Briere graduates

HARTFORD — Eastern Connecticut State University’s 125th Commencement took place May 12, 2015. More than 13,000 family members and friends filled the XL Center to cheer on their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, as 1,130 undergraduates and 70 graduate students received their diplomas.

Lauren Briere of Putnam graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Award-winning author and distinguished Eastern alumna Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ’01 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate and offered remarks following presentation of her honorary degree. Adichie graduated summa cum laude from Eastern in 2001 with a degree in communication. She was also awarded Eastern’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004.

 

 

Wed. June 3

Art Exhibit

POMFRET --- The CT Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present “The Beauty of Nature’s Bounty” art exhibit through June 21 at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. 928-4948.

 

Fun Runs

THOMPSON --- The Wednesday Fun runs will be held at the West Thompson Dam through Sept. 16. The runs/walks start at 6:15. All welcome.

 

Pet Loss Support

DAYVILLE --- NECCOG Animal Services, 125 Putnam Pike, will present a Pet Loss Support Group at 6 p.m. Free.  No fee/reservations are required, and you are free to attend as often as necessary throughout your grief process. 860-774-1253.

 

Thur. June 4

Movies

PUTNAM --- The Aspinock Historical Society will present Movies at the Putnam library with “The Enemy Below” from noon to 1:30 p.m. and “Midway” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. 

 

Fri. June 5

'Man to Dinner'

PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at 7:30 p.m. June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 and at 2 p.m. June 7, 14 and 21. $19 and $15. 860-928-7887.

 

Rotary Golf

PUTNAM --- The Putnam Rotary Club Ronald P. Coderre Golf Tournament will be held at the Connecticut National Golf Club. For more information, call 860-928-0811.

 

‘Touring’ Exhibit

WOODSTOCK --- Historic New England’s new exhibit “Touring New England, 1820 – 1970” opens today and runs through Oct. 15 at  Roseland Cottage, in the Carriage Barn. It explores why the region’s natural and built environments have been tourist destinations for centuries. The exhibit touches on the distinct characteristics of each New England state: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  Free.

 

First Friday

PUTNAM --- The Age of Jazz will be featured during the First Friday celebration in downtown Putnam from 6 to 9 p.m.

 

Sat. June 6

Tag Sale

N. GROSVENORDALE --- Thompson Together and Thompson Recreation will present its third annual Thompson town Wide Tag Sale and Business Bargain Bonanza. Rain date June 13. Register your sale at 923-9440 by May 31. Maps leading people to sales will be sold to the public for $2 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the library.

 

Forest Walk

POMFRET --- The Pomfret Conservation Commission is sponsoring a walk at 10 a.m. in Chase Kimball Memorial Forest on 202 Wolf Den Rd. The walk is 1 mile round trip and is an easy walk. Anyone interested in participating should meet at the New England Forestry Foundation sign on Wolf Den Road, Pomfret, one mile from Rt. 44. Dogs allowed.  860-961-4607. 

 

Church Fund-raiser

N. GROSVENORDALE --- The Emanuel Lutheran Church on Main Street will hold a church fund-raiser: Tag Sale, Bake Sale, Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Light refreshments available.   Part of the Thompson Town-Wide Tag Sale.

 

Open House

POMFRET --- The  Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp Open House will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. June 6 and 7 on Taft Pond Road. From 1:30 to 2 p.m. June here will be an informational Parent Panel on the benefits of Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp. 

 

Pork Dinner

KILLINGLY --- The Killingly  Grange's 2nd Annual - Roast Pork Dinner & Silent Auction will begin with hors d’oeuvres at 4:30 and then dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 at the grange hall on Hartford Pike. $12. Benefits the Grange building fund and to support community efforts.  860-481-9102.

 

Greek Festival

DANIELSON --- A Greek Festival sponsored by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Water Street will be held from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 6 and from noon to 7 p.m. June 7. Free admission.

 

Bottle Can Drive

DAYVILLE --- Pet Pals Northeast  will be collecting redeemable bottles and cans to help homeless and needy animals from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Joseph Church on Rt. 101. Dry cat food urgently needed, Purina brands preferred. Cash donations always welcome.  860-317-1720.

