Attention bakers: Contest to benefit Spooner House in Shelton

Ansonia Nature Center to hold annual maple fest

Photo by Wendy Sabol

    A maple sugaring demonstration at the nature center.

ANSONIA - Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast with real maple syrup from 8-10 a.m. March 5 at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road.
Cost is $8 per person. 

Learn how to tap a maple tree, see live spider, scorpion, and owl presentations, join a pancake eating contest and see Native American and modern day sugaring demonstrations. 
Fun and free activities will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

For information call 203-736-1053 or visit
http://ansonianaturecenter.org



This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature Center. 

Coloring craze continues at Derby Public Library

DERBY - The Derby Public Library continues its monthly Color Club for Adults at 6:30 p.m. on the first 

Monday of every month.

Come and join the color craze - it’s not just for kids any more!

The next event is March 7. Coloring sheets, along with crayons, markers, and colored pencils are provided, but you are also welcomed to bring your own materials.

This simple activity provides social, mental health, and creative benefits.

Relaxing music and light snacks are included.  
No specific skills or preparation needed, just a desire to relax and de-stress.

Registration is requested. For more information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482 or visit 

www.derbypubliclibrary.org.        


This is a press release from Cathy Williams, Director, Derby Public Library.  

Sharing link to 'No One Eats Alone' program at Irving School in Derby

DERBY - Irving School and Beyond Differences is kicking off a 'No One Eats Alone' initiative at 2 p.m. today at the school.

Here is a live link to the event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i04-wojF9m8



This is a release from Derby Public Schools. 

'Monkey Love' abounds in Valley

Stuffed animal donations to cheer children in need

Pictured from left: Ross James and Jennifer Sneider of J Cuts, Shelton; Nicole Polifka of Bright Horizons, Shelton; David Morgan and Amy LaChomia of TEAM, Inc., Derby and Ansonia./Contributed photo

SHELTON - Stuffed monkeys swung in to downtown Shelton for the 10th annual “Monkey Love Valentine Drive,” an annual effort to collect stuffed animals for children in need.

During the past 10 years, over 10,327 stuffed monkeys have been collected and distributed to children in need of smiles and a new friend to warm their hearts.

Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts barber shop, 505 Howe Ave., organizes the drive every year. She said she is always amazed by the outpouring of kindness from the community.

“Every year more and more people join in,” Sneider said. “Now that this collection is well established, monkeys find their way to J-Cuts throughout the year. When people see stuffed monkeys for sale, they think of children in need.”

J-Cuts became the main drop off location after taking the drive over from the owners of Luther’s Garage, which is now closed.

“This is my sixth year being involved,” Sneider said. “We have so much fun. My customers, co-workers, and family all love to get involved!  We decorate the barber shop in anticipation of a whole bunch of monkeys moving in for a little while. It is an amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and children will find comfort in these monkeys.”

Additional collection locations this year included Minuteman Press, 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2, and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, 10 Progress Drive, 2nd Floor, both of Shelton; Barb’s Corner Consignment, 25 West Main St., Ansonia.

Minuteman Press also donated posters.

Mary Finnegan

Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi held their Sixth Annual Monkey Love Sunday Jan. 31 at Off the Hook Bar & Grill on Ferry Boulevard in Stratford.

As a member of the online meet-up group, Party Express, Marconi decided to invite everyone to Off the Hook each year for a monkey drop-off party. 

Between donations from this group and many loyal customers of Off the Hook, more than 100 stuffed monkeys were collected again. 
Off the Hook holds a Monkey Love Sunday celebration each year on the Sunday before Super Bowl. Next year, they hope to have other area pubs in Stratford join in.

For the third year in a row, the Milford Fire Department dropped off donations along with Bright Horizons child care center of 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton, and United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St., Ansonia.

The United Methodist Women, led by Barbara Tchakirides, crocheted 12 adorable and colorful stuffed monkeys. “We enjoyed crocheting these monkeys knowing they would warm the hearts of children in need on Valentine’s Day,” Tchakirides said.

This annual community event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted, and sick children, as well as children who may feel a little left out when a younger sibling is born and children treated for cancer or other illnesses at local hospitals.

The ninth Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive collected and distributed more than 1,880 stuffed monkeys to area organizations to give to children in need.

Children benefited by the drive this year are serviced by the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club in Shelton, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven, TEAM, Inc. in Derby and Ansonia, BHcare’s Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia, Griffin Hospital in Derby and the Department of Children & Families in Milford.

Coordinators also shared 26 of the stuffed monkeys as “26 Random Acts of Kindness.”

For information on holding a collection of your own next year, beginning Jan. 1, 2017, call J-Cuts, 203-924-4107.

