Vol. X, No. 7 Complimentary Friday, November 14, 2014 (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Boy Scouts collect food “The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in for Daily Bread the end.” MORE THAN Harriet Beecher Stowe 1,000 POUNDS DONATED TO LOCAL INSIDE FOOD BANK A8 — OPINION BY JASON BLEAU NEWS STAFF WRITER B1-4 — SPORTS PUTNAM — The hol- B6 — LEGALS idays are upon us, and B7 — REAL ESTATE while many may be com- fortable with their situ- B5-6— OBITS ation in life, others are B9-11 — CLASSIFIEDS barely getting by and may find it hard to provide a fitting meal this holiday Jason Bleau photos season. Boy Scouts from Troop 21 in Putnam display some of the food It’s this fact that helps LOCAL collected during their Nov. 8 food drive to benefit Daily Bread. inspire during the sea- son of giving and in At right: Northeastern Connecticut Chris Dundon, Junior Assistant Charlie Lentz photo things got off to a quick Scout Master of Troop 21, start with the Boy Scout and Carlo Lombardo, Assistant Troop 21 and Cargill Scout Master of Troop 21 TURKEY TROT Council 64 Food Drive on and Recorder for Knights of Nov. 8. Columbus Council 64, show THOMPSON — John Minervino and his For the bulk of the morn- some of the donations collected daughter, Brianna, from Haddam were two of ing, scouts from Troop 21 outside of Putnam Supermarket the more than 300 runners and walkers that stationed themselves at during the food drive on Nov. 8. converged on the meadow near West Thompson the Knight of Columbus Dam last Sunday, Nov. 9, for the Turkey Trot hall in Putnam and cross-country race. For more coverage, turn to pages A12 and A15! Please Read BOY SCOUTS, page A17 St Joseph School honors veterans with ceremony EES prepares for Goods and Services Auction Page A5 BY JASON BLEAU Services Auction is fast American should enjoy at spending money and it’s Disney World in Florida. NEWS STAFF WRITER approaching on Nov. least once in their lives. just a nice way to make However, the highest bid LEARNING EASTFORD — 22, and Chairman Holly “Every year the eighth sure every student gets item, which in recent Every year, Eastford Grube is gearing up for graders get to go on a trip to go.” years has brought in Elementary School calls what could be the biggest to Washington D.C., and Grube explained that around $600 in itself, is on the community to be year yet for the event. this pays for every stu- the auction includes the “principal for a day” a part of one of its biggest Grube explained that dent to go, so it’s no cost a very wide variety of prize where parents bid fundraising events to help the auction benefits to them, and that way if items ranging from gift on the chance to allow give students a chance to grades five through eight there is a family or two certificates to local shops their child to be principal see the nation’s Capitol. with the main purpose that can’t afford to go, and restaurants to signed of the school for the entire The Eastford of the fundraiser being it’s covered,” she said. “It sports memorabilia and day on the last school day Elementary School to help the eighth grad- pays for food and hotels, even a pack of four one- before the Christmas hol- Annual Goods and ers attend a trip any they get a little bit of day hopper passes to Walt Please Read AUCTION, page A17 Alumni Art Show honors Patrick Rosati officially Wood Page A6 wins state rep seat FINANCIAL FOCUS EDGES CESOLINI PAGE A7 BY LESS THAN 200 VOTES AKE THE INT BY JASON BLEAU T H NEWS STAFF WRITER PAGE A10 With 44th District State Rep. Mae Flexer vacating her post to move to the Senate in Hartford, a new face will take over rep- resenting Plainfield and parts of Killingly in the Capitol. After a hard fought race, Democrat Christine Rosati will officially take over the post in January Visit our website with Charlie Lentz photo after defeating Republican your smart phone or tablet Donna Grant, executive director of TEEG, with her grandchildren Taelyn Colwell, left, John Cesolini by less than Jason Bleau photo device! and Alexa Colwell, at the Turkey Trot 5K race in Thompson last Sunday. 