Newsletter features TEAM's impact on the community, O'Brien open house, more

Dear readers,

The latest edition of The Valley Voice is out. 
It features the 51st annual meeting of TEAM, Inc., and a call for artists for the Valley Arts Council's next show, Visions from Veterans. 

Please check it out by clicking here.

Thanks,

~ Patti and Ralph

Students at Seymour High learn dangers of distracted driving

Seymour High School teachers Nick Aprea, left, and Paul O'Connor with students. / Photo by Rich Kearns

SEYMOUR - 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 Monday at Seymour High School.  

Photo courtesy of Rich Kearns

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 has provided the funding for the "Save A Life Tour Distracted/Texting Awareness Program" at 50 more high schools in Connecticut beginning fall of 2016 at no cost to the hosting schools. 

Seymour was one 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. The program was coordinated by Director of Security for Seymour Schools Rich Kearns.  

He was joined by Seymour Police Department Community/School Resource Officer Jack Harkins, Physical Education/Health Teachers Nick Aprea, Sarah Swann, and Paul O'Connor who teamed up to help run the program.

Seymour High School students also have the opportunity throughout the school year to utilize full cab virtual interactive driving simulators that are available to them to use in the Seymour High School Wildcat Teen Driving Center.  

Kearns takes students through various scenarios utilizing the simulators to reinforce the dangers of distracted driving and driving while under the influence.

This is a press release from Rich Kearns, Director of Security, Seymour schools.

Craft night at shop to benefit Seymour Pink

Sharing from a Facebook event page for Lizzie's Corner Consignment and Gifts.

"Get your friends together for a fun night of crafts and cocktails! We'll be making Christmas Trees by repurposing fancy brooches, earrings, etc. Supplies will be included, but bring some sentimental pieces if you'd like to incorporate them in your tree. BYOB and snacks. 
"The fee of $30 covers all materials and a portion will be donated to Seymour Pink [and] 20 percent off all sales that night will also be given to this very special organization. 

"Space is extremely limited so stop in to register as soon as possible."

The event is at 7 p.m. Thursday at the shop, 19 Bank St., Seymour.

Program at Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby to feature bald eagles

DERBY- The Naugatuck Valley Audubon Society in cooperation with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will host a program at 7 p.m. Wednesday about the bald eagle at the Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave.

Larry Fischer, President of Western Connecticut Bird Club and a federally licensed raptor bander will present In the Eye of An Eagle. 

The bald eagle was considered extirpated from Connecticut by the mid-1950s.  

As breeding populations in eastern Canada and northern Maine began to recover in the late '70s migrant bald eagles began to appear in Connecticut during the winter months on open rivers and at hydroelectric dams.  

In 1992 Connecticut had its first nesting pair of bald eagles since the early '50s.  

Raptor researcher Larry Fischer will recount this remarkable comeback with slides, digital photos, and anecdotes. His presentation begins with the bald eagle’s earliest winter residents, on to Connecticut’s first nest, and concludes with the present population of nesting eagles.  

Join Fischer as he scales some of Connecticut’s tallest trees to come face to face with eaglets in their Connecticut aeries. 

A donation of $5 for adults is requested. Children under 12 are admitted free. 

Light refreshments will be served. 

For further information, directions, or to register call 203-734-2513 or email donna.kingston@ct.gov.

This is a press release from DEEP.