Joseph C. Burdick V,
Vietnam war vet
WOODSTOCK — Joseph C. Burdick V, 74, of Senexet Rd., died July 21, 2018, at home. He was the husband of Brenda (Lariviere) Burdick.
Born in 1943 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Joseph and Alida (Mathurin) Burdick IV. Joseph was a proud veteran serving with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war being honorably discharged on Nov. 15, 1968.
Mr. Burdick began his working career at the Hertzl Finishing Company in Putnam. He then went to work for and retired from the Ammerbelle Company, retiring as a foreman.
Joe was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed model trains, remote controlled airplanes, target shooting, and his cars.
He leaves his wife, Brenda; a sister-in-law, Jean Viveiros (Michael) of Putnam; nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, Christopher Joseph Burdick and all his siblings.
A Celebration of Joe’s Life will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 4 in Act II Ministry, 3 Grove Ave., Thompson. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Ernest E. Chisler,
Air Force vet
E. KILLINGLY — Ernest E. Chisler, 85, of E. Killingly, died July 21, 2018, at home. He was born March 10, 1933, in Morgantown, W.Va., son of the late Orval and Geraldine (Sneed) Chisler. He was the husband of Carole Coutu-Chisler.
Ernest served with the U.S. Air Force in the 3610th Motor Vehicle Squadron for more than 10 years stationed in Harlingen, Texas, and Japan and Guam. He was awarded with the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
Ernest was a lifelong member of the E. Killingly VFW. He enjoyed deep sea fishing trips, liked to hunt in his earlier years and loved the ocean. He was an avid sports fan his teams where the New York Yankees and the Buffalo Bills. Ernest worked for Anchor Glass Container for 30 years as an upkeep mechanic on the hot end and for almost 20 years worked at Walmart as the door greeter.
He leaves his wife Carole Coutu-Chisler; his sons Ernest E. Chisler, Jessie Chisler and Gary Chisler; his daughter Carol Chisler; his stepchildren Michelle Coutu, Jeremy Coutu and wife Dayle Hyatt-Coutu, Sarah Coutu, Brenda and Michael; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brothers Clarence, Junior and Roger; his sister Dolores.
Visitation is from 11 a.m. to noon Aug. 11 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson. A Funeral Service will follow at noon at the funeral home with military honors.
Jotham ‘Joe’ Reynolds IV,
Vietnam war vet
WOODSTOCK — Jotham “Joe” G. Reynolds IV, 78, of Woodstock, died unexpectedly July 24, 2018, at home. He was the husband of Kristin (Serafin) Reynolds. They were married Oct. 28, 1961. She died in 2015.
Joe was born Sept. 5, 1939, in Worcester, to Jotham G. III and Susan (Sumner) Reynolds.
He was a veteran of the Vietnam war serving in the Army. Joe was a member of the East Woodstock Congregational Church and a lifelong resident of Woodstock. He owned and operated the Christmas Barn for 52 years. He enjoyed his trips and adventures visiting old friends and making new friends.
He leaves his children Jay Reynolds (Lori) of Woodstock and Mark Reynolds of Woodstock; sister Ann Campbell (Fred) of Michigan; grandchildren Hannah, Morgan, Jotham and Kyle; nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of his Life was July 29 at the East Woodstock Congregational Church. Donations: The Woodstock Historical Society, P.O. Box 65, Woodstock, CT 06281; or The Woodstock Academy Foundation (in support of the field hockey team), 57 Academy Road, Woodstock, CT 06281. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Marian Marchesseault
DANIELSON — Marian S. Marchesseault, 70, of Danielson died unexpectedly July 24, 2018. She was predeceased by her husband, Peter S. Marchesseault.
Born on Oct. 20, 1947, in Westerly, R.I., Marian was the elder daughter of the late R. Michael and Mary (Pucci) Sammataro. She was the granddaughter of the late John and Marion (Selvidio) Pucci and the late Epiphanio and Nicoletta (Miceli) Sammataro.
Marian was a graduate of the Putnam Catholic Academy in Putnam, Class of 1965, and the University of Rhode Island, Class of 1969. Her graduate and post graduate work were completed in early childhood education. She enjoyed a distinguished career as a kindergarten teacher for 45 years with Plainfield Public Schools and inspired many people throughout her professional life. In addition to her teaching career, Marian had been involved with the Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam since August 2001 and served as secretary for the Board of Directors for the past 15 years. It was always a delight to see her perform on stage.
