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Wed. Jan. 15
Ice Cream Social
N. GROSVENORDALE --- The Thompson Recreation department will present an ice cream social for senior citizens at 12:15. Free. Open to residents and nonresidents age 60 or older. Preregister: 860-923-9440

Art Exhibit
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present Landscape Paintings en Plein Air by Muriel Miller through Jan. 30 at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. 928-4948.

Art Exhibit
PUTNAM --- The Pomfret School Art Exhibit "Lindsay Lehmann - Photography by Pomfret Students and Faculty," will run through March 18 at the Silver circle Gallery in downtown Putnam.

Thur. Jan. 16
Bird Walk
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon at Pomfret Center will host a bird walk at 1 p.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

Fri. Jan. 17
Teen Weekend
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond Road will hold a Winter Teen Weekend from 5:30 p.m. Friday until 9 a.m. Sunday. $50. Preregister by Jan. 13: 860-974-3379.

'Little Mermaid'
PUTNAM --- The Complex Performing Arts Centre (Theatre for Kids ... by Kids) on Front Street will present "The Little Mermaid" at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 and 18. 963-7170.

Author Talk
WOODSTOCK --- The Author Series will present a talk and signing by Patrick Mckenna Lynch Smith, author of “Leaving the Life: A True Story of Love, Loss and Gratitude” at 6 p.m. at the  Woodstock Academy, Bracken Memorial Library, 57 Academy Road. Free. All welcome.

Awards Gala
THOMPSON  --- The Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2014 Annual Dinner and Awards Gala starting with cocktails at 5:30 at the Thompson Raceway Restaurant. RSVP by Jan. 9. $100 per couple/ $50 per person. Reservations required.

Sat.  Jan. 18
Bonfire
N. GROSVENORDALE ---The Holiday Bonfire and Fuel for Fire will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center and at Phelp’s Pond on Main Street. Music followed by bonfire, ice skating on the pond (bring skates) with food, dancing and music. Inclement weather: Jan. 19. 860-923-9440.

Owl Walk
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon at Pomfret Center will host an Owl Walk at 5 p.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers. Will be cancelled if inclement weather. 860-928-4948.

Sat. Jan. 25
Ham, Bean Supper
E. WOODSTOCK --- The East Woodstock Congregational Church will hold a ham and bean supper from 5 to 7 p.m. $10 for adults; kids 10 and younger admitted free. Tickets at church office or call 928-2731. Takeout available.

Breakfast Fund-raiser
DAYVILLE --- The Danielson Lions and the Killingly Brooklyn Interfaith Council will hold a Breakfast Fund-raiser for the Community Fuel Fund from 8 to 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish on Hartford Pike. Snow date, Feb. 1. $5 for adults; kids under 6 admitted free.

Soup Dinner
S. WOODSTOCK --- Putnam Lodge #46 will be having a public Soup Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. $7 includes a choice of six different homemade soups along with bread and drinks.  Pay at the door.  

Flea Market
OXFORD, Mass. --- The First Congregational Church on Main Street will hold an Indoor Community Flea Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors accepted - call 508-987-2211.

Sun. Jan. 26
Concert
POMFRET --- Rectory School will present Music at Rectory School Benefit Concert from 2 to 4 p.m. in the P.Y. & Kinmay Tang Performing Arts Center. $15. 860-963-7640.

Visiting Fellow
POMFRET --- The Pomfret School 2014 Schwartz Visiting Fellow presentation by Destin Sandlin will be held at 7 p.m. at the Hard Auditorium. Free. To register: 963-5951.

Fashion Show
WOODSTOCK --- Woodstock Academy Project Graduation presents the 2014 Prom Fashion Show at 1 p.m. in the Woodstock Academy auditorium. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults, and are available at Trink-et Shoppe or day of the event at the door.

