Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier
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caption, page 1:
At the Starting Line
Baskets in hand, three girls are ready for the start of the Roseland Cottage Egg Hunt. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 4, clockwise:
Millie Cates, 5, of Pomfret
At Roseland: One of the Peeps diorama contest winners, "Peeps with the Creeps."
Roseland: Egg-hunt mania.
(baby) At the Putnam Elks egg hunt.
Right: In Pomfret "Not sure about this bunny, Mom."
Mom Kelly Alves with Hudson Smith, left, and Harper Smith of Woodstock.
The Pomfret Recreation Department team with the Easter Bunny. (Courtesy photo)
(sunglasses): From left: Payton Pion, 1 1/2, Corey Pion and Colyn Petre-Pion of Pomfret Center.
(center): The Howell family with the Easter Bunny at the Putnam Elks Lodge 574.
Whew, that Easter Bunny was tired
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
NE CT — By the time the weekend was over, the Easter Bunny must have been exhausted. Lots of kids — and lots of traditions.
“Like I always say: ‘It starts at 1 and it’s over at 1:03’,” said Laurie Masciando, site manager of Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage in Woodstock. The running children is a running joke noted each year by Masciando.
March 30 she estimated there were 300 kids taking part in the egg hunt. There was also the traditional Peeps diorama contest and crafts and the Easter Bunny. She thought there were probably fewer kids this year than last year.
Most egg hunts have a separate area for the little ones — to keep them from getting bulldozed by the eager older kids. The separate area assures that the little ones get to find some eggs.
Once again, she said, the Cottage’s event had help from the Woodstock Academy Honor Society (19 students helped) and from Woodstock Covenant Church which takes care of the big beautiful eggs and the crafts tables.
Masciando estimated Roseland has done this event “well past 25 years. We love to do these community events.”
She added that some of the honor society helpers remember hunting for eggs at Roseland when they were young.
Woodstock Recreation Director Erin Lucas said this is the seventh year for the Peeps diorama contest. There were 10 this year and each artist got a prize.
Pomfret’s Egg Hunt
The Easter Bunny was busy in Pomfret, too.
The Pomfret Recreation Department had an excellent year this year with 150 kids taking part. “I think this is the best year ever,” said newly appointed department Director Carrie Wolfe. “Maybe it’s because it’s the day before Easter” and maybe everyone needed to get out following days of dreary rain.
Wolfe said Pomfret has been having an Easter Egg Hunt since before 1981. It started out as hiding hard-boiled eggs. In about 1990 it switched over to candy-filled eggs.
Those who found silver eggs got a prize basket.
Winners included:
Ages 1-3: Keoni Olszta and Summer Altiery
Ages 4-5: Emmett Poudrette and Millie Cates
Ages 6-7: Matthew Dyer and Asher Lee
Ages 8-10: Kingston Soriero and Aaliyah Winsey
Putnam Lodge of Elks 574
The Easter Bunny greeted eager kids. The numbers were down a bit from last year. About 30 kids raced to get plastic eggs stuffed with candy. The little kids got their own area. The larger eggs were prize winners. Elks officials estimated they have been putting on the egg hunt for about 17 years.
In addition to greeting the kids, the Easter Bunny posed for photos, too.
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caption:
Still In
Mouhamed Dioubate, left, and Hassan Diarra. Photo by Tom Espinosa
And then there were two.
While there are four teams headed to Phoenix for next weekend’s men’s basketball Final Four, Putnam Science Academy has two former players still alive in the NCAA Tournament. But after Saturday, there will be only one.
Mouhamed Dioubate and his Alabama Crimson Tide have the unenviable task of trying to slow down the UConn Huskies and Hassan Diarra. Dioubate won two national championships at PSA, including when he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023, and he graduated as the school’s all-time leading rebounder and third all-time leading scorer. He is a key reserve for Alabama, which is in the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Diarra also won two national titles at PSA (2018 and 2020), where he ranks first in school history in points, assists, and games played, second in steals and 3-pointers made, and fourth in rebounds. The Big East’s Sixth Man of the Year is looking to help UConn become the first back-to-back NCAA champs since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
“It’s crazy to see them both in the Final Four,” PSA coach Tom Espinosa said. “They both came to us from Queens (N.Y.) and the same mentor (Rob Diaz), they both did three years here, they’re both going to be PSA Hall of Famers.
“I’m so excited for them, so happy for them. They’re great young men and they play such an important role on their teams. It’s been fun to watch, and I can’t wait to watch again Saturday night.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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Fox in Church Street Area was Rabid
PUTNAM --- Putnam Police Department officials said that the aggressive fox that was in the area of Church and Cleveland streets and the surrounding area was captured and euthanized tested positive for rabies.
Anyone who had direct contact with the fox should seek immediate medical and/or veterinary attention.