Upon her retirement, Marian became an active member with the Learning in Retirement (LiR) organization at Quinebaug Valley Community College. She was committed to lifelong learning and attended most sessions. She was the motivator behind the German Club’s inception and kept its membership active. Her enthusiasm, good humor, and camaraderie quickly elevated her into becoming a member-at-large, as well as a member on the Program Committee and Executive Council. She was involved with the compilation and creation of their forthcoming cookbook. Marian’s other hobbies included stamping and learning Italian and Sign Language. Marian was a communicant of the St. James Church in Danielson and served on the Parish Council.
She leaves sons Michael and Stephen Marchesseault of Danielson; her sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Peter Griggs of Venice, Fla.; and her nephew, Loring Griggs of Los Angeles.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 30 at St. James Church, Danielson, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Donations: The Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St., Putnam, CT 06260; or to Learning in Retirement at QVCC, 742 Upper Maple St., Danielson, CT 06239. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Julia M. Theriault
LAKELAND, Fla. — Julia M. (Pezanko) Theriault, 94, of Lakes Hills Blvd., formerly of Putnam, died July 21, 2018, at Lakeland Regional Hospital. She was the wife of the late Ormond Theriault who died on Oct. 24, 2006. Born in 1923 in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late John and Victoria (Borrowiecki) Pezanko. Mrs. Theriault worked for many years at American Optical as a seamstress. She leaves her daughter-in-law, Claudette (Chloe) Picard (David) of Putnam; a grandson, Aaron Theriault of Pittsburgh; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son, Edward D. Theriault and all her siblings.
The Graveside Service is at 10 a.m. Aug. 1 in St. Mary Cemetery, Putnam. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Wilfred P. Boutillette
THOMPSON — Wilfred P. Boutillette, 64, died July 23, 2018.
He was born in Oxford, Mass., son of the late Wilfred L. Boutillette and Micheline (Foucault) Boutillette and lived in Thompson for the past year prior to that living in Webster. Wilfred was formerly a quality controller for the W S Anderson Co. He enjoyed the guitar and golf in his earlier years. He leaves his wife Wendy E. (Wilson) Boutillette; two sons Joshua and Evan Boutillette of Webster; a brother, Michael Boutillette of Leicester, Mass.; a sister, Cindy Cottrill of Arizona. He was predeceased by a son James. Donations: American Heart Assoc. or American Diabetes. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
..
Thur. Aug. 2
Animal Embassy
POMFRET --- The Friends of Pomfret Public Library will present a free program called “Animal Embassy: Nature Rocks,” a live animal presentation, at 4 p.m. Overflow parking available at Rectory School. pomfretlibrary.org.
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will host an evening bird walk at 6 p.m. starting from the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Fri. Aug. 3
First Fridays
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Business Association will present First Fridays --- Greek-American Heritage from 6 to 9 p.m. around downtown Putnam.
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut at the Bradley Playhouse on Front Street will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5, 12 and 19. Tickets are $24 for adults and $21 for seniors and students. 860-928-7887.
Outdoor Concert
POMFRET --- The Friends of Pomfret Public Library will present a free outdoor concert featuring the Earl MacDonald Trio at 7 p.m. on the Aicher Memorial Garden deck, behind the library. Bring snacks and a chair. Overflow parking available at Rectory School, across from the library. The concert will be inside the library if the weather is questionable. pomfretlibrary.org.
Sat Aug. 4
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5, 12 and 19. $21 and $24. 860-928-7887.
Sun Aug. 5
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5, 12 and 19. $21 and $24. 860-928-7887.
Mon. Aug. 6
Exercise Group
WOODSTOCK --- The Woodstock Senior Exercise Group will meet from 9 to 10 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday in the Woodstock Town Hall large meeting room on the lower. Minimum fee. Local seniors welcome. Please check the town website www.woodstockCT.gov for current schedule or call 860-928-6595.
Fri Aug. 10
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19. $21 and $24. 860-928-7887.
Sat. Aug. 11
Race/Walk
PUTNAM --- Day Kimball Healthcare’s annual Walk & Race for the NECT Cancer Fund will begin at 6:30 a.m. at the Black Dog Bar and Grille on Park Road. To register for the event visit www.daykimball.org/CancerFundRun or call the Day Kimball Healthcare Development Office at (860) 928-7141.
River Fire
PUTNAM --- The Town of Putnam will present River Fire at Rotary Park from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Concert
PUTNAM --- Eric Genius, inspirational pianist will entertain from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Rotary Park. Bring blankets or lawn chairs.
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19. $21 and $24. 860-928-7887.
Sun. Aug. 12
Duck Race
PUTNAM --- The Arc QV Duck Race will be held today at Rotary Park. www.qvarc.org.
Car Cruise
PUTNAM --- The Main Street Car Cruise will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. around downtown Putnam.
'Music Man'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “The Music Man” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19. $21 and $24. 860-928-7887.
