West Hartford CT Community Notes: April 2013

The Greater Hartford chapter of the Holistic Moms Network, a non-profit support and resource network for parents interested in holistic health and green living, will hold its first meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, at the First Church of Christ located at 75 Main St., in Farmington.

The meeting will feature some pampering by local practitioners to help the group celebrate an early Mother's Day. Also, tea and light snacks will be served.

HMN helps parents to connect with others who share an interest in holistic health and provides a grassroots community to bring members together with like-minded holistic professionals and business owners to build a sustainable future.

The groups is currently interested in volunteer guest speakers and chapter sponsorship for its our community.

For information about the organization, visit www.holisticmoms.org.

The group is accepting raffle donations from local businesses/practitioners to kick off the festivities. Ideas include, gift certificates to your practice, small gift baskets, food donations, etc.

hmnhartfordct@gmail.com.

Artist steps out in fight against chronic iIllness

Wethersfield resident Paula Bleck (right) and her team Pirate Robots take part in the2013 Walk MS held on Sunday, April 21, in West Hartford. With the Pirate Robots, Bleck, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011, has helped to raise $2,254 of a $5,000 goal. Walk MS attracted more than 9,500 participants, and about 1,400 walkers in West Hartford. To date the 2013 Walk MS, presented by Travelers, has raised $985,000 toward a $1.4 million goal. Last year's Walk MS raised a record $1.38 million. Walk MS individuals and teams are encouraged to continue raising funds through May 31, the official deadline for prizes. Suggestions for increasing fundraising totals include, launching letter writing campaigns, utilizing social media networking sites to reach out to contacts and hosting fun-filled wrap around events, such as backyard barbeques, beer and wine tastings, and theme parties. For more information on Walk MS, presented by Travelers, to donate to a team or for ideas on Do It Yourself Fundraising, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

Hebrew Health, Maylan School make art together in West Hartford

West Hartford, CT- Hebrew Health Adult Day Services' clients were invited to a day of arts and crafts at Expeditionary Learning Academy at Maylan School.

The kindergarten students from Lisa Smith's class worked with the clients on craft projects and other fun activities; the project at hand, decorating small birdhouse in preparation for spring. The decorations included choosing the right colors and creating a design to draw on the birdhouses.

"It was a wonderful exchange between the seniors and the children. It was a great event that our clients were talking about it for days after," said Charmaine Emond, recreation therapist for HHC.

Hebrew Health Care is a non-profit, non-sectarian health care provider featuring a full spectrum of integrated and seamless in-patient; out-patient and community based geriatric services to meet the needs of older adults in the Greater Hartford community.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Middle school student wins prestigous Kennedy 'Make A Difference' award

Boston – The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum recently recognized Jordan Avram Kei-Rahn with the John F. Kennedy Make a Difference Award for humanitarianism demonstrated. A member of West Hartford's Congregation Beth Israel, Kei-Rahn is a resident of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. He is the son of Leslie V. Kei-Rahn and Jeffrey Rahn, and the grandson of Harriet J. Kei, of West Hartford, and Sigmund E. Kei, z"l.

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Chamber ribbon-cutting opens Microsoft at Westfarms

The West Hartford Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Microsoft to the Westfarms Center Court, located at 500 Westfarms Mall. The ceremony was led by Mayor Scott Slifka, Westfarms GM and Chamber Board Member Kevin Keenan, Microsoft Manager Gabe Cardona, as well as Town Minority Leader, Denise Hall and others.

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Planet Bark Hosts April Business after Hours Event

The West Hartford Chamber of Commerce held its April Business after Hours networking event at Planet Bark recently.

Over 70 business professionals and local entrepreneurs attended the networking event. Guest's enjoyed appetizers and refreshments prepared by local vendors and caterers.

The West Hartford Chamber will hold its next after hours from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. event on Thursday, May 9 at People's United Bank, located at 1013 Farmington Ave.

For more information, please visit www.explorewesthartford.com.

Photo: Cindy Cicchetti, Michelle Fontaine, Melissa Romanaux and Barbara Kreitner.

Magical Mystery Time unfolds in Greater Hartford

Former Connecticut resident Brooke Halpin has authored a fifth book, "A Magical Mystery Time," that takes place in the Greater Hartford region during the Beatles years.

The book includes names of popular music performance places back in the '60's (The Galaxy Room, Flingo, The George) and restaurants (Ollie's Steak House, The Hearthstone, The Farm Shop, etc.).

Synopsis: From February 1964 to 1970, it was a magical, mysterious time when the Beatles were a powerful force that shaped an entire generation of teens throughout the world. Trevor Hampton, a character the novel, was one of those teens. Trevor was so infatuated with and enamored by the Beatles, that he thought he was a Beatle.

A Magical Mystery Time, based on a true story, is about Trevor's musical dreams and aspirations of becoming a successful rock and roller, who devoutly followed everything the Beatles did. But there were pot holes and dead ends on this obstacle laden long and winding road, that led Trevor to disillusionment and shattered dreams. Before he could move forward with his false identity and life beyond the Beatles, he had to get back to his past and resolve outstanding issues.

