In Newtown, Gun Parts To Be Turned Into Garden Tools, Among Other Community Highlights

Brookfield Craft Center has recently received several major awards.

The state awarded the craft center a matching grant of nearly $7,000 from the Office of the Arts for Community and Economic Development. This grant was awarded to support the Arts in Place program and supports educational programs.

The Brookfield Craft Center also received a $14,600 CT Cultural Fund operating support grant from CT Humanities. City Culture Foundation's operating support grants help organizations recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and maintain and enhance their capacity to serve their communities and people. This grant will be used to provide many craft programs and engage the community in creative events. »

Brookfield Craft Center has received numerous awards from other organizations, including the Albert Wadsworth and Helen Clark Meserve Memorial Fund and the Give Back Brands Foundation. These grants have been used to expand and promote youth programs and have enabled the organization to double the number of children receiving full summer scholarships for youth programs.

Danbury

Two students scored perfect on the math SAT

Immaculate High School announced that two students achieved excellence in mathematics on Dec. Sat.

Danbury senior Ji Du and Sandy Hook junior Yipeng "Simon" Zhao each scored an 800 on the math SAT. SAT scores are used to determine merit-based admissions and scholarships.

Principal Wendy Neal thanked faculty and staff for their commitment to supporting students.

Danbury

Veterinary clinic for the elderly, veterans

Seniors and veterans are invited to the Pet Health & Wellness Veterinary Clinic on Friday, January 20th from 10am to 1pm.

Hosted by Dr. Nicole Szabo Veterinary Clinic and sponsored by the Danbury Senior Center, the event is open to anyone age 60 and older, as well as veterans who own a cat or dog.

This is a pet health and safety review. You do not need to be a Danbury resident to participate. The $40 fee (cash or check only) covers a health and wellness exam, heartworm test (dogs), rabies and rabies shots, and basic deworming. Additional services such as non-core vaccinations (Lyme, Lepta, pertussis) are available at additional cost.

To reserve your spot, call the Senior Center (203-797-4686) to make an appointment before January 13th. The event is supported in part by a grant from Elmwood Hall - Danbury Senior Center. Transportation is available for seniors and veterans who live in Danbury and have no other way to attend this event.

Danbury

Learn how to use technology to hide your treasure

The Danbury Library is hosting a free virtual event on "Using Personal Technology to Hide and Bury Secrets" on Thursday, January 12 at 6 p.m.

Speakers will discuss how information is digitally stored, manipulated and encrypted to protect against hackers, identity theft and prying eyes. Participants will learn how to keep their journal entries, financial spreadsheets, account numbers, love letters, login passwords, photographs, and even the romance they started in a secret archive. They learn to write special messages in their wills to guide their trusted heirs to hidden places in the land. The event also explores geocaching, which is great family fun.

Register for an event to be highlighted on the events calendar at DanburyLibrary.org, call the Danbury Library at 203-797-4505, ext. 7733 or email clombardi@danburylibrary.org. Once registration is complete, participants will receive a link to the program via email.

New city

Weapons should be garden tools.

Newtown Congregational Church welcomes light and sparks hope in the new year by hosting a “Guns to Garden Tools” rally on Sunday, January 8th. The Rev. Matt Crabbin will join retired Bishop Jim Currie at a forge in the church parking lot at 14 West St. to turn weapons into gardening tools and heart charms.

The entire community, especially those looking for healing and hope after dealing with gun violence, is welcome and given through community gardening. Hands-on participation is encouraged and all participants can walk away with a heart charm made from the kit room. Gardening tools will be provided by representatives from community gardening organizations including RealFoodCt, Newtown Victory Garden and Newtown Fruit Trail.

Swords to Plowshares of Cary, Northeast, Connecticut Sisters across the country held similar protests. A blacksmith heats iron and hammers out a heart-shaped garden tool or charm using gun parts donated during a gun drive, like the one in Newtown on Nov. 12. Guests are invited to help transform the weapon associated with fear and violence into a weapon of acceptance for growth and life and peace.

The organizers say that the audience will be changed again and again and will find new hope that gun violence will turn into peaceful conflict resolution, that the ancient Bible prophecy that inspired the show will be fulfilled: they put their swords into plowshares and their spears into plowshares. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; And he shall learn war no more.

The forge parade starts outside the house at 12:00 pm and lasts until 2:00 pm. Guests can come at any time.

In addition, Curry will speak at the 10 a.m. service.A light lunch will be served after the service and hot snacks will be served at the demonstration. A limited number of devices are available and donations are accepted.

Proceeds benefit Swords to Plowshares (s2pnortheast.org) as well as local organizations working to comfort gun violence or survivors.

For more information, contact Newtown Congregational Church at newtownctchurch.org or call 203-426-9024.

Southbury

Arts Escape offers classes in the winter

Arts Escape, a local non-profit organization, is accepting registrations for classes in January and February.

A four-session online course in January teaches participants how to write a letter of intent, a written document that shows who you are and what's important to you.

Jay Sherwin, who practiced law and served as a hospital chaplain, will teach the class, which will be held on Tuesdays from January 10 to 31. Sherwin created the Life Reference Project to educate people about probate and ethical wills.

A colored pencil workshop with award-winning artist Sandy Daino will be held on Tuesdays, January 10 and 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Students work in small groups. You'll start with price exercises and basic layering techniques that provide a foundation for more advanced work.

The acrylic paint workshop will be held in five sessions from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursdays from January 12 to February 9. Students work from reference photos provided by award-winning artist and instructor Andy Styles before each session. The workshop is designed for all levels of artists.

Steller will also host a five-session open studio workshop on Thursdays, January 12-February 9, 2-5pm. It is designed to allow students to work at their own pace under instructor guidance in a warm and informal environment. It also provides pre-class reference photos for students who choose to work on the same whiteboard as the teacher. Students must bring their own materials.

Instructor Bobby Knezek will lead a one-session workshop on Sunday, January 14 from 9-10:30 a.m. A guide to help participants understand and practice techniques to become their own cheerleaders. Participants will learn how to express their ideas and communicate their needs in this warm and supportive environment. Knezek is the co-founder of WD Communications, which helps employees at all levels develop leadership, presentation and writing skills.

Additional information, including instructor bios and registration, is available at www.artsescape.org/writing or by calling 203-586-1474. Arts Escape, a non-profit organization, is located at 493 Heritage Road, Suite 4C in Southbury.

Washington

There will be a full moon trip

Members of the public are invited to the first Full Moon Walk of the year on January 6th at 6:00 pm with the Washington Institute of American Indian Studies in the beautiful woods of Connecticut. The teachers of the institute act as guides.

Many Native American communities call January's full moon the "Month of the Frog Tree" because it's getting cold outside, so make sure you dress appropriately.

The highlight of this easy walk is seeing with your own eyes the full beauty of January from an Indian perspective. The walk through the forest ends at a recently restored 16th century Algonquin village where participants are greeted with a warm campfire, hot chocolate and stories.

Spaces for this march are limited and pre-registration is required. Call 860-868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org to reserve your spot. Cost to participate is $10 for non-members and $5 for Institute members. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes and don't forget to pack a flashlight.