Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier
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Wed. Nov. 24
Art Exhibit
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road is presenting an exhibit and sale of “Nature’s Canvas: Photography by Nancy L. Barrett” through the end of November. 860-928-4948.
Art Exhibit
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Thompson Public Library will present in its Art @ the Library and & Display Case “Textile Art Show” through Dec. 27. 860-923-9779.
Holiday Nature Store
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road will hold its annual Holiday Nature Store from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Dec. 23. 860-928-4948.
Thur. Nov. 25
Happy Thanksgiving!
Fri. Nov. 26
Artists’ Open Studios
PUTNAM --- The Artists’ Open Studios of Northeast CT will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 26, 27, 28 and Dec. 4 and 5. www.aosct.org.
Walktober Redux
EASTFORD --- The Last Green Valley Natchaug Trail OptOutside Hike will begin at 9 a.m. on the Natchaug Trail. 3+ miles. Moderate to difficult hike. RSVP required: 860-774-3300.
Coats for Kids
BROOKLYN --- The Knights of Columbus will hold Coats for Kids from 9 a.m. to noon at the Brooklyn Recreation Department. Free, new coats for kids from 3-17.
Sat. Nov. 27
Tree Jubilee
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will be presenting its Tree Jubilee and Wreath Extravaganza from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 27 and Nov. 28. Free. Families will have a chance to win and take home a decorated tree or wreath and take photos with Santa. Nonperishable food donations are welcomed. www.TheBradleyPlayhouse.org.
Bluegrass Concert
DAYVILLE -- The Killingly Grange, P of H #112, 801 Hartford Turnpike, will present The Nick Anderson and Shady Creek Band at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6. Refreshments available. $12 at the door. The Bear Minimum is also scheduled to perform. 860-70503643.
Hiking
THOMPSON --- TLGV & NOW will present a Hiking 101 Acorn Adventure from 10 a.m. to noon for ages 4-9 (younger children welcome) and at 1 p.m. for kids 10 and older. Sponsored by Centreville Bank. Free. Register: www.NOWinMotion.org/Events or call: 860-774-3300.
Sun. Nov. 28
Dazzle Light Parade
PUTNAM --- Northeastern Connecticut's 20th annual Holiday Dazzle Light Parade will kick off at 5 p.m. from Grove Street and wind through downtown, ending at the new Putnam Municipal Complex. Rain date is Dec. 5. 860-928-1350.
Sun Spotting
GRISWOLD --- The Last Green Valley will present Night Sky Rangers Geoff and Kim at 1 p.m. at Hopeville State Park to do some sun spotting.
Mon. Nov. 29
Blood Drive
PUTNAM --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Cargill Council 64. 1-800-RED CROSS.
Thur. Dec. 2
Book Signing
POMFRET --- Pam Lefferts, co-founder of Ferncroft Wildlife Rescue and newly minted children’s author, will sign her book From Pouch to Couch: Why Lavender the Opossum Lives in a House at 1 p.m. at the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road. No charge to attend the book signing.
Fri. Dec. 3
Blood Drive
DAYVILLE --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Dayville Fire Company. 1-800-RED CROSS.
‘White Christmas’
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse on Front Street will present “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Musical” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 5, 12 and 19. $25 for adults; $22 for seniors and students. 860-9287887. COVID policy described at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org.
Sat. Dec. 4
Food Drive
POMFRET --- The food drive for TEEG at the Pomfret Community Center, for the upcoming holiday season, will be looking for: Stuffing, butter, celery, gravy, vegetables, potatoes, and onions and also cake mixes, bread mixes, pie filling and crust mixes.
Holiday Fair
POMFRET --- The St. Nicholas Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Christ Church in Pomfret. The snow date is Dec. 11. There is also an online silent auction.
Sun. Dec. 5
Lunch With Santa
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp will host Lunch With Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the camp on Taft Pond Road. Pasta bar, make holiday crafts, cookies, S’mores and more. Photos with Santa. $8 for kids up to age 8. $12 for kids 9 and older for lunch. Photo is $8. Tickets: 860-974-3379, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at the door.
Mon. Dec. 6
Blood Drive
POMFRET CENTER --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Pomfret.
Wed. Dec. 15
Blood Drive
PUTNAM --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 1 to 6 p.m. at Putnam Elks Club. 1-800-RED CROSS.
Sat. Dec. 18
Holiday Cookies
BROOKLYN --- Our Lady of LaSalette Church on Rt. 6 will sell Holiday Cookies by the pound from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the church basement. Choose the cookies you want. Also a basket raffle. COVID compliant.
Sat. Dec. 25
Merry Christmas!
Tues. Dec. 28
Bird Watch
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road will hold a Winter Bird Walk starting at 1 p.m. Register: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. $10 CAS members; $20 nonmembers.
Thur. Dec. 30
Nightingale Hike
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret on Day Road will present “Hike Nightingale Forest South” at 9 a.m. at the Wyndham Land Trust. Register: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. $5 CAS members; $10 nonmembers. 960-928-4948.
Sat. Jan. 1, 2022
Happy New Year!
Sat. Feb. 19
Wee Walk
THOMPSON --- The Wyndham Land Trust’s family-friendly Wee Wander Walk, “Animal Tracking at the Robins Preserve” will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dress appropriately and bring your camera. www.wyndhamlandtrust.org.
