THOMPSON — The NOW Touch-A-Truck will return for its second year of family fun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 21 and May 22 at the Thompson Speedway. More than 1,000 people attended the NOW fund-raiser in 2015. Children and adults are invited to attend and interact with a variety of vehicles, including farm and construction equipment. Entry to the event is just $10 per car (cash only) — the fee covers parking and entry for adults and children.

The Touch-A-Truck, which began as an event for families to get up close to oversized vehicles, has become an annual fund-raiser for local non-profit Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW). Focused on youth wellness, NOW’s mission is to serve children ages 3 to 14 in the 10-town area of northeastern Connecticut, providing access to sports, fitness, and nutrition. The 2016 Touch-A-Truck will benefit the organization’s scholarship program and has been generously sponsored by four local dealerships: Cargill Chevrolet, Gates Automotive Group, King Cadillac and GMC, and Putnam Ford. Each dealership will have vehicles on display at the event.

Patrons of the Touch-A-Truck are invited to interact with an impressive display of vehicles from tractors to excavators, dump trucks to bull dozers, fire trucks, race cars, and more. A true community event, many local businesses have joined in, lending their equipment to NOW for the weekend, including: Rawson Materials & Rawson Development, Jolley Concrete, Reynolds Logging, Lavallee Construction, Superior Paving, Hibbard Hill Farm, Cutler Concrete, Dalmik Well Drilling, Whitehouse Transport, Kahn Tractor & Equipment, Dowgiewicz Construction, LaFramboise Well Drilling, Coastal Construction, Donny D Excavation, the Thompson Speedway and more.

The Touch-A-Truck will also see participation from the Putnam Police Department, with their K9 unit and Hummer. Throughout the weekend, the Connecticut State Police will be on hand with a police motorcycle and radar gun. On Sunday only, the State Police will run a Bike Rodeo for children, teaching bicycle safety. Kids aged 6-12 are invited to bring a bike and helmet and must be accompanied by an adult to participate. The event will also see trucks from local fire departments – a favorite for children of all ages.  

May 21, parents and caregivers are invited to bring children to sign up for an Amber Alert I.D. card with the Killingly Brooklyn Rotary Club. Saturday will also feature the RE/MAX hot air balloon, a fun addition to the late spring event. NOW is proud to receive volunteer support from the Natchaug River Young Marines and Boy Scout Troop #25, helping with parking, clean-up, and assisting event attendees.

Adding to the excitement, The Little T Quarter Midget Club will have an exhibition race at the event on Saturday the 21st, with a full day of racing on Sunday the 22nd. The Club promotes racing for kids ages 5-16 years old, teaching sportsmanship, safety and fun. In addition to the races, The Little T’s will have display cars at the event.

In the coming days, NOW will continue to update social media, including the organization’s Facebook page and event page, with additional activities and attractions confirmed for the weekend.  For more information on Northeast Opportunities for Wellness and the Touch-A-Truck, visit: www.nowinmotion.org or call 888-940-4669.

 

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Artists

Lisa Andrews, owner/artist of Artique a paint bar in downtown Putnam,  returned to Westview Health Care Center in Dayville recently for another unique and relaxing painting experience for the residents and patients of Westview. With canvases set upon easels and paint placed upon palettes, Andrews displayed what they would soon be creating: a spring-themed still life of tulips in a mason jar. “We’re very thankful for the creative resources that Lisa and Artique have to offer to our residents,” said David T. Panteleakos. “It’s a wonderful asset to our amazing community.” Courtesy photo.

 

Then

This is the front of Putnam High School in May 2014. Putnam Town Crier file photos.

 

 

& Now

This is the front of the school this month.

 

Hip/knee

program

receives

2 national 

awards 

PUTNAM — Day Kimball Hospital, part of the Day Kimball Healthcare system, received two national distinctions for its hip and knee replacement program. The Joint Commission, a national accreditation organization, has for the third time awarded the hospital its Gold Seal of Approval® for Joint Replacement Certification. And Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has named the hospital a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement® for demonstrating outstanding quality of care and patient results in knee and hip replacement surgeries.

Day Kimball Hospital performs nearly 180 knee and hip replacement surgeries each year. During the course of a patient’s hospital stay and rehabilitation, more than two dozen healthcare providers offer direct care to each patient.

“We’re thrilled to have the excellence of our orthopedic care at Day Kimball Hospital recognized with these national distinctions,” said Robert Smanik, Day Kimball Healthcare president and CEO. “The effort put in by our surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists and many other healthcare professionals across our system to work collaboratively to ensure high standards of care for our patients throughout the entire experience is truly impressive and something we’re very proud of.”

The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. Day Kimball Hospital underwent a rigorous on-site review in early April, during which Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with joint replacement-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed. 

Established in 2002 and awarded for a two-year period, The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification evaluates clinical programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards, effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care, and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities. Day Kimball Hospital first earned the Gold Seal of Approval® for Joint Replacement Certification in 2012.

The Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement® is a national designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery or transplants.

To earn the Blue Distinction Center designation for knee and hip replacement, Day Kimball Hospital was evaluated based on an objective, evidence-based selection criteria established with input from expert physicians and medical organizations. The goal of Blue Distinction is to recognize medical facilities that provide exceptional quality healthcare services while meeting the best industry standards for quality and performance for a specific area of specialty care.

Blue Distinction selection criteria cover a broad range of quality measures and are publicly available on www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction. By earning the designation, Day Kimball Hospital has demonstrated:  An established program, performing required annual volumes for certain procedures; Appropriate experience of its care team; Full facility accreditation by a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-deemed national accreditation organization (The Joint Commission for Day Kimball Hospital); Adherence to evidence-based clinical care measures and guidelines; A comprehensive quality management program

“These achievements really speak to the collaborative effort undertaken by staff from all over the hospital to ensure the best possible care for our patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery,” said Kevin J. Reagan, MD, orthopedic surgeon and physician liaison to the Joint Academy Committee, a group of Northeast Connecticut healthcare providers who meet regularly to improve processes for knee and hip replacement patients.

“From pre-surgery education to the actual procedure to the post-operative care and rehabilitation, everyone involved in our hip and knee replacement program at Day Kimball Hospital consistently goes above and beyond and it shows in the quality of care our patients receive and the results they enjoy,” Reagan said.

 

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