Was he able to get off his magical mystery ride and come down to earth? Would he ever get beyond yesterday? A Magical Mystery Time will take you on a wild, unpredictable ride filled with rock and roll dreams and altered states of mind. It will also transport you to the magical 1960's, when peace and love was a reality.

The book is available at Amazon and iTunes Bookstore.

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Monday, April 15, 2013

Resident named Stonehill SURE Scholar

EASTON, MA -- A total of 50 Stonehill College students will work with 32 faculty members on a variety of research projects over the coming summer of 2013 and West Hartford native Sarah Pearson, a junior at the College, will work with another student and Christopher Poirier, Associate Professor of Psychology, on The Effects of Social Categorization and Motivation on the Own-Age Bias in Face Recognition Memory.

In his previous research and during his participation in past SURE programs, Poirier has found support for the hypothesis that people are better able to recognize faces of people their own age. During this summer, the research group will test how other variables may affect recognition. Pearson and the other student, both psychology majors, will design experiments that will determine if social categorization and motivation affect people's ability to recognize faces. They hope to prepare submissions for a conference.

The scholars and their faculty mentors are the 18th group to work under the Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program, which provides students with an opportunity to perform significant, publishable research under the guidance of an experienced faculty researcher. The research experience will help to provide students with a competitive advantage in graduate and professional school applications and in post-college employment opportunities, as well as to provide assistance to faculty in research activities.

Resident, KO grad completes Navy basic training

April 12, 2013 --Navy Seaman Kelsey E. Stafford, a 2010 graduate of Kingswood-Oxford School, West Hartford, Conn., recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.
During the eight-week program, Stafford completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.
The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations". This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. "Battle Stations" is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Its distinctly ''Navy'' flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a Sailor.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Hair Cuttery supports Easter Seals during April

West Hartford, CT –During April, customers that visit Hair Cuttery salon in West Hartford can contribute to " Make the First Five Count" in support of Easter Seals early identification, early intervention and screening services for children with disabilities like Autism.
Customers can donate to any Hair Cuttery salon to support Easter Seals and Hair Cuttery will match every donation made up to $10,000.

The first five years of life really count. Yet every year, more than a million young children with unidentified delays and disabilities enter school with learning and health issues that put them far behind their peers. That's why Easter Seals created Make the First Five Count, to engage parents around the importance of early identification – because children only receive services when parents follow their instincts and take action early if something doesn't feel quite right.

To learn more about Hair Cuttery, visit www.haircuttery.com. To learn more about Easter Seals' or to find an Easter Seals near you, visit www.easterseals.com.

About Easter Seals

Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities andother special needs. For more than 90 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities canlive, learn, work and play. Visit www.easterseals.com.

KO robotics team wins top awards

West Hartford – The Kingswood Oxford robotics team accepted top awards from two First Tech Challenge (FTC) competitions in February.
At the Connecticut State Championship, KO's team won the "Promote" video award for the best one-minute public service announcement response to the question, "What will we take away from FIRST?"
The Wyverns were also runners-up for the "Motivate" award, celebrating FTC spirit through team spirit and enthusiasm; the Rockwell Collins "Innovate" award, celebrating ingenuity and inventiveness; and the "Inspire" award, the highest honor of the tournament.
At the VT State Championship, the Wyverns won the PTC Design award in recognition of design elements in their robot that were both functional and aesthetic (the team used Computer-Aided Design software in the modeling of the KO robot).
PHOTO: Sen. Richard Blumenthal congratulates some members of KO's award-winning robotics team (from left) Mike Sequino, Grant Kravetz, Julian Lombardi, Claire Halloran, KO teacher Brenda Semmelrock, and Chris Carangelo.

Local attorney accepts leadership roles

HARTFORD, CT – Robinson & Cole insurance lawyer Stephen O. Clancy has been appointed to the Board of Corporators of The iQuilt.

The iQuilt project is a redevelopment initiative to attract more people to the city's many cultural destinations, to improve the city's cultural network, and to strengthen its economy and workforce. It envisions a downtown Hartford that better uses Bushnell Park with a vibrant and innovative pedestrian network creating a more walkable, sustainable, and welcoming downtown.

Clancy has also been named program co-chair for the spring meeting of the American Bar Association's Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Property Insurance Law Committee. As program co-chair, Mr. Clancy is overseeing the coordination of speakers and panels for the meeting, which is focused on exclusions and extensions of coverage under the All-Risk Property Policy. The meeting is May 16-18 in Palm Beach, Florida.

In addition to serving on The iQuilt board, Clancy is a member of Leadership Greater Hartford and previously completed its Leaders on Board program. He focuses his practice on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation and is also experienced in representing individual and institutional clients against claims of professional negligence.

Resident honored for 30 years of HARC service

Eileen Able of West Hartford will be honored for her 30 years of service at HARC's Spring Fling and staff milestone celebration on Friday, April 26, at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott. HARC is an organization founded by concerned parents, to serve people and families challenged by intellectual disability.

Able began her career at HARC in Employment Services. In 1984 she became a residential supervisor, organizing and opening HARC's community residence at Burnwood Drive in Bloomfield. In 1987 she became coordinator of community residences and in 1994 she became director of residential services. In 1998 she assumed her current position of director of staff development, in which she oversees the ongoing training of over 340 staff members.

