Makayla Beach — Photo by David Kent

New England Ballet Company is celebrating its 26th season with its performance of the annual family holiday classic, The Nutcracker, under the artistic direction of Victor Trevino Saturday, Dec. 19 at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m., at The Klein, 910 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport.

Stratford resident, 13-year-old Makayla Beach has been juggling school work and rehearsals to perform the role of Fritz in all three shows. Makayla may also be seen in the iconic Snow Scene and Waltz of the Flowers.

The cast consists of company dancers, students of New England Dance Arts School and members of the community.

Tickets start at $20 and are available at newenglandballet.org.

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More than 500 supporters of all ages contributed to the success of The Kennedy Center’s Autism Week. A total of $108,000 was raised during three events that benefited The Kennedy Center’s Autism Project.

This colorful week of fundraisers kicked off with the Autism SpectRun at Great Hollow Lake, Wolfe Park in Monroe. This first ever 5K Color Fun Run/Walk/Stroll drew over 250 participants, ranging in age from babies in strollers to seniors in wheelchairs. The most outrageous attire of the day included psychedelic spandex pants, striped socks and hot pink hair.

As part of the festivities, children under 12 happily ran through gigantic bubbles created by Casey Carle’s BubbleMania. During this 100 YD Bubble Dash, girls frolicked in pink tutus and boys sported tie-dyed shirts. Poland Spring donated water and Taco Loco provided all participants with food after the race. Chip’s Pancake Truck was also on hand before the race serving up pancakes.

Net proceeds from the SpectRun totaled $17,000. These funds will be used by The Kennedy Center Autism Project to provide affordable accessible programming for the children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Generous SpectRUN sponsors were: Monica and Shawn Matthews of Fairfield, the Carroll Family Foundation, the Dworken Family of Easton, Beers, Hamerman, Cohen & Burger, P.C., Mobile Veterinary Clinic and ASD Fitness Center.

Next, the excitement traveled indoors to the KCAP CUP, the Kennedy Center’s first-ever soccer tournament fundraiser hosted by Goooal Sports in Stratford. This new event was inspired by the Autism Project’s own soccer team, KC United.

This non-competitive indoor tournament was organized by two high school students from Fairfield, Teresa Andres and Katie Rigione. A total of 60 soccer players participated and they raised $6,000 for the Autism Project.

This weeklong celebration culminated with Magic Moments, a colorful cocktail affair at the Westport Inn. The 7-piece What Up Funk Band featuring Jerry Vigorito from Band Together played lively rock and funk music. Multi-colored tablecloths and glow ball centerpieces got the crowd of 200 guests in the mood for fun. Together, the event contributed over $85,000.

During this evening gala, the creation of the Cindy Dworken Memorial Scholarship Fund was announced. Cindy, an Easton resident, was a long-time supporter of the Autism Project and co-chaired the Magic Moments event with her husband Jeff for three years. The scholarship fund, which was dear to Cindy’s heart, provides financial assistance to many local families so their child with ASD can participate in the programs offered through the The Autism Project.

The Event Sponsors and chairs were Monica and Shawn Matthews of Fairfield. The Red Cape Sponsors were the Carroll Family Fund and the Dworken Family of Easton. Also, the Magic Hat Sponsors were the Andres Family of Fairfield and Susan & Peter Evensen of Southport and White Glove Sponsors were Joy and Paul Horton of Southport. At the next level, Silver Ring Sponsors were Chris & Liz Blanco, Richard & Joanne Krantz of New York City, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Pediatric Healthcare Associates.

Thanks to the funds raised nine years ago at the inaugural Magic Moments event, The Kennedy Center opened The Autism Project – a program dedicated to providing affordable comprehensive programs and services to families and children with ASD. Because of the generosity of many donors in the community, The Autism Project has served more than 450 families and become one of the leading providers in Fairfield and New Haven counties of these supports for children with ASD and their families.

Established in 2006, The Autism Project provides children and families with information referral and resources; family support and service coordination, financial assistance, support for children in community activities, wrap-around supports, experienced staff and new services for unmet needs within the community.

“The Kennedy Center is so appreciative of the many supporters who participated in our three family fun events during Autism Week,” said Martin D. Schwartz, President and CEO of The Kennedy Center. “State funding is almost non-existent. People of all ages and abilities contributed to our success by either volunteering or donating much needed funds.”

The Kennedy Center, founded in 1951, is an internationally accredited, non-profit, community-based rehabilitation organization that currently serves 2,400 individuals annually. The agency actively responds to the needs of the community by offering innovative, comprehensive service options to persons with disabilities and special needs, from birth to senior years. The Kennedy Center operates 29 community experience programs, 16 group homes, an industries program composed of six businesses, supported and competitive employment and job placement services, a family support and respite service, travel training, and a variety of children’s programs. Visit www.thekennedycenterinc.org for more information.

Committee members Diana Paulin of Stratford, left, and Tina Rembish of Fairfield, right, celebrate the success of the Ninth Annual Magic Moments gala for The Kennedy Center’s Autism Project.

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Reverend Margaret “Meg” B. Williams

First Congregational Church of Stratford will hold a Service of Installation for its Associate Pastor the Reverend Margaret “Meg” B. Williams on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m., at the church, 2301 Main Street, Stratford. The Installation comes at the recommendation of Committee on Church and Ministry of the Fairfield East Association, Connecticut Conference. The service is open to the public.

Rev. Williams joined First Congregational Church earlier this year. She was hired part-time to assist the church’s senior minister, Pastor Ed Rawls. Her responsibilities consist of preaching once a month, helping Pastor Rawls with liturgy and worship, visiting the church’s shut-ins and general pastoral duties, including officiating baptisms and funerals.

The Service of Installation confirms and celebrates the covenant between the local church and a newly called pastor and teacher and reaffirms the covenantal relationship of all the churches in the association.

“I am honored to be officially installed at First Congregational Church,” said Williams. “I have enjoyed working with Rev. Rawls and ministering to the congregation. It has been a very eventful period since I joined in February and I am proud to achieve this next step in our journey.”

