Derby Public Library offers Tech Time sessions

DERBY - The Derby Public Library continues to offer monthly Tech Time sessions.  

Every third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and every

third Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. a staff member will be on hand to answer your tech-related questions and concerns.

Also included is a demonstration of the Library’s 3-D printer.   

Whether you are having trouble downloading e-books, 

searching databases, completing on-line job applications, scanning/sending documents and photos, etc., your problems will be addressed.  

The next sessions will be held at 6:30 p.m. July 20 and at 10 a.m. July 21.

No registration is needed. 

For more information, stop by the Library, 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482, or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

This is a press release from Derby Public Library.

Back to school drive in Valley marking 10th year

Shelton shop serves as main collection site

Pictured from left, front row: Jennifer Sneider, owner, J Cuts; Marcia Jones, BHcare; Nicole Polifka, Bright Horizons Day Care; and Phyllis Hyde, Barb’s Corner Consignment.  

Back Row:  Ross James, barber at J Cuts; Jennifer Olson, Principal of Irving School; Jen DeLeon, Boys & Girls Club of the LNV; Suzanne Reilly, TEAM Inc., and Jessica Lanzi, LNV Parent Child Resource Center./Contributed photo 

SHELTON - J Cuts, 505 Howe Ave., has launched the 10th Annual Book Bag & School Supply drive in the Valley.

From now until Aug. 21 book bags and school supplies are being collected around the Valley.

Last year, more than 150 book bags, and an abundance of back to school supplies, were collected.

This drive, originally started by the owners of Luther’s Garage, which is now closed, continues on an annual basis through Jennifer Sneider, owner of J Cuts, the main collection location.

Supplies may include book bags, book covers, rulers, pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, binders, glue, crayons, calculators, pencil sharpeners, paper, and folders. Supplies are collected for all school-aged children from pre-school to high school. 

All book bags and supplies must be brand new.

“The outpouring of kindness within the community always warms my heart,” Sneider said. “So many people stop by to drop off donations. Many of my customers do not hesitate to hand me five or 10 dollars so I can pick up what we are falling short on. It is amazing how it all balances out for children in need!”

For the first time last year, Bright Horizons Day Care, 3 Corporate Drive, and First United Methodist Church, 188 Rocky Rest Road, both of Shelton, held their own collections and drop-off donations. 

In addition, Barb’s Corner Consignment, 25 West Main St., Ansonia, joined the drive last year by taking up a collection.

Minuteman Press, 427B Howe Ave., donated collection posters once again.

Other local businesses and organizations are invited and encouraged to join in by holding collections of their own to add to the donations. 

For a second year in a row, coordinators of the drive were contacted by Jackie Romaniuk, Dental Health Care Specialist with the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership, the dental plan for HUSKY Health. They provided oral kits each containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and oral health education.

According to Romaniuk, “The oral health kits contain tips to keep the mouth healthy as well as the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth for the benefit of a person’s general health. The beginning of the school year traditionally correlates with starting new routines and habits. This seems like the perfect opportunity to spread the oral health message of the importance of daily oral hygiene and scheduling a dental exam.”

HUSKY Health members can contact the CTDHP call center at 855-CT-DENTAL or visit www.ctdhp.com for help connecting to one of the 1,900 dental providers available.

Over 250 oral kits were given to all students who received back to school donations, as well as, the Milford Department of Children & Families office.

Children receiving donations from this community drive last year are serviced by TEAM, Inc. and Irving School in Derby, along with the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, the Lower Naugatuck Valley Parent Resource Center (LNV/PCRC), and the Shelton School Readiness Program, all of Shelton; along with BHcare in Ansonia.

“The Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley is forever grateful for receiving backpacks and dental kits to support our families in need,” says Jen DeLeon, Unit Director.  

“The smiles on our members’ faces are absolutely priceless as they feel so much more confident getting ready for their first day of school!”

J Cuts is also the main collection location for the annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive.  

The 11^th annual drive will begin Jan. 1, but donations are accepted at any time. For safety and allergy reasons, donations must be new, stuffed monkeys with tags.

The monkey drive benefits the same groups of children in need as the Back to School Book Bag & School Supply Drive.

For more information on either community drive, call Jennifer Sneider at J Cuts, 203-924-4107.

This post is taken from a press release.

Festival in Ansonia to Rock the Valley Aug. 20

Save the date!

Registration slated Monday for summer program in Ansonia

ANSONIA - Registration for the city's summer camp program will be held from 6-8 p.m. Monday at the Ansonia Armory, 5 State St. 
A birth certificate is required to register.

The program for ages 6-13 is held at John G. Prendergast School, 59 Finney St. 
It will run from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. July 14-Aug.15.

This information is shared from the Ansonia Recreation Facebook page.

The Bernadettes offer a great concert on the Derby Green

The fantastic New Haven-based R&B band The Bernadettes performed on the Derby Green Saturday during the annual Derby Day street festival. Here lead vocalist Bryan D. Kearney sings to the crowd. 

My daughter Allegra and I enjoyed relaxing on the Green and listening to The Bernadettes. I can't wait to see them perform again! It's always a great show. 

And the weather Saturday couldn't have been more perfect for an outdoor concert. 

The Bernadettes perform at the Gazebo on the Derby Green.

Hair-raising stunts wow crowd at Pierre Lallement Bicycle Festival in Ansonia

ANSONIA - Members of the Eastern BMX Stunt Performance Team showed off their skills Saturday at the Pierre Lallement Bicycle Festival on Main Street.

"He flies through the air with the greatest of ease..."

And here's the view from the other side of the street! The skilled riders offered three great shows and the crowd clearly enjoyed the performances.


See more photos from the festival in an upcoming edition of our Valley Voice newsletter.

Ansonia Library to offer test preparation seminar

ANSONIA - Attention all high school students! 

Improve your SAT scores with a free test preparation seminar July 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Ansonia Library, 53 S. Cliff St.  

The focus will be on effective and rapid vocabulary development as well as how to best approach the essay writing section of the exam. 
Learn effective time management, optimum approaches to critical reading, sentence improvement, and sentence error identification.
Ellis Ratner, a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of several books, will conduct this workshop.  

For more information, call 203-734-6275.


This is a press release from Mary Ann Capone, Director, Ansonia Library.