A Second Honeymoon with a Chevy

Mailed free to requesting homes in Thompson Vol. IX, No. 47 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] Friday, August 15, 2014 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE A second honeymoon with a Chevy “The quantity PUTNAM COUPLE ENJOYING CLASSIC of civilization is measured by CAR WITH RENEWED PURPOSE the quality of BY CHARLIE LENTZ The children grew up and VILLAGER STAFF WRITER moved out, and the Chevy got imagination.” PUTNAM — Sixty-five years traded in, but it always held a ago, Marion and Stan Shaw place in their hearts. exchanged wedding vows — and “It was a two-door sedan … Victor Hugo then bought a brand new 1949 gray,” Stan said. Chevrolet Deluxe for $1,995 that Now the couple has grand- served them well over the years children to cart around, so five carting their children around. years ago at the Brooklyn Fair, INSIDE Stan spotted a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe and got the itch to get A8 — OPINION Charlie Lentz photo back in the driver’s seat. Stan and Marion Shaw stand beside B1-3 — SPORTS their 1950 Chevrolet. Please Read SHAW, page A12 B2 — LEGALS B4 — REAL ESTATE B SECT— OBITS B7-9 — CLASSIFIEDS Thompson voters approve LOCAL $500K for sewer project VOTE THE RESULT OF HIGH BIDS FOR INITIATIVE BY JASON BLEAU initiative on top of the million to $2.4 million VILLAGER STAFF WRITER funding already allocat- and that’s because when THOMPSON — In a ed in the past. the bids came through, move that further solid- First Selectman Paul they were high and that ifies the public’s sup- Lenky shared the details had to do with the bor- port of the Marianapolis of the vote and why the ing that was going on,” sewer project, Thompson increase was required Lenky said. “The length taxpayers turned out to for the project to prog- of that boring was a little cast their paper ballot ress. bit longer so the machine “It was basically to add they need to use is a lit- votes on Aug. 7, voting Charlie Lentz photo 301-69 to allow the allo- $500,000 to the money tle bigger to handle that, cation of $500,000 more that was already appro- Carol Coffin stands with her quilt, “Maple Leaves,” just in USDA funding for the priated and go from $1.9 Please Read VOTE, page A12 one quilt in her show at Thompson Public Library. Her Patriots cheerleaders show, “Quilts from the Hill,” runs through Aug. 28. tackle hectic schedules Page A3 ‘Quilts from the SPORTS Hill’ a lesson in overcoming adversity BY CHARLIE LENTZ Daniel — in Moosup VILLAGER STAFF WRITER and lived there for 24 NORTH years. She grew up in GROSVENORDALE Foster, R.I. — seeming- — Carol Coffin’s story ly in a chapter right out reads like one of the of “Little House on the Springer gets settlers who attended Prairie.” A learning reacquainted at quilting bees on the disability slotted her Deary run Great Plains of early in a special education 1800’s. track that seemed a Page B1 The oldest of 12 chil- dead end and her father A BUSY WEEKEND IN PUTNAM dren, yanked out of had no patience for her Charlie Lentz photos school to work on the schooling. family farm, married “My father got mad FINANCIAL FOCUS Racing through downtown streets, Andrew Springer, right, runs side by side with Will as a teenager — at 10 and pulled me out of Sanders, left, as Scott Leslie, center, trails by a few steps in the Deary Memorial Five years old she helped school at age 16 to work PAGE A9 Mile Road Race Saturday, Aug. 9, in Putnam. Springer, from Westerly, R.I., claimed vic- her mother bring a on the farm and help tory in the men’s division. Jackie Baumgartner, from North Branford, captured first place MINOR DETAILS baby brother into the raise the children,” in the women’s division. Coverage of the race begins on page B1 in Villager Sports! world in a home deliv- said Coffin, 64. “But PAGE A8 ery. that didn’t work out too PUTNAM — The 25th Annual Deary Memorial Five Mile Road Race. The Like the patches she much for him because I 17th Annual Arc Rubber Duckie Race. The Main Street Car Cruise. It was a carefully stitches on ended up meeting my very couple of days in Putnam last weekend as the Quiet Corner converged her quilts, Coffin is a husband and got mar- on Putnam for one of the town’s signature weekends, which included the road survivor. Her easy ried at 17 and moved race on Saturday, and the rubber duckie race and the car cruise on Sunday. smile and sparkling out of Rhode Island.” eyes belie a hardscrab- She and her husband, A bulldozer dumps 