Monthly Archives: January 2020

Tonight, SECWAC Presents Lyme-Old Lyme HS Alumna Megan O’Neill with ‘A Different Look at Rural African Education’

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Megan ONeill shares a smile with an Imagine Scholar.

Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) Meeting to be held at First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, Jan. 23

OLD LYME – The Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) presents Megan O’Neill, a member of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Class of 2011, to speak on education in rural Africa at 6 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23 at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

Imagine Scholar is an educational non-profit organization based in the Nkomazi region of South Africa. The organization’s innovative and sustainable approach to education is creating meaningful impact in the local community and re-imagining education systems for rural, underserved communities. Through working with high-achieving, low-income secondary school students in the development of leadership, critical thinking, and community-mindedness, Imagine Scholar aims to build Africa’s next generation of change-makers.

O’Neill has spent the last five years working with Imagine Scholar. After graduating from LOLHS, she received a degree in Africana Studies from Dickinson College. Shortly after graduating from Dickinson, she moved to South Africa to join Imagine Scholar‘s staff, where she now serves as Associate Director.

She spent over three years working in South Africa with Imagine Scholar‘s students, where she facilitated classes centered around effective and empathetic communication skill development, developed curriculum for the program and mentored students through the university application process. She now leads Imagine Scholar‘s efforts in fundraising and strategic partnership development.

Visit this link to read more about Megan and the work she undertakes for Imagine Scholar.

A reception will start at 5:30 p.m., with the main event beginning at 6 p.m. The presentation is a part of the SECWAC 2019-2020 Speaker Series.

For non-members, tickets ($20) may be purchased at the door; ticket cost can subsequently be applied towards a SECWAC membership.  Attendance is free for SECWAC members (and their guests). Membership September 2019 through June 2020 is $85 per person; $25 for young professionals under 35; free for students and educators; a corporate rate of $1,000 is also available, with unlimited access for employees.

Immediately following the presentation, SECWAC meeting attendees have the option for $40 to attend a dinner with the speaker at the Old Lyme Country Club. Dinner reservations are required by Friday, Jan. 17, at 860-912-5718 or online.

SECWAC is a regional, nonprofit, membership organization affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA). The organization dates back to 1999, and has continued to arrange 8-10 Speaker Series meetings annually, between September and June. The meetings range in foreign affairs topics, and are hosted at venues along the I-95 corridor, welcoming members and guests from Stonington to Old Saybrook, and beyond.

SECWAC’s mission is “to foster an understanding of issues of foreign policy and international affairs through study, debate, and educational programming.” It provides a forum for nonpartisan, non-advocacy dialogue between members and speakers, who can be U.S. policymakers, educators, authors, and other experts on foreign relations. Learn more at http://secwac.org.

Needleman Appointed Senate Vice Chair of Planning & Development Committee

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State Senator Norm Needleman (D-33rd)

HARTFORD/LYME — State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex), whose District includes the Town of Lyme, has been appointed Senate Vice Chair of the Planning & Development Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly by Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). As a condition of this appointment,  which as announced Tuesday, Sen. Needleman will step down from his position as Senate Vice Chair of the Banking Committee.

Sen. Needleman’s appointment to this committee is in addition to his existing roles as Senate Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee and membership in the Commerce Committee, Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee and Transportation Committee.

“I look forward to starting work on the Planning & Development Committee, working to improve and streamline processes to assist our state’s municipalities and support further development in Connecticut,” said Sen. Needleman. “I would like to thank Senator Looney for his appointment and am excited to continue my work in the upcoming Legislative Session.”

Today, Community Connections Presents Speakers from Lyme Academy, Old Lyme EDC on How Healthy Communities Affect Organizations

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Lyme Academy of Fine Arts Executive Director Frank Burns.

LYME-OLD LYME– Lyme-Old Lyme Community Connections hosts a Networking Luncheon and Discussion titled How a Healthy Community Affects Your Organization next Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the Old Lyme Country Club. All are welcome.

Volunteers and employees of local organizations know that the health of the community directly affects the future of their organizations. The guest speakers at the meeting will address two major initiatives in the Lyme-Old Lyme community.

The first will see two senior members of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts — Executive Director Frank Burns and board member Sue Grey — give an update on the Academy and its strategic planning.

The second will be presented by Howard Margules, Co-Chair of the Old Lyme Economic Development Commission, who will discuss the recent survey of Old Lyme residents and businesses, and share news about the results. Margules will offer insight into how recommendations and decisions are made for the town based on these survey results.  He will also discuss how economic development affects you and offer an opportunity for attendees to share thrir feedback. Margules also serves on the Halls Road Improvement Committee and will also share an update on that committee.

Roundtable discussions and networking to follow.

Admission is $25 and walk-ins are welcome.
Advance registration is appreciated and can be done in thrre ways as follows:

Community Connections is a forum to discuss community issues and interests, along with opportunities for collaboration among organizations serving Lyme and Old Lyme.

For more information, visit www.LOLCommunityConnections.org

Old Lyme Basketball Boys, Girls Score Big Wins Over North Branford

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Aedan Using scored a remarkable 36 points againt North Branford Tuesday night. File photo.

LYME/OLD LYME  — Last night was a very good night for Old Lyme’s basketball teams.

Don Bugbee’s girls defeated the North Branford Thunderbirds at Old Lyme last night finishing with 53-47 victory. Meanwhile Kirk Kaczor’s boys traveled to North Branford and came away with a 70-51 win.

Highlights from the girl’s game included Junior Sam Gray’s 20 points and four rebounds while fellow Junior Emily DeRoehn scored 12 points and took five rebounds. Another Junior Ellis Zrenda took 12 rebounds.

Bugbee commented after the game, “This was a solid team effort given to defeat an aggressive and physical opponent. There was clear improvement in our play, which progressively developed each quarter throughout the game,” adding, “The difference in the game proved to be very good foul shooting by the whole team”.

Down at North Branford, Old Lyme defeated North Branford 70-51.  Aedan Using led the Wildcats with 36 points, 10 blocks and 14 rebounds.  Jared Ritchie added five blocks and four steals while Ray Doll scored 10 points.

Mike Sitro led the Thunderbirds with 26 points.

Next up for the girls is St. Bernard at Old Lyme on Thursday while the boys travel to Hale-Ray the same night.

The girls record is 6-3 while the boys stand at 8-1.

2020 Women’s March Sister Vigil Scheduled in East Haddam This Morning

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EAST HADDAM — Together We Rise CT  – Building Bridges for Justice has announced that East Haddam, Conn., is again registered as an Official Sister Event location for the Lower  Connecticut River Valley for the Jan. 18, Women Rising 2020 – Women’s March, which is taking place in Washington DC.

Together We Rise will join sister events/marches throughout the world with an outdoor gathering and vigil from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House & Café, which is located at 374 Town St. in East Haddam, Conn., at the junction of Routes 82 and 151.

The mission of Women’s March is to harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change. Women’s March is a women-led movement providing intersectional education on a diverse range of issues and creating entry points for new grassroots activists & organizers to engage in their local communities through trainings, outreach programs and events.

Women’s March is committed to dismantling systems of oppression through nonviolent resistance and building inclusive structures guided by self-determination, dignity and respect.

To help with planning, those interested in participating in the Together We Rise Jan. 18 Sister Event vigil should register at this link. All are welcome from all towns — including Lyme and Old Lyme — in the Lower Connecticut River Valley and beyond.

Participants are encouraged to arrive early. Parking Monitors will be on site to direct participants to parking venues near Two Wrasslin’ Cats.

Parking in Two Wrasslin’ Cats parking lot is available only to those with disabilities.