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As many of you know, I fly fairly frequently. Further, I really enjoy flying, mostly because I like plugging in my headphones so that I can tune out the rest of the world going by. I like to watch a funny TV show, play the trivia game or listen to some music.
But what I love best, is watching a movie. Truth be told, watching a movie on an airplane is one of my favorite things to do. My headphones are noise cancelling and I have my own private screen with easily accessible volume and pause button controls.  Plus, I never use the Wi-Fi on the plane, making me inaccessible on an 8-hour flight and, therefore, free to be totally present to enjoy the two or three movies I choose.
In the past, whenever I watched a movie on a plane, I would typically select an action or comedy, and NOT a drama, so that my fellow passengers wouldn’t see me cry. However, I discovered that a good comedy, sometimes, would make me laugh out loud, and nobody seemed to be bothered. But still, I stayed away from dramas because I am a movie crier (yes—I even cried at the theater during the last Harry Potter movie). Yet, as much as I can embrace crying in a crowded theater during the movie, I take comfort in knowing that everyone else in the theater is watching the same movie and I am, rarely, crying alone, like I would be, on a plane.  But that all changed a few months ago when I decided to watch…The Whale  
I was a captive audience of one in watching this movie and I could not stop my tears from flowing freely and often. I am quite sure that I went through my whole pocket of tissues as the depth of struggle the character portrayed in the movie was so intense and felt so real in my isolated and focused viewing, that the tears started early on and did not fully end even after the credits were rolling. What was even more interesting to me, however, was that my husband, sitting right next to me, didn’t seem to notice my constant crying. Further, upon walking to the bathroom after the movie ended, it appeared that my fellow passengers also didn’t seem to notice that I had just spent the past 90 minutes bawling my eyes out.
Dare I admit, as long as I had been quiet, no one seemed to really care about what I was doing in my seat, let alone how I was feeling. And then I realized…neither did I! As long as my fellow passengers are not causing a ruckus, I, too, don’t care what it is they do in their seat, and I certainly do not notice if they feel sad and cry. Upon returning to my seat after refreshing myself in the restroom, I realized that my movie genre options were now wide open. If I wanted to watch more dramas and, perhaps, be moved to tears, so be it! And that’s when I decided that airplanes needed to up their snack choices for passengers…
Popcorn! Popcorn!    
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!

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Honored
Scott Belleville, second from right, was named Emergency Manager of the Year for the state of Connecticut last week. From left: Mayor Barney Seney, William Turner, the state's director of Emergency Management; Belleville and Putnam Town Administrator Elaine Sistare. Linda Lemmon photo.



Belleville Named Emergency Manager of the Year - for the state
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Derek N. May, emergency management director for the town of Pomfret, said it best in his nomination of Putnam’s Scott Belleville for the state Emergency Manager of the Year Award: “Scott is conspicuous not only for the good work he does within his own town, but because he continually goes above and beyond to advance EM collaboration and communication between all the town of Region 4 (eastern Connecticut).
The Nov. 14 CT Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security - Region 4 annual meeting began with Belleville receiving the 2023 Emergency Manager of the Year Award.
William H. Turner, Connecticut’s Emergency Management director, presented Belleville with the award saying his leadership is amazing.
Turner read May’s nomination bullet points including his support of COVID 19 PPE and test kit distribution, supporting local multi-town veterans’ group in public food distribution events, serving as Region 4 Incident Management Team, serving as co-chair of Region 4 ESF (emergency support function) 5 Emergency Management, supporting the CT Region 4 Regional Emergency Planning Team, maintaining Region 4 emergency management assets. Belleville also led discussions to restart the long-dormant northeast CT CERT program, May said.
Region 4 consists of 42 towns and the two Tribal Nations in eastern Connecticut.
All this while maintaining his “day job” as a Norwich firefighter officer, the Putnam fire marshal and serving on a regional hazmat team.
In honoring Belleville Mayor Barney Seney, a retired Connecticut state trooper, was proud of Belleville. The town didn’t have emergency plans before for events, etc. “and now we have emergency plans for everything”.
He added, “Scott is one hell of a leader.”
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare recounted how hard he works and how well he works with all departments and how many times Belleville has said how much he enjoys giving back to the community.
In accepting the award Belleville said “Someone once said ‘you can’t save the world’ and that struck a chord with me.” He has ideas and initiatives in his head and with the support of all those around him, he strives to help the world.
He doesn’t sit still. Currently he’s planning to continue getting more Utility Task Vehicles for Region 4. “The region has purchased two so far with the first one hosted by Putnam.  I’d love to have 6 spread out over Region 4.” Most of the equipment is funded by FEMA grants.
Asked what appealed to him, he said: “I like the incident management aspect.  Being part of a team who plans and organizes an event or major incident.

