Walktober offerings
Walktober has plenty of offerings for adventurers. Oct. 20-23 features several Walktober adventures meant to be more challenging.
Walktober is in its 27th year and is a program of The Last Green Valley, Inc., (TLGV) the non-profit charged with promoting and advocating for the national heritage corridor’s unique resources.
“Walktober has been so successful for 27 years because it offers something for everyone,” said Lois Bruinooge, executive director of TLGV.
There are 40 unique Walktober adventures occurring Oct. 20-23. Below is sampling of the opportunities considered difficult, however, there are also many Walktober events considered easy or moderate. Please visit www.thelastgreenvalley.org for the latest Walktober schedule.
Here are just a few Walktobers for Oct. 20-23:
Walktober: Tackle the Trail, Oct. 21, 9 a.m., Air Line Trail (Rte. 169), Pomfret, CT. Limited parking at Air Line Trailhead in Pomfret, see website for details. 860-932-4174. Pre-registration required and space is limited. See details at www.qvcc.edu/tacklethetrail. Individual runners or up to 5 person relay teams can Tackle the Trail. The course begins in Pomfret and ends in Willimantic. Participants enjoy a well-organized fall race on 20 miles of the famous Air Line Trail as well as a post-race party at the Willimantic Elks! Fees: Individual runner $100, Relay team (up to 5 runners) $200. For more details, visit www.qvcc.edu/tacklethetrail. Sponsored by: QVCC Foundation. www.qvcc.edu/tacklethetrail
Walktober: NOW is the Day to Opt Out – Outdoors That Is! Oct. 22, 1-2:30 p.m., Air Line Trail, Thompson, CT. Park at the lot on Mechanicsville Rd. (Rte. 12). 888-940-4669 Access the Air Line Trail with us as we opt outdoors and enjoying fresh air with kids of all ages, providing them with lifetime memories and overall wellness. The NOW Programming Team partners with TLGV’s Ranger Marcy for a scavenger hunt hike on the Air Line Trail. Bet we’ll find all kinds of interesting things! Along the trail, learn about NOW’s dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of the children in our region by ensuring each child’s access to fitness, nutrition, and athletics.
Walktober: Breakneck Pond Loop Hike, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., rain date, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Bigelow Hollow State Park, Rte. 171, Union.
Hike the Nipmuck & Breakneck Pond View Trails in Bigelow Hollow State Park & the Nipmuck State Forest with TLGV Rangers Janet & Angela. Participants should bring a trail lunch to enjoy near the pond. This walk is physically challenging due to the length and rough terrain. Participants must have good balance for stream crossings and be in excellent physical condition.
Walktober: Mountain Bike Ride at Goodwin State Forest, Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to noon, 20 Potter Rd., (Off Rte. 6), Hampton, CT. 860-230-1237. Quiet Corner NEMBA will lead guided mountain bike rides through Goodwin State Forest’s trails in Hampton, CT. These rides are open to all levels. Groups will be divided to cater to various experience levels. All welcome. Bike & helmet required. No dogs please. For more info: find us on Facebook, visit www.nemba.org/chapters/qcnemba or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Walktober: A Walk in the Woods at Westridge Farm, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to noon, rain date: Oct. 29, 10 a.m. to noon, 611 Wyassup Rd., N. Stonington. 860-235-6550. Participants will be led by Hull Forest Products Forester Chris Casadei and CT DEEP Pachaug Forester Dan Evans on a hike through this rugged terrain to view and discuss recent forest management activities on the Westridge Farm property as well as the settlement history of the the area as interpreted from the Colonial and Native Stone work. The hike will extend onto the adjacent Pachaug State Forest to view the Hetchel Swamp Brook and the site of the Colonial Shingle Mill that once stood there. Please wear appropriate footwear for a hike.
Walktober: The Old Reservoirs of Taftville, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 134 Providence St., Taftville (Norwich), CT. Park at Woquonnec School, walk across street to Taftville Fire Dept. 860-887-6676. Hike through a glacier valley with Tim Jencks, Taftville Fire Chief, to the sites of two former reservoirs. View the ruins of a pump house, tower and other aspects important in running a fully-functioning reservoir including a dam which is still maintained by Norwich Public Utilities. This tour is very strenuous and uphill at times.
Walktober: Historic Steerage Rock, Oct. 22, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Steerage Rock Rd., Brimfield MA. Across from 1 Harnois Rd. 860-377-0117 Learn about historic Steerage Rock, a favorite camping spot of King Philip, son of Massasoit, and sustainable forest management on this 1 mile woods walk. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Brimfield Common, the path of the 2011 tornado, and the surrounding landscape. TLGV Ranger Larry Lowenthal teams with Hull Forest Products’ Mike Bartlett for this one. Bring your binoculars!
