be a fourth generation of Booths to take over the market; Booth has a 1-year-old daughter,
while Hettrick has two sons: a 2 year
old and a 9 month old.
“We’re working on it. It’s
our retirement plan,” Booth said,
jokingly.
Hall’s Market will have an anniversary and birthday celebration
Saturday, September 26. The day will
include outdoor tables with samples
and giveaways.
“It’s like a party. We want everyone to come,” Hettrick said. WHL
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Ron Booth grew up working at
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42
LIFE
LIFE with Pets
a new leash on
Jameson
Selene
Selene
Selene, affectionately referred to as Mama, is looking for a special home to suit
her special needs. After being a wonderful mother to her kittens who have all been
placed, she had extensive dental surgery, was spayed and is learning how to be
more social. She interacts with people only on her terms, so while she probably
will never be a lap cat, she is beautiful, sweet and enjoys playing with her mice and
feathers. Selene, who is 2, needs a calm home with adults, where she can be independent and feel safe. Another cat, as long as it is not overpowering, would be fine.
For more pictures, visit Cats Limited on Facebook. Contact an adoption
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This handsome, muscular pit bull and terrier mix was likely abandoned in a park and was seen roaming through a neighborhood until
a passerby was able to coax him into a car. As a thank you, Jameson
licked everyone in the vehicle. Jameson is about 1 ½ years old, playful
and friendly. While he is obedient when given commands, he is also
quick to run a household if not given proper guidance. He would be a
great running or hiking partner for an active family. He may do well
with a calm female dog. Due to his size, children older than 11 years
old are recommended. WHL
For more information, email [email protected]
or call 860-570-8818.
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living
43H&G
A PRODUCT OF
TurleyCT.com | OCTOBER 2015
spaces
A U T U M N
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44H&G
LIVING Spaces
Halloween House
The Roman Coliseum
display took up most of the
yard last year.
The Warshauer family’s annual display
has reputation for being creepy
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
I
Courtesy photos
t’s cardboard and paint, a
smattering of lights and a
smoke machine, but for members of the Warshauer family,
these common items can take on a
ghastly tone come Halloween.
More than once, Emma and
Samantha Warshauer admit they
have walked down the staircase in
their house only to get a shiver down
their spine at the site of the pirate
skeleton that suddenly occupies a
corner in their otherwise lovely
home.
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LIVING Spaces
The Warshauer Family, from left, Jessica, Matthew, Emma and Samantha, all
contribute to well-known Halloween displays that pop up in their front yard
each year.
“It takes me about a week to get
used to it,” Samantha said.
“I remember when I was younger, I was terrified to come downstairs,” Emma said.
“I think everyone in the house
has been startled at some time,”
Matthew Warshauer said with a
laugh.
They’re not about to change
their ways, however.
Matthew and his wife moved to
their home on Main Street 16 years
ago. When Halloween came around,
the couple decorated the front yard
by putting up a witch that looked as
if she’d flown her broom smack into
a tree. When he was out in the yard
with his two labs, a neighbor walked
by, stopped and chatted before
suddenly screaming and quickly
continuing down the sidewalk.
It took Matthew a few moments
to realize what had startled the
woman was not his mild-mannered
dogs, but the witch.
If this simple decoration could
get such a reaction, he began to
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As a history professor, homeowner Matthew Warshauer will often use historical
events as inspiration for his annual Halloween decorations.
They have had a medieval motif one
year and the Roman Coliseum last
year. August and September are
spent getting everything ready.
In early September, Matthew
chose not to reveal this year’s display, preferring it to be a surprise for
its debut on October 1. The history
professor at Central Connecticut
State University did indicate it would
be set in the ’60s.
To help create and execute the
displays, his daughters learned to
use power tools.
imagine what else he could do.
The following year, Matthew
added a spooky graveyard to his
front yard. In the years following,
the display has grown, the gore
and spookiness increased and,
on occasion, the homeowner has
been inspired to add a political bent
to the scene.
Matthew and his three daughters – Samantha, Emma and Jessica
– along with a group of their friends,
begin to brainstorm a theme for
their elaborate display in August.
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Illuminated at night, the
elaborate displays draw
much attention.
“I like the experience of learning
how to use a drill,” Emma said.
“Most people don’t expect us to
know how to do that because we are
young and are girls.”
Emma said, too, that the annual
display brings some creativity and
imagination to her life.
For Samantha, working on the
display is one of the few activities in
which she participates; she admits
she is not athletic and does not like
to get dirty.
“This is really the only thing I
am really willing to get dirty for,” she
said, adding that she enjoys seeing
the reactions and the process of putting it all together.
“We put it up in one day. It’s fun
for us to see it get bigger and bigger,”
Samantha said. “At the end of the
day we look and say, ‘Wow, I just did
that.’”
Once an idea has been developed, Matthew said that he begins
to collect Styrofoam, caulk, screws
and paint. He has a friend who works
in a warehouse and supplies him
with cardboard, and he reuses as
much of the materials as he can
from one year to the next.
Matthew and his crew carefully
cut and lay out each piece of the
display to ensure everything fits
together properly.
Supports are used, and the
goal is to keep the display safe from
the elements for at least four or five
weeks, although damage caused
by the weather often adds to the
creepiness.
“It’s hectic when we are setting
up,” Emma said.
“I think we all have different
strengths,” Samantha said as to what
each member of the family and set
up crew brings to the design and
execution.
Emma said she needs to know
the mechanics behind the many
parts and pieces for it to make
sense to her. She leaves the artistic
elements up to someone else.
Aside from the cardboard
cutouts, Matthew also incorporates
mannequins and lighting into the
display. He said he is pretty much up
for anything, although he has not
tried any animation yet.
He said neighbors announce
they can’t wait to see what he will
come up with next, and the family
has received cards addressed to “The
Halloween House,” complimenting
their efforts. Most of the notes are
friendly, although last year there was
one that thought the bloody headless
Roman soldier was a bit too much.
Samantha admitted that when
she first meets new people she does
not say right away that she lives in
the Halloween House.
Once people realize she is part
of the fun at 115 North Main Street,
the next question people often want
to know is where the family gets all
the material.
Matthew said he, too, tends not
to mention which house is his,
responding to questions about where
he lives by saying he’s near the
American School for the Deaf, only
to have people ask if that’s “near the
Halloween House.”
Samantha just began her freshman year at Hall High School and in
the first few weeks of schools those
who know where she lives had begun
to ask her what the theme would be
– of course she will not reveal it.
“Isn’t your Dad that guy?” is
another question Samantha said she
hears often.
“I like public art, what can I say,”
Matthew said.
As a historian, Matthew said he
does not consider himself an artist,
but after attending a program on
street artists at the Asylum Hill
Church in Hartford and viewing the
cardboard creations artists shared,
he decided that what he and his family do is a form of public art.
Samantha said her art teacher
has even inquired about her home.
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LIVING Spaces
extends beyond town borders, too.
Matthew’s nephew, a student at
Wake Forest University, met a girl
from town who knew about the
house; a friend in North Carolina has
a friend from town who knows about
the house and another family friend
attending the University of Hawaii
found pictures of the house online.
The local police are also familiar
with the display.
Matthew said that the year of
the Civil War theme, a police officer
knocked on the door to say a call
had come in that someone was in
the area with a rifle, the officer
thought it might have come from the
display. Sure enough, one of the artifacts was missing.
During the medieval display,
another officer responded to call from
a neighbor concerned about flashing
lights and smoke in the area.
“It was an accident,” Matthew said
of the set up. “The cop said he knew
exactly what house to respond to.”
“It’s a little bit
crazy, but crazy
can be good.”
–Matthew Warshauer
Last year, Matthew said, another
officer came by when he saw smoke,
it was not until he knocked on the
door that he realized it was coming
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from the Warshauers’ smoke
machine.
Matthew admits he has very
patient and tolerant neighbors.
Some years the display might creep
a bit onto his neighbor’s yard and
while he stores material in his
garage, some of the overflow is kept
under his neighbor’s deck.
“He’s a good sport about it,”
Matthew said.
Matthew grew up moving
around the country and enjoyed
Halloween, but it was not until he
settled in West Hartford that the
holiday took on a life of its own.
The decorations do not stop in the
yard, but continue into the house as
well. The family hosts a Halloween
party and every room in the home,
except the kitchen, is given the
Warshauer treatment.
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“I love the process,” Matthew
said of what keeps him going year
after year. “I love working with my
hands, that to me is really fun. But
also like to see people’s reactions
when it’s all up.”
Matthew thinks that Halloween
is so fun for people of all ages
because it’s the one time of year
when people can indulge in a fantasy
of sorts and take on the persona of
someone or something else for the
day. Plus, he said, it’s fun to dress up
and be goofy.
“It’s the one day of the year you
can dress how you want to and not
be judged,” Samantha said.
“I do push the envelope,”
Matthew said of the family tradition.
“But I also want people to have fun
with it. It’s a little bit crazy, but crazy
can be good.” WHL
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Home prep
for fall and
winter months
I
f boots, a warm hat and a
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maintenance plan may need a makeover. These simple home maintenance projects can help lower your
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Before you turn the furnace or boiler
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Windows and
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Repair or replace structural framing,
and caulk inside and out, if necessary.
Insulate Well — One of the
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Backyard Care — Save your
property from potential damage by
trimming overgrown trees and
shrubs to prevent ice-laden branches
from thrashing against electrical
wires and your home’s exterior.
