Residents, staff at Bishop Wicke in Shelton laud intern

Bishop Wicke staff, volunteers, and residents give student, Alex Capobianco “thumbs up” for his great work during his internship at the community. 
Pictured from left: Wilma Dorso, Libby Berti, Alex Capobianco, Mary Barbin, Kim Capobianco, Olga Kort, Shirley Conway, Angie Budd./ Submitted photo


SHELTON - When asked their thoughts about intern, Alex Capobianco, patients and residents at Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center can’t help but share their adoration. 

The whole building lights up when he makes his way around and greets the residents. 
“He is very pleasant,” says resident Shirley Conway. “He always has a smile.”

Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center on the Wesley Village Campus on Long Hill Avenue, offers skilled nursing care and a variety of short-term rehab options. 

When Alex approached Bishop Wicke Therapeutic Recreation Director Mary Barbin, about potentially doing an internship at the community, Barbin happily agreed to work with him.

Capobianco, a Seymour resident, is an individual with cerebral palsy. 
He is a student at Southern Connecticut State University, a member of the class of 2017. He is a Recreation major with a concentration in Travel and Tourism. 
Capobianco has also been on the Dean’s List every semester since 2013. 
“Alex has given our residents great motivation to try and work hard through their rehab,” Barbin said. “He is so engaging. He got residents and patients involved who don’t normally participate in activities and encouraged them to come out and make connections with others.” 

As part of his program of study, for 10 weeks and 260 hours in the spring/summer of 2016, Capobianco worked with the team at Bishop Wicke as an intern. 
He helped enhance the community’s recreational programs, met with new residents to assess their interests, facilitated group activities, and coordinated a two-day-long 1940s-themed program, complete with dancing, entertainment, history, food, and more. His favorite part of the last 10 weeks? “Playing ‘Left, Right, and Center’,” Alex shared; a fun group dice game that stimulates the mind and encourages a little friendly competition.

Volunteer Libby Berti, expressed her appreciation of Alex, “I really enjoyed his company. He was so much fun. He has a great level of maturity; watching him grow was amazing. We were all a great team!” 
His mother, Kim Capobianco, also expressed her appreciation of Bishop Wicke for giving her son such a valuable opportunity. “It was a great place for him; such a wonderful experience.”

The staff, residents, and patients of Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center would like to extend their sincere and heartfelt thanks to Capobianco for his time, effort, and influence throughout his 10-week internship. 
Though he has completed his internship and will be continuing his studies at SCSU, his many friends at Bishop Wicke are confident they will continue to keep in touch. “Isn’t he amazing?” staff exclaim when chatting about him. “We are his number one fans!” says Berti.

Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center is an award-winning skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located on the Wesley Village senior living campus. Also part of the campus continuum of care is Crosby Commons Independent and Assisted Living Community, Wesley Heights Independent Living Cottages and Assisted Living Apartments, and Lifestyle Transitions Assisted Living and Memory Care Community. 
The campus is owned and operated by UMH, a local, mission-based, not-for-profit organization serving all members of the community and is located at 580 Long Hill Ave. 
To learn more about the continuum of care offered at Wesley Village or the mission of UMH, visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org or contact Lisa Bisson, 203-225-5024.

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Ansonia to celebrate all things autumn at Harvest Festival Saturday

Polish restaurant opens in downtown Ansonia

Cassetti: 'Main Street is becoming a dining destination'

Ansonia Mayor David S. Cassetti welcomes Warszawa Restaurant owner Michael Dembowski to the city./ Contributed photo

ANSONIA - At 6 p.m. Sept. 9 Warszawa Restaurant opened its doors to a full crowd.
Owner Michael Dembowski has hired six full-time employees. 
The restaurant at 350 Main St. occupies approximately 1,800 square feet of space. 
Warszawa features a piano and dance floor for dining entertainment. 

“We are excited about the first Polish restaurant in the Valley," Mayor David S. Cassetti said. 
"The food is superb and we are hoping that residents of Ansonia and neighboring towns will stop in for dinner. It is a nice complement to our Polish deli Europol Deli and Gifts located on the same side of Main Street. 
"Main Street is becoming a dining destination for Ansonia and the Valley," he said."We hope to attract visitors from all over who want variety.” 

Corporation Counsel John Marini added, “There is a lot of activity in downtown and a lot happening. These restaurants are drawing much-needed foot traffic into the downtown and that’s good news for Ansonia.” 

The restaurant serves traditional Polish fare such as blintzes and a Polish platter which consists of pierogis, golumpkis, and blintzes.
It is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m.- 9:30 p.m., Thursday - Saturday from 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 9 p.m.

The new restaurant is one of many developments occurring on Main Street. 
A new Thai restaurant will be opening soon, and Massimino’s new construction project, which will consist of a restaurant and catering venue (new construction on Main Street hasn’t happened since the '90s). 

In addition, the purchase and sale of the site adjacent to Target for the redevelopment of a big box store and restaurant is forthcoming.  
Road Ready is preparing to open, Fitzpatrick’s Chrysler Jeep Dealership is in the middle of a million-dollar expansion, LuLu Pazza Italiano is about to open in the former Antonio’s restaurant location with a multi-million dollar renovation, and the city is preparing for the sale of the ATP/Palmer buildings.

This is a press release from Cassetti's office. 

