Blessing of the Animals events to be held in Danbury area, among other highlights – Danbury News Times

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The Sherman Playhouse recently opened its production of “Carrie: The Musical.” Pictured are Erin Shaughnessy and Sam Everett, who are performing in the production.
The Sherman Playhouse recently opened its production of “Carrie: The Musical.” Pictured are Kennedy Morris and Angie Joachim, who are performing in the production.
The Sherman Playhouse recently opened its production of “Carrie: The Musical.” Pictured is Erin Shaughnessy, who is performing in the production.
The Sherman Playhouse recently opened its production of “Carrie: The Musical.” Pictured are Erin Shaughnessy and Sam Everett, who are performing in the production. 
The Sherman Playhouse has recently opened its third production of the venue’s 2022 performance season. The production is titled: “Carrie: The Musical.” Shown are two of the people, Tracy Marble, and Kennedy Morris, who are performing in the production.
The Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center has opened an exhibition, “#HandsOnHistory: It Takes a Village.” The exhibit opened Oct. 1 and is on display through Sunday, Nov. 6.
The Danbury Commission on Aging is sponsoring a Medicare presentation at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Keystone Place at Wooster Heights assisted living community, at 66 Wooster Heights in Danbury.
Richard Felitto, a Connecticut licensed and certified senior advisor, will present “The the Mystery out of Medicare.” 
Attendees will be able to learn about the ins and outs of Medicare, clarify any of their own Medicare health care plan options, and see all of their choices.
Masks will be required and provided if necessary.
RSVP at [email protected] or 203-417-8966.
The eighth annual American Dream Awards Gala, hosted by The New American Dream Foundation, Inc, was held Friday, Sept. 16, at the Amber Room Colonnade, with nearly 300 guests and award winners in attendance.
The foundation’s vice president, Emanuela Palmares, was the master of ceremonies for the evening, marked by speeches and videos of honorees produced by RmediA of Danbury.
The Gala’s theme, “A Celebration of American Immigrants,” was illustrated with five live musical performances featuring songs honoring each honoree. Singer-songwriter, “aka Nora,” awarded titles such as “The Voice of Danbury” and “Hudson Valley’s Most Talented,” performed.
The award ceremony began with the Rising Star Award, presented to Luanna Barcelos, the daughter of Brazilian immigrants. Barcelos is a 21-year-old freelance artist, muralist, UCONN graduate, and the artist behind the City of Danbury’s 45-foot mural celebrating the life and legacy of classical singer and civil rights pioneer Marian Anderson. Barcelo created a custom piece of art that was auctioned off at the gala, donating all proceeds toward the foundation’s programs.
The Community Hero Award was presented to the Connecticut Institute for Communities, Inc. for its impact on the lives of immigrants in our community. 
The American Dream Award $3,000 scholarship was presented to Adamaris Loja, a major in management information systems at WCSU. Born in San Fernando, Azuay, Ecuador, Loja moved with her father to the United States at 11 when her mother passed away.
The event’s presenting sponsor, Union Savings Bank, furnished the scholarship.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the Honorable Judge Dianne Yamin. First elected probate judge in 1990, she made history as the first woman to hold that position in Danbury and the youngest elected judge in the state.
The New American Dream Foundation’s mission is to promote our rich immigrant history, highlight all immigrants’ cultural, social, and economic contributions across generations, and provide education, health, and civic engagement opportunities. In the pursuit of such effort, the foundation at the gala:
– Granted $3,000 in an American Dream Scholarship, and 
– Raised $10,000 from ticket sales towards Mission Health Day – A day of free health screenings and other community services for the uninsured and the income challenged, hosted by Nuvance Health- Raised $34,000 to support The New American Dream Foundation programs, its senior hot meal program, and its newest initiative.
The Center For Empowerment and Education is hosting events and workshops to help spread awareness about domestic violence for October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The center is a local domestic and sexual violence resource for upper Fairfield County and lower Litchfield County. The organization kicked off the month with a Safe Walk, one of its biggest events of the year, on Oct. 1 and 2. 
Other confirmed events are:
Oct. 12 6 to 7:30 – Self Care Yoga Nidra Workshop
Oct. 19  6 to 9 p.m. –  DVAM Bingo at Charter Oak Brewery
Oct. 20 – Purple Thursday
   • Join community members in touting purple apparel to spread awareness of domestic violence.
All Month – local library displays 
The center is located at 2 West St. in Danbury. For more information on events or services, visit www.thecetnerct.org. 
The King Street United Church of Christ will host its annual St. Francis Blessing of the Animals at noon on Sunday. 
The Rev. Paul Bryant-Smith will offer blessings to dogs, cats, turtles, fish, pigs, ducks, horses and other animals. Attendees may also bring a photo of a pet. 
The event is an annual tradition at King Street, but was suspended for a few years because of the coronavirus pandemic. There will also be a free will offering to benefit the New Fairfield-Sherman Animal Welfare shelter.
Updates are going to be available on the church’s Facebook social media platform page, which is https://www.facebook.com/ksucc.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Child and Adolescent Network is hosting support group meetings on Oct. 3 and Nov. 7, both from 10 to 11:30 a.m. over Zoom.
The groups are intended for parents of children with behavioral, emotional and mental health issues. The meetings are free, confidential, safe, and led by trained volunteer facilitators with personal experiences in this area. 
The link for the meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89958265912.
Parents coming to the meetings from Redding, Weston, Westport, Wilton and other local towns.
The Meeting ID is 899 5826 5912.