Sat. May 7
Wee Walk
POMFRET --- The Wyndham Land Trust’s family-friendly Wee Wander Walk, “Salamander Search at the 3 B’s” will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dress appropriately and bring your camera. www.wyndhamlandtrust.org
Sat. Aug. 6
Wee Walk
POMFRET --- The Wyndham Land Trust’s family-friendly Wee Wander Walk, “Bats at Lyon Preserve” will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Dress appropriately and bring your camera. www.wyndhamlandtrust.org
Sat. Oct. 1
Wee Walk
WOODSTOCK --- The Wyndham Land Trust’s family-friendly Wee Wander Walk, “Leaves and Mushrooms at Rapoport Preserve” will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dress appropriately and bring your camera. www.wyndhamlandtrust.org
Sat. Nov. 5, 2022
Dueling Pianos
PUTNAM --- Day Kimball Healthcare will present Dueling Pianos Presented By Foxwoods Resort Casino at 7 p.m. at Connecticut National Golf Club. Benefit: Day Kimball Healthcare At Home. More Info:daykimball.org/pianos
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caption:
Veterans Program
The Putnam Rotary Club Nov. 9 heard from WWII and Korean conflict veteran Peter “Pete” Trama (third from right). Guests and Rotarians who are veterans included, from left: Guest Mike Rocchetti, Rotarian Jay Wade, Trama, Rotarian Peter Benoit and Rotarian Ron Coderre. Linda Lemmon photo.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Peter “Pete” Trama didn’t know what the Merchant Marines was but he did know that he didn’t want to get drafted into WWII.
In honor of Veterans Day, Trama, 96, gave razor-sharp details of his experiences in the Merchant Marines during WWII and later in the Army draftee in the Korean conflict at the Nov. 9 Putnam Rotary Club meeting.
“At 17 I didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t even know what it (the Merchant Marines) was,” he said.
The Merchant Marines at the time was a branch of the military. They spent their time at sea delivering fuel, military vehicles and more
After joining he found himself in Oyster Bay, N.Y., training. His most vivid memory of training was the tall tower over water. At first sight, he wondered what the tower was for. He’d soon learn: “We had to jump off the tower — practice for jumping off the ships.” The Merchant Marines were the most vulnerable of all the branches of service during the war. The German U2 boats always went after them. All they could do was steer in a zig zag pattern to try to stay safe. “So many men were lost. So many ships (370),” he said.
The Merchant Marines had to continually keep their numbers up, he said. “They were losing men left and right.”
There were no jobs after the war so he said he stayed in the Merchant Marines eight years. In that time he took 73 sea trips total. Each trip was from 60 to 90 days. “Let me tell you,” he said, “that ocean is BIG.”
During the war he saw the world making deliveries from to Australia, the Marshall Islands, Korea and many more places. He went through the Panama Canal 18 times and through the Suez Canal four times.
And he was seasick for eight years. That’s right; he was seasick the whole time he was in the Merchant Marines.
Those were different times at home. He remembers being sandwiched in with other veterans on a train headed toward home. “I had a club sandwich,” he said. When he went to take a bite, as inconspicuously as possible, all eyes riveted to him and his sandwich.
He got off in Putnam — off a very late train — and walked home and dropped into bed. In the morning his sister was surprised to see he was home. “Doors weren’t locked back then.”
After the Merchant Marines, at age 27, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean conflict. “If I’d been 28, I couldn’t have been drafted,” he said. He was sent to Germany as some thought the Soviet Union might try to invade Germany.
Following that, he returned to Putnam and ran Tony’s Package Store and, according to Rotarian and veteran Ronald P. Coderre, was/is a good community servant, doing much for Putnam.
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Graduate
DUDLEY — Five local students graduated from Nichols College May 2, 2020: Thomas DiColella of Putnam, MBA; Alexander Hebert of Thompson, MBA; Joseph Santese of Danielson, MBA; Holly Deparasis of Putnam, master’s in accounting; Elle-Jordyn Goslin of Putnam, master’s in organizational leadership.
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Honored
Ronald P. Coderre, American Legion Past District #4 commander, was recently honored with a Past District Commander pin by District #4 Commander Antonio “Tony” Rendon in a ceremony at Post #21 in Moosup. Coderre is surrounded by the men who served as his District officers from 2019 through 2021. From left: Sgt.-at-Arms Victor Kratz, Historian John Hurchala, Finance Officer Manny Rodrigues Jr. Vice Commander John Barry, Chaplain Perry Caldwell, Adjutant Bill Hocking and Judge Advocate Everett G. Shepard III. Courtesy photo.
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Eyeglasses Recycled
Members of the Putnam Leo’s and Putnam Lions Club recently sorted and packaged more than 2,100 pairs of eyeglasses to be recycled and reused in third world countries. Most of the used eyeglasses have been collected throughout the year primarily through the Lion’s Sight Mobile where the public can drop off the glasses through a specially marked window and at drop off bins at the Putnam Walmart. Glasses will be sent to an International Lion’s center in New Jersey where they will be cleaned and graded before they are sent to Third World countries to help millions of individuals who lack access to basic eye care. Front row, from left: Maya Rodriguez, Brooke Mayo, Ethan Hall, Evan Mailloux, Avery Pedersen, Connor Vassar, Jacob Mailloux, Reagan Boledovic, Jack Rindge, Lea Therrien, Enrico Ong, Amy Beth St. Martin, Mary Ann Pezanko and Greg King. Back: Diego Rodriguez, Carole Peters, Mackenzie Pothier, Brady Devlin, John Peters and Emily St. Martin. Missing from picture: Kayla Morrison. Courtesy photo.
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