OLD LYME — Mary Stanton of Shore Road, passed away Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at her home.
Mary was born June 16, 1920, in Newton Grove, N.C., the daughter of Moses and Maddie Strickland …
She had an impeccable memory; always sharing specific details about her childhood in North Carolina and her 75-year history in Old Lyme …
Every year Mary celebrated her birthday with a big gathering at her daughter’s home, which she loved …
She is survived by her daughter Kathryn Winchell and her husband Kent of Old Lyme; her son Timothy Stanton and his wife Ellie of Three Rivers, Mass.; her grandsons, Kent “Casey” Winchell, his wife, Stacy, and their daughter, Paige of Old Lyme, and Matthew Stanton, his wife, Denise, and their children
A graveside service will be held at noon Sunday, Jan. 15, at Point O’ Woods Cemetery in South Lyme.
Donations in Mary’s memory may be made to Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association, 26 Town Woods Rd, Old Lyme, CT 06371.
The COVID-19 Community Levels map above, produced by the CDC and dated Jan. 13, 2023, shows New London as the only remaining County in Connecticut in the Medium/Yellow category.
CDC Continues to Recommend All CT Residents Wear a Mask in Public Indoor Spaces
LYME/OLD LYME — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s latest COVID-19 Community Levels Map, pictured above, which was updated today (Jan. 13), shows that New London is the only County remaining in Connecticut, which is not in the High/Orange level.
Last week’s map dated Jan. 7, showed Fairfield County in the Yellow/Medium category along with New London, but this week, Fairfield has moved into the highest Orange category joining all six of the state’s remaining counties.
This means seven counties in Connecticut are in the Orange/ High Category while the eighth (New London) is still Medium/Yellow.
Because all eight Connecticut counties are either in the High or Medium categories, the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends that all residents consider wearing a mask in public indoor spaces. People who are at high risk for severe illness should consider additional measures to minimize their exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
To help protect themselves, their families, and the state’s most vulnerable residents and to preserve capacity in the CT health care system, people are also advised to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.
The links to all these resources can be found in the DPH COVID-19 toolbox at www.ct.gov/coronavirus.
Additionally, the Federal Government has now made available four free self-test kits per household. These free self-test kits can be ordered by visiting www.covid.gov/tests.
The COVID-19 Community Levels inform CDC recommendations on prevention measures, such as masking and testing. The guidelines include a color-coded system available on the CDC website of “Low,” “Medium,” and “High.” This approach focuses on preventing hospitals and health care systems from being overwhelmed and directing prevention efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe illness.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a news release issued Jan. 7, 2023 by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and sent to LymeLine by Ledge Light Health District.
Sandra Jean Garvin Cameron May 12, 1950 – Jan. 2, 2023
OLD LYME — Sandra Jean Garvin Cameron (Sandy Garvin) passed away peacefully on January 2nd, 2023, at Middlesex Hospital at 72 after a brief and unfair battle with cancer. Sandy was raised in Old Lyme, Connecticut, where she had lived for most of her life. She was born on May 12th, 1950, to H.P. “Perry” and Adeline “Pete” Garvin.
Sandy was, among many things, an incredible artist, mother, friend, and grandmother. She loved and supported her family members without question throughout her life. She is survived by her three children, Douglas, Patrick, and Jennifer, and their spouses, Allyson, Katrina, and Michael. Along with her beloved grandchildren Miller Cameron (5), Adeline Burnell (4), River Cameron (2), Huntley Cameron (1), and two more on the way. She also leaves behind siblings Bonny Clark, Harold Perry “Grub” Garvin, and Julie Riggs, along with a large extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, and their children.
Sandy graduated from Lyme-Old Lyme High School in 1968 and continued her education at Green Mountain Jr. College (1970) and Northeastern University (1972). She moved to Colorado, with Brian Cameron, to whom she was married from 1976-1993. They lived together in Florida, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, raising their three children. They have enjoyed welcoming grandchildren and watching their family expand in recent years.
Sandy’s primary career was as an artist and the owner of Garvin Gallery in Essex, CT, and later Garvin Studio in Old Lyme, CT. She also spent many years working and volunteering at the Lyme Art Association. Her beautiful oil paintings of landscapes have been shown and sold in galleries, restaurants, and magazines across New England. Known mainly for her serene landscapes, she also painted beautiful still lifes and portraits. Sandy was able to see beauty in all things and in all people- a true artist in every sense.
Hawk’s Nest Beach has been a special place to Sandy and the Garvin family, who have been owners of the summer family beach rentals since 1895 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It brought Sandy joy to see families delighting in such a special place to make memories. In 2022 she became the owner of The Nest at Hawk’s Nest Beach when she and her siblings divided the family business into smaller parts.
Sandy was part of a group of extraordinary women who call themselves “SOS”, or sisters of the soul, for over thirty years. This network of friendships provided Sandy with a beautiful community of support, many adventures, and countless sunset dinners at Mile Creek Beach Club. Her family is grateful to this group of friends for their continued love and support.
She will most be remembered for her genuine warmth, generosity, and loving-kindness. She was full of light, life, and curiosity. Sandy touched countless lives with her kind spirit and calming energy. As a wonderful and frequent host, Sandy’s home was a sanctuary of joy and comfort. Her family and friends are deeply saddened by this tremendous loss. They will carry on her legacy through kindness, hospitality, and acts of love.
A celebration of her beautiful life will be planned for the spring.
