Category Archives: Lyme

‘The Estuary’ Celebrates 50 Years of Service with Fundraising Gala in September

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OLD SAYBROOK/LYME/OLD LYME—In celebration of 50 years of dedicated service to the community, The Estuary is thrilled to announce a fundraising gala to be held on Sept. 28, 2024. The event will take place at the historic Essex Steam Train Station, located at 1 Railroad Ave. in Essex, from 6 to 10 p.m. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Meals on Wheels program.

The Estuary is a regional non-profit senior center that serves nearly 2000 clients every year offering an array of social, health, and wellness services and provides over 100,000 meals through their nutrition program, which includes Meals on Wheels and Congregate Dining. The Estuary‘s region includes both Lyme and Old Lyme.

The nutrition program is supported by the Senior Resources—Agency on Aging with Title III funds made available under the Older Americans Act.

This milestone event aims to commemorate half a century of providing essential senior services to those in need while raising much-needed funds to support the Meals on Wheels program which provides vital nutrition to homebound seniors. The gala promises an evening of elegance, filled with exceptional entertainment, gourmet dining, and heartfelt reflections on our past achievements and future goals.

The Estuary is honored to welcome Reynolds’ Subaru as the Special Guest Honoree for the evening. Reynolds’ Subaru has been a steadfast supporter of Meals on Wheels, contributing significantly to its initiatives and helping The Estuary reach more individuals in the community.

Attendees can look forward to a cocktail reception with live music, gourmet dinner, silent and live auctions with exclusive items and experiences, and inspiring speeches and presentations highlighting our impact over the past 50 years.

“We are incredibly proud of the work we have done over the past five decades and are excited to celebrate this milestone with our community,” said Stan Mingione, Executive Director of The Estuary. “This gala is not only a celebration of our past but also a crucial opportunity to support our future and the amazing people we serve every day.”

Tickets for the gala are available for purchase on The Estuary‘s website www.yourestuary.org. Early registration is encouraged to secure your spot at this memorable event.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase tickets, contact Heather Milardo at 860-388-1611 or development@yourestuary.org.

Local Vets Complete Training as Veterans Representatives for Towns of Lyme, Old Lyme, Killingworth

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Tony Vallombroso, who has been the Old Lyme Veterans Representative for many years, received his Municipal Veterans Representative completed training certificate from Ronald P. Welch, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs.

ROCKY HILL, CT/LYME/OLD LYME—On June 14, the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) conducted an annual training program for the Veterans  Representatives of each Connecticut municipality.   

The event was held at the main VA campus at Rocky Hill, Conn. 

Completed training certificates were handed out by Ronald P. Welch, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs.

Every Connecticut municipality is required by state law to have a Veterans Representative—usually a volunteer—who is trained annually to help community veterans understand their VA benefits and handle related issues. 

Incoming Veterans Representative David Griswold proudly holds his completed training certificate.

Tony Vallombroso has been the Old Lyme Veterans Representative for many years. David Griswold of Old Lyme will be working with Vallambroso as an incoming Veterans Representative.

Lyme First Selectman David Lahm is the Veterans Representative for Lyme.

David Lahm is the Veterans Representative for Lyme, as well as serving as the Town’s First Selectman. 

Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 Commander Richard Mason serves as the Killingworth Veterans Representative.

Richard Mason is commander of Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 and also the Veterans Representative of Killingworth.  

