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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Congratulations to the following students:
Dean’s List:
Gettysburg College
Paige Phillips, of Gales Ferry
Christopher Jay, of Mystic
Sarah Cunningham, of Niantic
Steven Hnath, of Lebanon
Amy Whitehouse, of Niantic
Roberts Wesleyan College
Nicole Lute, of Waterford, CT received Highest Honors.
UMass Dartmouth, MA
Jonathan Martin, Norwich
Mansfield University, PA
Gabriella Bottone, Waterford
Trinity College
Savvas Constantinou, Lyme
Carly Rando, Old Lyme
Anna Seidner, Old Lyme
Emma Sternlof, New London
Jared Zimmerman, Old Lyme
Michael McLean of Old Lyme
Duncan Grimm, Noank
Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens, Uncasville
Wheaton College, MA
Brittany Watts, East Lyme
Samuel Gipstein, Mystic
Grace Coughlin, Mystic
Zachary Dunn, Old Lyme
Emily Benson, Waterford
Western New England University, MA
Anthony J. Fontanella , Amston
Avery D. Clark, Mystic
Kaylene N. Hersey, Colchester
Molly E. McKenna, Groton
St. Mary’s College, MD
Danielle Krause, Colchester
Teresa Horan, Salem
University of New Hampshire
Katrina Walczyk of Baltic earned High Honors
Mary-Katherine Achor of East Lyme earned Highest Honors
Melissa Chmielewski of East Lyme earned Highest Honors
Jennifer Aspinwall of Groton earned High Honors
Brian O’Mara of Noank earned Highest Honors
Jessie Swink of Groton earned Honors
Leorah Weiss-Newall of Noank earned Honors
Evan Ehrlich of Mystic earned Honors
Laurie Hendrickson of Mystic earned High Honors
Catherine Kolnaski of Mystic earned High Honors
Anne Thorndike of Mystic earned High Honors
Heather Muir of Niantic earned Highest Honors
Peter McMorris of North Stonington earned Highest Honors
Heather Rusaw of Norwich earned Highest Honors
Kirstin Bibbiani of Lyme earned High Honors
Victoria Fallon of Old Lyme earned Highest Honors
Evan Flower of Old Lyme earned Honors
Caroline Mattson of Lyme earned Honors
Nicholas Prunier of South Lyme earned Honors
Abrielle Gouvin of Pawcatuck earned Honors
Sara Santos of Pawcatuck earned Highest Honors
Briana VanVerdeghem of Waterford earned Highest Honors
Kathryn Burgess of Colchester earned High Honors
Christiane Lynch of Colchester earned Honors
Graduates:
Excelsior College, NY
Jeffrey Simpson, Groton
Honored:
Colgate University
Mr. Alexander William Hull, a member of the Colgate University Class of 2014, has been inducted into the Colgate chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, the national scholastic honorary society that recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of first-year students.
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
by John Stratton
University of Connecticut Hall of Fame Head Coach Jim Calhoun is
the Honorary Chair of the New England Chapter of CEOs Against Cancer, the
American Cancer Society announced January 9.
This American Cancer Society volunteer forum of chief executive officers represents
New England-headquartered Fortune 1,000 companies and organizations with
1,000 or more employees. It works to improve the health of employees,
organizations, and surrounding communities by raising their awareness about how
to stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer.
CEO members will collaborate on a variety of issues facing professionals from
diverse industries across the region. Additionally, their experience provides
insights on cancer’s impact on the workforce, while improving employee health and
workplace productivity, and reducing healthcare costs within organizations.
“Coach Calhoun has a phenomenal coaching success story,” said American Cancer
Society New England Division CEO Donald J. Gudaitis. “We are delighted that he has
agreed to join this illustrious group of chief executives to promote innovative
business practices to improve employee wellness. We know the Coach’s personal
cancer experience will be a powerful motivator in our work.”
Gudaitis added that “His active involvement will be instrumental in the Society’s
outreach to New England companies and organizations to help create a healthier
workforce, which will, in turn, fortify our quest for a world with less cancer and
more birthdays.”
Founded in 2003 in Chicago, the American Cancer Society CEOs Against Cancer
initiative has 15 chartered chapters. It has grown to include more than 220 CEOs
nationwide who help create a healthy corporate culture by regularly sharing ideas
that address cancer-fighting solutions among their workforces; ensuring that
employees facing cancer have access to accurate, up-to-date information to make
informed decisions; developing a culture of responsibility for creating healthy
lifestyles among employees and families; and encouraging employees to join the
more than three million grassroots volunteers nationwide who support people
facing cancer and their families through their cancer experience.
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
by John Stratton
It’s a life lesson for us all. About 90 years ago, radio stations were
just taking root in America, Babe Ruth just started hitting homers, the Black Sox
Scandal was put to an uncertain rest…and a young woman was born in Norwich who
was destined to become a pillar of her community, and an aunt who became an
“Adopted Mother” to four sons.
Helen M. Raab celebrated her 90th birthday on Sunday, January 22 at Mystic’s
Bravo Bravo restaurant in the Whalers Inn with 50 of her close family, friends, and
well-wishers. She was born January 25, 1922. Yes, it was a surprise party, but the
Uncasville resident took it in stride, feeling that something was up.