Rev. Williams is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. She was ordained at First Congregational Church in Old Greenwich in 1983 where she served as an assistant pastor. She has been the Minister of Music at both Lordship Community Church and Stratford United Methodist Church. Since 2013, Williams has served as the chaplain for the Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center, a position administered by the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. Williams and her husband, John, have lived in Stratford since the mid 1980’s.  They have two sons.

Pastor Rawls had high praises for the work Williams has done for the church. “Meg is an excellent preacher and a caring pastor,” said Rawls. “She stepped right into the position and has done everything we’ve needed of her. Meg is able to minister to our members when they are in need of care and she is universally loved by our congregation.”

For information about the church, call 203-378-2644.

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The Holiday Shop at Trumbull High School’s Agriscience and Biotechnology Center, 536 Daniels Farm Road, Trumbull, opens on Wednesday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 6. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. There will also be a Craft and Holiday Boutique on December 5 and 6. The sale features wreaths, poinsettias, and other plants. Most items are grown or made by the students.

For more information, call 452-4200.

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The Stratford Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, Mayor John Harkins and the Economic Development office invites the public to attend a ribbon cutting at the Lazy Dog Tavern located at 2505 Main Street in Stratford on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m.

The Lazy Dog Tavern is named after co-owners Niall O’Neill and Chris (Chubby) Delmonico’s English bulldogs known for their laziness. Chubby and Niall opened a tavern that appeals to Stratford’s working class roots, where families of all ages are welcome to enjoy good food at good prices in a warm and inviting casual atmosphere.

Chubby opened Chubby’s in Derby in 1996 and has owned bars and restaurants ever since. Niall has been in the restaurant and bar business since the age of 14, attending culinary school in Europe, then moving to New York City and finally Connecticut.

Happy Hour is seven days a week from 2 to 7 p.m. Information: 203-345-6590.

To attend the ribbon cutting, contact Mary Dean, executive director of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, 203-335-3800 or dean@brbc.org.

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The Board of Education will meet on Wednesday to decide on giving the Center School building to the town as town officials prepare to make it part of the transit-oriented development zone.

The school board’s special meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Center School.

Stratford Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson said the board will have the vote that allows the district to decommission Center School with the state, meaning it would no longer be listed as a school building.

Last summer, the town received a $1.2 million grant from the state Department of Economic and Community Development to remediate and abate the site of the former public school, located at 1000 East Broadway. The grant will pay the cost of finding out just what kind of abatement is needed for the building and to tear it down. The town has plans to transform the former school site into a prime place for the new Transit-Oriented Development Overlay Zone District.

Center School is no longer a primary school building. It houses the district’s Alternative In-School Suspension Program for expelled students and the Strive program for special education students. The private Institute of Professional Practice, a non-profit program for students with autism and other developmental disabilities, was relocated at the start of the year to Honeyspot House.

Robinson said Monday that new homes for AIP and Strive have not been found yet and she hopes they can have new locations soon.

Town Economic Development Coordinator Amy Knorr said Monday that the town has received eight proposals from consultants who will assist the town with identifying the issues at Center School and with plans to tear the school down. The lowest bidder who is most qualified will get the bid, Knorr said.

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Rob Adams and Donald Eng have gotten their share of turkey and the trimmings and are ready to talk sports again.

On this edition of Nutmeg Sports, the guys are joined by Hudson Hamill of the Darien High School football team. Hamill caught a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner, in the Blue Wave’s 28-21 Turkey Bowl win over New Canaan.

Of course, the Turkey Bowl, played in Stamford at Boyle Stadium, was also the 50th FCIAC Championship. Rob and Don debate the merits of the big game, and how the future looks. Or is there a future for the game at all?

Highlights of this years game are also included in this show, with the play-by-play called by Rob, with Chris Erway on analysis, and Chris Kaelin on the sideline.

Finally, a reader wrote into the Darien Times to discuss an annual alumni soccer game. It seems the current Blue Wave soccer players didn’t show up. Rob and Don both believe there is some miscommunication at play.

The HAN Network, formerly known as Hersam Acorn Newspapers, is the exclusive FCIAC broadcast partner through the spring of 2018. HAN Network’s broadcasting division replaces HANRadio.com with a new focus on live video streams of high school athletics along with the Network’s news and lifestyle programming.

To advertise on the HAN Network broadcasts, click here for package options.

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The following Wooster Middle School students were named to the first quarter marking period honor roll:

First honors

Grade 8 — Elizabeth Nicole Adzima, Tiffany Freduah Agyemang Okrah, Chidima Rita Anekwe, Abigail Lee Anka, Matthew Terrence Antrum, Gredniela Jhovana Atencio, Olivier Nicholas Azevedo, Benjamin David Barg, Nallely Dianet Barrios, Mackenzee Amanda Berger, Erik Bielski, Skyler Katherine Boibeaux, Matthew Ryan Brander, Aidan Vincenzo Brennan, Logan Kristoffer Brown, Kierra Elise Campfield, Justin Tyler Canzoneri, Vanessa Elizabeth Carvajal, Lauren N Chechoski, Sebastian Jozef Chodorowski, Rachel Lauren Ciuci, Maxwell Alister Csedrik, Christian Matthew Curr, Gabriela Zanette Dacosta, Nazareth Alejandra De la Borda;

Also, Adrian Eladio De los Santos, Bella Sera DeLorenzo, Niko John Dickervitz, Timothy Martin Doherty, Lauren Nicole Dugan, Paul Leander Duncanson, Valerie Kamyla Duque, Michael Ojonugwa Enaye, Maria Dasilva Fernandes, Caitlin E Ferrari, Julie Francois, Nadya Isabella Garcia, Briana Gilbert, Piper Lauren Glass, Julianna Glick, Kelly Amanda Goddard, Ronajha Christine Gray, Angela Denise Grindrod, Christian Haas, Jenna Elizabeth Hannan, Brady Michael Havee, Melannie Hernandez, Michael Edward Hoffman, Shannon Michelle Hong, Marco Iacobucci, Christine Annette Ihasz, Albert Andrew Ilie, Allen Jean-Pierre, Markel Angela Johnson, Heather N Kallay, Leah Grace Karlan, Olivia May Kells, Fatima Rauf Khan, Malcolm James Kinder, Jordyn Avery Kszywanos, Joshua Edward Kusinski, Henry Andrew Lacourciere;