Thur. Aug. 16
3rd Thursday
WILLIMANTIC --- Willimantic’s 3rd Thursday Street Fest will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Main Street. Free parking, free admittance (donations accepted), free, live entertainment!
Sun. Aug. 19
Fund-raiser Golf
PUTNAM --- The Ovarian Cancer Research fund-raiser golf tournament will be held at Connecticut National Golf Course. Registration is from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.; 1 p.m. shotgun start and dinner is at 6:15. The event is in honor of Cynthia Johnson. Entry cutoff is Aug. 1. Benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. 508-612-2946.
Sat. Aug. 25
Triathlon
PLAINFIELD --- The eighth annual “Give It a Tri” Triathlon, co-sponsored by Day Kimball Healthcare and Hale YMCA, will begin at 8 a.m. at Moosup Pond. To sign up for the fund-raiser relay, go to: daykimball.org/triathlon
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present “Nature Sketchbook Journaling” from 9 a.m. to noon at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $10 for CAS members; $20 for nonmembers. To register and for list of materials, call: 860-928-4948.
Thur. Aug. 30
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will host an “Evening Nighthawk Watch & Bird Walk” at 6 p.m. starting from the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.
Fri. Sept. 7
First Fridays
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Business Association will present First Fridays --- Native American Heritage from 6 to 9 p.m. around downtown Putnam.
Sat. Sept. 8
River Fire
PUTNAM --- River Fire will take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Rotary Park. Free.
Concert
PUTNAM --- Wooden Horse will play in concert from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Rotary Park. Free. Bring blanket or lawn chair.
Open-Air Market
CANTERBURY --- The annual Open Air Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Finn Hall on Rt. 169. Vendors wanted. Call: 860-608-7877.
Sun. Sept. 9
Savor the Flavor
PUTNAM --- Savor the Flavor – Food Festival “Bacon” will take place today. Music by Chicago Total Access from noon to 3 p.m.
Sun. Sept. 16
Fund-raiser Race
DAYVILLE --- The 7th annual NOW Road Race and Walk will be held at Alexander's Lake. It is a fund-raiser for NOW. For registration and more information go to: www.nowinmotion.org
Fri. Oct. 5
First Fridays
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Business Association will present First Fridays --- Scandinavian-American Heritage from 6 to 9 p.m. around downtown Putnam.
Sat. Oct. 6
Community Day
N. GROSVENORDALE --- The 15th Annual Thompson Community Day will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Riverside Park on Rt. 12. 860-923-9440.
Sun. Oct. 20
Pumpkin Fest
PUTNAM --- The Great Pumpkin Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. around downtown Putnam.
Fri. Oct. 26
Trick or Treat
PUTNAM --- Trick or Treat on Main Street will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.
Thur. Nov. 22
Happy Thanksgiving!
Fri. Nov. 23
Santa Arrives
PUTNAM --- Santa Comes to Town at 4 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 25
Holiday Parade
PUTNAM --- The annual Holiday Dazzle Light Parade will start at 5 p.m. from Grove Street.
..
Then
This is the Union Block around 1882-83. It contained Chandler and Morse Hardware, Eisenhauer's Bakery, Sportsmen's Tavern, Putnam Patriot, Putnam News and Lizotte's Barber Shop. Putnam Town Crier file photos.
& Now
This is the same area today. The Union Block burned down in December 1966.
caption:
Representatives
Mya DeShaw, left, Yoriko Hotta, middle, and Olivia Stanikmas on the infield at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Wash.
caption, page 2:
Taking Part
Olivia Stanikmas, left, Mya DeShaw, middle, and Yoriko Hotta take a selfie outside of Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash. during the Special Olympics USA Games.
Three members of the Unified Sports program at The Woodstock Academy, advisor Yoriko Hotta, student-partner Olivia Stanikmas and athlete Mya DeShaw were asked one question repeatedly at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle.
What sport do you play?
The answer was none.
At least, not at this particular event.
The three were flown by Special Olympics to the event to be part of the Youth Leadership Experience at the Games which took place from June 30 to July 8 at the University of Washington.
“It was the only thing that was a little bit different, that was a little separated, so we had to explain it because it was new this year and everybody said to us, ‘That’s really cool,’” Stanikmas said.
The Woodstock Academy program was singled out to be the Team Connecticut representative for a number of reasons.
In 2016-17, The Academy’s Unified program was the first to be named a State of Connecticut Unified champion of the approximately 30 schools who met the criteria set forth by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference.
It put the program on the CIAC’s radar.
The Unified program also earned kudos for its originality when it created a Unified Club to accommodate an overflow of student partners for the program.
