The Lyme-Old Lyme Council of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut hosted its ninth annual “Taste of the Lymes” on Sunday, May 3, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Lyme Art Association. Restaurants from Lyme, Old Lyme and East Lyme offered samples of their most popular dishes.
Taste of the Lymes is a community tradition, pairing culinary specialties from local restaurants and caterers with fine wines and imported beers. Peggy Ames, owner, Rogers Lake Liquor Shoppe, coordinated the wine and beer selections. Participants included The Hideaway, Cherrystone’s, Old Lyme Inn, Bee & Thistle, Hong Kong II, Oriental Cafe, Hallmark Drive-In, The Cafe at Lyme Academy, Bureau’s Sugarhouse, Laysville Deli, Koffeeworks, Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe, Old Lyme Pizza Palace, Morning Glory Café, The Chocolate Shell, Elaine Hayes from Reynolds Subaru, Pizza Plus, Subway of Old Lyme, Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm and Flander’s Fish Market & Restaurant, among others. Ashlawn Farm Coffee, Lyme, was served.
Sheila Werthheimer of Werthheimer and Associates supplied the many centerpieces of beautiful flowers, and Brenda Casey at the white grand piano played romantic standards throughout the afternoon. Pizzeria DaVinci helped sponsor the event. All proceeds funded a scholarship program for local students.
Tony Sheridan, president, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, reminded The Resident that the group, “Builds and promotes a strong and sustainable regional economy, works to increase awareness of the region at the local, state and national levels; acts as ‘the voice of business’ for the region in CT government; advocates for membership diversity; works to enhance hospitality and support for military personnel and their families; and promotes eastern CT as a great place to live, work and play.”
For more information about the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, call 860.464.7373 or visit www.chamberect.com or the Lyme-Old Lyme Council at www.lolcc.com.
My grandfather was a World War II vet and when I was a little girl, he always bought me those red poppies the veterans would sell outside of the grocery store. He told me, “Make sure you always have a poppy. Never forget.” This is one of my fond memories I cherish since he passed. I always have a red poppy tucked into my visor in my car, but I didn’t know why other than my Grandpa told me to. Now, I’m older and I buy my own poppies, but I thought I should find out what they mean.
In battlefields of the past, when the war was over, a strange thing happened. Poppies would grow where blood once stained the ground. In 1915, John McCrae wrote his famous poem, “In Flanders Fields” which commemorated this phenomenon. In response, Moina Michael wrote her own poem (above) and began wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day. Madam Guerin of France heard of the idea and began making and selling red poppies. A year later she asked for the VFW’s help, and the rest, as they say, “Is history.”
So this Memorial Day, don’t forget the true meaning – remember our fallen veterans. Buy your poppy and I hope to see you at one of the parades!
Sunday, May 24
Scotland: 12:00 pm
Route: Corner of Rt. 14 & 97 to New Scotland Cemetery
Colchester: 12:30 pm
Route: William Johnson School to Veterans Green
Ledyard: 1:00 pm
Route: Memorial Gardens to Ledyard High School
Host: Ledyard Lions Club
Monday, May 25
Westerly-Pawcatuck: 9:30 am
Route: Pawcatuck Shopping Center to Wilcox Park
Host: Westerly-Pawcatuck Veterans’ Board of Control
North Stonington: 10:00 am
Route: Rt. 2, North Stonington Village to Middle School
Host: N. Stonington Lions Club
Taftville: 10:00 am
Service in Memorial Park
Sponsor: VFW Post 2212 and American Legion Post 104
Woodstock: 11:00 am
Route: Rt. 169 to the Veterans Memorial
Host: American Legion Benson-Flugel Post 111
Waterford: 11:00 am
Route: Rope Ferry Road
Mystic: 2:00 pm – Rain or Shine
Route: Bank Square to Post Home (across from Brustolon)
Parade Marshal: General (ret) Ron Gauss
Host: Hugo A. Simonelli Post #3263 Veterans of Foreign Wars
Contact: Walt Durant 860.536.7698 or Bill Lewis 860.536.6937.
East Lyme: 2:00 pm
Route: near St. John’s Green to East Lyme Town Hall
Host: East Lyme Vets Council
Norwich: 2:30 pm
Route: Cathedral of St. Patrick to Chelsea Parade
Sponsor: Norwich Area Veterans Council
The Arc of New London County held a their 2nd Annual Pirate Bash at the Mystic Art Center on Saturday, April 25th. All proceeds raised from the successful event will support Camp Harkness, Recreation and Respite programs for people with disabilities. The fundraiser had a pirate theme and pirates throughout the area arrived to bid on such treasure as golf gift certificates, Defenders skybox tickets, “Misty Morning Rhapsody” print donated by Green Leaf Studios, “Sunset” handmade quilt by Ruth A. Davis, two Oriental rugs donated by Dan Fuller, Geena Davis’ autographed baseball, and many more items. Individuals dressed as buccaneers danced and drank the night away for a good cause.