The fox had been aggressive toward people and animals.
March 26 the Northeast District Department of Health (NDDH) notified police that the fox tested positive for rabies.
Anyone who may have been in contact with this fox or had animals in direct contact with this fox should seek immediate medical and/or veterinary attention and let a medical professional evaluate the level of exposure.
The public is reminded to refrain from feeding or approaching any wild animals.
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded animals, including people. It is spread mostly by wild animals, including foxes. The rabies virus lives in the saliva and brain tissue of infected animals. NDDH said rabies can be spread by scratches from infected animals or when infected saliva comes into contact with open wounds, breaks in the skin or mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. NDDH said that it is very important that anyone who may have come into contact with the fox consult with their medical provider on whether they need to seek further medical attention. Also, residents with animals need to make sure the rabies vaccinations are up to date.
Anyone with further questions or concerns may contact NDDH at (860)774-7350.
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Roundup
Centaurs
baseball team
opens on
winning note
Woodstock Academy first-year baseball head coach Connor Elliott gave out two game balls on Saturday after a season-opening, 7-1, win over Northwest Catholic.
He got one back in return.
Eric Mathewson turned in a fine pitching performance and Caleb Simoneau shined both on the field and at the plate for the Centaurs to earn their game ball awards.
The team, however, wanted Elliott to remember his first coaching victory at the varsity level so they also awarded him a game ball following the victory.
“It’s a good feeling to get that first win under the belt and it keeps the pressure off the team, we’re not going to be chasing it. It’s validation for the team as well as they have been putting in a lot of hard work throughout the preseason in less than ideal circumstances. Today was our third time on a field all spring,” Elliott said.
Most of the time prior to Saturday had been spent in a gym.
The baseball field at the Bentley Athletic Complex was soggy from 4 inches of rain in five days. Dodd Stadium’s field was also underwater so they played at Northwest Catholic’s field.
Mathewson wasn’t fazed by the move or the conditions. “There was a consistent 15-to-20 mile per hour wind, it was sunny and not all that warm, especially with the wind. We told him to pound the zone. Throw fastballs and make them hit. It wasn’t ideal weather to hit,” Elliott said.
Out of 81 pitches, 60 were strikes as he allowed just two hits, struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
The Centaurs had only five hits but benefitted from eight walks offered up by Northwest Catholic pitchers. Two of those came early in the bottom of the third inning as Tanner Graham and Mathewson both walked.
After a sacrifice bunt, Simoneau, playing shortstop for the first time at the varsity level, singled to center, driving in both runners.
The sophomore had to step in at shortstop on little notice as Elliott woke up on Saturday to a text from junior Maxx Corradi saying he was ill and was not going to be able to play.
“Caleb stepped in at short. He’s played there so I had total confidence in him but he had not had any reps there this spring. He had worked at third and second base but when I got the text from Maxx, it was a no-brainer. He hit second in between Eric and Brady (Ericson), he was 1-for-2 and his out was a line drive to left field. He’s swinging one of the best bats on the team and he also played a flawless shortstop,” Elliott said.
Keon Lamarche added a run-scoring double and Brady Lecuyer had an RBI groundout, giving the Centaurs a 4-0 lead going into the fourth.
Lecuyer got his second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Mathewson made it 7-0 in the sixth with a two-run double.
Boys’ Lacrosse
Not an easy opener. The boys’ lacrosse team knew it had its hands full on Saturday in its season opener.
The Centaurs hosted perennial ECC power, East Lyme, and the Vikings left little doubt that they will again be the team to beat in Div. I with a 19-2 win over Woodstock.
East Lyme broke out to a 4-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended that to 11-1 by halftime.
Senior Lucas Theriaque had the only goal off a Keegan Covello assist in the first half.
The Vikings added eight more goals in the second half with junior Gunnar Basak getting the only other tally for the Centaurs in the closing seconds.
Jack Campbell scored seven times and added four assists for East Lyme while Gabe Hanney and Drew Sager each finished with five goals and four assists.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
Senior Henry Wotton (3) passes the ball to a teammate as East Lyme’s Gabe Hanney prepares to defend.
David Genay brings the ball downfield Saturday in the Centaurs boys’ lacrosse opener vs. East Lyme. Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
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Pomfret School Honors
POMFRET — Pomfret School students named to the Honors list for the winter term include: Gabriella Nsubuga of U.S. (2026); James Lake of Pomfret (2027); Chloe Woodard of Pomfret (2025); Andrew Burnham of Pomfret Center (2025); Beatrice Foronda of Putnam (2027); Mila Ganias of Woodstock (2025); Gabriela Brown of Woodstock Valley (2026); Adam Tillinghast of Danielson (2024); Shelby Geragotelis of Brooklyn (2026); Delaney Williams of Brooklyn (2026).
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