Foundation awards $247,000 in grants
W. WARWICK, R.I. — The Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation awarded $247,000 in grants to 19 nonprofit organizations across Connecticut and Rhode Island in its most recent quarter of giving. In 2024, more than $1.6 million has been given to more than 100 organizations.
This quarter’s recipients include Access Community Action Agency in Connecticut, a nonprofit working to help improve the quality of life for individuals and families in northeastern Connecticut and the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket in Rhode Island’s Out-of-School Time Program.
Kathleen Krider, Senior Director, Community Engagement, Access Agency noted, “With this grant fromthe Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation, Access will develop a rapid re-housing program for ten domestic violence survivors that focuses on participant strengths and highlights them as part of the recovery process."
“Centreville Bank is deeply committed to the communities we serve, and through the Charitable Foundation, we strive to support organizations that make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families,” said Hal Horvat, president and CEO of Centreville Bank.
Fourth-quarter awards:
Read To Grow: Supporting early childhood in Connecticut through Bookmobile visits; Access Community Action Agency: Rapid Rehousing Domestic Violence Support; Town of Plainfield: Senior Art Expression; Martin House, Inc.: Food Security Program; TVCCA: Senior Nutrition Program; Putnam Board of Education: Gifts that Give Back Campaign - Family Resource Center and Meals on Wheels.
Food Pantry Donations: A total of $23,000 was donated to 23 food pantries
Also: Social Enterprise Greenhouse: GROW; Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket: Out-of-School Time Program; United Way of RI: Annual Employee Campaign Match; University of RI Foundation: Talent Development Program; Mini Entrepreneurs of Rhode Island: Entrepreneurial Education for Rhode Island Children; Junior Achievement of Rhode Island, Inc.: Junior Achievement Financial Literacy Programs for Rhode Island Youth; Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick: Nurturing Resilience, Inspiring Growth: BGCW’s Holistic Approach to Youth Development; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island: BBBSRI Mentoring Programs; Entrepreneurship for All: EforAll in Rhode Island: Reducing racial income disparities through inclusive entrepreneurship training; Rhode Island Zoological Society/ Roger Williams Park Zoo: Zoo Camperships: Supporting Title 1 Youth Summer Programming; Meals on Wheels: Gifts that Give Back Campaign; Madonna Place: Gifts that Give Back Campaign.
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Wreaths: Remember, Honor, and Teach
PUTNAM — In Putnam and across the nation, a patriotic observance was held at high-noon Dec. 14 at Veterans Park — Wreaths Across America. Some 50 people braved the cold.
Wreaths were placed to recognize the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who are serving, have served, and those who have departed from our ranks. According to the master of ceremonies, American Legion Post 13 Commander Michael Rocchetti, “The watchwords for the Wreaths Across America Observance are: Remember, Honor, and Teach”. We remember the sacrifices made by our veterans, we honor their legacy, and we teach our younger generations the value of freedom”.
“It was a very cold day, but the sun was shining, the sky was clear and blue, and the winds were calm. It was a great day for this ceremony.” added Rocchetti. In his address, Rocchetti spoke about the extraordinary service of two local Civil War veterans: William B. Whittemore and William Sullivan Beebe. “Whittemore survived five gunshot wounds and Beebe won the Congressional Medal of Honor.”
The annual “Wreaths Across America” tribute started in 2005, and has grown in popularity. Putnam’s first observance was in 2011, and was a joint effort of the Town of Putnam, The American Legion Post and the VFW Post. The participants in the ceremony included the American Legion Post #13, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1523, the Putnam Elks #574 Veterans Committee, the Danielson Veterans Coffee house, and the Town of Putnam.
