Save the Date for Cheers for Ädelbrook

Come to Cheers for Ädelbrook, a wine and craft beer tasting fundraiser to support the important work being done to help the children and young adults with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders served by Ädelbrook. This year’s event will be held at Saint Clements Castle, 1931 Portland-Cobalt Road, Portland on Friday, October 18, 2019 from 6 – 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 at the door. There are only 350 tickets available, make sure you don’t miss out on this great event!

Willowbrook Spirit Shoppe is partnering with Ädelbrook bringing distributors, each with a variety of wine, craft beers or spirits. To sweeten the deal Sweet Harmony Café and Bakery will once again be providing a wide variety of confections for attendees to choose from.

This event is a fun way to learn about the important work of providing hope and healing to children and families. There will be live music, hand passed hors d’oeuvres, a stir fry station as well as mac and cheese and mashed potato bars with a variety of toppings for you to customize. Guests can bid on silent auction items, including overnights at area destinations, or take their chance at the tea cup auction.

Ädelbrook is a multi-service agency specializing in behavioral and developmental services, dedicated to meeting the unique needs of families and individuals, of all ages, as they relate to intellectual/developmental disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ädelbrook provides short-term, long-term and respite residential programming for children and young adults. In-home and community-based services are customized from, as little as two hours a week, to round the clock staffing.  Three Learning Centers and two Transitional Academies offer an educational continuum for students aged 3 – 21.

Visit Adelbrook.org, under learn more, see Cheers for Ädelbrook under events.

For more information or to buy tickets, contact Sharon Graves at 860-635-6010 x327 or via email sgraves@adelbrook.org

American Eagle Supports Area Non-profit Organizations in Hartford and Middlesex Counties

The American Eagle Financial Credit Union Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving recently awarded $1,000 grants to five different non-profit organizations to support their work in Hartford and Middlesex counties: The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford, MARC Community Resources, CT Association for Human Services, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford and Community Health Resources.   Celebrating the recent donations totaling $5,000 and announced at American Eagle Financial Credit Union’s Financial Center in East Hartford were, back row, standing from left, Katie Reaves, development director of Community Health Resources; Major JR Fritsch, chief operating officer of The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford; Dean Marchessault, president and CEO of American Eagle Financial Credit Union; Maureen McGuire, vice president of communications at Community Health Resources; and Amanda Onochie, program director for the Connecticut Money School at the CT Association for Human Services; and front row, sitting from left, Malton Edwards, director of development of MARC Community Resources; Anna Sanyang, a student of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford; and Rebecca Hawkins, director of programs at Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford.

Chelsea Groton Bank Welcomes New Hires

Leslie McKillip Joins Chelsea Groton Bank Commercial Lending Division

Leslie McKillip of Madison, CT, recently joined Chelsea Groton Bank as Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer.  Leslie will work to develop commercial loan and commercial mortgage relationships with centers of influence across the Bank’s market areas.

“With over 25 years of commercial lending experience, mostly in New Haven and Middlesex Counties, Leslie’s skills will be an immense asset to our team,” said Carolyn Welch, Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending Manager at Chelsea Groton Bank. “In addition to her experience managing all aspects of commercial deals, Leslie is recognized for developing excellent working partnerships that enhance and deepen business client financial goals and objectives. We are excited to welcome Leslie to the Chelsea Groton team.”

Most recently, Leslie was a Vice President, Senior Commercial Loan Officer at Liberty Bank in Middletown. Prior to that, she was Assistant Vice President, Small Business Relationship Manager at J. P. Morgan Chase Bank in Milford. Throughout her career, Leslie has held numerous management and business banking positions with local banks.

Community involvement is very important to Leslie. She is Secretary and member of the finance committee for St. Luke’s Home Inc. in Middletown, which serves older adults and veterans in the community. She also has been involved with Middlesex United Way and several Credit for Life Fairs in Middletown, Wallingford and East Hartford over the years, teaching high school students about credit, budgets and bill paying.

Leslie graduated from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT with a BA in Psychology.

Greg Curtis Joins Chelsea Groton Bank As SVP, Chief Technology Officer

Greg Curtis joins the Technology Services team at Chelsea Groton Bank as the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Prior to joining Chelsea Groton, Greg served as the Director of Technology of the Mohegan Tribe where he managed the Cybersecurity, Network, and Helpdesk teams. Greg has over 30 years of IT solution development for various Fortune 50 companies.

“Greg’s extensive technology leadership skills ensure that Chelsea Groton will continue to offer secure and innovative banking solutions for our customers. Greg is a welcome addition to the team as cybersecurity becomes increasingly important,” shared Michael Rauh, President and CEO at Chelsea Groton Bank.

In his previous position at Dell, Greg became a Certified Information Security Officer. While working for top insurance companies like Aetna and Cigna, he attended the Insurance Institute of America in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He earned an Associate’s degree in Information Technology. He was also a member of the United States Coast Guard and graduated from the school of Mechanical Engineering. Greg is an active member of the Aetna ski team and enjoys volunteering in his spare time to teach security at the Center for Internet Security (DHS).

Greg currently lives in Old Lyme, CT.

Eastern CT and Southern Rhode Island Wireless Zone’s to donate 2,800 stuffed backpacks to children in need.

Wireless Zone’s, the nation’s largest wireless retail franchise offering exclusive Verizon products and services, is partnering with The Cellular Connection (TCC) and Culture of Good to donate backpacks full of school supplies to children in need across Eastern CT through the brand’s Sixth annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway. The giveaway, taking place at participating Wireless Zone locations nationwide, is bigger than ever before with more than 250,000 backpacks full of school supplies expected to be delivered in 2019. Since 2013, Wireless Zone and TCC have donated more than 700,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to ensure children are well prepared for the start of the school year.