Below is a list of dignitaries, who attended the training event:—

  • Ronald P. Welch, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs
  • The Honorable Stephanie Thomas, Secretary of the State
  • Edward C. Payton, Interim Deputy Director, VA Connecticut Healthcare
  • Astrid Perez, Director, Veterans Benefit Administration, Hartford Regional Office
  • Stuart Topliff, Town Assessor, Town of Rocky Hill, Property Tax Exemptions
  • Heather Tweeddale, Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (Talent Solutions), Employment with the State of Connecticut
  • Nicholas Savaria, U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Health Administration)
  • Jessica Gagen – Military Services Coordinator, VBA Overview/Claims Trends/Automated Claims Review
  • Donna Bois – Assistant Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer (AVREO)
  • John S. Carragher, Advocacy and Assistance
  • Chuck Leone, Residential Programs and Services
  • Laura Nelson, Sgt. John Levitow Healthcare Center
  • Pam Porter, Cemetery and Memorial Services
  • Nicole Dykstra, Connecticut Department of Labor (American Job Centers)
  • Ariana Deeley, Director, Hartford Vet Center

Summer Arts Programs for Teens Kicks Off, Registration Still Open

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The 2024 Lymes Creative Arts Program offers a variety of opportunities for teens during the summer.

LYME/OLD LYME—Teens in Lyme and Old Lyme are invited to unleash their creativity with the fourth season of Lymes Creative Arts, a vibrant summer arts program. This year’s lineup includes exciting new classes such as hip-hop dance, a drama workshop, and dyeing with natural materials, alongside popular returning courses such as filmmaking and ceramic mosaic-making.

These courses are open to Lyme and Old Lyme students in middle and high school.

Discover more and register at Lymes Creative Arts.

This summer’s program offerings include:

Summer Songwriting Workshop with Peter DiGennaro
June 24 to 26, 9am to 3pm at Nightingale’s Acoustic Cafe

Creating a Character, a High School Drama Workshop
Tuesday, June 25, 11am to 1pm at LYSB

Ceramics and Mindfulness Workshop with Danessa Pedroso
Thursday, June 27, 4 to 5 pm at OLPGN Library

Ceramic Mosaic Workshop with Lilywork Studio
Tuesdays, July 2, 8, 16, 10 to 11:30 am

Last year’s popular course learning the art of tiling at Lilywork Artisan Tile studio in Old Lyme is offered again this year by Lymes Creative Arts. Photo by Lilywork Artisan Tile.

Summer Stitch Club
Tuesdays, July 9 to August 6, 3 to 4:30 pm at OLPGN Library

Introduction to Punch Needle with Michelle Beaulieu-Morgan
Thursday, July 11, 9:30am to 1:30 pm at LYSB

Hip Hop Dance
Saturday, July 13, 2 pm at the Lyme Library

Afro Colombian Dance
Saturday, July 20, 2 pm at the Lyme Library

Dyeing with Natural Materials
July 22 to 24, 1 to 3 pm at the Lyme Art Association

Filmmaking Workshop with Green Planet Films
Fridays, July 26, August 2 & August 9, 9:30am to 12pm at Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall

A Painterly Approach to Self-Portraiture and Mural Making with Nancy Gladwell
August 5 to 9, 1 to 4 pm at Lyme Art Association

Teen artists enjoy painting ‘en plein air’ during last year’s Lymes Creative Arts program. Photo by Kristen Thornton.

Lymes Creative Arts is produced and funded by the Sustainable Committees of Lyme and Old Lyme, in collaboration with the Lymes’ Youth Services Bureau (LYSB). Additional support is provided by the public libraries of both towns.

The program’s core mission is to eliminate barriers to participation by addressing challenges such as location access, scheduling conflicts, and financial hardship.

Participation fees are kept minimal, with scholarships available, and sessions are held at convenient locations throughout Lyme and Old Lyme at various times during the summer.

The Movie Man: ‘Inside Out 2’ is a ‘Warranted Sequel,’ Continues the ‘Creative Spark’

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

Inside Out 2 is a warranted sequel. So often studios will crank out sequels for business reasons, despite the fact there is either no way to continue a story that has already been resolved; or that the sequel could not live up to the standard set by the original. Thankfully that is not the case, here.

In 2015’s Inside Out, Pixar gave, what I consider, to be one of their most creative and original movies as we saw the inner-thoughts of 11-year-old Riley personified by a committee of five emotions: Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness (an example of some of the best casting decisions in film history).

