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Mailed free to requesting homes in Thompson Vol. VIII, No. 22 Complimentary to homes by request (860) 928-1818/e-mail: [email protected] FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 THIS WEEK’S QVCC Foundation scholarships benefit student learning QUOTE ‘IT WAS THE EXTRA HELP I NEEDED’ “The wisest mind has something yet BY MERYL E. WILLETT of the Foundation since 1991. Osbrey VILLAGER STAFF WRITER to learn.” explained that while funds are col- DANIELSON — The QVCC lected all year long, there are several Foundation awards scholarships main fundraising events that help to George Santayana each year, and this year, more than sustain the level of giving that the $90,000 in assistance will be awarded foundation is able to distribute each to students on May 1 during the year, including The QVCC Foundation’s Scholarship Night. Foundation Spelling Bee and the One hundred percent of donations foundation’s annual golf tourna- made to the QVCC Foundation are ment. Osbrey said while her role as INSIDE retained locally and directly benefits president is primarily that of leader- the people of the Quiet Corner who ship, she does not operate single- A8 — OPINION are taking classes at Quinebaug handedly. Valley Community College. “I was first asked to join the A12 — SPORTS Courtesy photos QVCC Foundation President B2 — CALENDAR Team Danielson Rotary enjoys the QVCC Foundation’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament. Karen Osbrey said she has been part Please Read SCHOLARSHIP, page A17 B3— OBITS B4 — RELIGION B5 — CLASSIFIEDS Ten years later, Morin remembered LOCAL FAMILY, FRIENDS REMEMBER LOCAL VICTIM OF RI NIGHTCLUB FIRE BY MERYL E. WILLETT inside the club as sound- passion for the past 10 years, VILLAGER STAFF WRITER proofing, resulting in the and plan to continue remem- THOMPSON — death of 100 people. bering and honoring him Wednesday, Feb. 20 marked Among those who lost well into the future. the 10th anniversary of the their lives in the fire was His mother, Susan Morin, Rhode Island Night Club Thompson resident Ryan recalled the night she Fire in West Warwick, R.I. Morin, who at the time was learned that her son, Ryan, Survivors and family just 31 years old. was missing. members of those who lost With the anniversary of “It was a horror — he had their lives in the disaster the fire, Morin’s family and just found Ms. Right. Had observed the 10th anniver- friends shared memories, been pre-approved for a Environmental sary of the blaze by gather- and remembered him as an mortgage, he was settling Photos courtesy Emily Groves ing at the site. The fire broke adventurer, a son, and a into his life. He was getting Andrew Morrison, of Thompson, eagerly awaits a bite at award friend, celebrating his spirit. ready for a back packing trip out when pyrotechnics for Sunday’s Bousquet’s Appliance Ice Fishing Derby at Valley the rock band Great White Those connected to Ryan to New Zealand, he loved Page A4 Springs Sportman’s Club in North Grosvenordale. ignited flammable packing Morin in life have continued to carry on his legacy and foam that had been installed Please Read MORIN, page A16 SPORTS Ice fishing derby hooks $5.3K for The Arc BY MERYL E. WILLETT Wrestling action VILLAGER STAFF WRITER THOMPSON — For the Page A12 past 20 years, Bousquet’s Appliance has held an annual ice-fishing derby, raising money for local EVERDAY ECOLOGIST non-profits. PAGE A5 This year, the ice-fishing derby,held Sunday,Feb. 17, FOR YOUR HEALTH from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Valley Springs PAGE A7 Sportsman’s Club in FIRE AND ICE North Grosvenordale, ben- efited The Arc of CUTLINES: Meryl E. Willett photos Quinebaug Valley, and raised $5,300 for the organ- PUTNAM — On Saturday, Feb. 16, the streets ization. of downtown Putnam were transformed into a Funds raised through Lauren Bousquet, of Putnam, romantic wonderland, for the 2nd Annual Fire the event will be used & Ice Festival. Sponsored by Victoria Station shows off a golden trout she towards The Arc’s next caught at the derby. Café, the event was met with great success. capital project, the instal- lation of an accessible Above, What later became a fish, this volun- ble to provide supports bathroom and shower, and teer carver starts out by chipping away at his that reflect dignity,respect a training kitchen, all on ice block at around noon in front of the and choice for individuals the second floor of the Antiques Market Place. with disabilities now and Cook Hill Road Office and in the years to come,” said Right, The first professional demonstration Training Center. The Arc of Quinebaug was held in front of Victoria Station Café. A “The Arc is