Derby, CT

Sponsored by the Woman and Heart Disease Committee at Griffin Hospital, in conjunction with National Heart Disease Month, the award presentations will take place on February 2nd at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby. Registration and a silent auction will begin at 5:00 pm, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm and the program and awards. The guest speaker for the program is Samantha Heller, a well-known health expert who in addition to appearing regularly on TV shows such as Good Morning America, the Today Show and Dr. Oz, among others, is nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

Persons interested in attending should call 203.732.7584 or 203.732.1137 to reserve your seat. Cost is $35.

The LNV Boys and Girls Club is being recognized for exemplary attitude, skill and commitment to meeting the needs of Valley youth. The organization’s nominator wrote, “The staff emulates the club’s mission of striving to create positive self-identity, health and well-being, among the boys and girls it serves. Many of the staff are “graduates” who come back to work as counselors because they know it is a wonderful way to give back!”
Well known to the Valley, Father Kvedas, who celebrated his 50th year as a Catholic priest in 2011, is being recognized for his compassion, humility and faith, and “always being there to work with those God has put in his path over the course of his 50-year priesthood.”

The Woman and Heart Disease Committee is co-chaired by Daun Barrett, RN, and Dee Klingaman. Members include: Lisa Bisson, Laura Bracci, Joann Brejwo, Marie Cantito, Maureen Coffey, Jeannette Connelly, Dorothy Gandy, Joanne Halstead, RN, Anita Jain, RN, Eunice Lisk, Laurene Schultz, Maria Silvestre, RN, Mary Swansiger, RN and Barbara Ziemer. New members are always welcome.

The forum was organized by members of Youth Enrichment at Stepping Stones (YES2), a training and mentorship program for students in seventh to twelfth grade. YES2 students will serve as both moderator and panelists, creating an open dialogue with audience members. The forum also features guest speaker Richard J. Colangelo, Jr., a senior assistant state attorney in the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk. Colangelo has specialized in cases of child exploitation, including those involving the Internet, throughout his career.

Topics of discussion include Internet safety issues, such as preventing identity theft, protecting against online predators and dealing with cyberbullying. Panelists and Colangelo will also discuss digital permanence, online reputation and the long-term implications that posting content and photos online can have on today’s youth.

An increasingly important topic, digital permanence refers to the fact that every piece of information someone publishes on the Internet can be accessible forever and once it’s online an individual loses control over how that content is used and where it reappears. The forum will address how comments, actions, or images posted online can threaten scholarships, college admission, job prospects and relationships.

This is the first of three youth forums planned for 2012.

The event is free and open to the public and those planning to attend are asked to register by calling 203 899 0606, ext. 277.

Fantasy of Lights runs Friday, November 18, 2011 to Saturday, January 7, 2012

New Haven, CT - The Fantasy of Lights, presented by Easter Seals Goodwill Industries and sponsored by PSEG, has become a holiday tradition for thousands of families. This dazzling holiday light display illuminates Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven, CT for the holiday season. This year, the Fantasy of Lights will open on Friday, November 18, 2011 and run an extra week, ending on Saturday, January 7, 2012. The Fantasy of Lights is adding the extra week to be open on Three Kings Day, which is celebrated on January 6^th, twelve days after Christmas and often viewed as the last day of the Christmas season. The park opens nightly at 5pm and is open until 9pm on Sundays through Thursdays, and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Each display is sponsored by a local area business, corporation, individual or organization. This year, the Fantasy of Lights will feature two brand new displays. A Fire Dog with Santa is sponsored by Honeywell Fire Systems and a Nativity Scene is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. The Nativity Scene display will have a sign in both English and Spanish saying “Keep Christ in Christmas.”

The Fantasy of Lights is also going green this year, with fourteen of the over 60 displays featuring LED light bulbs. These new bulbs not only save energy and electricity, they also make the displays more colorful and more vibrant. We are working with display sponsors to convert more and more displays to LED bulbs in the future.

Admission to the Fantasy of Lights is $10 for passenger cars/family fans, $25 for 15-passenger cans or mini-buses and $50 for full sized buses. All proceeds go to support Easter Seals Goodwill Industries’ mission to enhance employment, educational, social and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and other challenges.

For more information about the Fantasy of Lights or how you can help out, contact the Development Department at (203) 777-2000 x263, email them at events@esginh.org or visit our website at www.eastersealsgoodwill.org/fantasyoflights.

