The Rev. Peola Hicks has been appointed to serve as the pastor for the Naugatuck United Methodist Church beginning July 1. Hicks was the pastor of discipleship at the New Life UMC in New Fairfield. She has also served as director of our prayer at Guideposts.
This is a time of celebration for the town of Naugatuck and the Naugatuck United Methodist Church as we work together to advance God’s kingdom, said Hicks in a press release. The foundation has already been laid by Jesus the Christ and we will do well to catch His vision, and build upon His great commandment to love God and neighbor and His great commission of making disciples, she continued. Hicks was born in North Carolina and raised in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. Prior to her ordination, Hicks worked in the corporate world, primarily in middle management in the finance department at IBM, for many years. Hicks is married to Wilbert Hicks and they have two daughters, Kimberlee and Sarah. –CONTRIBUTED
Brenda Bass from All Star Transportation recently visited Laurel Ledge School in Beacon Falls to present awards to the winners of the annual bus safety contest. –CONTRIBUTED
The Naugatuck Rotary has been hosting foreign exchange students and sending students aboard since the 1960s. David Garahan, left, is leaving for Germany in August for the school year 2014-15. Julius Shöebel, right, is the club’s current inbound student from Germany. Shöebel attended Naugatuck High School for the 2013-14 school year. Shöebel stayed with three different host families (the Newmans, Slausons and Goggins) and in soccer, swimming and tennis. Currently Mitchell Slauson, not pictured, is in Germany and planning on returning to Naugatuck in August. For more information about hosting an exchange student, contact Ginger Fennell at GFennell@ionbank.com, (203) 720-5318 or (203)723-8526. –CONTRIBUTED
The Beacon Falls Lions Club recently awarded a total of $8,000 in scholarships to high school graduates, from left, Katie Farrell, Alexa Kiernan, Brittany Bachleda, Jeff Lauck, and Casey Stevens. –CONTRIBUTED
U.S. Air Force veteran Robert Stauffer, left, and U.S. Navy veteran Horace Cushman attach an American flag to the flagpole outside the Naugatuck Historical Society July 3. The flag was flown over the U.S. Capital on May 30 before being given to the society. Society President Wendy Murphy thanked U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation CEO Ron Pugliese for helping to procure the flag. –LUKE MARSHALL
The Naugatuck Emblem Club observed Flag Day, June 14, on the Naugatuck Green with the Naugatuck Elks Lodge and the Naugatuck Veterans Council. The club conducted a presentation of the history of the American flag and Kim Best read an inspirational poem. –CONTRIBUTED
Special Olympics Naugatuck competed in the State Games on June 7 and 8 in Hamden. The athletes brought home a bronze medal for the team and individual gold and silver medals. Standing with the team are Terry Ford and Jim Sabio of the Naugatuck Elks, who recently donated uniforms to the team. –CONTRIBUTED
Rae Griffiths, owner and principal educator of the Belchertown, Mass.-based Teaching Creatures, shows a bearded dragon to children at the Prospect Public Library Tuesday afternoon. Griffiths visited the library as part of the summer events program. In addition to the bearded dragon, Griffiths also introduced the children to an ornate wood turtle and a corn snake. –LUKE MARSHALL
Girl Scout Brownie Troop 64539 from Prospect recently conducted a community service project and made fleece tie blankets for the Connecticut Chapter of The Binky Patrol. The blankets will be distributed to children in Connecticut who are sick, traumatized, grieving or homeless. –CONTRIBUTED
