Flag Day Ceremony
Each year, near Flag Day, the Putnam Lodge of Elks 594 reverently honors the country’s flag. In a solemn ceremony they trace the extensive history of the country’s flags and freedoms, sing patriotic songs, listen to a speaker and retire worn American flags. Michael Martin, exalted ruler, said the honors for the flag were mandated by the Elks in 1908. The tenets of the Elks are charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity.


The Putnam Elks and the color guard at the conclusion of the Elks' Flag Day ceremony. Linda Lemmon photos.
 

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Tradition
Co-presidents of the Putnam Rotary Club’s Interact Club, lightsabers in hand, were just a few of the Interact members who helped. The Interact Club raises money throughout the year for Relay and has for many years. In front of them are the tie-dyed socks they sell each year. Eric Levesque, at left; and Jordyn Butler. Courtesy photo.

A survivor's lap


Families, schools, and businesses alike celebrated cancer survivors and remembered those lives lost at Relay For Life of Northeastern Connecticut June 1 at the St. Marie-Greenhalgh Sports Complex in Putnam.
Participants and visitors alike said the American Cancer Society event felt celebratory and supportive. Taylor Penman, QMC team captain, said, “My students are still talking about the kindness and inspiration they experienced as so many people came together for a good cause.”
“Cancer survivors are what Relay For Life is all about,” said Tammy Brissette, survivor chair. “This year we had Lisa French and Holly Gilbert, survivors of 45 and 50 years, lead our first lap, lending inspiration and strength to the recently diagnosed. The survivor and caregiver brunch celebrated them. The brunch was provided for free by individual donors and local businesses.” The local businesses that provided the brunch were: Bakers’ Dozen, Dunkin’, Heirloom Food Company, Henry’s Diner and Variety, Putnam Supermarket, The Broken Crust, The Courthouse Bar and Grille, The Painted Baker Café, and the Sunshine Shop.
The Putnam Rotary Interact Advisor and sponsorship chair, Roberta Rocchetti’s team celebrated 28 years of participation this year. Of this year’s event, Rocchetti said, “It is a bittersweet Relay for me after recently losing my sister-in-law to cancer. I know treatments and care have improved thanks to research by the American Cancer Society. Generous sponsors like Fiberoptics Technology Inc., Foster Corp., and Linemaster Switch Co., make that research possible.”
Relay For Life Co-Chair Shane Donahue said: “We brought together around 100 caregivers and survivors for our reception this year, and honored over 600 lives touched by cancer during our luminaria ceremony. In the week leading up to and during our event, we raised over $18,000, bringing our total past the $75,000 mark. Our goal of $100,000 this year is within reach, and we have teams that are passionate about hitting it by August 31st. This work wouldn’t be possible without the support of my Event Leadership Team, my students, town officials, businesses, and our remarkable participants.”
You can still donate: relayforlife.org/northeasternct
Regarding funds raised, American Cancer Society Staff Member, Jennifer Cabrera said, “The funds we raise improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.”

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Casey Rivers

Singer for A Former Friend

From The Papa Joe Show

The Young Family



Putnam’s Rotary Park was filled once again June 7 with live music and local residents and families enjoying the beautiful day and the free family event, Particle Accelerator: A Day of Music and Hope.
Particle Accelerator is an annual benefit concert that raises awareness for suicide and depression and funds for United Services. Saturday marked the 18th annual concert and raised just over $11,000 for local community behavioral health services.
The free, all day music festival featured 15 bands playing music of all genres and for all ages. The concert began at noon and continued until after 8 p.m. Little B’s BBQ returned to the event this year and several craft vendors also attended.
The festival started in 2007 by family and friends of Putnam resident Jack Young Jr., who died by suicide on his 27th birthday that year. Event organizers include Grace and Jack Young Sr. and Eric and Sandy Gould, all of Putnam.
The annual benefit concert has two main goals, organizers said. The first is to raise funds and awareness to support United Services, Inc., the community behavioral health center serving 21 towns in northeastern Connecticut, including Putnam, for more than 60 years.
“Particle Accelerator is an opportunity to come together and support each other and talk about the importance of access to mental health services, and we are grateful to everyone who makes it happen,” said United Services President/CEO Diane L. Manning.
United Services is northeastern Connecticut’s nonprofit Local Mental Health Authority and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, with clinical locations in Dayville and Mansfield Center. United Services operates more than 30 programs under one administration, including outpatient mental health for adults, children and families, substance abuse treatment, primary care, family services and parenting programs, crisis services and the region’s only domestic violence program.
Performers Saturday included: Kala Farnham, Llama Tsunami, The Papa Joe Show, Fleet. White Rose Confession, B Dolan and more.
The second event goal is to provide information and support for depression and suicide prevention, while promoting music and civic engagement as a healthy alternative to drug and alcohol abuse among young adults.
Saturday brought large crowds to the park, where residents could also learn about local mental health and other social service resources from United Services, the Windham County chapter for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Norwich Vet Center and Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW), who also set up an obstacle course for kids to enjoy at the event.
Particle Accelerator’s Wall of Angels, a moving tribute to friends and family members lost to suicide, honored 333 people this year with photos on the wall.

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