Feelings of gratitude, community created at food drive in Derby

Clients from the Disability Resource Network in Derby stopped by Dr. Bruce Sofferman's Thanksgiving food drive Friday in front of On-Time Printing on Route 34 in Derby. The clients donated canned food and posed with Sofferman and his wife, Deborah, dressed as Pilgrims, and their daughter, Sophia, dressed as a Native American. 
Also on hand were a turkey mascot (Kate Pipa, Spooner House representative) and volunteer Jim Bohn wearing a 'Gobble 'Til You Wobble' hat.  
All donations of food and cash will be given to the food bank at Spooner House in Shelton. 

Plaudits go out to the Soffermans for their efforts to make the 29th annual food drive a success. 
Donations will still be accepted until noon Wednesday at Smile Dental Center offices at 61 Elizabeth St., Derby, and 318 Oxford Road, Oxford.


Please stay tuned for more photos on The Valley Voice.

Drive at Stop & Shop in Seymour to help Trinity Church feed needy

* Sharing information from the Office of the Seymour First Selectman Facebook page. 

Seymour students collecting turkeys Saturday for food banks

SEYMOUR - On Saturday Seymour Middle School eighth grade students will hold the 14th annual Turkey Drive to make Thanksgiving brighter for local families.

Students and staff will collect donated frozen turkeys from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Seymour Middle School, 211 Mountain Road, and at Chatfield-LoPresti School, 51 Skokorat St.

Turkeys will be donated to Seymour school families, the Seymour-Oxford Food Bank, and Spooner House in Shelton.

* I'm sharing this information from a Facebook page.

Kudos to the educators who are involved in this initiative! It's a wonderful way to raise awareness and teach young people the importance of giving back to the community.

Shelton fire department offers safety tips when cooking

SHELTON - The Shelton Fire Department is urging the public to keep safety in mind when preparing meals and using candles this Thanksgiving. 

Statistics form U.S. Fire Administration indicate that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. 
The average number of home fires on Thanksgiving Day is normally double the average number of fires in homes all other days.
Most fires that result during cooking can be avoided by paying attention and being organized. 

To prevent a fire or injury and stay safe when cooking and celebrating Thanksgiving, follow these simple rules:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the home for even a short period of time, turn off the stove or oven.
  
• If you are simmering, baking, boiling, or roasting food, check it regularly and remain in the home while food is cooking. Use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on.
  
• Stay alert. Don’t cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.
  
• Make your cooking area safe. Move things that can burn away from the stove. Keep things that burn – pot holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic - off your stovetop.
  
• Turn pot handles toward the back so they can’t be bumped.
  
• Don’t store things that can burn in an oven, microwave, or toaster oven. 

• Clean food and grease off burners, stovetops, and ovens.
  
• Wear clothing with sleeves that are short, close fitting, or tightly rolled up.
  
• Always keep an oven mitt and lid nearby when you're cooking. If a small grease fire starts
  in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the
  pan. Turn off the burner. Don't remove the lid until it is completely cool.
  
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from
  burning you and your clothing. Have the oven serviced before you use it again.
  
• Use turkey fryers outdoors, away from the home and deck. Always monitor oil
  temperature. Use caution to not overfill or spill hot oil.
  
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
  Don’t forget about fire dangers posed by lit candles.
  

• Flameless “candles”, such as battery powered are always preferred for safety.
  
• Flame lit candles should be in a safe location that is kept free of combustible surroundings.
  Consider where combustible items might be placed and where candles could be knocked
  over and where they could be forgotten about over time.
  
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit a candle.

For additional information on fire safety, visit the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau Web Site under Public Safety at: www.cityofshelton.org. 

This is a press release from Ted Pisciotta, assistant chief, fire prevention. 

Re-posting: Thanksgiving service planned in Ansonia; food donations requested

ANSONIA - The Valley Interfaith Thanksgiving Service is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday.

The worship service will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St.

The celebration will include familiar hymns, readings, and music from several faith traditions and a reading of the President's Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

Everyone is welcome. Donations of non-perishable food items to support area food banks are requested. 

The sponsoring houses of worship are:

Al-Aziz Islamic Center, Bridgeport; Bahai' Group of Oxford; Christ Episcopal Church, Ansonia; Clinton AME Zion Church, Ansonia; First Congregational Church, Ansonia; First Congregational Church, Derby; First United Methodist Church, Ansonia, Phuoc Long Buddhist Temple, Ansonia.