Drain/shut off any exterior faucets
and sprinkler systems to prevent
freezing. Ensure rain or snow drains
away from the house to avoid foundation problems.
Roof and Gutters — Inspect
your roof for shingles that are
warped, damaged or even missing to
prevent a future leak. Use roofing
cement and a caulking gun to seal
joints where water could penetrate,
such as around the chimney, skylights or vent pipes. Make sure that
your gutters and downspouts are
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should extend at least five feet away
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Put pumpkins
to use at home
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the ones best for making pies. Boil
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and broths.
Pumpkins can also add to one’s
home décor during the fall.
Pumpkins can be carved for
Halloween displays, hollowed-out to
hold tealights, or simply left on
tables and used as centerpieces.
Larger pumpkins may be used as
natural flower pots for mums or
other seasonal floral displays.
Rub aromatic spices, such as
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April 1 - June 13, 2014
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ew items signal the fall
harvest season more than
the bright, orange pumpkins that dot fields and
liven up displays outside of homes
and businesses. Come fall, many
pumpkins are turned into grinning
jack-o-lanterns just in time for
Halloween. But there are many
other uses for pumpkins as well.
Pumpkins are believed to have
originated in North America. Early
Native Americans relied on pumpkins as a source of food that helped
them survive long winters.
Pumpkins could be roasted, baked,
boiled and dried, and they were
eaten and used as medicine.
Pumpkin blossoms were added to
stews. The shells of the pumpkins
could be dried and used as eating
and storage vessels.
While pumpkins may now
be symbolic of Halloween, the
following are a handful of
additional ways this versatile fruit
can be put to use at home.
Pumpkins contain a number of
essential vitamins and minerals
that can help replenish the skin.
Pumpkin purée can be mixed with
honey, aloe vera gel, olive oil and a
bit of cornmeal to create an exfoliating mask for the face or body.
Roasted pumpkin seeds make a
healthy treat. Foodies suggest using
the seeds from “sugar pumpkins” or
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50-H&G
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H
alloween is a special day
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trick-or-treating is over.
By throwing a Halloween party,
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well into the evening.
When hosting a Halloween party,
it helps to determine who will be in
attendance before making any plans.
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Parties that include children should be
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51-H&G
LIVING Spaces
measure of the macabre, make sure
you don’t send young guests home
with nightmares. Reserve gruesome
decorations for adult-only parties.
Halloween parties do not necessarily need to be ghoulish to be fun.
Try a glittery gala masquerade party
or decorate exclusively in orange and
black. Classically eerie parties may
feature ravens and crows, or they
can be subtlely spooky with red candles and heavy curtains.
Many people can’t wait to dress
up for a Halloween party, even picking out their costumes months in
advance. Still, not everyone feels
comfortable donning a costume. To
welcome all guests, don’t make costumes mandatory. One way around
this is to set up a Halloween
Disguise Table full of accessories
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alter their appearance. Goofy glasses, strange hats, adhesive mustaches, or masks can be fun. If someone
didn’t feel comfortable dressing in
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put on a spinning bow tie.
Food is an integral part of any
party and can enhance Halloween
soirées. Candy is a pivotal component of Halloween, and you can play
off that theme at your party. Set up a
candy bar full of appropriately hued
candies of all shapes and sizes. Put
them on display in clear glass or
plastic canisters so they add to your
Halloween décor.
Some people like to get creative
with Halloween cuisine, crafting
foods into items that may look like
parts of the body or other symbols of
the holiday. Cookie cutters can turn
sandwiches, desserts, biscuits and
many other foods into different
shapes. However, foods also can be
made a tad more spooky simply by
renaming them or presenting them
in interesting containers.
Why not serve punch out of a
fish aquarium? Other beverages can
be housed in jugs or old bottles and
labeled “potions.” Use laboratory
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52-H&G
LIVING Spaces
by Sloan Brewster
Senior Staff Writer
C
hristina Bill, a realtor with
Berkshire Hathaway, is
gathering a group of local
business women for a
project that will benefit Gifts of
Love, the women and if all goes as
planned, herself.
The plan all began with a luxury
million dollar home for sale in Avon,
in Eagle View Estates, a development
abutting the Golf Club of Avon. The
plan ultimately comes down to showcasing the property in the hope of
selling it, while drudging up some
business for women in business and
collecting donations for Gifts of Love.
“It’s hard to get people, especially
in this kind of marketplace, to get
people to these houses,” Bill said.
So she came up with an idea to
host an open house with pizzazz. The
women she has been contacting will
contribute to the effort: some will
help stage the house, others will
supply food or raffle items.
Linda Black of Linda P Black
Interiors in West Hartford has been
working on staging a couple rooms in
the house. So far, she has brought in
some pieces of furniture, a rug and
some decorative accents such as
pillows and pictures for the living
room, a bench with pillows for the
foyer, and she will soon be bringing in
a table for the dining room.
“I will pretty much complete the
dining room with the hopes of if
somebody does buy the house that
they would also buy the furniture,”
she said.
Staging a house makes it easier
for a prospective buyer to envision
living there, as it gives the place a
homey environment.
“I think it’s wonderful. I think it
creates excitement about the property,” she said. “I think it does help a
client visualize the space.”
With that in mind, she is sticking
to a monochromatic color scheme
and a more traditional and not too
trendy design.
“It kind of broadens a different
scope of styles,” she said.
She is using Ashley Furniture,
which she said seems to be very in
right now and is not too expensive.
“I don’t think that people are
really spending a lot of money on
furniture. I think it’s kind of
disposable,” Black said.
Kim Morrison, of New England
Pasta Company of Avon will donate
the food. A local florist will donate
potted plants. Photographer Patty
Swanson, known for her work taking
pictures of babies in the NICU, will
take candid shots during the event.
Liz Zieky of Coco Lily Boutique
in Avon will set the table and bring
kitchen accessories.
Gail Leon of the Wine Cellar in
Avon will donate a couple bottles of
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A group of local women in business have joined together to host an open house
event at this home on Founders Way in Avon
wine for a raffle and there will be
other women doing other exciting
things, according to Bill.
Bill hopes for a large turnout and
has already gotten gift cards to
donate to Gifts of Love. She will offer
those to attendees to purchase and,
if they want to donate more than the
cards are worth, she will also take up
a collection.
“Hopefully we can raise some
money for Gifts of Love,” Bill said.
Being optimistic, she plans to get
even more gift cards so she will have
up to 300 available.
Diana Goode, executive director of
Gifts of Love likes the idea, Bill said.
Black likes the multifaceted
aspects of the event.
“I love the idea of women in unison trying to help each other,” she
said. “And I like that we’re thinking
about charity and thinking about
helping women. ... I think it’s wonderful that we’re kind of united together
in this process.”
Bill said she came up with the
idea because she wants to help other
women succeed in this tough economy and, at the same time, help herself
and homeowner and builder Jon Zieky.
“The reality is I have to sell the
house,” Bill said. “I want to help my
client. ... My thought process is it’s a
win-win for everyone.”
The party/opening will take
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Apples also experience a surge in
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54
The Wethersfield
Public Library will
cage up any banned
books it has on
its shelves during
Banned Book Week.
‘A right to read’
Banned Books Week draws attention to the harms of censorship
by Alison Jalbert and Allie Rivera
LIFE staff
To Kill a Mockingbird. The Catcher in
the Rye. The Color Purple. The Bible.
A
t first glance, these
books may not have
much in common
besides their lasting legacy in the literary world, but each of
those books are one of the top ten
most banned or challenged books
in the country.
Each year in September, the
American Library Association,
along with libraries, book stores
and schools across the country,
recognizes Banned Books Week,
celebrating the freedom to read.
The goal is to draw attention to the
harms of censorship by looking at
banned books of the past and rec-
ognizing bans and challenges that
still occur today, and this year’s
Banned Books Week will span from
September 27 through October 3.
The American Library
Association’s Office for Intellectual
Freedom assembles a list of the top
10 most challenged books every
year. The ALA describes a challenge
as “a formal, written complaint,
filed with a library or school
requesting that materials be
removed because of content or
appropriateness.” In 2014, the most
challenged book in the nation out of
311 official challenges was Sherman
Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary
of a Part-Time Indian,” the reasons
for which included accusations that
it is anti-family, culturally insensitive and has depictions of drugs,
alcohol, smoking, gambling and
bullying, among others.
From 2000 to 2009, 5,099
challenges were reported to the
Office for Intellectual Freedom.
The most common reason for those
challenges was that a work was
“sexually explicit,” with 1,577 filed
as such. Other reasons included
1,291 challenges for “offensive
language,” 989 challenges for
materials deemed “unsuited to
age group,” 619 challenged for
“violence,” and 361 challenged for
“homosexuality.”
Of those challenges, the most
common occurrence was in school
libraries, with 1,639 challenges, and
classrooms, with 1,811, however
public libraries in the country also
saw 1,217 formal challenges during
the decade.
For many local libraries,
Banned Books Week is a way to
bring awareness to the issue, with
many of them creating eye-catching
displays.
At the Cora J. Belden Library
in Rocky Hill, reference librarian
Lindsay Riordan and reference/teen
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Patrons of the Simsbury
Public Library will be tasked
to guess which banned book
is inside the brown wrapping
based on the wanted poster
for the book’s author.
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contained inside.
“We get a lot of feedback from
the public on this. It’s
really interesting,” she
said. “[They ask] ‘Why
was this banned?’ It’s
interesting to look over
time to see what was
banned and why it was
banned. Often, it can be sex,
profanity or racism.”
