Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier
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PUTNAM — After more than 25 years of raising funds to help northeastern Connecticut residents prevent and fight cancer, the founders of the Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) Deary Memorial Cancer Fund are passing the torch to DKH and the wider community. DKH will continue to operate the fund under a new name, the Northeast Connecticut Cancer Fund of DKH, and administrators are looking to the community to continue its historically strong support of the fund through donations and its many associated fund-raising events.
“Through establishment of the fund and these events, the Deary family has played a significant, lasting and meaningful role in the culture of philanthropy and community involvement in our area,” said DKH President and CEO Robert Smanik.
Smanik said it’s important that the community understand that all money donated to the fund will stay with the fund, regardless of whether or not DKH affiliates with a larger system in the future.
“It is a restricted fund and as such will continue to benefit only local patients through DKH, the same as it always has,” Smanik said. “It is also our intention that the many annual fund-raising events that have been developed to support the fund will continue, and we hope that the hearty community support and participation that they have garnered in the past continues and grows as well.”
The Deary family founded the fund in memory of their beloved daughter and sister, Cathy Deary, and later partnered with DKH to put the fund to good use for the local community. Their wish was to ensure that no one in northeastern Connecticut would forego cancer screening because of cost.
More than a quarter-century later, they have achieved that goal and so much more. The fund now provides financial assistance to more than 200 northeastern Connecticut residents in need each year, not just for cancer screening but for treatment as well. Since its inception the fund has raised over $1 million through community donations and multiple annual fund-raising events including the Deary family’s founding event, the Deary Memorial Race, Walk and Ride. The original race was created by local runners Martin Fey and Jimi Gothreau and the former Observer Patriot was the sponsor.
DKH Director of Development Pamela Watts says that although the closing of this chapter is bittersweet for all involved, she feels certain that the community will continue to support the fund and its events as strongly as ever.
“Day Kimball was founded 121 years ago purely on the support of the community,” Watts said. “It has grown and evolved ever since then because of the support of the community, and the efforts of the Deary family are a significant and inspiring chapter in that story.
Along with the Deary family, all of us at Day Kimball are excited to see what the future holds for the growth of the fund and continued community leadership in spearheading its many wonderful fund-raising events.”
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Then
Above: The Abington Congregational Church around 1900. Photo courtesy of the Pomfret Historical Society.
& Now
The church/meetinghouse today, right.
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More state
funding
restored
for DKH
PUTNAM — State Senator Mae Flexer (D-Killingly) and state Representatives Daniel Rovero (D-Killingly) and Christine Rosati-Randall (D-Killingly) last week announced that approximately $1.7 million in hospital funding will be restored to Day Kimball.
This is in addition to the $2.8 million in small hospital funding that was restored to Day Kimball in October. In total, this means that Day Kimball now faces a $1.1 million reduction in state funding during its current fiscal year, down from $5.6 million in cuts that were included in the state budget rescissions made by Governor Malloy in September.
DKH President and CEO Robert Smanik said, “We’re very pleased and relieved that the legislature has restored a significant portion of the cuts to our state funding that were included in the Governor’s rescissions. And we are incredibly thankful to Senator Mae Flexer and Representatives Christine Rosati-Randall and Daniel Rovero for their staunch advocacy of Day Kimball Healthcare during the budget discussions.
"Beginning in February of this year we have seen proposals and actions causing traumatic swings in the funding Day Kimball can expect from the state. With the administration’s budget proposal announced in February, we worked together through the legislative session to restore the funding to then again face cuts in September. Our elected officials on both sides of the aisle fought to restore the cuts.
“Today I am pleased to acknowledge the persistence and success of Senator Flexer, Representative Randall and Rovero, for they have distinguished themselves in their support of community hospitals, especially Day Kimball. Although the final outcome of yesterday’s action still results in the hospital receiving less money this year and next when compared to last year, the significant restoration of funds allows for continued confidence in the financial health of Day Kimball.
“We will need to stay the course on our efforts to reduce expenses and grow our services, but returning stability to our financial picture is crucial to our success. As northeastern Connecticut’s major provider of health care and our region’s largest employer, the stability, strength and growth of Day Kimball is absolutely crucial to the wellbeing of the communities we serve.
“We know the work is not done. The state budget issues persist and the continued cuts to hospitals are not sustainable, yet Senator Flexer and Representatives Randall and Rovero understand this because they’ve taken the time to educate themselves around the extremely complex issues surrounding health care today, and because they know and understand our region so well.
“Their dedication and determination in securing this critical funding means that Day Kimball is in a much better position today to continue providing high quality health care to northeastern Connecticut in the months and years ahead. I look forward to their continued leadership and partnership in that effort.”
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Reflections
A little bit of water and nature, still full of color in Putnam. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Basketball Wrap-up
Titans clash
in battle of
Top 10 Preps
By Ron P. Coderre
The local prep schools, Hyde-Woodstock, Marianapolis, Pomfret and Putnam Science Academy all saw action last week. The preps who begin their seasons earlier than the high schools always manage to squeeze in a goodly number of games prior to the long Christmas break.