Also, Paul Daniel Lagerfeldt, Matthew Frantz Lamour, Sean Christopher Latham, Ethan James Lazaro, Helen Fern LeFever, Sebastian Londono, Skyler Rose Lubas, Annalise Macisco, Allison Cecilia Marroquin, Aaron Francis Martino, Natasha Bella Mas, Risa Lynn McLaughlin, Brendan John McMahon, Jacob David Mead, Sean Brennen Meisel, Anthony Ralph Menillo, Eric P Miguel, Angela Elizabeth Miranda, Michael William Mulligan, Eugene O Nagy, Sebastian Nerio, George Nesterov, Rachel Ann Newall, Terry Ngo, Claire T Noccioli, Luke Evan Noel, Nicholas Nunez, Matthew Thomas O’Malley, Hector Manolo Oliva, Josephine Marie Ortega, Halle Peterlin, Michelle Polanco, Andre Pongpit, Joselyn Guadalupe Quechol-Flores;

Also, Katelyn Bridget Quinn, Michael John Quinn, Giovana Martinez Ribeiro, Ryan Thomas Riccio, Elizabeth SandraLynn Richards, Christopher Jonathan Russell, Candice Julia Ryder, Melanie Taylor Sanwald, Lucy Ruth Schumann, Christopher Scott Shular, Nathaniel Isaiah Smith, Thomas Edward Smith, Vanessa Daje Smith, Gwendelyn Sarah Sokolovic, Kayla Sokunle, Sakura Jastina Stevens, Makhiya Shareem Tisdale, Jose Antonio Torres, Mia Ann Totten, Alexander Ugarte, Halie Marie Veilleux, Andrew Glen Verkovod, Brianna Rose Vitka, Lianna Huan Wagner, Emma Walton, Julia Walton, Sophia Alberta Walton, James Wassmann, Sheon Janeille White, Debbie Margaret Yerinides.

Grade 7 — Hirsi Mohammed Abdi, Sara Diab Agha, Gredliana Jhoxana Atencio, Jack Matthew Attanasio, Samantha Jenisse Batres, Makayla Marie Beach, George Bilan, Thomas Donald Blaine, Molly Ann Bonazzo, Anastasia Ermine Brathwaite, Diana Alexandra Breaz, Eden Brisee, Natalie Theresa Brooks, Elijah James Brown, Ava Rose Buckmir, Quinton Robert Budnick, Ryan Lawrence Burlone, Diana Lisseth Buruca, Jonathan Matthew Butz, Heather Marie Buynovsky, Charlee Jeane Case, Layla-Ashley Reese Cesar, Samantha Alexandra Cevasco, Mckenzy Marie Chittem, Lauren Elizabeth Ciuci, Hailey Noelle Cocca, Julia Mary Cocchia, Daniel Kiely Collier, Mary Grace Conroy, Yavier Cosme, Zoe Margaret Cubanski, Mateo Andre Cubillos, Michael A D’Aloia, Kellie Cattuong Dang, Caroline Mary Das, Zachary Alexander Demanche, Amayah Renee Dennis, Alexis Katherine Detuzzi, Julia Rose Dunkirk;

Also, Andrew Frederick Dunning, Noria Ellerby, George Edward Eyerman, Miranda Grace Fernandes, Elliot Douglas Fetchin, Ava Alyce Fetcho, Nora Jane Fetcho, Leah Eleanor Foito, Christina Abreu Fontes, Kevin Donald Gabriel, Michael Richard Galello, Owen Michael Galt, Christopher Joseph Gangemi, Benjamin Daniel George, Erick Genaro Gonzalez, Zaia Marie Gonzalez, Joseph Vincent Gottlieb, Trinity Grant-Pereira, Nahom Habtemariam, Rayonna Renee Heard, Robert Mason Hearn, Amaya Nadine Hernandez, Courtney Sage Hutchinson, Blaze-Maxemylin Ferreira Iannucci, Emily Kelley Ingersoll, Stephanie Grace Iodice, Abigail Jaymes Jackson, Alexa Blessyn Jarrett, Ronan Glenn Johnston, Kylie Nicole Karaban;

Also, James Walter Kiernan, Jade Kitanya Kilburn, Scott Michael Knorr, Jason Charles Kopin, Patryk Jan Kotula, Brooke Elizabeth Lacourciere, Kaitlin Ashley Lapia, Delaney Rose Lariccia, Maria Elena Larracuente, Joshua Jelani Lecointe, Hanna Patricia Leonard, Harrison D Little, Marc Joseph Palomar Lopez, Maxwell A Maria, Nathan Dale Mastrony, Anna Elizabeth Mayglothling, Jade Ariana McCallister, Mark Ian McFann, Megan Mary McFarland, Hailey Anne McKane, Antonio Jack Medina, Domenic Joseph Mercurio, Myles Gerald Minfield, Olivia Mia Miranda, Cevon Tasmiere Mitchell, Ashley Renee Monah, Geovanny Joel Morel, Elle Elizabeth Moshier, Michael Thomas Mucherino, Kamien Isaiah Murphy, Kassidy Shayne Murtha, David Leon Myers, Muhammad Haris Naseer, Devin Dakota Navarro, Steven Thien Nguyen;

Also, Jack Evan Olexovitch, Sydney Rayne Olszewski, Faith Nicole Ortoli, Max William Owen, Brianna Amya Perez, Elena Lissette Perez, Samantha Nicole Perley, Aidan Antonio Petrashka, Taylor Rose Petrie, Victoria Destiny Petrovitch, Jaykwan Pettway, Aysha Monique Polite, Victoria Grace Randolph, John Anthony Rivadeneira, Ceili Marie Roberts, Emma Reese Rodrigues, Terry Ruffin, Jessica Mary-Lynn Saad, Christian Joseph Satta, Alexis Sayaphon, Avery Jaye Scofield, Logan Quint Seaburg, Kyle M Shannon, Thomas John Shannon, Madelyn Shimura, Jessica Elizabeth Sikes, Marcella Rosabel Silberger, Jake Alexander Simon;

Also, Abigail Barbara Smith, Ciara Louise Smith, Hayden Nicole Smith, Erin May Spillane, Skii Lynn Spina, Dylan Tan Steer, Jendaia Mahogany Stevens, Madeline Grace Swanson, Zackary Walter Terlik, Edie Elizabeth Threshie, Isabella Anita Tilson, Sofia Torres-Macias, Isabella Rosaria Traussi, Tara Nicole Troutman, Bryttnie Lynn Turner, Ijeoma Victoria Ugenyi, Seth Petron Vandroff, Aaliyah Colleen H Vargas, Melanie Natasha Vargas, Kayli Marie Vazquez, Savoy Vital Volcy, Abigail Virginia Walsh, Jason S Warner, Ryann Mae Wiltsie, Grace Erlene Wright, Sean Anderson Youngquist, Aleksan Paul Zabaneh, Luke Benjamin Zezima.

