PUTNAM — Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation has awarded $45,000 in emergency funding to nine Connecticut organizations including four local food banks.
“Now that our merger with Putnam Bank is complete (Putnam Bank is now a division of Centreville Bank), Centreville is proud to be part of the Eastern Connecticut community and we are committed to providing assistance where it is needed most,” said Harold M. Horvat, bank president, CEO and chairman. “We realize that there continues to be an enormous amount of work to help the people and organizations of Eastern Connecticut that are being impacted financially by this pandemic. We hope that our ongoing support assists those who need it most.”
Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut (CFECT) received $25,000 to support the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund, which was established in April to help local nonprofits that are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle to assist those who are most vulnerable including low-income individuals, residents without health insurance, individuals with disabilities, among others — to address immediate basic needs such as healthcare, food, shelter, childcare and other supports. Centreville previously donated $25,000 to this fund, bringing the total grant to $50,000 to date.
The following eight food pantries will receive a total of $20,000: Daily Bread, Putnam; Friends of Assisi Food Pantry, Danielson; Pomfret Food Pantry, Pomfret Center; Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group Food Pantry, N. Grosvenordale; Ledyard Food Pantry, Ledyard; Project Pin Food Pantry, Moosup; St. Mary’s Church Food Pantry, Jewett City; St. Vincent’s De Paul Place, Norwich. This brings total contributions to $70,000 in support of pandemic relief since March.
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Food Drive
PUTNAM — The Hale YMCA off Kennedy Drive will hold a food drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 27 with curbside drop-offs. Benefits Daily Bread, TEEG and Project P.I.N. Needed are: Cereals, peanut butter, jelly, mac and cheese, bread, chicken noodle soup, baked beans and rice.
Postponed
PUTNAM — The Day Kimball fund-raiser, Cruisin’ for Cancer Care Motorcycle and Car Cruise, set for June 14 has been postponed until further notice.
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Coffee, Dessert
Challenge
PUTNAM — This weekend May 22 and May 23 the Putnam Challenge will center on coffee and dessert.
Go to your favorite Restaurant and order your favorite coffee and dessert.
The Reindeer like a Hot Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and Santa likes an iced coffee and a hot fudge sundae.
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In terms of human development, there are many theorists who have paved the way in uncovering how and why we not only evolve, but also, why we may behave the way we do: Freud’s understanding of the Ego and Darwin’s application of survival instincts are well known throughout the world and have contributed greatly to therapeutic interventions which can successfully guide children and adults on a more positive path.
Evolution of our species for the past several million years brings changes to our features spanning thousands of years, yet, behavioral changes based on our ability to adapt and accommodate occur in only a matter of weeks.
It has been several months since the social distancing restrictions were put in place. At first, whenever I saw someone classified as a stranger to me, I held my breath and turned my head in the opposite direction for fear of inhaling or exhaling (through my mask) something microscopic that could make me, or those that I love, sick. When I saw (from a safe distance) someone that I knew and cared for, I wanted to hug them and had to hold back the urge for affection.
But, as time marched on, I adjusted. Now, when I see a stranger, I don’t even really notice them as I am focused on keeping a safe perimeter of 6 feet around me, and when I see my family, I wave and blow air kisses, similar to my actions of signing off from a Zoom meeting or gathering.
I, like millions of others, have adjusted my behavior to accommodate the need for remaining socially distant, and, as we begin the process of UNdistancing ourselves socially, I, like millions of others, am going to have to adjust all over again.
Hugging my Mom on Mother’s Day feels normal, but now, NOT hugging my Mom on Mother’s Day feels normal. Grocery shopping for fresh produce and fruits by picking up items, gently squeezing them and sniffing them for freshness, feels normal, but now, grabbing available fresh produce that is prepackaged without ever inspecting it, feels normal. Having a laugh-filled dinner out with my girlfriends feels normal, but now, having a silly Zoom meeting with my girlfriends while we all sip wine and eat our own home-cooked food, feels normal.
So, as we begin to get back to a life of a mix of what once felt normal and what now feels normal, I can only hope that I, as well as all of my fellow human beings, keep focus on what or who it was in the first place that drove us to seek the behavior, because, if I am still lucky enough to see my Mom on Mother’s Day, whether I can give her a hug or not, than that is what I would normally do. And since I still like eating fresh fruits and produce, then buying them is still what I would normally do. And giggling with my friends, whether via the internet or in a crowded restaurant, is still what I would normally do, because in the end, we haven’t actually lost our normal we just adjusted it.
Adapt! Adapt!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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