Wed. Oct. 16
Art Exhibit
DANIELSON --- Thompson artists Ann C. Rosebrooks and Donna O'Scolaigh Lange will be showing paintings and mixed media collage work through Dec. 1 Heirloom Food Company on North Main Street. A reception will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17.
Nature Program
PLAINFIELD --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will hold a bird walk at 8 a.m. at the Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery Fee: $10 members; $20 non-members. Registration required: 860-928-4948.
Art Exhibit
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Thompson Public Library will present “Structured Impressions” by Lisa Davidson, Susan Graceck and Sally Rogers through the month of October. The display case will have “Crochet and Knitted Toys” by Jeanne Carita.
Fri. Oct. 17
‘Murder on Orient Express’
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “Murder on the Orient Express” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 18 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 19. Tickets are $26 for adults; $23 for seniors, students, veterans and first responders (including fees). Reservations may be made with a major credit card online at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or by calling 860-928-7887.
Sat. Oct. 18
Great Pumpkin Fest
PUTNAM --- The town of Putnam, Putnam Business Association and CT Tourism Office/CT Visit will present Putnam’s Great Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crafts, food, great pumpkins and more.
Rabies Clinic
DANIELSON --- Pet Pals Northeast will hold a low-cost rabies clinic from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Quinebaug Valley Veterinary Hospital on Rt. 12. $15 cash per animal. Preregistration required. No walk-ins. This is the last clinic until April. 860-317-1720.
Fine Arts Fest
WOODSTOCK --- Roseland Cottage holds its 43rd annual Fine Arts and Crafts Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 and Oct. 19. Admission for adults is $5. Historic New England members and children under 12 are free. Parking is free. The event is held rain or shine. Info: 860-928-4074 or 617-994-5924.
250th Program
POMFRET --- A Pomfret Historical Society/Walktober walk will go to the Steven Averill gravestone in Wolf Den Park at 9 a.m. Steven Averill fought at Bunker Hill in 1775 and was buried on the family farm, now Wolf Den State Park. Meet at the Wolf Den park headquarters on Wolf Den Drive. Wear sturdy hiking shoes. Info: 860-465-7228.
Sun. Oct. 19
Exhibit
WOODSTOCK --- The Center for Woodstock History is presenting a photo exhibit, "Woodstock Through the Camera's Eye in Post-Civil War America," from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. Check for updates: 860-928-1035.
Mon. Oct. 20
Meditation Group
THOMPSON --- The Quiet Corner Mindful Meditation group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Thompson Public Library. Free. Beginners welcome, no meditation experience necessary.
Tues. Oct. 21
Al-Anon Meeting
POMFRET --- Al-Anon will meet at noon on Tuesdays at the Christ Church, 527 Pomfret St. Please use the lower level door, near the flagpole. All welcome.
Beirut Remembrance
PUTNAM --- A Beirut Barracks Bombing Remembrance Ceremony will be held at noon at the Veterans Park, corner of Church and Bridge streets.
Fri. Oct. 24
Fund-raiser
PUTNAM --- The Knights of Columbus on Providence Street is hosting a Steak Dinner Fund-raiser to benefit Paws Cat Shelter from 6 to 7 p.m. eat in or take out. Tickets: $30 available Knights of Columbus, Paws Cat Shelter, 74 School St.; and Joseph Jewelers, 153 School St. 860-315-1228.
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present “Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstration” at 7 p.m. $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Bring your camera. Registration required: 860-928-4948.
Sat. Oct. 25
Fund-raiser Spaghetti
PUTNAM --- Cub Scout Pack 21 of Putnam will host its fall spaghetti dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Albert J. Breault VFW Post 1523 on Providence Street. Take out or eat in. $10 for adults and kids 12 and younger eat for free. There will also be a bake sale and raffles. Advance tickets: VFW Post and at Joseph’s Jewelers on School Street or 860-928-5873 (leave a message) Benefits Putnam Cub Scout Pack 21 Activity Fund to help the Cub Scouts grow.
