Putnam Rotary Club's joyous --- and fun --- way to give
PUTNAM — In its annual Holiday Giving Program the Putnam Rotary Club gathered games and art supplies for kids facing a bleak holiday season.
Shannon Haney, a parent educator from the Putnam Family Resource Center (PRFC) , and Lisa Andrews, the Early Childhood Programs coordinator from TEEG, received the collections recently. In addition the club donated to the children at the Domestic Violence Shelter with United Services, and the Eastford Elementary School.
Chair of the Putnam Rotary Club Holiday Giving Program, Missy Meyers, said the club took in more than 70 games and art supplies. Both the PFRC and TEEG said they are serving hundreds of families in the northeast area. United Services reports an average of 10 children at the DV shelter at any time, and Eastford Elementary requested one new game for each classroom, as they have one class per grades PreK-8 at their facility.
Meyers added: “Our Holiday Giving Program at Putnam Rotary Club is one of the most joyous ways we honor the Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self’. It is truly heartwarming to donate games to our local partners, who serve our more vulnerable families in northeastern Connecticut. We know our partners at TEEG, the Putnam Family Resource Center, United Services and Eastford Elementary work hard to not only meet the needs of the families they engage all year, but to also foster a sense of independence as they are able to exercise choice in the gifts they select for their children. We were very happy to expand our Giving Program to Eastford Elementary this year, as Eastford is one of the five towns served by our club. We loved having the ability to expand the capacity for fun and learning in the classrooms at their school.”
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Lisa Andrews, left, and Shannon Haney. Linda Lemmon photo.
Deary joins JCSB
JEWETT CITY — Michael Alberts, president and CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank, announced the hiring of Gene Michael Deary as vice president, director of Residential Business Development.
A seasoned leader with nearly 20 years of success in sales and retail lending, before joining the bank, Deary served as Chief Administrative Officer of Consumer Lending and Payments at Berkshire Bank, where he played a key role in strengthening mortgage lending operations through a community-first strategy built on trusted relationships.
He became part of Berkshire Bank following its acquisition of Savings Institute Bank and Trust Company, where he held the role of senior vice president and director of Retail Lending, responsible for developing and guiding a highly skilled and top-performing residential lending team.
In addition to his accomplishments in residential lending, Deary is widely regarded for his commitment to community service. He has served as president of the Board of Directors for Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) and is the current president of the Board of Directors for The Arc Eastern Connecticut, a nonprofit human services agency supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. He also served as finance chair to the Town of Brooklyn for more than a decade.
“We’re elated to welcome Gene Michael to Jewett City Savings Bank,” said Alberts. “He is a proven and trusted leader in the consumer lending arena who has given so much to the community through his dedication to lending and support of non-profit organizations.
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2 pillars of the town honored as History Makers
PUTNAM — Putnam, last week, honored two pillars of its community at its second annual History Makers Awards ceremony.
The awards are given to two “history makers,” one living and one deceased.
This year Fabiola “Fab” Cutler and Leo “Cam” Tetreault were honored for their profound and lasting impact on the town.
Hosted by the Aspinock Historical Society of Putnam and the Putnam Rec department, the ceremony served as a formal tribute to these distinguished individuals whose works, deeds, and service embody the spirit of the award. Cutler and Tetreault were recognized for their outstanding commitment and significant contributions, which have left an indelible and positive mark on Putnam.
Cutler is a dedicated historian and has had profound impact on the Aspinock Historical Society and the preservation of Putnam’s local history. A charter member when the society began in the summer of 1972, she immediately took on the role of its first Recording Secretary. Her leadership grew, and she served as president from 1978 to 1981.
During her presidential term, a significant milestone was achieved: funds were successfully raised to print ‘Perspectives of Putnam’ the town’s history book authored by Maggie Weaver.
Later she transitioned into the role of archivist, a position she continues to hold today, underscoring decades of commitment to preserving local records. Her written contributions to Putnam’s historical record are extensive. She co-authored ‘A Stroll Thru Putnam’ and ‘Manhasset Village’ with Sandra Ames and authored ‘The Mayors of Putnam 1985-2004’ and ‘The Putnam Patriot Categorical Index 1916-1950’. She also coordinated the creation of a comprehensive series of books dedicated to the diverse immigrant families that shaped the area.