At the Simsbury Public
Library, director Lisa Karim
said they are planning two displays this year. Since this year’s
Banned Books Week focuses on
YA books, teen services librarian
Sara Ray will have a voting booth
available all week for teens to vote
for their favorite banned book.
Susan Ray, head of adult
services, will wrap commonly
banned books in brown paper,
because “in the old days, dirty
books came in a brown
wrapper.”
Pictures of the book’s
author will appear on a
wanted poster, explaining
the reasons why a book
has been banned, but won’t
name the title. People then pick up
the book and see if they’ve read it.
Since the Bible is one of the most
commonly banned books,
Ray said there will be a wanted
poster for God.
“We want to bring to people’s
attention that anything can be
banned, even Jodi Picoult,” she said.
“We have a poster talking about if
you ban books, you’re
limiting other people’s ideas.
We want to show the importance
that anything can be challenged or
banned.”
Courtesy photos
librarian Mike Murphy said there
are a few displays in the works.
Looking at the ALA’s top 10 most
commonly banned books, Riordan
said they will pull as many of those
titles they can find and put them on
display, marketing them in an interesting way, such as using police
caution tape.
They are also starting an
Instagram campaign, encouraging
people reading banned books to
take a mug shot selfie. Riordan said
they will create a hashtag to track
all of the pictures people post.
For the teens, Murphy will be
holding a shredded book contest.
He will take a book that was
returned to the library in a condition unfit to be re-shelved and
shred it. The teens will have to
guess what sort of book is in there.
“It goes well with the banned
books theme – [it’s like it’s a]
banned book that was shredded,”
he said.
Shortly after Banned Books
Week, Riordan has a book discussion on Harper Lee’s novels scheduled for October 15. “To Kill a
Mockingbird” is one of the top
four classic books banned, and
a screening of the film adaptation is
planned for October 16.
“A professor from Central
Connecticut State University, an
expert on YA literature, will be
talking about Harper Lee, ‘To Kill a
Mockingbird’ and the controversy
surrounding the publication of her
new book,” Riordan explained.
Wethersfield Public Library
director Brook Berry said she
and her staff are working on a
display of a dog cage wrapped in
caution tape, with banned books
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Serving the area since 2002
56
Simsbury is the only area
library to receive an official challenge. To do so, a patron must fill
out a Request for Library
Materials Reconsideration form.
Karim said two years ago, a form
was submitted for J.K. Rowling’s
“The Casual Vacancy.” In her
response to the reconsideration
form, she explained that the book
received starred reviews in juried
library journals.
“It was well-reviewed, not only
for the topic, but for the writing,”
she said.
Glenn Grube, director of the
Avon Free Public Library, said in
the three years he’s been at the
library, there has never been a
formal challenge, although
there were two occasions where
a staff member was approached
by a patron.
“[The staff] told them about
the process and the form. We
never got a completed form,”
he said, positing that just letting
their concern be heard may have
satisfied the patron.
Riordan said people have
hypothetically asked her questions
about certain books, but there is
no particular book or circumstance that led to any official
action being taken.
In Newington, Lucy Robbins
Welles Library director Lisa
Masten said there have been
two circumstances in which
patrons have filled out the
reconsideration of materials form. One was a teen
book that a parent
didn’t find appropriate for their teenage
child to read, and
the
other
was a
fiction
book in
the
romance genre that someone
thought was risqué.
“Based on [the form], we get
back to them and talk about it. We
give them reasons as to why we
purchased it in the first place,”
Masten said. “They talk to the per-
son who
bought
the book
[for the
library]
and we
pull up
book reviews.”
Barbara Bailey, director of the
Welles Turner Memorial Library in
Glastonbury, said there have been
a couple of instances where a book
was challenged, primarily children’s books on sex education.
“The person went through
and suggested particular titles [to
purchase]. We bumped one book
to up to the teen section and
equalizer for the democratic society. It celebrates freedom of speech.
Some people are shocked by what’s
on our display,” Bailey said.
Riordan said, as public librarians, their priority is to provide
open access to information,
whether that is via the Internet
or specific book titles.
It’s important to recognize,
“In a public library,
we’re trying to serve the
whole community, and the
community is perhaps
more diverse than people
may realize. Certain things
may not be for everyone’s
particular liking. ‘Fifty
Shades of Grey’ is not
for everyone.”
–Brook Berry
bought the other book,” she said.
Berry said patrons might
question why something is shelved
in a certain section.
“Oftentimes, when people are
questioning it, I like to think
it’s being very
well-intentioned,
but we serve the entire community, not just a particular person’s perspective.”
All agree that Banned Books
Week is important for the library
industry to acknowledge. Ray said
if everybody had something to say,
no library would have a book in it.
“Libraries have been the great
Grube said, that even in a country
like the United States where there
is a First Amendment, one of the
most important things
in the
country is
free access to information in all formats and all opinions, sometimes offensive or inappropriate.
“[We’re] drawing the public’s
attention to the fact that sometimes people don’t want a viewpoint in a place like a library
where all viewpoints should be
represented. Our policy is we
support all viewpoints. There
may be books I wouldn’t read,
but it’s important they’re available,”
he said.
Berry said people who try to
get a book banned are limiting
others to what they can read,
see or hear.
“They try to impose their values on others,” she said. “In a public library, we’re trying to serve the
whole community, and the community is perhaps more diverse
than people may realize. Certain
things may not be for everyone’s
particular liking. ‘Fifty Shades of
Grey’ is not for everyone.”
Murphy said the Cora J.
Belden Library tends to have a
“customer first” attitude and
approach.
“We do try to be sensitive to
when someone comes to us with a
complaint or any type of issue we
see,” he said. “At the same time, we
try to make people realize there is
a diverse community. There are
different views on what is acceptable and what is not. It’s not our
prerogative as librarians to tell
people what they can and can’t
read.”
Masten
said Banned Books Week is
a way to let people know attempted censorship is still a concern.
“It’s important to let people
know it’s still going on and give
them examples of some of the
titles,” she said. “We’re making
people aware that we support
their right to read what they
want to read. That’s the
passion that most librarians
have.” WHL
Alicia B. Smith contributed
to this story.
57
A lifelong second home
Martha Church takes up helm of the West Hartford library
by Abigail Albair
Executive Editor
M
artha Church won a
contest at the West
Hartford library at the
age of 10 and thereby
won the opportunity to choose a
book to make her own.
The school art department had
on display a chicken wire and tissue
paper swan and held a contest to
name the creature.
“I can remember standing there
with my mom and she was giving me
her suggestions but I went with my
own,” Church recalled.
Her name for the swan was Mrs.
Feathers. For winning the contest,
Church was invited to walk the
entire library with the children’s
librarian and choose a book to be
her prize. Many years later she still
Library Director
Martha Church chats
with Agatha Monahan,
a member of the
reference team and the
collection development
librarian.
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WELCOME TO OUR
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58
Photo by Lynn Woike
Martha Church keeps an office at
the Noah Webster Library but has
spent a great deal of initial time in
her new job traveling to branches
in Elmwood and Bishops Corner.
remembers her selection, “The
Peterkin Papers,” and the fact that the
library purchased Church her own
copy which she still has to this day.
“I don’t even really know why
I picked it,” she said with a smile
indicating the girlhood pride has
not yet faded.
Church was named the new
director of the West Hartford Library
in August and by early September she
sat in her office discussing the various challenges and opportunities she
has found as she settles into the role.
“There is a whole administrative
side. I knew it was there because
we’re a relatively small organization
so I’ve always been on the fringes of
some of the decision making, but now
I’m a little further enmeshed. Building
related and budget related things,
those are probably the biggest learning curves,” she said. “I’m not afraid of
that, it’s all just really exciting.”
For 37 years, Church served in
various capacities at the library.
In that time she has overseen
the local history collection, led
multi-cultural programs, held book
discussions, written grants and
offered computer training, according
to a press release.
The library board unanimously
chose her as the new library director
to replace Pat Holloway, who retired
last year.
Church began as a part-time reference librarian at the library in
January of 1977.
“I’ve just been accumulating
additional responsibilities,” she said
of her 25 years as a part-time employee, followed by more than a decade of
full-time work. “I’ve grown into the
job over a long period of time, just
sort of adding on different elements.”
Church earned her terminal
degree, a master’s degree in library
science, from the University of
Wisconsin, Madison in 1975 and, one
year later, she and her husband
moved back to her hometown of West
Hartford.
She taught English at Kingswood
Oxford School and then began work
in the development office there before
securing her part-time position at the
town’s library.
Soon, a full-time position as a
middle school librarian at KO opened
up and she took the role, intending to
leave the public library.
“I thought I was leaving here.
They even gave me a going away
party and a flower pot that I still
have,” she recalled just after she was
named the new director. “But I never
really left. My supervisor kept calling
me back to substitute.”
Church said she ended her tenure
at KO in 1981 when her children were
born. She worked more regularly at
the West Hartford library after that
until she was hired full time in 2002.
While many of Church’s friends
are now looking to wind down their
careers and enter retirement, she felt
she still had more to do in her field.
“It feels good,” she said. “I wasn’t
ready to be done. I felt like I had more
to give. I don’t know that I will ever
not love the work. I’m really passionate about what public libraries do.
Even when I do eventually retire I will
need to find a little library somewhere that will have me to volunteer.”