Putnam Science Academy, ranked #8 nationally, played a pair of contests, one featuring a battle with another Top 10 National Prep ranked team South Kent. Marianapolis was on the hardwood four times in an eight-day span. The biggest game was an inter-regional battle with the Pomfret School Golden Griffins. Hyde-Woodstock lost its only contest of the week.
On the distaff side of the ledger Marianapolis, Pomfret and Hyde-Woodstock all were in action. Pomfret School split a pair of games as did Marianapolis. The Hyde Wolfpack remains in search of its first victory of the young season.
Mustangs Lose First Game of Young Season
In what was considered an early season litmus test Putnam Science Academy didn’t pass much to the disappointment of its faithful. In a game that was closer than the final score might indicate, the Mustangs lost to South Kent 90-67.
The Mustangs came out of the gate like they were going to run away from the hosts taking an early 9-0 lead. The run would soon dissipate as the half came to a conclusion South Kent was on top 38-33. The second half saw PSA make runs at the winners but could never get over the top.
Mamadou Diarra had a big game posting a double-double with 15 points and 15 boards to go with four steals. Saul Phiri was also in double figures with a team high 19 points. Hamidou Diallo, who had 37 points earlier in the week, was held to a mere three points by the South Kent defense.
The Putnam Science Academy Achilles heel, as it’s been all season, was its poor free throw shooting. The Mustangs were a miserable 17-for-36 from the charity stripe. The offense also suffered from 16 turnovers.
“The free throw line killed us. If we made our free throws it’s a totally different game,” said coach Tom Espinosa.
Earlier in the week the Mustangs entertained Upper Room Christian School of Dix Hills, N.Y., and walked off with a hard fought 104-91 victory. In the early going it appeared that Putnam Science Academy would win in a laugher but URC had different thoughts.
Trailing 59-45 at halftime the New Yorkers surged in the second half pulling to within four points of the Mustangs 78-74 with 7:38 remaining. A big reason for the surge was the fact that PSA big man Diarra fouled out midway through the second half.
Coach Espinosa’s charges pulled together at this juncture led by Diallo who had probably the best game of his career at PSA. Diallo had 18 points at intermission and followed that up with 19 points over the final 20 minutes. He received offensive support from Phiri who had 13 markers and Diarra who posted 10 points before exiting to the pines via the foul route.
Eric Ayala (9 points), Tyere Marshall (8) and Chuba Ohams (6) all provided an offensive spark at key points of the second half. The 8-1 Mustangs placed 10 players in the scorebook in the win.
Pomfret School and Marianapolis renewed their rivalry and it was well worth the price of admission to see the two in action. Pomfret with two consistent halves pulled out the victory by the slim margin of 54-50.
The Golden Griffins placed three players in double figures led by Cam Winston with 15 points. Also in double digits was Christian Wilson with 10 and John Long with 11.
Marianapolis, which is finding it difficult to get in the win column, lost three more games following its defeat at the hands of Pomfret. The Golden Knights were dropped by Notre Dame Prep 68-54 despite a herculean 26 point showing by Joe Del Ricci and 17 points from big Dominique Senat.
In the Blackburn Invitational at Worcester Academy Marianapolis lost a first round game to Proctor Academy 70-51. Del Ricci was once again high scorer for the Knights with 14, while Marley Blommers contributed 10.
The Golden Knights finally got into the Win column with a 74-63 victory over Bradford Christian Academy in the second game of the Blackburn Invitational. The key to the win was a balanced scoring attack in which four players reached double figures. Senat was immense, garnering game high honors with 17 points to go with 14 caroms in a double-double performance. He was joined in double figures by Del Ricci (15), Tyler Burton (13) and Sebastian Ntansah (12). The Knights are 1-5 on the season.
Hyde-Woodstock fell to 0-2 in the young season when it was beaten by St. Thomas More 64-56. The Wolfpack’s Rodney Ray garnered game high honors with 22 points.
Marianapolis Lady Knights Prevail Over Pomfret
Marianapolis and Pomfret, which are physically separated by 10 miles, were much closer on the court as the visiting Lady Knights of Thompson squeaked out a 41-39 win over the host Pomfret Lady Griffins.
Junior Jordan Frye was the big reason for the Marianapolis win as she paced her team with 17 points. She was joined in double figures by University of New Hampshire-bound Caroline Soucy with 10 points. Combined, the Frye-Soucy effort offset a game-high 28-point performance by Pomfret’s Alyzae Davis, who was the lone player to reach double digits for the Griffs.
Pomfret at 1-2 then split a pair of contest, beating the Taft School 63-37 and losing to Loomis Chaffee 60-44. Three players were in double figures in the win over Taft as Olivia Batastini led the way with 25 points followed by Deja Ross with 16 and Davis with 10. Ross posted 20 and Davis 11 in the loss to Loomis Chaffee.
Marianapolis at 3-1 lost its next game, 74-52 to Tilton Academy in a game played in New Hampshire before rebounding with a 70-56 win over St. Andrew’s. Frye once again led the way for the Lady Knights with 18 points, while Soucy added 13 in the Tilton contest. In the victory over St. Andrew’s Nicole Anderson led the scoring parade with 16 points, while the steady Soucy added 13 and Frye had a dozen.
Hyde-Woodstock, which is off to a 0-3 start to the season, lost by 14 points to the Lincoln School in its only game of the week.