Square One Theatre of Stratford and ongoing Educational Program recently put on its production of Rounding Third for students at Bunnell and Stratford High Schools.

In the photo, l to r, Bunnell High School student Jayshylia Valentine, Square One actor Daniel John Kelly, Bunnell student Jessica Bria, Square One actor Dan Arenovski, Bunnell students Malyna Reid and John Riordan

The Educational Program, funded by People’s United Bank, provides teachers with study guides about the production for in-class preparation before Square One’s visit, theater officials said.

Square One Theatre’s Artistic Director Tom Holehan sets each scene, letting students know that actors, Milford’s Dan Arenovski and Norwalk’s Daniel John Kelly, portraying Little League coaches with "polar-opposite personalities," would talk directly to them as members of the team, theater officials said.

The performances were followed by a Q&A with the students, actors, director and teachers. As a class assignment, each student had to to write a brief ‘review’ of the play to be shared with Square One Theatre.
Square One Theatre has for the past 11 years taken one of its mainstage plays into school classrooms and libraries allowing for intimate theatrical experiences while enriching each school’s curriculum," theater officials said.

In 2005, Square One Theatre received The Friend of Education Award from the Stratford Board of Education for its work with the schools and students.

The Happiness Club of Greater Milford, the local chapter of the international Happiness Club organization, will hold monthly community socials the second Thursday of each month throughout 2009.

The January social is from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 8 at Golden Hill Health Care Center, 2028 Bridgeport Ave. Parking is available behind the building and in the upper parking lot at the far rear lot behind Milford Hospital.

All ages are invited, and admission is free. Visitors should bring a food item to share, such as appetizer, munchie, or dessert. Attendees receive a free drawing ticket for door prizes, and various exhibitors will offer interesting displays.

The guest speaker is Sam Childs speaking on "How to Have or Achieve Anything You Want In Life."

For more information on the Happiness Club of Greater Milford, contact Priscilla Lynn at (203) 767-3582, email to plynn_135@hotmail.com, and also visit http://www.happinessclubmilford.ning.com/ or http://www.happinessclub.com/. The next two Happiness Club socials are ftom 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 12 and March 12.

This is the video Milford police released Wednesday in their quest to find a woman who allegedly stole items fromthe lobby at Milford Hospital that were intended to be part of a gift basket raffle.

Police said the woman is described as white, 30 to 40 years old, with stocky build and brown hair. She was wearing glasses and a green jacket. The woman allegeldy entered the lobby area shortly before 2 p.m. last Thursday and took two baskets containing various gifts, and attempted to take Nintendo Wii games, police said. Police said they have exhausted all resources attempting to identify the woman and are seeking assistance from the public. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (203) 878-6551

Homeless Pets and Animal Shelters Get Support from Angel Tree Program

Family pets are the latest victim of the economic downturn.

As the economy worsens and more families struggle to make ends meet, Connecticut animal shelters are seeing a huge inflow of pets being given up for adoption.

“Shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed with the large number of dogs and cats released by people who just can’t afford to care for them,” said Jeremy Moran of Best Friends Pet Care, Bethany. “The shelters simply don’t have enough food or supplies for all these newly homeless pets.”

To help address the shortage, Best Friends is collecting donation of food and supplies through its “Angel Tree” program at all four Connecticut locations.

Beneficiaries include Connecticut Humane Society of Newington and Westport, Animal Haven of New Haven, Meriden Humane Society, Pet Protectors of Fairfield, Hotwater Rescue, Double Dog Rescue, Stamford Animal Shelter and PAWS of Norwalk.

Throughout the holiday season, animal lovers can visit any Best Friends to select a card from the Angel Tree and donate the items listed for that homeless dog or cat.

Since each shelter has specific needs, donors are asked to shop from the list on the pet’s card.

Donations can also be made by phone. Best Friends is at 60 Harris Road, Avon, (860) 673-0555; at 227 Cheshire Road, Bethany, (203) 393-3126; 528 Main Ave., Norwalk (next to DMV), 203-849-1010; and at 1511 Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill, (860) 721-8080.

“The holidays are always a difficult time for shelters,” said Moran. “Donations usual dip during this season, but this year, with all the newly homeless pets, the shortage of food and supplies is becoming a crisis. We are inviting anyone who loves animals to help out by donating to the program.”

For more information, visit http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/.

City resident Elliott Storm, author of "These Scars are Sacred," has been given the Silver Star Families of America's Silver Star Service Banner. The banner, according to the organization, is for the sacrifice recipients "have made for freedom."

"Your country is hereby grateful," for that sacrifice, the award says.

Storm, who uses a pen name, is a United States Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War. He has travelled the country to share his book and the story of veterans fighting and triumphing over post traumatic stress disorder.

Storm's book can be purchased at: Borders Stores, at www.thesescarsaresacred.com and at amazon.com

BRIDGEPORT – New York artist Arle Sklar-Weinstein will discuss her year-long “wall of artists” project in an Artist Talk at the Housatonic Museum of Art from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 8.
An “exhibit within an exhibit,” the wall project, which features a wall with a grid of artist portraits Sklar-Weinstein created, will be on display at the museum Dec. 18-30 as part of Art Place’s 25th anniversary exhibit, college officials said.

Inspired by studio visits to 24 Art Place members, the individual portraits are mixed media compositions that capture the spirit of the artist as well as his or her image in photo montages, the officials said.
The seeds of the project sprouted over a year ago when Sklar-Weinstein, whose studio is in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., was participating in an Artist Residency at the Fundacion Valparaiso in Mojacar, Almeria, Spain.

Her first Artists Portraits series of the eight international artists and writers there were shown in an Art Place exhibition in 2007 and her colleagues proposed a similar project for their 25th Anniversary Exhibition, the officials said.
The talk will take place in the Burt Chernow Galleries in Lafayette Hall at Housatonic Community College, 900 Lafayette Blvd. The college, in downtown Bridgeport, is less than 150 yards off Interstate-95's Exit 27, a block from the Arena at Harbor Yard.