James Vera, a certified hypnotist and a lifelong resident of Naugatuck, is pictured with Teresa Dufour, co-host of CT Style on WTNH Channel 8. Vera appeared on an episode of the show Mach 18 to discuss the benefits of hypnosis. To view the appearance, visit wtnh.com/2015/03/18/hypnosis-for-everyday-problems. –CONTRIBUTED
USA Martial Arts in Naugatuck recently held its annual Break-A-Thon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event, which raised $5,913 this year, is sponsored by the family of Andrew Hopkinson. A total of $59,500 has been raised since the Break-A-Thon started in 2004. The team of Alex Janssen and Craig Puffenberger collected the most donations with $2,905 this year. Also collecting donations were: Pete and Ben Meleschnig, Andrew Hopkinson, Tara Feher, Ryan Lantieri, Lauren Mulinski, Nicholas Quijano, Jacob Morrow, Xavier Blanchet, Dawn Marti, Brian Nelson, Nater Peterkin, Jimmy Leonetti, Joseph Grouse, Patrick Prince, Betty Mulla, Joseph Hughes, Dan Brown, Michelle Bernardini, Jonah Randis, Logan Hukalack, Doug Wilke, Lorraine Dunn-Laranetto and Janet Grimes. –CONTRIBUTED
Dawson Jack, 7, of Naugatuck, receives a coloring book from the Easter Bunny during the Naugatuck Parks and Recreation Department’s Easter Village April 2. –LUKE MARSHALL
From left, Griffin Hospital President and CEO Patrick Charmel, Caren Bouchard, a former senior vice president of human resources at Ion Bank, Theron Simons, owner of Hidden Acres Farm and Therapeutic Riding Center, HTS Construction, and Lock Stock & Barrell LLC, and Ion Bank Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deborah Wheelahan were voted in as members of the Ion Financial, MHC Board of Corporators March 17. The Board of Corporators serves as ambassadors and advocates for Ion Financial, MHC and its subsidiaries Ion Bank, Ion Insurance, and Ion Investments. –CONTRIBUTED
Julia Papazachariv, 5, of Naugatuck, receives a balloon flower from Kurt Beckey of Balloon Benders during the Naugatuck Parks and Recreation Department’s Easter Village April 2. –LUKE MARSHALL
Le’Asia Wingate, a fifth-grader at Hillside Intermediate School in Naugatuck, shows off her invention, the Bull Buzzer, to Principal Johnna Hunt April 1 during the school’s invention convention. Students can push the buzzer if they are being bulled in school and it alerts administrators that there is a problem. It has a GPS tracking device, too. REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Daniel Whitman, left, of Naugatuck shakes hands with Executive Director Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury Lee Schlesinger in March. Whitman, with help of the Odd Fellow’s Good Shepherd Lodge #65 of New Milford, provided Safe Haven’s domestic violence shelter with a catered St. Patrick’s Day lunch buffet on March 16. –CONTRIBUTED
Vincent Murphy, 5, of Woodbury gets a bunny balloon hat from Kurt Beckey of Balloon Benders during the Naugatuck Parks and Recreation Department’s Easter Village April 2. –LUKE MARSHALL
