'Halloween Hoopla' in Ansonia to feature health, safety info

Family-friendly event slated Oct. 30 at Warsaw Park

The 14th Annual Children’s Health and Safety Fair from 3-8 p.m. Oct. 30 at Warsaw Park in Ansonia will have a Halloween theme this year, with fun, games, and treats like these ghostly lollipops. / Contributed photo

ANSONIA - The 14th Annual Children’s Health and Safety Fair will be “treating” families to Halloween fun this year.

Set for Oct. 30 from 3-8 p.m. at Warsaw Park on Pulaski Highway, families are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes to a “Halloween Hoopla.” It will feature free healthy treats, games, a show by Freakout Magician Chris Lengyel, along with a variety of health, wellness, and safety programs. 
The event will be held rain or shine.

“The Halloween Hoopla will be a safe, family-friendly environment where children can do their trick-or-treating and the whole family can learn about important information that will keep them safe and healthy on Halloween and year-round,” said Daun Barrett, RN, Director of Griffin Hospital's Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nursing Program.

Interactive health, wellness and safety displays at the event will include poison prevention, good hand washing, how to call 911, and there will be a bike helmet clinic, the Child Identification Program, fire engines and rescue vehicles, a safety house to teach about safety features in homes, and much more. 
Free bike helmets will be available for the first 500 children.

The Halloween Hoopla is sponsored by the Valley Parish Nurses of Griffin Hospital, The Valley Community Foundation, Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley, and Griffin Faculty Physicians.

For more information about the fair, call 203.732.1337 or 732-7584.

The Griffin Hospital Valley Parish Nurse program was established in 1990 and is now one of the oldest in the country, with nearly 40 participating churches, more than 125 parish nurses, and 350 additional volunteers who support the nurses and who serve on the health cabinets of the individual churches.

Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. 
Its members include local police, fire, EMS, schools, LNV Boys & Girls Clubs, TEAM Headstart, Derby Elks, and VSAAC. Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. 
Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley was founded in 2004 and is led by the Griffin Hospital Valley Parish Nurses. 
For more information, visit safekids.org.

Griffin Faculty Physicians Primary Care is a multi-specialty medical group affiliated with Griffin Hospital, offering exceptional, personalized care to residents in the Lower Naugatuck Valley and the surrounding communities at our conveniently located offices in Derby, Oxford, Southbury, Seymour and Shelton.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

Songstress to perform Saturday at Derby Neck Library

Sheri Miller (Photo taken from her website)

DERBY - Songstress Sheri Miller will present "Fall in Love," a program featuring romantic songs and original compositions, at 2 p.m. Saturday at Derby Neck Library.

This is a free program for all ages. The library is at 307 Hawthorne Ave.

For information call the library, 203-734-1492.

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

Derby installs sidewalks near Ryan Field

New sidewalks along Chatfield Street in Derby. / Submitted photo

  

DERBY – Derby High School and Pop Warner events generate a lot of foot traffic in and around Ryan Field, especially during football and soccer season. 

Thanks to the combined efforts of Derby Public Works and the Derby Board of Aldermen, football fans and other visitors have a safer path to travel.

New sidewalks have been installed on Chatfield Street so pedestrians don’t have to walk on the busy roadway.

“This is just one of the many projects completed by our public works department for the betterment of our community,” said Mayor Anita Dugatto.  

DPW has made improvements at Witek Memorial Park, the Derby Green, Derby Senior Center, Derby Greenway, and the Picnic Grove on Nutmeg Avenue.  Many street islands have also been cleaned up and refreshed with new plantings.  

All of the improvements were completed within DPW’s existing budget.

“These initiatives are not only about improving Derby’s curb appeal.  In many cases, they are in the interest of public safety,” Dugatto said.

Ryan Field visitors will also benefit from a new crosswalk on Hawthorne Avenue.  The crosswalk leads to a “new” sidewalk.  The sidewalk, buried for years under brush and weeds, was uncovered during DPW’s maintenance work and restored to full use.

“I live in this neighborhood, and there is substantial foot traffic in and around the field each day.  The city not only addressed a huge safety concern, but our Department of Public Works really stepped up to the plate and made the area around the field look more attractive,” said Art Gerckens, President of the Board of Aldermen.  

This is a press release from Mayor Anita Dugatto's office.

Klarides to host business forum in Derby

Hilltop Hose in Ansonia to host block watch meeting

ANSONIA - Mayor David S. Cassetti, Police Chief Kevin Hale, Police Officer Rick Esposito, Vinnie Scarlata (Block Watch Coordinator), Ed Norman, and members of the Board of Aldermen will hold the second Neighborhood Block Watch Meeting for residents of the Hilltop area. 

It will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hilltop Hose Company No. 5 firehouse, 80 Pulaski Highway.

The meeting is being convened to seek captains who will coordinate their individual areas and residents that would like to be active members of the block watch. 

“Please join us," Cassetti said today. "I want our residents to stay active and involved in this block watch. It is important to stay informed and to help your fellow neighbors. If everyone remains diligent, we will keep crime at bay."

The meeting will focus on the purpose and goals of a block watch and how the block watch will be implemented going forward. 

Also being discussed is personal home security with a concentration on ensuring the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable neighbors such as seniors and the homebound. 

There will also be information and literature handed out to all attendees.

This is a press release from Mayor David S. Cassetti's office.

Vigil in New Haven to raise awareness of domestic violence

Every October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month is observed to bring to light an issue that effects all of our communities. Every 9 seconds, a woman is battered in the U.S. One in four women and one in seven men in the U.S. are victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives.

To raise awareness about domestic violence, BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services will hold a vigil to honor and remember survivors and victims of domestic violence.

The 16^th Annual Sound of Hope will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Long Wharf Pier, New Haven.  

The vigil will include the reading of names of those who have died as a result of domestic violence. Participants will receive a flower to throw into the harbor. 

Each flower represents the hopes and struggles of the survivors as they work to end violence in their lives and also honors those whose lives have been lost due to domestic violence.

For more information about the vigil, or about domestic violence services call (203) 736-2601, ext. 1381, or visit www.bhcare.org.  If you need immediate assistance, please call our 24-hour domestic violence hotline 1-888-774-2900.

This is a press release from UCDVS, a program of BHcare that provides services for victims and children of domestic violence free of charge. Each year, over 7,000 abused women and their children walk through the door of UCDVS looking for shelter, help and hope. 

Seymour Pink 5K offers hope, support to survivors

SEYMOUR - Many shades of pink were represented Saturday as more than 2,200 runners and walkers (and their supporters) garbed themselves in pink for the fourth annual Pounding the Pavement for Pink.

I was one of the more than 110 breast cancer survivors who participated.
I walked with members of our Circle of Friends support group from Griffin Hospital. 
We had a great time, walking and laughing and feeling encouraged by all those who turned out on a drizzly morning.

Hundreds of photos of the event have been posted on Facebook and I have a few to post here as well:

We were treated to a delicious breakfast and goodie bags. Much appreciated!

Seymour Pink founder Mary Deming addresses the crowd before the walk/run. 

Haynes' team members show their spirit with bright pink pom pons. 

Enthusiastic walkers showing off their pink-ness.

A throng of people waiting on River Street for the event to start.

One of my friends from the Circle of Friends, Mary, poses with her daughter.

A candid shot of members of the Circle of Friends waiting to start the walk. Pictured from left, Ellen, and our fabulous facilitators Joyce, center, and Donna.

A light-hearted message shared along the way.

Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller shows his support.