Tag Archives: Old Lyme

The Movie Man: Mystic Film Festival Screens Over 100 Films

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man’

The eighth annual Mystic Film Festival opened Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Mystic Luxury Cinemas. The festival screened over 100 films, which were mostly short films but approximately 20 feature-length films were included.

The festival was founded by Shareen Anderson, who also serves as its executive and artistic director. Anderson’s career as a producer, director, and writer in film and television (documentaries, specifically) spans two decades. Her work has appeared on CNN, Netflix, the Food Network, and National Geographic.

While in Johannesburg, South Africa, Anderson founded the Jozi Film Festival in 2011.

Upon moving to Mystic in 2017, Anderson took note of the local tourist industry and established artistic community. She came to believe that Mystic was a perfect opportunity for a local film festival.

“People here like going to the movies,” she said. “I just decided to go for it… and here we are eight years later.”

The filmmakers participating in the festival this year are mostly from the northeast (New England and New York) while others come from California. Anderson is particularly proud to host international filmmakers this year.

She adds that student films are also submitted, and their quality can be indistinguishable from the rest of the submitted work.

Anderson continues to work in film and television while running the festival, which she refers to as her “passion project.” She boasts that everyone involved is a volunteer and that this is a true community effort, with meetings held either weekly or monthly year-round.

She has high hopes for the Mystic Film Festival’s future but notes that planning just a four-day event requires time and work. She emphasized that it ultimately comes down to bigger sponsors.

The Festival concluded Sunday, Oct.5.

For more information about the Festival and how to get involved, visit the Festival website.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.)

Letter to the Editor: Shoemaker, Lampos Have Achieved Much in Short Time, Deserve Re-election

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To the Editor:

Two years is a brief time for any town leader to accomplish ambitious goals, yet First Selectman Martha Shoemaker and Selectman Jim Lampos have made noteworthy progress in their first term. Their achievements include enabling online meeting access, addressing deferred maintenance, tackling flood and erosion issues, repairing the Hawk’s Nest sluice gate, using grants for our emergency operations center, supporting Senior Center renovations, and improving accessibility and safety at Sound View.

Martha and Jim put Old Lyme first—let’s re-elect them on Nov. 4.

Sincerely,

Mary Jo Nosal,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Notes: Mary Jo Nosal is a member of the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee. She is also a financial supporter of olwenonline.com/, but has no input to the editorial process, which remains completely independent.

Alliance for American Leadership to Present Former Congressman Sam Gejdenson a Lifetime Achievement Award in Old Lyme, Sunday

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Bipartisan Group Honoring Gejdenson for Dedication to International Assistance, Tickets to Event on Sale Now

OLD LYME — On Sunday, Oct. 5, the Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL) will celebrate former Congressman Sam Gejdenson with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his service to the United States and the world at large. The award ceremony is part of the program of events for the State of Connecticut Launch Party for the Alliance, to be held at 4 p.m. in Old Lyme, Connecticut. 

Born in a displaced persons camp in Allied-occupied Germany, Sam Gejdenson represented the State of Connecticut’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 1981 to January 2001. In this capacity, amongst his voluminous accomplishments in service to the People of the United States were a range of contributions to the U.S. international assistance apparatus, such as restoration of funding to the United Nations Population Fund; legislation to combat human trafficking; and the initialization of funding for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which has globally saved an estimated 26.9 million lives.

To recognize the former Congressman’s dedication to international assistance and American leadership, to include his continued tenacity fighting for positive change, A4AL is honored to present Sam Gejdenson with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Congressman Gejdenson’s lifetime of service,” said Asher Moss, Executive Director of A4AL, “including twenty years as a Representative for the State of Connecticut, demonstrated American commitment to international assistance. Sam Gejdenson’s leadership in preventing and mitigating pandemics, saving lives, and keeping America safe is why he truly deserves this Lifetime Achievement Award.”

A4AL, formed after the shutdown of USAID, is a bipartisan coalition dedicated to restoring American leadership through smart, strategic, and effective international assistance. After its launch receptions in the District of Columbia and New York, A4AL is now launching its next chapter in Connecticut. The reception will gather a select group of leaders committed to advancing principled U.S. global engagement. 

A4AL invites young and senior professionals to connect with fellow champions of American leadership, and meet members of the Alliance’s growing national network. With more than 700 advocates in all 50 states, A4AL is on track to mobilize 10,000 advocates by the 2026 midterm elections.

For security reasons, the address of the event is not being published. Respond to this email to request the address or RSVP at https://givebutter.com/CTLeadership.

The Alliance 4 American Leadership is a bipartisan coalition dedicated to restoring American leadership through smart, strategic, and effective international assistance.

For further information, visit https://a4al.org 

To purchase tickets for the event, visit https://givebutter.com/CTLeadership

‘Wee Faerie Village’, New ‘Fall Into Impressionism’ Exhibit Now Open at Old Lyme’s FloGris Museum

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The Wee Faerie Village opens Saturday at the Florence Griswold Museum. This year’s theme is “Gardener’s Grove: a Growing Community.” Photo courtesy of the Florence Griswold Museum.

OLD LYME — The perennially popular Wee Faerie Village and a new exhibition titled, ‘Fall Into Impressionism‘ open today at the Florence Griswold Museum In Old Lyme.

