Wed. Aug. 26

Fun Runs

THOMPSON --- The Wednesday Fun runs will be held at the West Thompson Dam through Sept. 16. The runs/walks start at 6:15. All welcome.

 

‘Touring’ Exhibit

WOODSTOCK --- Historic New England’s new exhibit “Touring New England, 1820 – 1970” opens today and runs through Oct. 15 at  Roseland Cottage, in the Carriage Barn. It explores why the region’s natural and built environments have been tourist destinations for centuries. The exhibit touches on the distinct characteristics of each New England state: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  Free.

 

Art Show

THOMPSON --- The Thompson Public Library will present Art @ the Library, “Double Exposure,” photography by Karen Leaf and Norm Aubin through Aug. 30. Reception is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 3. 860-923-9779. Program supported by the Friends of the Thompson Public Library. The meeting room may be unavailable at times due to other functions.

 

Nature Program

POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will hold an evening bird walk and nighthawk watch at 6 p.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

 

Sat. Aug. 29

Acorn Adventure 

POMFRET --- The Last Green Valley Acorn Adventure, “The Full Moon Above!,” will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Wyndham Land Trust’s Lyon Preserve on Wrights Crossing Road. Acorns of all ages welcome. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more info.

 

Chicken BBQ

QUINEBAUG --- St. Stephen’s Chicken BBQ will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the parish center on Rt. 197. $10 for adults; $5 for kids 12 and younger. Takeout available. 508-789-9874.

 

Sun. Aug. 30

Art Exhibit

POMFRET --- The Northeast Connecticut Art Guild will be presenting an  exhibit, featuring local artists, through Sept. 27 at the CT Audubon Society Center  at Pomfret.  Free. An artist reception is from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 30. A portion of the proceeds benefits the society. 860-928-494

 

Quasset School Open

WOODSTOCK --- Quasset School on Frog Pond Road will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays in July and August.

 

Children’s Concert

NORWICHTOWN --- CorePlus Federal Credit Union is sponsoring its annual back to school Children’s Concert with the silver cornet Band at 3 p.m. at the Norwichtown Green. Free. All welcome. Bring a picnic, blankets and lawn chairs. 

 

Tues. Sept. 1

Picnic

POMFRET --- The Pomfret Senior Association will be holding its annual Summer Picnic  at noon.  The picnic is free to members and $8 to nonmembers. If an attendee wishes to join the Association, dues are $5 dues and their meal will be free. Attendees are asked to bring a dish or dessert to share.  RSVP: 860-974-0426 by Aug. 28.

 

Wed. Sept. 2

Pet Loss Support Group

DAYVILLE --- NECCOG Animal Services, 125 Putnam Pike, will present a Pet Loss Support Group at 6 p.m. Free.  No fee/reservations are required, and you are free to attend as often as necessary throughout your grief process.  860-774-1253.

 

Thur. Sept. 3

Painting Program

POMFRET --- The Northeast Connecticut Art Guild is having Artist Linda Rogers demonstrate her method of Encaustic Painting at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Audubon Society on Day Road. Free. All welcome. 860-928-4948

 

Sun. Sept. 6

Sunflower Fund-raiser

BROOKLYN/POMFRET --- Sunflowers for Kids will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lapsley Orchard on Rt. 169. This free event features hay rides (starting at noon), PYO apples, face painting and balloon animals. Sales of sunflowers and wildflowers, including pick you own, will benefit United Services Center for Autism. call 860-774-2020.

 

Thur. Sept. 10

Nature Program

HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will hold a bird walk at Trail Wood on Kenyon Road at 8 a.m. Bring binoculars and wear drab-colored clothing. Members free; $5 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

 

Fri. Sept. 11

'The Jungle Book'

PUTNAM --- The Complex for the Performing Arts will present "The Jungle Book" at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 and at 2 p.m. Sept. 12 and 13 at the Bradley Playhouse. 860-963-7170.

 

Sat. Sept. 12

River Fire 

PUTNAM --- The town of Putnam will present River Fire from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Rotary Park. Free. 

 

Mum, Bake Sale

BROOKLYN --- The Friends of the Brooklyn Library will sponsor a Mum and Bakes Sale from 9 a.m. to noon on Rt. 6 near the center of Brooklyn on the front lawn of the Federated Church.  Finnish coffee bread and $5 mums.

