TLGV
awards
almost
$60,000
in grants
The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV) awarded almost $60,000 in grants as part of its largest funding program in more than a decade. More than 20 organizations and communities applied for the Community Enrichment Grant Program.
“The diversity and far reaching impacts of all the applications was exciting to see,” said Lois Bruinooge, executive director of TLGV. “We were able to fund eight projects and believe they will benefit not only the immediate communities they are in, but the entire Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor for many years to come.”
Recipients of the grants are:
Windham County 4-H Foundation in Pomfret was awarded $10,000 for dam repairs. The dam is essential to the maintenance of the 4-H Camp pond on its 265-acre property. The pond is the center of activity during summer camps and is integral in the programming of the Ragged Hill Environmental Science programs.
The Town of Thompson was awarded $2,500 for its Garden by The River Project at 65 Main St. The garden is phase one of a long-term vision to reclaim the property and rehabilitate a historic building there. The garden will include installation of a rain garden and a community garden.
The Community Food Collaborative in Sturbridge, Mass. received $6,000 for enhancements to make the community garden more efficient and productive. The garden ensures a food pantry in Southbridge can offer fresh produce to Sturbridge and Southbridge residents in need.
Killingly Intermediate School in Killingly received $3,424.48 for the creation of three nature trails on the school property. The trails will be part of a larger curriculum-based initiative on ecosystems and forest health.
The Town of Mansfield received $7,500 for trail work, including signage, improvements and a trail guide, on its new Simpson-Wood Preserve. The town will be working with Boy Scout Troop 56 and students from EO Smith High School on improvements to the property. The preserve also connects to the town’s 35-acre Mt. Hope Park.
Pierce Care in Brooklyn received $10,000 for a light pollution reduction program at its Creamery Brook Retirement Village. The grant will help fund replacement of fixtures which create significant sky glow on the 12-acre campus.
Union School in Union was awarded $9,747 for its Union United effort on the school grounds. Effort have been underway for several years to make Union School both the educational and community center of Connecticut’s smallest town by population. The grant will fund enhancements to outdoor classroom space, an outdoor gathering space and the creation of a community garden.
The Windham Region Community Council in Willimantic received $10,000 for is Thread City Family Garden Outdoor Classroom. While the council and its GROW Windham effort are the applicants, it is truly the Windham Youth Core, a high school leadership group, that is leading the effort to build outdoor classroom and gathering space at their existing half-acre Thread City Family Garden.
All grants must be matched 1:1 by cash or in-kind contributions. The grants for the eight projects will translate into almost $200,000 of additional benefits to the region.
TLGV offered the grants to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its National Heritage Corridor designation. Projects aimed at conserving, celebrating or enhancing The Last Green Valley’s significant natural and historic resources or promoting economic development such as tourism and outdoor nature-based recreation, were eligible for the funding.
TLGV is a member-supported non-profit charged with stewardship of the unique agricultural, natural, historic and cultural resources of one of the nation’s oldest national heritage corridors, The Last Green Valley.
The Community Enrichment Grants were the last of several funding opportunities offered by TLGV to organizations and municipalities in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. A total of $75,000 in grants were awarded this fall.
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It’s a busy start to the gymnastics season for the Woodstock Academy girls.
The Centaurs had their season opener Jan. 3 in Glastonbury and got off to a successful start with wins over their hosts and Ellington.
Jan. 6 Woodstock Academy hosted the E. Lyme/Waterford/Norwich Tech co-op program and Old Lyme (the meet ended too late for this edition) and will now travel to Stonington Jan. 8 for another meet.
That’s three meets in six days.
“It’s a little different for us. We usually have a December meet to break up the beginning of the season,” said Centaurs coach Kasey Tocchio. “The East Lyme meet will be fun because they will be ready and will remember what they took away from last meet and what they want to fix. Then, we just have to push through Wednesday and recuperate after that.”
The Centaurs did well in the non-league opening event.
“It helps us set goals, our expectations for the year and it’s an eye opener for everybody,” Tocchio said.
Woodstock Academy did a little better than it expected.
The Centaurs finished with a 139.95 total to defeat Glastonbury (129) and Ellington (114.25) pretty handily.
They also eclipsed their own expectations.
Tocchio held a practice meet prior to the opener at Deary’s Gymnastics in Danielson and the team didn’t fare quite as well.
Freshman Taylor Markley made her high school debut in memorable fashion.
Markley finished first in the All-Around with a 36.4 total.
