First, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Since opening on August 11, 1998, the Museum hosted nearly two million visitors who toured its permanent and special exhibits, attended performances and presentations of Native American culture, and made use of its two libraries-one devoted to children. Upwards of 380,000 schools children and their teachers have taken advantage of special educational programs and tours designed by the Museum’s staff. Celebration on pages 10-11.
Winners of the 51st Annual Mystic Outdoor Art Festival are on page 7. Mystic Chamber of Commerce, hosted this wonderful event and leaders Tricia Cunningham and Alexa Shelton say, “It was a huge success!”
How about this one…Westerly Yacht Club celebrates 80 years of social and boating fun! It all began in 1927 on the steps of the Westerly Post Office. In a chance meeting, Geoffrey Moore and the late Sydney Alling laid the groundwork for the club. Happy Anniversary on page 23.
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Kyle Hilborn was diagnosed with Leukemia on July 12, 2000 at the age of nine. For his father, Bob Hilborn, watching his son battle Leukemia was a painful experience, which inspired him to complete over 20 endurance events in honor of his son. The family motto is “You think a marathon is hard? Try chemo!”
Kyle, a budding endurance athlete in his own right, says that the best way to cope is to think about cancer not as a disease, but as an opportunity. He sees cancer as a gift. “There are always two sides to everything. Cancer is no different,” Kyle says. “You can be in the mindset of ‘Okay, I have cancer I’m going to die,’ or ‘Okay, I have cancer, now let’s beat this.’ I never thought I wasn’t going to beat it which allowed me to realize how really amazing the cancer experience has been. However, I don’t recommend trying it.”
On September 18, 2003, after 33 months of chemotherapy, Kyle completed his course of treatments and began the painstaking process of periodically undergoing testing to ensure he remained cancer-free. This year, Kyle is preparing to celebrate one of the most important milestones of survivorship – five years marks the point at which a cancer patient is considered “cured.” To mark the occasion, Kyle and his father will be cycling side-by-side to complete the Tri-State Seacoast Century in New Hampshire on September 20, 2008, exactly 5 years after the cessation of Kyle’s chemo. They are doing the event as part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) program. Bob is the team’s coach, and Kyle will be training and raising funds for cancer research and patient support along with the rest of the TNT team.
As part of the CT Chapter’s TNT program, the Hilborns are part of a life-saving team. Since its inception in 1988, more than 360,000 participants raised more than $850 million to help fund blood cancer research and provide services and support to patients and their families.
TNT prepares approximately 39,000 participants a year to run or walk a full or half marathon, complete a triathlon, or ride a century (a 100-mile cycling event). Every participant receives four to five months of personalized coaching and a supportive team environment to prepare them for the event. In return, they raise money to help find cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and provide critical services to patients and their families.
“Every person who joins Team In Training helps bring us closer to finding cures,” said John Clark, Executive Director, CT Chapter.
Training for the fall events, including the Seacoast Century, already started. To join the team to ride with Bob and Kyle, or to run, walk or ride for a cure at another fall event, call 203.427.2061 or visit www.teamintraining.org/ct.
The Denison Homestead Museum of Mystic is the center of activity this reunion weekend, August 1-3, as many Denison family members come in from all over our country for the event. This year the reunion activities also include Friends of the Society and invited guests.
“We welcome you all to the Denison Reunion and are happy you are here,” affirms Jean Evans, director of the Denison Society. “Please take the opportunity to tour the rooms inside and become acquainted with Denison members of the past.”
What better place to have the reunion? Built in 1717, the Denison Homestead was constructed on land granted to Capt. George Denison back in 1654. It is believed to be one of the few homes left in the country continuously owned by the same family.
Inside the Homestead the five main rooms are set up to represent a different periods of history in America and the Denison family. Therefore, it features the Denisons who lived in the house at that period.
In the Federal Parlor (1838) one finds Oliver and Nancy Denison , role played by Walter and Louisa Watrous with two of their children Emma and Marcia Denison, role played by Kanani Kinnaman and Lilly Schlauder.