Executive Chef Kevin Cottle and Executive Sous Chef Van Hurd

Cheshire, CT  -  JORDAN Caterers Design Event Planners will offer a new program, The Food & Wine Series.  Jordan’s Executive Chef Kevin Cottle and Executive Sous Chef Van Hurd will teach four cooking classes in the New Britain Museum of American Art’s Café on the Park.  Courses are to be held January 12, January 26, February 2, and February 23, 2011, from 6-8 PM and will feature dishes like seared sea scallops and foie gras, “crispy lasagna” of lobster with cognac sauce, and braised pork belly.  The classes will include demonstrations of recipes, cooking techniques, and generous tastings as well as show you how to pair wines with food to enhance each course. Cathy Schaller, representative of Hartley & Parker Limited of Stratford will consult with the chefs to select wines.

Cottle grew up along the shore in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and was formally trained at The Culinary Institute of America. Hurd brings a southern flair, and was formally trained at The Art Institute of Dallas. The chefs appear regularly on FOX CT’s Midday Chefs, and appeared with Chef Gordon Ramsay on Hell’s Kitchen.  Jordan Caterers, an award winning leader in Connecticut’s hospitality industry for over

32 years, based in Cheshire and Darien, is the Exclusive Event Coordinator for the New Britain Museum of American Art and Guilford Yacht Club.

The evenings are priced at $90 per person per class or $325 for the series of all four classes. To reserve your place call Jordan at (203) 272-8213, ext. 100.  Menu class details can be downloaded here.

Pink Night

Stratford, CT – Tonight a local networking group called the Young Emerging Professionals (YEP) will host “Pink Night”, a special evening in support of the Campaign for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital, at the Oronoque Country Club in Stratford. The event will offer delicious food, door prizes, “You-Pick-’Em” auction, 50/50 drawing, music, cash bar, networking and more.

The Campaign for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital is a grassroots initiative to raise $1 million to develop the Center for Breast Wellness, a comprehensive breast wellness and cancer prevention and treatment center.

1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer. Women in Connecticut are especially at risk. They have the third highest rate of new breast cancers in the United States.

The event is open to all. Tickets are $35 per person and include one beverage. All proceeds will benefit the Campaign for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital.

Those interested in attending can register in advance by clicking the following link: http://www.greatervalleychamber.com/cwt/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=320

YEP’s mission is to connect and engage emerging leaders in their 20’s & 30’s in activities that support our community and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce while making the Lower Naugatuck Valley region and its surrounding communities a more energetic, exciting and active place to work and live. For more information visit http://CTYep.com

Remember Lennon: Imagine 70

New Haven, CT - Tomorrow, John Lennon would have turned 70 years of age. On the weekend of this momentous occasion, a very special theatrical concert event entitled “Remember Lennon: Imagine 70″ will be staged over at 2 select locations in Connecticut.

On Saturday, October 9, the exact date of his 70th birthday, the remarkable live production takes place at the historic Shubert Theater in New Haven, CT at 7pm.

And on Sunday afternoon, 10/10/10, the day after John’s 70th birthday, there will be a special 3pm matinee performance at the Garde Arts Center Theater in New London, CT.

“Remember Lennon: Imagine 70″ presents one of the greatest John Lennon impersonators in existence, a world-class backing band, and audio-visual accompaniment, adding up to a show that is a respectful tribute recreating the concert John may have performed had he still been with us.

With most of the world-renowned Lennon tribute acts, close your eyes and you think you’re listening to John. With this production, keep them open and you’ll be equally amazed.

Tickets are currently on sale for all three shows, and great seats are still available. Shubert Theater proceeds benefit the Ethnic Heritage Center.

For 10/9 tickets, visit the Shubert Theater Box Office, 247 College Street, Downtown New Haven, CT or call (203)562-5666 or toll-free (888)736-2663 (website www.Shubert.com). For 10/10 tickets, visit the Garde Arts Center Box Office, 325 State Street, New London, CT or call (860) 444-4410 (website: www.gardearts.org).

“Remember Lennon: Imagine 70″ is a unique extraordinary musical theater experience celebrating the music, the memory, the magic and the LIFE of John Lennon. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime concert event.

Imagine…70.

http://www.imagine70.com

Former Wings Member Denny Laine

Stamford, CT – Celebrate the music of The Beatles and 60′s pop music at Liverpool Productions’ “BEATexpo 2010,” a convention for fans on Saturday, November 27 and Sunday, November 28th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Stamford, 700 E. Main Street in Stamford, Connecticut.

After a 12 year hiatus, the convention returned to Connecticut last year where it was such a resounding success that it is back again in 2010 with a great line-up of very special guests of honor and speakers, concerts by tribute bands, a rock & roll flea market/memorabilia marketplace; rare video shows and feature-length films; special exhibits and displays; art galleries and many other features, events and attractions.

