Jennifer Johnson, Director of Marketing &Communications, Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
On Saturday and Sunday, June 5 & 6, residents from across the state will hit the trails to take part in the 18th Annual CT Trails Day Celebration. Coordinated by the CT Forest & Park Association (CFPA), a private, non-profit organization dedicated to conserving CT’s land, trails, and natural resources, this long-standing event celebrates the state’s spectacular trails, and the many joys and benefits they provide. With more than 160 events statewide taking place, there will be something for everyone-including hiking, biking, trail maintenance, kayaking, educational walks, bird watching, geocaching, and more.
Once again, CT will hold the record for the largest Trails Day celebration in the nation, with events scheduled in over 88 towns throughout the state. These events are guided by knowledgeable volunteers from local hiking clubs, parks and recreation departments, state agencies, conservation groups and land trusts. Every year, Trails Day inspires thousands of Nutmeggers to participate in activities that educate the importance of nature, promote healthy living and mental well-being, and protect and instill excitement for the outdoors.
The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center is hosting two events in honor of Trails Day. One event is a guided hike along the Avalonia Trail at the Nature Center. This lesser-traveled trail winds by beautiful ledges and vernal pools. The hike is free and runs from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Heavy rain will cancel. Please call 860.536.1216 to register.
A second free event, an Exploration of a Pitch Pine Ridge, is co-sponsored by the CT Botanical Society and begins at 10 a.m. This 22-acre Pitch Pine and oak savanna is unusual in CT. We hope to document the associated tree, shrub and herbaceous species found there. To join this outing, please call 860.536.1216 to register. Heavy rain will cancel.
A full listing of CT Trails Day events is published by CFPA in an annual CT Trails Day booklet. For more information and to view an electronic version of the event booklet, visit www.ctwoodlands.org.
Originally made possible through the long-term support and commitment of the Denison Society, the Nature Center is a private, non-profit organization.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 Rd. 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
John Niekrash, president, Work Vessels for Veterans, Inc.
We are writing this letter of thanks in advance of an event which will change the lives of many returning Military Veterans who, having served this nation will be transitioning to civilian life. With a 26% unemployment rate, Work Vessels for Veterans, Inc. has determined a tremendous need to provide a leg up for these courageous veterans pursueing educational opportunities or entering the business world as entrepreneurs.
Work Vessels began in 2008 when a local Lobsterman donated a boat to a returning marine who wished to make a living off the water. The marine, from RI, Rich Giguere, started his business and was subsequently recalled and is now serving, again, in Afghanistan.
Other Veterans have been given over 100 Laptop Computers to assist in their search for a career and others were given more than 10 vehicles to form a business on their own. Recently, Work Vessels purchased 8 acres of land in Jacksonville, FL to assist a disabled Vet, Adam Burke, pursue his blueberry business, which hires other disabled Vets and teaches them how to farm and maintain a business. A thirty-year lease at $1.00 a year removes the pressure of a mortgage and allows Adam to focus on blueberries, not banks.
The WVFV message has been heard around the country and has acquired hundreds of donors and people willing to do all they can to help out.
An great example of this spirit will be found at The Garde Arts Center on June 4th, 2010. A fundraising concert featuring Rock’n Roll Hall of Famer - Dave Mason (Traffic) and Kal David (Fabulous Rhinestones) and the Real Deal. Opening will be Natalie Gelman, a bright new talent with a wonderful voice and a fond attachment to Work Vessels’ entertainment events.
As I opened, we are thanking you in advance for attending the concert which will be the start of more to come given a success this time. Helping our Veterans succeed is the least we can do given their sacrifices for us. Please contact The Garde Arts Center at 860.444.7373 x1 for tickets and support our effort to help as many Vets as we can.
This will be a concert you will never forget, with grateful ceremony and recognition of service to our country by current Vets and those from the Greatest Generation. Be prepared to swell with pride and listen to some of America’s great guitar legends in support of Work Vessels for Veterans, Inc.
Sincerely, John Niekrash
President
Work Vessels for Veterans, Inc.
Cindy Arpin, RN, Stroke Program Coordinator, The William W. Backus Hospital
Because 80 percent of strokes are preventable, it is important for people to be aware of their risk factors and the warning signs of stroke.
• Every 40 seconds someone has a stroke, with 795,000 strokes annually in the United States.
We’ve made advances medically with new treatment options, but it is really up to the public to be aware of the warning signs and to call 911, because the sooner treatment begins, the better the outcome.