“I am in Mystic because of my fourth great grandmother, Minerva Denison,” Louisa shares with me. “I’d carried her photograph around with my belongings for years, and never thought much about it. One afternoon while driving through Mystic, I saw the name, “Denison Homestead” on a map and wondered if there was a connection. There was a copy of the photo hanging in the homestead and had been donated by a great aunt.”
“I began to investigate the lives of my ancestors,” continues Louisa, “and it was their deep faith, hard work and service to country that inspired my own faith in God. It’s a spiritual journey to look back at how the Denisons and other local people lived, to preserve their stories for us all and to role play as Nancy Denison at special events.”
Louisa Watrous tells me about one very big highlight in her life that changed her and affected her in a very positive way.
“When I was seventeen years old in 1970 and a high school student in Syracuse, NY, I was placed by the American Field Service as a summer exchange student with the Zulu family of Charles and Mary Mncwango, in Nhlangano, Swaziland, southern Africa. It was part of an experimental program to have four white students live with black families in that part of the world under apartheid, the legal separation of the races.”
Louisa continues, “ I was immediately accepted as a part of the family and they took me in with unconditional love. I called Charles “Daddy” and Mary “Mother” and the children became my brothers and sisters. I attended an all boys’ boarding school as a day student, with a handful of whites. One day I realized I didn’t have any sense of color difference. When I got back home in the U.S. and looked in the mirror, I was shocked-I had forgotten I was white!”
The Denison Homestead Museum, 120 Pequotsepos Rd. in Mystic, offers many educational events and activities for families. Hours are Friday-Monday 1-5 p.m. For specific information you can go to their website: www.denisonsociety.org.
During a press conference on July 31, Mohegan Sun announced Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana of New Haven as one of the first tenants for Project Horizon. Known locally as Pepe’s of New Haven, the pizzeria is the oldest family owned and operated in the United States.
Pepe’s is known for originating the New Haven-style thin-crust pizza baked in coal-fired brick ovens, and better yet, for the innovation of its white pizza topped with freshly-shucked clams.
Don’t start drooling yet, the pizzeria is scheduled to open in the summer of 2010. Pepe’s will be in the Earth portion of Mohegan’s $92 million Project Horizon expansion, located in the eastern half of what is currently being known as the Earth Food Court. Design plans are underway to determine the exact layout of the 3,800-square-foot dine-in and take-out eatery. “The goal is to replicate the pizza in New Haven. It’s the exact same recipe, the same ovens, and the same menu,” said Ken Barry, spokesperson for Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.
“Bringing in Pepe’s pizza is a great addition to the food offerings at Mohegan Sun,” said Chairman Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum. “It is two great families with tradition of taking care of their family and their customers. We share the same philosophies… We always look for the best of the best, and we got it again!”
The 10th Annual Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game was held in the Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, August 9. Former and current UConn players such as Travis Knight, Ray Allen, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Kevin Ollie, Donyell Marshall, Khalid El-Amin, Doron Sheffer, Ricky Moore, Charlie Villanueva, and Rudy Gay took part in the game. Basketball Hall of Famer, Jim Calhoun began this fundraiser to benefit the UConn Foundation, Inc.’s Jim and Pat Calhoun Cardiology Research Endowment Fund for the UConn Health Center.
Both teams were made up of former alumi: the white team, with older players, and the blue team, with more current players.
From the second the tip off began, the game was full of fun and amazing plays that the audience of over 8,000 people enjoyed. The game was played with much heart, enjoyment and fun. During one play, NBA champion Ray Allen blocked a shot, got the steal, and did a backwards pass to his teammate who later responded with a slam-dunk.
The blue team won 119-117. “This is a great cause, and I enjoy coming every year to visit with fans, coaches, friends, and fellow players,” said UConn legend Travis Knight.
UConn legend and current star for the Milwaukee Bucks Charlie Villanueva added, “We are all bound together here as players because of what Coach taught us, I have been in the league for three years and I miss UConn. Coach taught me everything I needed to know as a man and a player.”
The game was dedicated to Robert “Spider” Ursery, who recently passed away from a six-year battle with Hodgkin’s Disease. Rudy Gay was the games MVP with 38 points, and after the game the fans were able to meet and greet their heroes for a two-hour autograph session. Mohegan Sun, Gold Orluk and Partners, Nike and other organizations helped sponsor the event.