J-Cuts also holds an Annual Back-To-School Book Bag & School Supply Drive which begins July 1.


This is a press release from J-Cuts.

Griffin Hospital in Derby to offer fall prevention program

Griffin Hospital will offer a free fall prevention program March 18 at the hospital. /Contributed photo

DERBY - The Valley Parish Nurse Program at Griffin Hospital and Griffin Hospital Lifeline will host a free Fall Prevention Program from 9 a.m.-noon March 18 at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St.

The program will discuss the dangers of falling, especially for seniors, and will help attendees prevent falls by: assessing their fall risk; teaching them to assess their, or a loved one’s, risk of falling; teaching and practicing exercises to improve balance and leg strength; providing a medication review; encouraging annual eye exams; teaching ways to reduce tripping hazards at home and learning how to get up or to call for fast help if a fall occurs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of three adults 65 and older will fall each year. 

For those 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury, death and hospital admissions for trauma. Those who fall, even if not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear causes people to limit their activities reducing their mobility, causing loss of physical fitness, which in turn increases the actual risk of falling.

A light breakfast will be provided by Griffin Hospital Lifeline.

To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Esther at 203-732-1523 or ejones@griffinhealth.org.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

Crisco recognized for health care commitment

Pictured with state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco receiving his award are Donna Caridi of Derby, left, a 22-year survivor of breast cancer, and Christine Cooper, director of radiology, cardiology, and neurology services at Griffin Hospital in Derby./Contributed photo

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, who is Senate Chairman of the Insurance Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Public Health Committee, has been recognized by the Radiological Society of Connecticut for his  “outstanding commitment to quality health care and patient access” for his work on legislation expanding access to various medical imaging tests,  particularly breast mammography, which helps identify breast cancer at an early stage. 

“Senator Crisco has been a leading advocate of ensuring that women receive access to the very best breast cancer tests possible. We are delighted to honor him with our legislative award,” said Linda Kowalski, executive director of the Radiological Society of Connecticut. 

“I’m honored to have the trust of Connecticut’s radiologists, who do such great work in keeping the people of Connecticut healthy and who I consider to be valuable partners in our quest to improve the lives of thousands of Connecticut residents through regular and low-cost medical imaging,” Crisco said.

The Radiological Society of Connecticut is a professional association of over 520 practicing radiologists in the state as well as retired professionals and resident members.  Members are medical doctors who practice the specialty of interpreting imaging studies for patients.  
The Society supports legislation that will enhance patients’ ability to get the imaging tests they need, particularly mammography, which is integral to identifying breast cancer at an early stage. 


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Valley Shakespeare Festival to present 'Tartuffe' in Shelton

SHELTON - Back by popular demand,“for two nights only,” Valley Shakespeare Festival will continue its popular Shakespeare in the Bar series at Porky’s Café, 50 Center St., March 10 and 11 with Moliere’s outrageous and bawdy comedy “Tartuffe.”

You know the sparks are going to fly when the subtitle of the play you are about to witness is “The Hypocrite.”  
And that’s exactly what lucky audience members will experience when they settle into their seats in Porky’s intimate upstairs barroom.  

Porky’s is the perfect venue for VSF’s “Bar” series and the shows have become so popular that Porky’s owners have graciously allowed VSF to expand the program from one to two consecutive nights. 

The play was originally written in 17th century French verse, but Valley Shakespeare Festival will be presenting a modern English translation, adapted for the bar series by VSF Artistic Director Tom Simonetti.   
Although it, too, is in verse, it uses the modern English vernacular, making it very accessible to contemporary audiences. 

Tartuffe, the title character, is nothing less than a lying, lecherous, low-life scoundrel posing as a poor, humble, holy man.  
He has completely hoodwinked wealthy gentleman Orgon into welcoming him into his home and family, much to the horror and disgust of the rest of the household.  
Only Orgon and his mother are duped by him, though; Orgon’s wife, daughter, son, brother-in-law, even his maid, see right through the fraud and never miss an opportunity to point it out.  
During the course of this fast-talking, fast-moving comedy, Tartuffe nearly manages to con Orgon out of his money, property, his daughter’s hand in marriage and his wife!

To see how it all unfolds, and whether or not Tartuffe gets his just reward, join Valley Shakespeare Festival for its presentation of this raucous, rowdy, and irreverent look at 17th century French morality in a very 21st century dysfunctional family.

Doors open at 6 p.m., performance begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 per person for table seats and $15 per person for general seats.  
Visit www.vsfestival.org or call 203-513-9446 for more information and to purchase tickets. 

This is a press release from Valley Shakespeare Festival, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit theater company dedicated to bringing free and low-cost theater to the communities of the lower Naugatuck Valley.