Schools/Sports

SHS Students Celebrate French Heritage Week

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Suffield High School has recently observed National French Week, an annual celebration organized by the American Association of Teachers of French. Each year, AATF, together with branches of Alliance Française and French organizations across the country, join forces in promoting the French language and increasing understanding and appreciation of the francophone world in schools and communities across the United States. During the French Week, which was celebrated at the high school in early December, the World Language Honor Society took the lead role in organizing a variety of cultural events promoting the diversity of francophone cultures. Each morning, SHS’s daily news show, Morning Update, welcomed all students and staff with contemporary music, cultural facts, and language from a variety of francophone countries. French language students Matthew Sinofsky and Fletcher Seymour, serving as anchors all week, delivered a lively and enthusiastic show featuring student guests Allison Gambrel, Gabrielle Zeller, Liam Duffy, and Jewel Hazlett who joined in sharing information and cultural perspectives from French speaking countries around the world.

Schools/Sports

SMS Talent Shown

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The Suffield Middle School talent show was called Shiver Me Timbers and featured a pirate motif, but the shivering on November 15, the planned show date, was mostly from the substantial snowstorm, and the show was postponed to November 18. There may have been a few unavailable performers, but the production was great nevertheless, and the supportive audience had good reason for the plentiful applause and lots of laughter. It was an enjoyable display of diverse talent, with over 40 students and four teachers contributing onstage and more helping backstage. Most of the performances were music and dance, solo and ensemble. Two solo dancers were particularly impressive.

Schools/Sports

Robotics Competition Begins

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The FIRST Robotics organization spread the word on Saturday, January 5, defining this year’s top-level game and distributing kits with certain key parts that the robots will need. Aces High, our local robotics team, went to work immediately. On January 6 the students and mentors of Team 176 gathered in the computer room next to the metal shop at Windsor Locks High School. They studied the nature of the new game, called Destination Deep Space, identifying the capabilities their robot must have. They discussed ways to provide those capabilities and considered possible game play strategies that might be advantageous.

Farming/Nature

The Ongoing Quest

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The other day I was talking to a friend about the good old days and the college experience. This was back in the time before social media and cell phones, in fact we didn’t even have a regular phone in our dorm room. And that was freeing if you wanted to have your parents believe that you were studying in the library around the clock. So without texting or calling, much of my time was taken up by looking for my friends. A typical day might involve me coming back to the dorm after class, napping like any college student must do to keep up her strength for the nightlife that ensued.

Organizations

Suffield Community Aid

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What’s happening at SCA this Month? Dementia Care Giver Support Group:

Build a support system and meet with others who understand. The group meets the last Tuesday of each month at 450 South Street, Suffield at 11 a.m. The next meeting is Tuesday, January 29. You do not need to be a resident of Suffield to attend. The group is led by a trained Alzheimer’s Association facilitator.

Organizations

Get the Buzz on Native Bees

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The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop, the Suffield Land Conservancy and the Green Team at Second Baptist Church are partnering to offer a workshop to learn about these wonderful, hard-working and very beneficial animals. It will be held on Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m. in the Second Baptist Church on Main Street. After learning about the bees and how we can help them survive in today’s world, we will craft bee hotels to provide essential shelter for them and their young. Many of North America’s more than 4,000 species of native bees are declining, including bumble bees, mainly due to habitat destruction and pesticide use. While our native bees do not produce large amounts of honey like the non-native honey bee, they are more efficient pollinators and are essential to the production of at least 80% of our food crops.

Organizations

Local Masons Install New Master

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John LeDoux Jr. of Enfield was installed as the new Worshipful Master of the Masons, Composite Lodge #28. John’s Masonic background includes being a member of Melha Shriners, Hadji Unit, and Valley of Hartford AASR 32 degree. John is an electrician at the University of Hartford. John has been volunteering in his community and throughout the state for the past 35 years. He has served in numerous leadership positions throughout his volunteer days.

Churches

First Church Events

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February 4,11,18,25 – Qi Gong Class, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Chapel, $10 per class- an exercise system similar to Tai  Chi. February 6,13,20,27 – Bible Study, 10 a.m., Ebenezer Gay Room, Christianity & World Religions $11 for the book. February 6 – Communion Luncheon, 12 p.m., Ebenezer Gay Room

February 7,14,21,28  -Music Together- Interactive sounds and music for infants to preschool, 4:30 p.m. Youth Room, registration info available by calling the Church Office. February 10 – Music on High presents: Calliope Brass, 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary, tickets available at the door, fun for the whole family. This show is for the kids!

