
Members of the Volunteer Fire Department of Prospect watch as the mortgage on the firehouse burns July 30 during a ceremony at the firehouse. The town paid off the mortgage on the firehouse, which was built in 1996, in July and hosted a mortgage burning ceremony with current members and past chiefs to celebrate. –LUKE MARSHALL

Rich Tabaka, of Naugatuck, pets Samantha, a dog who is available for adoption through Rose Hope Animal Refuge, July 21 during a Car Cruise at Beacon Brook Health Center in Naugatuck. The event featured vintage cars and raised money for Rose Hope Animal Refuge, a Waterbury-based nonprofit organization that helps finds homes for animals. –LUKE MARSHALL

Naugatuck residents George Furphy and Jessie Furphy check out a Chevy Nova July 21 during a Car Cruise at Beacon Brook Health Center in Naugatuck. The event featured vintage cars and raised money for Rose Hope Animal Refuge, a Waterbury-based nonprofit organization that helps finds homes for animals. –LUKE MARSHALL

Sunny Rajvansh, right, of alcohol distributor Slocum and Sons, Inc., shows a bottle of High West Whiskey to Pete and Joy Pagliaro of Milford July 29 the Whittemore Library in Naugatuck July 29 as part of the library’s second annual Happy Hour. The event featured live music and drinks provided by Fine Wine and Liquors. –LUKE MARSHALL

Naugatuck YMCA member Jayson Baltrush, 6, of Watertown, rides a bicycle July 28 at Naugatuck High School as part of a six-week training program to get ready for the YMCA Race4Chase Triathlon. The triathlon, which is Aug. 6 at YMCA Camp Sloper in Southington, is funded by the Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski Foundation. The foundation was set up in memory of Kowalski, a young triathlete who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. The triathlon is open to children ages 6 to 13 that are members of one of 14 YMCAs across the state. The triathlon will feature a 1.25 mile bike ride, a 1 mile run, and a 100 meter swim. –LUKE MARSHALL

Students at Naugatuck’s Early Childhood Center at Central Avenue Preschool celebrated Hawaiian Luau Week recently during the school’s Sensational Summer Camp. The six-week camp features activities tailored to meet specific educational benchmarks while remaining differentiated to engage each child’s strengths and challenges. –CONTRIBUTED

Jacqueline Uva, 11, of Naugatuck, trains July 28 at Naugatuck High School as part of a six-week training program to get ready for the YMCA Race4Chase Triathlon. The triathlon, which is Aug. 6 at YMCA Camp Sloper in Southington, is funded by the Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski Foundation. The foundation was set up in memory of Kowalski, a young triathlete who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. The triathlon is open to children ages 6 to 13 that are members of one of 14 YMCAs across the state. The triathlon will feature a 1.25 mile bike ride, a 1 mile run, and a 100 meter swim. –LUKE MARSHALL

Big Y in Naugatuck recently donated $2,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury. The money was raised through Big Y’s Paul and Gerald D’Amour Memorial Charity Golf Outing. Pictured, from left, LVGW Program Director Vanessa Vowe, LVGW Executive Director Tina Agati, and Big Y Store Director Veronica DeMarest. –CONTRIBUTED

Naugatuck YMCA members Daniel Keogh, 8, of Beacon Falls, right, and Patrick Osiecki, 12, of Naugatuck, ride bicycles July 28 at Naugatuck High School as part of a six-week training program to get ready for the YMCA Race4Chase Triathlon. The triathlon, which is Aug. 6 at YMCA Camp Sloper in Southington, is funded by the Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski Foundation. The foundation was set up in memory of Kowalski, a young triathlete who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. The triathlon is open to children ages 6 to 13 that are members of one of 14 YMCAs across the state. The triathlon will feature a 1.25 mile bike ride, a 1 mile run, and a 100 meter swim. –LUKE MARSHALL

The Union City Little League 9-10 District All-Stars won the Connecticut District 3 championship July 16, beating Derby, 12-11, at Prospect Memorial Field. The team rallied from two runs down in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn the walk-off win. It is UCLL’s first baseball district title since 1996. Pictured, players Aidan Adanosky, Damon Abate, Andrew Tyszka, Dylan Sepulveda, Jake Sanchez, Tyler Stankey, Kaiden Spinella, Brendan Lyles, JoJo Guzman, Nate Gendron, Alex Teixeira, Anthony Shivas, Ryan McLaughlin, coaches Ed Tyszka (head), Don Shivas and Sean McLaughlin. –CONTRIBUTED

Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield, left, presents a framed copy of the last mortgage payment on the firehouse, the vote to approve the building of the firehouse, and the letter bank saying the mortgage is paid off to Assistant Fire Chief William Lauber July 30 during a mortgage burning ceremony at the firehouse. The town paid off the mortgage on the firehouse, which was built in 1996, in July and hosted a mortgage burning ceremony with current members and past chiefs to celebrate. –LUKE MARSHALL