William Wrang III and MARC Community Resources honored by Middlesex United Way

William E. Wrang III with daughter Catharine,
wife Heidi, and mother Alice.

MIDDLETOWN—William E. Wrang III, of Middletown, executive vice president of Webster Bank, was recently honored with Middlesex United Way’s Tocqueville Society Philanthropy Award at the organization’s annual meeting.

The award honors his significant role in inspiring philanthropy. Wrang is a member of the Middlesex United Way Tocqueville Society, recognizing philanthropic leaders who make an extraordinary contribution of $10,000 or more annually. He first became involved with United Way in 1997 when he served as Treasurer for Aetna’s United Way Campaign, and he served as Vice Chairman and Chairman for Webster Bank’s United Way Campaigns in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has served on various committees and held several leadership roles with the Board of Directors.

MARC Community Resources based in Middletown, received Middlesex United Way’s Community Impact Award in recognition of the organization’s outstanding commitment to improving lives and community conditions.

Staff and board members of MARC.

MARC Community Resources empowers adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to realize their dreams and make choices about their lives. To honor and help fulfill these dreams, MARC provides people with choices for housing, employment, and social/recreational life. MARC Community Resources has advocated for the rights of people with disabilities since 1955. In that year, eight Middletown families worked tirelessly to inform the public about the educational needs of their children. Slowly they opened doors not only for their own children but also for many others who today attend school like any other child. They also opened minds, prompting communities to become more inclusive of people with disabilities. Today, MARC Community Resources has grown into a multi-faceted organization with 100 paid staff, serving more than 200 adults and children with disabilities in residential, employment, vocational, leisure and self-advocacy programs.

Additional honors went to Gary Simonsen of Madison, retired co-founder and president of PrimePay in Cromwell, who received the Community Service Award. Five new directors were also welcomed to the Board of Middlesex United Way: Maribeth Breen, of Clinton, Library Director at Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton; Kimberly Hogan, of Groton, Director of Finance and Administrative Services at Middlesex Community College; Janet Porriello, of Wethersfield, Assistant Vice President for Staff Development at Seasons Federal Credit Union; Kevin M. Reich, of East Hampton, retired Assistant Superintendent of East Hampton Schools; and Meghan Slater, of East Hampton, Executive Assistant at Wright-Pierce in Middletown.

Middlesex United Way is a locally based organization dedicated to strengthening lives, helping people, and improving community conditions in the fifteen towns in Middlesex County. Middlesex United Way serves the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.

Cat Tales Spaghetti Dinner -- March 13 -- Purchase or Reserve your tickets today!!

Cat Tales Spaghetti Dinner

Friday Mar 13, 2015 - 6:30PM to 9:00PM 

Seating at 6:30 p.m. / Dinner served at 7:00 p.m.

Reserve tickets by March 6th!

Fox Parish Center
10 Elm St
Middletown, CT

$12.00 per person – Ticket includes pasta, meatballs, salad, bread and dessert 

Raffle items and Door Prizes

For every three cans of Friskies or two rolls of paper towels you will receive a ticket for the door prize drawings (i.e. 12 cans of Friskies = 4 tickets)

Purchase or reserve your tickets please email info@CatTalesCT.org or call 860-344-9043. 

Enter to win a $200 travel Gift Certificate from Sanditz Travel Management (Feb. 18)

Write a story (500 words max) about when you crossed a geographic border, or a border of any kind. Where did it lead you? What insights did you have?

Then, post your story on the Center for the Arts Facebook event page for 17 Border Crossings, and you will receive a free ticket to the performance. The story with the most "Likes" by midnight on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 will win a $200 travel gift certificate courtesy of Sanditz Travel Management in Middletown!

How to post your story:
1. Go to the Facebook event page here.
2. "Join" the event.
3. Under "POSTS," where it says “Write something…" cut and paste your story.
4. Hit the "Post" button.

If you don’t have Facebook, but would like to participate, please e-mail your entry by midnight on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 to boxoffice@wesleyan.edu.

Thaddeus Phillips of Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental performs "17 Border Crossings."