The COVID-19 Community Levels map above, produced by the CDC and dated Jan. 7, 2023, shows only New London and Fairfield Counties remaining in Connecticut in the Medium/Yellow category.
CDC Recommends All CT Residents Wear a Mask in Public Indoor Spaces
HARTFORD, Conn.— Connecticut is experiencing a statewide surge in COVID-19 activity, and residents are encouraged to take steps to protect themselves from infection. Based on the latest update to COVID-19 Community Levels by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) recommends that all residents consider wearing a mask while in public indoor spaces.
In its most recent weekly report published Friday, Jan. 6, the CDC lists six Connecticut Counties—Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, Tolland, and Windham Counties—in the High/Orange category as part of its weekly COVID-19 Community Levels update. Only Fairfield and New London Counties are listed in the Medium/Yellow category.
Because all eight Connecticut counties are either in the High or Medium categories, the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends that all residents consider wearing a mask in public indoor spaces. People who are at high risk for severe illness should consider additional measures to minimize their exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
To help protect themselves, their families, and the state’s most vulnerable residents and to preserve capacity in the CT health care system, people are also advised to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.
The links to all these resources can be found in the DPH COVID-19 toolbox at www.ct.gov/coronavirus.
Additionally, the Federal Government has now made available four free self-test kits per household. These free self-test kits can be ordered by visiting www.covid.gov/tests.
The COVID-19 Community Levels inform CDC recommendations on prevention measures, such as masking and testing. The guidelines include a color-coded system available on the CDC website of “Low,” “Medium,” and “High.” This approach focuses on preventing hospitals and health care systems from being overwhelmed and directing prevention efforts toward protecting people at high risk for severe illness.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a news release issued Jan. 7, 2023 by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and sent to LymeLine by Ledge Light Health District.
Members of the Region 18 Board of Education met Wednesday evening, Jan. 4, with the selection of members of the PK-8 Building Committee as an agenda item. Photo is screenshot taken from live stream of meeting.
OLD LYME — At their meeting Wednesday evening, Jan. 4, the Region 18 Board of Education (BOE) found they had conflicting views on whom should be appointed to the last voting spot on the PK-8 Building Committee.
Twenty-three people had applied to join the committee and each BOE member had been given all the applications to review and score individually over the winter vacation. The Superintendent’s office had then analyzed the scores and produced both weighted and non-weighted summaries of the results.
There was a clear consensus on the top eight places but the ninth caused considerable discussion.
Prior to that conversation taking place, newly-elected board vice-chair Mary Powell St. Louis expressed concern that only four of the applicants were women and also that there was a “very heavy presence” of engineering and construction backgrounds in the male applicants. She said, “This has bothered me” and proposed that the application process should be opened up for another week in the hope of attracting more female applicants.
Board member Laura Dean-Frazier agreed with Powell St.Louis, saying she too wished there were more women. Dean-Frazier commented, “Diversity is an asset in any group,” but noted, “Women have a tendency to have too much on their plate … I just don’t think we’re going to get them. They’re just a little bit weary doing this type of commitment.”
Another board member, Martha Shoemaker, remarked that she felt the committee needed more women, “Because they have a different way of thinking.”
There was a general concern about the shortage of women applicants, but still little enthusiasm for extending the application period. Board treasurer Christopher Staab pointed out that the board had already been through the process of ranking the candidates and felt it should therefore stand by those results.
With eight committee members agreed, the conversation turned to the choice of the ninth. David Kelsey was the applicant that came in at ninth place on the weighted average ranking but when the non-weighted averages were considered, there was a four-way tie including Kelsey for the ninth spot. The three (other than Kelsey) included interior designer Cara Zimmermann.
Board member Anna James proposed switching Zimmermann for Kelsey since, apart from being female, Zimmerman had a wide range of relevant knowledge as well as experience in bidding processes. Fellow board member Jason Kemp supported James’s position saying Kelsey had been outspoken against the project but board chairman Steve Wilson gave a forceful endorsement of Kelsey saying, “He was not against the project at all costs … He started asking ‘What do we really need?’ … He really does his homework.” Wilson concluded firmly, “He [Kelsey] would be a better voting member.”
Referencing the fact that Andy Russell, who was one of the top eight applicants, and Kelsey are both members of the Old Lyme Board of Finance, James countered that she felt having two people, who are “affiliated,” was also not promoting “diversity of thought” on the committee. Wilson immediately challenged her use of the word “affiliated.”
Moving the discussion forward, the board first unanimously agreed to appoint 12 members to the committee with three of the 12 being alternates. This was to give the committee “structure” in board secretary Suzanne Thompson’s words.
Then BOE members voted on the ninth Building Committee member with all the members except Staab and Jennifer Miller supporting Zimmermann for that spot. Wilson said he did not need to vote as a majority in support of Zimmermann had already been established.
The board then unanimously supported the appointment of Ken Biega, Richard Conniff, John Hartman, Sara Hrinak, Andy Russell, Alan Sheiness, Powell St. Louis, and Wilson as voting members. In the same vote, Darren Favello, Thomas Kelo and Kelsey were appointed as alternates.
Finally, board members elected Wilson as chair of the committee and Powell St. Louis as vice chair.
On Thursday, when the names of those appointed to the Building Committee were posted on the Region 18 website, Kelsey’s name was missing. We asked Lyme-Old Lyme Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser why that was the case. He replied by email saying that Kelsey had, ” … notified Steve Wilson on Thursday morning that he was withdrawing his application.”
