Ansonia families take advantage of backpack giveaway

Ansonia Mayor David S. Cassetti, behind table, helps out at a backpack giveaway Tuesday morning at John G. Prendergast Elementary School. At left is Joseph Apicella, principal of Prendergast. Next to him is the school's mascot, "John G." Ansonia Middle School seventh grader Olivia Toth, who was helping at the event, is behind Cassetti. 
The first day of school is Aug. 27 in Ansonia. 


Stay tuned for a story in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Annual drive nets backpacks, supplies for Valley children

Community comes together, continues a back to school tradition 

Pictured from left, front row: Jennifer Sneider, owner, J Cuts in Shelton; Marcia Jones, BHcare; Nicole Polifka, Bright Horizons Day Care; and Phyllis Hyde, Barb’s Corner Consignment. Back Row: Ross James, barber, J Cuts; Jennifer Olson, Principal of Irving School; Jen DeLeon, Boys & Girls Club of the LNV; Suzanne Reilly, Director, Family Support Services, TEAM, Inc. and Jessica Lanzi, LNV Parent Child Resource Center. 
Missing from photo: Jane Bailey, Shelton School Readiness Council./ Contributed photo

SHELTON - For the ninth year in a row, the Annual Book Bag & School Supply drive has been a great success.  More than 138 book bags and an abundance of back to school supplies were collected. 

This drive, originally begun by the owners of the former Luther's Garage, continues through J Cuts at 505 Howe Ave.

Each year beginning July 1, Jennifer Sneider, owner of J Cuts, provides the main collection location for book bags and supplies. 

"The outpouring kindness of 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!” 

Minuteman Press at 427B Howe Ave. donated collection posters as it has in the past.

For the first time this year, Bright Horizons Day Care and First United Methodist Church, 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 this year by taking up a collection.

For the second year 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 tooth brush, toothpaste, floss, and oral health education.  

The CTDHP is the dental plan for HUSKY Health and promotes good oral hygiene to more than 700,000 children and adults on the HUSKY Health plan. For the last two years, CTDHP has partnered with community agencies, primary care providers and OB/GYN offices across the state to share oral health kits with children and pregnant women who are HUSKY Health members. 

Romaniuk said, “The oral health kits contain tips to keep the mouth healthy as well as the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth to maintain 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.  

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

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

J Cuts will be the main collection location beginning Jan. 1, 2016 for the 10^th Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive.  Although this community drive officially kicks off on Jan. 1, donations are accepted at any time.  For health and safety reasons, donations must be new stuffed monkeys with tags.

This drive will benefit the same groups of children in need as the Back to School Book Bag & School Supply Drive.  The more stuffed monkeys collected, the more donations can be shared with additional agencies who serve children. 

To celebrate their 10^th consecutive year, coordinators are planning a special event at J Cuts.

Any individual, group, business, or organization is welcome to join in the Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive by holding their own collection. 

This is a press release from drive organizers.

Students, parents take part in rally in Ansonia

Despite the heat and humidity, Valley youths enjoyed a back to school rally Sunday at Gatison Park in Ansonia's North End. 
The third annual event was organized by Valley Save Our Youth.

Read all about it here in my story in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Diabetic foot care topic of talk at Shelton Senior Center

SHELTON - A free program, "Diabetic Foot Care," will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Shelton Senior Center, 81 Wheeler St.

The Valley Senior Services Council is sponsoring the presentation by Dr. David S. Sharnoff. 

The council is part of the Valley Council for Health and Human Services.

A light dinner will be served. RSVP required; call 203-924-9324.



This information is shared from an online community calendar sponsored The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.

Boating safety class planned in Oxford

OXFORD - The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering a one-day Boating/Personal Watercraft Safety Course from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion Hall, 43 Oxford Road.

Admission is $50.

Upon completion you will be able to obtain your Boating/PWC license/certificate from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, allowing you to operate a vessel and/or PWC.

The About Boating Safety Course exceeds the State requirements that allow you to obtain that license/certificate.

Topics include safety, Connecticut state law, trailering, waterways, canoes, motor boats, sailboats, PWCs, just to name a few.

If interested and would like to pre-register please contact Peter Aiksnoras, 203-888-7252 or aiksnoras@sbcglobal.net.

Walk-ins are welcomed.



This information is shared from an online community calendar sponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.

Families enjoy back to school rally in Ansonia

Waterbury resident Alayjiah Boyd enjoys the moon bounce Sunday at the third annual Valley Save Our Youth back to school rally at John W. Gatison Park on Fourth Street in Ansonia. 

Stay tuned for a story in the Valley Independent Sentinel. 

Memories of '55 floods sought at Derby Library

Derby resident Mary Bisaccia, local history coordinator at Derby Public Library, looks at newspaper coverage of a flood that devastated the Valley and caused evacuations in 1982.

This Wednesday, Aug. 19, marks the 60th anniversary of the Floods of 1955. 

Read all about it in a story in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Bisaccia will be discussing the Floods of 1955 at the Library from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 10 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays for the remainder of the month. She said she hopes people will stop by and share their memories.

This is one of many flood photos taken by the legendary photojournalist Edward J. Cotter Jr. of Derby. The late Cotter's photos were published alongside other photographers' work in a book published in December, 1955 by the defunct Evening Sentinel of Ansonia. (See book cover below)

The City of Ansonia will commemorate the 60th anniversary with a ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Vartelas Park on Maple Street.