In the 80’s and 90’s, Liverpool Productions’ shows were the first (and, in some cases, only) U.S. conventions to host such Special Guests as original drummer Pete Best, John’s first wife Cynthia Lennon, John’s sister Julia Baird, “Love Me Do” drummer Andy White, “A Hard Day’s Night” actor Norm Rossington, Brian Matthews and Bernie Andrews, Joey Molland of Badfinger, early Beatles promoter Sam Leach, Woodstock legend and George Harrison’s friend Richie Havens, Davy Jones and Peter Tork of The Monkees, Beatles bodyguard Horst Fascher, Liverpool’s Billy J. Kramer, Hamburg’s Tony Sheridan, Lennon associate May Pang and many others. This year, once again there are some guests appearing who have never been to a convention before.

Special guests of honor at BEATexpo include:

Tommy Roe & The Beatles circa 1963

TOMMY ROE Tommy Roe played on the same bill as The Beatles and he is coming out of retirement to join us at BEATexpo. This isn’t only his first BEATexpo — it’s the first convention he’s appeared at — ever! The international hit-maker wrote or co-wrote and recorded six Top 10 hits between 1962-69, more than any other single artist/songwriter during this period of the sixties. Four were certified gold records. Two of his hits, “Sheila” and “Dizzy,” topped the Billboard chart at #1. “Sweet Pea,” “Hooray for Hazel” and “Jam Up & Jelly Tight” were his other pop rock classics.

On March 9, 1963, The Beatles began their first British tour opening for Tommy Roe (and Chris Montez). In that month, they played 21 dates throughout England, including a showcase concert at Liverpool’s Empire Theater. Tommy is coming out of retirement to make this very rare appearance to meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and play a few songs.

DENNY LAINE Originally with the Moody Blues (“Go Now”), Denny Laine is beloved by fans as the longest member of WINGS along with Paul and Linda McCartney. He co-founded the band in 1971 and stayed with Paul for 10 years, along the way co-writing one of the largest-selling singles of all time, “Mull of Kintyre.” Albums included “Red Rose Speedway,” “Band on The Run,” “Venus And Mars,” “Wings at the Speed of Sound,” “Wings Over America,” “London Town” and “Back to the Egg.” Denny was scheduled to make his first-ever convention guest appearance in Trumbull, CT back in the mid-80’s and couldn’t get into the U.S. at the time, but his ex-wife, Jo-Jo, and his children Laine and Heidi attended. After several convention appearances in Liverpool and at such shows at ROCK CON, it is an honor to have Denny finally make his first Connecticut convention appearance where he will meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and play a few songs.

RICHARD LANGHAM Richard Langham was the Second Engineer at EMI/Abbey Road Studios where he worked with The Beatles on their “Please Please Me’ album, the “From Me To You” single sessions and so many more. All the way from his home base in London, we are delighted to have Richard join us for his first-ever convention appearance – anywhere! He is looking forward to telling stories and reminiscing about The Beatles’ early EMI recordings, meet fans and sign autographs.

CARLOS ALOMAR Carlos Alomar is the guitar virtuoso who co-wrote “Fame” with John Lennon and David Bowie. He has performed or recorded with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Mick Jagger, Chuck Berry, James Brown and others. In all, Alomar has played on a total of 32 gold and platinum albums, including John’s “Double Fantasy” and Paul’s “Press to Play.” This is his first-ever appearance at a convention for Beatles fans, and he will meet fans, talk onstage, sign autographs and hopefully jam on a few songs.

JULIE GRANT Julie Grant is a special addition to BEATexpo, and this is her first-ever convention appearance ever! Julie was signed to Pye Records in England and toured with many stars of the time including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Searchers and Yardbirds. Julie also appeared on “Top of The Pops,” “Ready Steady Go” and “Thank Your Lucky Stars.” She released 15 singles, 5 of which made the top 20.

Julie befriended the Beatles in 1963 and became a back-stage staple and part of their inner circle. Julie was a guest at countless Beatles shows and has endless stories to tell, including the performance where Julie watched the lads from behind the scenes accompanied by Paul’s Dad. Julie dated Mike Pinder of The Searchers and they double-dated with Paul when he was together with Jane Asher. She was close friends with The Beatles, but because she was managed by The Rolling Stones’ manager at the time, professionally Julie was to the Stones as Cilla Black was to The Beatles. She will tell stories of The Beatles’ earliest years, meet fans and sign autographs.

