Celebrate Shelton launches holiday handmade markets

SHELTON - Celebrate Shelton creators Nicole Heriot-Mikula, Michael Skrtic and Jimmy Tickey are excited to announce upcoming Celebrate Shelton events, all being held in the Conti Building, 415 Howe Ave., unless otherwise noted:

Plaid Friday Kick-Off Market

Nov. 27, 4-8 p.m.

$5 entry. Includes hors d'oeuvres, give-a-ways, Plaid Friday specials, live music and over 40 handmade artisan vendors.

Small Business Saturday Market

Nov. 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Free entry. This special market – in conjunction with the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce – features live music and over 40 handmade artisan vendors.

Community Tree Lighting

Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m. @ Veterans Memorial Park

Free entry. Join us for our Second Annual Community Tree Lighting at Veterans Memorial Park along with a performance by Center Stage, and a special appearance by Santa!

Sponsored by Celebrate Shelton, City of Shelton and the Valley Community Foundation.

Holiday Handmade Markets

Dec. 5, 12,19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Free entry. Featuring live music and over 75 handmade artisan vendors! Each week we will have new and different vendors than the week before, so please keep coming back throughout December!

Each month, a collection of local artisans, craftsmen and small businesses showcase their wares at Celebrate Shelton’s Downtown Handmade Market. 

The full list of artisans include: The Little Dog Laughed, TJJ Sews, Quark Tees, Lisa's Soaps, Sugar Pop Crochet, Oronoque Farms, Tipsy Cones, Kohler Imaging, BBA Bracelets, Moon Rocks Cookies, Bead Dangle Design, Special Treats, Grateful Pawz, Lilla Rose. Reid's BBQ Sauces and Rubs Liquid Lunch/GROW, Little Feet, KnitBeadRepeat, Hipponotic Candle, Woody Things, Tori Divina Jewelry, Shimmer and Sugar, Re-Designed by Elizabeth, Kindred Lynx Crafts & Crystals, Patty's Pies n' Such, Quilts by Nancy, Stonehill Designs, Billie’s Vintage Duds and Spirit and Sage. Conti Building Shops include: BrintheHoopla, The Glass Source, Periodic Tableware, Flowers de Jardin, Memories from Aunt Helen’s Attic, Written Words Bookstore, Periodic Tableware, and Nikki’s Attic.

Celebrate Shelton's Holiday Downtown Handmade Markets are sponsored by: Bricks & Barley, Electri-Cable Assemblies, Bic Corp., and People's Bank.

Celebrate Shelton, a city-wide initiative, was created by small business owners Nicole Heriot-Mikula, Michael Skrtic, and Jimmy Tickey.

Learn more about Celebrate Shelton at www.celebrateshelton.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/celebrateshelton) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/celebshelton). 

For any questions, email celebrateshelton@gmail.com or call 203-924-4368.

This is a press release from Celebrate Shelton.    

Re-posting: Community breakfast slated Saturday in Ansonia

Enjoy breakfast with Santa in Oxford for a good cause

OXFORD - Ho, ho, ho. It's almost that time of year.

On Dec. 19 enjoy a delicious, family-style meal with some of your favorite characters like Santa, Mrs. Claus, Elsa, and Anna! 
The event starts at 8:30 a.m. at Colonial Tavern, 24 Hawley Road.

The meal includes pancakes, sausage or bacon, juice, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Admission for adults and children ages 3 and up is $6; and $2 for ages 2 and under.
Tickets are available at www.ctpfc.org.

This event is sponsored by Great Expectations Day Care & Learning Center of Southbury to benefit the Seymour-based Connecticut Partnership for Children, Inc.


*Information shared from a Connecticut Partnership for Children, Inc. Facebook page. 

Seymour High students take part in virtual simulated driving program

Students James Harnish, left, and Joe Pasterella participate in a safe driving initiative this week at Seymour High School./Contributed photo 

SEYMOUR - Teen drivers at Seymour High School had a special opportunity this week to utilize the school's virtual interactive full-cab driving simulators which are part of the "Wildcat Teen Driving Center" at the school.  

Seymour is the only school in Connecticut with Virtual Interactive Full-Cab Driving Simulators available to its students. 
This was all part of a teen safe driving initiative held at the school. 
It was coordinated by Rich Kearns, Seymour Public Schools Director of Security.  

From left: Lucas Brown, Jaylin Kelly, Tamar Coverson-Epps.

Teens who signed-up for a special event appointment to use the Center were put through hands-on driving experiences showing the dangers of texting while driving. 

Students who participated were given certificates of safe driving to present to their insurance companies for potential safe driving discounts as well as gift cards for participating.   

To cap off the week the nationally-known teen safe driving program "Save a Life Tour Distracted/Texting Awareness  Program" from Grand Rapids, Mich. was invited back to make a stop at Seymour High School.  

Ashley Bercier, left, and Kayla Christansen

The program travels across the country educating teens in the responsibilities of safe driving focusing on the dangers of distracted/texting while driving. 

The Connecticut Department of Transportation provided the funding for the "Save A Life Tour Distracted/Texting Awareness Program" at 60 more high schools in Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2015 at no cost to the hosting schools. 
Seymour was one of the lucky schools to be able to capture the experience for its students. 

The "Save A Life Tour" is a high impact distracted driving program that demonstrates to students the potential deadly consequences of this dangerous behavior. Utilizing distracted driving simulators, videos, speakers, and surveys; students experience first-hand the impacts of distracted driving.

More than 200 students from Seymour High School participated in this life changing experience. 

Kearns was joined by School Resource Officer Corey Tomasella, and Physical Education/Health Teachers Nick Aprea and Paul O'Connor who teamed up to help run the program.


This is a press release from Richard Kearns, Director of Security, Seymour Public Schools.

Boys & Girls Club to host regional conference in Shelton

SHELTON - The Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley will host this year’s Northeast Regional Keystone Conference today through Sunday. 

More than 200 Keystoners from across the Northeast are set to take over the Lavietes Clubhouse. 

The National Keystone Conference provides Keystoners with a positive leadership experience where they can engage and socialize with peers, explore relevant issues, and develop skills to support and enhance efforts in their Boys & Girls Clubs and communities. 

This year’s conference aims to inspire teens from Clubs across the Northeast to express their individuality and become more confident in perusing current and future goals. 

Throughout the weekend keystone members will spend time in both educational and entertaining sessions. 

Guest speakers

They will also hear from guest speakers Shaun Derik -performing artist and motivational speaker, Brooke Grand -Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Northeast Region Youth of the Year, and Richie Contartesi - former professional football player and youth motivational speaker. 

Conference manager and Lavietes Clubhouse Unit Director Jennifer DeLeon and co-advisor Samantha Heins have a fun and exciting weekend lined up for all the attending Keystone members and their advisors. 

“I am beyond excited to welcome teens from across the Northeast for a fun-filled, thought-provoking conference! Being able to provide them with such an opportunity is an honor," DeLeon said. 

More about Keystone: Keystoning is the Boys & Girls Club Movement’s most dynamic teen program. It affords teens an opportunity to gain valuable leadership and service experience. 

The goal of the Keystone program is to provide awareness and impact in the areas of community service, career preparation, and teen outreach. 
Keystone is available for Club members ages 14 to 18.

For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley visit www.BGC-LNV.org.

This is a press release from the club.