Second honors

Grade 8 — Sydney Anderson, Joseph Edward August, Teodona Lambrina Bode, Matthew William Brennan, Christian Campis, Liam Joseph Chach, Larabe Aamir Chaudhary, Tyler Joseph Ciccia, Aiyana Nicole Collazo, Lauren Cullen, Imani Lynece Davis, Michael Frederick DeBernardo, Angelo Cyrell Dicks, Larry Gerrod Ferguson, Katherine Keenan Fontan, Isaiah Ita Gakodi, Nicholas Edgerton Gonzalez, Jared Michael Grindrod, Aariana Elaine Hamilton, Elijah Xavier Henry, Aaron Evan Jackson, Demarco Serge Lagardere, Vanessa Judith Lopez, Kimberly Samantha Maldonado, Christina Marcellus,  Marcella Bedeschi Marques, Damian Artur Miskow, Karla Yulissa Morales, Kevin Keshon Nelson, Randall Price Nightingale;

Also, Mikenzie Lynn Norton, Antonio Giuseppe Pensanti, Tatianna Mone’ Polite, Tylise Marie Powell, Samantha-Lyn Ann Ramos, Crystal Rankin, Michael James Ryan, Anthony J Salerno, Rasheed Anthony Setal, Kyla Shai Smith, Giovanni R Stalvey, Dominick George Summa, Mikaella Elizabeth Torres, Keryna Faith Upchurch, Brandon Valdez, Amanda Elizabeth Vargas, Levi Zaccaria.

Grade 7 — Jeremiah Izaiah Abreu, Anouar Alsadat Agbere, Kesheema Allen, Ellie Anne Ambrose, Anthony Alan Anton, Kimberly Tatiana Arenas, Amaya Leigh Benjamin, Teyondra Christina Bennett, Danica J Brice, Mia Bridges Potts, Zachary Alan Briganti, Cayleigh Kelley Brooks, Kristopher Ryan Canhassi, Michelle Naomi Cedeno, Chet James Chechoski, Tavaun Sadeki Cheeke, Tyler R Ciufo, Na’shyra Enayja Curry-Johnson, Stephen Depass, Haylie Alexandria Diaz, Aaron Leetarsh Donaldson, Carlos Antonio Fidalgo, Cody Michael Forte, Tyler Anderson Gaskin, Andre Domonic Giannotti, Ethan Angel Gonzalez, Katherine Kayla Gonzalez, Eskavail Sanguenette Gordon, Kiila Grant-Pereira, John Iverson Gutierrez, Denzel Hector Hernandez, Bryan Thomas Higgins, Bryana M Kane, Michael J Kelemen, Brandy Rita Laconte;

Also, Kaleb Ethan Lafontant, Juliana Maria Litzie, Cristian Campos Machado, Arianna Lynn Maldonado, Dayshalie Trinity Marrero, Elani Inez Marrero, Remy James McCool, Gianna Marie Miranda, Ki’arra Reign Murphy, Joshua Michael Nadzam, Gavin James Nagel, Drilon Nasufi, An Tan Nguyen, Aniah Tynaja Noblin, Jorden John Ouellette, Nicholas Kenneth Pierre, Joseph Edward Rayho, Nicholas Anthony Rayho, Dylan Christopher Richards, Selena Marie Rios, Breanna Nadine Rivera, Jo-Elle Jana Rodriguez, Matthew James Sargent, Meshy Stinson, Shannon Morgan Tomas, Alexis Madison Torri, Aki Zarate Tsutsumi, Olivia Valdovinos, Kyle Louis Vega, Jaileen A Villanueva, Michael Dominick Weldy, Malik Pharrell Wells, Aaron Marsean Williams, Gabrielle Patricia-Ann Young.

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More than 11,000 people in 122 countries streamed HAN Network’s live video broadcast of the 50th FCIAC Football Championship on Thanksgiving morning.

According to Google Analytics, 11,125 unique viewers tuned in to watch undefeated rivals Darien and New Canaan battle in the Turkey Bowl, which doubled as the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship game for the second year in a row — and third time in history.

“We were thrilled with the size of our local audience, which accounted for 92% of total viewers,” HAN Network CEO Martin V. Hersam said. “But to see so many people from around the world watching — and watching for a long time — just adds to how special a game it really was.”

The FCIAC Championship drew the largest audience for any single live event broadcast on the HAN Network since it launched this past August. More than 10,000 people packed into Stamford’s Boyle Stadium to watch the game. If you add up the online viewers with those who attended the game, that represents more than half the population of Darien and New Canaan.

Post-broadcast analytics show that there were many viewers apparently vacationing in Barbados, Aruba and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“It’s not uncommon for us to have brief pings from random parts of the world for any of our broadcasts, but we pay close attention when someone is engaging with the content for a long period of time,” Hersam said.

“In the United States we had solid audience engagement in 32 states. Our largest number of viewers was in Connecticut obviously. New York, Massachusetts, Florida and California rounded-out the top 5 states with the most viewers.”

HAN Network defines a viewer as a single device logging into the broadcast from a unique IP address.

“We know the actual audience was much larger because we average more than one viewer per device — two or three people watching their web enabled TV for example,” he said. A few viewers sent HAN photos of families gathering around a computer or web-enabled television to watch the game on Thanksgiving morning.

Since launching its new live-streaming and on-demand broadcasting division at the end of August, the HAN Network has reached nearly 400,000 viewers with a daily mix of live news, sports and lifestyle content. During the fall high school sports season, along with one football game each week, HAN streamed live coverage of boys and girls soccer, field hockey and girls volleyball at http://live.han.network/. Football games drew viewerships of 2,000 to 5,000 and other sports regularly topped 1,000 viewers for live and free on-demand streams.

