Monthly Archives: May 2016

Letter to the Editor: Thank You From Organizers of Literacy Volunteers April Fool’s Race

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To the Editor:

The 9th Annual Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore April Fool’s Race benefitting tutoring programs for area residents came in like spring this year. A little slow on the starting blocks but run in beautiful weather and finishing with a kick. Racers from all over New England and as far away as Minnesota participated in the festivities to help commemorate the contributions of past volunteers Dot and Erl Nord.

We are especially fortunate to have an extraordinary combination that made this year’s event a rousing success. Special thanks to the Clark Group and Tower Laboratories, our title sponsors. Their generosity reached new heights with their sponsorship, which included the Backward Mile race. AAA Refrigeration answered the call with a Silver Sponsorship this year.

Thanks also to sponsors Edward Jones Investments-Clinton, Andre Prost, Inc., Pasta Vita, Kearney Insurance, Penny Lane Pub, Essex Savings Bank, Guilford Savings Bank and Big Y Supermarkets for their generosity in helping stamp out illiteracy.

A huge thank you to Race Director Elizabeth Steffen, who again worked very hard this year to make this event a success. We greatly appreciate the generous assistance from First Selectman Norm Needleman, the Town of Essex, Essex Police, Essex Parks & Recreation Department, our office staff and our many race volunteers.

Finally, thank you to all our racers and all those who brought “spring” to the race and the cause of literacy.

Sincerely,

John J. Ferrara,
Executive Director Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore, CT, Inc. — serving the towns of: Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Guilford, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.

A Night to Remember for Old Lyme: Boys and Girls Win Lacrosse Shoreline Championships

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Winning Wildcats!

The first winning Wildcats of the evening …

More photos now added. In an extraordinary evening of skill and strength; grit and guts; and dexterity and determination, both the boys and girls Old Lyme High School lacrosse teams crushed their respective rivals so convincingly that there was never really any doubt about the result.

... and here's the second!

… and here’s the second!  Photo by Lauren Romeo.

The Old Lyme goals were so prolific on both teams that many in the large crowd at the Connecticut College Athletic Center had lost count of the precise number by the time each game was over.

The boys defeated The Morgan School of Clinton 17-5 while the girls won 16-6 against Old Saybrook.

Here are more photos from a memorable evening:

Wildcats leaping high

A Wildcat leaps high. Photo by Gabrielle Hoffman.

Wildcat goalie Hananh G fiercely defends the goal. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Wildcat goalie Hananh Gunther fiercely defends the goal. Photo by Gabrielle Hoffman.

Celebrating their win. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Celebrating their win. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Taking the trophy for a run!

Running with the trophy … Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Co-captains Sloane Sweitzer and Sophia Romeo celebrate sweet victory. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Co-captains Sloane Sweitzer (left) and Sophia Romeo celebrate sweet victory. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Wildcats seniors are all smiles. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

Wildcats seniors are all smiles. Photo by Lauren Romeo.

A drenching for coach Emily Macione -- the team celebrates in the traditional fashion!

A drenching for coach Emily Macione — the team celebrates in the traditional fashion!

Congratulations, Wildcats!

In a First for Old Lyme HS, Sweitzer Named All-American for Girl’s Lacrosse

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Sloane Sweitzer in action on the lacrosse field.

Sloane Sweitzer (left) in action on the lacrosse field.

Sloane Sweitzer is having quite a lacrosse season!

Last week she found out she was the first girl in Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s (LOLHS) history to be named an All-American.  Yesterday, she learned  she had been named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year for 2016, and also made 1st Team All-Conference for 2016.

Sweitzer’s coach, Emily Macione, told LymeLine.com, “There is no first and second [All-American] team anymore; they select one team of girls.  She [Sweitzer] was up against girls from all levels and school sizes across the state,” adding that it, “is obviously a pretty big accomplishment.”

All-American girl's lacrosse player Sloane Sweitzer

All-American girl’s lacrosse player Sloane Sweitzer

Macione continued, “Sloane’s had an incredible senior season thus far and earning this honor is the metaphorical fruit of her labor.  Furthermore, she has worked so hard these past four years, fought back from tearing her ACL last year, and we are just really, really proud of her.”

