Monthly Archives: April 2013

Essex Savings Bank Announces Community Investment Program Results

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Results of the recent voting by Essex Savings Bank customers who participated in the Bank’s Community Investment Program were announced at a meeting of employees, directors and trustees at the Bank’s Plains Road Office on Wednesday, April 17.  The Top Ten Winners in attendance received special recognition.

The customer balloting portion of Essex Savings Bank’s 2013 Community Investment Program, began on Feb. 1 and concluded on March 15.  During the first phase of the program, the Bank’s customers were asked to select from a list of 71 qualified non-profit organizations that made application to the bank.

Gregory R. Shook, President and Chief Executive Officer of Essex Savings Bank stated, “Our Community Investment Program is designed to provide vital financial support and visibility to these dedicated organizations and their people who enhance the quality of life in our communities.”

Each year the bank donates 10% of its after tax net income to non-profit organizations within the immediate market area consisting of Lyme and Old Lyme as well as Chester, Deep River, Essex, Madison, Old Saybrook and Westbrook.

According to Thomas Lindner, Vice President and Community Relations Officer for Essex Savings Bank, 7,180 votes were cast this year.  Lindner commented that $77,400 is to be disbursed during the month of April based on ballot results.  The remaining $180,591 will be distributed over the year by the Director’s, Senior Management and Branch Managers.  By year end 2013, $257,991 will have been allocated to over 200 organizations bringing the total distribution since the inception of the program in 1996 to $3,673,544.

Essex Savings Bank is a FDIC insured, state chartered, mutual savings bank established in 1851.  The Bank serves the Connecticut River Valley and Shoreline with six offices in Essex (2), Chester, Madison, Old Lyme and Old Saybrook.  Financial, estate, insurance and retirement planning are offered throughout the state by the Bank’s Trust Department and subsidiary Essex Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC.  Investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities are not FDIC insured, may lose value, are not a deposit, have no Bank guarantee and are not insured by any Federal Government Agency.

RESULTS OF ESSEX SAVINGS BANK CUSTOMER BALLOTING COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM 2013

 

Organization

# Votes

$

Amount

1

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries

708

$7,632

2

Valley Shore Animal Welfare League

391

$4,215

3

Forgotten Felines, Inc.

328

$3,536

4

Old Saybrook Fire Company Number One, Inc.

287

$3,094

5

Estuary Council of Seniors, Inc. – Meals on Wheels

275

$2,964

6

Tait’s Every Animal Matters (TEAM)

263

$2,835

7

Pet Connections, Inc.

215

$2,318

8

Essex Library Association

212

$2,285

9

Bikes For Kids, Inc.

184

$1,983

10

The Lyme Fire Company, Inc.

171

$1,843

11

Camp Hazen YMCA

170

$1,833

12

Old Lyme Fire Department, Inc.

155

$1,671

13

Bushy Hill Nature Center

154

$1,660

14

Lyme Ambulance Association, Inc.

151

$1,628

15

Ivoryton Library Association

139

$1,498

16

Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.

138

$1,488

17

Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation, Inc.

136

$1,466

18

Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau, Inc.

115

$1,240

19

Essex Community Fund, Inc.

114

$1,229

20

Friends of the Acton Public Library

112

$1,207

21

Lyme Land Conservation Trust, Inc.

111

$1,197

22

Deep River Ambulance Association, Inc.

110

$1,186

23

Graduation Night, Inc. – Old Saybrook

108

$1,164

24

Old Saybrook Education Foundation

108

$1,164

25

Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library Association

102

$1,100

26

The Connecticut River Museum at Steamboat Dock

91

$981

27

Chester Historical Society

85

$916

28

Old Lyme Land Trust, Inc.

84

$905

29

Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association, Inc.

82

$884

30

Literacy Volunteers – Valley Shore, CT, Inc.

74

$798

31

Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau

73

$787

32

Community Music School

72

$776

33

Westbrook Youth and Family Services, Inc.

72

$776

34

Lyme Public Library, Inc.

68

$733

35

Deep River Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps, Inc.

67

$722

36

Friends of the Chester Public Library, Inc.

66

$711

37

Essex Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, Inc.

64

$690

38

Essex Historical Society, Inc.

62

$668

39

Old Saybrook Historical Society

59

$636

40

Essex Garden Club, Inc.

58

$625

41

Florence Griswold Museum

57

$614

42

Friends of Hammonasset, Inc.

57

$614

43

Common Good Gardens, Inc.

56

$604

44

Maritime Education Network, Inc.

52

$561

45

Old Lyme South End Volunteer Association, Inc.

