Wed. Sept. 11
Fun Runs
W. THOMPSON --- The West Thompson Dam Fun Run starts on May 15 and runs through Sept. 18. The runs, which start at 6:15 p.m., are held on Wednesdays at the West Thompson Dam Entrance on Ravenelle Road. Distance is 3.1 and 1.44 miles. The Fun Run or walk is free and is open to everyone. Free T-shirt once three events are completed. mayer.robert @sbcglobal.net.

Art Exhibit
POMFRET --- “Inspired by Nature “ is the new show presented by the Northeastern CT Art Guild  at the Connecticut Audubon Society Center through Sept. 30. Artists reception is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 8. 860-928-4948.

Fri. Sept. 13
Blood Drive
POMFRET CENTER --- The First Congregational Church of Pomfret on Rt. 169 will hold a Red Cross Blood Drive from 1 to 6 p.m. To make an appointment to donate blood please visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Refreshments provided.

Circle of Fun
PUTNAM --- The 42nd annual Circle of Fun will be held Sept. 13, 14 and 15 at the St. Mary Church of the Visitation on Providence Street.

History Program
CANTERBURY --- The Canterbury Historical Society will present Dr. Matthew Warshauer speaking on "Connecticut in the Civil War" at the Community Room of the Town Hall. Follows 7 p.m. business session. Refreshments .All welcome.

Sat. Sept. 14
Agriculture Faire
EASTFORD – The annual Agriculture Faire will be held on the Green at the Ivy Glenn from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The free event will include farm animals, games for children, a farmers market, and agricultural displays. Table space is available. The Ag Faire is sponsored by the Eastford Agriculture Committee. All are welcome!

Naturally Art Fest
POMFRET --- The Northeastern Connecticut Art Guild will present Naturally Art! Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center. Benefits the center. $5. Workshops also available for fee. Preregistration for workshops suggested: 860-928-4948.

Book Sale
N. GROSVENORDALE --- The Friends of the Thompson Public Library will hold a book and tag sale from 9 a.m. to noon at the Library Community Center on Rt. 12. Donations of hard cover and paperback books gladly accepted. No book donations after noon Sept. 13. Individually wrapped baked good donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 13 and the morning of the sale.

Old Home Day
CANTERBURY --- The Canterbury Historical Society will present Old Home Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Canterbury Green. Music, traditional crafts and trades, re-enactors, food and more. Free admission and parking. All welcome. www.canterburyhistorical.org/event

Sun. Sept. 15
Race/Walk
DAYVILLE  --- The annual Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) 3.5ish Race/Walk will be held at 8 a.m. starting from the Byrnes Insurance Agency.  www.nowinmotion.org.

Bark for Life
BROOKLYN ---  The Citizens National Bank will present the Bark for Life 2013 event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Fairgrounds. Registration, Opening ceremony, Blessing of the dogs, Contests, Music, Canine demonstrations, Vendor shopping, Entertainment, Food and Fun! Pre-Registration - $10 - prior to 9/13 (= one person/one dog); Registration - $15 from 9/14 thru 9/15 (= one person/one dog); Entry Fee - $5 - Participants without a dog (12 and under free). 928-7921.

Roots Fund-raiser
STORRS --- The Roots of Development Fifth Annual Bicycle Ride and Walk for Haiti will be held at E.O. Smith High School. For more info, to sign up,  www.rootsride.org.

Breakfast
N. GROSVENORDALE --- The Knights of Columbus Council 2087  will hold a made-to-order breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. at the hall on Riverside Drive. $8. 923-2967.

Tues. Sept. 17
Substance Abuse Program
WILLIMANTIC --- Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse will present a speaker on Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDS) at 7 p.m. in the Betty Tipton Room, Student Center, at Eastern Connecticut State University. Speaker from the Taylor Hooton Foundation, a nationally recognized organization on the subject. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Wed. Sept. 18
Senior Fitness
POMFRET --- The Senior Fitness Program at the Pomfret Senior Center will be held Wednesdays at 9 a.m. starting Sept. 18 for eight weeks. Free for seniors in Pomfret and surrounding towns. 860-753-0613.

Ice Cream
THOMPSON --- Thompson Recreation will present an Ice Cream Social for Senior Citizens at 12:15 p.m. in N. Grosvenordale. Preregistration required: 860-923-9440. Open to all, age 60 and older.

Thur. Sept. 19
Genealogy Seminar
TOLLAND --- “Genealogy on the Internet” will be the topic of a free public seminar offered by the French-Canadian Genealogical Society of Connecticut at 7 p.m. in its library in the Old County Courthouse. To register, call 860-623-8721

DAR Meeting
BROOKLYN --- The Sarah Williams Danielson Chapter DAR will meet at 1 p.m. at the Palmer Homestead – DAR Chapter house at 36 Wolf Den Road. The chapter will be discussing the Constitution.  For more info call 974-3032.

