Hazardous waste collection slated Saturday in Ansonia

Recuperation journey: 'You lookin' at me?'

I caught a photo and the blue jay caught me capturing it. 
He was busy clearing leaves out of the gutter for us. So helpful!

Recuperation journey: Thoughts on organ donation

Friday is my 18-month anniversary of receiving a kidney from a wonderful woman I'd never met. 
I've since met her, and can't thank her enough for her gift.
I'm marking the day by writing a story to raise awareness of living organ donation.
Please look for it in our next Valley Voice newsletter. 

Make crafts, learn firecraft skills in December at Ansonia Nature Center

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road, has scheduled fun activities for December.
WINTER WREATH WORKSHOP – 10 a.m. Dec. 1 Celebrate winter and the festive season as you create a wreath from fresh, locally grown greens, then decorate your masterpiece with natural trimmings. Enjoy some warm mulled cider and a cookie too! 
Wreath frames and wire will be provided. Please bring your own hand clippers. Materials fee: $15. Please call to register.

NEEDLE FELTING FOR BEGINNERS - 1 p.m. Dec. 1
Join in this fun class and learn the art of needle felting. With just one barbed needle you can create some wonderful 3D animals. All supplies will be provided. Materials fee: $15. 
Class size is limited to 12, so please register in advance. Ages 12 and up.

SCULPT-A-FOX – 2:30 p.m. Dec. 9
Do you love foxes? Join Ranger Jess to learn how to sculpt a fox out of clay using nothing but your fingers! 
Time permitting, we’ll bake and paint them too. Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season! Fee: $6 per person.

PRINCIPLES OF FIRECRAFT – 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 15
Basic firecraft skills are very important for campers. Learn how to be the family camp-out fire starter in this session on the safe and efficient way to build and tend to a fire. Ranger Dan will teach us about wood gathering, fire safety, and fire starting with only one match. We’ll even roast some marshmallows! 
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Fee: $6 per person.

To register for programs or for more information call 203-736-1053.

**And plan to start 2019 with a hike!**

JANUARY 2019

NEW YEAR’S DAY HIKE – 10 a.m. Jan 1
Bring a healthy start to your new year at the Nature Center. Our ranger will conduct this brisk walk while you learn a little natural history trivia along the way. Free. Please call to register. Inclement weather cancels.

***ONGOING PROGRAMS***

Pet Loss Grief Support Session – By appointment
Losing a beloved animal can be tragic and a very emotional time for humans. There are numerous resources to turn to for the loss of a human loved one, but limited options for when we lose an animal. This free support session is for those who have lost an animal or have one in the process of moving on. Please call Susan Wilson at 1-802-379-4449 for an appointment.

Sunday Guided Hikes – 1 p.m.
Join a Nature Center guide Sunday afternoons for fun, exercise, and learning about our trails! 

Fiber Arts Group – Tuesdays, 6 p.m.
Get together with others to work on your fiber arts projects! Bring any kind of fiber work—knitting, felting, crocheting, etc. A great way to dedicate time to your handiwork and socialize too. Free.

Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body – Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
Hatha Yoga instructor and practitioner Pam Mellitz will lead us into a healthier lifestyle through stretching, breath control and gentle exercise. 
The 90-minute classes require a mat or thick towel; dress for easy movement. Class is limited to 12 students. Cost is $7 per class. Please call Pam to register at 203-888-4124.

Creature Features – Saturdays, noon
Come to meet our furry, scaly, and feathery animal ambassadors. You’ll have the chance to touch and hold them in this free family program for all ages.

This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

Kids invited to read to Spirit at Derby Neck Library

Shared from the Derby Neck Library Facebook page:

"At 5 p.m. Nov. 14 Miss Kathy will host another popular B.A.R.K. program and all ages are invited to drop in and be a reading kid to a guest dog here at the library.
"Spirit, who is a Newfoundland, is a great listener and will be here once again for children to read to. You can bring your own book or choose one of ours from the library. And if children simply want to stop in to just say hello and visit, that’s cool too.
"No registration is needed. Just drop in."

The Library is at 307 Hawthorne Ave., Derby.

Griffin Hospital in Derby hosts annual 'Mo'vember contest

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DERBY- Griffin Hospital’s Health Initiative for Men (HiM) is hosting its annual “Show Your ‘MO!” Contest this November to support men’s health awareness.

Everyone is invited to submit a picture of their “MO” (aka mustache or facial hair) for a chance to win great prizes. Real or fake, all “MOs” are welcome. 

Simply email a photo to him@griffinhealth.org by Nov. 30 to be entered into a contest for three prize baskets.

HiM hosts this fun contest to raise awareness about men’s health and funds for free men’s health screening and education.

“In the U.S, men die five years earlier than women on average, and for largely preventable reasons,” said Griffin Hospital Chief Medical Officer Frederick Browne, M.D. 

“According to statistics, 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young men, and three out of four suicides are committed by men. These statistics show just how much the men’s health crisis needs our attention.”

For more information about HiM, visit griffinhealth.org/him.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Club unveils new logo for Thanksgiving Day 5K race in Shelton, Derby

SHELTON - The Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley has unveiled the new design for its Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day 5K Road Race. 
Created by Peralta Design of Shelton, the new logo provides a fresh look while keeping a connection to the race’s namesake.
Registration is still open for the race but closes automatically at 800 registrations. 
Grammar and high school students receive a discounted rate of $10 and seniors (age 70+) run free of charge (but must register). All other runners are $25. 
If space is still available, registration fees for all runners goes up to $30 on Nov. 20. Registration is nonrefundable; however, should something change and you can’t run, you can transfer your registration to another runner for a $5 fee.

Divisions are (male and female): 18-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69. Special Divisions: Grammar School, High School, Holstein (male - 200 pound minimum, female – 160 pound minimum), and 70 and over. Disposable bib chip technology will once again be provided by Fast Track Timing, LLC, and race results will be available almost instantaneously through their phone app.

Awards will be presented to the first-place male and female runners overall, and the top three male and female finishers in each division. Special awards will go to the top three male and female runners in the High School Division.
Race packet pickup will be held at the Boys & Girls Club at One Positive Place Nov. 18 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Nov. 21 from 4-7 p.m. 
Runners are strongly encouraged to pick their packets up on these days. Goody bags are guaranteed to the first 500 runners to pick up their race bibs.
Greco & Haines, flagship sponsor since 2002, will once again provide a quality race shirt to all the runners.
Diane Stroman has been named honorary starter of this year’s race. Diane has served our community for more than 35 years and retired this year as Vice President of TEAM, Inc. 
She is deeply passionate and very knowledgeable about the community’s needs. Stroman lives in Ansonia, where she grew up and has two children and two grandsons.

Jimmy Tickey, chair of the race committee, says, "I am thrilled to serve as Chair of our Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day Road Race in downtown Shelton. Every year, about 800 runners - with their friends and family cheering them on - join us on Thanksgiving morning for a special 5k road race. The morning is always filled with gratitude and our strong Valley spirit, and I am so pleased to be a part of this great Valley tradition," he said.

To keep up to date about all race happenings, visit www.BGC-LNV.org/commodore-hull-5k and sign up for our newsletter, or contact Ann Wheeler, 203- 924-7462, AnnWheeler@BGC-LNV.org.
For more information visit www.BGC-LNV.org.


This is a press release from the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.