51

$550

46

Friends of the Deep River Public Library, Inc.

50

$539

47

Lyme Art Association, Inc.

48

$517

48

Lyme Public Hall Association, Inc.

47

$507

49

Scranton Library, Madison (E.C. Scranton Memorial Library)

47

$507

50

Vista Vocational & Life Skills Center, Inc.

47

$507

51

Westbrook Project Graduation, Inc.

47

$507

52

Madison Ambulance Association, Inc.

44

$474

53

Friends In Service Here (F.I.S.H.)

43

$464

54

Lyme-Old Lyme Education Foundation

41

$442

55

Hope Partnership, Inc.

39

$420

56

Cappella Cantorum

38

$410

57

Camp Claire, Inc.

35

$377

58

Con Brio Choral Society, Inc.

34

$367

59

Lyme Consolidated School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)

34

$367

60

Ruth Ann Heller Music Foundation

32

$345

61

Old Lyme Historical Society, Inc.

31

$334

62

Friends of the Valley Railroad, Inc.

29

$313

63

The Country School, Inc.

28

$302

64

Friends of Madison Youth, Inc.

27

$291

65

Old Saybrook Community Foundation, Inc.

27

$291

66

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts

25

$269

67

Act II Thrift Shop, Inc.

20

$216

68

Madison Historical Society, Inc.

17

$183

69

Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club (LOLJWC)

15

$162

70

Tracy Art Center, Inc.

15

$162

71

Connecticut Audubon Society Eco Travel

13

$140

‘Pearl Twirl’ at LAA Celebrates Community Music School’s 30th Year

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From left to right, Chris Lawrie of Landscape Specialties, Dawn Swope of Community Music School, Greg Shook of Essex Savings Bank, Pearl Twirl Event Chairman Monique Heller, Community Music School student Giovanna Parnoff and Mary Tomassetti of Landscape Specialties try out props for the Pearl Twirl 30th anniversary gala.

From left to right, Chris Lawrie of Landscape Specialties, Dawn Swope of Community Music School, Greg Shook of Essex Savings Bank, Pearl Twirl Event Chairman Monique Heller, Community Music School student Giovanna Parnoff and Mary Tomassetti of Landscape Specialties try out props for the Pearl Twirl 30th anniversary gala.

The Community Music School will be celebrating 30 years of building community with music, drinks and savory bites befitting the milestone occasion.  The Pearl Twirl: A Swellegant Affair will be held at the Lyme At Association on Saturday, April 20, from 6 p.m. onward.

Since its inception, the school has grown from five instructors teaching 40 students to 30 instructors teaching over 500 students of all ages through private and group lessons, instrumental and voice ensembles, orchestras, music therapy, special events, and summer programs.

Presented by Landscape Specialties, The Pearl Twirl: A Swellegant Affair, will exemplify this rich history of growth and accomplishment while raising funds to support scholarships, music therapy services and community outreach.

Pearl Twirlers can look forward to a cocktail party on the lawn of the Lyme Art Association (LAA) from 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring Swing Era music performed by CMS faculty, elegant hors d’oeuvres prepared by River Tavern, fine wine provided by Angelini Wine, a fun photo booth, and a silent and live auction of exciting and special items by radio personality and local resident Damon Scott.

Then at 7:30 p.m., an Artful Patron Dinner will be enjoyed inside the LAA galleries, featuring a four-course dinner prepared by Chef Jonathan Rapp of River Tavern and Dinners at the Farm fame and a wine selection from Angelini Wine carefully paired to complement each course served.

Other event sponsors include Covenant Kitchens & Baths, Inc., Essex Savings Bank, Essex Financial Services; Bogaert Construction; Fusco Corporation; Gowrie Group; Grossman Chevrolet Nissan; Kitchings & Potter; Lewitz, Balosie, Wollack, Rayner & Giroux, LLC; Tower Laboratories, LTD; AJ Shea Construction; Cigna; Clark Group; Dime Bank; Leonardo & Associates PC; Madison Veterinary Hospital;  Professional Planning Group; Periodontics  PC; Reynolds’ Garage & Marine; Ring’s End; Saybrook Ford; Brewer Pilots Point Marina; and Essex Marine.

A variety of ticket options exist as follows:

Sponsor Ticket – $200 per person ($110 is tax-deductible.)  Includes Cocktail Party and Artful Patron Dinner, plus a listing in the event program

Patron Ticket – $150 per person ($60 is tax-deductible.)  Includes Cocktail Party and Artful Patron Dinner.

