Then
This is the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ in Woodstock around 1900.
& Now
And in more modern times.
WOODSTOCK — Some of us can’t imagine being 60 or 70 years old! Can you imagine experiencing your 325th anniversary? Beginning in October, 2015 and ending in the spring of 2016, the members of the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Woodstock is celebrating.
At 1 p.m. Oct. 11 Leslie Sweetnam will offer a re-enactment of John Eliot as he worked with the local Indians. Come to Eliot Rock , 582 Rte. 169, the property owned by the McClellans.
At 10 a.m. Oct. 25 Pastor Emeritus James S. Harrison will be the Guest Preacher.
At 11:15 a.m. Nov. 22, Professor Clifford Brown will make a presentation about church architecture.
Spring, 2016 Watch for a Poetry Contest and a Hymn-Writing Contest.
At 10 a.m. April 24 Earth Day celebration with a tree planting and the burying of a time capsule by the youth of the church.
Contact the church for more information. 860 928 7405. firstchurchwoodstock.org
Clockwise from top left: Barn door at Nelson farm in Pomfret. Chairs on Pomfret Town Hall porch. Milkweed in Putnam. Flowers in window box at Rondeau's in Woodstock.
Budget
cuts stop
partnership
deal with
DKH
PUTNAM — Severe and unexpected cuts by the state of Connecticut to Medicaid payments have affected progress Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) and Hartford HealthCare (HHC) were making toward a strategic partnership.
In July, the two organizations announced that they had agreed to work together to outline the terms of a proposed affiliation. The immediate goal was to allow HHC to provide management support for select operations determined by DKH. These agreements would have offered economies of scale to help DKH reduce its cost structure.
“Given the magnitude of the state’s cuts, it would be imprudent for us to consider moving forward with such a partnership at this time,” said James Blazar, Hartford HealthCare’s senior vice president and chief strategy transformation officer. “This reckless slashing of Medicaid funding makes it difficult for HHC to create a path forward with Day Kimball Healthcare right now. Both our organizations have just taken a gut punch.”
According to state estimates, HHC would stand to lose $55 million in the cuts and, as a result, needs to curtail major capital expenditures at this time. DKH expects these cuts to result in a $5.6-million loss in state funding to its revenue in this fiscal year.
“Partnering with HHC represented a real opportunity for us to benefit patients and strengthen our finances. We are disappointed that these budget cuts affected HHC’s ability to work towards this opportunity at this time,” said Robert Smanik, FACHE, DKH’s president and chief executive officer. “In addition to this lost opportunity, the budget cuts also caused DKH to lose the small hospital funding that our legislators were successful in restoring just months ago. Despite these challenges, DKH is working diligently to mitigate these revenue losses, and will continue to explore all strategic opportunities for continued growth and expansion.”
Blazar praised DKH’s administration and board for their collaboration in the partnership exploration, and held out the possibility that — with restored funding or under calmer financial circumstances — an affiliation is still desirable.
Fleeton
elevated to
girls' varsity
basketball
coach
By Ron P. Coderre
Woodstock Academy Associate Headmaster Holly Singleton recently announced that Will Fleeton has been appointed the girls’ varsity basketball coach. He replaces veteran coach Willie Bousquet. Fleeton previously served as Woodstock’s junior varsity girls’ basketball coach under Bousquet and was recommended for the position by the veteran mentor.
Fleeton brings a long history of coaching basketball as he assumes his new role. A graduate of East High School in Youngstown, Ohio, his first coaching job in northeastern Connecticut was as the varsity boys’ basketball coach at the former St. Mary School in Putnam. Fleeton then moved on to a 17-year stint coaching both the 8th and 9th grade programs at The Rectory School in Pomfret prior to joining the coaching staff at Woodstock Academy.
“We are thrilled to have someone with the experience, knowledge and passion for coaching the game of basketball as Will Fleeton,” said Woodstock Director of Athletics Aaron Patterson.
“This was an easy decision to advance him to varsity coach because he did a fantastic job with the junior varsity team last year. Will has a great way of connecting with young people, communicating with them individually and as a team. I am confident that the program will continue to grow and that many good years are ahead for the girls who play basketball at Woodstock Academy,” said Patterson.
Similar to his predecessor, Bousquet, Fleeton treats coaching as an extension of the classroom. His approach is to be a teacher-coach, teaching valuable life lessons as well as basketball skills to those under his guidance.
“I am very grateful to Woodstock Academy for offering me this opportunity. I know it’s a big step, but I’m excited and ready for the challenge,” said Fleeton.
The departure of Bousquet and the elevation of Fleeton to the varsity position leaves a void in other spots in the program. Woodstock is currently in a search to fill Fleeton’s former varsity assistant slot, junior varsity coach as well as freshman coach.
Fleeton, who lives in Putnam with his wife Robin, also currently serves as an assistant with the Centaurs football team, a position he’s held for the past three seasons.
.