extremely Valley Executive Director grateful to Jeff Bousquet Visit our website with sculpture of Cupid was made, and is still on Susan Desrosiers. display in front of the coffee shop. and the entire team at Participants paid a $50 your smart phone or tablet Bousquet’s Appliance for device! registration fee at the ice- For more photos, turn to page A14! their generosity.This com- fishing derby to work two Just scan the “QR code” munity has made it possi- below with your device and Please Read DERBY, page A18 instantly be linked to our website, www.villagernews- papers.com, where you can read the PDF versions of our newspapers! It’s as easy Hospital unveils new portrait of facility’s namesake as that! BY MERYL E WILLETT Moses Day Kimball, the hospi- time an actual photo of Moses VILLAGER STAFF WRITER tal’s namesake. Day Kimball was unveiled. PUTNAM — Each year on The tradition of commemo- The unveiling of the portrait Valentine’s Day, the Women’s rating Moses Day Kimball has finally put a face to the name of Board of Day Kimball Hospital been going on for many years, the man, for whom the hospital celebrates the birthday of and is always held on his birth- received its name, answering day, Feb. 14. In year’s past, the the question — who was Moses Women’s Board would bring a Day Kimball? Meryl E. Willett photo birthday cake to the hospital for “Everyone at the hospital has the employees, but this year been very excited to see his por- Pamela Watts and Cheryl brought an additional reason Bozorgmanesh with the portrait of Moses Day Kimball. for celebrating, and for the first Please Read PORTRAIT, page A10 A2 • Friday, February 22, 2013 THOMPSON VILLAGER More abolitionists from the Quiet Corner t’s hard to believe that, since this perance…during his residence in Dan Jackson sent an e-mail the in a future column. Please continue is not a leap year, this is also the Providence he espoused the anti-slav- same day and did have some knowl- to share your memories about the last Friday of February and KILLINGLY ery cause and attended the meetings edge of Twin Maples. businesses you remember. IBlack History Month. AT 300 when no church would open its door “Your 2/8 column brought back If you do not have e-mail, you can I’d like to briefly mention two addi- to these ‘righteous fanatics.’ …After many memories with that list of 1963 call the Killingly Historical Center. tional abolitionists from northeast- his return to Brooklyn he was associ- ads from the Transcript. You asked Since Adam Minor, editor of this ern Connecticut that I have come MARGARET ated for years in the anti-slavery about Twin Maples — it later became paper, has been putting this column across. The first is from Killingly,the WEAVER cause with many noble men of the “Hank’s” on Rt. 6 in Brooklyn. I’m in other issues of the Villager, please second from Brooklyn. Horatio T. town, the Scarborough brothers, not sure if the maples are still there. feel free to email memories of busi- Strother’s “The Underground Edwin and Perrin, Kimballs, Stetson, They sponsored my dad’s bowling nesses in other towns. I’m sure most Railroad in Connecticut” lists Williams, Whitcombs and others. team at Friendly Bowl for many of us have shopped in many stores Prosper Alexander of Killingly as ing runaway slaves. In addition his They suffered persecution by social years (nice shirts!). And Durable’s at that were not in our own town. one of the Underground Railroad property was not far from the rail- isolation. No name was too opprobri- the time was in the Risom Mill on agents in Eastern Connecticut road in Dayville, was on a main east- ous to apply. ‘Black abolitionist, Mechanic St. and would later move to Margaret M. Weaver is the Killingly (Appendix 2, p. 211). west thoroughfare between Hartford amalgamationist,’ and use of the ‘N’ the Rt. 6 Brooklyn Plaza, then to Rt. Municipal Historian. Thanks to Dan Born in 1785, the son of Nell and and Providence, and was not far from word were convenient epithets. In 101 in Dayville (later Ames). They Jackson, Cal Buckley, and Florence Esther (Smith) Alexander, Prosper the main north-south road between Siebert’s The Underground Railroad were the first “department” store in Evans for sharing information used was the great-grandson of the first eastern Connecticut and the Oxford, his name appears as one of the the area and coincidentally they sold in this column. For additional infor- Nell Alexander (originally Ellick- Massachusetts area (present-day “Conductors and Operatives.” No the plastic model kits Dave Dorion mation visit the Killingly Historical Saunder/s) who settled near the pres- Route 12). Prosper and his first wife panting fugitive was ever turned used to get at Duffy’s in the ‘50s.