As a lifelong West Hartford resident, Church retains many childhood
memories of the library aside from
her swan-naming victory.
She remembers weekly visits to
the library with her mother from
which she’d always emerge with a
large bag of books to devour.
“I don’t think you ever loose that
if you’re a reader: that feeling that you
can wander down those rows and
rows of books and put your hand on
something and have it be the greatest
thing ever at that point in time,” she
said. “They weren’t always classics.
They weren’t wonderful things. I just
remember that experience of being
able to get lost in a story and I still do
that. I can’t fall asleep at night without reading.”
Church is typically reading more
than one book at a time, with different books on hand for different settings. She has what she calls her “popcorn fiction choices,” the books that
are “empty calories but very easy to
swallow,” and engaging nonfiction
pieces “for times when I want to work
a little harder.”
Church arrives at the library each
morning between 8 and 8:30 a.m. for
a day currently filled with meetings
as she learns about the library staff
from a new perspective. While she
has worked alongside the staff for
many years, she believes there is more
for her to learn.
“I want to sit down with each
and every staff member and really
find out from them how they see this
place and how they see themselves
fitting in,” she said. “I think it would
be a mistake for me to assume that,
simply because I’ve been here for so
long and I know most of them, that I
really know what they think about
the library. I want to see if we can
find ways to work together to figure
out where we want to go next and
what some of the bigger, broader
goals and projections should be.”
“We will be doing long-range
planning within the year, but a lot of
things start at home, and this is a
home,” she added. “I need to talk to
the family first.”
With years of work as a reference
librarian under her belt, Church is
having a hard time leaving that
position behind. She plans to keep
a public service schedule within the
library, rotating through positions
that interact with patrons.
“Right now we’re down my
position in the reference department
and I’m keeping some time there,”
59
she said, explaining that connecting
people with information they need
to enrich their lives is what she loves
most about work in a library.
Reference librarians, she said,
are focused on connecting people
with the materials they seek while
wading through a multitude of
sources, a sea that has only broadened over the years as a result of
technology.
“When I started, options would
dead end and we couldn’t find exactly what that person needed, but the
world of computers has put everything at our fingertips and questions
don’t dead end anymore,” she said.
“There is always somewhere else
to look.”
Church still recalls a time
many years ago when a young
woman came to the library seeking
a poem to read at her mother’s
funeral service.
“She was having a lot of emotional stress. It was a difficult period
of time. I was able to go to a shelf
and find her a collection of poetry
that had a subject based arrangement so she could look through
poems about mothers, poems about
death, poems about life and choose
among them,” Church said. “When
she left, she hugged me, and I knew
I made a difference.”
She remembers children who
came to the library lukewarm about
reading in general, but left with
something found for them by the
librarian that truly peaked their
interest.
actually is faster if you have a
really strong person working that
reference desk.”
As Church now looks to longrange planning, she said the things
the staff will always consider are
how to meet the needs of West
Hartford as a diverse community.
Programming in a variety of areas
continues to be a priority, she said,
and elements such as the Author’s
“It’s not a simple statistic of
cardholders as it once was. That
doesn’t tell the whole story.”
-Martha Church
“They go away happy and you
think, ‘That has a real chance for
success,’” she said.
While technology remains a
useful tool and is likely the wave of
the future, that does not make books
at all obsolete, Church said.
“A lot of times there is information online, yes, but it’s amazing to
me how often there is still a book
that does the job better,” she said.
“There are still occasions where it
Shelf that highlights local authors
continue to make the library unique.
She is now encouraging the staff
to move among the three branches
of the library to gain a better understanding of the different needs of
library users in each area of town.
“The tendency can be to exist as
separate islands,” she said. “We need
to remember that we’re a whole staff
and we need to work together and
understand what our colleagues in
the branches experience on a
day-to-day basis.”
With a staff of 25 full-time
employees and 75 part-time employees, the library saw a total attendance
of 510,489, with 481,513 visits to the
library website and 94,436 hours of
computer use by patrons in 2014,
though Church said actual service
numbers are difficult to quantify.
“We’ve had people in the computer classes that are not necessarily
readers, not using the libraries in
more traditional ways, but they’re
here for the class,” she said. “We have
mothers with young children not
necessarily always checking out
large numbers of books, but they are
here attending programs. It’s not a
simple statistic of cardholders as it
once was. That doesn’t tell the whole
story.”
For a building full of details,
records and books spanning the
decades, telling its own tale is
something on which Church hopes
to focus.
“We don’t tell our own story that
well,” she said. “That’s something
we’re looking to do better.” WHL
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60
LIFE
a day in the
10:20 AM
11:00 AM
Photos by Alicia B. Smith
Carol Waxman, children’s services
librarian at the Noah Webster Library
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
T
here are only a few
minutes in her day when
Carol Waxman, the children’s services librarian at
Noah Webster Library, is not holding
a book. She returns books to the
stacks, adds books to a new display,
puts new books on the shelves, helps
patrons check out books and retrieves
books from the drop-off bin.
The few moments in her day when
the 31-year library veteran is not holding a book she is attending to administrative duties, such as checking email
and creating a schedule for upcoming
programs; then it’s back to the books.
Waxman began her career as a first
grade teacher, where, she said, “story
time was the favorite part of our day.”
It was an easy transition when
she came to the library.
Waxman grew up in West
Hartford and graduated from King
Philip Middle School and Conard High
School. She and her husband raised
two children in town and she remains
a resident.
“There are so many things I love,”
she said of her job. “The first is helping
people to find what they need and
always offering a few other suggestions of book titles. I very much enjoy
keeping up with the latest in children’s
literature and ordering books for
the library. It is fun to create a fun
place where families can meet each
other; their children can play and
attend programs.”
The library can almost be
another community center in that
it is a gathering place, a place to find
information and enjoy programs.
The children’s area alone sees
patrons of all ages.
“Families bring children in who
are only a few days old. We have a new
In Be-tween Room for students in the
intermediate grades,” Waxman said.
“Everyone is always welcome.
Grandparents come with their grandchildren, especially when those children are visiting for the holidays.”
Helping Waxman keep the library
such a fun place are staff members
Dee Williams, Kendra Wallace, Judy
Krzyzek and Marie Ann Lund.
Recently Waxman shared a
day with West Hartford LIFE. WHL
1:15 PM
12:40 PM
Waxman jumps in to cover the checkout desk. “This is a transition time,
the library tends to get quiet, we
clean up, go to lunch and get ready
for the afternoon and evening.”
Waxman helps put toys back in their
proper place. “People use the library
not only to get books but to meet
each other, play, socialization for
children and networking for parents.”
Helping a patron find a book, she
said, “I love working everyday.” In
the 31 years she has worked there,
the library has doubled in size.
Waxman shelves a shipment of
new books in the In Be-tween
Room, for 9-12 year olds.
12:30 PM
12:05 AM
At the request of parents, Waxman
puts up a special display of books
that families can read aloud. Earlier
she created a section for ageappropriate books for 3 year olds.
2:00 PM
Before taking lunch Waxman, checks
her email. Throughout much of her
day she is not in her office, but rather
is out on the library floor.
With a renovation underway in the
story room, the library has had to
move a few things around, including
the toy cart that was temporarily
housed in the In Be-tween Room.
5:05 PM
A library fan, Heather Northup, sends
Waxman home with hug. The librarian
will also work from home where she
often reads reviews of new books.
61
Where to
FIND IT
J.René Coffee Roasters
The Green Teahouse
The healthful benefits of tea can be found here including the Dragonwell First Flush, harvested
this past spring. Once reserved only for emperor’s, today it is a popular selection for everyone
who enjoys green tea. Patrons can also opt for the Emperor’s Pu-erha, a tea that is beneficial for
those with high cholesterol. This particular tea includes cinnamon, currants, licorice root, natural plum flavor and chrysanthemum, and is among the most popular teas sold at the teashop.
The Green Teahouse is located at 40 Isham Road and can be reached at 860-232-6666
or thegreenteahouse.com.
Have You Met
ALICE?
When looking for a unique coffee to try at home, this local
coffee roaster has just the thing. Among the selections are
Sumatra Oran Utan, a heavy bodied, earthy coffee with low
acidity. The 328 is a blend of American and African beans
and the Espresso Decaf Classico Italiano is a medium-bodied
coffee with nutty and chocolate undertones. In addition to
these selections the roaster offers an assortment of lattes,
cappuccinos and baked goods to enjoy in their shop.
J. René Coffee Roasters is located at 320 Park Road and
can be reached at 860-461-7858 or jrenecoffee.com. WHL
ALICE stands for
Asset Limited,
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Employed
Meet ALICE – ALICE lives in every Connecticut town. In fact, she may be your family, friends,
neighbors, and colleagues, and represents every race, ethnicity and gender.
ALICE households, or one in three families in our state, earn above the federal poverty line, but
are one life emergency away from slipping below that line. They struggle to pay bills, put food on
the table and make ends meet every day.
You can turn ALICE’s challenges into opportunities for a better life. Be a champion for
working families. Give today to United Way. Your gift matters.
Join the conversation year round!
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62
LIFE
getting to know you
Madonna King,
deputy town clerk
by Alicia B. Smith
Staff Writer
E
xcept for the first
three months of her
life, Madonna King
has always lived
in town.
Today she serves as deputy
town clerk and is certified both
as a town clerk and a municipal
clerk. In June, King celebrated
her seventh year working in the
town clerk’s office.
