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.

Bookmark to:

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.

Bookmark to:

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.”

Bookmark to:

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.

Bookmark to:

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.

Bookmark to:

You would have to be

living under a rock to

not be familiar with

ABC’s phenomenally

successful reality

show, Dancing With

the Stars.  On Sunday

January 22,  The

Shops at Mohegan Sun

presented the Season

13 winners J. R.

Martinez and

Karina Smirnoff as

part of their Reality Check series, which brings the biggest stars

of reality television to Mohegan Sun for a series of interactive events.

The winners of this season’s mirror ball trophy are an inspirational pair.  J. R.

Martinez, a former high school football star who was sidelined by injuries, joined the

Army and served as an infantryman in Iraq.  While serving in Kabala,

the humvee that Martinez was driving hit a landmine. After spending months

recovering from debilitating injuries, including burns over 40% of

his body, Martinez launched a successful acting career that included the part of Brot

Monroe on ABC’s Emmy Award winning daytime drama, All My Children.

His dance partner,  Karina Smirnoff, originally hails from the Ukraine and has been

a staple on Dancing With the Stars for the last six years.   A five time winner of the

U.S. National Championships, the U.S. Open and other prestigious competitions,

Smirnoff has been ranked number two in the world for ballroom dancing.

If the crowd Sunday was any indication, Martinez and Smirnoff are fan favorites.

With well over a thousand fans in attendance, the pair danced and took part in a

question and answer session.  In addition, hundreds of fans stood

in line for a personal meet and greet, making it  one of Mohegan Sun’s most

successful Reality Check event to date.

“It was one of our biggest,

if not the biggest Reality

Check we’ve had, “stated

Cody Chapman, public

relations specialist for

Mohegan Sun. “Both

Katrina and J.R. were

very gracious with fans.

The line for autographs was

very long.”

Next up for the series – on February 10th, Dancing With the Stars dancer Mark

Ballas, will be performing an hour long acoustic set of some of his original new

music.

Bookmark to:

Connecticut Sun Guard Renee Montgomery visited

the Waterford Public Library on Wednesday, January 18,

for a  Reading Time-Out as part of the  Read To Achieve

Program  sponsored by the Women’s National Basketball

Association (WNBA). Renee proved that she’s as bright a star

in the quiet environment of the library as she is in the Mohegan

Sun Arena, where she and her team dazzle exuberant crowds

amid the sounds of cheering calls and bouncing balls.

Renee began her visit by reading a story to the intimate

audience of admiring children and adults. The book Renee

chose to read was, appropriately,  The Princesses Have

a Ball by  Teresa Bateman, a rhyming tale about a dozen

tall princesses who sneak out at night to play basketball.

The story ends with the girls getting special high-top shoes

made for them to help them play even better. After Renee

closed the book and enjoyed an enthusiastic round of applause,

she stressed the importance of reading for success in all areas

of life.

“How many of you like to read or hear stories at night?”

Renee asked, and dozens of little hands shot into the air.

“That’s great,” she said. “With TV and video games, a lot

of people don’t take time to read. Reading is an art and it’s

important that we don’t forget that. Read books, read on an

iPad, read any way you can. It doesn’t have to be all school

books, although that’s important; you can also read fun stuff

on the side.”

Bookmark to:

by Roger Zotti

Clark van der Lyke, author of  New London goes

to War: New London During World War II (1941-

1945), appeared January 20 at the Shaw Mansion,

Blinman Street, for a book signing and

presentation. Published by the New London

County Historical Society, the book’s purpose is,

Clark said, “to provide readers who were not

around during the period a sense of how local

government worked—and in some cases didn’t

work—during a time of national emergency:

WWII.”

Thoroughly researched, Clark’s entertaining and informative work is a

model of solid historical journalism, and he hopes it motivates readers “to learn

more about the time” and about New London history.  “I had twenty years of

access to read and learn about the long history of New London—and there is

still a lot more to discover.”

Most challenging about writing “New London Goes to War” was the

author’s “urge to go too fast and my impatience with the length of time it took

to accomplish publication….I made every effort to view events from the facts

presented to me from city council minutes, correspondence and recollections

by persons of the era, which limited me to some details, and some events seem

not to have ever been resolved—just like government today.” Writing almost

daily for two years, he found that “research of supporting documents” was,

indeed, time consuming.  He added that he was “fortunate to have an editor

as skilled and supportive as Pat Schaefer of the NLCHS.” I thought my first

draft was perfect, but Pat and my wife convinced me it was not—and my

thanks to them both.”

Clark, who served in the Coast Guard, believes “the WWII period in

American history was a time of impressive growth and courage….The people

of the New London County region and the nation accomplished production

that has not been surpassed. It was ‘the best of times, it was the worst of times.’

I didn’t write that, but it certainly applied.”

One of the book’s highlights is an incident involving Montana Senator

Burton Wheeler, an outspoken non-interventionist; a mysterious Connecticut

College professor known as The Whispering Professor; and popular New

London Councillor James “Jimmy” May. The Whispering Professor writes

a letter to Burton, claiming that “Electric Boat had more than 3,000 unmarried

key men, which it manages to keep exempt from military service.” Burton

agrees and reads the letter “into the Congressional record…on September 28,

1943.” Enter Jimmy May. On October 4, in a fiery statement to the council,

he notes that “there has been a great injustice done, not only to Electric Boat

Company and its 13,000 employees, not only to the City of New London,

but to every true American Citizen and member of the Armed Forces of the

United States.”

Then there’s Bulkeley School and Purdue University graduate Harry

Daghlian. Without giving away too much, the book’s last section is a fitting

and heartrending tribute to the New London native, a physicist, who died at

twenty-four. Though Harry Daghlian didn’t see combat, the author said he

served his country and “was perhaps the first civilian casualty of the atomic

age.”

Bookmark to: