Paul H. Grenier
N. GROSVENORDALE — Paul H. Grenier, 96, husband of the late Geraldine M. (Blouin) Grenier, died Aug. 24, 2024, at home surrounded by his family.
Paul was born on June 30, 1928, son of the late Bernard and Antoinette (Remillard) Grenier and lived in N. Grosvenordale his entire life. Paul was a retired machinist, welder and metal fabricator, having worked for many years at Whitin Machine Works in Northbridge and later in life worked at Borden Candy. He was known as the man who could make it, if you needed it.
Paul proudly served his community and was the Fire Chief and E.M.T. at the Community Fire Department in N. Grosvenordale for many years. Paul was a communicant of St. Joseph Church in N. Grosvenordale, where he served as a collector for 70 years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus in Putnam. He enjoyed traveling with his wife.
He leaves his son, Paul B. Grenier of Putnam; his daughter, Jacqueline Oleszewski (Paul) of Woodstock Valley; his brother, Jean Grenier of N. Grosvenordale; his sisters, Agnes Gaucher and Marge Lafontaine, both of Grosvenordale; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife and parents, Paul was predeceased by two brothers, Andrew “Butch” Grenier and Aime Grenier; and by a sister, Cecile Grenier.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Aug. 29 in St. Joseph Church, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery, North Grosvenordale. Donations: Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern CT, 23 South Main St., Putnam, CT 06260. Valade Funeral Home and Crematory, 23 Main Street, North Grosvenordale.
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Gerard 'Jerry' Julian
N. GROSVENORDALE — Gerard “Jerry” Julian, 69, of North Grosvenordale died Aug. 29, 2024, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
Jerry was born Dec. 11, 1954, in Putnam, the son of the late Oscar Ernest Julian and Anita (Perron) Julian.
He had been employed at Superior Bakery for many years.
His passions in life included enjoying the outdoors especially in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and with the kids in town with the Can You Come and Play program.
He leaves his three children, Michael, Rebecca and Joseph; two brothers Ernie and Roland’ and sister Jeanne Boutin; four grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins.
The Funeral was private.
Donations: TEEG, PO Box 664, 15 Thatcher Road N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255.
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Wed. Sept. 4
Art Exhibit
PUTNAM --- “The Five Senses of Women” exhibit will run through Sept. 30 at the Corridor Gallery at the Putnam Municipal Complex. Free. It features a variety of medias and techniques from five local artists: Lisa Andrews, Kathy Guertin, Carolyn Nadeau, Laura Moorehead, and Karen Reid. 1. www.PutnamCtArtsCouncil.com for gallery hours and more information.
Art Exhibit
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Library will hold one of its Art @ the Library series, “Landscape Journeys by Al Mathes” at the Thompson Public Library through September. In the Display Case: Constitution Week by Ida Ransom. Reception is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9.
Sat. Sept. 7
Fall Festival
POMFRET --- The Pomfret Recreation Department will hold a Fall Festival from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Pomfret Recreation Park. Music by the Great Garage Band Reunion. Apple pie contest, kids’ pie eating contest, sack races and more. www.pomfretct.gov/recreation.
'The Lorax'
PUTNAM --- The Relay for Life of Northeastern Connecticut will present Rotary Park Movie Night – A Night Under the Stars with the movie, “The Lorax”, at 7:15 p.m. Free. For a complete experience, a concession and a T-shirt package are available for a $15 donation. Benefits the American Cancer Society.
Sun. Sept. 8
Savor the Flavor
PUTNAM --- Savor the Flavor fund-raiser will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Wristbands are $20 with 20 participating restaurants. This year the Flavor is honey. Benefits Daily Bread. www.discoverputnam.com
Fund-raiser Concert
THOMPSON --- Atwater-Donnelly Duo featuring Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly will perform two sets starting at 3 p.m. at Fort Hill Farms. Benefits fund to restore Thompson Congregational Church. $20 for adults; $5 for children 10 and under. 401-465-3388.
Sun. Sept. 15
Poets
WOODSTOCK --- State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell returns for a second year to read in the Poets at Large Roseland Park series. This free poetry/spoken word event to be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the barn at Roseland Park. Featured with Brim-Bell will be Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate Linda Bratcher Wlodyka and Christopher Reilley, former poet of Dedham, Mass. Sign up for open mic at
Tues. Sept. 17
KBIC Meeting
KILLINGLY/BROOKLYN --- Killingly-Brooklyn Interfaith Council meeting for all faith communities and spiritually-minded individuals at 1 p.m. at the Danielson United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 9 Spring St., Danielson (behind Key Bank).
Sun. Sept. 22
Art in Park
WOODSTOCK --- The 10th Annual Art in the Park will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Roseland Park.