She took some time to
answer a few questions for West
Hartford LIFE about her work
and her time away from the
busy office.
How did you get into this
line of work?
I started working for the Town
of West Hartford at the
Elmwood Community Center.
After being there for nine years,
I applied for the position of
assistant town clerk. The position intrigued me due to the fact
that the newly appointed Town
Clerk Essie Labrot wanted to
bring technology into the office.
My love; I couldn’t wait and have
been continually looking at ways
to keep the office up to date
with current and efficient
technology.
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What is an average day
like for you?
I don’t think there is an
average day in the clerk’s
office. Some days for almost
two hours straight there will
be a waiting line at the counter.
Other days you will have a
bit of a breather. We have no
average customers and we
serve all residents with all
types of requests.
Most days, the first time
I get a chance to look up it is
time for lunch. As I was going to
lunch the other day I heard one
individual comment to another,
“I always go to the clerk’s office
for everything. If they can’t handle it they know exactly where
to send me.”
What is the most challenging
part of your job?
Trying to help residents understand what we can and cannot
do in our office. Most residents
do not realize that the rules and
fees in our office are set by the
state, not the town, and we do
not have the discretion to
change these rules or reduce
fees when requested.
63
If you weren’t doing this
what would you be doing?
I would be in school. I went to
college and graduate school as
an adult with children. I would like
to go back to school and have all
the time in the world to just focus
on learning something new and
interesting. The only problem
would be deciding what I want
to learn.
What do you love about your job?
The staff. The town clerk’s office
staff is a pleasure to work with.
Everyone works as a team and
always tries to help each other
and the customers the best that
they can.
I also enjoy the autonomy
and diversity this position allows.
I am extremely fortunate that my
supervisor allows me a good
amount of autonomy, which
enables me to develop creative
ways to handle our workload
more efficiently. Every day, however, presents new challenges with a
new question from a resident, a
form we have never seen, a new
procedure from the state or just
simply the copy machine doesn’t
want to do what it is told.
What do people think you do
and how is that different from
what you actually do?
Most people think that all the
clerk’s office handles are dog
licenses. I like to say that we
as anything else in between
including licensing your dog.
What kinds of things do you
like to do on your days off?
I like to spend time walking
“I like to say that we take
you through every major
event in your life. We handle
birth certificates, absentee
ballot applications, marriage
licenses, land records for all
aspects of your property and
death certificates as well as
anything else in between
including licensing your dog.”
–Modonna King
take you through every major
event in your life. We handle birth
certificates, absentee ballot applications, marriage licenses, land
records for all aspects of your property and death certificates as well
Concerned about a loved one’s ability
to live safely at home?
Falling?
Memory loss?
Medication or nutrition?
Isolation?
on the beach and just enjoying
my granddaughter while cooking,
playing or just cuddling on the
couch, watching a movie.
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies change like the
seasons. In the summer when it is
hot I enjoy a good book, but as soon
as autumn arrives I would rather
be out working in the yard or going
for a long walk. Once winter and
the cold hits I love to be in front of
a warm stove making a pie or
homemade bread to go with the
chili. In the spring I am back
outdoors as soon as possible.
What is the best vacation
you’ve ever taken?
Actually the best vacation I ever
had was when I was a child. My
family went to Pennsylvania in the
Amish country. We were lucky
enough to meet a Mennonite family
at the grocery store. It turned out
they rented out rooms. We had a
wonderful dinner and then breakfast with them. When breakfast
was done, one of the family members took us around to the homes
of some of their Amish friends to
see how they worked their farms,
built furniture and basically lived
their lives. I will never forget this
wonderful adventure.
What was the last book you read?
“Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker”
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64
Bad
form
Talking to your kids when
pro athletes break the rules
by Mara Dresner
Staff Writer
E
ver since there have been
sporting events, parents
and children have probably watched them together. It’s not a stretch to
imagine families gathered to watch
the first Olympics in ancient Greece,
and a father turning to his son and
saying, “You see, Euripides, if you
practice hard, someday maybe you,
too, could be a discus champion.”
With the advent of radio and
television, and then cable – lots and
lots of cable, it became easier than
ever to root for our favorite teams
and discover new ones. Today, we
don’t just support teams, we cheer on
favorite players, wear their jerseys,
like them on Facebook and follow
them on Twitter. We’ve forged relationships that were never before possible, so when scandals happen –
think Ray Rice, A-Rod, Deflategate,
Hope Solo, the St. Louis Cardinals’
hacking – the news hits closer to
home.
As hard as it may be for adults to
wrap their heads around these issues,
explaining them to their children is
even more challenging. It’s one thing
to talk about a player being out of the
game due to a torn ACL. Starting a
conversation when a player’s been
bumped for steroid use may not be as
straightforward.
Carolyn Treiss, executive director
at the Permanent Commission on the
Status of Women, and the mother of
two school-aged boys, believes that
sports can be a catalyst for deeper
conversations.
“[I]n my house, yes, we certainly
take these opportunities to talk
about any important cultural issues.
The fact that celebrity athletes are so
removed from our daily lives gives
parents the opportunity to talk about
issues in a non-threatening, less personal way than if the event took place
in the kids’ schools, or the neighborhood or our own families,” said
Treiss, a Glastonbury resident. “Our
family is very involved in athletics
and I’m a firm believer in sports’ abilities to help kids learn cooperation,
teamwork, perseverance and accepting defeat with grace. But I think we
need to acknowledge that athletics
can be one of the ways our society
perpetuates sexist stereotypes.
Children look to their heroes and
often model their behavior, for better
or worse. Young boys, especially, idolize male athletes and so when there
are high-profile cases of violence
against women, they can’t help but
get a message, even if subliminal.
And when institutions like the NFL,
which are male-dominated, do not
take seriously the behavior of their
members, it further reinforces the
message that violence against women
is, on some level, acceptable.”
Last year’s domestic assault case
involving then-Baltimore Ravens’ star
Ray Rice brought the issue to the
forefront when a graphic video was
made public.
Dr. Muhamed Munawar, a child
and adolescent psychiatrist with
Saint Francis Behavioral Health
Group, who has an office in Avon,
believes that these scandals open the
door for parents to have serious conversations with their children.
“For example with the incident of
Ray Rice, a lot of the major networks
were showing what was happening.
You could see the video of how he
dragged his fiancée.”
Parents, he said, should be the
ones to start a conversation with
their children. He suggested beginning by asking an open-ended question, such as “Did you see the news?”
and then referring to the specific
incident.
“Asking in a very neutral manner,
non-judgmental way that’s open to
discussion may be very, very valuable,” Munawar said.
Parents may feel as though by
not talking about these issues, they’re
shielding their children from unpleasant situations, but that approach can
backfire.
“Keeping them out of loop may
lead to suspicion and doubt,”
Munawar warned. “If you hide that
information, it can lead to building
up their own their fear in their head
that’s more problematic than the
actual situation is.”
It also means parents miss opportunities to reinforce their values and
to check in with what’s happening in
their children’s lives – conversations
that may become more challenging
during the teen years, when children
don’t always confide in their parents.
65
“To me, if we look at the particular incident of Ray Rice and how he
was involved in a domestic violence
situation, it’s a springboard to discuss
how the teenager in our home is
doing. Are they experiencing any
threat from their girlfriend or boyfriend?” he said. “Ask the teenager
how she is doing in a relationship.
Does she ever feel threatened?”
These incidents are also an opportunity for parents to learn more about
their child’s belief system.
“The only way to understand the
thought process of the child is to give
it an open stage,” he said, then parents
can help their children process their
feelings, resolve the loss of the athlete’s shattered image, and move on,
finding other role models.
Right and wrong and A-Rod
This year featured the return of
superstar Alex Rodriguez to the New
York Yankees line-up after his suspension for steroids. If you think that
because you have younger kids you
can avoid talking about tough topics,
think again.
Christopher Meyers, director of
athletics and student activities at
Newington High School, said his
6-year-old son, Brennan, asked: “How
come A-Rod wasn’t able to play last
year and he’s able to play this year?”
He welcomed the conversation.
“I think a key piece of athletics is
it’s a microcosm of society, learning
life lessons and character traits. It’s
not necessarily the sports skills that
you take with you; it’s going to be the
life lessons,” said Meyers, who has
taught coaches about sportsmanship
and citizenship. “There are so few
individuals who are able to make a
living off their sport. The key focus
has to be what you are becoming as a
person. When you get a situation
such as Ray Rice, when you get a situation such as A-Rod, you take the
Sean P. Boyle, vice president of
Rocky Hill Little League and the
father of three boys, ages 9 to 15, said
the conversations are ongoing.
“When things come up, whether
it’s a player’s steroid use, whether it’s
cheating, I talk to my kids about it, and
I have since they were young,” he said.
Those conversations, he said,
have led them to remove posters from
their walls of beloved sports figures
after they’ve been found to have
cheated.
One of the challenges is to sepa-
“Children look to their heroes and often
model their behavior, for better or worse.”
–Carolyn Treiss, executive director,
Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
opportunity to talk.”
It’s important to keep it age
appropriate.
“At the younger level, you’re just
talking about making right and
wrong decisions, how it’s ethical to
make the right decision when no
one’s watching,” Meyers said. “My
wife and I aren’t going to get into the
specifics of the Ray Rice situation or
the A-Rod situation. We do take the
opportunity to say that adults sometimes make bad decisions.”
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rate local expectations from what
seems to be acceptable in the big
leagues.
