The Suffield Observer (https://thesuffieldobserver.com/author/webmaster/page/150/)
The SHS Boys Varsity Soccer team seniors felt in the pink during breast cancer awareness month in October. From the left, in shocking pink jerseys are, top row: Blake Baskin, Michael Sattan, Evan Mankouski, Niko Ford, Will Motherway; bottom row: Brandon Bigos, Matthew Sweeney, Quinn Cardaropoli, Brendan Fitzgerald, Aiden Werenski.
It’s sometimes hard to hear the good things happening around us, what with all the stories about continued gun violence, invasions of immigrants, hacking of voting places, media disparagement, name calling, and worries about health care, to name a few. It’s good, then, to reflect on some of the good that regular citizens do that make this country great. #1–According to CBS News, as thousands of people gathered to mourn the 11 Jewish souls murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue, Wasi Mohamed, the executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh announced that the Muslim community had raised over $100,000 to pay for funeral and medical expenses of the victims. He also offered the protection of the Muslim community at Jewish services- literally offering to stand outside the synagogues—as well as to escort anyone there and back or even to a grocery store if they were scared. #2–The many national and local organizations and individuals who step up to donate money, but most especially time, whenever there is a disaster or crisis like hurricanes, tornados, fires, and shootings, should be noted. #3–We recognize those many random acts of kindness like police buying boots for a barefoot homeless man, getting a lost wallet/phone returned intact, meals for the homeless supported and served by many, many organizations, dry cleaners that clean an outfit for unemployed job interviewers, paying for the meal of the person behind you at McDonald’s (or wherever), standing up to bullies, helping to build/repair homes for veterans or the elderly, inviting lonely people into your circle, offering a kind word or gesture, showing respect for others in word and deed.
Three Performances Only: Keep The Home Fires Burning by Charles E. Bright. An ensemble of 16 talented local thespians from Massachusetts and Connecticut are gathering to create a Merry Old-Fashioned Melodrama with Songs of the Season on December 7 and 8 at 8 pm, and December 9 at 2 p.m. at Mapleton Hall. This play is recommended for all ages! Keep The Home Fires Burning is The Suffield Players’ 2018 Holiday Benefit Challenge production, performed with scripts in hand as a staged reading with a minimum of rehearsals … and a maximum of creativity! All proceeds from this production go toward the upkeep and maintenance of Mapleton Hall, The Suffield Players’ theatre, built in 1883.
Check the Town’s website, suffieldct.gov, for schedule changes.
Frankenstein and his bride (Jax and Ellery Baker) head for the Pumpkin Patch as a surprise rainbow enhances HalloweenFest at Hilltop Farm on October 20. The annual kids event is sponsored by Suffield Girl Scouts and The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop.
Enfield Loaves and Fishes (Soup Kitchen) is in need of a volunteer for Thursdays with a truck or a van to pick up food, etc. at local store. Call Priscilla at 860-741-0226.
On Thursday, October 18, a check presentation was held at McAlister Intermediate School to recognize the awarding of $1,700 to the school by the New England Dairy & Food Council and the dairy farm families of Connecticut and New England. Over the summer, the school received the grant funding, which they used to purchase a mobile cart that now sits in the school’s main hallway to increase access to school breakfast. Since the Grab-n-Go program began on August 29, breakfast participation has almost doubled, with 50 more students eating a healthy breakfast each day compared to the previous year. McAlister Intermediate School’s Food Service Director Ben Gashi says this number continues to increase. “We had always offered breakfast in the school’s cafeteria, but due to bus schedules and the location of the cafeteria, many students did not make it in time to eat.” Gashi said.
Recently I attended a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry V at the Hartford Stage Company; I found it satisfactory though not exemplary. Because I had not read the play since college, I watched the rendition on DVD by Kenneth Branagh. It was bloodier than I had remembered, and modern movie techniques allowed for a great deal of violence and agony—enough, I thought, to almost overwhelm the beautiful language. A few days ago I watched the Laurence Olivier version, which was filmed in 1944, with the kinds of sets that reflected the war shortages experienced in England, and the kinds of somewhat melodramatic costumes and makeup that were more prevalent in that era. In fact, Olivier’s Henry V was one of the first to be recorded on film and the first, I believe, to be recorded in technicolor.
At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, senior year students in Mr. Migliore’s band class wanted to pay their tribute to him for his 35 years of service to Suffield High School. The students did their research, reaching out to teachers, conductors, musicians and retired teachers from the area, asking for letters endorsing Mr. Migliore. The students followed the chain of command from the vice-principals, principal, superintendent and Board of Education to their state representative. Their request was to name the band room “The Joseph C. Migliore Music Center.” On the evening of the 2018 spring concert, the students presented Mr. Migliore with the plaque which is proudly displayed outside the band room. He also received a certificate from the state legislature congratulating him on his 35 years of service.
The Suffield Public Library Foundation is a vibrant organization, and we too have anxiously awaited news on the progress of the Kent Memorial Library (KML). We have not let the frustrating PCB predicament deter our mission to support our town library. The foundation formed in 2009 because many in town believed it was a necessary and fiscally responsible decision to set up an organization that allowed citizens to support KML through charitable gifting. Under the town leadership of First Selectman Scott Lingenfelter, our organization was formed. Our 501(c)(3) foundation serves as a conduit so that generous people can be sure their donations are meeting all eligible requirements of charitable contributions, and the funds are used exclusively for the benefit of the KML.