“I knew she would have a good first high school meet. She has always been an awesome competitor and will be that kind of kid that will thrive and love high school gymnastics,” said Tocchio.
Markley finished with identical 9.3 marks to finish first in both the beam and floor competitions. She also took first on the bars with a 9.0 and was tied for first with senior teammate Jenna Davidson in the vault with a 9.0.
“She had a beautiful beam routine,” Tocchio said. “Everything else wasn’t her best. She has the ability to really be up there this year. She is absolutely another (former Woodstock Academy standouts) Grace (Logan) or Paige (Stuyniski). She is just coming back from an injury and has room to improve everywhere.”
The beam is the hardest of the routines in high school gymnastics and the Centaurs have two athletes, Markley and Davidson, who thrive on the apparatus.
Davidson may have lost those teammates who pushed her last year — Ali Crescimanno, Lydia Taft, Abigail Vaida and Maddie Grube — but now has Markley playing that role and the two will be mutually beneficial to one another, providing competition from within.
“I think Taylor is great for Jenna. She helps motivate her in the gym and is a great workout partner. The two of them definitely push each other,” Tocchio said.
Davidson also performed well. The senior finished second in the All-Around with a 35.5.
In addition to tying for first in the vault, Davidson was also second on the floor (8.7); third in the beam (9.1) and tied for third with sophomore teammate Lindsey Gillies (8.7) on the bars.
“She had a good meet, but it’s early and there is room for improvement especially remembering how to compete and keep the nerves down. She did very well especially leading the team as one of the captains,” Tocchio said.
Senior Emily Arters was second in the vault (8.8) and bars (8.8) for the Centaurs.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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caption, page 2:
Sets Up
Chelsea Willis (19) sets up in front of the Warwick, R.I., net in a game vs. the Titans recently. The Woodstock Academy senior scored the only goal in a 1-0 win. Photo by Marc Allard.
Girls’ hockey
takes winning
record into
new year
When Woodstock Academy coach Jeff Boshka went into the locker room at Thayer Arena in Warwick, R.I, following a 1-0 victory over the Titans, he only had to say one thing to his girls’ hockey team.
“I just yelled out to them, ‘Who is 3-2?’ and they just all got up and screamed,” Boshka said. “It’s just exciting to have this season bearing some fruit. We are clearly getting better every game.”
It was the second win over the Warwick Co-Op in a week and third consecutive win for the Centaurs who are now over the .500 mark going into their Central Massachusetts League schedule.
The Centaurs scored the win despite another good effort by Warwick goalie Mary Centracchio who had to make 33 saves.
The only one the freshman did not get to came in the second period.
On a power play, sophomore Sydney Haskins passed to senior Chelsea Willis who poked one into the left hand side of the net to give the Centaurs the only goal of the game.
“We got a lot of shots, but she’s a pretty decent goalie and we also shot it right at her a lot. That’s something we’re going to have to work on,” Boshka said.
Woodstock Academy goalie Marie Gravier had to make only eight saves.
Boshka said that was, in part, due to the defense.
“Our defense was stopping Warwick closer to the blue line and not letting Warwick into our zone. We didn’t let them creep in, which was great. I think we’re gaining more confidence there and as the defense gains more confidence, it gives us different looks and more options when we break out,” Boshka said.
The Centaurs now get to play a pair of Central Massachusetts League teams that they have not faced before.
Woodstock Academy hosted Leominster, Mass., Jan. 6 (the game ended too late for this edition). The Centaurs also host Oakmont High School at 6 p.m. Jan. 11.
”I’m thinking they are right around the level of Auburn (which Woodstock Academy defeated 4-3 in Dec.). The Auburn coach told me that a bunch of us are pretty evenly matched and, as you can see by the scores, everything is really close. We will see,” Boshka said.
The Woodstock Academy coach said it’s just nice to see his team playing well.
“I think we’re seeing some growth and confidence. Our players are gaining understanding of the game coupled with their skill set improving. Put those two things together and a third, our team culture which is really good with a good mindset, a willingness to learn and the desire to play as a team. The theme has been to go out and make plays and if we do, we’re going to have success,” Boshka said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 963-0000.
Dec. 21
Israel Santiago, 32, Putnam Pike, Dayville; operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs, failure to maintain lane.
Dec. 23
Kevin R. Hodges, 56, Wilkinson Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct.
Dec. 27
Julia Adamec, 25, Thayer Street, Putnam; failure to drive in proper lane.
Dec. 29
Ryan Casey, 27, North Road, Putnam; traveling unreasonably fast, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs, carrying a firearm while under the influence.
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