“Before the first pitch is thrown,
parents have to sign a code of conduct; here’s what’s expected of coaches,” he said. “What you see sometimes
in professional sports is not how we
play our game. We’re going to play
our game fair and that’s it.”
They also help their players
understand the proper way to act at
their games and discuss who is a
good role model.
“We point out players who’ve
done it the right way, like Derek Jeter,
and [talk about] always conducting
yourself on and off field in the right
kind of manner,” he said.
Real suffering
Beyond what kids experience directly
from coaches, parents and teachers,
they’re inundated with messages
from the media, and it’s not all positive.
“You’re a follower now; you’re not
just a fan. You can hear what they ate
for breakfast,” Meyers said.
It’s altered the way we relate to
athletes.
“It’s completely changed because
it’s taken down the barrier of a pedestal. Before, a celebrity had no direct
connection with the average person.
They’d be in a magazine; they’d be at
a premiere. Now, we can directly
communicate with those celebrities,”
said David Ryan Polgar, tech ethicist
and digital lifestyle expert from West
Hartford. “It changes the dynamic in
the sense that it allows the child to
get more involved in more of the dirt.”
Meyers worries about his students following the bad example of
others on social media.
“As an athletic department and
as coaches, we make the same statements to our kids. Your action is no
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longer just your action. Your action
is public. Make sure you’re comfortable making it on a much larger
scale,” he said. “You go to a party,
you make a poor choice. A video or
photo can turn viral in a second. You
need to be aware of unintended consequences, of what else can happen.”
Munawar said that the constant
connection does have a benefit.
“With the amount of media coverage we have the ability to see
what’s going on around us in the
world, with Facebook and Twitter
and being so connected to the
Internet, it’s made it very easy for all
of us to communicate. It’s bringing
to light situations that 30, 40 years
ago were more hidden. It’s now harder to hide or for others to run away
from what they have done,” he said.
With familiarity can come a sort
of numbing, and Polgar believes that
parents have a responsibility to help
sensitize their children to the differences between real life and fiction.
“Oftentimes, the way we present
something online – and this is a
struggle – can seem unlike real life.
It seems like a video game or a character. This is a good time to showcase to your children that there’s a
real impact; there’s real suffering
when a real person punches another
person. This isn’t a clip of a movie,”
Polgar said.
Meyers said that some of the
conversations are nuanced.
“Specific to the Ray Rice scenario and the rising support he got
in community, can you support the
idea that he gets to work again? Can
you say, you can’t take an individual’s entire life for one incident, but
you can’t pronounce your support
for that incident? Now you’re fighting that friendship feeling people
have, especially as they follow their
favorite musician or favorite athlete,” he said.
Alex Rodriguez has been an
enormously popular athlete, yet
when he got his 3,000th hit earlier
this year, many thought the accomplishment was tainted.
“How many were when he was
taking steroids? How many were
legitimate?” Boyle said.
Geraldine S. Pearson, a psychiatric APRN with 35 years of experience
working with children and adolescents, agreed that such moments
provide a great jumping-off point.
“I think parents can make the
statements that cheating, steroid
use, un-sportsmanship behavior
[are] wrong. You can know that their
young kids are soaking up these
opinions. With older kids, over the
age of 10 years, you don’t want to
sound like a lecture. The parent
might say, ‘What did you think
about this? Have you ever seen
behavior – on the ball field, the soccer field, the basketball court – that
you thought was wrong?’
“Encourage the dialogue and
allow kids to talk. Encourage them
to talk with their siblings. Everyone
can benefit from these discussions.”
She also believes in having a
family dinner whenever possible.
“For me personally, this is the
point where discussions about drugs,
alcohol, cheating, etc. tended to
come up. I also think some of the
most important conversations occur
when parents are transporting a
child or adolescent to school, to a
practice or a lesson. There is something about the parallel interaction
in the car that encourages sharing,”
Pearson said. Boyle has tried to
instill in his sons and Little League
teams the understanding of the right
way to do things.
“Our thing is the kids have to
have fun, that’s number one. They
have to honor the game, respect their
teammates and the people they’re
playing against,” he said. “We try to
create the atmosphere where it’s not
all about winning, where it’s not
about winning the wrong way … not
trying to bend rules.”
It helps to take the long view.
“The thing I’ve said to my kids
is, ‘Why would you ever put yourself
in a position where your integrity is
in question?’ About Deflategate specifically, or A-Rod, why would you
put yourself in a position that taints
or stains all your hard work?” said
Boyle, who uses such news stories as
conversation starters. “With Tom
Brady, the question is how many
times has he done that. It stains his
entire career, what he’s done in the
past, based on a bad decision.
Whether in sports or work, it doesn’t
matter what it is, there’s no justification in breaking the rules.”
Win or lose, Boyle takes every
opportunity to reinforce a positive
message.
“You achieve success by working
hard and practicing. People who are
going to cheat won’t have the longevity to sustain it. Hard work and dedication are much more sustaining.
You will prevail in the long haul,” he
said. WHL
67-real estate
Real Estate
“NOTES FROM ROBIN…”
HONESTY
The
RESULTS
Residential BRokeRage
Allison Sharlow & Kate Wells
Call Or Email Us Now And We Will
Start Working For You – 860.930.7707
•
GEBRIAN
Welcomes
When You Buy Or Sell With
The Susan Brine Team You Will Get:
Full Coverage • A team working for you
INTEGRITY
Robin
Susan Brine Team
Of William Raveis
Real Estate
[email protected]
•
Just listed - Stunning, impeccable, one-level home. 3 bedrooms,
2.5 baths, central air, 2-car garage. Eye-popping landscaping, near
Elizabeth Park on a cul-de-sac. $399,000.
RealEstateShows.com/1317698.
Dianne Rechel
860-233-3079
Don’t Leave Home Without Me
89 Bainbridge, West Hartford!
Wallpaper gone! Freshly painted! Carpeting gone! Floors refinished!
One of the houses you’ve admired in this popular Morley neighborhood! Beautifully cared for and updated classic colonial with new
kitchen, new windows and redone lower level family room. Enclosed
porch off living room and large deck overlook the charming landscaped yard! Oversize 2 car garage too! Formal living room with
fireplace and built-in bookcases; gorgeous formal dining room and
large welcoming foyer. Large master bedroom with full bath and
dressing room; be sure to show this one to your buyers! $475,000
www.RobinGebrian.com
Allison Sharlow
[email protected]
Kate Wells
[email protected]
Robin Gebrian 860-985-7807
[email protected] | VM: 860-493-9117
36 LaSalle Road, West Hartford, CT
860-231-2600
68
LIFE
west hartford
540 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070
860-651-4700
Read our publication online at
TurleyCT.com
KEITH TURLEY, Publisher
EDITORIAL
Abigail Albair, Executive Editor
[email protected]
Lynn Woike, Editor
Alison Jalbert, Assistant Editor
STAFF WRITERS
Alicia B. Smith, Allie Rivera, Mara Dresner,
David Heuschkel, Ted Glanzer,
Sloan Brewster
ADVERTISING SALES
Melissa Friedman, Advertising Director
[email protected], 860-978-1345
Lisa Oster-Zippin
[email protected]
PAGE DESIGNERS
Daniel Kornegay, Patricia Stenbeck,
Robert Sirois
GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT
Barbara Ouellette, Production Manager
[email protected], 860-264-5523
Maureen LaBier, Production Assistant
Corley Fleming, Cynthia Martel,
Kathy Kokoszka, Mary Grimes
CIRCULATION
For circulation issues, please call 860-651-4700
FOLLOW US ON
published by
Writer’s block
Where stories come from
by Lynn Woike
Editor
P
ress releases. Phone calls. Events.
Facebook posts. Editorial staff
meetings. Readers. Observation.
All these generate ideas for articles
appearing on these pages.
For instance, this month there is a story
about the Halloween house on North Main
Street. Like thousands of others, I have
admired the annual display and was eager
to learn more.
The piece about Hosmer’s Dam was
prompted by a sentence in a reference book
used to research a story several months ago.
We learned about Leesa Philippon
winning the Americanism Award from a
press release. While the release would be
re-written to appear as a Buzz item in our sister paper, the weekly West Hartford Press, we
wanted to go deeper; here we have the time
and space that allowed Alicia Smith to write
about Philippon’s military service and of her
family and her volunteer work. A press
release also prompted the story about the
Presidents’ College.
The story on banned books was an idea
proposed by a co-worker at a staff meeting.
Allie Rivera had read a Facebook post from a
teacher friend who liked a book but knew she
wouldn’t be allowed to use it in her classroom.
That got Allie thinking about banned books.
When she learned Banned Books Week was
approaching, it was serendipitous. The idea for the story in the August edition about mothers who sign with babies also
came from a Facebook post. I was curious and
figured if I was interested in learning more,
readers might be, too.
The idea for the Sunset Farm article
appearing last month began with an interview I did last year for the Buena Vista story.
Neil Rosoff happened to mention Sunset Farm
and a book that was written about it. On my
next trip to the library, I checked out “History
of Sunset Farm 1867-1993” and began reading.
A photo shoot for another story introduced
me to Mary Donahue from the historical society who gave me two leads for Sunset Farm –
one of whom turned out to be someone I
knew. Reconnecting with Connie Robinson
led me to Richard Hughes who had just
donated a series of vintage maps to the historical society. I continued to gather names,
conduct interviews and re-read portions of
the book. Later, walking Sunset Farm with
Connie, I got a better sense of how everything
unfolded and how special it was. The more
she spoke about Mims Butterworth, the more
I knew I needed to meet her. It wasn’t until I
the hour I spent with Mims that everything
fell into place – more than eight months after
the idea hatched.
