The Suffield Observer (https://thesuffieldobserver.com/page/284/)
Trees have both common and scientific names, such as Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus).
The Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association (SVAA) has been recognized on the national stage as the 2026 EMS Agency of the Year by the National EMS Management Association.
Open Cockpit Day
The New England Air Museum will hold an Open Cockpit Day on Father’s Day, Sunday June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Helicopter Day
On Saturday, June 23, NEAM will feature many of the helicopters in its extensive collection. For the first time, the museum will display over 20 helicopters and equipment. Some of the helicopters will be open to the public for tours. The program will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but the museum will remain open until 5 p.m.
From her apartment at Suffield by the River, Odette Makari looks toward the garden where a handcrafted tile reads, “In loving memory of Jack Makari.” Odette’s late husband died in May 2013. The tile was made by Celia Moffie’s daughter, Hannah Donnelly. Dr. Makari was a medical researcher. He and Odette came as newlyweds from their native Lebanon to Texas where he was appointed director of immunology at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Later established in New Jersey, the doctor developed the Makari Intradermal Skin test that detected cancer before it became clinically observable.
The way I see it, there were many advantages to growing up with a whole slew of brothers. We spent most of our days crawling around in the dirt or rerouting streams using mud and sticks. And when we were cooped up inside, we had a book entitled The World We Live In. We pored over its oversized illustrations, including those of dinosaurs. It fired our imaginations, and I still get the chills when I leaf through it.
Barbara (Berube) Leone April 13 Age 82 Dorothy (Seatland) Hinckley April 17, Age 91 Leslee Yuodis April 18 Age 81 Francesco “Frankie” Vono April 18 Age 79 Brianna Mailloux April 19 Age 18 Gertrude Johnson April 30 Age 99
Beginning in April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began sending new Medicare cards to beneficiaries. The new cards are being sent to decrease Medicare beneficiaries’ vulnerability to identity theft by removing the Social Security-based number from Medicare identification cards and replacing it with a new unique Medicare Number. Although an exact time has not been specified for Connecticut, the roll-out for Connecticut residents will be after this month (June). Here’s what you need to know before they arrive:
• Make sure your address is up to date because Medicare will be sending it to the location associated with your Social Security account. To update your address information, contact Social Security at 800-772-1213 or go on-line to www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Do you enjoy the annual festivities at Suffield on the Green? Are you someone who likes giving back to the community? If so, please join us at the Friends of Suffield’s first-ever Summer BBQ to kick off planning for the 2018 Suffield on the Green (SOTG) & Craft Fair. Our dinner meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 12, beginning at 6 p.m.
The Friends of Suffield, the civic group that puts on SOTG annually, is looking for people to help with all aspects of this year’s event – from planning out activities, music and booth locations, to assisting with setup just prior to the weekend’s happenings. This year’s Suffield on the Green & Craft Fair will take place September 8-9.
Local community service got “a shot in the arm” on May 8 at the Suffield Senior Center when the Friends of Suffield presented several local organizations with grants to fund their activities in 2018. Representatives from groups across town—ranging from Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts to the Crossroads Food Pantry and Emergency Aid Association—took part in a brief awards ceremony to accept their checks and pose for a photo. People from other local organizations receiving grants attended on behalf of the Second Baptist Church, The Suffield Players and the Parks & Rec Department of Suffield. Each year, the Friends of Suffield donates the proceeds it raises through activities and special events, most notably Suffield on the Green & Craft Fair, back to local non-profit groups for projects that enhance the community. A sampling of how this year’s grant monies will be spent includes: canoe rental for Girl Scout “Camporee”, fuel assistance, tools for farming activities, and children’s eye test equipment.
Two Scout projects from Troop 10983 are being completed by the teams of Veronica Jacobs and Samantha Chapman and Katie Uzdarwin and Suyannah Ruiz. The Girl Scout Silver Award is the second-highest award for Girl Scouts and the highest award that a cadette can earn. To earn a Silver Award you are required to help improve your community in some way. For their Silver Award, Veronica and Samantha made a reflection room for McAlister. A reflection room is a room where people go to calm down.
