Business briefs
Donations
WATERFORD — Charter Oak Federal Credit Union donated $100,000 in emergency food assistance to eastern Connecticut’s food pantries and food centers. Locally donations of $5000 went to: Access Community Action Agency, Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic, Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson, Interfaith Human Services of Putnam-Daily Bread, Project Pin, Inc. in Moosup, TEEG Community Market in N.  Grosvenordale.

Named magistrate
PUTNAM — The Connecticut Judicial Branch has appointed Attorney Kate Cerrone of The Northeast Law Center to serve as Magistrate for the Superior Court Judicial Branch for the 2025 calendar year.She will preside over small claims matters, as well as criminal infractions and violations trials. Magistrates conduct proceedings both in person and through remote technology.

TVCCA gets donation
BOZRAH — The Thames Valley Council for Community Action was awarded $2,000 through Charter Oak Federal Credit Union’s Community Giving Grants Program to support the replacement of the water heater at its Bozrah Commissary/Senior Center.
Grants
JEWETT CITY — The Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation, announced awards totaling $15,000 to local healthcare and social services organizations during the 2024 grant cycle.
Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam received a $1,000 grant towards its annual appeal. The Foundation awarded 12 grants to local social service organizations amounting to $14,000. Five recipients were awarded $1,500 grants: Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) in Jewett City; Ekonk Community Grange #89, Inc. in Brooklyn for the purchase of a new commercial stove; the Town of Plainfield to help continue to provide seniors access to free fitness classes; Griswold Senior Center; Quiet Corner Cares, LLC in Putnam to assist in funding repairs to Kasia’s House, a local addiction recovery home. Six $1,000 grants were also awarded: Stand Up for Animals, Inc. in Westerly; Griswold PRIDE; Northeast Placement Services in South Woodstock to help offer an art program to their clients; Martin House, Inc. in Norwich; Frank Olean Center, Inc. in Westerly; Quiet Corner Veterans Support Coalition in Dayville to assist the placing of wreaths on veterans’ graves on National Wreaths Across America day. A $500 grant was also awarded to Paws Cat Shelter, Inc. in Putnam to help care for the cats at the shelter.

Donation
PUTNAM — The Woman’s Board of Day Kimball Hospital (WBDKH) President Valentine Iamartino recently presented a $25,000 check as part of the Woman’s Board’s $250,000 pledge to support the hospital’s da Vinci robotic surgical system.
, a cutting-edge technology that enhances the precision and outcomes of surgical procedures. With this latest contribution, the Woman’s Board has donated $125,000 toward this commitment.

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Bousquet, et al,  created vibrant legacy
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — At the heart of Wilfred “WillieB” Bousquet’s 37-year career as Park and Recreation director was, “I work for this community. The community was always in my heart.” 
He’s retiring. He hopes to remain on the Memorial Day parade and the Aspinock’s new History Makers program, and Special Olympics. Jimmy Callaghan has already started as the town’s next Parks and Rec director. 
Bousquet recalls one of his first projects was a lighting project at the former Owen Tarr field at the corner of Providence and School streets (now the “front yard” of the Municipal Complex). The culmination of his career was the renaissance of the town’s Veterans Park. “It wasn’t the biggest of my career,” he said, “but I was so proud to be a component of that.” Veterans Park was languishing; “it was a raw mineral and we polished it.”
It was one of just many cooperative ventures, such as the boxcar museum. Bousquet leaves quite a bit of recreation property. He said about 10 years ago he was asked if the town needed more recreation property. He said “It’s time to beautify, take care of what we have.” The renovation of the tennis courts, plus skateboard area should start in late spring. It will include new pickleball courts. The St. Marie Greenhalgh complex will see some reconditioning.
One of the best examples of his creative skills was COVID-19 “pivots.” While other towns just hung out, Putnam recreation didn’t skip a beat. Bousquet was part of coming up with the “Reverse Holiday Dazzle Light Parade.” The town also had a chicken parade, featuring the “good sport” mayor, Barney Seney in a chicken outfit. Bousquet said he had his Santa outfit in a box in his car and he was “going everywhere being Santa.” The After School program sent letters to kids stuck at home. Chocolate bunnies were delivered at Easter time. With the connection with Price Chopper, Putnam Bank and Wheelabrator, a massive sculpture garden was brought around downtown Putnam and Rotary Park and the River Trail. Some of those sculptures remain. Getting out was important at that time, he said. The River Trail “exploded.” 
That time was a creative time, he said, and there were short-term and long-term benefits. One benefit that came out of the COVID lockdown was a deep thought process “What can we do to at least make things tolerable.”
“When challenged,” he said, “I try to think about the community’s best interests.”
He recalls when the bandstand was built in Rotary Park it was like Putnam going into “go mode”. Bousquet said Owen Tarr, friend and Recreation Commission member, turned to him and said “now we’ve got to use it.” There were concerts of every variety, fireworks, beach parties, the Big Ornament (a challenge — until all the lights were finally replaced this year, it went out every time it rained), Santa and other holidays “flying” over Cargill Falls.
The revitalization of Rotary Park, post bandstand, included a new clock, a sign, an irrigation system, a good loam base special grass, trees, and benches — much of it funded by the Putnam Rotary Club in President Marc Archambault’s year (2016-17). Bousquet built bridges. “We were creating a ‘town green,’ so to speak,” he said.
Such a legacy: the Memorial Day Parade, the Holiday Dazzle Light Parade, Wreaths Across America, The Putnam Elks Flag Day event, The Beirut Bombing remembrance, food shares, Santa Lights Up Putnam, all nature of kids’ sports. The St. Marie Greenhalgh complex took nine years and was “another piece of the puzzle.” The transition on to the Municipal Complex led to the creation of a new Tarr Complex near the St. Marie Greenhalgh. The River Fire involved ingenuity from more than one department, but Putnam got it done. 
Most of the projects were collaborative. Bousquet built bridges, involving sponsors, businesses and organizations, such as the Putnam Business Association, and pretty much every town department. “I guess it’s the coach in me. If you have a team you try to have everyone put their hands in the middle and LET’S GO.”
What was most challenging (besides the Big Ornament’s temperament)? Bousquet said the department has seen such growth. There are a lot of things under the umbrella and at times, he said, it felt like there was not enough room under the umbrella. “We are a small town. Not a lot of staff.” Hence the bridge building.
Asked what he’d like to be remembered for he said: “Inventorying my career, there was a lot of connectivity to a lot of things. I’m proud of that connectivity.” 
People now say Putnam is the place to be, thanks in no small part to Bousquet and his teams.