 

Sun. June 7

Fishing Derby

PUTNAM --- The annual Putnam Rotary Club Noe Poulin Fishing Derby will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at Rotary Park. Open to all kids 16 an younger.

 

Thur. June 11

Senior Fair

N. GROSVENORDALE ---  TEEG will offer a health & wellness fair for seniors from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at TEEG on Thatcher Road. .A variety of health and wellness vendors, who serve the senior community, will be available to discuss programming, provide live demos and perform health screenings. Free. All welcome. Light refreshments will be available.

 

Fri. June 12

Golf Tourney

PUTNAM --- The Friends of Camp Quinebaug will hold a golf tournament at Connecticut National Golf Club. Benefits  Camp Quinebaug to fund summer camp staffing and programming which holds a special place in the hearts of campers.  Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Sat. June 13

Tag Sale

WOODSTOCK --- The third annual Town-Wide Tag Sale will be held today. All Woodstock residents, businesses and organizations are welcome to take part. $10 registration fee to place your location on the tag sale map which will be available for the public to purchase. Registration deadline is May 22. www.woodstockct.gov

 

Particle Accelerator Fund-raiser

PUTNAM --- The 9th annual Particle Accelerator fund-raiser will be held June 13. Sponsorships/donations welcome.   860-928-3422

 

Steeplechase Fund-raiser

PUTNAM --- The Interfaith Human Services of Putnam (IHSP) will be hosting a Steeplechase Bike Ride Fund-raiser starting at Christ Episcopal Church in Pomfret. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and riders may begin at 8. Three routes. Donation, early registration by June 2, $30 single, or $50 Family-more than 2, $40 single or $65 family after June 2. Helmets a must. (860) 617-9757.

 

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caption:

 

Steve LaPointe, right, and Ronald P. Coderre. Courtesy photo.

 

 

By Ron P. Coderre

The Putnam Rotary Club, a group of 55 professional businessmen and women, received a lesson in manufacturing at its weekly meeting May 26.

Stephen LaPointe the Manufacturing Technology Center director at Quinebaug Valley Community College, the guest speaker, informed Rotarians on the history of the program as well as its successes.  He also pointed out the fact that there is a significant need for qualified individual in the manufacturing sector in northeastern Connecticut.

A 1976 graduate of Putnam High School with a Post Graduate degree from H.H. Ellis Technical School in 1978, LaPointe who was a self-employed businessman for 35 years has been at the college since the inception of the program in 2013.

“The opportunity came along to lead development of a program at the college to train our area workforce to meet the needs of our manufacturing businesses in northeast Connecticut.  I’m so involved in the program that it’s become my passion,” said LaPointe about his position.

The AMTC program is nine months of hands on training and classroom education.  Individuals in the program are placed in area sites as interns where some earn $14 per hour.  Credits earned in the program can be applied to an Associate’s Degree in Technology Studies.  

QVCC’s AMTC program has graduated 77 students since 2013.  Approximately 85% of the graduates have been placed in jobs in a variety of industries throughout Eastern Connecticut.  The success of the program, which is currently running at H.H. Ellis Technical School, has warranted the building of a $5 million center funded by the State on the QVCC campus.  This 10,000 square foot space is expected to be opening in the fall of 2016.

According to LaPointe, currently certificates focus on fundamental machining competencies and Computer Numerical Control programming and machining.  Plans are on the drawing board to expand the offerings into Quality Inspection, Metrology and Mechatronics.

Recent statistics indicate Connecticut ranks #2 in the nation in high-tech employment.  Connecticut manufacturers employ more than 168,000 people.  Many of Northeastern Connecticut industries and machine shops, such as Whitcraft Corp., Linemaster Switch, Putnam Plastics, Spirol International and Westminster Tool have hired graduates of the AMTC program.

“It’s extremely rewarding to witness the transition of the students as they enter the program with little or no skills and leave looking forward to productive employment,” said LaPointe.

The program provides incentives such as financial aid for qualifying students, potential paid internships, opportunities for scholarships and assistance with job placement upon successful completion of the program.  

The program is funded by the Connecticut Advanced Manufacturing Initiative as implemented by the United States Employment and Training Administration.  Information regarding the specifics of admission can be acquired by contacting LaPointe at 860 932-4111 or by e-mail – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Quinebaug Valley Community College is located at 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT 06239.