Sat. Oct. 5
'Cozy Pumpkin'
POMFRET --- The Pomfret Recreation Department will host “Make Your Own Hand Knit Cozy Pumpkin at 10 a.m. at the Pomfret Community Center. Learn the basic of arm knitting and make your own cozy pumpkin(s). $45 per pumpkin. All supplies are included! Limited spots available. Sign up now on Facebook at Sovanny’s Comfort Boutique. Find the event and register!
Sat. Oct. 19
Great Pumpkin Fest
PUTNAM --- The Town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association will present the Great Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This community celebration of fall features The Great Pumpkin, craft and art vendors, live music, activities for the kids, and more.
Rec to Treat
POMFRET --- The Pomfret Recreation Department will host Rec or Treat at 4 p.m. Trunk or Treating with PCS PTO, hayride, crafts, bonfire and movie. Food and drink will be available for purchase. www.pomfretct.gov/recreation.
Fri. Oct. 25
Murder Mystery
POMFRET --- Murder Mystery Dinner at Grill 37. Cocktail hour starts at 6 followed by the show and buffet dinner. Dressing up is strongly encouraged. The theme will be Death of a Gangster! www.pomfretct.gov/recreation.
Sat. Oct. 26
Trick or Treat
PUTNAM --- The town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association will present the Downtown Trick or Treat from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Main Street. From Riverfront Commons to Union Square, participating merchants and local groups pass out treats.
Thur. Nov. 21
History Program
THOMPSON ---The Thompson Historical Society and the Thompson Public Library will present “Lafayette Story and Thompson Lore About the Man of Two Countries” at 6 p.m. at the library. Free.
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Outdoor Meeting
The Putnam Rotary Club last week held its meeting in Putnam's Rotary Park. After lunch on the Bandstand Rotarian Karen Osbrey gave a presentation on the history of the park. After the Flood of 1955 Rotary clubs from around the world sent funds for the creation of the park. Courtesy photo.
CT state poet laureate returns
to read at Roseland Park Sept. 15
WOODSTOCK — State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell returns for a second year to read in the Poets at Large Roseland Park series. This free poetry/spoken word event will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 15 in the barn at Roseland Park.
Featured with Brim-Bell will be Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate Linda Bratcher Wlodyka and Christopher Reilley, former poet of Dedham, MA. Sign up for open mic at
Antoinette Brim-Bell is in the second year of her term as the poet laureate of Connecticut. She is Connecticut’s 8th state poet laureate and is the author of three full-length poetry collections: These Women You Gave Me, Icarus in Love, and Psalm of the Sunflower. She is a Cave Canem Foundation Fellow and an alumna of Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA). Her poetry has appeared in various journals, magazines, textbooks, and anthologies, including Villanelles, 44 on 44: Forty-Four African American Writers on the 44th President of the United States, Not A Muse, and has appeared in Poetry Magazine and Poem-a-Day.
Additionally, Brim-Bell has published critical work and essays, most notably: “Living Behind the Numbers: A Statistic Muses about her Life” (National Association of African American Studies Monograph Series); “The Myopic Eye in Alice Walker’s ‘Flowers’” (Critical Insights: Alice Walker, Salem Press) and “Juxtaposed Dichotomies: the idealized white suburban pastoral, the surrealist tableau of black poverty & the women in between” (The Whiskey of Our Discontent: Gwendolyn Brooks as Conscience and Change Agent, Haymarket Books).
A printmaker and collage artist, Brim-Bell also serves on various arts and humanitarian boards among many other accomplishments. She is a speaker, educator and consultant, as well as a Professor of English at Capital Community College in Hartford.
Linda Bratcher Wlodyka is the current Massachusetts Beat Poet Laureate, 2023-2025. In the summer of 2023, she was chosen as a contributor to WordxWord a summer poetry festival in the Berkshires where she collaborated with a team of poets creating a very large poem that was read aloud for the audience at The Mount. She also has held the position as a docent at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s summer home in Lenox, MA from 2002 -2006. She retired as an educator from Mt. Greylock Regional School District in Williamstown in 2020. Wlodyka’s poem, “Secret Cottage,” was voted Best in the Berkshires in 2012, and she has three chapbooks previously self-published; Her Spirited Cameo, Voices from the Blue Room and Tick Tock. If Brambles Were Bookends, Collected Poems, is her first full length poetry collection (Human Error Publishing, 2023). Wlodyka is a member of the Florence Poet’s Society.
Christopher Reilley (former poet laureate for Dedham) is a contributing editor at Acoustic Ink. He has been involved in print and print production for more than 30 years, working for such companies as Xerox, EFI, Ricoh USA and Online Print Solutions. He is a copywriter for the Bytesized Studio. His poems have appeared in a wide number of publications, including the Boston Literary Journal, Word Salad Poetry, Wild Winds, Coldnoon, Travel Poetics and many others. His work can be found in several anthologies.
Poets at Large is a project of Windham Arts. This series is sponsored in part by bankHometown, Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, and Weiss, Hale & Zahansky Strategic Wealth Advisors and Global Partners and Tom and Kathy Borner and Linemaster Switch.
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