SouthingtonSOS: How can our community help the people of Nepal?

Today, John Myers, Director of the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA, sent out an email to those on the email distribution list of SouthingtonSOS (formerly SouthingtonCares) asking anyone knowing reliable organizations who are supporting the relief efforts of the earthquake victims of Nepal to let SouthingtonSOS know so that we may be able to inform the people of our Southington community how they may help. 

Southington Heartbeat then broadcast the email request of John Myers to a its own distribution list. Between these efforts we have gathered some responses we have received thus far. 


Rev. Victoria Triano, member of Southington Town Council suggested we might start by posting any reliable and consistent information we may have for those who wish to donate. 

Kaye Davis, recent past Executive Director of United Way of Southington, informed us of a link to a site United Way Worldwide has set up: 
https://secure.unitedway.org/page/contribute/united-way-worldwide-nepal-earthquake-fund

Dolores B. Griffin, Clinical Director, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford - New Britain and Torrington offices stated:

Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org) at phone number 877-435-7277 is collecting donations that can be specified for Nepal. All donations are greatly appreciated and there is already a network set in place for a relatively quick turnaround of support and care. They are open 8 am to 11 pm for callers.

Southington Heartbeat located the following ways to help the victims of the earthquake in Nepal in yesterday's Hartford Courant:

 Anyone who wishes to add to this list or comment may send an email to John Myers or SouthingtonHeartbeat or post a comment to this e-newsletter.

Thank you.

.

Notes from Hartford Health Care Senior Services

Just in ...

A stroke prevention presentation is set for May 14 at Calendar House in Southington on Thursday, May 14, from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. Guest speaker Kristen Hickey, RN, MSN, stroke coordinator at HHC with topics including prevention of strokes by identifying risk factors and being aware of and identifying stroke symptoms. HixkwShe will also discuss treatmentions and will answer questions following the presentation. Calendar House is located at 388 Pleasant St. To RSVP, call Calendar House at 860-621-3014.

The Orchards at Southington hosts open house

SOUTHINGTON - The Orchards at Southington, an independent and assisted living community, will host an open house on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Edesa Ciscar, retirement counselor, will facilitate the event. Coffee will be served. The Orchards at Southington is located at 34 Hobart St. For more information or to RSVP, please call Edesa Ciscar, 860-628-5656. To learn more about The Orchards at Southington, visit the websitesouthingtonorchards.org.

Mary Poppins a clean chimney sweeping success in Southington

Southington Schools continue to be front and center in the community over a wide range of academic, athletic, science, technology and artistic accomplishments. 

And so it was for the joint DePaolo and Kennedy Middle Schools Drama Clubs in their musical production of Mary Poppins. The outstanding presentation of five performances from March 28 through April 1 was a gift of many talents and skills in a delightful new production of Mary Poppins.  

Directed and produced by DePaolo M.S. Assistant Principal Chris Palmieri, a cast of 110 students and a technical crew of 45 more presented a remarkable opus the company had rehearsed several times a week for three months to do. 

Their efforts pulled off a charming and entertaining production with some fancy choreography, smoothly executed scene and costume transitions topped off by talented singing and acting including some effective affectation of British accents. 

The lead parts of Mary Poppins and 

Bert, The Chimney Sweep were persuasively portrayed by eighth-graders,Olivia White and Logan McGinnis with the truly fine support of an all-star cast while quality sound, lighting and well-executed staging and timing demands were executed in a hands-down entertaining theatrical feat. 

Warmed by the magic of the music, the colorful pageantry of the times and the whimsically mysterious ways of the character of Mary Poppins, attendees appeared to love the show as they basked in the pride of our youth.

By E. Richard Fortunato

Photography by Barbara Brush

Town of Southington recognized as a HEART Safe Community

 It was announced today that on April 13, 2015, the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association designated the Town of Southington as a HEART Safe Community, affirming the Town’s commitment to providing improved response to cardiac care to residents. 

Garry Brumback

“The Town of Southington is committed to providing quality heart safe services to the residents and visitors of the town,” said Garry Brumback, Southington Town Manager.   “This designation recognizes the Towns efforts to prepare staff and citizen’s to recognize when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and how to respond.” Brumback praised the efforts of the Southington Fire Department and the Plainville-Southington Health District in assisting the Town in receiving this designation.

