Feeding Pomfret families
In October Pomfret Community School was a distribution organization for “Farm to Family,” the USDA grant-funded program that provided more than 100 packages of food to Pomfret families each week.
The boxes contained 5 lbs. of meat, 5 lbs. of dairy, 13 lbs. of produce and a gallon of milk.
The school thanked M&J bus drivers for their support transporting the food and teacher Ryan Ericson for giving his time on Wednesdays to facilitate the distribution operation. Taking part in the Farm to Family delivery, in addition to M&J bus drivers was Lesa Landry, Head Bus Driver.
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Donation
The Gates Automotive Group and the Black Dog Bar & Grill presented a $3,017.60 check to American Legion Post #13 of Putnam in honor of Veterans Day 2020. Left to right: District #4 Commander Ronald P. Coderre, Black Dog Manager G. David Landry; Gates Automotive Group owner Craig Gates, Post #13 Commander Brian D. Maynard, Post Sr. Vice Commander Michael Vassar, Post Committee member Barbara Smith, and Past Post Commander Alan Joslin. Courtesy photo.
PUTNAM — Craig Gates of the Gates Automotive Group and G. David Landry, always staunch supporters of veterans could put on their traditional Veterans Day remembrance and celebration at the Black Dog Bar & Grill because of COVID-19 but that didn’t stop them. This year Gates and Landry came through for The Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post #13 of Putnam. The duo raised $3,017.60 and recently presented it to Post Commander Brian D. Maynard and members of the post.
The donation came from fund-raising activities at Gates Buick GMC, Putnam Chrysler Dodge Jeep Inc., Columbia Ford Kia, Jolly John’s Truck and Equipment and the Black Dog Bar & Grill. The restaurant allowed patrons on Veterans Day to designate 20 percent of their tab to be donated to Post #13. “We missed having the Veterans Day event at the restaurant this year due to COVID-19 but wanted to assist the Post regardless. We hope to be back with the event next year and make it the most successful ever,” said Gates.
The restaurant event is one of the post’s largest fund-raisers and supports many programs of the post including: two $1,000 scholarships, the high school constitutional Oratorical Contest, TriTown American Legion Baseball, Americanism programs for 5th grade students and assisting a needy veteran’s family during the holidays. The Post is also responsible for the flags that adorn the World War I Veterans Memorial Bridge on Pomfret Street and the ‘Hometown Hero’ banners displays from Labor Day through Veterans Day annually.
“The Post and its membership are thankful to the Gates Group and the Black Dog for finding a way during the coronavirus crisis to continue its support of our programs. We are grateful to Mr. Gates and Mr. Landry for their creativity in providing support to our veterans and their families during these trying times,” said Maynard. On hand to accept the gift with Commander Maynard were Sr. Vice Commander Michael Vassar, Past Commander Alan Joslin, Executive Committee member Barbara Smith and District #4 Commander and Past Post Commander Ronald P. Coderre.
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Holiday
captions clockwise from top left:
NEPS
Putnam Mayor Barney Seney, right, was joined by "Town Crier" Romeo Blackmer.
Northeast District Department of Health
Putnam Elks sleigh
Putnam Fire Department
Traffic shows how popular the event is.
East Putnam Fire Department
Two center photos:
Top: Aspinock Historical Society (in Warner 'Boxcar')
Bottom: Day Kimball Healthcare
Playhouse wins grant
HARTFORD — The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut – Bradley Playhouse was awarded a grant of $17,800 Nov. 30.
The COVID relief fund for the Arts, administrated by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), made the award.
The criteria were; Are performing arts centers, schools of the arts, or performing groups for whom grants will make a difference in terms of survival or rehiring; and
Have had to curtail operations for a period of time due to the pandemic and which have had limited ability to reopen due to pandemic restrictions or have had to pivot their service delivery due to pandemic restrictions.
Qualifying organizations will receive a base grant of $5,000. For organizations that have raised funds between March 10 and Nov 1, 2020, the program will offer a supplemental match of up to 50 percent of contributed income during that period. The program uses federal CARES Act funding from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.
Another 153 nonprofit art organizations also received grants.
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