More information and the password are available by calling Beth at 203-984-0123, or by emailing [email protected], or Vanessa by calling 203-970-4130, or by emailing [email protected].
The New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society is holding a 2023 pet calendar contest to raise funds for the abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs and cats that the organization rescues. The contest is also to celebrate contestants’ pets.
Enter the contest by visiting https://nfsaw.org or New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Facebook page. Participants may also visit https://www.gogophotocontest.com/newfairfieldshermananimalwelfaresociety 
Voting concludes at 10 p.m. Oct. 21. All pets are welcome. Photos of pets shouldn’t have people in them. Participating animals don’t need to be an adoptee from the organization. 
The top vote recipient will be on the calendar’s cover. and receive a Portraits by ShawnaLee gift certificate valued at $325 for an 11-by-14-inch pencil or charcoal pet portrait completed by artist ShawnaLee Kwashnak.
Each of the next 12 top votes getters will be featured as a full page pet of the month.
The second place recipient will receive a $200 VISA gift certificate. The third place recipient will receive a dog or cat gift basket valued at $150. All winners receive a free copy of the calendar.
The contests costs $10 to enter. Each vote costs $1.
The organization can be called at 203-746-2925 to advertise a business card on the calendar at a cost of $50.
Members of the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company legal team hosted a three day virtual seminar from Sept.13-15 with 90 nonprofits. 
The volunteers, through partnership with United Way of Western Connecticut and the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, work with the participating groups to provide valuable information to nonprofit organizations and social service agencies. Fourteen speakers and panelists shared their expertise on topics including best business practices, employment law, diversity and inclusion and situational awareness at work. 
The Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center is hosting its fall fundraiser and opening an exhibition this month. 
The exhibition, titled “#HandsOnHistory: It Takes a Village,” opened on Oct. 1 and is on display through Sunday, Nov. 6, in the Tavern Museum and History Center’s historic carriage barn at 152 Main St. in Ridgefield. 
The exhibition is a curated display where visitors can learn more about Ridgefield’s trades through hands-on activities with specialized tools, techniques, and activities. The exhibition explores the shift from the colonial era in history, to the early 20th century.  Demonstrations and family activities from blacksmithing to shoemaking are featured each Sunday.
A complete list of topics, and dates, are available at https://keelertavernmuseum.org.  The exhibition is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays, with free admission every Sunday. Tickets are available at https://keelertavernmuseum.org/visit. School and youth groups may book educator led tours of the exhibition, free of charge.
Tickets are also on sale for the museum’s fall fundraiser, “History on Tap,” held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday.  There will be food, drink, music, and programming.
Tickets are $75 and include event admission, unlimited beer, and cider tastings, and vouchers for the food. Attendees must be 21 years or older.
Parking will be at the First Congregational Church, at 103 Main Street in Ridgefield.
All proceeds benefit mission driven work at the Tavern Museum and History Center.
Tickets can be purchased at https://keelertavernmuseum.org/events/369/history-on-tap.
A Blessing of the Animals event will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Christ Episcopal Church in Roxbury, rain or shine.
The Blessing of the Animals has traditionally honored St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of animals and celebrates people’s close bond with animals of all species. 
Pets should be leashed or properly contained to assure their safety as well as that of others. Participants whose pets would be unruly, too frightened or not easily transported, are asked to bring a photo. All are welcome, even if they do not have a pet. 
There will be a drawing at the event for a $25 Petco Gift Card.
The Rev. Nagy welcomes requests for local blessing house calls for farms or larger animals that may be impossible to transport to the event.
There will also be refreshments and an opportunity to make a voluntary donation to the Connecticut Humane Society.
The church is located at 4 Wellers Bridge Road.
More information or appointments are available by calling the Rev. Nagy at 860-354-4113.
The Sherman Playhouse recently opened its third production for its 2022 performance season.
The production, “Carrie: The Musical,” is directed by Bradford Blake, with music direction by Charles Smith. 
The production is produced by Al Chiappetta. The curtain rises at 8 p.m. for a four-week run of the production.
“Carrie: The Musical,” adapted from Stephen King’s 1974 novel, features a score by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford (“Fame,” “Footloose,” “Camp”) and book by original screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen. The musical tells the story of teenager Carrie White (Kennedy Morris), who longs to be seen.
The show opened Sept. 30. 
The production also runs Friday, Oct. 7, and Saturday, Oct. 8, Friday, Oct. 14, and Saturday, Oct. 15, Friday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 22, with all shows at 8 p.m. on Fridays, and Saturdays.
There will be two 2 p.m. Sunday matinees on Sunday, Oct. 9, and Sunday Oct., 16.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students. Reservations can be made online at the Sherman Players website, or by calling the box office at 860-354-3622.
The Sherman Playhouse is a non-Equity theater company located at 5 Route 39 North in Sherman. 
 
Justin Stock is a photo editor, editor, photographer, photojournalist, journalist, writer, reporter and content manager with a passion for all aspects of the field of journalism. He graduated from the University of Arizona School of Journalism with a major in journalism and a minor in communication. He is a news assistant for the New Canaan Advertiser.

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