Fri. Sept. 20
Taste for NOW
POMFRET CENTER --- The 2nd annual “A Taste for NOW, A Taste for Life” fund-raiser will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at Elsinore Mansion on Deerfield Road. $60. Provides financial assistance and opportunities to over 1000 children annually. www.nowinmotion.org

Sat. Sept. 21
Turkey Dinner
POMFRET ---A Turkey Dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Christ Church to benefit local food banks.  $10 for adults;  $6 for children under 12 and are available from the church office (860) 928-7026 or at the door. 4:30-5:30 Take Out. 

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Coming to Market
Percheron draft horses owned by the Rich family will be at the Saturday Farmer's Market Sept. 14. Courtesy photo.



'Maple Madness'
coming to market
PUTNAM —  The Putnam Saturday Farmers’ Market (PSFM) is holding a Maple Madness day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Putnam Riverview Marketplace on Kennedy Drive. We-Li-Kit Farm/Abington Grown will be bringing their draft horses to the Market for this special event.
Linda Rich from We-Li-Kit Farm (home base of Abington Grown) will be coming to offer samples of different grades of maple syrup and will have some maple based recipes to taste as well. Maple syrup is a healthy natural sweetener and couldn’t be any more local.
Sam Rich will be bringing Dylan and Sam, two of the Percheron draft horses that help to power the maple operation. The horses also supply the horsepower for Abington Grown as well as the haying, logging and other farm work at We-Li-Kit Farm.
For more information about Maple Madness or about the PSFM’s other upcoming events, go to the Market’s web page: http://www.putnamfarmersmarket.org, or email the PSFM at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Local Y Board
Paul Kelly, Laurence Hale, Tom Borner and Jim Zahansky, all members of the Regional Community YMCA’s newly established Board of Advisors, reviewing plans for the new facility set to be constructed in Putnam. Courtesy photo.


HARTFORD — James O’S Morton, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Hartford, announced that the newly created Regional Community YMCA Board of Advisors elected Laurence Hale of Pomfret as their chairman. The Board of Advisors will work collaboratively to bring the Regional Community YMCA planned for Putnam to fruition.
“The election of Mr. Hale as chairman of our local Board of Advisors provides the leadership necessary to move forward with the establishment of a Y for the people of Northeastern Connecticut.  The Hale family has been part of this project since the onset and has provided the impetus needed for the success of a project of this magnitude.  We are pleased Mr. Hale has accepted this very important role,” said Morton.
Hale, a graduate of Pomfret School and Hobart College, is a managing partner in the investment firm of Weiss and Hale Financial of Pomfret.  He serves as member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Hartford, The Rectory School and is a former trustee of Pomfret School.  A Past President of the Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation, he currently serves on the Finance Committee of Day Kimball Hospital.
Hale, who is active as a coach in the Pomfret Little League, and his wife, Jane have three children, Helen, 11, Newell, 9 and Peter 7.
“Bringing a full service Y to the people of Northeastern Connecticut was a dream my father had many years ago.  Fulfilling his dream and establishing this program will be the culmination of the hard work of many local individuals.  I’m pleased to have been selected for this position and pledge to provide the necessary leadership to see this much needed facility completed,” said Hale.
Elected vice chairman was Woodstock resident Paul Kelly, a UConn graduate and co-owner of Kelly’s Tire in Putnam.  Kelly also serves on the Board of Trustees of Woodstock Academy and the Board of Directors of Putnam Bank.
James Zahansky of Pomfret, a graduate of Bryant University and vice president of Respiratory Marketing for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals of Massachusetts, was elected to serve as the group’s secretary. Attorney Thomas A. Borner, president and CEO of Putnam Bank, is the treasurer.
The local Board of Advisors will work with representatives of the YMCA of Greater Hartford in assuring that the Regional Community YMCA will meet the needs of the residents of Northeastern Connecticut.  They will also promote the vision of the YMCA of Greater Hartford, which is to put a “caring adult” in the presence of every child; to be “good stewards” of the resources entrusted to them; and to work in “partnership” with others, to eliminate the disparities in health and education.
The proposed Y is a 42,000 to 45,000 square foot facility. The estimated cost of construction is between $13 million to $15 million.  A community campaign has realized gifts and pledges in excess of $2.3 million and is planning on completing its effort in the near future.
Other members of the Board of Advisors include Sarah Bentley of Woodstock, Dr. Marc Cerrone of Pomfret, James Dandeneau of Killingly, Dr. Woody and Sylvia Danenhower of Pomfret, Brad Favreau of Woodstock, Betty Hale of Pomfret, Abby LaMarre a student at Woodstock Academy, Maureen Nicholson of Pomfret, Holly Singleton of Woodstock, Evelyn Cole-Smith of Woodstock and Sen. Donald Williams of Brooklyn.