“Gosh, it just felt like it would never end. But of course, it did.” - Jimmy Stewart, on World War II WOODSTOCK VILLAGER Friday, October 2, 2020 Serving Eastford, Pomfret & Woodstock since 2005 Complimentary to homes by request New local independent and assisted living facility opens Photo Courtesy Pictured from left: Donna Copeland, Executive Director CLAWC and NE Chamber President, Herbert Czermak, CLAWC Owner, David T. Panteleakos, CLAWC Owner and Donna LaHaie, CLAWC Director of Financial Services. Row 2: Ann-Marie Aubrey, Killingly Town Planner, Mary Calorio, Killingly Town Manager and Jill St. Clair, Killingly Economic Development Coordinator. Row 3: Betti Kuszaj, Executive Director of the NE CT Chamber, Lynn Weaver, Treasurer of the NE CT Chamber and VP of Farm Credit East, Shawn Johnston, VP of NE CT Chamber and Doug Porter, Trustee of NE CT Chamber and owner of Woodstock Building Associates. DAYVILLE — After 20 years of planning and the garage, a large two story great room for dining and for the retired citizens in our region. Through the last 18 months of construction, Country Living at entertainment, café, Irish pub, movie theater, family years, we have been so impressed by our local town Westview Commons, a new 75 unit independent and gathering center, library, outdoor gazebo with walk- officials for their assistance with navigating and assisted living facility located at 117 Ware Rd. in ing trails, gardens and a large exterior water feature guidance in establishing such a significant property Dayville opened its doors on Sept. 14. at the entrance. in our local area. To celebrate the opening, a ribbon cutting cere- “We greatly appreciate all of the support we have “Also, working with Provost & Rovero, Inc. and mony was held at the facility with local town offi- received for this significant investment in our com- Engineered Construction International, Inc. out of cials and members of the Northeast Connecticut munity,” stated David T. Panteleakos, Executive Plainfield for our architectural/engineering designs Chamber of Commerce. The $19.5 million project Vice President and one of the owners of Westview and construction management services made all touts a 115,000 square foot state-of-the-art two story Commons. “Dating back to 1999, we began the quest building including a lower level indoor parking for establishing this type of housing and services Turn To WESTVIEW page A3 ISMA big-block supermodifieds return to Thompson for World Series THOMPSON — Officials from the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) and American-Canadian Tour (ACT) announced today that the Big-Block Supermodifieds of the International Supermodified Association (ISMA) will be returning to Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park for the 58th Annual World Series of Speedway Racing. The ISMA Supermodifieds are one of 19 divisions that will be racing at Thompson as part of the World Series from Friday, Oct. 9 through Sunday, Oct. 11. The breathtaking Big-Block Supermods will compete for 50 laps and join the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season Photo Courtesy finale along with the PASS Super Late Models on the final The ISMA Big Block Supermodifieds have been added to the schedule day of racing. for the World Series of Speedway Racing at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Turn To ISMA page A7 Solar projects underway Local event to honor Vietnam veterans at Brooklyn schools WILLIMANTIC — The behalf of a grateful Nation. To thank and honor Vietnam Windham Region Chamber of This national commem- veterans including former BROOKLYN — Solar proj- will also be selling off Zero Commerce’s Military Service oration was authorized by POW’s and MIA’s and their ect installations are official- Emission Renewable Energy Council and the Windham Congress, established under families, and to highlight the ly underway at Brooklyn Credits, or ZRECs, generat- Region Veterans Coffeehouse the Secretary of Defense and service of our Armed Forces, Middle School and Brooklyn ing another $70,000 a year in will honor all Vietnam Era launched by the President the contributions of our fed- Elementary School. These new revenues over the next veterans for their service and of the United States. The eral agencies, non-government projects position the town to fifteen years CSW Energy, a sacrifice on Saturday, Oct. 3 Department of Defense relies on organizations, and at home realize combined savings of Connecticut-based solar proj- at 10 a.m. Any veteran who its Commemorative Partners, American citizens, to highlight approximately $170,000 a year ect developer, is managing serviced at any time on active like the Chamber, to bring the the technology, science and in energy costs over the next the projects on behalf of the duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, ceremony to life in hometown medical advances made during twenty or more