Monthly Archives: August 2018

Immigrant Family Taking Refuge in Old Lyme Church Featured in ‘The New Yorker’ Story

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The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme and the Rehman family of three from Pakistan that are currently living in the church’s basement were featured in a story titled No One Is Safer. No One Is Served in The New Yorker last week.

The Rev. Steven Jungkeit, senior minister of the church, describes the article in these words, “The story, written by reporter Dave Eggers, traces their lives from when Malik and Zahida [Rehman] first met in Pakistan, to their living in sanctuary in our church with their five-year-old daughter … It also provides a solid description of the theological framework that underlies our sanctuary efforts.”

University of New Haven to Stop Granting Degrees at Lyme Academy in 2019

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The sign at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts prior to its take-over by the University of New Haven.

A meeting is being held this afternoon at Lyme Academy at 4:30 p.m. to which all “alumni and friends of the college” are invited to discuss the future of the college.  The meeting is hosted by University of New Haven President Steven Kaplan and Lyme Academy Dean Todd Jokl.

It is being held in response to the UNH Board of Governor’s announcement last Monday afternoon that it, “has decided, effective at the end of the academic year in May 2019, to discontinue the University’s degree-granting academic offerings on the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts campus in Old Lyme.”

In a letter to alumni and friends of the college, UNH President Steve Kaplan and Lyme Academy Campus Dean Todd Jokl say, ” We realize that this decision may come as a shock, and we know that there is little we can say that will allay any disappointment you have.” They continue, “All students accepted to begin this fall and those currently enrolled in B.F.A. programs at Lyme will be able to finish the 2018-19 academic year on the Lyme campus, with all programs fully operational and with no changes to residential or student-life services.”

After the end of the 2018-19 academic year, the BFA Illustration program at Lyme Academy will relocate to the main UNH campus at West Haven.  It is unclear at this point what will happen to the other three majors that the Academy offers, namely painting, drawing and sculpture.  The letter mentions the possibility of “continuing in those disciplines through an articulation agreement that we are in the process of establishing with the University of Hartford.”

The letter states, “Candidly, with the benefit of hindsight, this decision was made more with our hearts than with our heads, and the challenges we have faced at Lyme over the past four years have been greater than anticipated.”

Reaction to the news, which was given to current students, staff, faculty and alumni on Monday, was swift and numerous posts on Facebook expressed both sadness and anger.  Questions were raised about the future of the buildings at the Lyme campus, the timing of the announcement on the heels of the previous day’s major fundraiser at Ocean House, RI, and the use of the $1.1 million bequest to the college by Diana Atwood-Johnson.  There was also universal dismay in relation to the incoming freshmen who are due to start what they believed was a four-year BFA program later this month — one person commented on Facebook that their situation resembled a “bait and switch.”

Campus Dean Jokl said in an email to the publisher of LymeLine.com that, “The future of Lyme Academy will be determined in the months to come but I am hopeful it will be a vibrant arts education institution.”

The press release from UNH states that a Lyme Transition Task Force will be formed, “to consider future pathways for Lyme Academy College students,” adding that this Task Force will, “examine options for students in Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture. Two potential options for students enrolled when current programs cease in May, 2019 have been identified: switching to a different art or design major offered at the West Haven campus, or continuing in those disciplines, through an articulation agreement with the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford.”

In the Frequently Asked Questions posted on the Lyme Academy section of the UNH website, it says in answer to the question, “What will happen to Lyme’s facilities?” that, “The Lyme Board will determine future plans for the campus.”  LymeLine.com has received many comments regarding the future of the campus and so, to serve our readers, we raised some initial questions with UNH.  We were referred to Lyn Chamberlin, UNH Vice President for Marketing and Communications, and her responses to our questions are detailed below:

Q: Can students who are enrolled as freshmen or transfer students starting this month receive a full refund? 

A: Of course. Questions may be directed to the Lyme Transition Team at 860.598.5067 or lymetransition@newhaven.edu or on the website:newhaven.edu/Lyme.