This winter, the HAN Network will be streaming live broadcasts of Connecticut boys and girls ice hockey, boys and girls basketball, wrestling and more.

“We are thrilled with the rapid progress of our broadcasting efforts. We are building a big and engaged audience that our advertisers want,” Hersam said. “It is only because of the incredibly smart and hard-working staff at HAN that we could come so far so fast.”

The HAN Network, formerly Hersam Acorn Newspapers consists of 13 weekly newspapers, 18 community news and lifestyle websites as well as many other special interest websites. HAN Network also has a content studio which produces native content as well as complete production of commercials for clients as diverse as restaurants and preparatory schools. HAN Network has also launched and event marketing arm aimed at developing niche events in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. HAN Network also owns Trumbull Printing — a 56,000 square foot printing facility. This operation prints HAN Network publications as well as numerous weekly, monthly and quarterly publications around the tri-state area and the Northeast.

Businesses and individuals interested in advertising on the HAN Network should contact Jessica Murren at jmurren@hersamacorn.com or 203-273-7312

To view HAN Network content live or on-demand, visit http://live.HAN.Network or any of our 18 news websites.

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For the first time in nine years, the Stratford High School football team is playoff bound.

The Red Devils reached the CIAC Class M playoffs after defeating in-town rival Bunnell on Thanksgiving day and getting a little help elsewhere.

The 8th seeded Red Devils will begin their playoff quest tonight against top-seeded Killingly High. The team and its fans will have to travel nearly two hours to the northeastern portion of Connecticut for the game. The game will likely be a soggy affair as rain is in the forecast for tonight.

So, are you traveling to Killingly to see Stratford High’s first playoff game since 2006? Let us know. If you do, email your gameday photos to editor@stratfordstar.com.

If you’re not going, you can get game updates on our Twitter account @StratfordStar.

Visit StratfordStar.com and see this week’s paper for coverage of tonight’s game.

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Bank of America’s Museums on Us offers free weekend general access to Bank of America and Merrill Lynch credit and debit cardholders in Connecticut beginning Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6 (and the first full weekend of each month in 2015). The program’s mobile site, museums.bankofamerica.com gives customers access to the full list of markets and museums on-the-go.

Museums include:

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Bruce Museum

Fairfield Museum and History Center

Hill-Stead Museum

Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Mattatuck Museum

New Britain Museum of American Art

Bank of America believes the arts have a unique ability to connect people and communities, and help local economies thrive. Through Museums on Us, Bank of America is able to provide its customers with free access to artistic and cultural experiences across the United States at some of the nation’s most celebrated cultural institutions ranging from art, children’s and history museums to aquariums and science centers.

Simply present your Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card along with a photo ID to gain free general admission to any participating institution, the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of each month. Cardholders only; guests are not eligible for free admission. Program excludes fundraising events, special exhibitions and ticketed shows. Not to be combined with other offers.

For more information about Museums on Us, visit museums.bankofamerica.com.

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Dr. Mark R. Clauss

Stratford Orthodontics recently welcomed Dr. Mark R. Claus to the practice to treat its growing number of patients and to meet local demand for quality orthodontic care.

Dr. Mark R. Clauss, known by his patients as “Dr. Mark,” is a Connecticut native and avid UConn Husky fan having been born and raised in Bristol. Graduating from Philadelphia’s Temple University School of Dentistry in 2000, Dr. Mark remained in Pennsylvania for a one year general practice residency then returned to his Connecticut roots to begin his career practicing general dentistry in Plainville and Litchfield. The more patients he treated, the more he realized that orthodontics embodied all of the things he enjoyed most about general dentistry. Thus, five years later, he decided to return to school for further training in the specialty of orthodontics at SUNY Buffalo.

Appreciating the simple lifestyle of the small quaint towns Connecticut has to offer and its proximity to bigger cities such as Boston and New York, Dr. Mark again returned to his home state in 2008, where he has been practicing orthodontics since. He is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, American Dental Association, Connecticut State Dental Association and the Dental Society of Greater Waterbury.

Dr. Mark looks forward to meeting and building a relationship with each patient. He has experience treating smiles using multiple techniques, including traditional braces and clear aligners (Invisalign®). He enjoys working with patients of all ages in a fun and inviting environment, while applying sound scientific principles to help them achieve beautiful smiles. He attends many hours of continuing education yearly in order to remain up to date with current research in orthodontics. This allows him to provide the most effective, modern treatment for his patients.

Dr. Mark enjoys working with each of his patients during their treatment, and especially enjoys sharing their happiness when they first see their new smiles. Dr. Mark met his wife Kelly, a general dentist, during dental school. Together they have a son, Ethan and two dogs: a golden retriever and an english bulldog. When he is not in the office, you will usually find Dr. Mark spending time with his family, tinkering with any type of technology, skiing, rooting for his alma mater the UConn Huskies, or restoring classic cars.

“I am looking forward to meeting and building a relationship with each patient,” says Dr. Mark. “Working with patients during their treatment and sharing in their happiness when they first see their new smile is a true joy to me.”

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The holiday tree lighting is still on tonight, starting at 5:30, at Stratford Town Hall. Most activities are moved inside. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at Town Hall for pictures. Arts and crafts for the kids inside and live music from Eli Whitney School and Stratford High School.

Visitors may enjoy hot chocolate and a donut from Donut Crazy and Peoples Bank. Every child may visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and will receive a free photo and gift.

This event is made possible by the support of many local businesses.

A holiday family program is planned before the tree lighting at 4 p.m. at the Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street.

For more information, call 203-385-4165.

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Students from Eli Whitney Elementary School sing Christmas carols during the Stratford Town Hall Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony. — Melvin Mason photo

It felt a little like Christmas at Stratford Town Hall on Tuesday night. Even if it was slightly more moist.

While the Tuesday evening skies didn’t cooperate with off and on rainfall, the air in Town Hall was jovial and fun as residents gathered to light the town’s holiday tree and enjoy some Christmas music.

For the first time in months, a packed Town Hall meeting room had more smiles than angst as people were ready to bring in the holiday season.