 

Book Sale

N. GROSVENORDALE ---The Friends of the Thompson Public Library is seeking donations for their Fall Book and Bake Sale which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the library on Rt. 12. Drop off during regular library hours. Hard cover and paperback books gladly accepted. Large print books and DVDs are in demand. No Reader's Digest Condensed Books, text books, encyclopedias or magazines. Book donations accepted after Aug. 24, until noon on Sept. 11. Individually wrapped baked good donations accepted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 11 and the morning of the sale.

 

Nature Program

POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will hold a fall migration bird banding session at 9 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

 

Sun. Sept. 13

Special Service

PUTNAM --- St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Putnam, and St. Alban's Church will be holding one new joint Sunday service at 10 a.m. at St. Alban's Church, 254 Broad St., Danielson.  All are warmly invited to attend the service, which will blend contemporary and traditional music

 

'Tastes of Valley'

WOODSTOCK --- The Last Green Valley will hold its 10th annual Tastes of the Valley from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Mansion at Bald Hill. For more info or tickets for the fund-raiser go to www.thelastgreenvalley.org.

 

Nature Program

POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will hold a bird walk at 8 a.m. starting at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

 

Volunteers 

needed to 

document stream 

water quality

The Last Green Valley Inc. (TLGV) will be hosting two free training events for people interested in helping to document water quality in their Connecticut towns by sampling and identifying bugs that live in river and stream bottoms. 

From 9 a.m .to noon Aug. 28 at the USDA Service Center, 238 W. Town St., Norwich and 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 29 at the Ashford Town Hall, 5 Town Hall Road.

“The River Bioassessment for Volunteers (RBV) program was developed by CT DEEP to train citizen scientist how to help document healthy streams,” says Jean Pillo, TLGV Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator.  “We use bugs that live in the stream as water quality indicators because they are surrounded by the water most of the year.  Certain bugs are more stressed by pollution than others.  If we find those pollution-sensitive bugs in a brook, then we know a lot about that brook without any chemical analysis.”  

The RBV process will help to gather important baseline information on the healthiest streams in our region.  This information will be useful to municipalities during land use decision making.  The CT DEEP also uses this volunteer data as part of its water quality assessment report to Congress when four or more “good” kinds of bugs are found in a stream.  

      “Our goal is to survey at least 20 streams this season.  The process is a fun way to help get important information, and a way to meet other people that share your interest in a healthy environment,” says Pillo.  Call Jean Pillo at (860) 928-4948 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions or to sign up for one of the workshops.  TLGV will loan out the equipment needed to collect the samples.  

 

 

Following more than four years of continued growth, Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. (NOW) is looking for an executive director.

The new position was formally created on July 8, via unanimous vote of the NOW Board of Directors, and marks a significant milestone in NOW’s ongoing efforts to help Quiet Corner families access fitness, nutrition, and athletics. Since 2009, NOW has sponsored free football, soccer, and basketball clinics, built and maintained athletic fields in Canterbury and Putnam, and launched the “You Play. We Pay.” scholarship program to help local families afford the cost of youth athletics. The group also hosts several popular events and fund-raisers, including the NOW Road Race, the Taste for NOW, Spin For NOW, and a recent Touch-A-Truck event. In four short years, NOW has touched the lives of thousands of children and families, awarded more than $14,000 in scholarships, and established partnerships with two dozen local groups.

With a volunteer board and only a few part-time employees, however, the continued growth has proven to be both a blessing and a burden.

“I suppose you could call this one of those ‘nice problems’ to have,” said NOW President Allan Rawson, whose family founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “We’ve grown so much as an organization that in order to handle it all, we could either scale back on what we’re doing in the community, or we could take the next step and hire a full-time employee. We chose to take the next step.”

Once hired, NOW’s first full-time employee will be tasked with both streamlining the nonprofit’s ongoing initiatives and expanding its ability to serve more children and families in northeastern Connecticut. The executive director will also become a key player in some of NOW’s most significant projects, including the potential multi-million dollar renovation of the Putnam Keech Street armory into a regional recreation facility.

As the search for an executive director begins and the organization marks a significant milestone in the life of a nonprofit, NOW Vice President Keith O’Hara said that much like the children it serves, NOW’s first four years have marked a period of remarkable growth and development.

“First we were crawling. Then we got up on two feet, and we’ve been taking some baby steps,” O’Hara said. “And now, before you know it, we’re ready to run.”

Details on the job description and application process for NOW’s executive director position can be found online at www.nowinmotion.org.