Interact finishes year on high note
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Putnam Rotary President Doug Porter called the 2024-2025 Interact Club an “amazing group.” But for the Interact Club members it was just their usual — over the top.
Outgoing Interact co-presidents Sofia Thurber and Jane Ferraro listed their accomplishments in their address to club members. One of their touchstones for their Interact year was children and they added several activities to the long list of annual projects that centered around helping children, including gathering hundreds of dollars’ worth of new toys and delivering them to the Boston Children’s Hospital.
Projects included: Aug 2024: Volunteered at Now Kids fun Run, Collection of Backpack, TEEG Backpack Distribution, Gardening in TEEG community Garden; September 2024: Presented backpacks to DKH children and adolescent behavioral health center, NOW Lap Around the Lake Fun Run, DKH Cancer Survivor Picnic at Roseland Park, Assembled a scarecrow (Minion) to be placed in Rotary Park, Gardening at TEEG; Oct 2024: Gardening at TEEG, Zombie Fashion show, collected costumes for Halloween distribution, Participated in TEEG costume distribution, sold hot cider and treats at Great Pumpkin fest to purchase toys for the Boston Children’s Hospital; Nov 2024: Created Ornaments for the Elderly shut-ins, collected toys and presented them to the Boston Children’s Hospital, participated in Turkey Dip for Camp Quinebaug and raised $700; Dec 2024: “Competitive” bell ringing for the Salvation Army – raised $14,608; Jan 2025: Pizza Party for all bell ringing volunteers, Relay For Life kick-off meeting, made buttons for cancer survivors, created valentine cards for the elderly; Feb 2025: Volunteered at the Rotaract Trivia night, carved an ice block at Fire & Ice festival to raise money for our Heifer project - $436, Relay For Life meeting painted rocks; March 2025: Relay for Life meeting made bookmarks, volunteered at the Special Olympics Swim meet, gardening at TEEG; April 2025: Attending the Interact Conference, made posters for the Good Friday Food Drive, volunteered at the Relay For Life Pancake Breakfast with Easter Bunny, participated at the Good Friday Food Drive, held a car wash for their Heifer International project- $492; May 2025: Purchased $910 worth of animals through Heifer International, Volunteered at Super Hero Saturday, participated in Relay for Life.
After Interactors received their service citations for the numbers of hours they volunteered/worked, incoming co-presidents Paige Perry and Gabriell Cerasiello said they are excited about a new year of volunteering, adding they were inspired by the hard work of the dedicated leaders and volunteers. They said it is “so rewarding to look back on our time involved in Interact these past years and know that we’ve made an impact on something greater than our own lives.” They also complimented Putnam Rotarian Interact Club advisor Roberta Rocchetti, saying she “stops at nothing to encourage and motivate every last one of the volunteers I this club.” The two new co-presidents said they’d like to focus their year’s energy on “the urgent needs in our community — hunger.”
Citations went to: June Ferraro - 105 hours; Sofia Thurber - 88.5; Gabriell Cerasiello 42.5; Paige Perry 41.5; Isabelle McGlynn 35; Serena Smith 30; Kaelyn Tremblay 25; Sam Hachigian 12; Matthew Rybacki 10.5.
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caption:
New Interact Leaders
The Putnam Rotary Club Interact Club installed its new co-presidents and got its new year started. More photos Wed. night on our FB page. From left: Putnam Rotary Club President Doug Porter, Gabriell Cerasiello, Paige Perry and advisor Roberta Rocchetti. Linda Lemmon photo.
MuralFest is off and running
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
The history of Putnam took a giant step into the future with the recent kickoff of the MuralFest project.
And while the organizers begin their research, those interested in the murals project can help now. Organizer Elaine Turner said a bank account, MuralFest, is already set up at Jewett City Savings Bank and (tax deductible) donations are welcome. Some donations were collected during last week’s project kickoff, including a $10,000 donation from the Putnam Area Foundation.
She said all the money raised will go toward the project. If there’s any left over, it will go to mural maintenance.
In addition, general help is welcome and she asks folks to reach out by email (
The committee will also be reaching out to researcher Valentine Iamartino and the Aspinock Historical Society of Putnam to find historical events that will grace the murals.
