Monday, July 27, 2020

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky


The moon today is in First Quarter phase, 50 percent illumination.

Naugatuck Valley Health District: 1 COVID-19 associated death

Sharing today's message from Jessica Stelmaszek, MPH, Health Director.

"Attached please find the latest [Monday] update on behalf of the Naugatuck Valley Health District.

"NVHD has identified duplicate cases/cases with multiple profiles in the CT Electronic Disease Surveillance System as well as a number of individuals who had their addresses updated out of the NVHD jurisdiction. 
"Today’s data report reflects those changes as well as four new reported cases, including one COVID-19 associated death from last week. 
Our sincerest condolences are extended to the family during this time. 

"Additionally, various Sector Rules were updated on 7/23 so please check out the DECD Reopen website for the latest guidance: 
https://portal.ct.gov/…/Sector-Rules-and-Certification-for-reopen "







My Sister's Place in Ansonia updates donation hours; appointments now required

My Sister's Place thrift store and donation center at 380 Main St., Ansonia is a program of BHcare. 
All purchases support The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. 

Valley United Way welcomes part-time development director

Brian Mezzi
After months of strategic planning and working with the community on Coronavirus relief, Valley United Way has announce the hiring of a Brian Mezzi of Clinton as part-time Development Director.

Mezzi currently works at United Way of Greater New Haven as Assistant Development Director.
Hearing of the good work he was accomplishing there, Interim President/COO of Valley United Way David Kennedy approached UWGNH to consider a work-share scenario that would enable Mezzi to work for the Valley part time. “The shared services agreement we have entered into with UWGNH is the best of so many worlds,” Kennedy said. “We have been able to bring a very talented United Way development professional onto our team, while he continues to support corporate partnerships and United Way of Greater New Haven’s workplace campaign.”

With 10 years of non-profit experience, primarily with United Ways in Connecticut, Mezzi has spent most of that time cultivating and creating relationships with workplaces that are looking to contribute to local needs.
Last year, Mezzi worked with a diverse portfolio of local businesses to successfully raise over $1 million for the greater New Haven community.
He also is no stranger to giving back to the community. An avid fencer, Mezzi is former Head Coach for the North Haven Fencing team and is the Co-Chair of the CT High School Fencing Association.

He has won awards for his roles in service and leadership through organizations like Americorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Mezzi said, “I look forward to engaging with individuals and partners throughout the Valley. I make it my goal to inspire others, both in and out of the workplace, to give and get involved in their community. I look forward to working together in a ‘United Way’ to change what's possible for the Valley.
As Valley United Way is still working remotely due to Coronavirus, it was not a typical orientation for a new employee. Mezzi started at Valley United Way July 13 and will continue working remotely, along with other VUW staff, until further notice. 

For questions related to Development and Workplace Giving for Valley United Way, contact Mezzi at: Brian.Mezzi@valleyunitedway.org.
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As a leading philanthropic organization in the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Valley United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community through philanthropy, volunteerism, and collaboration.
For more information visit www.valleyunitedway.org or contact David Kennedy, Interim President/COO at 203-538-6341.


This is taken from a press release from Valley United Way.

Derby native shares aero view maps with historical society, Valley Arts Council

Historical Art by Dr. Joseph DiRienzo
Rare image of Oakley H. Bailey

From the 1840s to the 1920s panoramic, “birds eye view,” and aero view maps of cities and towns throughout the United States and Canada were very popular. 
The Library of Congress has over 1,500 panoramic maps (about 50 percent are of cities and towns in the U. S. Northeast). 
Albert Ruger, Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler, Lucien R. Burleigh, Henry Wellge, and Oakley H. Bailey drew more than 55 percent of the panoramic maps in the Library of Congress collection. 
O.H. Bailey was born into a Quaker family in Mahoning County, Ohio in 1843. He dropped out of college to serve with the 143rd Ohio Volunteer Militia, Company F during the Civil War. He returned to school, after the war, graduating in 1866. He was a teacher for a brief time before joining his brother H. H. Bailey editing business directories. 

In 1871 he started making panoramic maps in Norwich, CT. 
By 1874 the Bailey brothers had offices in Boston and New York City where they drew and published at first “birds-eye views” and later “aero views” maps of American cities until the late 1920s. Over the course of his career O.H. Bailey drew 374 maps issued under the imprints of Oakley H. Bailey, Oakley H. Bailey & Co., O. H. Bailey & J. C. Hazen, Bailey & Fowler, Bailey & Hughes, Bailey & Moyer, Fowler & Bailey and Hughes & Bailey. [The second photo showing a 1921 aero view map of Ansonia is an example of the fine illustration work of Oakley “Hoopes” Bailey.] 
O.H. Bailey retired in 1927 after 55 years in the illustration business. Deteriorating eyesight most likely contributed to an inability to continue the tedious, close work required of a panoramic artist. 
He passed away in 1947 at the age of 104. He remarked in a 1932 interview: “The business has been practically without competition as so few could give it the patience, care, and skill essential to success. But now the airplane cameras are covering the territory and can put more towns on paper in a day than was possible in months by hand work formerly."

Dirienzo, a Derby native, is Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.