years by pro- Brooklyn Board of Education regardless of location, during America. the war and to recognize the viding nearly 100 percent of (Brooklyn BOE). the period of Nov. 1, 1955 to May The United States Vietnam contributions and sacrifices each school’s required elec- Brooklyn BOE’s roof-mount- 15, 1975, is eligible to receive a War Commemoration exists to tricity from onsite solar. In Turn To VETERANS page A3 Turn To SOLAR page A7 Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin on fulfill the following objectives: addition to savings, the town A2 • Friday, October 2, 2020 VILLAGER NEWSPAPERS Amelia Earhart visits Northeastern Connecticut Blumenthal.” explorer, of New York in his mother’s pened and where in the Pacific her life “Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam, best New England home overlooking Long ended. After seeing old photos of possible known woman aviatrix, was added to Island Sound.” (https://www.ameli- wreckage near a tiny island now known KILLIngLY the list of famous personages who have aearhartmuseum.org/AmeliaEarhart/ as Nikumaroro Island, noted deep-sea AT visited Danielson informally when NewsClips/clip310207.htm). scientist Robert Ballard, who found 300 she passed through here Sunday after- “Putnam first met Earhart in 1928, the wreckage of the Titanic, continues noon, stopping for gasoline and chat- when he was searching for a woman the search. “Until recently, Dr. Ballard ting sociably with the station manag- pilot to be the first to fly across the accepted the Navy’s version of Earhart’s MARGARET er, A. P. Burns. Her encounter with Atlantic, albeit with a male flight crew fate: On July 2, 1937, near the end of their WEAVER State Officer Lionel Poirier over on the at the controls. Grandson of the publish- round-the-world flight, the aviator and Brooklyn road, however, was neither ing company’s founder, Putnam had a her navigator, Fred Noonan, vanished business nor social, yet it ended pleas- taste for adventure and hit the jackpot a over the Pacific. After a lengthy and t’s hard to believe that it’s October antly enough. Officer Poirier stopped the year earlier, by publishing We, Charles costly search, the Navy concluded on already. Keeping that in mind I decided intrepid flyer, who was operating a large Lindberg’s best selling account of his July 18, 1937, that the two died shortly once again to look back through the sedan, to inquire why she was stepping historic solo flight from New York to after crashing into the ocean. But in years and see what was happening in along at the rate of fifty miles an hour. Paris. Putnam realized that if he could 2012, an old friend presented Dr. Ballard Killingly in Octobers past. This time I She explained that she was competent to publish the story of the first woman to with a startling alternative.” According chose to look at extracts Marilyn Labbe handle the machine and that she had not make the journey, he would score anoth- to an August 12, 2019 New York Times had done from 1933. The following were thought that speed unreasonable under er blockbuster… article by Julie Cohn, plans are under- from the Oct. 5, 1933 Windham County the driving conditions existing at the “The historic flight left Newfoundland way to continue the search. To read Transcript. time. After some friendly discussion of on June 17 and touched down in Wales more and see a map of Earhart’s pro- “The Sunday matinee at the Orpheum the laws of the state, Mrs. Putnam was 20 hours and 49 minutes later. Although posed route go to https://www.nytimes. Theatre, operated last week for the first permitted to go with a warning to use Earhart sourly compared her role as com/2019/08/12/science/amelia-ear- time, proved to be a popular feature and due care.” passenger to that of ‘a sack of potatoes’ it hart-search-robert-ballard.html. was well attended.” I found that article fascinating since, made her world famous, just as Putnam The mail is being checked although “Miss Georgia Burroughs’ kinder- although I had heard of Amelia Earhart, planned.” (The Connecticut Magazine the Killingly Historical and Genealogical garten opened Tuesday morning with I had not known she had married. I had this most intriguing article. (MSP 9, Center is closed. Please send your the following twelve pupils: Mary and was curious to find out more so did a The George Palmer Putnam Collection membership renewals to P.O. Box 265 Kathleen Brennan, Valerie Caron, Google search. I was not disappointed of Amelia Earhart Papers, courtesy of Danielson, CT 06239. Janice Danielson, Hope and Patricia in the number of sites offering infor- Purdue University Archives). Gilbert, Charles and Marilyn Mills, mation. Did you know that Amelia Amelia gained even more renown Margaret M. Weaver Killingly Jacqueline Roberts, Oswald Street, Jr., even had an Eastern Connecticut con- when she made her first solo flight cross Municipal Historian, September 2020.