Friend Ticket – $50 per person ($25 is tax-deductible.)  Includes Cocktail Party Ticket -(limited quantity available)

For tickets, call the school at 860.767.0026 or visit  www.community-music-school.org.

Letter: Linares’s Vote Against Gun Control, Contrary to Majority of Constituent’s Wishes, Requires Explanation

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To The Editor:

I write to thank LymeLine, ValleyNewsNow and OldSaybrookNow for their coverage of Senator Linares’s recent vote against the gun control law enacted by the Connecticut Legislature with broad bipartisan support following the Newtown massacre.

Mr. Linares’s constituents have a right to know the reasons for his opposition, given the undeniable support in his district for child safety, the strong endorsement of the bill across party lines, and the uncertainty as to what credible alternative Mr. Linares is offering.

However, while the coverage of Senator Linares’s “no” vote is helpful, it was not altogether satisfying.  The article reports that Mr. Linares issued a statement which “concluded the bill does not address the most important problems”.  But it does not tell us how Mr. Linares reached that conclusion or what measures he would advocate instead.

Senator Linares reportedly said that he decided to vote against the gun law “after talking to many residents of the 33rd district”.  If Mr. Linares means to suggest that his vote reflects the majority of his constituents’ views, I would guess that claim is almost certainly preposterous. To my knowledge, Mr. Linares never conducted a hearing on the issue in his district, and the extensive testimony he heard as a member of the Newtown Task Force led other legislators to broad bipartisan support for the measure.  The true basis of Mr. Linares’s position remains a mystery.

Mr. Linares’s official website sheds no light on the matter either.  As of today, April 19 – over two weeks after the bill’s enactment – Mr. Linares’s web site does not even mention his vote, let alone carry the statement described by the Valley News.  Instead, when one consults the web site’s “in the news” section, one learns that in the aftermath of the legislation, Mr. Linares spent his time commending kindergartners for helping others, extolling the Haddam Shad Museum, and “high fiving” intermediate school students on tour of the State capitol.

One need not begrudge Senator Linares his “feel good” press releases or his energetic attempts to have them covered in the  local press, no matter how modest the content. (See, for example, the 10 or so articles appearing in ValleyNewsNow since mid January extensively covering among other things Mr. Linares participation in various meetings, his tours of local factories, and even his attendance at someone else’s press conference)  But they are not a substitute for keeping his district informed of what he is actually doing in Hartford and why.

The public’s right to know our representatives positions is not a partisan issue.  It applies left, right and center. Again, the  Newtown legislation is being cited as a model of bipartisan cooperation worthy of emulation at the national level. Residents of the 33rd District, whether they be Republican, Democrats, or Independents, deserve to understand why Mr. Linares took an outlier position on this historic legislation

Sincerely,

David Harfst,
Essex.

Old Lyme’s Lee Excels at ‘Y’ National Swimming Championships in North Carolina

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Jessica Lee pictured at the YMCA National Swimming competition in Greensboro, N.C.

Jessica Lee pictured at the YMCA National Swimming championships in Greensboro, N.C.

Dedication and a love of swimming have paid off for Jessica Lee, a 16-year-old from Lyme-Old Lyme High School and swimmer at the Marlins YMCA (Y) in Westbrook.  In early April, she competed in the Y National Short Course Swimming Championship in Greensboro, N.C., where she swam a personal best time of 24.48 seconds in the 50 yard race, setting the Westbrook Y record and placing 80th overall (she was seeded 156th) at the Y National level.

This season she had set herself a goal to improve on her 50 yard freestyle time, which enabled her to participate for the second consecutive year at the national event  in early April.

Lee qualified for the under-19  Y National Championships in 2012 and consistently achieved times under the National cut at Age Groups (in which she finished 5th overall) and at the Connecticut Seniors Championships at Wesleyan University in March, where she achieved a time of 24.76 seconds in the event.

At the Y Nationals, she swam alongside a number of Olympic hopefuls and heard from a number of previous Olympic Swimmers at pre-meet events.  All of this contributed to a memorable experience for the Old Lyme swimmer.

With the support of her experienced coach, Pat Callahan, Lee rose to the occasion for the 50 yard race and achieved the tremendous results already mentioned.

She returns to the Long Course season motivated to qualify again for the Long Course National Swimming Championships, which will be taking place at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta in July.

Lee is an all-round athlete also known for her skill and drive on the soccer field.  She credits the eight years of competitive gymnastics with Shoreline Gymnastics for the discipline and strong work ethic she has maintained throughout high school.

Congratulations, Jessica!

The Marlins swim team Long Course (50M) season starts soon.

For registration information., contact the Valley Shore YMCA at 860 399-9622