The visitors to Town Hall shook hands with Storm, the mascot for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team and then truly got into the spirit of the season with singers from Eli Whitney Elementary School singing classic holiday tunes like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” The select choir from Stratford High School also set a Christmas mood singing a cappella.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the lighting of the town’s tree. Most people saw the illumination from the warmth inside Town Hall. A few people braved the evening chill to take pictures and selfies in front of Stratford’s newest landmark.

Kevin Stack takes a photo of his daughters Ava, 5, and Megan, 8 in front of the Stratford Holiday Tree after it was illuminated on Tuesday. — Melvin Mason photo

“I think it’s just so pretty. I love the white light on it. It’s so simple and beautiful,” said Anna Reyes, who admired the tree with husband Nelson and her kids Nelson Jr., 5, and Gwen, 12. “It just brings a nice closing to the year.”

Kevin Stack paused to get a photo of his daughters Ava, 5 and Megan, 8, in front of the tree. Despite the raindrops, Stack says he was in a good mood.

“I think it’s great no matter what the weather is to do stuff with them,” Stack said. “Sometimes when the weather’s bad and you don’t think anyone’s going to be there and then you go inside and it’s filled to the brim. Hearing Christmas music, it puts you in the spirit.”

Ava, smiling in a Notre Dame hat, gave a good review to the town’s holiday tree, saying it looks “pretty.” Her big sister Megan thought it was “nice” because of the lights. Being that it’s December, she’s looking forward to getting a few presents in about four weeks.

That desire for gifts lead many of the kids at Town Hall to speak with Santa Claus himself along with Mrs. Claus. The North Pole’s most popular residents also posed for pictures with their new friends.

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Dr. Frank Scifo smiles with his two grandchildren, Nicholas Baglio, 4, and Samantha Baglio, 2, after the Community Education Room at the St. Vincent’s Health Services Stratford Health & Wellness Center is named in his honor. — Melvin Mason photo

The look on Dr. Francis Scifo’s face said it all.

To see his name revealed above the entrance of the community education room at the Stratford Health & Wellness Center had him stunned. All he could do was put a hand over his mouth while an audience of co-workers, family and former patients applauded.

When visitors to the health and wellness center operated by St. Vincent’s Health Services arrive at the big room on the second floor, they’ll see Scifo’s name and picture, as the room was dedicated in his honor during a ceremony on Monday night.

Yet Scifo, who thought the event was just to celebrate the education room’s formal opening, had no idea he was being honored until his name was revealed.

“I had not a clue. I never, ever, ever, ever expected this,” Scifo said. “I felt a wave of emotion of being humbled, of seeing something that I believed in come to fruition.”

The honor is well deserved, according to friends and colleagues at St. Vincent’s. Scifo has worked in Stratford as a family physician for 22 years while also serving on the staff of St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Scifo became primary care development director at St. Vincent’s in 2008. In  2012, Scifo became medical director of the St. Vincent’s MultiSpecialty Group.

Scifo has also co-chaired the St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound since 2000. That event helps raise money to fight cancer. He also hosts a weekly health talk show on WICC radio, and a photo of him in the WICC studio hangs at the entrance of the room.

The Community Education Room, which includes kitchen facilities for healthy nutrition and cooking demonstrations, will host lectures and presentations.

Dr. Frank Scifo, center, says he was filled with emotion after finding out the Community Education Room at the Stratford Health & Wellness Center was named in his honor on Monday. — Melvin Mason photo

“The room is really going to serve as a wonderful venue to educate the citizens of Stratford and beyond the citizens of Stratford,” he said. “This was our gift, St. Vincent’s gift to the Stratford community.”

Dianne Auger, chief strategy officer for St. Vincent’s Medical Services, said it was Scifo’s dream for St. Vincent’s to have a facility and “a real presence” in Stratford because he practiced in Stratford for so long and knew the people. The room was a real priority for Scifo, said Auger, herself a Stratford resident.

“He really wanted this to be a center of activity, and one of his important visions for the building, besides all the services that we had, was to have a community education space where people could learn to be healthy,” Auger said.

Auger said she and three other people knew about naming the room for Scifo and they didn’t want to take any chances.

“He knows everybody and we were afraid that somebody would tell him, so we made sure nobody knew,”she said.

The look on Scifo’s face was worth it, she said.

“It was gratifying, because he’s a special man,” she said. “He means a lot to us. For those of us who really know Frank, we knew how much this would mean to him.”

Mayor John Harkins called the event “a wonderful dedication to a wonderful man.”

“I can’t say enough about how much I feel about this man,” added the mayor, saluting Scifo as an advocate for physicians and patients in general.

Scifo enjoyed the moment, but said he was overcome with emotion. That emotion continued as he was greeted with hugs from friends and family members, most notably his grandchildren, Samantha Baglio, 2 and Nicholas Baglio, 4.

“It’s probably the nicest recognition and gift one can get, and what makes it sweeter is it was never any intention to get any of that,” he said. “For me, I always get more when I give. I’m the one that receives when I give.”

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Michael Loiz, Director Stratford EMS and 911

Stratford EMS Director Michael Loiz has been named the 2016 Parent Heart Watch Hero for the category Young Hearts Youth Medical/Allied Health Professional Champion.

The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates a continuous commitment in their local community to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in youth by taking specific actions that support the Parent Heart Watch mission of protecting youth from sudden cardiac arrest and preventable sudden cardiac death.

Between Oct. 1, 2014, and Oct. 1, 2015, Loiz instituted several programs aimed at improving awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, improving return of spontaneous circulation rates and ensuring youths have the very best care available.

A series of articles were placed in local newspapers explaining when and how to prevent and identify acute cardiac syndromes and cardiac arrest, as well as how and when to call 911 during sudden cardiac arrest and what to expect. As the director of 911 in Stratford, Loiz implemented the medical priority dispatch system software called ProQA, which provides pre-arrival instructions aimed at getting hands on chest in 20 seconds during cardiac arrest. He also deployed Atrus AED Link software. With AED Link 911, dispatchers can instantly view the location of registered AEDs near the scene of sudden cardiac arrest emergencies and instruct bystanders to retrieve one in time to help save a life.

