Creating a resilient space
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Putnam’s Poet Laureate Aubrey Waz-Grant started with the theme of the Quiet Corner Pride event, resiliency.
“I thought that was a beautiful place for us to merge my role as poet laureate and my volunteer work on behalf of Quiet Corner Pride.”
Thirteen people attended the poetry writing workshop in the Pomfret Public Library.
She partnered with Quiet Corner Pride to host a Resiliency Poetry Writing Workshop.
The theme of this year's Pride festival is Resiliency.
“Participants will have the opportunity to write their own resiliency poem. Once written, they will have the opportunity to leave the poem with our local artist, Christina Cirillo Schmidt, to be included in the art installation that will be featured at the Pride festival May 2.”
Waz-Grant described what was behind the writing exercise. “I think everybody has had an experience where they’ve had to be resilient, whether they’ve undergone trauma; whether they are queer in a society that doesn’t always accept them. So I wanted to really make a space for people to be able to put that into a poem.”
Christina Schmidt is turning the poems that are submitted into an art installation that will be revealed at Quiet Corner Pride event May 2.
Waz-Grant said she “noodled around” with what she wanted the workshop to be about for about six weeks.
The workshop materials challenged writers to helping the reader or listener feel the experience you are talking about in their body. Using the five senses she urged them to write about a past experience and present life.
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Beautification Day
The annual Putnam Beautification Day was very successful, according to organizer Karen Osbrey. She estimated more than 100 people took part in the townwide cleanup. The trophy winners included Mythlarp, a live fantasy roleplaying group from Pomfret; the Jimenez family, Youth Volunteers; Lucas Barnes, Most Unusual Item (oxygen regulator and two patio umbrellas;) Girl Scout Troop 64007, Most Spirit (they sang while they worked). Mayor Barney Seney said every year gets better. The Putnam Business Association's Andy Morrison (dressed as a hot dog) and Earl Rosebrooks cooked up hot dogs for all the volunteers. Rosebrooks said, "This is town pride." Linda Lemmon photos.
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Town of Putnam
Planning & Zoning Commission
Legal Notice
The Town of Putnam Planning & Zoning Commission held a Special Hybrid Meeting on April 22, 2026, at 7:00 P. M. in Room 112 on the first floor of the Putnam Municipal Complex located at 200 School Street, Putnam, CT. The following was APPROVED.
Docket # 2026-05 Ryan Krohn request for a 2 Lot Re-Subdivision. Property is located at 192 Park Road, Town Assessors Map 45, Lot 25, Zoned Industrial.
Patricia Hedenberg, Chairperson
April 30, 2026
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Successful food drive
The Putnam Rotary Club’s Interact Club had a very successful Food Drive April 22, raising $320 and a lot of nonperishable food to be split between Daily Bread and TEEG. The Interact Club would like to thank WINY radio for allowing us to hold our Food Drive, according to Roberta Rocchetti, Interact advisor. “We are so grateful for the generous monetary donations we received totaling $320 and a lot of nonperishable food from the Putnam Elks Club and other members of the community who dropped off items. We also received five $10 Price Chopper gift cards”. She thanked Interact members Paige Perry, Gabriell Cerasiello and Alyssa Daniels and Rotarians Doug Porter, Jonathan Tremblay, Scott Pempek, Mike and Roberta Rocchetti who volunteered at the food drive. Interactors Paige Perry (left) and Gabriel Cerasiello.
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