Throughout the night there were musical performances by The Ancient Mariners Fife and Drum Corps, Denise and Tony Walstra, and a live auction with auctioneer Mike Buscetto. The event was sponsored by Mohegan Sun, Chelsea Groton Bank, Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, L&M Hospital, The Resident, The Arc of Greater New Haven, CT Coastal Dentistry, J.Solomon Office Supply, Linda Kidder Associates, Mattern Construction, Rugh Protection Agency, Sacred Hart Parish Groton, Sportees LLC, Tom & Candy Sullivan, Blum Shapiro, Dime Bank, Oriental Rugs and The Savings Institute.
On Monday, April 27th, Rico Petrocelli, all-star short stop, and Jim Lonborg, Cy Young Award-wining pitcher, from the 1967 Boston Red Sox Impossible Dream, presented and signed autographs at the Groton Inn and Suites. The event was the final installment of CT Dugout Club series, which will begin again in October.
Prior to the event Roger Lafrancois, co-founder, CT Dugout Club and professional baseball coach, presented a moving speech in memory of Rookie of the Year Award-winning pitcher Mark “Big Bird” Fidrych. Mark was originally scheduled to be one of the guest presenters during the CT Dugout series, but he was recently killed in an automobile accident. “Mark was a good friend and a great ball player. I had the privilege to catch him in one of his last minor league games, and it is a tremendous loss for everyone. He was such an amazing person,” said Roger.
During the event diehard Red Sox fans were able to interact with each of the baseball legends. The event was full of fans, ball players, and officials of all ages and backgrounds. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful beginning.
Ten-year-old Matthew Rooke Fanelli, Lyme, recently pitched in his first little league game for the Reds. “Mr. Petrocelli told me to really have fun and to keep trying. It was really cool meeting him,” he said.
Mike Ide, umpire, Killingly, rushed from a high school game to make it on time. He added, “Being a part of the Eastern Board of Umpires, I have gained much knowledge from speaking to a lot of these pro ball players especially Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee.”
At the end of the night Rico said, “In sports and in life, give it all you have so when your are done you can look back on your accomplishments.” He also added, in regards to the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry, “When both teams are great, it is the best medicine for baseball because that’s when you see two talented teams play the best baseball there is.”
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead
On May 5, family, friends and colleagues gathered at MGM Grand at Foxwoods to celebrate by honoring Angela V. Arnold as the 59th Annual Citizen of the Year. Master of ceremonies, Warren Scholl, President and CEO, CorePlus Federal Credit Union, conducted the evening’s presentations and speakers in an energetic way, by adding humor and fun. Some of Angela’s closest friends spoke in her honor and agreed that this award could not be presented to a better deserving individual than Angela.
Angela is well known around the community as a person who does not say “no” to anything. She served on boards of directors, and volunteered in many ways, for the past 32 years. She remains to be an active part of the community, and is adamant to serve for many more. To hear of all the accomplishments – being on all the boards of director, being the first woman president of the Montville Rotary Club in ‘96 – makes me want to do more in my community.
By being a part of a younger generation, I can say that she is very inspirational and someone to look up to. It was a honor to be able to attend the award dinner, and to hear all the wonderful things her friends and family had to say about her.
One speaker, Dr. Sarah Arnold, Angela’s daughter, was exceptionally moving. Her speech brought a tear to my eye. Sarah expressed her gratitude towards her mom and all of the things that she taught her. The lessons she learned from her mom make her the person she is today. If Angela did not stay by her side during the many times spent in the hospital or tell her she could go through the dark crawlspace to the breaker box to fix the fuse in her first house, Sarah would not be the strong, independent woman she is today. And all of that, is thanks to her mom. Listening to her speech, how could you not think about your own mother, and all the things she taught that you might brush off while growing up. I don’t think Angela could ask for a better Mother’s Day gift than her daughter honoring her.
Angela certainly knows that volunteering will get you far in life. When it was her time to speak, she started by saying, “It doesn’t get any better than this!” It certainly does not when you are spending an evening with your closest friends and family celebrating all the time and effort in volunteering with the community, and all the good that comes with it. In response to Angela’s achievements, Keith Fontaine, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Backus Hospital, said, “Angela is living proof you can do well by doing good.”
The Lyme-Old Lyme Council of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut hosted its ninth annual “Taste of the Lymes” on Sunday, May 3, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Lyme Art Association. Restaurants from Lyme, Old Lyme and East Lyme offered samples of their most popular dishes.
