Shelton fire prevention poster, essay contest winners applauded

First place poster in fifth grade drawn by Selin Ho.

SHELTON – The two first place Fire Prevention Poster Contest winners, a fourth-grade and a fifth-grade winner, were announced Tuesday during the annual Shelton Fire Prevention Contest Awards Ceremony at Shelton Intermediate School. 

Overall City of Shelton winners are:

4th Grade - Griffin Marcinczyk, Elizabeth Shelton School

5th Grade - Selin Ho, Perry Hill School

Each of their posters have advanced to a state level contest. 

First place poster in fourth grade created by Griffin Marcinczyk.

Assistant Chief Ted Pisciotta congratulated students and thanked parents, teachers, principals, school staff, and firefighters for their efforts.
Mayor Mark A. Lauretti spoke about the benefit of this annual contest and his gratitude for all the many individuals that support this fire safety program. He commented that fire safety education is important to save lives, prevent harm, protect property, and keep everyone safe. 
Fire Marshal James Tortora and Chief Fran Jones also congratulated all the winners for a job well done. 
All first and second place winners from the fourth and fifth grade representing each of Shelton’s public and parochial schools, received a cash award of $100 and $75, respectively, from Lauretti. The two, Overall City of Shelton winners, were each presented a cash award of $125, a certificate, and a medal.

Contest launched in 1984 

The annual poster contest, launched in 1984, is designed to develop fire safety awareness in youngsters and to encourage them to take the message home to their families. 
It is jointly sponsored by Connecticut FAIR Plan, representing the insurance industry in the state; the Connecticut Fire marshals Association; Connecticut Board of Education and the Office of State Fire Marshal. 
The local contest is administered by the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau. 

Approximately 900 posters were submitted this year from Booth Hill, Elizabeth Shelton, Long Hill, Mohegan, Perry Hill, St. Joseph, St. Lawrence, and Sunnyside schools. 
Each student who submitted a poster will receive a Certificate of Appreciation and a pen from the Connecticut Fire Prevention Poster Committee. 
Judging was held on Dec. 16, with representatives from the Board of Aldermen as judges. All first place posters will be displayed over the next year at schools, public buildings, and events. 

Lauretti also presented cash awards and certificates to winners of the Sixth Grade Essay/Public Service Announcement Contest. 
Classrooms, and each student author, received a cash award of $100, $75, and $50 for first, second, and third place, respectively. 

The Bureau is thankful for the volunteer essay/PSA judges: reporter Ethan Fry from the Valley Independent Sentinel, and Patricia Villers (that's me) from The Valley Voice blog and website. I must say I always enjoy reading the creative essays written by the sixth graders. 

Since the contest began in 1996, its purpose has been to promote fire safety by having students research the topic while writing their PSA. 
The fire department/fire prevention bureau would like to use the essay to help remind adults and children how important fire prevention is to Everyone/Everyday. This year’s winners are:

1st Place

Ms. Ibsen’s class, Perry Hill School

Author:  Joe Schiappa

2nd Place

Mr. Federowicz’s class, Perry Hill School

Author:  Ella Dzujna

3rd Place

Mrs. Coffin’s Class, Perry Hill School

Authors:  Nicole and Natalie Plavec

Participants in both the poster and essay contests depicted many of the essential elements of preventing fire from ever occurring and of preparation and planning required to be ready for fire. 
Pisciotta is hopeful that the messages of posters and essays will be shared with everyone in the community to help further reduce needless damage to property, injury to persons and loss of life that can result from fire. 
In addition to spreading information about fire safety, Pisciotta finds the contest helpful to measure the effectiveness of educational programs of the fire prevention bureau.  
From reviewing the nearly 900 posters and 20 essays it becomes apparent where the bureau has made a great impact and has identified areas where special focus may be needed to improve educational efforts.

For more information about fire safety, the public is encouraged to contact the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau at 203-924-1555 or on the web at www.cityofshelton.org, where all winning posters and essays may be viewed by finding the Fire Prevention Bureau under “Public Safety.”  
For direct access go to: www.sheltonfireprevention.org.

This is a press release from the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau. 

Dinner in Derby to benefit Ansonia Animal Shelter

Griffin Hospital in Derby schedules driver safety class

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will host an AARP Driver Safety Program from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 5 in the hospital’s dining room meeting rooms.

The AARP Driver Safety Program is the nation's first and largest refresher course for drivers. 
While the course is geared toward drivers age 50 and older, the course is open to everyone.

The training is designed to help you learn current rules of the road, how to operate your vehicle more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment, and make some adjustments to common age-related changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time. 

The course also covers such topics as how to maintain proper following distance at all times; the safest way to change lanes and make turns at intersections; the effects of medications on driving; how to minimize the effect of dangerous blind spots; the importance of eliminating distractions, such as eating, smoking, and cell-phone use; proper use of safety belts, air bags, and anti-lock brakes and ways to monitor your own and others' driving skills and capabilities.

