For the third year in a row CorePlus Federal Credit Union works with Norwich Free Academy (NFA) to find interns of diverse backgrounds to work in the seven branches of CorePlus. This year there are seven interns working at CorePlus.
“We feel this is a wonderful learning experience for all involved; for the employees of CorePlus, the students and our members of the credit union. We have gained many new excellent full time and part-time employees from the internship program over the past few years,”says Warren P. Scholl, CEO of CorePlus Federal Credit Union
Residents of Southeastern CT and surrounding areas can look forward to the excitement of the Mohegan Sun Cycling Races taking place on September 20 and 21. In its second year, the races will be held in the communities of Sprague and Norwich, respectively.
The Mohegan Sun Cycling Races, sponsored by the Mohegan Sun, hosts two events: The Three Village Tour on Saturday, September 20, and the Rose Pedal Criterium on Sunday, September 21. This year, some 300 cyclists, including professional riders, are expected to participate in the races.
“The Mohegan Sun Cycling Races are important because they bring us together as a community,” says Margaret Carroll, resident of Norwich. “It gives the people of New London County the opportunity to shine as the great team that we are.”
The Third Annual Three Village Tour will be comprised of a 10-mile circuit that encompasses the three villages of the town Sprague, Baltic, Hanover and Versailles. The course is set in a countryside setting with rolling hills and parallels the beautiful Shetucket River. The proceeds from the race will go to benefit St. Joseph’s School of Baltic.
Presented by the YMCA of Southeastern CT, the Rose Pedal Criterium will feature cyclists of all calibers racing a 0.6 mile route in downtown Norwich. The challenging course will showcase the arts and entertainment district amidst the speeding colors and shapes. All proceeds from the race will go toward youth scholarships and programming for children.
“We seek to serve and respect the community of New London County by providing events with a positive, wholesome encounter which will accomplish community togetherness. Cycling is a social, athletic and recreational activity and to watch the cyclists round the corners with grace and ease is a spectacular sight,” says Cheryl Hughes, Wellness Director, YMCA of Southeastern CT.
Bill Humphreys of Bike Guy LLC, recently characterized the growth of criterium racing in the United States, “Criteriums are historically run on short laps through city streets offering spectators the opportunity to watch Olympians, world and national champions up-close as they ride at top speed. This has made the criterium format the most spectator-friendly form of cycling entertainment and this day of racing will re-emphasize an array of connections within the community.”
The communities of Sprague and Norwich promote a spirit of tolerance and understanding in this partnership event and welcome all to come to both events, which are free.
“With the economy as it is, society needs to focus on our local events and businesses. Take part, enjoy the activities right out your front door,” Cheryl says.
Competitive cycling continues to thrive and appeal to a number of contemporary trends and forces. It is photogenic and colorful, fast and exciting. Cycling is international in scope and environmentally sound in its presentation. It rings a bell for preventive health, personal fitness and energy conservation. Cycling allows everyone to participate, and they most certainly do.
For additional information on the races or to volunteer, please contact Cheryl Hughes, Wellness Director of the YMCA of Southeastern CT at 860.889.7349.
Most of us know that the motto of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is “Be prepared.” George Wollschlager, Troop 76, Mystic, took that to heart when it came time for him to earn Eagle Scout rank.
Beyond earning the right number of merit badges and showing that you live by Scout Oath and Law, Scouts looking to earn the Eagle Scout rank must develop, outline, and execute a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or their community. George said his idea for his service project came from “the thought of people losing their jobs. Unemployment rate is going up, and I keep seeing people on the side of the road begging for money and clothes. This is about making their lives better.”
George’s goal was to fill 50 backpacks with items that homeless people might need. These items include flashlights, clothes, toiletries, hand sanitizers, chapstick, ponchos, diapers, baby formula, and much more. But why backpacks? “The backpacks are much more durable. They are easy to carry, easy to travel with, and they hold a lot, too,” said George.
George even thought to create backpacks filled with items specifically for infants, boys, girls, and teenagers. The backpacks and items - and money to purchase more - were donated by Groton Walmart, Johnson True Value Hardware, Principal Bagniski and parents from St. Bernard’s School, Benny’s, Cash True Value Home Center, McQuade’s Market, Dr. Blefeld, and many others, including George’s neighbors and family. With all of the donations, George was able to fill 71 backpacks, which were brought to St. Vincent DePaul’s Place, a soup kitchen in Norwich, for distribution. “People go there, so hopefully they will get the stuff they want and need,” said George.
Between getting all of the “stuff,” as George calls it, and planning, the whole process took about a year to complete - just in time, because Scouts must complete their Eagle Scout project before their 18th birthday, which for George was the end of August.
Scouts must create a plan that includes a budget - and where funding will come from - how they will utilize 100 hours of service time, and exactly how the project will be completed - including contingency plans. If George wasn’t able to collect enough donations, his plan was to have a bake sale to raise money.
At the beginning of the process, George went before a review board to have his plan approved. At the end, he will present them with a detailed write-up of the project, from start to finish, including any changes. And to prepare him for college, and later the job market, he has to create a resume including his life goals and ambitions.
