Order taking for Girl Scout Cookies began on January 8th in Connecticut. This cookie season Girl Scouts across Connecticut will be inspiring change. Supported by the theme “A Better World…Inspired by U,”more than 45,000 Connecticut Girl Scouts will be discovering what matters most, connecting with people in their own community, and using the power of Girl Scout Cookies to take action for the betterment of their own neighborhoods and far beyond.
For this year’s cookie season, Girl Scouts of Connecticut is bringing back the cookievote.com website with a new inspirational feature. Beginning January 9th, in addition to voting for their favorite Girl Scout cookie, visitors to the site will also be able to submit inspirational notes thanking our many service men and women for their dedication. The notes will be included with Girl Scout Cookies being sent to service men and women through Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s Gift of Caring program. The Gift of Caring program allows customers to purchase Girl Scout Cookies from their local Girl Scout and the Girl Scouts of Connecticut Council, along with community partners, will ship them to service men and women at home and overseas.
The annual Girl Scout Cookie Program is one of the most unique program activities for Girl Scouts. It’s a hands-on leadership and financial literacy program that begins with imagination and inspiration. At the beginning of the program, girls ask themselves, “What can we do for fun and learning with our cookie proceeds?” and “What can we do with our cookie proceeds to help others?” Some Girl Scouts in Connecticut used last year’s cookie proceeds to cook dinner for a local homeless shelter, adopt military troops overseas, plant a community garden, and donate cookies to a local Veteran’s hospital. Whatever goals the girls choose to pursue this year, they will also be building their leadership skills as they work as a team, budget and manage their money, and cultivate a strong sense of business ethic, all while providing customers with a tasty treat!
Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos, Trefoils, Lemon Chalet, and a bite-size Dulce De Leche, will all be available this year, along with a new cookie treat, called Thank U Berry Munch. The new cookie features real, premium cranberries with sweet, creamy white fudge chips and is a special thank you to our many Girl Scout supporters. Girl Scout cookie fans who don’t know a Girl Scout can log onto www.gsofct.org and click on the cookie to connect with Girl Scouts participating in the cookie program in their town.
The proceeds from the cookie program stay in Connecticut and directly benefit all of the Girl Scouts in Connecticut, including the Girl Scout Troop or Group from which the cookies were purchased. Girl Scout supporters who purchase a box of cookies are investing in their communities as well as tomorrow’s leaders.
More information about the Girl Scout cookie program may be found at www.gsofct.org.
Alexis Wojtcuk, 15, is a Jr. Volunteer in the Escort Service at Backus Hospital, Norwich. “What I like best about what I do is the fact that I am helping people,” says Lexie.
story & photo
by Maren Schober
“I think I have just the volunteer you are looking for,” states Mary Rahaim, Director of Volunteers at Backus Hospital in Norwich. “Her name is Alexis Wojtcuk and she comes here every Friday for the whole day. She does anything that is needed to be done.”
I am immediately impressed by Lexie, as she likes to be called. For a high school sophomore at the age of 15, she is very focused on what she wants to do in life.
“I have always wanted to do something in the medical field,” Lexie informs me. “At Backus Hospital, I am getting plenty of opportunity to learn about this occupation and I know I definitely want to pursue a career in this field.”
“I am a Jr. Volunteer in the Escort Service,” Lexie continues. “I run all kinds of errands in the hospital and I literally walk laps from one end of the hospital to the other end. This gives me plenty of exercise! There are also lots of healthy choices for break and lunch in the cafeteria.”
Lexie explains specifically about her errands at Backus Hospital. “I discharge patients, going to their rooms and wheeling them to the exit of the hospital. One time I was discharging a patient who was so enthusiastic about leaving that he literally jumped out of the wheelchair at the front exit shouting for joy!”
“I also make patient medical charts and transport records from one department to another. Some days it is very tiring work and some days like today it is totally rewarding. I am learning to be patient because a lot of times patients don’t feel well or they are in pain,” said Lexie. “What I like best about what I do is the fact that I am helping people.”
Lexie has another strong interest. “Both my parents and my older sister are involved with the Civil Air Patrol,” shares Lexie, “so I learned about CAP at a very young age. My mother told me you had to be 12-years-old to join and for some reason I remembered that. This became a strong hope and dream inside me. On the day of my twelfth birthday, I got dressed up and went to breakfast.”
“‘Why are you all dressed up?’ asked my mother. ‘Because I am 12-years-old now and today I am joining the Civil Air Patrol’ This was a great surprise to my mother. ‘You are?!’ she asked astounded.”
Lexie loves her community service work in the Air Patrol. “I am a Cadet Chief Master Sergeant,” explains Lexie, “and a member of the Ground Team. “It is very strange. Although I am afraid of heights, I love flying and being in an airplane. It does not bother me. I take flying lessons and learn how to respond in different kinds of emergency rescue.”
Lexie is a hard working volunteer in our community. I know she will go after the dreams of her heart and find joy and purpose in life.
Sgott MacKenzie’s first book, “The Giant Squid and the Seagull,” was written for his daughter, Jasper.
by Roger Zotti
Sgott MacKenize, writer and illustrator of “The Giant Squid and the Seagull,” says he aimed his book “at kids about four years old” and hopes “it instills in them the belief that they should be brave about following their dreams.” Sgott’s captivating book is available at the Golden Street Gallery, 94 Golden Street, and The Bean & Leaf, 13 Williams Street, New London.