Most people don’t die from a stroke, but they become disabled. The long term affects of stroke are huge for both the patient and their family. In fact, stroke is the No. 1 cause of disability and the No. 3 cause of death in the U.S.
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Controllable medical risk factors include high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol and diabetes and controllable lifestyle risk factors include smoking and tobacco use, alcohol use, physical inactivity and obesity. Obviously, it is important to know your risk factors and to control the ones you can.
Symptoms of a stroke can be outlined in the FAST response method – Face, Arms, Speech and Time. Does one side of the face droop? Does one arm drift downwards when both arms are held up? Is speech slurred? If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is important, call 911 immediately.
And if there is an emergency, residents of Eastern Connecticut are lucky to have a state designated Primary Stroke Center at Backus, meaning it offers rapid, high quality, evidenced based care as a part of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program.
Sincerely, Cindy Arpin, RN
Stroke Program Coordinator
The William W. Backus Hospital
Amey Marrella, Commissioner, CT Department of Environmental Protection
On April 22, 1970, millions of Americans showed their support for environment protection on the first Earth Day.
The day reflected growing public concern over the state of our nation’s environment and helped to foster the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Within a few years, Congress enacted the federal Clean Air Act (1970), the federal Clean Water Act (1972), and a new law to control hazardous wastes, known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976).
This April 22, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, offers an occasion to celebrate the progress we have made while acknowledging the environmental challenges that we must still tackle.
In the early years of environmental protection, efforts focused on large facilities like power plants, factories and sewage treatment plants. We were able to dramatically limit pollution from these sources while allowing our economy to grow. We now see that a clean environment and robust economy are complementary – not conflicting – goals. Through pollution prevention strategies such as production innovation, smart land use and “green” construction we can continue to grow and prosper in a manner that is environmentally sustainable.
Connecticut has made a strong start down this path through energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources, improved land use policies and expanded public transportation. And Connecticut companies are increasingly focused on improving both their environmental footprints and their bottom lines.
On Earth Day this year, I hope you will visit the State Capitol in Hartford to participate in special Earth Day activities. There are also many actions that each one of us can take, every day, to live in a more sustainable way. I encourage you to visit DEP’s website to find out 40 things you can do to help Connecticut’s environment.
Earth Day activities at the State Capitol will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 22. For more details about Earth Day in Connecticut, activities at the State Capitol, and what you can do, please visit www.ct.gov/dep/Earthday.
Sincerely,
Amey Marrella
Commissioner
CT Department of Environmental Protection
Leslie LaPointe APRN, MSN, CPNP Lawrence & Memorial Hospital
Green is our favorite color. For years now Lawrence & Memorial Hospital has been making great strides in many key areas to minimize the hospital’s impact on the environment, including doubling its recycling of paper and cardboard, and dramatically reducing hazardous chemicals and water usage.
In 2009, Practice Greenhealth, a national group that monitors the efforts of all hospitals to protect their environment, honored L&M for a successful program to reduce and, ultimately, eliminate mercury, which is found in certain types of hospital equipment.
Another example of L&M’s improvements is the replacement of traditional mops with microfiber flat mops. With the new system, you just fill up one bucket and you have a mop for every single room, so you’re using only 25 percent of the water and the chemicals. It’s also better for infection prevention because you’re using a clean mop for every room.
In 2010, what better way than a garden as a new effort to truly go green, and we’re asking your help. Gardens are less costly to maintain and use less water than lawns. The garden will provide a peaceful place for patients, their families and visitors to heal or just sit and appreciate the beautiful landscape. Our plan is to create a garden for four seasons. We have plants that even will bring interest in the winter. Many people have generously volunteered to build the garden. We’re now looking for the funds or donations of the hardscape and plants. We plan on a patio space using pavers about 12 feet by 12 feet with four benches. We even found some great benches made of recycled products. Two other benches will be tucked away for a little privacy or meditation.
If you would like to help, we are selling the bricks as a fundraiser. Each brick will have 3 lines with 16 characters per line for your inscription. We can email you a form for the “Brick Walk”. For more information, call Graham Gavert in the Development Office at 860.442.0711, x2240 or email him at ggavert@lmhosp.org. We also have opportunities to donate 4 benches, a fountain, the patio, the mulch, and more. We would be happy to acknowledge if someone graciously donated the funds for these items.
Sincerely, Leslie LaPointe
APRN, MSN, CPNP
Member, L&M Go Green Committee
Chairwoman for the Healing Garden Project