Sweitzer, who will be attending Bryant University (which plays Division I women’s lacrosse) in the fall, has been a four-year varsity member of the girls’ lacrosse team and is its captain this season.  She was also captain of cross country in the fall and basketball in the winter, and has lettered not only in those three varsity sports during her high school career, but also in soccer.

Sweitzer was the 2016 CIAC female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for LOLHS and to date in her senior season has scored 63 goals, 43 assists, and 91 draw controls. In her remarkable career at LOLHS to date, she has notched 274 goals, 105 assists, and 214 draw controls.  She was named First Team All-State in 2013, 2014, 2015 and will also be in 2016. Similarly, she was named All-Conference in 2013 and 2014 and is expected to do so in 2016.

She missed half of the 2015 season recovering from an ACL tear, so while she did not make All-Conference, she returned in sufficient time to be named All-State.

This evening she will lead her team in the Shoreline Conference final against Old Saybrook at Connecticut College, starting at 7 p.m.

Congratulations, Sloane … and Go Wildcats!

Old Lyme Boys, Girls Play Double Header in Shoreline Lacrosse Championships Tonight

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In what promises to be a really exciting afternoon going into evening, the Old Lyme girls and boys teams will compete consecutively today for their respective Shoreline Lacrosse Championships at Connecticut College.

The second-seeded boys face off against No. 4 Morgan at 5 p.m.  Old Lyme will be defending their title against Clinton-based Morgan, whom they have beaten twice in the regular season.

The top-seeded girls meet Old Saybrook at 7 p.m.  Coming off an unbeaten regular conference season, the Wildcats will be determined to avenge their final second loss to the Rams in the final last year.  The ‘Cats start in the knowledge that they have already defeated Saybrook twice in regular season.

 

Go Wildcats!

Law Enforcement Officers to Carry Torch for Special Olympics Across CT, June 8-10

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LETR_Mark_Connecticut_Color_1.1The 30th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut will take place Wednesday through Friday, June 8 through 10, in communities across the state. Officers will volunteer their time to serve as torchbearers and carry the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” through their towns and cities to raise awareness and funds to benefit Special Olympics athletes and inspire communities to accept and respect people of all abilities. To find out more about the Law Enforcement Torch Run, including dates and times it will be coming through your town, visit www.soct.org.

Over 1,500 local law enforcement officers are expected to participate in the Run, along with Special Olympics athletes in some areas, and cover more than 530 miles. Spectators are encouraged to come out and cheer on their local officers and show their support for the Special Olympics movement. In addition, and also to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Torch Run in Connecticut, rallies will take place at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Day 1 and at the State Capitol on Day 2 of the Run.

The three-day event will conclude at Southern Connecticut State University on Friday, June 10, when officers will run a “Final Leg” into Jess Dow Field on the university’s campus and light the ceremonial cauldron during Opening Ceremonies for the 2016 Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games, which begin at 7:15 p.m.

Over 2,400 athletes and Unified Sport® partners are expected to participate in Summer Games and compete in cycling, swimming, soccer, tennis and track & field throughout the weekend at Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Avenue, New Haven and Hamden Hall Athletic Fields, 225 Skiff Street, Hamden. The public is invited and encouraged to attend Opening Ceremonies and Summer Games events throughout the weekend at no cost.

For more information about the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Special Olympics Connecticut, visit www.soct.org, email specialolympicsct@soct or call 203-230-1201. And, follow Special Olympics Connecticut and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Law Enforcement Torch Run Platinum Sponsor include Dream Ride, JN Phillips Auto Glass, The Bearingstar Insurance Charitable Fund, Whelen Engineering and WWE. Gold Sponsors are Adams Hometown Markets / IGA Hometown Supermarkets and Papa’s Dodge. Media Sponsors are NBC Connecticut, iHeart Radio Connecticut and the New Haven Register.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Connecticut is one of the movement’s largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicles. This year-round program involves law enforcement officers from across the state who volunteer their time to raise awareness and funds through events including Tip-a-Cops, Cop-on-Tops, and Jail N’ Bail fundraisers.In addition, each year in June, over 1,500 officers and athletes carry the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” through hundreds of cities and towns across the state, and run the Final Leg as part of Opening Ceremonies for the Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games.