The HEART Safe Communities program is designed to promote and accelerate survival chances from sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.  It works by strengthening the “chain of survival,” utilizing early 9-1-1 access, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation and advanced care.

HEART Safe Communities helps communities and organizations to:

• educate citizens about sudden cardiac arrest and improving heart health
• raise money to place Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in the hands of emergency medical service, fire and police personnel, and to make AEDs available in businesses, schools and other public gathering places
• train people how to use AEDs and perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR)

Southington's 36 AED’s in public buildings and its more than 200 residents and staff trained in CPR, far exceed the requirements to become a HEART Safe Community.  For much more detailed information on the HEART Safe program, visit Heartsafe Communities. 

Southington Knights of Columbus honor four Catholic Citizens of the Year

Four Southington residents will be honored by the Knights of Columbus Assembly 122 in recognition of their many years of service to their parish and community. A dinner will be held at the Back Nine Tavern in Plantsville at 7:00 pm on Saturday, May 9, 2015. The Catholic Citizens award will be presented to Carmel Avitable, St. Thomas Parish;  Walter Hushak, St. Aloysius; Michael Soltys, St. Dominic and Robin Taillie, Mary Our Queen. Reservations, at $25 p/p, may be made by contacting event coordinator, Phil Mazzati at 203-395-4381 or mazzophi@att.net.    

The recognition of Catholic Citizens who have given years of service to their faith community as well as to their extended community is an expression of the gratitude of the entire community for the dedication of these special people.  The Catholic Citizen event is but one of many ways the fourth degree Knights of Columbus express and carryout their special pledge to patriotism.  

Carmel Avitable

Carmel Avitable's family have been parishioners of St.Thomas parish residents of Southington since 1880. That’s 125 years! Carmel says, “My earliest recollection of volunteering in the parish was that of teaching religion as an early teen to a number of well known residents who became active in our town. I have been a trustee, school board chairperson, a member of the Ladies Guild, a Eucharistic Minister and a Lecturer for many years.” Carmel has been an active member of the Dominican Associates of Peace, affiliated with Albertus Magnus College, with twenty two active associates in our parish. She has served on the Ecumenical Council of the Dominican Community in Columbus, Ohio .During the past seven years, she has taught eighth grade Religious Ed at St.Aloysius parish. Since 1982, she has been the facilitator of the Archdiocesan "New Day" program for those who have lost a loved one in death. Two sessions are held yearly at Mary Our Queen Parish. Carmel takes pride in serving her parish and community and volunteering to help others whenever needed.

Walter Hushak

Walter Hushak is a lifelong resident of Southington. Graduate of Lewis High School 1941 enlisted in the US army air corps in December 1942.  Completed army air corps pilot training and was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant, received pilots wings at age 20. Assigned to a B-24 liberator bomber crew of 10 men, 7^th air force 30^th bomb group. Central pacific Saipan Mariana Islands. Flew bombing missions to Pagan Marcus Island and Iwo jima.  Awarded air medal for bombing mission. After active duty, served in air force reserve  27 years retiring with the rank of Lieutenant colonel. Joined Peck, Stow and Wilcox which was a Southington Tool and machinery manufacturer and held the position of personnel manager and eventually became vice president. Later he joined Janazzo Heating & Air Conditioning located in Milldale for 27 years retiring as vice president. Walt married Ruth Stephens at R.N. in 1951. They have 3 children, Mark, Maureen, Dana and 5 grandchildren.  Walt’s activities in Southington include the following: Director of Southington Savings Bank and Board Chairman; Director of Southington Chamber of Commerce, and served two terms on the council; Director of Southington YMCA; Member of Bradley Memorial Board; President of the Rotary Club of Southington;  member of the American Legion Kiltonic Post 72; Trustee of St. Aloysius Church;  Member of Southington ethics committee; Chairman of the Red Cross Home service;  organizer of the Red Cross Industrial Blood Donor Program; 24 year coordinator for Collings Foundation of Stow Massachusetts of World War II - restored aircraft such as the B-24 Liberator Bomber, B-17 Flying Fortress & P-51 Mustang that visited Waterbury/Oxford Airport. Hushak said: “I still do speaking engagements at area schools talking about my World War II duties. Awards I received are Distinguished Service Award, (D.S.A.), by the Southington Jaycees, Good Scout award by Connecticut Yankee Council, Boy Scouts of America, Gold Medal Community Service by Unico Club, the wisdom award by Central Connecticut Senior Health Services, the Paul Harris Fellow Award by Rotary Club, The St. Joseph Archdiocesan Medal of appreciation award presented by the Archbishop of Hartford and the 2014 YMCA Compass Award for service to young folks.