SID BERNSTEIN Sid is the legendary promoter who worked with Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein to bring The Beatles to America. He produced their historic 1964 Carnegie Hall concert and both their 1965 and 1966 Shea Stadium shows, the first stadium concerts in history. He imported the British Invasion to the shores of New York City and helped build the dreams of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Moody Blues, the Kinks, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis, the Rascals, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, ABBA, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the list goes on and on. He is always happy to meet fans and sign autographs.

GARY VAN SCYOC (ELEPHANTS MEMORY) Gary’s professional performances, experience & knowledge of the music/recording industry has continued for over forty years. His concert and recording credits include such notable artists as John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Neil Sedaka, Keith Moon, Paul Simon and others. He is featured in John Lennon’s “Live in NYC,” and TV performances with John include the Mike Douglas show and the Dick Cavett show as bassist for John’s 70’s NYC band, Elephants Memory. He will talk about his time with John, meet fans and sign autographs.

DENNIS FERRANTE Grammy award winning recording engineer returns to BEATexpo to talk about his years of producing and engineering John Lennon’s albums from “Imagine” thru “Rock n Roll.” Ferrante worked closely with Lennon throughout the ’70s on such classic albums as “Imagine,” “Some Time in New York City,” “Mind Games,” “Walls and Bridges,” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll.” He will meet fans, answer any questions and sign autographs.

JUMA SULTAN Juma Sultan was Jimi Hendrix’ percussionist (Juma played at one of the most historic concerts in history, Woodstock!). Hendrix was the 1st artist to cover “Sgt. Pepper” live onstage, which blew away The Beatles. It’s Jimi’s birthday on 11-27-42, so the timing couldn’t be better for Juma’s first BEATexpo appearance. He will be more than happy to meet fans and sign autographs, and perhaps play some bongos.

LADA EDMUND The lovely Lada is the famed 60′s Hullabaloo TV “Caged Go-Go Dancer.”She was a pop sensation and recording artist who posed in photos with The Beatles and sang on the bill for Murray The K’s show at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre. She will be on hand to talk about the sensational 60s, meet fans and sign autographs, including a great shot of her with The Beatles.

Special Guest authors include JUDE KESSLER, who penned the historical fiction book “Should Been There” and the brand-new “Shivering Inside;” DAVID BEDFORD, author of the great Beatles book on Liverpool called “Liddypool,” and fellow Liverpudlian KEVIN ROACH, author of “The McCartneys: In The Town Where They Were Born.”

There will be a video room where rare films and footage will be screened, including a new feature-length film on John Lennon making its New England premiere, “Let Him Be.”

Performing both on Saturday night and Sunday as official convention band will be the New York Beatles tribute group“The MerseyBeat,” making their first-ever BEATexpo concert appearance. Also performing a set of Beatles music will be the team of Ian Lloyd and John Ford. Ian Lloyd was the lead singer of The Stories (“Brother Louie”) and John Ford of The Strawbs. who lived at – and recorded at – John Lennon’s Tittenhurst Park for two years.

“Ticket to Ride” All-Day Passes for Sunday, November 28 (Noon-8pm) are only $15.75 in advance or $20.00 at the door (if the event isn’t sold out in advance). There is an early-bird V.I.P. admission which gets fans and collectors in at 11am for first crack at the vendors ($30.00), and they may stay on all day. There will also be a Special Pre-Show Concert Event on Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 8pm with special guests, bands and attractions. Tickets $15.75 in advance or $20 at the door (if not sold out in advance). . Advance tickets available online at www.ToursAndEvents.com/BEATexpo.htm. It is this Special Pre-Show Concert Event where Tommy Roe and some of the other special guests will be performing live on stage in the ballroom.

Parking for this event will be free at the Holiday Inn Downtown Stamford, 700 E. Main Street in Stamford, Connecticut and a special $84 per night “BEATexpo” convention rate is being offered until November 1st.

For updates and further information, call (203) 795-4737. You may also e-mail LiverpoolTours@aol.com. Website is www.ToursAndEvents.com/BEATexpo.htm.

“Breast cancer affects the whole family,” said Marie Rose, Community Health Center’s program manager for the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. “This event provides a great opportunity for families to spend quality time together and meet other members of the community while learning more about the disease and resources available. Breast cancer is the second-most common cancer among women in the United States. Knowledge and early detection are our best defense.”

Family activities will include a children’s Halloween costume contest, volleyball tournament, horseshoe pit and bocce ball, bobbing for apples, a pie-eating contest, potato sack races, water balloon games, raffles, hayrides and a deejay from Powerstation Events.