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Woodstock public schools
Monday: Hot dogs, fruit. Tuesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, celery sticks, fruit. Wednesday: Popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, fruit. Thursday: Pasta, meatballs, carrots, fruit. Friday: Pizza, spinach salad, fruit.
Putnam Elementary/Middle
Monday: Sloppy Joes. Tuesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, cheddar Goldfish crackers, baby carrots with hummus. Wednesday: Pasta, meatsauce, broccoli, sherbet. Thursday: Chicken tenders, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn. Friday - half day: Putnam special pizza, salad.
Putnam High
Monday: Chipotle chicken panini or spicy chicken sandwiches. Tuesday: Clipper burgers or buffalo chicken wraps. Wednesday: General Tsos chicken or bacon cheese b urgers. Thursday: Cheese ravioli or Oriental chicken salad. Friday - half day: Stuffed-crust pizza or fish and chips dinner.
Pomfret Community
Monday: Pizza, baby carrots, salad. Tuesday: Sweet and sour chicken, vegetable medley, fortune cookies. Wednesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato vegetable soup. Thursday: Herb-roasted chicken, salad. Friday: Sandwich bagged lunch, carrot sticks/dip, fruit.
Leaf collection
PUTNAM — The Town of Putnam will begin Leaf Collection on Oct. 30.
Please do not bag leaves. All leaves are to be piled on the lawn or edge of the property.
Do not put leaves in the road, road gutter or on public sidewalks. Do not mix any brush in with the leaves. This creates a safety hazard and road flooding during rain storms.
One vacuum will canvas all roads west of the Quinebaug River and one vacuum will canvas all roads east of the Quinebaug River. If you have questions, please call 963-6800 Ext. 140.
BROOKLYN — The Northeast District Department of Health (NDDH) is one of 15 national awardees to receive a lead poisoning prevention awareness mini-grant from the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH).
As part of efforts to promote Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (Oct. 22-28), NDDH will use the $5,000 award to host a Lead Poisoning Prevention Forum from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at the health department on 69 South Main St.
Funds will also be used to host a free Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Renovator Training – Initial Course: Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) on Nov. 1 also at the health department. The RRP training will be conducted in partnership with Mystic Air Quality Consultants and is aimed at contractors, workers, painters, remodelers, and rental property owners and landlords who are conducting renovation in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities.
Those interested in attending the Lead Poisoning Prevention Forum on October 24 or the EPA RRP Training on November 1 may register by calling NDDH at 860-774-7350.
“Lead poisoning prevention has always been a public health priority,” said Susan Starkey, NDDH director of Health. “The state budget is impacting a number of programs, so it was essential for us to find another funding source for this important work. We submitted a compelling application and are grateful to NCHH for awarding us this national grant.”
NDDH’s application, “Healthy Homes Northeast CT: Love Where You Live and Live Lead- Free – A Community Partnership to Prevent Lead Poisoning” was one of 91 applications from 30 states and the District of Columbia received by NCHH.
“This grant came along at the perfect time,” said Linda Colangelo, NDDH Education and Communications coordinator. “With support from our partners in the Lead, Radon, and Healthy Homes Program at the CT Department of Public Health, we have been collaborating with local building officials, HUD administrators and inspectors, realtors, building contractors, physicians, and the community at large for the past few years to increase awareness about lead poisoning prevention. Fifty-seven northeast Connecticut children were
lead poisoned in 2015. The Oct. 24 forum will explore strategic ways to prevent more children from being poisoned.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that lead poisoning is 100% preventable if children are kept from coming in contact with lead. Although there are several exposure sources, lead-based paint is the most widespread and dangerous high-dose source of lead exposure for young children. All houses built before 1978 are likely to contain some lead-based paint. However, it is the deterioration of this paint that causes a problem. Common home renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint. These can be harmful to adults and children. Children under the age of 6 years are most at risk because they grow so rapidly and tend to put their hands or other objects, which may be contaminated with lead dust, into their mouths.
Protecting children from exposure to lead is important for lifelong good health. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect IQ, ability to pay attention and academic achievement. Effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected. The most important step parents, doctors and others can take is to prevent lead exposure before it occurs.
The competitive solicitation for the grant was led by the National Center for Healthy Housing, the preeminent national nonprofit dedicated to securing healthy homes for all, and the Trust for America’s Health, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. Funding was made possible through the Health Impact Project, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Health Impact Project report, 10 Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure, was published on August 30, 2017.