Woodstock Public Schools
Every day: Fruit. Monday: Chicken patties on buns, sweet potato fries. Tuesday - elementary: Mozzarella sticks, marinara sauce, salad. Middle: Bosco sticks. Wednesday: Chicken nuggets, brown rice, baked beans. Thursday: Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce. Friday: pizza, corn.
Putnam Elementary/Middle
Every day except Tuesday: Fruit. Monday: Hot dogs or mini corndogs, baked beans. Tuesday: Pasta, meatsauce, broccoli. Wednesday: Texas toasted cheese sandwich, tomato soup, cheddar Goldfish crackers. Thursday - Thanksgiving Feast: Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, holiday treat. Friday: Stuffed-crust pizza, Caesar salad.
Putnam High
Monday: Chicken Alfredo bake or spicy chicken sandwich. Tuesday: General Tsos chicken or bacon cheeseburger. Wednesday: Hot dogs or chicken wraps. Thursday : Thanksgiving feast or "Wild Mike's" cheese bites. Friday: Stuffed-crust pizza or buffalo popcorn chicken basket.
Pomfret Community
Monday: Grilled cheese, carrots. Tuesday: Chicken Tikka Marsala over rice, cuke wheels. Wednesday: French toast sticks, turkey sausage, hash browns. Thursday: Homemade chicken chili, tortilla chips, cornbread. Friday: Homemade cheese or roni pizza, romaine salad.

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Aspinock Memories
Ghost stories of The Bradley Playhouse
By Mike Bogdanski
It was just another night, a few years ago, at the Bradley Theatre. The seats were full, and the performance was well underway. An actor was all alone, positioned stage left; ready to make his entrance to the stage. As he listened for his cue to action, he felt a strong grip squeeze his shoulder. Thinking he was all alone, he slowly turned his head. And -no one was there.
He jumped his cue and rushed into the middle of the scene, surprising the actors. After the play, when he related the story, he said, “I knew the ghost was telling me to move, and I didn’t want to go make him mad.”
Recently Jeanne Benoit and I created a series called “Voices of The Flood,” a collection of real-life interviews from the devastating 1955 Putnam flood (on the Aspinock YouTube). This project has spurred me on to compile a new series titled “The Ghosts of the Bradley”.
The Bradley Playhouse, our beautiful historic theater in Putnam, has long been a hub for community arts and entertainment. But according to local lore, the stage isn’t the only place for a dramatic performance. The grand old building is said to be haunted by several spectral residents, adding a layer of eerie mystique to its rich history. 
Did you know the Bradley Theatre had been featured on the TV show “Ghost Hunters” in Season 2, Episode 5 (August 2005)?
I personally have enjoyed many performances in the often busy theatre with its great ambience and energy. Still, it was a different feel as I sat quietly on the stage alone, waiting to interview the legendary local actress Tonya Brock. On this visit, I felt an eerie sensation. As Tonya began to describe her favorite ghost story, I noticed a light turned on through the open door of the men’s room, even though no one else was present in the theatre. 
Coincidence? I think not. I believe it was a welcome from a ghost, and I’m happy to see that my interest in telling their story met their approval.
The most famous of Bradley’s ghostly inhabitants is said to be “Victoria.” While her true story remains a mystery, it’s believed to be the spirit of a former theatergoer or employee who never left the premises. 
Victoria is most often seen on the balcony, a place where she can observe the stage and the audience below. Witnesses have reported seeing a faint, shadowy figure sitting in the empty seats when the theater is dark.
Former manager, Monique related a story as relayed by Pat Green. One night, while cashing out the receipts, she was all alone in the office. Upon hearing laughing and voices, she walked out to an empty lobby. 
She returned to her task and again heard more voices and laughter in the empty theatre. Pat promptly left and went home. 
The next day, she attempted to open the office door (the only way in), but it was blocked by the large safe that was always kept across the room. 
There was no way someone could have blocked the door and exited the office!
Footsteps have been heard echoing in empty hallways, doors have been known to slam on their own, and objects have been moved from their original locations.
The ghosts of the Bradley Playhouse are not considered scary or bad; instead, they are seen as guardians of the theater’s legacy, forever bound to the place where they found so much joy.
 “For the cast and crew, the Bradleys’ history is not a memory—it’s a colleague.”

Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.

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Food Share: Filling the need no matter what
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — “There were a lot more people in need. I saw people I’d never seen before,” said Bruce Hay, organizer of the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse’s Food Share.
Challenged by Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) being in limbo, Hay said the coffeehouse’s Food Share saw a record number of people in need.
Four-hundred twenty-two cars went through which is a record by almost 100, he said. 
The cars in line for the drive-through food distribution ran the length of Kennedy Drive and ended up on Rt. 44, he said. 
The coffeehouse’s Food Share began in 2019 and geared up in earnest during COVID. 
His team of volunteers numbered 77 for this Food Share. Volunteers come from many places including veterans and the Putnam Elks Lodge.
“This doesn’t happen without teamwork,” Hay said.
The coffeehouse’s Food Share “can do” attitude is well known. Channel 3 WFSB’s Luke Hajdasz did a story as did NBC30. U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney also came.
Food for December had been picked up earlier in the week at the Midwest Food Bank New England. Some of the refrigerated food was given away Nov. 6. The trailer with the rest of the December allotment was parked across the street — a Plan B in case there wasn’t enough food for all Nov. 6. 
Hay, aka the man in the red hat, constantly reassesses how things are going and makes adjustments. Not surprisingly he said he didn’t need to go to Plan B.
The truck from Connecticut Food Share was a little late. Hay never knows what that truck is bringing until they start unloading. At that point he organizes the volunteers. They walk through, cafeteria style, and their banana boxes are loaded with food. Then the boxes are stacked for distribution.
Other food stuffs, breads, produce, drinks and more are loaded onto tables that allow the patrons to drive in a hairpin manner around the pavilion to have some of everything loaded into their cars.
The SNAP cards may have been loaded after that for November but Hay has his mind turning on “what if — what about next month?” Rest assured: “They will all get food.”
In the meantime, the coffeehouse is planning its traditional Thanksgiving distribution.
It will be held around noon Nov. 22 at the Farmers Market Pavilion off Kennedy Drive. He said no line is allowed before 11:30. He said “I know I’ll have the turkeys,” adding that the coffeehouse has already purchased 300 boxes of stuffing. He works with the Hometown Foundation for Thanksgiving and is contact with them to fill out the rest of the Thanksgiving dinner boxes.

caption, page 1:

In a Nutshell
Bruce Hay (red hat) waits to see what foods come off the truck. Then he directs his team of volunteers on distribution. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. Linda Lemmon photos.

page 4:

From left: Bruce Hay, WFSB's Luke Hajdasz, Coffeehouse president Fred Ruhlemann and Mayor Barney Seney.

Charles Milewski and his counter