Q: What is the plan for the Southwick Commons? 

A: Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is in a multi-year contract with the developer, and as of now, there is no change.

Q: Can you comment on the timing of this announcement in light of Lyme holding a major fundraiser yesterday (Sunday)? 

A: We felt that it was in the best interest of new and returning students and their families to give them this news as soon as we could. This event had been scheduled for some time, and any money raised will be used to support our students this academic year.

 Q: Similarly, can you comment on the timing of this announcement in light of Lyme not holding its traditional major fundraiser, the ArtsBall, in June? 

A:There is no connection between these two events.

We asked SECoast, the independent not-for-profit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the historic coastline communities of Connecticut and Rhode Island, for their reaction to the news. Their Executive Director Greg Stroud said, “Lyme Academy has provided outstanding classical art education for students in an irreplaceable setting that is home to American Impressionism. The future of the campus is of enormous importance to the very vital arts community of the region, and to the character of the surrounding historic district in Old Lyme. Obviously, moving forward, this will be a top priority for our organization.”

More to follow on this story.

Giving the Gift of Life:  Organ Donation Talk at Lyme Public Hall, Sept. 5

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Have you ever considered organ donation, or thought about the potential impact on the lives of our friends and neighbors?

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m., Dr. Richard Jones of Lyme will present an overview of the modern era of Organ Transplant.   Dr. Jones will discuss options including Live Donation and “swaps”.  He will be joined by local donors and recipients who will relate their own poignant stories. There will be time for questions. The program will be held at the Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Road (Route 156) in Lyme, Connecticut. It is free and open to the public.

The Lyme Public Hall Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of Lyme’s history, culture, and community through the preservation and use of the historic hall, its archives and historical programs. For more  information go to www.lymepublichall.org, or call 860 526-8886.

Ann Nyberg to Receive 3rd Annual Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award at the Kate’s Summer Gala, Saturday

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Ann Nyberg. Photo by Lora Karam Photography.

Ann Nyberg, Connecticut’s longest-serving, full-time female news anchor/reporter will receive the 3rd annual Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award. The award is given by the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (the Kate) to an individual who embodies the spirit, independence, and character of the legendary actress and will presented to Ann on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Kate’s annual Summer Gala in Old Saybrook.

A resident of Madison, Nyberg is WTNH-TV’s longest-serving anchor/reporter in station history and has been nominated for multiple Emmys. In addition to anchoring several evening newscasts, she also produces and hosts the show Nyberg an on-air and online show she developed to share people’s stories with the masses.

In November of 2015, Nyberg was inducted into the prestigious Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Boston/New England Chapter – an honor given to television professionals who have made significant contributions to their community and to the vitality of the television industry. In 2017, Nyberg was recognized, during the year of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine’s 150th anniversary, as a woman of success who pays it forward.

Nyberg has been a storyteller her entire life, which all started with a diary her mother gave her for Christmas when she was just 8-years-old, and the rest is history. As she says, “I never met a story I didn’t want to tell.” Her first book, Slices of Life, A Storyteller’s Diary debuted in October 2015, and is based on her diary. Her second book, released October 2016, is on the legendary Connecticut film actress, Katharine Hepburn. It is called Remembering Katharine Hepburn: Stories of Wit and Wisdom About America’s Leading Lady.

Nyberg began her journey in broadcast journalism immediately following graduation from Purdue University, where she earned a degree in journalism. She was a television journalist in Indiana and Oklahoma before making Connecticut her home. She and her husband have three daughters and two dogs, Henry Watson, a rescued Coon Hound and Mr. Trip Meeshu, a Golden Retriever.

Nyberg feels strongly about philanthropy and in 1993 she founded the Toy Closet Program at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital. Thousands of toys and other items are given to children of all ages to help ease their trauma. A lover of the arts, she is a Trustee of the Kate, the only theater in the world named after the iconic four-time Academy Award winning Connecticut actress. Nyberg is also the only honorary female member of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, which raises thousands of dollars for charity every year.