It further enhanced its reputation when the Unified music class at The Academy and the school’s choral groups put together a video to the John Lennon song, “Imagine,” using sign language.
The CIAC recommended to Special Olympics that The Woodstock Academy program be allowed to attend the Games as part of the inaugural Youth Leadership Experience.
“We didn’t really know what we were going to be doing until we got there,” Stanikmas said.
What they were expected to do was all contained in a really “neat” binder, according to Stanikmas, but following it was another story.
“It was a really tough schedule,” Hotta said. “The campus of the University of Washington was so hilly and we did more than 10 miles a day, power-walking. (Olivia and Mya) were like, ‘Oh my God, another workshop,’ but I told them that so many other schools in Connecticut wanted to be here, but we were here and we had to do this.”
The job of the three for Team Connecticut was to observe the activities on a number of fronts.
They first learned how to engage one another using different forms of social media platforms to try and encourage the most participation among their peers.
From there, it was on to watching the Games, both intercollegiate and interscholastic, through the eyes of both a spectator and as a member of the conference.
“We were looking at sportsmanship, how the coaches were working, how the athletes played together and, especially in Unified sports, how the partners and athletes were working together,” Stanikmas said.
There are several differences between Special Olympics and Unified Sports, both of which participated in the Games.
Special Olympics features competitions between individual disabled athletes and teams comprised of those with disabilities while Unified athletics allows for a partner to aid the disabled athlete. Special Olympians can be of any age while Unified teams generally are comprised of high school or college-aged competitors.
“One day, we shadowed the (Team Connecticut) track coach and another we shadowed the director of the Young Athlete Program (for disabled athletes 2-7 years old),” DeShaw said. “We learned how it worked and how we can make a Young Athlete Program (in Connecticut). We played with the kids.”
The three also shadowed several journalists working at the Games.
“The experience was to really learn what happens in the background of Special Olympics,” Hotta said.
Hotta said she chose DeShaw to attend because she had been a part of the program for all four of her years at The Academy. DeShaw plans to continue to compete in Special Olympics with Team Quinebaug Valley when she moves on this fall to Quinebaug Valley Community College.
Stanikmas said she got involved with the Unified program at The Academy as a freshman. She played field hockey in the fall, but signed up for Unified basketball in the winter. She played lacrosse in the spring, but made a fateful decision.
“I signed up for Unified gym in the fall of my sophomore year and it changed my whole outlook. After that, I knew I really wanted to get involved. I didn’t want to have anything to do with special education up until that point, but I realized how much of an impact it made on me and how much of an impact I could have on other people,” Stanikmas said.
Now, she not only works with the program but also helps Hotta in the classroom as a peer tutor. Stanikmas, a senior this year, plans to become a special education teacher in the future.
Her eyes were opened further at the Games.
“The biggest thing for me (in Seattle) was that it didn’t matter if someone did or did not have a disability, everybody was together all the time. There were no barriers,” Stanikmas said.
DeShaw said she also was impressed with the camaraderie expressed at the Games.
“The first time we met Team Connecticut, we didn’t know anyone. Now, we’re close and we still talk to a lot of them (through social media),” DeShaw said.
The two said they also created ties with members of other state organizations from Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Idaho and New Hampshire among others.
Having seen and experienced Unified athletics on a national level, Hotta said Connecticut has a lot to be thankful for.
“I’m so proud to tell people that 95 percent of high schools in Connecticut have a Unified sports program. It was not the same with other states. Some were like ‘What is a Unified program in high school’? Connecticut really put a lot of effort into the ‘Unified Challenge’ a couple of years back. We have been extremely successful at the high school level,” Hotta said.
Last year, The Woodstock Academy program had 22 athletes and student-partners compete in soccer in the fall, 40 in basketball during the winter and about a dozen in the spring with a track program.
According to Hotta, the CIAC would like to see the Unified athletic program grow even more and expand to the middle school level.
“That’s one of our missions that we would like to make happen. Compared to other states, Connecticut is a pioneer,” she said.
Hotta said there were other takeaways from the Youth Leadership Experience that she can possibly utilize at The Academy and beyond this school year.
She would like to take the initial steps for a Unified Prom in conjunction with Norwich Free Academy and possibly some other schools in the I-395 corridor.
Stanikmas and DeShaw both took part in youth leadership activities provided by the CIAC last year, but had to travel to Cheshire to do so. Hotta said another initiative would be to possibly have some of those meetings take place in a webinar-based format to eliminate a lot of the travel time and cost.
“Our goal at The Academy is to sustain the program. Olivia’s class has some strong partners and to follow that, I have to start building a new group of partners. Partners are word-of-mouth. These students spread the word and they keep coming. We need to continue the trend,” Hotta said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director