As the director of EMS for the Town of Stratford, Loiz has been instrumental in managing, maintaining and even adding to more than 50 AEDs in town buildings. Under his direction, the EMS services trained more than 1,000 lay persons, many being Stratford youths, in CPR/AED. His staff was instrumental in adding EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) training to the local high school course offerings, and he helps oversee one of the largest and most active Emergency Medical Explorer Posts in Connecticut. This program allows youths to be trained and have an opportunity to work alongside EMS providers to gain experience in emergency medical services.

Stratford EMS also provides EMR and EMT training for the public. The Town of Stratford was re-designated a HEARTSafe Community and Stratford EMS was awarded the 2015 Mission Lifeline Silver award for the identification and treatment of acute cardiac syndromes under Loiz’s direction.

Loiz added Physio’s LIFEPAK 15 cardiac monitors and LUCAS II automatic chest compression devices to the EMS services standard advanced life support equipment. This has resulted in a significant increase in return of spontaneous circulation over the past two years, according to a press release from the town.

In 2015, Stratford EMS was awarded the Governor’s award for an EMS service that has positively impacted the EMS system.

Loiz will be receiving his award from Parent Heart Watch during a reception dinner at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, January 15, 2016.

Parent Heart Watch, a 501(c)(3) public charity incorporated in late 2005, is a state by state network of parents and partners solely dedicated to reducing the often disastrous effects of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in youth. It informs, educates, advocates and implements nationwide programs that help achieve its mission and vision objectives. Parent Heart Watch was established by parents who have lost a child to sudden cardiac arrest. Information can be found at parentheartwatch.org.

The Stratford Emergency Medical Service is the basic and advanced life support ambulance / EMS provider for the Town of Stratford. Established in 1977, its mission is provide quality patient care and safe emergency transportation to the sick and injured. SEMS operates with both paid and volunteer members, EMR through paramedic level care and offers a fleet of six ambulances and three paramedic intercept vehicles. Information can be found at stratfordems.org.

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When former Stratford resident and playwright Jennifer R. Jones ascended the stage at Dalton State College Nov. 14  to receive honors and flowers, it marked the end of a four-night run of her play The White Rose.

It also marked the latest phase of a journey that began some 15 years ago and took her through two Connecticut community colleges.

The play, which deals with five students who formed the White Rose resistance group to oppose the growing barbarism of Hitler’s Nazi regime, found its roots in a history course on the Holocaust she took at Norwalk Community College in the late 1990s. It was here, that, thanks to professor and Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges (4Cs)  member David Fuchs, she discovered the story of the White Rose group.

The course, which included a visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., piqued her interest in the students, who were executed for leafleting.

“Their stories and photos intrigued me,” Jones said. “They seemed like kids I could have known and I wanted to learn more about them.”

The following semester, she took a playwriting course at NCC with Prof. Ron Song Destro, founder of the Oxford Shakespeare Company professional theatre and drama school based in  New York City, London and Stratford-upon-Avon.

“It was here that I decided to write a play about them: I wanted to publicize their story,” she said.

However, other interests came to the fore, and Jones’s play gathered dust on a shelf. Those interests revolved around news and feature writing, so she registered for noncredit courses in those subjects taught by 4Cs member Anson Smith at Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College. The goal of the courses was to help students get a news and feature story published in a daily or weekly newspaper under their bylines. Jones did both.

So delighted was Jones that she decided to repeat the courses to add more articles to her portfolio of published works. Then, to help her continue her development as a writer, Smith created an internship for her in the public relations department. The results: articles published in the New Haven Register, Manchester Journal Inquirer, Bridgeport News, Inner-City News, and the Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury, Hartford and Springfield Inquirer, among others.

“I can still remember Mr. Smith’s sayings, things like ‘Never use two words when one will do’ and ‘The writer’s most important tool isn’t the pencil, it’s the eraser,’” she said.

It was this experience that taught her how to revise and improve her work, something she would find valuable as a playwright.

“This was the first time I felt like a writer and the first time I had anything published,” Jones said.

“It gave me the motivation to keep on writing,” she added, “as well as the confidence I needed to make my own revisions.”

The class also reintroduced her to the theater, something in which she had shown a passing interest. One of her first assignments in the class was to do an article on the HCC’s Theater Arts Program, where she met program coordinator and 4Cs member Geoff Sheehan. Her interviews with Sheehan rekindled that interest in the theater.

“I remember him saying, ‘Even if you have a natural ability for the stage, training is still important in many areas such as physical and vocal expression, script analysis, and understanding how to create your character within the director’s vision,’ ” Jones said. “It was the same lesson I learned in writing: There’s a point where training becomes more important than talent.”

Those two threads that came together in the community colleges would intertwine after she moved to Georgia in 2006. She became involved in the theater and in pursuing her master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Tennessee in nearby Chattanooga. Then came acting with local theater groups and finishing her White Rose script. It culminated with the performance of her play at Dalton State College earlier this month.

The next challenge for Jones will be getting the play published.

Jones is grateful for the help she received at Norwalk and HCC.

“People may bad mouth state employees and union members,” she said, “but it was the help of people like professors Fuchs, Destro, Sheehan, and Mr. Smith that helped bring me where I am today. They went out of their way for me … and that made all the difference.”

Jennifer R. Jones

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The Humanists and Freethinkers of Fairfield County (HFFC) welcome Austin Cooper, director of Operations and Finance of the Secular Coalition for America, who will discuss the latest events and directions Monday Dec. 14, at 6:30 p.m., at the Silver Star Diner, 210 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk.

Secular lobbyists track what is happening in our national government, and bring the public’s demand for fact-based policy and equal treatment for all to the attention of our legislators and public executives.

Cooper has roots in Connecticut. Her aunt and uncle Ann and Greg Pelton who live in Fairfield are elite swimmers. Her cousin Liz Pelton trained in Trumbull and is on the U.S. National Swim team.

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Cooper’s studies included journalism and political science. She has 12 years of experience in the wide areas that organizations need to succeed, including finance, human resources, and operations management.

The Secular Coalition for America is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to amplifying the diverse and growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States. Its 17 voting coalition member organizations are established 501(c)(3) nonprofits who serve atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers and other nontheistic Americans.

