NewsCommunityMultimediaSlideshows Community snapshots By mycitizensnews - January 9, 2016 0 103 Prospect Boy Scout Troop 257 went to Block Island, R.I., Sept. 12 and biked over 10 miles around the island. The trip included a stop at the South East Lighthouse located above the Mohegan Bluffs. -CONTRIBUTED Maple Hill Elementary School kindergartner Mia Orsini puts a present under a Christmas tree at the school in Naugatuck Dec. 22 during a holiday celebration. Students at the school donated presents, which were collected and distributed to families in need by members of the Naugatuck Fire Department. In addition to the toy drive, the celebration also included holiday songs and a visit from Santa Claus. –LUKE MARSHALL State representatives Rosa Rebimbas (R-70), right, and David Labriola (R-131), left, rang the holiday bell for the Salvation Army outside the Naugatuck Walmart in December and raised $5,144 in an hour that will go to local families in need. –CONTRIBUTED Katherine Foley, 10, of Prospect, uses a sewing machine sewing program at the Prospect Library Dec. 31. –LUKE MARSHALL Five members of USA Martial Arts in Naugatuck were promoted at a Black Belt grading Nov. 20 at the Wolcott Youth Center. Pictured, from left, Marlon Nascimento and Connor Reese were promoted to 1st Dan Black, Grand Master Robert Cheezic, Lauren Mulinski, Jessica Gallagher and Karli Butcher were promoted to 2nd Dan Black Belt. -CONTRIBUTED The Naugatuck Youth Soccer U12 Monsoons took first place in the NIST tournament Nov. 8 and were undefeated in their division, and were State Cup finalists in Farmington on Nov. 7. Pictured, back row from left, coach Kevin Kennelly, Louis Zarrella, coach Robert Fanzutti, Adrian Szmitko, Cameron Jacobs, coach, Manuel Silva; middle row from left, Ahmed Aljamal, Ryan Kennelly, Robbie Fanzutti, Joe Pinho, Patrick Osiecki; front row from left, David Deforge, Yigit Yilmaz, Timothy Rosa, Manny Silva, Ed Przydzial and Chance Chonklin. -CONTRIBUTED Naugatuck residents Dean Andrade, pictured at left, and Hannah Lauer, pictured at right, and Beacon Falls resident Harrison Clark, not pictured, all high school seniors, were among 200 Connecticut high school students to receive a Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) 2015 Advance Scholarship of up to $2,500. The winners, who were recognized Dec. 10 at a ceremony at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, were randomly selected from a pool of 3,263 applicants. –CONTRIBUTED Naugatuck Boy Scout Troop 109 held a Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 7 at Camp Mattatuck in Waterbury. The dinner included turkeys cooked in trash cans. –CONTRIBUTED Naugatuck Firefighter Local 1219 Union sponsored the 21st annual Night at the Firehouse with the Naugatuck Head Start program Nov. 17 at the Maple Street firehouse. –CONTRIBUTED The Prospect Library hosted a Noon-Year’s Eve celebration Dec. 31. The celebration, which culminated a craft program, included party hats and a countdown to a balloon drop at noon. –LUKE MARSHALL Michael Ahlberg, an Eagle Scout from Troop 60 in Southbury, leads a group of new Eagle Scouts in the rendition of the Eagle Scout Promise Dec. 6 in Naugatuck. Troop 138 held its Eagle Court of Honor ceremony in Naugatuck and bestowed the rank of Eagle Scout upon, from left, Nicholas Ryan, 17, of Naugatuck, Charles Fogie, 17, of Prospect, James DeBisschop, 15, of Naugatuck, and Matthew Hopkinson, 17, of Beacon Falls. As part of their preparation to become Eagle Scouts, the teens had to complete service projects that contribute to the betterment of the community. DeBisschop’s project included renovating more than 100 feet of landscaping in front of the Naugatuck Congregational Church on Division Street. Fogie constructed a bridge over a stream that runs into Baummer’s Pond on Mill Street in Naugatuck. Hopkinson built a pavilion at Toby’s Pond in Beacon Falls. Ryan constructed three raised beds to grow fresh vegetables for clients of the Ecumenical Food Bank of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls on Spring Street in Naugatuck. He also cleaned up and landscaped the area around the food bank headquarters. –REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Sofia Sargent, 7, of Beacon Falls, helps to set up a table Christmas Eve morning at St. Michael’s Church in Naugatuck in preparation for the Joy of Christmas Dinner. The annual dinner, which was served on Christmas, is hosted by a committee of volunteers and open to anyone who wanted to share a meal on the holiday. –LUKE MARSHALL The Prospect Library hosted a Noon-Year’s Eve celebration Dec. 31. The celebration, which culminated a craft program, included party hats and a countdown to a balloon drop at noon. –LUKE MARSHALL Naugatuck Day Care recently hosted its annual Thanksgiving Feast. Pictured with the children are Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren ‘Pete’ Hess (in back), board members Nancy Clarke, Lisa Dias, Erica Osborne, Lorianne Adamaitis and Mike Knapp. -CONTRIBUTED Administrators at Woodland Regional High School accepted the ice bucket challenge Dec. 23 during a pep rally at the school in Beacon Falls as part of a fundraiser for the ALS Association. Wolcott High School Principal Joe Monroe issued the challenge, a movement that promotes awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to Woodland Principal Kurt Ogren in the fall. Ogren, Dean of Students Chris Decker, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Brian Fell, and Assistant Principal Dana Mulligan accepted the challenge. The Woodland Student Government sold raffle tickets to students for the chance to dump water on one of the administrators. Ogren also challenged the administrative team at Naugatuck High School to take