Stephen Becker, EdD, HARC's President/CEO commended Able for her gifts of compassion, spirituality, vision and wisdom.

Able lives with her husband, John, and daughter Emma, a senior at Hall High School, and a daughter Colleen, recently moved to New Hampshire.

HARC is a Community Investment Partner of United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut and serves Greater Hartford.

For further information about HARC go to the website: www.harc-ct.org or call 860.218.6047.

Photo: Eileen Able, Director of Staff Development at HARC. Photo by Diana Appleton

Hall students win $6,000 in DMV video awards

Hall High School Technology Education students took third, fourth and fifth place in the state Department of Motor Vehicles' fifth annual teen safe driving video contest, winning a total of $6,000 for their school. The recent "From the Driver's Seat to the Director's Chair" contest featured the theme - "Teen Safe Driving – Are You In?"

"To enter this year's DMV contest, high school students were asked to direct, shoot and edit a 25-second public service announcement," according to the release. "The DMV, Travelers and other safety advocates plan to use the videos submitted in a variety of outreach programs that it conducts as well as offer them to schools, businesses, government agencies, advocacy groups and other partners in teen safe driving."

"Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Distracted" took the third place award, "Parents, Teach Them Well" was awarded fourth place and "Learning with Megaphones" placed fifth. Hall students participating in the video contest were: Griffin Anderson, Samantha Bechard, Matt Clark, Connor Dexter, Anya Dildin, Ben Elukin, Remy Gaulin, Patrick Keegan, Swarup Lamsal, Jack Moore, Daniel O'Keefe, Rob Sechtman, Sorren Smith and Henry Stein.

The Hall team was lead by Technology Education teacher Dan DeCourcy. - Submitted

Liberty Bank West Hartford wins prestigious awards

MIDDLETOWN, CT —Liberty Bank's West Hartford office was recently honored for superior 2012 sales performance and named Branch of the Year at the bank's annual Sales Summit, which recognizes the bank's leading accomplishments of the previous year.

Branch of the Year is the bank's most prestigious award and recognizes the location with the best all-around performance, including highest scores based on 12 measures. In addition, the West Hartford location was honored as the bank's leader in small business lending.

Branch manager Irene Galo and her staff were called onstage to receive the award: Sharon DiMarco, Jerry Martinez, and Monika Nowak.

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank is Connecticut's oldest mutual bank, with more than $3.5 billion in assets and 44 banking offices throughout the central, eastern, and shoreline areas of the state. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, home mortgages, insurance, and investment services. Rated outstanding by federal regulators on its community reinvestment efforts, Liberty maintains a longstanding commitment to superior personal service and unparalleled community involvement. For more, please go to www.liberty-bank.com, or facebook.com/liberty.

Photo: (from left) Jerry Martinez, Monika Nowak, Irene Galo, Liberty Bank president/CEO Chandler J. Howard, and Sharon DiMarco.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

West Hartford resident receives professional appointment

West Hartford resident Tom Flood was recently appointed senior vice president of Out of Home America/Wilkins, East Hartford, the largest independent out of home media buying agency in the U.S.

Flood has more than 20 years' experience in media and marketing, with a specializing in the outdoor advertising industry. Flood served as Global Brand director for Billboard Connection, where he oversaw the growth and development of OOH Media agencies in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.

In the past, Flood has worked as a national account executive for Clear Channel Outdoor, Van Wagner Outdoor and Medallion Taxi Media.

Flood has worked with some of the world's most recognizable brands and has executed media campaigns on local, regional and national levels. He is a member of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America and the Outdoor Media Association of Australia.

West Hartford Exchange donates $5,000 to Unified Theater

The West Hartford Exchange Club recently presented a $5,000 check to Unified Theater, a youth-led performing arts group, as part of the proceeds of the club's 7th annual Wine Tasting Event. Tip Simons (right) chairman of the West Hartford Exchange Club's Donations Committee, presents the check to Micaela Connery, executive director of Unified Theater. Since it's founding in 2002, Unified Theater has served over 3,000 students of all abilities in youth-led performing arts groups (www.unifiedtheater.org).

Tip Simons, Chairman of the West Hartford Exchange Club Donations Committee, presents a check to West Hartford-resident Micaela Connery, Executive Director of Unified Theater.

West Hartford resident wins leadership award

FARMINGTON, CONN. – West Hartford resident Petra Clark-Dufner, associate director of Connecticut Area Health Education Center at the UConn Health Center, has received the 2013 Women Leaders in Medicine Award from the American Medical Student Association (AMSA).

To be nominated for the award, Clark-Dufner was personally identified by one or more students as a source of inspiration, leadership and support. AMSA created the Women Leaders in Medicine award in 2007 to recognize women physicians and educators who serve as role models for women who are currently in their medical training.

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West Hartford CT Community Notes

Thursday, April 25, 2013

WRTC to broadcast from Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis

Sophomore speakers pass Kingswood Oxford tradition

Holistic Moms Network to kick off a Greater Hartford chapter