Trick or Treat
PUTNAM --- The Town of Putnam will present its annual downtown Putnam Trick or Treat from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Special Presentation
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library will present an exclusive at 12:30 p.m. in Room 109 of the Municipal Complex: Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution.” A post-viewing discussion follows. No registration required. Info: Nicole Flagg Nichols, Adult Services Librarian,
Poetry
POMFRET --- Poets at Large will present the Poet Laureate of Bristol at 7 p.m. the Vanilla Bean Café. $15 admission which includes a raffle.
Fund-raiser
PUTNAM --- Paws Cat Shelter is holding a raffle basket Purr-looza from noon to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus on Providence Street. $20 for 25 tickets or $5 for 6 tickets. Preview from 6 to 7 p.m. during steak dinner. Tickets: 860-315-1228.
Sun. Oct. 26
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present an opossum program from Ferncroft Wildlife Rescue at 1 p.m. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. Free for kids aged 10 or younger. Register recommended: 860-928-4948.
Fri. Oct. 31
Nature Program
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present “Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstration” at 7 p.m. $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Bring your camera. Registration required: 860-928-4948.
Sat. Nov. 1
Harvest Festival
CANTERBURY --- The Finnish American Heritage Society will present its Finnish Harvest Festival from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Society. 76 North Canterbury Road. Agricultural and cultural games, crafts, traditional harvest customs. Family-friendly. Child supervision required. Free.
Sun. Nov. 2
Bark Harvest
KILLINGLY --- The Killingly Business Association will present Bark Harvest from noon to 4 p.m. at the former St. Joseph’s Church. It will feature activities for pets and people. Event-goers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite dog photos to be included in a 2026 Bark Harvest Studio calendar. Those interested in entering their dog or otherwise can schedule a photo shoot with Charlene’s Portrait Studio. The $40 fee will be donated to local animal shelters and future Pawsitively Killingly initiatives. killinglyba.org/BarkHarvest.
Sat. Nov. 9
Lantern Workshop
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library will present “Korean Lotus Lantern Workshop” from 1 to 2:15 p.m. at the library. Presented by the Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project. Registration required: 960-963-6826.
Tues. Nov. 11
Veterans Tribute
PUTNAM --- The Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post 13 will present its Guest Bartender Night and Veterans Tribute to Ron Coderre, Bruce Hay and Brian Maynard at 5:30 p.m. at Marley’s Pub. Tips and donations raised support American Legion Post 13 youth programs and veteran programs.
Wed. Nov. 12
Writing
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library will present “From Fuzzy Idea to Finished Story: Crafting a Murder Mystery” by local author Sarah P. Blanchard from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the library. Author talk and book signing.
Sat. Nov. 22
250th Event
PUTNAM --- The Putnam CT250 250th Anniversary Celebration of the Declaration of Independence Kick Off will feature a roast beef dinner followed by a band at the Albert J. Breault VFW Post 1523. Dinner is from 5 to 7 and the band Jailbreak follows from 7 to 11 p.m. $20/pp or $40 per couple. Tickets at the Putnam Recreation Department.
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Local writer pens his account of the Flood of 1955
Putnam native Ronald P. Coderre recently released a booklet he’s written about his experiences and memories of The Flood of 1955.
“August 19, 1955 is one of the most significant days in the 170-year history of the community of Putnam. For those old enough to remember, it’s the day the town was taken by surprise and devastated by the flooding waters of the Quinebaug and French rivers,” said Coderre.
“The oral history of that day and those that followed is becoming more distant every year. For that reason and others, I felt it was important to put the memories I have, as a 14-year-old boy at the time, in print. It’s 70 years since that fateful day and worth remembering,” said Coderre, author of the booklet.
Proceeds of sales for the booklet, which is on sale for $25, will go to the Putnam Aspinock Historical Society. Copies can be purchased at the Aspinock Historical Society in the Municipal Complex.
“A publication on this subject is long overdue. We’re so pleased to support Coderre’s work because we feel it’s extremely important to the history of Putnam. We encourage people to share the news with relatives who may have moved from Putnam and would be interested in this booklet,” said John Miller, president of the Putnam Aspinock Historical Society.
Coderre, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force (1959-1965) and 1959 graduate of Putnam High School, has been writing locally for more than 40 years.
He is remembered for his sports column Ramblings, Points and Comments which ran for many years in The Norwich Bulletin and The Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. It was also published in the former Windham County Observer and The Journal Transcript in Danielson.