the ice bucket challenge next. –LUKE MARSHALL Carol Johnson, of Bethany, helps Ava Laudadio, 9, of Prospect, with making a stuffed animal during a sewing program at the Prospect Library Dec. 31. –LUKE MARSHALL Girl Scout Troop 64518 from Naugatuck recently learned about energy conservation with Chris Borucki, a building analyst from the School for Energy Efficiency at Wesson Energy. -CONTRIBUTED Naugatuck High School volleyball alumni participated in the 10th annual alumni volleyball matches Nov. 28 at the school. -CONTRIBUTED Sokol’s Taekwondo in Naugatuck held a testing for black belts Oct. 3. Boen Beavers, James LaFleur, Troy Payton, Pier Cirillo and Laura Payton were promoted to 1st degree black belt. -CONTRIBUTED Sokol’s Taekwondo in Naugatuck held a testing for black belts Oct. 3. Boen Beavers, James LaFleur, Troy Payton, Pier Cirillo and Laura Payton were promoted to 1st degree black belt. -CONTRIBUTED PSC Dynamo 98/99 won the National Elite Women’s Soccer Showcase at Hofstra University and the AFC College Showcase Women’s Division in late November. -CONTRIBUTED Administrators at Woodland Regional High School accepted the ice bucket challenge Dec. 23 during a pep rally at the school in Beacon Falls as part of a fundraiser for the ALS Association. Wolcott High School Principal Joe Monroe issued the challenge, a movement that promotes awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to Woodland Principal Kurt Ogren in the fall. Ogren, Dean of Students Chris Decker, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Brian Fell, and Assistant Principal Dana Mulligan accepted the challenge. The Woodland Student Government sold raffle tickets to students for the chance to dump water on one of the administrators. Ogren also challenged the administrative team at Naugatuck High School to take the ice bucket challenge next. –LUKE MARSHALL The Connecticut Board of Volleyball Officials presented the Naugatuck High School volleyball team with the 2015 Sportsmanship Award Dec. 17 at the school. The team earned the award for sportsmanship displayed by the players, managers and coaches throughout the 2015 season. Pictured, from left, captain Jenna Massicotte, captain Ally Mezzo, coach Kevin Wesche and captain Alexa Blazas. -CONTRIBUTED Administrators at Woodland Regional High School accepted the ice bucket challenge Dec. 23 during a pep rally at the school in Beacon Falls as part of a fundraiser for the ALS Association. Wolcott High School Principal Joe Monroe issued the challenge, a movement that promotes awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to Woodland Principal Kurt Ogren in the fall. Ogren, Dean of Students Chris Decker, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Brian Fell, and Assistant Principal Dana Mulligan accepted the challenge. The Woodland Student Government sold raffle tickets to students for the chance to dump water on one of the administrators. Ogren also challenged the administrative team at Naugatuck High School to take the ice bucket challenge next. –LUKE MARSHALL Members of the Naugatuck High School basketball team, from left, Corey Plasky, Tyler Deitelbaum and Shane Swierbitowicz peel and chop potatoes Christmas Eve morning at St. Michael’s Church in Naugatuck in preparation for the Joy of Christmas Dinner. The annual dinner, which was served on Christmas, is hosted by a committee of volunteers and open to anyone who wanted to share a meal on the holiday. –LUKE MARSHALL Lee Schlesinger, left, executive director of Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury, accepts a cake donated by Costco in Waterbury. The cake was for the Thanksgiving dinner Naugatuck resident Dan Whitman, right, has sponsored for a number of years. This year, Joe Cantone and John Ricciardone, owners of the Manor Inn in Southington, prepared a catered traditional holiday dinner for 20 people staying at the domestic violence shelter. -CONTRIBUTED Brown Roofing Co. of Naugatuck, a member of Profnet of Waterbury, Inc., recently held a ‘Bedding Bonanza’ to collect blankets, sheets and comforters for the nonprofit Acts 4 Ministry in Waterbury. Pictured, front row from left, Profnet member Sandy Marino, Executive Director of Acts 4 Ministry Sarah Elizabeth Carabetta, Profnet members Margie Lindsey, Barbara Rompre, Barbara Branagan-Mitchell; back row from left, Profnet members Bruce Brayton, Scott Little, Pam Davis of Brown Roofing Co., Mike Wilkowski and John Leach. –CONTRIBUTED The Connecticut Senior Billiards League annual Individual Billiards tournament was held Dec. 2 at Shooters in Southington. The league consists of the Bristol, Prospect, Plainville, Cromwell, and Glastonbury senior centers’ teams. Winners of the tournament are, from left, Larry Gendler, first place from the Bristol Prime Eights; Rich Berardy, fourth place from the Bristol Prime Eights; Carmen Midolo, second place of the Prospect Senior Center; and Dick Cipriani, third place of the Prospect Senior Center. -CONTRIBUTED Administrators at Woodland Regional High School accepted the ice bucket challenge Dec. 23 during a pep rally at the school in Beacon Falls as part of a fundraiser for the ALS Association. Wolcott High School Principal Joe Monroe issued the challenge, a movement that promotes awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to Woodland Principal Kurt Ogren in the fall. Ogren, Dean of Students Chris Decker, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Brian Fell, and Assistant Principal Dana Mulligan accepted the challenge. The Woodland Student Government sold raffle tickets to students for the chance to dump water on one of the administrators. Ogren also challenged the administrative team at Naugatuck High School to take the ice bucket challenge next. –LUKE MARSHALL