As this issue went into production,
we planned the next. Ideas were discussed,
selected and assigned. By the time you read
this, we’re already working on November’s
issue, with an eye on December and January.
That’s one reason we don’t cover breaking
news in LIFE.
If you see it on the local evening news or
in a daily paper, it will most likely be covered
in the Press. That goes for meetings, sports,
wedding announcements and calendar items.
Each month we aim to write 20 features.
They are not defined by subject matter, but
rather by the style in which they are written.
Where news stories give all the pertinent
information in the first paragraph, the lede of
a feature story can be an anecdote, description or quote. Its tone is more leisurely, it’s
generally longer and there are likely to
be multiple photos.
We are always open to suggestions
from readers.
Is a group you belong to marking a major
milestone? Do you know someone with an
extreme hobby or remarkable talent? What
are you and your neighbors talking about? Is
an exciting trend gaining momentum here?
Do you want to know a backstory? Are you
curious about something that happened centuries ago?
We created “Alumni LIFE” to tell you
about the successes of some of our graduates.
“LIFE in the kitchen” profiles local chefs. “A
day in the LIFE” lets you see a selection of
activities associated with an individual’s job.
“Getting to know you” introduces you to people you know of but don’t know much about.
Tell us who you’d like us to interview.
I’ll pitch your suggestions and ideas at
our editorial meetings and hit as many
as possible.
You can also let us know your thoughts
about what you read here by writing a letter
to the editor.
My email address is [email protected].
My phone is 860-264-5657.
I hope to hear from you. WHL
69
CLASSIFIEDS
Avon • Canton • Farmington • Glastonbury • Newington • Rocky Hill • Simsbury • West Hartford • Wethersfield
Cleaning Services
Help Wanted
OFFICE OR HOUSE
CLEANER. If you need
your office or house
cleaned, feel free to give
me a call. Free estimates. 860-856-1803.
JOIN THE TOWN
OF ROCKY HILL’S
THRIVING MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE the driving force behind
the Town’s consistent
ranking as one of
Connecticut’s most desirable residential and
business communities.
Competitive compensation and benefits
packages, professional
development and training, and a commitment
to serving the public
through innovation and
excellence in customer service, make the
Town of Rocky Hill an
ideal employer for those
seeking career growth
and opportunities.
Please view our website
for current and anticipated openings in the
following areas, and application instructions:
http://www.rockyhillct.
gov/DeptPages/employment.htm: Mechanical
Inspector, Executive
Assistant to the Town
Manager, Substitute
Library positions, Custodians (Part-Time and
Full-Time), Per-Diem
Mini Bus Driver, Parttime Case Manager
(duties do not include
counseling). The Town
of Rocky Hill is an
EEO/AA employer and
complies with the ADA.
ADA’S HOUSE
CLEANING – Quality
personal service. Weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Specializing in help to
clean before closing/
moving or one time
cleaning. In business
since 2000. Call 860521-3823 or 860-9446541. Lic & insured
#1110413.
HOUSECLEANING
Do you want your
house cleaned? I have
good prices, good
references, and free
estimates! Please call
Prisscila 860-680-0777.
Help Wanted
GOOD ATTITUDES
REWARDED. MERRY
MAIDS NOW HIRING full time or part
time. Must be able to
work Monday-Friday
from 8am-5pm. No
nights, holidays or
weekends. Must have
own car, driver’s license
and insurance. Please
call 860-563-8367 to set
up an interview.
Help Wanted
FASHION MERCHANDISER/CUSTOMER SERVICE
Do you have an eye
for fashion? Are you
talented, energetic,
and love dealing with
people? Consignment
Originals with 4 stores
and 32 years in business
is opening a location in
Avon, CT. We are looking for the right people
to staff our new location in Avon!. Salary
negotiable depending
on experience. Must
have minimum 1 year
Retail/Merchandising
experience. Please send
resume to: jleathe@
consignit.com
BENEDICT OVERHEAD DOOR. Is your
one stop for all garage
door problems. CT HIC
#0621772.
Call 860-828-2951.
Houses
M.G. PAINTING. Interior, Exterior. Sheetrock
repair, water damaged
ceilings, wallpaper,
remodeling, etc. Power
washing. Insured,
Lic#573188. Call 860657-4623.
I BUY HOUSES AS-IS.
CASH. Call today
860-674-9498 or Email:
john@boucherbuilding.
com CT. REG. # 530518
Services
BATHROOM REFINISHING. Tub and
Shower Replacement
-economical to custom.
Do the job right - replace - don’t cover up.
Toilets, sinks and vanities as well. Reasonable,
licensed and insured.
Charles Peterson 860839-0246.
CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM
Classified Ads: $40 for up to 20 words, 30¢ each additional word
Help Wanted Ads: $70 for up to 20 words, 60¢ each additional word
Classified Ads run monthly in all 9 of our local publications. If ordering by
mail, please make checks out to LIFE Publications or provide your Credit Card
information. PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY DEADLINE OR YOUR AD WILL
NOT RUN. We accept Mastercard, Visa and American Express.
Name ( PRINT)
AD TEXT
Company:
Address:
Phone:
Check or Card #
Exp Date
No. of Months to run:
Security Code
Services
3 WAYS TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD!
Call: 860-264-5656
Email: [email protected]
Mail: TurleyCT
Attn: LIFE Classifieds
PO Box 497
Simsbury, CT 06070
CHS CARPENTRY.
Kitchen & Bathroom
full remodeling, windows, doors, decks,
porches, cabinets,
installation, paint,
custom tile installation, drywalls, siding,
rooing, floors & trim
work. Fully licensed
& insured. References
available. Reg.#612982
Call 860-803-5535 or
email chscarpentry@
live.com
CHIMNEY CHAMPS.
Home of the $99
chimney sweep with
full safety inspection.
New construction, rebuilding, repairs, caps,
chimney liners, water
proofing. Call today
860-594-8607. www.
chimneychamps.com
K&D PAINTING.
Interior, Exterior. Power
washing, water and
fire damage, painting, aluminum and
wood siding, carpentry work, wall paper
removal. Fully insured,
HIC#0674321. Senior
discount, low prices.
Call Kris, 860-4109989.
Z-THE HANDYMAN,
LLC HOME IMPROVEMENT. Interior. Exterior. Painting,
flooring, decks, power
washing, vinyl siding,
roofing, etc. Don’t pay
high prices, Call 860690-2855. Ask for John.
Licensed & Insured.
Services
INDUSTRIAL PRESSURE WASHERS,
LLC. I repair all major
brands of Pressure/
Power Washers. I sellLANDA, MiTM and
PRESSURE-PRO and
will accept yours as
a Trade In. I also sell
chemicals/detergents,
pumps/pump parts,
hoses, guns, wands,
undercarriage and
Surface Cleaners and
etc. I offer rental options of both Hot and
Cold water machines. I
also offer pick-up and
delivery service. VISA,
MC, Am EX accepted.
Call or text Rick:
860-608-6153.
ANDY WOTTON
PLUMBING & HEATING, LLC 860-8338153. We offer honest
plumbing at a reasonable price. Estimates
are always given before
any work is done. From
snaking your main
drain to water heaters
and boilers, faucets and
leaky pipes - WE DO IT
ALL. Remember with
Andy Wotton Plumbing, it’s not done until
you say it is. Call today
860-833-8153. Licensed
and insured P10282605
S1 0402048.
TREE REMOVAL SPECIAL SAVE 10%. Free
Estimate. Also stumps,
chipping, etc. Licensed/
Insured. 860-621-0008.
DAVINO ANTIQUE
CLOCKS - Repair and
maintenance services
for antique and vintage
clocks. Timely and
reasonable. House calls
available. Call Steve
860-529-2138
PIANO TUNING
AND REPAIRS by
Hartt School of Music
trained tuner. Piano
cleaning and climate
control also available.
Contact Ted Williams
860-228-0309.
Services
PROTECT YOUR
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. Patents,
trademarks etc. Call
Ted Paulding. No longer representing the big
guys. Now helping the
little guys become a big
guy. 860-474-5181.
PSYCHOTHERAPY.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR to help individual
adults with anxiety,
depression, stress, trauma. Reclaim your life
with guidance from a
caring professional. Call
860-214-7321 or Email
[email protected]. To
learn more, visit www.
carolinejestin.com
LIVE BY THE SUN
FEEL BY THE MOON.
Energy work/health and
wellness. Offering Reiki
therapy and Integrative
energy therapy at my
office in Farmington.
Email: gina_2uconn@
yahoo.com or call
860-716-5318. www.
live bythesunfeelbythemoon.massageplanet.com
KROEGER LAW
Debt Counseling and
Solutions Personal
Injury/Insurance Law.
Caring and Compassionate attorney with
30 years experience will
provide free consultation. Call 860-282-0216
Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous
can help you. Take
back your life. Phone:
855-2-CALL-GA
855-222-5542 to speak
with someone. Gamblers Anonymous is a
non-profit fellowship of
men and women who
share their experience,
strength and hope with
each other that they
may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from
a gambling problem.
www.gamblersanonymous.org.
70
BY MARK DIXON
WFSB METEOROLOGIST [AMS]
Oh, October!