The theme of the Wee Faerie Village this year is Gardener’s Grove: a Growing Community!  and it celebrates the growing world with a wee community that is inspired by plants. Each site will be place for a faerie to live, work, play, or shop that is based on a single flora or plant type…flower, vegetable, bush, or tree.

The event will feature at least two dozen faerie installations as well as a roster of special events to compliment the theme.

Since 2009 over 190,000 visitors have immersed themselves in the spirit of imagination and whimsy that comes from visiting at least two dozen pint-sized installations across the Museum’s campus on a perfect autumn day.

Autumn Sunlight (1888) by.Theodore Robinson (1852–1896) is a signature painting of the ‘Fall Into Impressionism’ exhibition opening Saturday at the Florence Griswold Museum..OThe painting is oil on canvas and a gift of the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. Photo courtesy of the Florence Griswold Museum.

‘Fall Into Impressionism’ features selected artworks from the Museum’s permanent collection, which celebrate the appeal of fall to the Impressionists, whose flecks of paint capture the textures and colors of autumn.

For artists including Fidelia Bridges, Charles Ebert, Frank Vincent DuMond, Breta Longacre, Willard Metcalf, and Theodore Robinson, fall presented the opportunity to contemplate nature in transition. They appreciated both the season’s vibrance and its gradual movement toward much more muted colors.

Many of these painters spent August in cooler climes like Maine, but come Septeber, they flocked back to Connecticut as the weather cooled to paint outside in the drier air, particularly in locales like Old Lyme.

During the fall, leaves dazzled with reds, golds, and a multitude of other colors before falling to the ground. The artists would concentrate on the play of light and shadow in these autumnal months before the weather turned cold and maybe the first snow fell. At that point, they headed back to their studios in the city for the winter.

The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am-5pm. Special event pricing is in effect at this time as follows: $23 Adults, $22 Seniors (62+), $21 Students (13+). Entry is free to Children 12 and under, and members.

For more information, visit the Museum’s website.

Death Announced of Norman B. Peck Jr., 96, of Niantic; Father of Norman B. Peck III, David Peck, and Diane P. Rothman

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Norman B. Peck Jr.

NIANTIC — Surrounded by family, Norman B. Peck Jr. of Niantic passed away peacefully on Wednesday September 17th at the age of 96 at the Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. Born in New London, CT on May 1, 1929 to Norman and Esther Peck, Norm married Ann (Bonafede) Peck on August 11, 1951. They shared a full life together for nearly seventy years.

Norman was predeceased by his mother and father, his sister Anne Calkins and his wife Ann B. Peck. He is survived by his brother Thomas O. Peck and his three children: son Norman B. Peck III, wife Patricia Avery and their children Tyler Engleberg, Hayley (Adam) McCaffery and great-granddaughter Miller; son David A. Peck, wife Nina and their children Sarah (Harper) Williams, LCDR Charlie (Danielle) Peck and Dave Peck; and a daughter Diane P. Rothman, husband Peter and their children Matthew and Nicholas Rothman.

A 1947 graduate of The Bulkeley School in New London, Norm attended his 78th class reunion only 12 days before his death. This was also slated to be the last reunion for this beloved local school.

Norm was actively involved in civic affairs. He was the past president of the East Lyme Historical Society for 27 years, devoting that time to the preservation of the Thomas Lee House. He was past chairman of the East Lyme Planning Board, VP of the Chamber of Commerce of Southeastern CT, a lifelong member of the Niantic Fire Department, a member of the East Lyme Charter Revision Committee, instrumental in the formation of the Southeastern CT Council of Government, and a member of the East Lyme Library Association. As a history buff with particular interest in the Civil War, he was a member of the Connecticut 5th Infantry, a re-enactment group, where he attended both the 125th and 135th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Norm served in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

After a sixty-four-year career with Smith Insurance, Norm retired on his 89th birthday on May 1, 2018. He served as a President and owner of Smith, previously one of the largest independently owned agencies in Connecticut. Customer care and employee concern were always his focus.

Norm was passionate about his hobbies. He was a past Commodore of the Niantic Bay Yacht Club with extensive involvement in the development and growth of the Club throughout his life. He skippered his Atlantic Class sailboat to 16 national titles from 1973 until securing his last one at the age of 81. He was a member of the Off Soundings Club and won several Club events with his family aboard his Morgan 36T, the Spirit. Norm inspired his children to sail and ski. The family would race boats together until he was nearly 90 years old. At the age of 35, encouraged by his sister, Norm became an avid skier and continued skiing with his family and friends until age 85, primarily at Magic Mountain, Vermont, where his extended family spent many happy winter weekends at the family ski house. His love of sailing and skiing bridged the generations, providing endless enjoyment and cherished memories for himself, children and grandchildren. He will be missed.

A funeral service will be held at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, September 27th, at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Old Lyme. Interment will follow at Union Cemetery in Niantic. There are no calling hours. A special thank you to Norm’s medical doctors, particularly Dr. Constantine Manthous for his outstanding care and counsel during the final years. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in memory of Norman and Ann Peck, payable to: East Lyme Scholarship Association, P.O. Box 190, Niantic, CT 06357.

In the care of the Fulton-Theroux Funeral Service.