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Prep soccer celebrates 2nd national title

It’s something that Woodstock Academy coach Owen Finberg said never grows old.
A banquet to celebrate a National Prep Soccer championship.
The Woodstock Academy prep soccer team was feted for a second year in a row at the Anya Restaurant in Thompson last week after being named National Champions by prepsoccer.com in December.
“I don’t mind it, it’s a lot of fun,” Finberg said. “There is a level of expectation that brings with it a lot of pressure and you have to enjoy that. Winning is a by-product of doing things the right way and, sometimes, you do things the right way and it doesn’t work out especially in soccer. For it to come together and for us to celebrate as league and national champions is a testament to the group and coaching staff.”
The Centaurs finished with a 14-1-2 overall record and a Prep Premier League championship in addition to the national title.
The night was not only good for the stomachs but also meant some players went home with some hardware to show for their efforts.
Jude Essuman was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.
“It’s a great feeling right now because I was not expecting this. At the beginning of the season, I told myself I was going to do great things to help the team and as a captain, I did my part. I tried to be a good person both on and off the field so that we all helped each other,” Essuman said.
The senior led the team with 13 goals and three assists.
“He had a great season and is a great leader, something that he has grown into. He worked to hold his teammates accountable and holds himself to the standards that we expect. It starts with that example but being a leader is doing so much more than what you are supposed to do,” Finberg said.
Essuman will not be on the Woodstock Academy campus much longer as he will head out to attend Rutgers University in New Jersey where he will play soccer for the Scarlet Knights.
“They’re expecting a lot from me so I’m very prepared to go and get the work done but I’m going to miss Woodstock Academy. I’m going to miss the nice people, teammates and teachers,” Essuman said.
Kevin Christensen and Alvaro Medrano Jr. shared the Golden Gloves honor as both keepers recorded four shutouts for the Centaurs.
“Two great goalies and we’re excited to have Kevin coming back because he played unbelievably well in key moments and has a bright future ahead of him. Alvaro has been an outstanding representative for the team both on and off the field and had another tremendous year for us,” Finberg said.
Jasper Cox received the team’s Most Improved Award.
 “Sometimes, you just have to keep working and trust the process; be in the moment, control what you can control and, eventually, things will work out. It took a little while for Jasper but he really took off last spring and this fall, he was just phenomenal,” Finberg said.
Tommy Broderick was the Prep 2 soccer program’s Golden Boot award recipient as he finished with 15 goals and four assists.
Broderick played three sports in high school in Rye, N.Y. and came to Woodstock as a post-grad to concentrate on soccer.
“He knew that it was probably his best path to playing college athletics and using that to help him get into a great school,” Finberg said.
It worked as Broderick recently committed to play college soccer for Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva. N.Y.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

8752:  Tyler Hoadley Most improved Player: Jasper Cox
8770: Abel Mickey Watson Most Valuable Player: Jude Essuman 
8750: Co- Golden gloves award winner: Kevin Christensen 
8747: Prep 2 Golden Boot Award: Tommy Broderick
(2nd person in photos is Woodstock Academy prep soccer had coach Owen Finberg) Photos by Richard Glemawu/Woodstock Academy.

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