An advocate for all things local, Nyberg’s website Network Connecticut spotlights people and places, small businesses and innovators and entrepreneurs all over the state. She also owns a boutique in Madison, called Annie Mame, where she carries several Connecticut-made goodies to help small businesses push ahead. The name of her shop is in tribute to her favorite movie, Auntie Mame which came out in 1958 and starred Waterbury native, Rosiland Russell.

The Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award, which will be presented to Ann Nyberg on Saturday.

The Kate’s August 25th Gala takes place on the historic Old Saybrook Town Green at 6 pm and includes a cocktail hour with silent auction and dinner by Max Catering. Ann will receive the award, a graceful statuette in the likeness of Hepburn by Kimberly Monson, an artist and faculty member of the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. An exciting auction and live music and dancing round out the evening. GSB Wealth Management, a subsidiary of Guilford Savings Bank, is the Executive Producer sponsor for the event.

For additional information and/or to order tickets at $275 per person and up, visit www.thekate.org or call 860-510-0453.

The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is a non-profit performing arts organization located in an historic theatre/town hall on Main Street in Old Saybrook. Originally opened in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Center has been renovated with public funds from the Town of Old Saybrook and donations raised by the Trustees of the Center. It includes a 250-seat theatre and a small museum honoring Katharine Hepburn, Old Saybrook’s most celebrated resident. As befits an organization born of such a public/private partnership, programming is eclectic, offering something for all ages and income levels on the Connecticut shore and in the lower river valley.

Last Day to Vote for Fred! Hearing-Impaired Brooke of Old Lyme is One of Three National Finalists for ‘Focus on People’ Award

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Fred Brooke of Old Lyme is the founder of AngelRide and one of the three finalists for the Oticon ‘Focus on People’ award.

Frederick Brooke of Old Lyme is a finalist for a national award.

The Oticon Focus on People Award celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of individuals with hearing loss, and Brooke is one of the top three individuals across the country in the Adults category.  His final placement in the Awards now depends on online votes, which are open through Aug. 24.

Brooke doesn’t let his hearing loss slow him down.

In 2001, inspired by 12-year-old Angel Uihlein, he swam across Long Island Sound, raising enough money for Angel’s mom to stay at home with her seriously-ill daughter.  AngelSwim continued over the following years, as Brooke swam 850 miles along the coast of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine to reach the Canadian border, all to benefit sick children.

In 2004, Brooke and his partner Lynn McCarthy started AngelRide, a trans-Connecticut (135 miles, two-day) charity bicycling event with nearly 100 percent of the money raised donated to The Hole in the Wall Camp, founded by actor Paul Newman for children too sick to go to conventional camps.

The money raised enabled the camp to start a Hospital Outreach program that sends specially-trained employees to enrich the lives of children in oncology wards. Today, AngelRide is an annual Memorial Day event that has raised more than $5.75 million to benefit hospitalized children.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Oticon Focus on People Awards, the first national awards program recognizing individuals who challenge outdated stereotypes and demonstrate that hearing loss does not limit a person’s ability to make a difference. Through the awards program, Oticon continues its mission to raise awareness and open doors of opportunity for people with all degrees of hearing loss.

The other two finalists in the Adult category for this year’s Focus on People Awards are Garth Baker of Twin Falls, Idaho and Clare Wolf of Rubicon, Wis.

“For 20 years, the Oticon Focus on People Awards program has brought inspiring individuals into our lives, and this year is no exception,” says Nancy Palmere, Director of Consumer Marketing and Public Relations. “We’re honored to introduce the country to our finalists and celebrate how they defy the stigma of hearing loss. Each story is unique and we encourage people to visit our website to cast a vote.”

Voting is open through Aug. 24, and the results will be announced in October. All finalists receive a cash prize. First place winners also receive a donation to a charity of their choice.

To vote and to learn more about the awards, visit www.Oticon.com/FOP.