Tetreault, who died in 2009, was mayor of the City of Putnam in 1961 and from 1973 to 1977. He spearheaded the development of the park along the river, revitalizing the center of the town. After retirement from John Hancock Insurance Agency, he joined the Connecticut Department of Economic Development and under the Governor O’Neill program for the Comprehensive Reorganization of the Northeast Economic Region, a development plan for Windham County and particularly areas such as Putnam, he began steering industries to the northeast corner of the state and the Putnam Industrial Park.
He served as Alderman-At-Large in 1949 and 1953 under Mayor of the City of Putnam, John N. Dempsey. He was a member and chairman of the Democratic Town Committee of Putnam; Deputy Judge of City Courts/Clerk of Courts, a member of the Judicial Grievance Committee, Campaign Manager for John Dempsey for Governor and William St. Onge for US Congress, both natives of Putnam. He attended St. Mary School, Putnam High School, and Amherst College. He was a veteran of WWII; a life-long member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Holy Name Society and chairman of the Diocesan School Board. He served on the Board of Trustees of Mount St. John, Inc., a school for at-risk boys and young men from Connecticut.
The committee said his “life-long contribution to the Town of Putnam is greatly appreciated and celebrated today.”
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The Tetreault family. Expanded photo array and longer version of the story Wed. night on our FB page.
The committee: Parks and Recs Director Jimmy Callahan, John Miller, Willie Bousquet, James Frost, Mike Bogdanski, Emily Barnes and Mayor Barney Seney. Callahan and Seney are ex-officio members. Seney collected Cutler's plaque for her. Courtesy photos.
The search is now underway for Putnam Poet Laureate
PUTNAM — With the goal to enhance its vibrant arts scene, Putnam is looking for a poet laureate.
Carmine Angeloni, from the town’s Poet Laureate Selection Committee, said: “Our country has formally recognized poetry as a significant art form with the honorary position of United States Poet Laureate since 1937. The State of Connecticut has appointed Poets Laureate since 1985”
By early February 2026, the Town of Putnam will formally join the 50-plus cities and towns in the state with its first Poet Laureate
Putnam’s Economic and Community Development Director Mary Ann Chinatti said: “Poets Laureate are an important, and oftentimes overlooked, part of the arts. Through poetry and verse, they remind us of what is important in our lives and our town, and how fortunate we are to live in such a caring and vibrant community.”
Committee members said: “We are excited for this milestone, as it will highlight Putnam’s continuing commitment to artistic expression in all its forms. Our committee’s vision is for Putnam Poet Laureate to serve a two-year term, be a literary ambassador to the community, performing readings as requested, and receive guidance through quarterly meetings with the Putnam Arts Council.”
This opportunity is open to all members of the Putnam community 18 years and older, with a Jan. 8 deadline for a five copy submission packet to include application information, and at least three one-page poems submitted either by email to
After candidate interviews by the committee during January, the Town of Putnam’s first Poet Laureate will be announced at the first Board of Selectman meeting in February.
The Poet Laureate Selection Committee includes: Carmine Angeloni, Anne Lamondy, Katie Jambard and Gloria Marion.
In all cases and in all eras, poetry gives voice to the deepest human feelings beyond everyday language: grief, love, heartbreak, anger, joy, hope. Where prose explains, poetry expresses. And with the power of its unique structural rhythm, each pause between verse and word gives the reader the space to slow down, to reflect and process. Poetry is recognized to have cultural value, as well, capturing the spirit of a particular age; poems that challenge authority, champion equality, and voice dissent.
Poetry is often called “the art of emotion”, and for good reason. This singular art form dates back 3000 years BC, to lands of current day Iraq, as a method of telling the many stories of gods and human struggle, enduring through the times of Homer’s written epic poems of 8th century Greece, to the 20th and 21st century words of Eliot, Plath, Frost, Yeats, cummings, Wordsworth, Snyder, and even Eminem.
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