3,606 rub- ble upbringing and her Curtis Coffin, moved to ber duckies into the Quinebaug struggle to overcome Connecticut and she River last Sunday, July 10, for a learning disabili- was a “stay-at-home the Arc Rubbie Duckie Race. At ty. Coffin’s quilts are mom” for 31 years. Her $5 a pop, the sale of the duckies testimony to her will husband died 14 years Visit our website with raised $18,030 to benefit The Arc and are displayed in ago and Coffin was your smart phone or tablet Quinebaug Valley, a not-for-prof- “Quilts from the Hill” thrust into the role of device! it organization serving individuals at Thompson Public breadwinner. Without Just scan the “QR code” with intellectual, developmental, Library. The exhibi- a high school educa- below with your device and and other life-affecting disabilities tion runs through Aug. tion, her employment instantly be linked to our and their families since 1952. 28. options were limited. website, www.villagernews- Laura Logsdon, from Thompson, Coffin has lived in “I had to earn an papers.com, where you can bought the duckie that won the Thompson for the last income. So I started read the PDF versions of race, earning her a one-night stay 14 years. She raised our newspapers! It’s as easy at Fox Hill Farm and a gift card at two boys — Curtis and Please Read QUILTS, page A12 as that! Hank’s Restaurant. Brooklyn teen center ‘more than just a hangout place’ BY JASON BLEAU center up and running in the town approved allo- now at about 65 percent We are in the process VILLAGER CORRESPONDENT the early months of the cating funds for the teen to 75 percent finished,” now of getting donations BROOKLYN — As new school year. center during the budget Gaudreau said. “A lot of of furniture and pools the new school year According to season, and now it’s a the painting is done and tables and all of those approaches, strong Recreation Commission matter of making finish- we have to steam clean things. The last thing we efforts are being made to Chairman Mike ing touches and adding the rugs. We’ve changed will do is go out to bid for have Brooklyn’s new teen Gaudreau, a lot of prog- personnel. all the bathroom fixtures ress has been made since “We’re probably right to fit adult sized people. Please Read TEEN CENTER, page A12 A2 • Friday, August 15, 2014 VILLAGER NEWSPAPERS Alexander’s Lake, bike safety and other tidbits Thank you to Roger Salvas made, he thought that it per- E. Hall of Pittsfield, and a with the calliope, without and others who called the haps dated to the 1920’s or sister, Mrs. Fred Sibley. which no circus parade would Historical Center or sent so. The following article from Burial was in Oak Grove be complete, bringing up in information about Alice the Aug. 31, 1922 Windham KILLINGLY cemetery, Springfield, the rear. And then came a Ramsdell’s train “Locomotive County Transcript from the MA.” (22 January 1931) surprise, for Leaping Leva #9” and the WW&F Railway Alexander Lake file may help AT 300 “Daylight Saving or Amos ‘n’ Andy’s open air Museum. me determine a date (unless Effective Sunday. Although taxi came down the street I’m a little late with the some of you already know there has been no official performing some marvelous “thank yous,” since I was in when it was built). MARGARET declaration of approval by automotive antics. Taken as a Pennsylvania visiting my “Purchases Part of WEAVER the Chamber of Commerce, whole, the parade was great- mother, who turned 94 on Alexander Property. A real Killingly and surround- ly enjoyed by the watching July 24. estate transaction attracting ing towns will very gen- throngs.” Avery Tillinghast stopped wide interest is that of the “The event [would] con- erally adopt a daylight Do any of you older resi- at the Killingly Historical purchase of Wildwood Park clude with a king and queen saving schedule of time next dents remember this circus or Center recently to glance at and 166 acres of the Alexander being crowned and 1st and Sunday morning, clocks being other circuses that visited the the Alexander’s Lake file in estate bordering the lake by 2nd runners-up announced.” advanced one hour to conform area? (7/2/1931) preparation for a newsletter P.J. Sheridan of Putnam. (WCT 8/6/64) with the time which will be in The same paper carried and, of course, my curiosity The land acquired is on the I’d love to hear from anyone use in all the larger cities and news of an accident that sad- got the better of me.

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