The fourth-grade Girl Scouts of Troop 10959 are pictured in the McAlister cafeteria with the fleece blankets they made for Bay State Children’s Hospital.
Price of Freedom by Rosemary Rowe and Nicolas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie
Congratulations to James “Jimmy” Casella who is our Rotary Student of the Month for May. James is a senior at Suffield High School who has challenged himself throughout his four years with many AP and Honors courses. Jimmy is planning to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall to study robotics engineering and develop robotic technologies. Jimmy is very active at Suffield High School. He has been a member of our SWAT Support Team for the last three years.
Congratulations to Joseph LaValla, who was chosen as the Rotary Student of the Month for April. Joseph is currently a senior at Suffield High School and has been very active through his four years here at Suffield High School. Joseph has been on our cross-country and indoor/outdoor track team for the past four years. This year he was chosen as the captain of the team for indoor and outdoor track. Joseph has maintained honors or high honors every quarter throughout his high school years.
The Suffield Arts Council is proud to present a fantastic display of photographs by Bill Ferro, a Springfield resident, formerly of New York City. Introduced at an early age to photography by his uncle, Bill dabbled in the field for many years while traveling the country. Since moving to Western Massachusetts many years ago, Bill has been photographing the coast from Maine to Florida. The Pinney Gallery of Suffield’s Kent Memorial Library will feature many examples of his portfolio, which includes vivid images of seascapes, wildlife, florals, and landscapes. Excited by the capabilities of new technology, Bill entered the digital field, and produces his photos on gallery wrapped stretch canvas and metal plates.
Four long man-lifts spay out from the front yard of Suffield Academy’s reconstructed Memorial Building, providing workers convenient access to various levels of construction activity.
Popular Olympic luger Emily Sweeney shares a few words with young Cara Lobato and hands back Cara’s baseball cap with a cherished signature.
On Suffield Little League opening day, April 21, Emily Sweeney, recovered from her luge crash at the South Korean Olympics, is pictured throwing out the first pitches for Suffield Little League baseball and softball.
Several of these Suffield High School seniors, pictured on May 8, said they were the ones who created this heartfelt memorial in the school parking lot to honor Brianna Mailloux, their popular classmate and star athlete who was killed walking on I-91 in Windsor on April 19.
Rep. Tami Zawistowski is pictured with the Suffield Police Explorers in the House of Representatives at the State Capitol.
The World Languages Department at Suffield High School is honoring Gabrielle Stevens as its Student of the Month for May. Gabby is currently a student in the Honors Level French 4 class at Suffield High School, where she consistently performs at an extremely advanced level in this course. Gabby is descriptive, imaginative and accurate in her writing, and she speaks comfortably in French in class. When describing her daily activities or discussing conversation topics in class, she regularly inquires about new words or expressions and then integrates them into her speaking. Her class has many dynamic speakers and strong communicators in French, and Gabby helps to elevate this strong level of engagement and involvement in the group.
On April 26, the World Language Honor Society at Suffield High School held its annual induction ceremony for new members of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and Société Honoraire de Français. Members inducted demonstrated high academic rigor and achievement in the study of either French or Spanish. The following students were inducted into the respective societies:
French: Anna Abou-Francis, Paige Anderson, Faith Connors, Liam Duffy, Allison Gambrel, Tori Grano, Alexa Greco, Jewel Hazlett, Lucie Kieffer, Yuriy Mishtal, Mallory Mitzel, Eva Nick, Shavais Oswecki, Stephen Sattan, Nora Shanks, and Gabrielle Stevens. Spanish: Sheralyn Burke, Michaela Conway, Sophia D’Addario, Stephanie Gibson, Millicent Kochman-Sabbatino, Evan Mankouski, Olivia Murphy, Elizabeth Leighton, Madeline Lightle, Megan O’Connell, Vansh Patel, Joseph Puia, Savannah Price, Matthew Raine, Paityn Salerno, Abigail Sperazza, Nicholas Stomper, Jenna Sun, Gabriella Santaniello, Renee Tautic, and Meghan Voisine. The World Language Honor Society at Suffield High School is a prestigious society whose goal is to promote language study and to recognize the diverse cultures throughout the school and community.