Michael Soltys

Mike and his wife Teresa, are both active members of St. Dominic Church. Mike has been a lector for years at Sunday and special masses and coordinates the St. Dominic Nourishes program feeding the local hungry. His years of service to the parish are highlighted by eight years as a Confirmation mentor, service on the Parish Council, including as Vice President. A current major local service commitment is to Bread for Life, where he serves as Board Chairman, now at an exciting point with plans proceeding to build a facility in Southington. Mike is an advisor for Youth Journalism International and a mentor for UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His family recently launched an endowed scholarship at UConn which awards an annual scholarship to a student pursuing Sports Information. Local community service has included a central role in the opening and first decade of the Imagine Nation Children’s Museum in Bristol, Board member of the Southington Chamber of Commerce, coaching Southington youth sports, including 11 years basketball, and on a sports information Advisory Board at the University of Hartford, where he earned his Master’s Degree in 1994. Mike’s awards include Media Relations Professional of the Year in 2005 by PR News, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s 2008 Katha Quinn Award for service,  the 2011 Southington Chamber of  Commerce Gail DePaolo Community Spirit Award and, along with Teresa, the 2013 Compass Award from the Southington YMCA. As a senior at UConn in 1980 Mike was the first intern hired by ESPN. He earned his bachelor’s in communications in 1981, magna cum laude and has spent his entire professional career with ESPN where he has since 2003 served as Vice President, Communications. Mike has played major role in the remarkable communications and public relations achievements of  ESPN.  Teresa and Mike are most proud of their four children:  Katie, a science teacher at JFK school; Sean, a Product Specialist at NBC in NYC: Christie graduates from UConn this year and will pursue a master’s in social work; and Jason, a junior at Southington H.S. 

Robin Taillie

Robin Taillie has been a resident of Southington for the past 20 years, having moved here from Waterbury with her husband John, and their three young children. While raising their children, Robin’s career in accounting, development and admissions was offset with various volunteering for both civic and Catholic school organizations. Robin served on the board for Southington South Youth Athletic Association (SSYAA) as secretary, and managed the concession stand at Recreation Park Baseball field for 7 years. While her children attended St. Bridget School in Cheshire, she served on the Home and School Association Board as Secretary, Treasurer, and Special Projects Chairperson. When the opportunity arose, Robin began the Development/Advancement Department at the school and helped increase the enrollment of students to more than 400 children for the Pre-K to 8^th grade elementary school. Robin received the H.O.P.E.S. (Help Our Parish Elementary Schools) award for her work at St. Bridget School from the Archdiocese of Hartford.  Robin served on the school board of Xavier High School in Middletown for three years, two years as the chairperson for the Advancement Committee, and later served on the Capital Campaign Cabinet for the $8 million building campaign.  Robin is a parishioner at Mary Our Queen Church. She completed the RCIA program in 1999, and has held several positions for various ministries of the church. Robin has taught CCD and Confirmation classes, has served as a lector and greeter, served on the Pastoral Council, chaired the 50^th anniversary celebration committee, serves on the scholarship committee, is a member of the knitting ministry, with the help of the youth ministry, organized the Drive-thru Living Nativity for 8 years and currently serves as the President of Our Lady’s Guild. Robin has been a volunteer for Southington Community Services since 2007 and gives 8-10 hours weekly. As a representative of SCS, she has organized many of the holiday programs at Mary Our Queen which benefit our Southington residents. Robin strongly believes in giving back and utilizing God given talents to the best of her ability.