Sgott, who has worked with Greg Bowerman at the Gallery for seven years, explained why he wrote his book: “We have yearly shows at the Gallery and Greg told me he was going to write a book for the upcoming show about a dream he had. He was going to show some of the art work from the book.”
“Then he asked me, ‘What are you going to do?’ I told him I’d write a book, too. Mine just happened to be about following your dreams as well. You could say we had a dream series going. My book took me six weeks to finish.”
There are several lessons Sgott would like readers take from “The Giant Squid and the Seagull.” “One is to de-vilify some elements about giant squids,” he says. Specifically, giant squids have a beak and tentacles, but in Sgott’s enchanting drawings they aren’t frightening. “There’s one where the seagull is trapped inside the fish bowl with only the beak. But it’s a happy drawing and one of the book’s two-page picture spreads. I wanted kids to learn about that part of the squid and not be scared of it.”
Sgott’s tentacle illustrations are drawn in a non-menacing way, too. Consider the drawing is near the end of the book and notice how gently the giant squid’s tentacles are holding the seagull. That’s when the giant squid tells the seagull, “I am so glad that dreams inspired us. Being brave enough to follow our dreams has made our lives more interesting and fun.” The seagull replies, “Dreams led us on these great adventures and helped us become best friends.”
As an artist and musician Sgott says his work, “has often landed in realms that aren’t easily accessible to the masses. This book is a departure and more readily accessible to the masses – and it was also me taking on a challenge I hoped to do but didn’t know was in my realm, and then to follow through and have a book in your hands was, well, amazing.”
Born in Detroit and now living in New London, Sgott envisions “The Giant Squid and the Seagull” as a series, but he intends to bring in other characters and “at the same time stick with the seagull and the giant squid as the main characters. But I’m not trying to move onto the next book until I get this book to where it should go – to a publisher [because] self-publishing is very expensive.”
Jennifer Johnson, Director of Marketing & Communications, Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
The beginning of a new year is a time when many people make a resolution to improve their overall health. Spending time in nature is among the best ways to improve one’s physical and mental health and emotional well-being.
Research shows that children who spend a lot of time outdoors, in all seasons, are happier, healthier and do better in school. Other studies have shown that getting out of a man-made environment and into an outdoor lowers blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension.
We are fortunate to live in an area with abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation. This time of year area parks are open for numerous winter activities. Don’t overlook your own backyard as a place to play. If you’re looking for ideas of winter games to play with your kids, check out the new Be Out There website (www.beoutthere.org)
The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center offers something for everyone and is another great place to visit for winter activities. We are a combination wildlife sanctuary, natural history museum, and educational facility set in a 300-acre nature preserve. Come hike, walk, snowshoe or cross-country ski our more than 10 miles of trails.
If you prefer to explore with a group, be sure to check out our calendar of events for our numerous children’s, family, and adult programs and guided hikes. Our Women’s Hiking group meets the first Monday of every month at various locations in the region. Our Cottontails group, for caregivers and children ages 1 – 4, meets for a weekly hike on Thursday morning at different locations in the area. We also host free monthly full moon hikes, and will be re-starting our Adult Hiking Club in March. Watch our website for details.
Originally made possible through the long-term support and commitment of the Denison Society, the Nature Center is a private, non-profit organization. We are open year-round, Monday thru Saturday from 9 to 5, and Sunday from 10 to 4. We are located at 109 Pequotsepos Road in Mystic. For more information, please visit www.dpnc.org or call 860.536.1216.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Johnson
Director of Marketing & Communications,
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
Universal Food Store continues to carve its niche in Noank Village.
It all began in 1947 when Pat Quaratella and Dan Simonelli opened Universal Food Store. Today, four generations later, Universal Food Store still strives for the same goal: providing the highest quality meat and the best service available.
Universal Food Store specailizes in premium meats such as Premium Gold Certified Angus Beef, free-range, organic Smart Chickens, and don’t forget the farm-fresh turkeys from Gozzi’s Turkey Farm in Guilford.
Not sure what you would like to serve on your table? “Come on in and enjoy our custom, one on one, personalized service and you will get exactly what you are looking for,” said Frank Quaratella, Jr., proprietor. They will cut, bone, and season your selection so it is oven-ready.
Many things changed since 1947, but not the tradition of excellence at Universal Food Store and service based on integrity and honesty. The store is built on a foundation of strong family values and a love for quality food – a true old-fashioned Italian market.
Universal Food Store also carries a full line of groceries and fresh produce daily. Also, don’t forget about their pizzas, grinders, calzones and strombolis.
Universal Food Store is a family-owned business centered on strong values and a desire to bring old-fashioned service to the community. “Come find out why everybody says we have the best meat in town!” said Frank Jr.
Come on down to Universal Food Store to see their in store specials.
Order taking for Girl Scout Cookies began on January 8th in Connecticut. This cookie season Girl Scouts across Connecticut will be inspiring change. Supported by the theme “A Better World…Inspired by U,”more than 45,000 Connecticut Girl Scouts will be discovering what matters most, connecting with people in their own community, and using the power of Girl Scout Cookies to take action for the betterment of their own neighborhoods and far beyond.