Speakers included Michael Rocchetti, VFW Post 1523 Past Commander Robert Challinor, and Alan Joslin for the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse. The National Anthem was sung by Emily Lajoie, and taps was played on the bugle by Tyler Eddy. The honor guard consisted of Michael Vassar, Chas Mackenzie, Curt Prochowski, and Frank Tremont and members of VFW Post #1523. The invocation and benediction were given by Janet Muscara. The wreath layers included: Robert Warrender, Bill Schmidt, Ron Pariseau, Rita Barylski, Thomas Lajoie, Al Heath, Janet Muscara Schmidt, Hans Lowell, and Alan Joslin. Wreaths were placed at Veterans Park, at three bridges over the Quinebaug River, and at every cemetery in town where veterans are buried.
Rocchetti also had words of praise for the Town of Putnam: “The Parks and Recreation Director Willie Bousquet and his assistant Marcy Dawley did a lot of work behind the scenes to make this happen – and I am very grateful for their support. Also Gene Palazzo did a fantastic job setting up the ceremonial site – with chairs, a podium, and a sound system. How lucky we are to live in such a wonderful community!”
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Restoring Cady-Copp's Education Mission
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — For almost 280 years the Cady- Copp Cottage has stood as one repository of Putnam’s history and education.
The gambrel-roofed home, perhaps, might be graced with a white Christmas this year. And perhaps in 1745 the home’s first Christmas might have been a white Christmas.
Aspinock Historical Society (AHS) Vice President Jeanne Benoit and Town Historian Bill Pearsall think the first Christmas in the home would probably have been more about religion than festivities. The home was built by Joseph Cady, Esq. for his daughter and son-in-law Damaris and Rev. Perley Howe. Howe was the pastor of the First Congregational Church of Putnam — now the meetinghouse next door.
If the Howes had been of German descent, there might have been more of a festive Christmas. It was the Germans who brought Christmas trees to America, Benoit said. Not being German and being the pastor of the church Benoit said most of the holiday would have been spent in church.
“Unless you were German, there wasn’t much Christmas,” Pearsall said.
They might have had a “holiday” dinner which, back then, would have included venison or wild turkey or chicken, plus items from the root cellar. “It would have been more of a day in church rather than a celebration day.”
After Howe died, Damaris married Aaron Brown, who was also a pastor.
In those days, pastors were educated men. In the minister’s study on the cottage’s second floor, pastors taught Latin and Greek to local young men who were headed to college. Knowing Latin and Greek was a requirement to go to college. Benoit said there was no such thing as high school. One young man Brown prepared for college was Manasseh Cutler. Cutler went to Yale at age 12 and graduated at 16. Cutler went on to write the Northwest Ordinance.
Fast forward hundreds of years and the calling for the Cady-Copp Cottage is the same — education. The Aspinock Historical Society is conducting a serious capital campaign to bring back the cottage and grounds AND its purpose. Society President John Miller said “The Cady-Copp Cottage Museum will be open for tours and education of the history of the Cottage including highlighting Manasseh Cutler who was educated as a boy there.”
Over the years, the exterior has been refurbished and an access road and a small parking lot have been installed.
But before the cottage can again teach, the interior needs help. Miller said the next phase is the refurbishment of the interior including the unique fireplace (a four-corner fireplace which uses a central chimney). That fireplace/chimney put the Cady-Copp Cottage on the National Historic Register in the early 2000s.
The total budget is about $50,000 with matching grants available. Benoit is working on finding a matching grant. Miller said they are depending heavily on donations because the chances of getting a grant “are probably almost nil so that’s why donations are so important,” he said. He added they have raised $25,000 to date.
The AHS mission is to “Protect the Future by Preserving the Past” The Cady-Copp Cottage is a vital part of our mission and will be the third museum under the AHS umbrella open to the public, he said.
There are many ways to donate. Miller said: “AHS is a 501(c)3. Donations can be made by visiting our web site www.putnamaspinockhistsoc.com; or mail to AHS, 200 School St. Putnam CT 06260; or stop by the AHS Museum located on the second floor of the Putnam Municipal Complex between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays.”
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