Help the Giving Back Girls Fill That Firetruck

Let your friends know about this by linking it to your Facebook, Twitter or other network and add a comment below.

Help the Giving Back Girls 
Fill That Fire Truck
with food for our local hungry
with food donations for 
Southington Community Services

Saturday April 25, 2015

Southington Walmart

Time: 9:00am-3:00pm

Items in great need

Tuna fish Macaroni and Cheese Canned vegetables Household paper goods Canned fruit  

Canned pasta (example Chef boy r dee) Juice boxes Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothpaste)

Peanut butter Canned Soup Jelly Snacks Pasta sauce Cereal

The Magic and Mystery of Music

As published April 10, 2015 in The Southington Citizen 

Southington’s School District has received the prestigious distinction of recognition as a Best Community for Music Education, (BCME) by the NAMM, National Association of Music Merchants, affirming the community’s demonstrated excellence in music education. ”We have felt, for many years, that we have an excellent music education program. We take immense pride in this recognition.” said Jeff 
Shaw, Southington’s K-12 Music Specialist. “The designation validates the dedication of our talented staff who inspire the best in our students and the consistent support of our community.”

Music, memory and the mind

A breakthrough in mental health therapy?  Beyond the artistic, cultural, entertainment and spiritual value of music, a study by brain scientists at Northwestern University raises attention to increasing evidence of music’s positive role in driving student potential in education, strongly suggesting that students in community programs demonstrate correlative success in reading. Other studies link learning to play music with enhanced social skills and academic achievement, notably in mathematics and the development of cooperation in group settings.  Scholars have long pondered the mysteries of music and its potential to evoke human emotion and awaken the mind.  

Music as therapy

For over a decade we have witnessed the tragic effects of 21^st century warfare. Veterans care facilities and military hospitals have been assailed by the increasing numbers of returning veterans suffering from combat injuries, long-term disabilities and post-traumatic disorders resulting from mind shattering casualties. But, is there a ray of hope for untapped means of restoring a modicum of healing from the worst psychological cases?  Southington resident, proactive veterans advocate and community services volunteer, John DeMello, Sr. is amazed and excited by new possibilities for music as therapy for the mind and the memory. DeMello said: “The Veterans Hospital in Rocky Hill is reaching out for donations of headsets and iPods to provide personalized music therapy to stimulate the memory and minds of patients. DeMello invited me to join him on a visit to The Summit in Plantsville. There, Recreational Therapy Specialist, Barbara Blau, told us that they, too, are reaching out to citizens in the community to help by donating new or used iPods and headsets. “The iPods will enable caregivers of our new initiative to set the devices for patients to listen to music familiar to individual patients. Evidence suggests the potential of awakening individuals to times forgotten and may bring them a semblance of conscious living in the present.” Blau said. 

“ABC.com confirms that Music and Memory programs have shown promising progress in the quality of life of many patients.” Summit Marketing Coordinator, Colleen Donahue, said “Music for the memory has inter-generational applications. Whether for our many younger Veteran residents or a resident in our secure dementia unit, each can listen to music that is important to them. Music offers enjoyment; it can also spark memories, inspire conversation and soothe the soul.”

You Tube reports such as this are demonstrating breakthrough success in Music and Memory programs around the country and now it is coming to Southington. Your help with donations of iPods, headsets or monetary donations is vital. Contact The Summit of Plantsville or Southington Care Center to help. 

Music is on the mindsSouthington Care Center is also seeking donations of used iPods or MP3 players to engage residents in their music and memory program. SCC director of therapeutic recreation, Stacy Carleton said “Music has proved to be beneficial among various therapies for people with dementia.” DeMello said: “The American Legion Kiltonic Post 72 is seeking monetary donations along with iPods, download cards, headsets and charging units for care centers within our community and the Rocky Hill Veterans Alzheimer's center.”

CPTV reports: The benefits of music on the mind and body have been recognized since the days of the great philosophers. Twenty-four hundred years ago, Plato said: “Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything.”  Today, research continues to explore the mystery of music’s effects on emotions, intelligence, physical wellness and the developing use of therapeutic music in healing the mind and memory.