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Woodstock Elementary/Middle
Monday: Baked chicken, squash, fruit. Tuesday: Fish sandwiches, fruit. Wednesday: Bosco cheese sticks, marinara sauce, fruit. Thursday: Hamburg, gravy, corn, fruit. Friday: Pizza, carrot sticks, fruit.
Putnam Elementary/Middle
Monday - Wolf Meal: Beef burgers, fruit sherbet. Tuesday: Chicken and cheese quesadilla, Cuban black bean salad. Wednesday - half day: Baked ziti, meatsauce, vegetables. Thursday: Ham and cheese wraps, pretzels. Friday - elementary: Crunchy chicken drummies. Middle - Crunchy chicken tenders.
Putnam High
Monday: Turkey panini, cucumber and tomato salad. Tuesday: Clipper wraps, Cuban black bean salad. Wednesday - half day: Honey crisp
chicken salad. Thursday: Baked ziti, meatsauce. Friday: - Holiday Feast: Roast turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, warm apple crisp.
Pomfret Community
Monday: Hamburgers or cheeseburgers, carrot snacks, apple slices. Tuesday: American Chop Suey, green beans, fruit and vegetable trays,. Wednesday: Chicken patties on rolls, carrot snacks, fruit. Thursday - 12:30 dismissal: Mr. Fox pizza, pears, cookies. Friday - 12:30 dismissal: Deli turkey sandwiches, carrot snacks, apple slices.

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Town gets $1M
for proposed
library
PUTNAM — The Town of Putnam will receive a $1 million grant for its proposed new library from the Connecticut State Library.  
“This is great news that our town has received this grant, which is the maximum amount from the State Library Commission.  I was very pleased that State Library officials liked the architect’s design and the site,” said George Tsanjoures, chairman of the Library Exploratory Building Committee.  The grant was announced Nov. 25.
The Committee has recommended
to the Board of Selectmen that the town build a new two-story library on Church Street next to the Quinebaug River. The site on Church Street is adjacent to the B’nai Shalom Synagogue and across the street from the Town Hall.
Voter approval of two steps would be needed to move the project forward:
The first step in the process will be to have Putnam voters approve the purchase of the land for municipal purposes for $300,000 at a Dec. 17, referendum. The referendum will be held from noon to 8 p.m. at the two town polling locations. Absentee ballots are available at the Putnam Town Clerk’s office.
If the purchase of the property is approved in December, the Board of Selectmen would schedule another referendum in February to approve the library building project.  The estimated cost of the project is $7.8 million. If voters approve the library project, the town would seek other state assistance funds and a private donation campaign would be started,  Tsanjoures said.

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Wed. Dec. 4
Photo Exhibit
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will host a nature photography contest exhibit and sale, "Nature in Focus," at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road through Jan. 1. 860-928-4948.

Nature Store
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will hold its 10th Annual Holiday Nature Store through Dec. 23  at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to  4 p.m. Sundays. 860-928-4948.

Art Exhibit
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will host a watercolor exhibit and sale, "Flights of Fancy" by David Stumpo at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road through Jan. 1. 860-928-4948.

Thur. Dec. 5
'Girl' Documentary
POMFRET --- Pomfret School will present "Girl Rising," a CNN documentary, at 7 p.m. in the Centennial Academic and Arts Center Auditorium at the school. All welcome. Free.

Fri. Dec. 6
'Christmas Carol'
PUTNAM --- The Complex Performing Arts Center on Front Street will present "A Christmas Carol" at 7 p.m. Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 8 and 15. Cookies and Cocoa with the Cratchits one hour before show time each day, $5 per family.  Tickets: $18 adults; $15 students/seniors.  Reservations: 860-963-7170.

Fish Fry
N. GROSVENORDALE ---The Knights of Columbus Council 2087 will hold a fish fry from noon to 7 p.m. at the hall on Riverside Drive. Prices vary.  860-923-2967.

Sat. Dec. 7
Sugar Plum Fair
BROOKLYN --- The Federated Church on Rt. 6 will hold a Sugar Plum Fair from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Serving breakfast from 7:30 on.

Craft Fair
ASHFORD --- St. Philip Church on Rt. 44 will hold its 29th annual St. Philip's Church Christmas Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Soup and sandwiches available. Santa will appear. Free.

Fund-raiser Dinner
PUTNAM --- The Putnam VFW on Providence Street will present a roasted pork dinner and a band. Dinner is served at 6 and music and dancing to a 17-piece Big Band are from 7 to 11 a.m. $15 donation. Tickets at the post bar, members or at the door.