Women are encouraged to bring new or gently-used bras to donate to Athena’s Cup to help break the world record for the longest chain of bras and benefit breast cancer research. The bras will be donated to women’s shelters across Connecticut afterward. M. Spa will also offer free haircuts to those willing to donate 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love, which provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Representatives from the Middlesex Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Hereditary Risk Assessment Program and Curves for Women will also be in attendance.

Event sponsors include Lyman Orchards, M. Spa, J.P. Jarjura and Sons Farm, Athena’s Cup, Powerstation Events and Paul and Sandy’s Too.

Monthly programs run from Oct. 2010 through April 2011; tickets on sale now

Mystic, CT – Winning Olympic gold in sailing, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and surfing gigantic waves are just some of the journeys visitors will experience in the 2010-2011 Adventure Series at Mystic Seaport.

The Adventure Series has been hosted by the Museum for more than 60 years and provides a unique opportunity for attendees to meet adventurers firsthand and experience a wide array of challenges –on the sea, in the air and on land all over the world.

The series runs once a month from October through April. Each presenter will speak at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.in the River Room at Latitude 41°. Tickets for the entire afternoon series are $85 ($70 for members) and $95 for the evening series ($80 for members). Visitors who purchase tickets for the complete series will receive a free single ticket for a guest valid for any presentation.

Individual tickets can be purchased after October 15 and are based on availability. Early registration is recommended. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mysticseaport.org/tickets or by calling 860.572.5322.

Featured speakers and presentations are:

Thursday, October 21 – Justin Shorb, the visionary who founded Flock University, will present “Wingsuit Flying: The Most Dangerous Sport in the World,” and will share the thrill of leaping out of an aircraft and soaring through the air. As an organizer, team captain and plane captain at every major skydiving event in the USA and in Marl, Germany, Shorb is revered as a leader and coach in this extreme sport.

Thursday, November 18 – Jeremy Cage, the chief marketing officer of PepsiCo’s International Foods business, will present “Reflections on Making Dreams Come True,” his firsthand account of taking a 16-month sabbatical to sail the world with his family – including travels through the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Galapagos, Australia and the islands of the South Pacific – and will discuss key steps in overcoming obstacles to achieve one’s dream.

Thursday, December 16 – National Geographic photographer and Newport, R.I., native, Alexander “Sandy” Nesbitt will present “From Orphanage to Mountaintop,” a visual documentation of his travels through Kenya and up Mount Kilimanjaro in support of Nairobi’s orphanages.

Thursday, January 20 – Seattle pilots Mark Schoening and Doug DeVries will present “The Great Arctic Air Adventure,” a detailed account of their attempt to circumnavigate Canada via the famed Northwest Passage. The pilots will share observations from the sky – including mosaics of lakes and rolling tundra – and from the land where they set up camp.

Thursday, February 17 – Anna Tunnicliffe, the gold-medal winner in the women’s Laser Radial dinghy races at the 2008 Olympic Games in China, will present “Racing for Top Honors,” and will share her experience in becoming the first woman in 20 years to bring home sailing gold.

Thursday, March 17 – Underwater photographer Tim Calver will present “Photography Deep Down,” showing some of his stunning images and discussing how he gets his camera as close as possible to his subjects—whether they are sharks or humans.

Thursday, April 21 –Award-winning photographer Frank Quirarte will present “Big Wave Surfing,” detailing his adventures in surfing and photographing the giant waves in California’s Half Moon Bay. Quirarte will also share how in an emergency he drops his camera, goes into the impact zone on his personal watercraft and helps pull surfers to safety.

For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org/adventure.

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org.

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Eleven tribe members from the Navajo Reservation in Gallup, NM will be featured, with talks on Navajo prayers, religious ceremonies, daily life, health care, basket- and rug-weaving, and jewelry. Dressed in traditional Navajo attire, the tribe members will also sing traditional songs and give Navajo flute and dance performances.

Event organizer Dr. Frances O’Neil, Tunxis professor of psychology, has developed several courses on American Indians of the southwest with other Tunxis faculty that utilize her extensive research on Navajo, Mojave and Pueblo Indian reservations. O’Neil has participated in many of the rituals and ceremonies while visiting the reservations, and was a recipient of three Navajo blessing and healing ceremonies. O’Neil is currently teaching “Navajo Indians” and “Native Peoples of the Southwest.” She will teach “The Mojave Indians” and “The Pueblo Indians” in spring 2011 semester, which starts January 21.

For more information on the Navajo Day event or about Tunxis courses on American Indians, call 860.255.3734 or 255.3500, or e-mail foneil@txcc.commnet.edu. Those who are interested in attending are encouraged to arrive early.

Tunxis is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177. Visit Tunxis at tunxis.commnet.edu.