“Were Very excited to once again participate in this great endeavor,” said Scott Gladstone partner to the local Wireless Zone’s below, “for 25 years we’ve been entrenched in our local communities giving back wherever we can.  Last year was an outstanding success and this year with the help of our generous employees and customers we are able to double the amount of back packs ensuring that as many children as possible have access to the tools they need to be successful in school.”

More than 1,300 participating Wireless Zone and TCC stores across the U.S. are inviting local families and their children to visit these select locations on Sunday, July 21 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to pick up a backpack filled with various school supplies, including pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders and glue. One backpack per child present will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Participating Wireless Zone store(s) in Groton, New London, North Windham, Putnam and Dayville, Glastonbury and Westerly RI. Each participating store will donate 400 backpacks. In addition to this the stores will be offering a fun event for the whole family including Free food from local venders, Touch a truck from local fire departments, Police and ambulance, Bouncy houses, face painting, Princess meet and greet and additional entertainers.

“Wireless Zone is extremely proud to be part of such an amazing movement, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with TCC on an initiative like the backpack giveaway that aligns so well with our core values,” said Dave Staszewski, Executive Vice President of Wireless Zone. “Since 2003, our franchisees have committed to giving back through the Wireless Zone Foundation for Giving, which provides grants to a wide variety of impactful organizations. We are thrilled to add Culture of Good as another partner in creating a lasting impact in the communities we serve.”

In 2015, the National Retail Federation predicted the average person with children in grades K-12 would spend $122.13 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils and backpacks. With more than 16 million children in the U.S. living in poverty, Wireless Zone and TCC are working to alleviate the rising costs of school supplies through this annual program.

Local Wireless Zone owners Neil Ryan and Scott Gladstone have a long history of giving back to the community through the Wireless Zone foundation, local stores and employee’s the 7 local Wireless Zone stores will have contributed in excess of $90,000 back to local organizations in need and the community year to date for 2019.

Supporters of the School Rocks Backpack Giveaway are encouraged to use the hashtag #cultureofgood on Instagram and Twitter to help spread the word.

 

Ädelbrook Announces New Executive Vice President

Ädelbrook is pleased to announce the promotion of Sabrina Cameron, LCSW to the role of Executive Vice President.

Sabrina joined the Ädelbrook team in September of 2009, as a Program Director of Potter’s House, a Therapeutic Group Home for young women. She was promoted to the Clinical Program Director in 2011, and in 2014 became the Director of Residential Programming. In January of 2016 she became Ädelbrook’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing all residential, education, in-home, and community based programming.

In her ten years with the agency she has helped usher in a change of population at what once was The Children’s Home of Cromwell working with primarily adjudicated youth, to Ädelbrook working with  children and young adults with Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

As Ädelbrook grew, with the opening of 13 Continuous Residential Support homes in communities throughout the state, she helped build teams of staff to work with the medically and behaviorally complex individuals within the homes.

“Sabrina has the clinical expertise, paired with a commitment to our mission of providing hope and healing, that sets her apart from many others in the field. She is attentive to the needs of those we serve as well as the needs of the staff. What makes Sabrina such a great leader is that she holds her staff to a higher standard than many, and she holds herself to an even higher one,” said Alyssa Goduti, President and CEO of Ädelbrook.

“I am honored to have been promoted to the Executive Vice President position. It is a privilege to be surrounded by extraordinarily talented individuals, working together for one common goal, to improve the lives of the individuals we serve. I hope that I can continue to inspire and lead those I am surrounded by as they inspire me every day,” said Cameron.

ATRIA Glastonbury Challenges The Spicy Green Bean and 21 Oak to Chef Showdown

Atria Chef Mike and Chefs L.J. and Sean will go head-to-head in a cooking face off with only one rule. All recipes must include an ingredient savored with both the sweet and spicy: the pepper. The competition will be judged by a panel of Atria Glastonbury residents and guests from The Town of Glastonbury. The winner will enjoy bragging rights and local publicity for their restaurant!

This year’s event is the fifth annual Chef Showdown where previous competitors at Atria Senior Living communities across the country included a Master Chef Junior winner and Super Bowl champion.

The Chef Showdown is a culinary competition taking place at more than 225 Atria communities across the U.S. and Canada. Atria residents, their families, the general public and media are invited to attend.

Atria Senior Living has earned a reputation for culinary experiences that are nutritious, creative and delightful for the residents and families they serve. Atria believes people belong together, which is why they continuously look for partnerships and opportunities that allow our residents to engage with their local communities – with the goal of creating fun, rewarding events for everyone involved.

Atria Glastonbury, 1177 Hebron Ave. Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 (860) 652-3444

Thursday July 18^th, 3:00 pm

Upcoming Events from the Jordan Porco Foundation

The Jordan Porco Foundation will host their third annual Scooper Sunday at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on Sunday, August 4, 2019! It’s a day at the ball park cheering-on the Hartford Yard Goats as they take-on the Trenton Thunder, served-up with all-you-can-eat ice cream from various local ice cream vendors. The gates will open at 3:30pm for the 5:05pm game.

Join us for a fun-filled day for the entire family, in support of saving young adult lives. Buy tickets, here.  To volunteer, contact bholcomb@jordanporcofoundation.org.

The Jordan Porco Foundation is an Official Charity of the Eversource Hartford Marathon, Saturday, October 12, 2019.  We are recruiting runners and volunteers for our IN IT 4 LIFE TEAM.  If you are a runner, join our Crowdrise fundraising team at https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/in-it-4-life.  If you would like to join our team as a volunteer, contact Beth at bholcomb@jordanporcofoundation.org.