Turner said the project involves historical murals painted on walls in Putnam — on a very grand scale. The town of Putnam partnered with the committee and applied to WallDogs, a group of professional mural artists, and was accepted. Only one in 200 applications to WallDogs is approved. She said a recommendation by Emilda Roller, a WallDogs muralist who worked on the MLK mural on the Hale YMCA, helped seal the deal for the town of Putnam.
The target date is in 2028, she said. Between now and then is a long list of tasks and research.
Turner said 52 people came to the introduction of the project last week, from all walks of life, businesses, Day Kimball, the VFW and more. “It was a very strong start,” she said. “Everyone is all in.”
In the next month or so Turner and the committee will be researching every aspect of the project — from the possible number of murals to the costs to the historical content of the murals. They will be heading to Keene, N.H., as that town recently completed a WallDogs project.
“I want to look at the nuts and bolts; I want to see the spreadsheets,” Turner said.
“Our goal is not set yet. We need to do more research,” she said, starting with the Keene trip this month. Following that the committee will be meeting with those people who showed an interest to keep everyone involved.
When the numbers and ideas become clearer a presentation to the town will be made.
“The important thing is we have to know we can raise enough money,” Turner said.
Costs depend on the number of private buildings that might be in the running. Town-owned buildings are a possibility as well. The search will be on for possible sites.
Traditionally with the WallDogs costs would include transportation to bring in the WallDogs muralists, lodging (some artists bring a camper to live in), food, supplies, portable rest rooms, scaffolding and lifts, ladders, permits and more. Stipends go to the WallDogs coordinator and to the mural team leader. Local artists will be taking part as well.
Artists do an artist’s rendition of how the mural would look and that gets approved. Then, Turner said, a prep team is sent first, making sure the chosen walls are ready for the artists. Then the artists descend on Putnam for a three-day flurry of painting murals.
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JUNE IS DOG LICENSING MONTH
Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 22-338, all dogs six months or older must be licensed. New legislation requires all dogs to have a town-issued dog license if they will be attending a boarding or grooming facility.
Fees are: $8 for a neutered or spayed dog, and $19 for an unaltered dog. Valid rabies certificate required. New dog registrations require proof from your vet if your dog has been spayed/neutered.
All current dog licenses expire on June 30, 2025. There is a $1.00 per month late fee after July 1.
ONLINE DOG LICENSE RENEWALS
From June 1- Aug. 30, the Putnam Town Clerk’s Office is pleased to offer dog owners an online license renewal option. Licenses may be renewed online if: (1) rabies information is current. AND (2) does not expire before 7/1/2024.
A fee of $1.75 per transaction will be added. Once a payment is made, it is recognized by the system and the new dog license will be sent within the next few days. The link to the online renewal system can be found under Dog Licensing on the Town Clerk’s page on www.putnamct.us.
Commuter lot: So so close to done
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — No moss growing on the crews finishing the rebirth of the commuter lot on Kennedy Drive.
June 2 crews were putting stones on the landscaped beds, on the sections with weed barrier “fabric.”. The stones match the large white stones in the lengthy storm water management section that runs near Kennedy Drive. The trees and plants, including a replacement “Christmas tree” between the rest rooms and the intersection, were done recently.
Also June 2 crews installed the modern-looking light poles. Considering the safety factor, the installation of the light poles was non-negotiable in the re-opening of the lot. The lot cannot open without the lights installed.
Within three hours May 28, the line company had the entire parking lot painted, including the new section (from the sale the adjacent parcel formerly owned by Eversource). There are lines, arrows, handicapped symbols and more.
Still to come are entrance/exit signs and the hydro seeding. There may be more paving on Kennedy Drive near the lot.
Hydro seeding is also on the agenda for the hills along Canal Street and far edges and part of the space in the landscaped beds.
Hydro seeding cannot be done if there is rain in the forecast; otherwise, the seed washes away down the hills.
The former entrance nearest the intersection was removed and moved further down Kennedy Drive, away from the intersection congestion. Further away from that, on the former Eversource parcel, is an exit only.
captions:
Progress
Left: The light poles were installed June 2. Middle: Last week the lines, arrows and handicapped symbols were painted in. Right: June 2 the stone "mulch" was installed. Linda Lemmon photos.