“We can’t go to Bravo,” she told her adopted son, Richard Przybysz, innkeeper at the
inn,“ because it’s always closed on Sunday!” But it was open for her, and her private
party of balloons and cake and special menu choices for all.
Helen was in good company. The inn and restaurant have played host with grace
and discretion to celebrities of every sort, from ex U.S, President Jimmy Carter, in
town with an entourage of 23 to christen the Submarine, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN
23); to Chef Paula Dean; to, very recently, reality-TV’s Kardashians.
Richard tells the family side of the story, a reflection on Mrs. Raab’s “big heart,” and
her compassion and commitment. His brothers are Kenneth, a former State Senator
who is a lobbyist at the capitol; Edward, a CPA; and Thomas, a resident of Windsor.
“We always call her our ‘adopted mother,’” said Richard, “because she took the four
of us in when our parents died at an early age. She and her husband, Alfred, had no
children but became our parents, putting us through high school and college, and
becoming our role models in private and public life.
“Alfred was a selectman in Montville and on many boards and committees; she was
an assistant town clerk, then executive assistant to the New London County sheriff,
and then was Montville Judge of Probate for 12 years before she retired in 1968. I
always call her ‘Mrs. Raab,’ a little bit of courtesy that just shows our love and
respect, and that’s a nice thing to do.”
Richard said that Alfred died about five years ago, and his mom, Mrs. Raab, has
continued with her active live, living on her own, baking pies and cakes, doing
crossword puzzles…and not needing glasses.
“She still gets out and goes places, and that’s a lesson for us all,” Richard reflects.
“When you reach an older age and still have a large group of friends — I think it says
something about her, and it’s something you want to think about in your own life,
too.”
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
story & photo by Maren Schrober
Yesterday’s news can be good news. Kathy Wieland, research librarian at Otis
Library in Norwich, delights in learning about her family histories—
as well as helping others in the community research their own genealogies from
available records.
She has years of experience in genealogy, and will share it at Otis
Library, Saturday, February 11, in the library’s Community Room. The
program, “Old News Is Good News: Using Newspapers for Genealogical
Research,” is the third in a series of genealogical programs sponsored by
the Friends of Otis Library and will be presented at 1 p.m. Denise Dembinski,
board member of Friends of Otis Library, is Chairperson of this event.
It was around her childhood kitchen table that Kathy first started hearing the
old family stories, some of which were reflected in the newspapers of the time.
“The genealogical program I am presenting on February 11 will focus on
using newspapers to enrich our research and deepen our understanding of the
experiences of our ancestors” she says.
“My relatives were not prominent people, but I have turned up some
wonderful surprises in newspapers that helped fill in the blanks. For example,
I found a fascinating 1938 interview with the youngest son of my immigrant
ancestor John Bartchy, who was born in Switzerland 1814. From the
interview, I learned that John Bartchy lived in Strasbourg, France, before
emigrating to the U.S. I never would have thought to look for traces of this
line in France.” “My mother was from a very large, close-knit family,” Kathy
continues.
“Her mother was one of seven children, all of whom settled in the
same neighborhood to raise their own families. I grew up knowing literally
hundreds of cousins—first, second and third. From an early age, I had an incentive
to sort out the many family groups and lines of descent that made up our
family. At the time, I had no idea this pursuit was called ‘genealogy’.”
“In the 1970’s, when the miniseries Roots was on TV, I started to get
more organized about it. I interviewed the aunts, uncles, and cousins from
my parents’ generation and wrote down everything they said. At that
time, I was living in Seattle, which had a regional branch of the National
Archives. I started going there looking in the Census for familiar surnames,
and trying to identify those who were ‘my people’.” To register please call
860.889.2365 ext. 108.
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
by John Stratton
Dime Bank awarded the SHYC Sailing
Foundation a $2,000 grant for student
scholarships. The scholarships reflect
the Sailing Foundation’s commitment to the
community enabling access to its
programs for everyone. It is a natural
partnership that benefits the entire
community, organizers say.
“We are grateful to Dime Bank for its much-needed support of the Sailing
Foundation,” said Cindy Nickerson, Director of SHYC Sailing Foundation.
“We look forward to a long-term relationship with them as we share the mission to
help our community.”
The Sailing Foundation was created in 2004 through the Stonington Harbor
Yacht Club, with the mission of developing sailing and educational marine
programs that benefit the community. An independent nonprofit organization, the
Sailing Foundation has no membership requirements.
The foundation says that the level of program participation continues to grow
over the years. Last year 600 children and adults participated in its many programs
including sailing, marine biology, kayaking, surfing and windsurfing. When
combined with community outreach, Special Olympics, and equipment rentals,
the Sailing Foundation served over 900 people in 2011.
Community participation and service is central to Dime Bank. In 1869,
in a time when banking services were a privilege available to relatively few,
Dime Savings Bank of Norwich was founded to provide banking opportunities to all
the people of its community.
In 1998, Dime Bank established The Dime Foundation, enabling the bank to
support and give back to the community, providing funding for charitable, cultural,
literary, scientific and educational nonprofit organizations. In its first year, more
than $50,000 was distributed.
To participate in SHYC sailing, visit www.shyc-sf.org or call
860.535.9362.