On Tuesday, August 26, Rose City Renaissance (RCR) held its first Community Annual Meeting at the Community Information Center, its new home at 2-6 Cliff Street, Norwich, to recognize the commitment and accomplishments of the individuals and organizations who daily engage in making the vision of revitalization a reality in Norwich. The informative and interactive program provided a report of the activity of RCR during the past year and where it hopes to go in the coming months and years.
The Annual Meeting also provided the opportunity for RCR to recognize the accomplishments of four individuals and businesses. This year’s honorees included Robert Oickle, executive director, YMCA of Southeastern CT, Marcy Vitagliano, owner, Morning Glories Floral Designs and Pottery, Joseph Manfredi, owner, Billy Wilson’s Ageing Still, and Richard and Joyce Morrison, owners, The Ice Cream Shop.
Robert is this year’s recipient of the 2008 Face of Main Street Award in recognition of the impressive ongoing renovations and reinvigoration of the YMCA. In addition to the benefits of the physical structure, which anchors one end of RCR’s designated program area, the YMCA’s effort in expanding programming, producing events and growing their memberships is helping to enliven downtown.
Marcy received the 2008 Bring Back the Bustle Award in recognition of her contribution to the revitilization of Norwich by bringing people and commerce back to the downtown area. The opening of Morning Glories is a significant addition, not just to the recently restored Wauregan, but to Broadway itself. Her sense of style trandsends her beautiful floral arrangements, infusing her shop and its display windows with presentations filling all the senses. By opening the shop’s displays to the street, it is as if she is poised to transform Broadway single-handedly.
Joseph and Billy Wilson’s Ageing Still are the recipient of the 2008 Heart of Main Street Award in recognition of his positive impact in downtown Norwich and the surrounding areas. Whether at the “original” Billy Wilson’s on Franklin Street or the “new” Billy Wilson’s Ageing Still on Broadway, Joe is a fixture on the Norwich scene. His enthusiasm, vibrant spirit, generosity, and commitment to the city are as important as bricks and mortar in the revitalization of the historic downtown.
Richard and Joyce are the recipients of the 2008 Downtown Life Award in recognition of maintaining a veteran business that shows its commitment to Norwich by maintaining its operation downtown and working to make the city’s core viable. From their location in Franklin Square, the Morrisons saw many changes in downtown. They unflaggingly continued on and worked to serve those whose careers center around downtown. From their salad bar to their reasonably priced, tasty lunches, to their spectacular ice cream, their efforts keep downtown going strong. Their business is a valuable thread in the fabric of downtown Norwich.
The Catherine Lorillard Wolf Art Club is pleased to announce that local Noank Foundry artist Serena G. Bates had work accepted into its 112th Annual Open Exhibition at the National Arts Club in New York City.
This exhibition of works in a variety of media by women artists from all over the US was by juried admission and was not limited to members only. The exhibition is open to the public from September 23 to October 13.
The Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, one of the oldest women’s art clubs in the country, was founded in 1896, in honor of Miss Wolfe, a prominent New York philanthropist and art collector. She was the only woman among the 106 founders of the Metropolitan Museum Of Art. Today’s members are represented in museums, galleries, and prestigious art collections all over the world.
Serena G. Bates, born 1965, in Quonset, RI. From childhood, Bates had an inquisitive nature and keen interest in anything artistic. She was classically educated at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design. She studied sculpting with renowned sculptors Elizabeth Gordon Chandler, Laci deGerenday and Don Gale, and painting with painters Aaron Shikler, Burton Silverman, Dean Keller and Dan Gheno. Serena is an artist member of the Salmagundi Club (NY) the National Sculpture Society (NY), the Catherine Lorillard Wolf Art Club (NY), the New England Sculpture Society, the CT Academy of Fine Arts, the Mystic Art Center, a founding member of the Artists Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, and recently joined the Noank Foundry.
Whether it be sculpting or painting, her work is primarily done in the field or with a live subject, where she feels her works are the result of “experience and keen observation.” Serena feels, “you can’t breathe true life into your paintings or sculptures unless you have gotten to know your subjects on a personal and more intimate level.” Serena refined her craft over the past decade, and actually worked for four years in a bronze-casting foundry to learn the lost wax process from start to finish. She is now focusing on a series of bronze animals and is studying the nuances of ceramic sculpture. If asked, she will tell you her greatest influences are John Singer Sargent, Daniel Chester French and Anna Hyatt Huntington.
Recent accolades include winning the top award in sculpture at the 29th Annual Juried Non-Member Exhibition of the Salmagundi Art Club in New York, NY. She received the Joseph Hartley Memorial Award for her sculpture “Shoo Fly” and was accepted as a full artist member. Serena is well known in the southern New England community, and her work can be found in many private collections throughout the US. Her main local venue is the Courtyard Gallery in Mystic. She maintains her studios in Noank and Westerly, RI.
For more information regarding the National Arts Club, call 212.475.3424.
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