Participants will gain a greater appreciation of driving challenges and how they can avoid potential collisions and injuries to themselves and others. 

As an added bonus, participants can check with their auto insurance company about discounts for completing the course.

The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Make checks payable to “AARP.”

To register, call Esther, 203-732-1523.

The hospital is at 130 Division St.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.  

Crisco to honor Ansonia football legend Friday

Joseph J. Crisco

HAMDEN – State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, will present a state citation to famed Connecticut running back and World War II Army veteran Roger Goodson on the occasion of his 91st birthday at noon Friday. 

The ceremony will be held at the Hamden Rehabilitation & Health Care Center,1270 Sherman Ave.

Goodson is an Ansonia native and is considered to be an Ansonia legend. 

He is known in the community for his contribution to Ansonia youth, encouraging their education and involvement in sports. 

In 1942 Goodson was the first African American ever voted All State by the New Haven Register.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Friends of Derby Neck Library to host trip to Brooklyn

'Monkey love' found in Ansonia

Annual drive to collect plush animals for children continues

These monkeys were spied at Barb's Corner Consignment, 25 W. Main St., Ansonia, one of the drop-off locations for stuffed monkey donations.


It's time to quit monkeying around and support a good cause.
The 10th annual "Monkey Love Drive" is here. The goal is to put smiles on the faces of needy children on Valentine's Day.

I'm re-posting details here:

Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts at 505 Howe Ave., Shelton, is once again collecting new stuffed monkeys for children.

Donations may be dropped off or mailed to J-Cuts through Feb. 8. 

Additional drop-off locations include Minuteman Press, 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2, and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, 10 Progress Drive, second floor, both of Shelton, and Barb's Corner Consignment, 25 West Main St., Ansonia. 
Each year, Minuteman Press donates posters to advertise the drive. 

This event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, frightened children involved in police calls, as well as those treated for emergencies, cancer, or other illnesses at local hospitals. 

This year, Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi will hold their sixth annual Monkey Love Sunday from noon-3 p.m. Jan. 31.
They have moved the event to Off the Hook Bar & Grill, 170 Ferry Blvd., Stratford. 
Last year, they collected more than 180 stuffed monkeys. They reserve the Sunday before Superbowl each year for this celebration. Stuffed monkey donations may be dropped off this day or any other day through Feb. 6. The public is free to stop by for food and fun.

They hope to have other pubs in the area join in this event by promoting a Monkey Love Sunday of their own to benefit children in need. 

Finnegan said, “Any extra monkey we can collect is an extra smile and one more warm heart within a child who needs it the most.” 

More than 1,800 distributed

The ninth annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive collected and distributed more than 1,800 stuffed monkeys to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Ansonia and Milford, along with 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 Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia; Griffin Hospital of Derby; the Department of Children and Families in Milford; International Institute of Connecticut, Refugee Services division of Bridgeport.

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

Sneider uses her business as the main collection and drop off location. 

“This is my sixth year being involved,” Sneider said. "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 the children will find comfort in these monkeys. Each year, we hope to have an even more successful drive to create miles of smiles on the faces of children to show them they are loved.” 

Stuffed monkeys have already been dropped off by members of the Milford Fire Department. This is their fourth year participating. 

Once again last year, Bright Horizons child care center at 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton, and United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St., Ansonia, held their own collections.

In addition the United Methodist Women led by Barbara Tchakirides crocheted 25 adorable stuffed monkeys last year. 

“We enjoyed crocheting these monkeys for a good cause – children,” Tchakirides said. “I asked coordinators if they’ll be collecting again next year [2016.] When I learned the drive will continue, I became very excited because we can get a head start on crocheting!” 

Area individuals, corporations and groups are also encouraged to become involved by holding collections of their own. 

In celebration of the 10th year, coordinators are hoping to mark this milestone by launching a “monkey love challenge” and have it go viral. They would like to have people participate by buying some monkeys, making a cute video, posting it on social media, and calling out others to do the same, then mailing or bringing their donations to J-Cuts.

Last year, members of country singer Keith Urban's Ville and Facebook fans from all over the world mailed stuffed monkeys to Connecticut. They collected a total of 1,356 stuffed monkeys, 300 of which were donated directly to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
In the past decade 10,327 stuffed monkeys have been donated from all over the world, organizers say.

Ansonia resident Phyllis Hyde, an owner of Barb's Corner Consignment in Ansonia, holds a plush monkey that will soon warm the heart of a child in need.

So quit monkeying around and donate!
For more information about the drive, call J-Cuts, 203-924-4107.

Save the dates for Celebrate Shelton summer concerts