Agricultural society elects Sandness; names new directors

WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Agricultural Society elected officers and named two new directors at its recent annual meeting.
The Society, whose purpose is to oversee and operate the annual Woodstock Fair, re-elected Jeff Sandness of Eastford as president for a fourth consecutive year. Dr. Steven Raheb of Pomfret Center was elected as first vice-president with Emilie Hebert of Woodstock selected as second vice-president. Gail White of Woodstock will continue to serve as treasurer of the Society as will Susan Webster of Woodstock as executive secretary. 
Bradley O’Connor of Ellington was chosen to serve as a member-at-large on the Society’s executive committee along with Tim Walsh (Tolland)
The Society also elevated two life members to its Board of Directors.
Ashley Rabello of Woodstock was elected to a three-year term on the Society’s Board of Directors while Barry O’Connor of Woodstock will fill a one-year term.
Others who will continue to serve on the board of directors for the next three years include Glenn Boies (Woodstock), Hebert; Susan Hibbard (Woodstock); Calvin Neely (Woodstock); Raheb; Walsh and White. 
Sandness thanked Patricia Kelly, a past president who will not be returning to the board of directors, for her long-time service to the Society.
The Woodstock Fair, Always Labor Day weekend, will celebrate its 164th year in 2025.

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The End of a Winter Day
A winter day goes out in a blaze of color in Woodstock. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

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New recreation director: 'We are a team'
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Asked why recreation is important, Putnam’s new Parks and Recreation Department Director James Callaghan said: “It’s one of the biggest foundations of life. And especially when you look at Putnam. It’s not just getting kids moving with youth hoops. It’s not just with getting our older population moving, it’s about social interaction.”
Recreation touches so many parts of life, he said. The events see thousands of people interacting with people. You’re talking with your neighbors – you might find somebody who lives down the street.”
Callaghan was born and raised in Enfield and said he was into sports his entire life. He said he picked his major, sports and leisure management (with a minor in business), based on the love of sports growing up. He played basketball but there was also Little League, hockey, tennis, cross country and more. He said his father was “the biggest sports fan I know.”
His original plan, he said, was to get into the professional sports business side of things and work for a team. He had interned with the Springfield Thunderbirds hockey team when he was in school. But then — COVID -19 — and professional sports shut down. He had some experience with the municipal recreation side of things and thought to himself “this could be an option.” He came to Putnam after a little more than a year as full-time recreation director in Willington.
One accomplishment he’s proud of in Willington was helping set up a scholarship fund in memory of a Willington resident who had passed. He worked with the family and collected $2,000 or $3,000 to help Willington kids who needed financial assistance playing youth basketball. He said he also enjoyed putting together community events. 
“One of my favorite things is seeing the community come together, you know, old and young. Getting everyone in one place and everyone having a good time.” 
He learned there how important volunteers and sponsors are for any event. “I think it’s important to always recognize the people – everybody who is involved. You know, not just the main people everybody thinks of but the volunteers.” And staff deserves a spotlight. He pointed to the high school kids who help make things like camps happen. “They play a huge role in making sure everything goes smoothly.”
He’s connected with town officials and with the police and especially the Parks and Recreation Department staff. He said “They made me feel extremely comfortable.” He found the staff “all extremely competent. They know what’s going on. I think Willie left everybody in a great place – everybody knows what needs to be done.”
He said the “big focus” right now is to make it through the “event lineup we have coming up this year and then I think, once we get through — once I’ve gotten my feet wet — look at expanding after that.”
What would you like the people of Putnam to know about you? “If you see me out at youth hoops or an event on a weekend, stop and say ‘hi,’ just have a conversation. And it doesn’t have to be about parks and rec. It can be about how the Red Sox are doing. How the Bruins are doing. How your kids are doing.” Because I’m here to serve the people of Putnam. 
“The biggest word to describe it is community. People may have their differences but at the end of the day, we all live in Putnam. And to use another sports team analogy, ‘We’re all on the same team.’”
“We want what’s best for each other and we all want the town to succeed.” 

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