Two years later, just as Riley is getting used to her five main emotions, puberty begins, accompanied by the arrival of four new emotions: Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui, all led by Anxiety. While Riley’s emotions dealt with her move across the country in the first movie, the four new emotions take Riley in a different direction as she navigates unfamiliar territory with the social pressures that are a part of the teenage experience (such as self-esteem and ethical dilemmas.)

Anxiety guides an ambitious and competitive Riley towards poor decision-making, justifying it all as an attempt to make a good first impression at a hockey camp for talented youth. What makes her a powerful antagonist is that her rationale appears to be sound. While we know better as we watch the movie, our suspension of disbelief believes her ideas to be reasonable (kudos to the writing team for this.)

Beyond the overall narrative and performances, I must give credit to Pixar for keeping the creative spark going through metaphors about the subconscious. But what I truly must commend is Pixar’s depiction of mental health in teenagers and how these years are a vulnerable era as teens seek to establish their own identities, experience the popularity contest, and understand right and wrong.

While Pixar movies are family-themed movies, I think this installment is incredibly relevant to teenagers (even the ones who are going through the brief aversion of anything from their childhoods to be avoid being lame.) I hope it consoles them and lets them know it that they are human, it is okay to not be perfect, and, above all: to love themselves.

I have learned over the years that I should be suspicious over sequels as they are often unnecessary, but Pixar has given me another reason to still hope for them despite the prospects of let-downs. Inside Out 2 gave its original characters another opportunity to prove themselves and they nailed it.

With the success of this sequel, I believe a third installment is inevitable. I cannot help but wonder how Riley’s subconscious committee would handle young adult life down the road?

Who knows?

I just hope I don’t jinx it.

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Conn., Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

Death Announced of David Warden Holahan, 74; Co-Founder of ‘The Old Lyme Gazette’

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EAST HADDAM—It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of David Warden Holahan, 74, of East Haddam, CT, who died June 11, 2024 after a battle with cancer.

His obituary sums him up as, “a seasoned writer, commentator and reporter.”

He was also a kind and generous man, and a passionate believer in the importance of community journalism. I met him for lunch once and he gave me some incredibly valuable advice on how to manage LymeLine and then contributed gratis a wonderful column about the history of local journalism in Old Lyme.

David’s obituary explains that, “In 1974, he co-founded The Gazette, an Old Lyme, CT weekly newspaper, which survived into the late 1980s.”

The obituary adds, “He also co-published The Compass, a newspaper in Mystic, CT. The Gazette was named the best newspaper in New England for its size. An annual April Fool’s Day article kept readers on their toes. The spoof caught the attention of The New York Times and is enshrined in the Museum of Hoaxes in San Diego, CA.”

According to his obituary, “Holahan went on to write and freelance articles for newspapers and magazines, great and small nationwide, among them The New York Times, The Hartford Courant, Newsweek, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

In recent years, he served as editor of the East Haddam News and wrote its nature column, “Wild Things,” to the last.”

The obituary continues, “The son of Richard and Pamela Crawford Holahan of Huntington, NY, he is survived by his wife of 38 years, Kyn Tolson; his son and daughter-in-law, Jackson and Sarah Holahan; and grandson, Walker …”

David’s obituary notes, “Among his proudest achievements is capturing the blue ribbon at the Hadlyme, CT Derby’s Giant Pumpkin competition. Gorgeous George weighed in at 525 pounds. Holahan wrote about George, of course. He also wrote about serious environmental questions such as climate change and habitat and species degradation, not just near home in Connecticut, but worldwide, as well.”

Donations in David’s name can be made to the East Haddam Land Trust, P.O. Box 122, East Haddam, CT 06423.

We send our sincere condolences to David’s family on his passing. He was a skilled writer and truly a good man.

Visit this link to read the full obituary for David published in the Hartford Courant.