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Left photo, from the left: Richard Linnon, Michael Rocchetti, Michael Vassar. Above, from left: Christopher Steinbrick, Tina Lajoie, Charles Mackenzie, Pierre Desilets, Robert Garceau, Frank Tremont, Michael Rocchetti. Courtesy photo.


PUTNAM — The Mayotte-Viens Post 13 American Legion of Putnam recently held its Awards Banquet and installation ceremony for the incoming slate of officers.
Frank Tremont received Post 13’s Legionnaire of the Year Award. The Putnam Rotary Club’s Missy Meyers received a Community Service Award. Ron Coderre received the American Legion’s Bronze Service Medal. Curt Prochowski received an Americanism Award. Barbara Smith was presented with a flag display case. Also recognized were scholarship recipients Emily St Martin and Gwen Weiker.
The Master of Ceremonies was Past Commander Ronald Coderre and the ceremony was presided over by Richard Linnon, the State Commander, and his Sergeant-at-Arms William Gibbs. Other dignitaries included John Barry, the commander of American Legion District 4. Outgoing Post 13 Commander Michael Vassar passed the gavel to the new incoming Post 13 Commander Michael Rocchetti whose focus will be comradeship, mutual support, and community service.
The new officers sworn in include: Post Commander Michael Rocchetti, Senior Vice Commander Christopher Steinbrick, Junior Vice Commander Tina Lajoie, Finance Officer Charles Mackenzie, Historian Robert Garceau, Chaplain Pierre Desilets, and Sergeant-at-Arms Frank Tremont.
The American Legion is the nation’s largest veteran’s organization. Founded in 1919, it stands on four pillars - veteran’s affairs & rehabilitation, national security, Americanism, and children & youth programs. The Mayotte-Viens Post 13 has been active in Putnam since 1919.


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Above: Ghosttown. Right: Storm at Pismo Beach. Photos by Steve Veilleux


PUTNAM — An Art Exhibit and Opening Reception featuring the works of photographer Steve Veilleux will be held, starting July 1, at The Corridor Gallery in the Putnam Municipal Complex.
The show, titled “A Cacophony of Greys,” runs until Sept. 30. It features a series of black and white and monotone photographs based on a poem of the same name. The Opening Reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. July 13 with free refreshments and a chance to speak with the artist.
The show and the Opening Reception, sponsored by the Putnam Arts Council, are free and open to the public. For hours and more information please visit PutnamCtArtsCouncil.com.
Viewers are encouraged to interpret what a “cacophony of greys” means, to recognize that in the absence of color, the ear should examine what it hears in the context of the image. For Steve, “The sound of silence is the constant chirp of cicada, as I have endured tinnitus for these past several years. Listening to the sound of images within the constant background has provided a new and stimulating perspective on my surroundings.” He is a 10-year resident of North Grosvenordale where he is an active writer, photographer and artificer. He has been involved First Fridays, Fire and Ice, Fairy Door and Garden exhibits, and served briefly on the Board of Directors for the Empty Spaces Gallery. His photography has been exhibited at the Silver Circle Gallery (Natural Rhythms Exhibit solo show) and in Thompson (Portrait of an Artist). He can be seen regularly at local Poetry venues, and was recently featured at the Rose Room, in Webster, reading from his book, Event Horizons. He is a regular reader at the Packing House, (EC-CHAP monthly Talent Showcase), and is part of a group organizing a Spoken Word program under EC-CHAP, contributing again to the spread of the Arts in the area.

 

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Team Members
David Sumner ‘26, Songxaun Jimmy Wu ‘24, Evan Anderson ‘26, Beck Gritzner ‘26

WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Academy’s first-ever drone team wrapped up its successful inaugural season in late May at a national competition hosted by Fairmont State University in West Virginia. The drone team, which is comprised of members of WA’s robotics club, competed at various competitions from August through late May. Events include Vex, Seaperch, Drones in School, TSA, MultiGP, and Aerial Drones.
Back in March, team members David Sumner ‘26 and Songxaun Wu ’24 (team one), and Evan Anderson ’26 and Beck Gritzner ‘26 (team two) both secured first place at the inaugural CT Aerial Drone Competition in Winsted and received additional recognition awards for their inspiration and excellence. The win also qualified them to compete in the national competition in West Virginia, where the two teams made it to the quarterfinals and ranked 9th in the country overall out of 62 teams and 155 matches, and 5th in the country in coding.
“The national competition was sponsored by NASA,” said Peter Sumner, career and technology teacher and advisor of the drone team. “Students had the opportunity to talk to the engineers that designed a half-scale drone [Dragonfly], which is the drone being sent to explore Saturn’s Titan Moon.”
The Aerial Drone Competition offers an exciting educational drone sporting event that focuses on hands-on, student-centered learning. Teams learn about drones, flight principles, programming, documentation and communication skills while expanding their understanding and building their interest for Drone-related workforce and career opportunities. At The Academy, students learn these hands-on skills necessary to enter these competitions, and code and operate drones in a wide variety of settings.
“Teamwork, problem-solving, and ingenuity are all on display at a competition event and students develop these skills all year long by participating on a robotics team,” said Dan Mantz, CEO of the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. “Together, with the support of educators, coaches, and mentors, we’re fostering students’ passion for STEM at a young age to ensure that we have a generation that is dedicated to creating new discoveries and tackling life’s future challenges.”

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