Category Archives: Community

Florence Griswold Museum Hosts Coffee With New Director, Wednesdays in March & April; All Welcome

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Joshua Campbell Torrance

OLD LYME — Every Wednesday in March and April from 10 to 11 a.m., the new Executive Director of the Florence Griswold Museum will host a coffee hour with the community.

Joshua Campbell Torrance is eager to meet his new community, so he is opening his door and breaking out the coffee cups. 

It is not required, but if you would like to let Torrance know that you are stopping in, email Carla I. Corcoran at Carla@FloGris.org.

You are requested to check in at the Front Desk when you arrive.

By way of introduction, when you meet Torrance he loves to hear about people’s first or most meaningful museum experience.

Old Lyme HS Student Holds Free, Pop-Up Clothes Closet

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Lyme-Old Lyme High School Senior Maddie McCulloch has received a vast amount of donations of clothes, shoes and accessories for her Pop-up Closet being held Saturday, March 4, at Rogers Lake Clubhouse. She notes, “This project is a more environmentally-friendly way of shopping for clothes and allows quality pieces to be given a new home for free.”

OLD LYME — A senior at Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) is “doing her bit” for both the local community and the environment tomorrow.

Maddie McCulloch is holding a free, pop-up Clothes Closet tSaturday, March 4.

Maddie McCulloch is holding a free Pop-Up Closet tomorrow, Saturday, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rogers Lake Clubhouse. All are welcome and there is no charge for admission. Although the target audience for the clothing is primarily middle and high schoolers, some youth boy/girls’ clothes are available too.

Maddie McCulloch is hosting the event as part of her LOLHS Senior Project. Asked why she chose this project specifically, she responded that she saw it as, “An extension to my community service efforts called Small Efforts, Big Impact, which I have been doing since 2019 as a way to try and keep Lyme and Old Lyme a bit cleaner by picking up trash on the side of the road.”

McCulloch added, “I also chose it because fast fashion has been on the rise recently and as a result, the environment has suffered greatly. This project is a more environmentally-friendly way of shopping for clothes and allows quality pieces to be given a new home for free.”

Noting that she has received an “amazing” amount of donated clothes and other fashion accessories, she points out that quality is the key to all the items in the ‘Closet’ and that some even still have their original sales tags. McCulloch is asking that no resale of the clothes should occur.

She has already made plans for any clothing remaining after the 2 p.m. closing time, explaining, “Any left-over clothing is going to the Free Treasures Den, which is part of the Saybrook Community Church in Old Saybrook.” She adds, “And any left over formal/prom dresses are going to a women, who collects those dresses for at-risk women in the Hartford area.”

Editor’s Note: Good luck with this worthwhile endeavor, Maddie! We hope it is a huge success.

Death Announced of Dwight Bartholomew, Graveside Service to be Held at Family Cemetery in Old Lyme

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PORT ANGELES, WA / OLD LYME, CT — A boundless spirit, Dwight was frequently bursting with accordion music and song. He was a son of the rich who’d climbed off the corporate ladder to teach gradeschool. At 90, he died of congestive heart failure on February 8, 2023, in his home in Port Angeles, WA.

He was born on March 8, 1932, at Sloane Hospital for Women, founded by his family in New York, to Dana T. Bartholomew, Yale Class of 1928, of Ansonia, CT. His mother was the former Adela Sloane Griswold, of W. and J. Sloane, and Griswold Iron Works.

Early years were spent in the family’s brownstone on Lower Fifth Avenue, New York City, NY, and summers at their compound in Old Lyme, CT …

Upon dying, he was covered by the flag of his favorite hockey team, the Montreal Canadians, and warmed by his cat.

Dwight is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen; brother, Andy; four children: Dana, Sterling, Sloane and Caroline; and his grandchildren:

… A Graveside Service will be held at the family cemetery in Old Lyme, CT. Date and time is still to be determined.

Visit this link to read the full obituary published March 3, 2023 by The Wenatchee World.

Hamburg Fair Dates Announced

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All the fun of the Hamburg Fair will arrive on Aug. 18 -20. File photo by Steve Frischling.

LYME — The Hamburg Fair Committee has announced that this year’s Hamburg Fair will take place Friday through Sunday, Aug. 18, 19 and 20.

Much more information will follow but we wanted to share this news right away, so mark your calendars now for this always popular event!

Old Lyme Land Trust Offers New YEA! Grants Honoring Ed Sopneski to Support ‘Worthy Environmental Projects’

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OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Land Trust (OLLT) is offering YEA! (Youth Environmental Action) grants of $100 to $600 to support worthy environmental projects. Applicants should be 11-21 years old and live in Lyme or Old Lyme.

The Trust is especially eager to fund original and independent projects that otherwise might not happen. It welcomes requests for support of any project with positive environmental impact in which the applicant plays a major role, including relevant student and volunteer work.

Projects may be proposed anywhere, including on OLLT properties.

The applicant can either commit to rolling up his/her sleeves to help the natural world in the best way possible or come up with a creative approach to tackle a neglected problem — in either case, OLLT would like to assist.

The YEA! grant program is in honor of Edward J. Sopneski, former Trustee and longtime OLLT volunteer. Ed died in 2022 at age 87 following decades of work caring for the environment.

Edward J. Sopneski

He installed osprey platforms, removed invasive plants from his beloved Watch Rock Preserve, and worked to boost declining numbers of pollinators.

Sopneski was also keenly interested in encouraging the next generation to live a life of action to protect our natural world. That goal inspires these grants.

To apply, complete the application at this link and click “Submit.”

Grants are awarded on a rolling basis with decisions made by the OLLT Board when it meets, typically on the third Thursday of every odd month (January, March, May, etc.), and notification to applicants in the following weeks.

Applications should be submitted at least 10 days ahead of a meeting to assure consideration.