T
he 10th month of the
year here in Connecticut
is one that typically conjures up visions of apple
picking and beautiful fall foliage…
but as we all know, October can
be one of extremes, too.
Take for instance, the temperature variation. The hottest
temperature recorded for the
month has been 91 degrees (in
both 1927 and 1963); conversely,
the coldest temperature was
17 degrees (1978) for the 31 day
period.
The first frost happens in
the middle of the month for the
Greater Hartford Area and the
earliest recorded measureable
snow at Windsor Locks (where
the official records are kept) is
on the 10th from 1979.
While we can often enjoy
spectacular autumn weather, with
cooler nights and pleasant afternoons… it can also be rather turbulent. It was in this month, in
1979 on the 3rd, that an EF4 tornado hit Windsor Locks. More
recently, in 2011, it was Winter
Storm Alfred that led to record
power outages and brought
Halloween to a halt for many.
Ironically, it was one year later
to the day that Superstorm Sandy
moved in, causing the 2nd most
power outages.
Here’s to hoping this October
is a quieter one; and on a sidebar,
good luck to all of the runners
participating in this year’s
Hartford Full/Half Marathon
and 5k happening Columbus
Day Weekend! WHL
71
Avon Old Farms Hotel
Let the natural beauty of the
outdoors enhance your style
Make a unique statement for those
“times of your life” moments
Beautiful gardens and landscaping
offer endless photo opportunities
Garden gazebo and three-story lobby for
romantic ceremony settings
Personal attention with
on-site coordinator
Flawless detail…
one wedding at a time
Classic Hotels of Connecticut • Avon Old Farms Hotel • 279 Avon Mountain Road • Avon, CT 06001
860.269.0236 • AvonOldFarmsHotel.com • [email protected] • Facebook.com/AvonHotel
THE SIMSBURY INN
Elegant Weddings
Exquisite Cuisine
Impeccable Service
Sweeping Lawns and
Seasonal Gardens
for Photos
Renowned Expertise
in Planning &
Customizing
Your Special Event
Classic Hotels of Connecticut • The Simsbury Inn • 397 Hopmeadow St. • Simsbury, CT 06070
860.651.5700 • SimsburyInn.com • Facebook.com/SimsburyInn • [email protected]
72
WEST HARTFORD Quick occupancy! Grand & beautiful home
w/many updates & move-in ready! Updated kit w/DCS oven, cherry
cabs, Sub-Zero, pantry, wetbar & opens to FR w/fpl & private patio!
So much more – call Penny for your private showing! $975,000
WEST HARTFORD NEW EXCLUSIVE! New construction by Sard
Custom Homes LLC! Ten-Lot subdiv w/quiet culdesac & open spaces!
Close to WH Ctr & EZ access to highways! Call Penny to set up appt w/
Sard to build your dreamhome! Great designs for today’s living! $749,900
BURLINGTON Stunning, custom built 5,500 Sq. Ft,
5BR, 4.3BA, sits on 5+ acres w/1,300 Sq.Ft. attached first
floor in law! Chef’s kitchen, 4-car garage, Addl 1,000+ Sq.
Ft in fully finished, heated lower level & 20kw generator!
WEST HARTFORD Custom ranch located in
The Hartford Golf Club neighborhood. Situated
beautifully on the lot to allow for privacy and terrific outdoor space. $499,900
WEST HARTFORD First floor family room,
CAIR, new roof, new furnace and hardwood
floors throughout. Over 1/2 acre, private level lot.
Rare find in West Hartford $455,000
WEST HARTFORD Surprisingly roomy home with updating
throughout located on this neighborhood street in the heart of the popular Morley district! Huge family room with cathedral ceiling and gas fireplace plus all new kitchen with granite and 2 new full baths! $ 449,900
WEST HARTFORD Located in the popular high farms neighborhood on a cul de sac! Classic 4 bedroom colonial with new
granite kitchen with garden window; a large bright family room
with skylights and a fireplace, which opens to a deck and the expansive level yard! Master bedroom bath, and updated main bath,
plus a nicely finished rec room in the basement! $429,900
WEST HARTFORD New siding, new roof,
professionally landscaped. Updated kitchen, mudroom & deck. Heated pool, private lot & freshly
painted throughout. $419,900
WEST HARTFORD Handsome 4Bed,2+bath move in
ready residence. Highly desirable location just .25 mile to
BB Square and West Hartford Center. Gas heat, 2 car attached garage, meticulous yard and more $415,900
WEST HARTFORD Steps from WHC. 3BR, 1.5BA colonial. Highlights include a beautifully updated kitchen w/
maple cabinets, granite counter & casual dining space, hdwd
floors, renovated baths, custom closets & CAIR. $399,900
PennyWoodford.com 860.558.4326
Robin Gebrian 860.985.7807
PennyWoodford.com 860.558.4326
Robin Gebrian 860.985.7807
Theresa Maselli 860.944.1313
Mary Rose Sinatro 860.614.4566
D!
SOL
FARMINGTON 4BR/2BA Cape Cod on a quiet street.
Remodeled kit w/wood flrs, SS appliances & gas cook top/
stove. Large eat-in area that is bright & sunny w/sliders
leading to composite deck & private fenced yard. $369,000
Chris Scigulinsky 860.906.7726
WEST HARTFORD Discover the ideal style that comes
with this 4BR/3BA Colonial on a corner lot. Fine residence offering deck and 2 fireplaces. A bright roomy home
providing space for all. Anticipate the best! $359,900
Liz Wells 860.841.7406
WEST HARTFORD Warmly welcoming
3BR/2BA residence on a cul-de-sac site. Some of the
special features of this beautiful home are workshop
and 2 fireplaces. It’s charming & cheery! $339,900
Kara Flanagan 860.796.5532
Tracey Hollerbach 860.305.7993
Michael Antisdale 860.803.6560
ce!
ri
wP
Ne
WEST HARTFORD Amazing new Price! Don’t miss
this gorgeous 4 bedroom Classic Tudor at this great Price.
All the Charm and Character that comes with a 1930’s
Tudor, with location perfect for strolls to Blue Back
Square and the Center. Lower level is partially finished
w/wet bar (potential man cave or crafts room). $339,900
WEST HARTFORD All of the charm of a 1930s Colonial with 4 bedrooms and
2.5 baths. Great location on Asylum Ave between North Quaker and Foxcroft.
Large living and dining rooms perfect for entertaining. Recently updated kitchen
with granite counter tops and island with all new stainless steel appliances. Natural
gas heat and hot water. Newly refinished hardwood floors gleam. Level manicured
backyard and lot with paved patio. Come see this beautiful home. $324,900
Billie Reese 860.841.2457
Billie Reese 860.841.2457
WEST HARTFORD 3BR/1,5BA. Large EIK, Formal
living room w/FP & built-ins. Formal dining room & sun
porch. 3 BR’s upstairs & finished area in LL. 2 car attached
garage. Private back yard. Blue stone patio area. $319,900
EASTFORD Very spacious 4BR/2BA home
with a huge walk-up attic consisting of 1400+
unfinished Sq. Ft. Perfect for a home-based business. Also listed as commercial 318,000
WEST HARTFORD 3-bedroom Colonial. Remodeled kit w/breakfast bar, sealed butcher block counters,
white cabinets, a brand new SS oven & wood floor.
Fully fenced backyard with pool & gardens. $309,000
WEST HARTFORD 3BR/2+BA Cape style home
in Norfeldt school district. The unique layout allows for
flexibilty of living and could allow for in law situation.
1st floor: laundry, family room and library. $295,000
MANCHESTER Quiet cul-de-sac with great proximity to shopping & highway. Lovely EIK with granite and
newer appliances. Completely remodeled full bath w/ high
end finishes. Central Air, new roof, 2 car garage! $239,000
NEW BRITAIN Move right in to this exceptional 2 family near the Berlin line. Both units have
been beautifully remolded floor to ceiling with new
baths, granite kitchens and neutral décor. $177,500
WEST HARTFORD This 3BR/1.5BA ranch features newer windows, open layout with spacious living room & dining
room. Dining room leads to fenced private back yard. Close to
West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square. $184,900
NEWINGTON Very special 2-bedroom tasteful tempter. An ideal lifestyle, with fireplace and
patio. Here is stylish sensibility linked to many
comforts. $179,900
FARMINGTON 1BR/1BA Unit. Remodeled kitchen
w/ granite, SS appliances. Updated full BA w/rain shower
head and updated shower. Family Room with fireplace &
Hardwood flrs. New Deck & new CAIR & Pool. $149,900
MIDDLETOWN End unit Condo in desirable Meadows
complex! Newer kitchen w/ tile & new cabinets. Leads to
formal dining room. 2 decks for entertaining. 2 nice BR’s
with a full bath. Great back yard w/a lot of privacy. $137,900
Linda Bryne 860.481.9728
Joyce Aparicio 860.913.4231
Chris Scigulinsky 860.906.7726
Don Sagarino 860.836.8711
Don Sagarino 860.836.8711
Sylvie Fillion, Mortgage Representative & Senior Loan Officer For Special Financing Opportuinties On Any Of Our Listings, Please Contact Sylvie at 860-570-2520 • NMLS #110720 & CT #5584
West Hartford Office | 36 LaSalle Road | West Hartford, CT 06107 | 860.231.2600
Avon Office | 290 West Main Street | Avon, CT 06001 | 860.674.0300
ColdwellBankerHomes.com
ColdwellBankerHomes.com

October, 2015 - TurleyCT.com

Transcription

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