Outdoor Musical
E. PUTNAM --- The Crossway Church (formerly E. Putnam Community Church) on East Putnam Road will present "A Night in Bethlehem," an outdoor musical, at 6 and at 7 p.m. Free. 860-928-2193.

Sun. Dec. 8
Open House
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond Road will hold an Open House from 2 to 4 p.m. New and old campers, families and friends are welcome to stop by the lodge for crafts, cookies, wagon rides and s’mores.  Free. Collecting dog and cat food and kitty litter at the door to be donated to local animal shelters.

Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present a second Sunday Walk starting at 2 p.m. from the parking lot of the Edwin Way Teale Memorial Sanctuary Trail wood on Kenyon Road. Members free. $3 for nonmembers.  860-928-4948.

Concert
E. WOODSTOCK --- A Christmas Concert featuring the choir, handbells, and organ music will be presented at 4 p.m. in the East  Woodstock Congregational Church.  Freewill offering. Refreshments after concert.  860-928-7449.

Concert
CHEPACHET --- The Carillon Women's Chorus will lead a Christmas musical titled "Silent Night, Joyful Night: The Carols of Northern Europe," at 2:30 p.m. at the Chepachet Baptist Church on Rt. 44. All welcome. Free. A free will offering will be taken as a token of appreciation for the performers.Refreshments.chepachetfreewill.org.

Greens Service
WEBSTER --- The United Church of Christ Federated on Church Street will hold a Hanging of the Greens Service at 9:45 a.m. All welcome.

Concert
PUTNAM --- The Concert Choir of Northeast Connecticut will present "A Boy is Born" at 3 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Putnam, downtown. $15 for adults; $5 for kids 18 and younger. 860-821-0082.

Mon. Dec. 9
Legion Meeting
PUTNAM --- The American Legion, Mayotte Viens, Post 13, Putnam welcomes all veterans who have served honorably during wartime to join them at 7 p.m. at the post on Providence Street.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sat. Dec. 14
Breakfast Fund-raiser
PUTNAM --- The Putnam High School Music Association will present a Benefit ~ Fantasy Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at St. Mary Church. All-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and photo with Fantasy Friends. $7 adults/ $5 for  kids 10 and younger, presale. At door: $10 adults; $8 kids. Tickets at  Putnam Library, Finders Keepers, Bottomless Pit of Treasure or emailing: fadrowskia @putnam.k12.ct.us or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

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PUTNAM — Day Kimball Healthcare posted an $8.5 million operating loss for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
 “At our annual meeting back in January of this year, I cautioned that 2013 was going to be a challenge financially due to the unprecedented cuts in state reimbursements to hospitals,” said Robert E. Smanik, FACHE, DKH president and CEO. “Unfortunately, these cuts hit Day Kimball disproportionately hard.”
DKH total net revenue plus non-operating gains were $135.4 million during fiscal-year 2013 compared to $130.6 million in 2012. However, total expenses for 2013 were $143.9 million, resulting in a $8.5 million loss.
Smanik explained that the loss was due primarily to the following:
As a result of the Connecticut state budget cuts, DKH lost $3.8 million in reimbursements after its new fiscal year had begun, and also lost approximately $500,000 due to federal sequestration.
Reimbursement levels were lower than expected due to a greater volume of government-insured patients, which results in lower reimbursement rates to DKH.
Patient volume in the healthcare system’s inpatient, outpatient and physician services was lower than planned.
DKH experienced higher-than-budgeted expenses related to personnel costs, including health insurance.
“Despite the implementation of an aggressive mitigation plan to cut costs, there wasn’t sufficient time left in the year to experience the level of savings to offset the unprecedented drop in income,” said Smanik. “However, it is important to note that Day Kimball is in a solid cash position and our emergency department renovation project is continuing as planned.”
The DKH mitigation plan, which is ongoing, includes: reducing departmental expenses; restricting hiring of all non-essential positions and changing responsibilities of certain employees; reviewing business practices and engagements for greater efficiencies;  reorganizing some billing and collection efforts; restructuring the DKH employee benefit plan; and expanding patient access to care.
The organization also implemented “furlough” days during the previous fiscal year for middle and senior management.
“I’m very proud of our employees for their efforts to cut costs while maintaining our high quality of care,” added Smanik. “Nothing will ever stand in the way of Day Kimball’s delivery of high-quality care.”
Looking forward, Smanik said that fiscal-year 2014, which began October 1, is off to a good start and that preliminary projections indicate a turnaround for the new year. “However, we’ve learned first-hand that circumstances arise beyond our control that can have a negative impact on our plan. So, we will continue to work hard to try to insulate our organization from unforeseen market conditions, protect jobs during this unstable economy, and respond to the health needs of the people of Northeast Connecticut.”