Officials mark opening of The Mark in Shelton

Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce President William Purcell, left, speaks Wednesday at a grand opening ceremony of The Mark-Fairfield County upscale apartments. The property is located off Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton. When completed, it will feature six apartment buildings, a 6,400-square foot clubhouse, pool, and more. With Purcell are Continental Properties' principal Howard S. Rappaport, center, and Shelton Mayor Mark A. Lauretti.

Gentile hails long-term deal between Sikorsky, state

Helicopter manufacturer to stay in Connecticut at least 16 years

State Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, said today she is very pleased Sikorsky Aircraft, which has made its home in Stratford since 1929, will remain here until at least 2032.

"This is very good news not only for the state of Connecticut, but especially the Lower Naugatuck Valley,” Gentile said. 

“Both my father and father-in-law worked at Sikorsky, along with so many other men and women from Ansonia and Derby. This deal, along with the work we have already done in the manufacturing sector, and will continue to do, will guarantee good-paying jobs and continued residency here for generations to come."

After meeting with Sikorsky parent Lockheed Martin, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a deal in which the helicopter giant will be eligible for financial incentives in exchange for building nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut. 

The incentives, worth up to $220 million, include exemption from sales and use taxes and annual grants during the term of the deal. 

In turn, Sikorsky and Lockheed will keep its HQ and primary manufacturing in the state, retain and expand its full-time staff, increase capital spending, and give top priority to its Connecticut-based suppliers.

“This agreement requires legislative approval,” Gentile said. “There should be no dissenting votes on this matter. It’s a no-brainer that we must move as quickly as possible to secure such an important employer as Sikorsky. The company is vital to the stability of our economy and for the thousands of families who depend on these highly-skilled manufacturing jobs.”

This is a press release from Gentile's office.  
  

Griffin Hospital donates equipment to St. Mary-St. Michael School in Derby

Daun Barrett, director of Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program, right, and St. Mary-St. Michael Principal Linda Coppola hold a pulse oximeter and a forehead thermometer recently donated to the school./ Contributed photo

DERBY - Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program helped Derby students get ready for a healthy new school year recently.

The program donated a pulse oximeter and a forehead thermometer to St. Michael-St. Mary School to help the school nurse better care for students. 
The school’s thermometer was out-of-date and the nurse did not have a pulse oximeter.

“We heard the school needed better equipment from one of the members of the new parish nurse program forming at St. Mary the Immaculate Church,” said Daun Barrett, director of Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program. 
“Griffin and the Valley Parish Nurses have a mission to improve the health of our community, so we were more than happy to lend a hand.”

Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program serves as the hub of Griffin Hospital’s outreach activities, accounting for more than 40,000 community contacts each year. These contacts include fitting bike helmets, training adults and children in CPR, and providing health education and information at senior centers, shopping centers, neighborhoods, companies, and community events and fairs. 

The program also conducts more than 7,500 health screenings each year to help individuals identify problems when they are most treatable, resulting in approximately 11,000 referrals for follow-up care.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Valley Shakespeare Festival to present 'Dracula' in Shelton, Fairfield

Lock up your doors and hide your daughters!  

Count Dracula, the infamously seductive and evil vampire of the 1897 Gothic horror novel will come to life once again Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 right here in Fairfield County.

Valley Shakespeare Festival Theater Company will present two scripted reading performances of the Bram Stoker classic just in time for Halloween as part of its popular “Shakespeare in the Bar” series.  

The Oct. 20 evening performance will be hosted by Caloroso Eatery and Bar in Shelton and the Oct. 21 performance will be held in Fairfield’s Anna Liffey’s Irish Pub.

Dracula is the sixth work VSF will present in its semi-annual “Shakespeare in the Bar” series. 
Fans of the nonprofit theater company will remember its previous productions of Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, Hamlet, The Tempest, and most recently, Moliere's Tartuffe. 

VSF will be utilizing the same script and sound effects used in the 1938 Mercury Theater on the Air radio broadcast which starred Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead.  

Welles not only starred in the production, but also wrote the adaptation, and his version is commonly believed to be the most faithful to the original novel with much of the dialogue lifted verbatim.  It has been described as both “horrific and transcendent.”*

VSF will employ only five actors and one lighting/sound effects engineer to present its version.

Valley Shakespeare Festival is excited to present this production in its debut at its two new venues.  
Caloroso, 100 Center St., Shelton, has been a long-time supporter of VSF, hosting Opening Night Cast Parties for all four of the company’s Shakespeare in the Park productions.  
This will be the first time however, it will host a performance.  
The company is thrilled to be performing in the restaurant’s recently-completed lower level space. Its romantic fireplace, spacious tables and comfortable bar make it a perfect cabaret-like atmosphere for the production.  
Caloroso will offer dinner service before, during and after the performance as well as a full cash bar.

Anna Liffey’s Pub in Fairfield is no stranger to live performance, primarily presenting musical acts, but VSF will provide the venue’s first theatrical performance by a Shakespeare company.  
VSF is excited to be that company and looks forward to making appearances regularly at the venue.  
As with Caloroso, Anna Liffey’s will offer full food and bar service throughout the evening.

Tickets are available through Valley Shakespeare Festival by calling 203-513-9446 or by visiting www.vsfestival.org.   

Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  
Doors open at 6 p.m. performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Space is limited; advance purchase is recommended.

*Colin Fleming, May 6, 2015

This is a press release from Valley Shakespeare Festival, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company dedicated to bringing free and reduced cost theater to Connecticut communities.