Tues. Feb. 4
Open House
POMFRET --- Rectory School will host an admission open house from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

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PUTNAM — Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) has formed a patient advisory council and received advanced certification in primary stroke from The Joint Commission.
The patient advisory council will be chaired by Karen Osbrey, co-owner of WINY 1350 radio station, and Donald St. Onge, DKH senior vice president and chief operating officer. The council will include representatives from the organization’s 13-town service area and will meet quarterly to discuss strategic initiatives impacting the transformation of healthcare service delivery in northeast Connecticut.
 “Now, more than ever, it is important – critical even – that we not allow the current trials of healthcare transformation to distract us from our true purpose.” said Robert E. Smanik, FACHE, DKH president and CEO. “It is the intention of Day Kimball’s leadership to create a process that amplifies the voices of the people we serve as we work diligently, thoughtfully and responsibly to transform how healthcare is delivered without losing sight of why we are here: to work together to keep northeast Connecticut healthy.”
Patient advisory council members will be assembled by invitation during the first quarter of 2014 with the initial quarterly meeting scheduled in April. St. Onge said, “Basically, Day Kimball’s goal for forming this council is to work more closely with patients to better understand how the changes in healthcare are affecting their ability to access care, have a positive experience while receiving care, and ultimately live the healthiest life possible.”
“I am honored to be invited to co-chair the patient advisory council and not surprised that Day Kimball is committed to staying close to the people in our region,” said Osbrey. “The advisory council will provide an opportunity to listen and learn in order to make decisions that work for both the patient and the organization. As long-time residents of Putnam, I know the organization well, but I have a feeling that through this effort I am going to learn a lot more about how healthcare works.”
Recognitions
Chairman of the board Jack Burke said that DKH recently received Advanced Certification for Primary said The Joint Commission, in conjunction with The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Other recent recognitions sited by Burke were from Fazzi & Associates for Day Kimball HomeCare’s Patient Satisfaction Award of Distinction and iVantage Health Analytics’ Healthstrong Award for Excellence in outcomes for patient safety indicators, readmissions and mortality. These awards were received in the last six months.
Annual Report
Burke invited the corporators and guests to visit Day Kimball’s website to review their 2013 annual report, which breaks down the financial results of an $8.5 million dollar loss, along with other service volume and achievement highlights. DKH reported on its 2013 fiscal-year financial results in November, immediately following the completion of its audited financials.
Appointments
Burke said that he is encouraged by the leadership team’s efforts to pull together to mitigate last year’s challenges; to craft a responsible budget for DKH’s fiscal-year 2014 that projects a positive bottom line; and to continue to work collaboratively to monitor and manage the organization’s financial performance over the coming year.
During the business portion of the meeting, Steven Schimmel, MD from Woodstock was newly appointed to the board of directors; and Karen A. Cole of Thompson and Garfield Danenhower, MD of Pomfret were reappointed to the board; and Joseph Adiletta of E  Woodstock was named vice  chair.

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Vet mortgages offered
GROTON — Charter Oak Federal Credit Union will begin offering VA Mortgages to veterans in eastern Connecticut, further expanding its suite of government- insured mortgages to now include FHA, USDA and VA mortgage products.
“Charter Oak’s been the mortgage leader in eastern Connecticut for four years running, thanks to great service, rates and products. And now with these new VA offerings, we’ll be able to fully serve the mortgage needs of veterans,” said Brian A. Orenstein, Charter Oak’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Veterans are an important part of the fabric of eastern Connecticut and an important part of Charter Oak’s membership,” said Orenstein, “so we are very pleased that we can offer a mortgage product that’s tailored to their needs.”
Charter Oak began offering VA Mortgages beginning Jan. 13. VA Mortgages are available to veterans or a widowed spouse of a veteran.

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Dividend
PUTNAM — The Board of Directors of Citizens National Bancorp, Inc. announced the payment of a regular quarterly dividend.  A cash dividend of $0.25 per share has been declared to shareholders of record on Jan. 21, 2014, and payable on Feb. 14, 2014.
Citizens National Bancorp Inc. is a one-bank holding company which owns The Citizens National Bank headquartered in Putnam, with branch offices in Thompson, Woodstock, Killingly, and Brooklyn.  The bank assets are currently in excess of $403 million.