Churches

Sacred Heart Church Concert

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A benefit concert to support Dr. Peter Coombs’ mission to Haiti will take place at Sacred Heart Church on Sunday, February 17 at 4 p.m. Dr. Coombs travels to Haiti each year to provide dental services to people who otherwise have no dental care and live mainly in poor rural areas. The concert will feature baritone Cleveland Williams, soprano Margaret Beers and pianist Stacy Cahoon. Williams’ work has mainly been in the Bahamas. He produced and directed Scott Joplin’s opera, Treemonisha, in 2009 to celebrate 36 years of Bahamian Independence. Because of its success, people demanded more of the same and thus was formed the Nassau City Opera Company.

Churches

Calliope Brass and “What’s Your Story?”

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The Music on High community music program is excited to present Calliope Brass and their special children’s program, What’s Your Story? (WYS), on Sunday, February 10, 2 p.m. at First Church of Christ, Suffield. WYS is a fun and frolicking music program for children of all ages! WYS is an interactive performance narrated by Calliope, a dragon-fairy puppet who excitedly leads audience members through an exploration of the power of storytelling through music. Calliope is an original character created for and by Calliope Brass with the help of Sesame Street puppeteers Leslie Carrara-Rudolph (“Abby Cadabby”) and Haley Jenkins (“Zari”).

Government/Town

Senior Valentine Social

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Cupid’s arrows will fly for the 32nd year in a row, as the Friends of Suffield organization again hosts its popular Senior Valentine Social for local seniors. This year’s “sweet” event will feature a delicious lasagna dinner, with all the tasty trimmings – along with bingo, door prizes and the traditional crowning of the King and Queen. 

Suffield seniors are invited to join the festivities on Saturday, February 9, from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Suffield Senior Center on Bridge Street. (Snow date: Sunday, February 10). All senior citizens in town are welcome. Since space is limited, reservations are required and are being accepted on a “first call, first served” basis.

Government/Town

Senior Center & Mini Bus News

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Work Your Body… Relax Your Mind

Bay Path University Occupational Therapy students are back with a program designed just for us. This weekly series begins February 7 and will include exercise and strengthening groups focusing on balance and fall prevention while incorporating relaxation techniques and breathing strategies. This free program will be held at 11 a.m. each Thursday in the Dining Room at the Senior Center. We are looking for Setback players! We hope to schedule a group to play on Tuesday afternoons at 1 p.m. or Friday mornings at 10 a.m. Please let Mary Lou or me know if you are interested!

Library

KML Receives a Grant

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The Kent Memorial Library received a grant from the American Library Association in partnership with Citizen Film and the National Writing Project to host a series of programs which will be community conversations centered around American Creed, a PBS documentary that invites audiences to consider what America’s ideals and identity ought to be. 

Additional funding for the programs is provided by The Friends of the Kent Memorial Library. In the documentary, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy, civic entrepreneur Eric Liu, moveon.org founder Joan Blades, Tea Party Patriots founder Mark Meckler, Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon and other citizen-activists come together from remarkably different perspectives to explore the idea of a unifying American creed. The library’s series of programs will start with the showing of the documentary, American Creed, on Saturday, February 16, at 2 p.m. at the Suffield Senior Center. After the showing, Lucy Nalpathanchil will facilitate a conversation centered on the film. Ms. Nalpathanchil is a public radio journalist at WNPR, Connecticut’s public radio station.

Library

Good Progress at KML

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The PCB abatement grit-blasting work at the library was concluded near the end of November. Ceilings and floors have been cleared of the coatings and adhesives that were the suspected sources of airborne PCB contamination discovered in tests at the end of 2015. The consequent PCB mitigation delay in reopening the renovated and newly accessible building has been vexing to many. But in mid-January, members of the Kent Memorial Library Board began planning a grand reopening — with the date still uncertain. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Library

KML General Programs

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For more information or to register for programs, stop by the library, call 860-668-3896, check suffield–library.org or follow us on Facebook. All of our programs are free! Most of our programs are funded by The Friends of the Kent Memorial Library.

Library

Teen Programs

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 What a great month we had in January! Focused on Self-Care, we held a handmade bath fizzie workshop, teen skincare program, a study with a puppy program in conjunction with Youth Services and together sponsored a Good Luck/De–-Stress Table at the high school to give the students a boost of confidence as midterms began. Thanks to the Friends of Kent Memorial Library for their support! Now, it’s time to move on to February! 2019 Winter Reading

Program for Teens:

Starts February 2

Winter is here – and so is Winter Reading!

Library

Children’s Programs

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Read, earn a free raffle ticket each week for a grand prize, and spin the wheel for fun giveaways!