Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton creating American flag 'quilt'

 

SHELTON - America is like a quilt; many pieces, colors, and stories, all held together by a common thread. 

Plumb Memorial Library is creating an American flag “quilt” display in the downstairs lobby to celebrate the diverse stories that make up our community and our country.

Share your family’s story, culture, or heritage! You can include a drawing, photo, recipe, memory, or a story about an ancestor who overcame challenges or followed their dream to America.

Stop by the library to pick up a “fabric swatch,” or bring your story on a piece of paper (8” high x 6” wide), and we’ll add it to the quilt. Contributions can be anonymous if you prefer.

Come help us stitch together the many stories that make up the American experience!

For more information: https://sheltonlibrarysystem.org/flag-quilt-display.../... 

Shared from the Shelton Library System Facebook page.

Abundant Life Ministries in Ansonia to host Black History program

To purchase tickets online, follow the link to TEAM on the flyer.

Ansonia Library event to feature violinist, tale from China

ANSONIA - Please join us at 11 a.m. Dec. 11 at the Ansonia Library in welcoming The New Haven Symphony Orchestra's own Anna Leunis as she bridges music, culture, and literacy into an 

event for all ages!

We will hear the story of Lon Po Po, a Little Red Riding Hood tale from China, while Anna Leunis colors the story with her violin playing throughout.

Please contact The Children's Room at an-jshuart@biblio.org or call 203-922-3104 to register for this exciting event. 

The Library is at 53 S. Cliff St.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Ansonia Middle School event to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Students to host exhibits, perform in Showcase Shelton at high school

Art exhibit in Madison features folks connecting over tea

How many significant conversations throughout the world have occurred over a cup of tea? 

Whether with friends and family, or work colleagues, or even among nations through statecraft, talking over tea has been one of the few cultural expressions that unite us as a human family. 


An exhibition at Mercy by the Sea’s Mary C. Daly RSM Art Gallery, 167 Neck Road, Madison shares the works of 44 artists who expressed their interpretations of the human experience of connecting over tea. 

The gallery show runs Aug.18-Oct. 14, and the opening is from 2-4 p.m. Sunday.

Both the premiere of the video TEA, Connecting Cultures and a piece of performance art by Thomas J. Foran will enrich the opening. 
The collaboration is organized by artist and architect Ann E. Grasso.

The gallery is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

This information is taken from a press release from artist Ann Grasso.

Memoir of Appalachian life is topic of Derby Public Library discussion

DERBY - Derby Public Library will host its next monthly Lunchtime Book discussion at 12:30 p.m. March 28.
The featured book is “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” by J.D. Vance.

This memoir is a powerful account of growing up in the rust belt of Ohio and in an Appalachian town in Kentucky. The author escapes generations of poverty and becomes a Marine and Yale Law School graduate. 

The book is a probing look at the struggles of America's working class. 
The Vance family story begins in postwar America. Vance’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from Kentucky’s Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the poverty around them. 

Ron Howard is directing and producing a movie adaptation of the book, which was a New York Times bestseller.

Lunchtime Book Discussions are held the last Wednesday of the month. They are free and open to the public. 
Multiple copies of the book will be available at the circulation desk. Drop-ins are welcome; registration is not required. 

The Library is at 313 Elizabeth St. 
For more information call 203-736-1482.

This is a press release from Kathy Wilson, Head of Adult Circulation, Derby Public Library.

Birthday bash in Derby to benefit fund at Valley Community Foundation

A message from Marc J. Garofalo: 

Dear Family and Friends, 

Thirty years ago this August, my father took me to Italy for the first time. 
The trip was one of the significant experiences of my life. We didn’t go to Rome, Naples, Florence or Venice. We stayed in the hometown of our ancestors and it was life changing. When you experience the everyday culture of a place, your eyes are opened to sights you never imagined. 

As I walked the same streets as so many generations of my family, I wanted everyone to share this type of cultural experience at least once in their lives. 
I was very lucky growing up that my parents exposed us to diverse experiences - live theater, music, the World Series, good food, bus trips, professional football, European adventures, and other priceless memories that we carry with us today. 

As the first half century of my life comes to a close, I want to celebrate it forward for future generations by establishing a charitable fund at the Valley Community Foundation. 
The Marc J. Garofalo Cultural Experience Fund will help young people of Derby and vicinity enjoy a unique experience that they might not choose or could not afford. It is not a scholarship, but a vehicle to open the minds and hearts of the next generation by sponsoring a cultural experience that will inspire a lifetime of passion and learning. 

My hope is that the opportunity of a new or diverse adventure may change someone’s world or simply create a great memory to cherish forever. 
This is the inspiration of the Fund and the spirit with which I offer it to the next generation. What better way to get the ball rolling than to host a night of experiences with you! We will have a cabaret stage show with live music and singers, some great stories, some bad jokes, a DJ for dancing, raffles, a silent and live auction, and other surprises. I do not want any gifts. 
The event is a BYO food and drinks. We will be serving special desserts and coffee for your enjoyment. I hope you share my passion and will share generously to make this dream a reality. 

I look forward to seeing you on June 16, 2017 for a cultural experience 50 years in the making. 

Sincerely, 
Marc J. Garofalo

Derby Public Library schedules 'stroll' through Italy

DERBY - The Derby Public Library invites everyone to take A Stroll Through Italy, Past, Present, and Future, at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8.

Mariann Millard, a certified tour director and dual U.S./Italy citizen, will guide participants on a virtual 

“passeggiata” (stroll), exploring the richness and diversity of Italy by weaving historical and modern events and facts about the country with pertinent personal anecdotes to illustrate its geography, language, cuisine, culture, politics, and economics.

Whether you have had your own Italian journey, are planning one, or just dreaming of one, come enjoy an evening of photographs and stories in a lively and engaging

manner.  

Registration is requested.  

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 Cathy Williams, Director, Derby Public Library. 

Fun events slated for CT Open House Day Saturday

Sharing from the state tourism website:

"Join us for this day-long, state-wide celebration of everything that makes Connecticut great! 
"Attractions, museums, galleries and organizations in towns and cities all across Connecticut will be opening their doors and welcoming visitors with discounted or free admission, giveaways, special offers, hands-on activities for the kids and more. It’s a great way to discover or rediscover all that is happening in our state."

These events are planned in the Lower Naugatuck Valley:

ANSONIA: General David Humphreys House, 37 Elm St.
Free admission from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., along with a plant sale, gift shop, and handcrafted items available for purchase.
 
DERBY: Kellogg Environmental Center & Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave.
Museum open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Center open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Free tours and a workshop.

SHELTON: Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Road.
Free admission from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

 
SHELTON: SportsCenter of Connecticut, 784 River Road.

One free activity per person. Hours from 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.