Its mission is to increase the visibility of and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all.

Located in Washington, D.C., the Secular Coalition for America lobbies the U.S. Congress, White House, and federal agencies on issues of concern to its constituency.

Cooper also is a supporting member of Break the Cycle, the Smithsonian, National Aquarium, National Park Service at Gettysburg, Secular Student Alliance, Secular Coalition, and the Greater Reston Art Center. She also supports and volunteers for the Wangari Gardens and Camp Quest.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Humanists and Freethinkers of Fairfield County espouses reason and compassion, seeks to promote humanism and free thought in our community. The group meets on the second Monday of each month, with speakers, discussion, and social time. Learn more at meetup.com/HFFCCT.

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The Trumbull Agriscience Center is hosting their annual holiday craft fair and plant sale on Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Trumbull Agriscience Center at Trumbull High School, 536 Daniels Farm Road.

The event showcases a variety of arts and craft vendors from the local area, as well as holiday plants and wreaths grown by the students in the Agriscience greenhouses.

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Paris Climate Talks: The Local Angle

With negotiators gathering in Paris to work on agreements to lower carbon emissions, the Connecticut Audubon Society warns that climate change is already here and having a dramatic effect on the state’s wildlife, and predicts significant drops in vulnerable nesting birds as well as the loss of mammals and fish that have recently become re-established.

Connecticut Audubon Society, the state’s original and still independent Audubon, highlighted six at-risk species, notable for their prominence, vulnerability, or the amount of effort spent in recent years restoring them to the state. Most are relatively rare in Connecticut (and several are threatened or endangered on the federal level) but even the Black-capped Chickadee, common and well-known at backyard feeders, may be vulnerable to temperature alterations.

“These iconic but vulnerable animals are likely to be gone unless we can work together at both a local as well as global level to moderate warming and slow sea-level rise,” said Alexander Brash, president of the Connecticut Audubon Society, “and in Connecticut we need to better manage our habitats, increase connectivity, and find adjacent lands for marshes and beaches to expand.”

Here are the Connecticut Audubon Society’s vulnerable 6:

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow — UConn Ornithology Professor Chris Elphick notes of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows: “The species is expected to be among the first birds to go extinct due to sea-level rise.” Endangered in Connecticut, Saltmarsh Sparrows nest only in salt marshes, which are among the state’s most important habitats and are also likely to be inundated by rising sea levels. As Shimon C. Anisfeld of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies points out, the future of Connecticut’s marshes lies with their ability to retreat as sea level rises. That is a particular problem in Connecticut because the inner shoreline in most coastal areas are heavily developed, leaving little room for marshes to migrate.

Black-capped Chickadee — A favorite among the millions of people who maintain backyard bird feeders, the Black-capped Chickadee is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. But as temperatures change, its range and the range of a closely-related southern species, the Carolina Chickadee, are shifting north, according to a recent study by Cornell University and Villanova University. A small border zone where the two species hybridize is moving northward at a rate of 0.7 miles a year, and has advanced almost as far north as New York City.

Moose — Connecticut’s moose population of 100 to 150 animals is small but growing. However the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that as winters become milder with less snow cover, moose ­–- especially calves — become more vulnerable to ticks year-round, which can cause immune diseases.

Atlantic Salmon — For years, state fisheries experts engaged in an effort to restore salmon to the Connecticut River and last year shifted their focus to maintaining the current stocks in the watershed, including the Farmington and Salmon Rivers. A cold-water species, salmon can be expected to decrease and then disappear as river temperatures rise.

Piping Plover — Piping Plovers nest only on wide, sandy, and undisturbed beaches. In recent years there has been a total of only four to five dozen nests scattered between Stonington and Greenwich, including several at the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Coastal Center at Milford Point. Piping Plovers nest above the high tide line. Rising sea levels and bigger storms, however, will cause higher high tides that will wash away nests, eggs and nestlings.

Piping Plovers nest only on undisturbed beaches and are at risk as sea levels rise.

Roseate Tern -– This beautiful rare and endangered species requires undisturbed islands and in Connecticut nests only on Faulkner’s Island, off Guilford. The island, part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, is at risk of severe erosion as sea level rises and stronger storms abound.

Slowing the rise of global temperatures, mitigating the worst impacts of climate change, and adapting to the alterations that global warming will bring requires a combination of large-scale actions on the part of governments and corporations, and smaller-scale individual actions.

In Connecticut, for example, a concerted effort is needed among state and local governments, private conservation organizations, and individual landowners to find, acquire, protect, and properly manage remaining parcels of undeveloped land that tidal marshes can expand onto.

Professor Anisfeld of Yale, for example, points out that a section of Sherwood Island State Park, in Westport, that is regularly mowed as lawn is showing signs of having marsh salinity and marsh plants. With changes in management, that area could perhaps become a new section of tidal marsh.

Collectively though we can all do a lot. What you might ask?

• Use the EPA’s Energy Star label as a guide to buying appliances, lights and electronics.
• Seal and insulate your home, use thermostats with timers, and lower the temperature settings.
• Reduce, re-use and recycle as much as possible.
• Conserve water by watering lawns less often, running only full dishwashers, and immediately fixing leaky toilets and faucets.
• Green your yard. Plant bird-friendly trees and shrubs; compost food and yard waste. Reduce the use of leaf-blowers, which emit 93 times the amount of hydrocarbons as a sedan.
• Drive less, and drive a fuel-efficient vehicle. Obey the speed limit, properly inflate your tires, use public transportation, and when possible ride a bike to work.

Founded in 1898, the Connecticut Audubon Society uses the charismatic nature of birds to inspire this generation of conservationists, and the next. The Connecticut Audubon has centers in Fairfield, Milford, Glastonbury, Pomfret and Old Lyme, museums in Fairfield and Hampton, and an EcoTravel program in Essex. It manages 19 sanctuaries covering 2,600 acres.

– See more at: http://www.ctaudubon.org/2015/12/connecticuts-vulnerable-6-wildlife-species-at-high-risk-because-of-climate-change/#sthash.wpMbQsIv.dpuf

The Connecticut Audubon Society photographed this moose at their Croft sanctuary in Goshen, using a trail camera. Moose, just now becoming established in the state, may be vulnerable to climate change.

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