200 votes in the Nov. 4 Killingly resident Christine Just scan the “QR code” election. Rosati had held Rosati, who was victorious in below with your device and off on declaring victory her bid for the 44th District instantly be linked to our on Nov. 4 until Cesolini state representative seat, website, www.villagernews- Giving back to her community conceded on Wednesday, addresses her supporters at papers.com, where you can Nov. 5 (after the Villager’s a post-election party Nov. 4. read the PDF versions of GRANT LENDS HELPING HAND deadline for the Nov. 7 edi- our newspapers! It’s as easy tion) after concerns with out the campaign. I met as that! AS DIRECTOR OF TEEG the polls, including one many wonderful people district in Killingly whose and spent a lot of time lis- BY CHARLIE LENTZ better living for my club, my com- ballots had to be count- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER tening to their concerns. munity, my country and my world,” ed by hand, held up the I’m very grateful for those THOMPSON — Donna Grant can Grant said. results until well into the who shared their stories still remember the motto she learned Apparently Grant took her pledge night on Election Day. and to everyone who came when she was 10 years old and joined very seriously. She is the execu- “I’m very excited and out to vote. Now it’s my the 4-H youth organization. tive director of TEEG (Thompson honored to have this job to carry their voices “Health, heart, hands, and head — Ecumenical Empowerment Group), opportunity to be the next to Hartford and I’m very I pledge my head to clearer thinking, and has been with the agency for 16 state representative for grateful for this opportu- my heart to greater loyalty, my hands our district,” said Rosati nity.” to larger service, and my health to Please Read GRANT, page A13 following her win. “It was a lot of hard work through- Please Read ROSATI, page A13 A2 • Friday, November 14, 2014 VILLAGER NEWSPAPERS The first class of the KHS Sports Hall of Fame I recently had an e-mail 1921-1924. After high school ketball scorer. Art was cap- 1967-1969 and was a mem- from Elaine Knowlton, cura- he attended the Connecticut tain of the baseball, track ber of the All-ECC Football tor of the Brooklyn Historical Agricultural College where and basketball teams. While team in 1969 and was second Society Museum, in response he played for the Aggies KILLIngLY a member of the track team, team All-State. He also played to my query for information (Now UConn Huskies) he broke the school record in Basketball from 1967-1970. He about the Windham County from 1925-1927. Arthur con- at 300 long jump in 1951. He was also was an outstanding member Bank, which was opened tinued to shine in college a member of the Class B State of the Killingly High School in that town in 1822. She and was All-New England Champion 1951 880 M Relay baseball team from 1967-1970. wrote that the entry for the Fullback in 1927; he was MARGARET Team. His baseball batting aver- Brooklyn Public Library in the third leading scorer in WEAVER The initial group to be age in 1968 was .473; in 1969, the Brooklyn Green Historic the Eastern United States. inducted into Killingly’s .393; in 1970, .500. Boisclair Survey listed the following: He continued to compete Sports Hall of Fame includes was selected to the All-ECC “The southern half of the con- in other sports and played of 321-130-5 and was induct- two outstanding teams. The Baseball Team in 1969 and tributing property (library) Connecticut Agricultural ed into the CT High School first is the 1952 KHS football 1970. He received a Baseball was constructed in 1822 to College Basketball from 1926- Coaches Association Hall team, which ended the season Scholarship to Arkansas house the Windham County 1928, serving as captain in of Fame 1991. He was also with a record of 9-0. The team State. He was drafted by Bank.” 1928. He also played baseball given the CT Sports Writers scored 343 points on offense Major League Baseball’s New Photos from a later era at the college from 1925-1928. Alliance Gold Key Award in and only gave up 40 points on York Mets in 1970. He played show the building when it Pop went on to play in the NFL 2005. defense. It was captained by for New York Mets organiza- was owned by the Brooklyn for five years. Four of those Norman “Joe” Allard was a the Howard Twins — Brad and tion from 1974-1979. In 1980 Savings Bank. years were spent with the member of the Killingly High Bruce Howard. Jim Burns led Bruce played in Japan for the I know that many of you Providence Steamrollers who School Class of 1951. He played the state in scoring with 108 Hashin Tigers. have an interest in sports fig- won the NFL Championship KHS football from 1947-1950 points.