In 2019, Coderre wrote the 100-year history of the Mayotte – Viens American Legion Post #13 and followed in 2021 with the 125-year history of the Putnam Police Department.
He’s also been the person behind the pen since 2007 of the semi-annual publication The Community Beat, the newsletter of the Putnam Police Department.
“Writing my memories of the 1955 Flood is something I’ve thought of doing for many years but never got serious about sitting down and actually following through. In many ways this venture turned out to be more labor intensive than originally envisioned. However, it was very rewarding,” he said.
Coderre is a 1969 graduate of Assumption University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in rehabilitation counseling in 1972.
He served as Vice President of Philanthropy, Marketing and Public Relations at Day Kimball Hospital for 26 years.
He’s also served the community in numerous governmental positions, including the former Putnam City Council and Board of Education. His civic leadership capacities include the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, The Putnam Little League, the Putnam Business Association, The American Legion and the Putnam Rotary Club.
He lives in Putnam with his wife Donna.
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It’s not magic *
From a forgotten strip of land to a quiet park
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — No surprise, art will figure prominently in the future Union Square Courtyard park.
Some years in the planning phase and months in the “tweaking” phase, the town is now working on an Urban Green & Community Garden grant proposal from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
The estimate is roughly $500,000.
The town is planning the courtyard in two phases — the construction in phase 1 and then the all-important in the second phase.
In CHA’s conceptual plans phase one includes a nice fence surrounding, a quiet sitting area, picnic tables and “picnic nooks” benches, low-maintenance plantings and more. The second phase involves a fountain or sculpture in the center and a metal archway over the stairs that head down to Front Street under the railroad trestle.
A fountain or a sculpture would make a focal point, said Putnam Economic and Community Development Director Maryann Chinatti.
The tiny parcel, .08 acres, was donated by the owner of the Sawdust Coffeehouse and Dessert Bar II. It sits between the former Chickering and the Gertrude Chandler Warner Box Car Children Museum, off the Union Square parking lot. That transfer took more than a year.
Then more than one conceptual design was done after the town asked for a “more welcoming” design.
The Putnam Arts Council may become involved in the project as they are working on some public art projects.
Chinatti said the deadline for the grant is Dec. 17. She already has a letter of support from the Putnam Business Association and is working on gathering other letters of support to accompany the grant request. She hopes to hear back on her proposal by March 2026.
The original plans were conceived during Delpha Very’s tenure as economic development director.
“This is going to be such a great, inviting space,” she said. “It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be beautiful.”
*Editor’s note: Some tend to think these projects appear by magic. Behind the scenes are volunteers and dedicated town employees who worked relentlessly to make this “magic” happen. It’s not magic.
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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It might be easy to miss, but work on the manufactured buildings, the Putnam EMS’s new home, is started.
Elaine Sistare, town administrator, said the prep work on the area between the old EMS building and the Putnam Fire Department building has started — in the form of markings on the pavement. In addition, some utilities work will be done shortly while the two manufactured buildings are on order.
She hopes that the project will be finished by Christmas.
The HUD-certified contractor is Nutt Construction. The site work will include some minor demolition and then excavation will begin. Home Nation will supply the two modular units and Sistare had said earlier that they need five to 10 weeks of lead time so she’s hoping they “will be in before the harsh winter.” Lead time is also needed for furniture and fixtures.
The concrete foundation and building supports will need 28 days of curing time. Nutt Construction said they’d prefer to have the units delivered and put into place when the concrete is ready. They do not want the units delivered to the site and then moved later onto the foundation. The two buildings would be craned into place and then joined together.
The 1,200 square foot combined building would contain three bedrooms, a kitchen area and a shower area. It would measure 27 feet wide and 44 feet long.
She said one of the bedrooms would be turned into an office. There would be nice clean modern space for sleeping, showers, cooking, a conference space and bathrooms.
Parking and access will be reworked.
The ad hoc committee OK’d using $88,000 in ARPA funds for furniture, fixtures and a new generator. Also available is $260,000 in Local Capital Improvement Program funding.
The emergency vehicles would stay in the current building. That building was built in 1960 and saw a modest upgrade in 2000. But it does not meet regulation. The crews do not have a good place to “decontaminate” after returning from a call. The shower in the current building is being used for storage, Sistare said.
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