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From left: Scott Belleville with his award; daughters Brooklyn and Kayleigh Belleville, wife Lindsay Rhodes and William Turner - State of CT Emergency Management director. Photo by Linda Lemmon.

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PHS senior and artist Pedro Ortiz

PHS senior & artist leaves lasting mark
Putnam High School senior Pedro Ortiz is leaving his artistic mark on the Putnam community.
Ortiz has been an active member of the arts community for years and it is on full display in his senior year.
He was the first student to join Elaine Turner of the Northeast Art Guild to contribute to the much talked-about Boxcar Children mural she designed on School Street adjacent to the museum.
The mural includes all 19 original book covers and Ortiz was given the honor of working on one of the first book covers.
Art is a passion for him. When asked why he connects with art, he said: “Art is a way to express my emotions and thoughts without having to say a single word. I believe that everyone should have a creative escape.” He was recently honored by the Putnam Board of Education as their November Pride of Putnam Award recipient.
In addition to showcasing his skills on the new Boxcar Children mural, Ortiz shared his original artwork Nov. 21 at Putnam High School at its Fall Arts Festival. Also he is sharing his work Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at his Senior Capstone exhibit. His exhibit will follow a gallery walk format, conveying the message that, according to Ortiz, “There’s no right way to do art. There are no mistakes.”

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Local twin  band directors in Macy's parade
WOODSTOCK — When Lauren Churchill, band director at The Woodstock Academy, was encouraged by her identical twin sister Kristen Motola, band director at Norwich Free Academy, to apply to march in The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, she never imagined they’d both be selected as the CT representatives in the America’s Band Directors Marching Group.
WA Centaurs & NFA Wildcats alike will be cheering on the America’s Band Directors Marching Group when they make their way down 34th Street on Nov. 23, in front of a crowd of more than 25 million television viewers and throngs of parade-goers. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on NBC and streams live on Peacock from 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving morning.
The marching band, assembled by the non-profit organization Saluting America’s Band Directors, consists of 400 band directors from across the nation. In a couple short weeks, Churchill and Motola will join them in New York City (playing the trumpet and clarinet respectively), for a week of rehearsal and special events, culminating with their performance in the World-Famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“Marching in this parade is an absolute bucket list item for us,” said Churchill, who’s looking forward to sharing the special experience with her sister.
“Our dad was our high school band director and we both followed in his footsteps, but we haven’t really had the opportunity to play and march together since college.” Churchill and Motola were the first-ever twin drum majors in the UConn Marching Band in 2004.
Since 2005, Churchill has served as band director at The Woodstock Academy, where she was the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching in WA’s music department, she is an advisor for Tri-M Music Honor Society, conducts the jazz band, serves as musical director for the annual spring musical, and manages the private music lesson program.
“Mrs. Churchill is always staying late to ensure that her students are taken care of and can succeed,” said junior Kate Ritzau. “Now, we can’t wait to see her perform as the incredible musician that she is. I’m really proud of her!”
An hour’s drive south from the academy, Motola has been directing the band at Norwich Free Academy for 12 years, and her students are excited to watch her in the parade.
“They want to hear all about the behind-the-scenes details (like rehearsals at 1 a.m. and marching 2 miles at 144 bpm),” said Motola, “and they’re very proud to have their director representing their school and state.”

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