Outside the Box Theater Series
Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental: 17 Border Crossings
Connecticut Premiere
Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 8pm
CFA Theater
$19 general public; $17 senior citizens, Wesleyan faculty/staff/alumni, non-Wesleyan students; $6 Wesleyan students

The Connecticut premiere of 17 Border Crossings, a solo work written and directed by Thaddeus Phillips based on his travel experiences. The audience is taken to the frontiers of countries around the world in a humorous and poignant examination of imaginary lines, arbitrary passports, and curious customs.

An Outside the Box Theater Series event presented by the Theater Department and the Center for the Arts.

Young Professionals Networking Event Feb. 19

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals’ Alliance and the Middlesex United Way Young Leaders Society invite local young professionals to attend a joint networking reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 at Billy Tee’s Sports Bar and Grille, 150 Sebethe Dr., Cromwell.

The group will take part in a networking “mixer” led by EMPOWER Leadership Sports and Adventure Center, and will enjoy complimentary pizza and appetizers courtesy of Billy Tee’s. Cash bar will be available, and the event will offer a business card raffle. 

This is a great opportunity to grow your contact list by networking with fellow Middlesex County young professionals.

All members are welcome to stay for Billy Tee’s Trivia Night which begins around 8 p.m.

This event is sponsored by Billy Tee’s Sports Bar and Grille, 150 Sebethe Drive, Cromwell.

Register Online-Middlesex Chamber YPA Members

Register via Email-Middlesex United Way YLS Members

About the Young Professionals’ Alliance

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals' Alliance is a personal and professional development committee that is comprised of young chamber members looking to make a difference. The YPA is designed to help young business people interact socially, exchange ideas and interests, gain an insider's view of the regional business scene, and get actively involved in the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, the largest free standing chamber in the State of Connecticut. The Alliance is co-chaired by Kelly Therrien of Farrell, Geenty, Sheeley, Boccalatte & Guarino Law Office in Middletown, and Dan Jaskot of EMPOWER Leadership Sports and Adventure Center in Middletown. YPA is comprised of future leaders of our region and our state. The group meets on a monthly basis and hosts many special events throughout the year.

About the Young Leaders Society

The Middlesex United Way Young Leaders Society provides networking, volunteering, and leadership development opportunities for young professionals ages 21-40 who live and work in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Our mission is to create opportunities for young professionals to get involved with Middlesex United Way, connect with peers and community leaders and give back.

This Weekend at The Buttonwood Tree

Welcome back for another exciting weekend of arts and music here at The Buttonwood Tree! We hope you'll come to participate in some of the exciting events we have going on here. Our premier event this weekend is the Alturas Duo, who will be filling our venue and our ears with a unique blend of South American folk music and Classical styles from Europe and beyond, tonight at 7! Unfortunately, our Saturday night event, the Meet Your Mates Potluck Party is cancelled due to inclement weather. However, we'll still be hosting the Aligned With Source Workshop Saturday morning, and on Sunday Food Not Bombs. 

For more, click below!

MxCC Foundation Receives Historic Bequest from Alumna, Local Resident

The Middlesex Community College Foundation has recently received the largest bequest in the non-profit’s history. Mrs. Hazel E. Robinson, a life-long Portland, Conn. resident and alumna of the College, has donated a portion of her estate to be used to establish a scholarship fund in remembrance of her brother, Raymond S. Robinson.

According to the executor of Mrs. Robinson’s estate, the donation was a way for Robinson to honor her brother and the College that she remembered fondly.

“This is the largest donation to the Foundation in its history, and it is greatly appreciated,” said Mary Anne Cox, chair of the MxCC Foundation board of directors. “Mrs. Robinson has left a wonderful legacy that will help many deserving students to achieve their dreams for higher education.”

The funds from the Robinson estate will be used to help meet tuition costs and other necessary educational expenses for students in need of financial aid or further academic support.

The MxCC Foundation’s role is to raise external funding for students and programs at MxCC, and one way of providing this support is through scholarship opportunities for incoming, returning and graduating students.

Financial assistance is critical for students as they work towards their academic and career-based goals. Based on the College’s most recent federal report for the 2013-14 academic year, about 80 percent or approximately 2,400 enrolled students at MxCC receive some form of financial aid. Pell Grants, which are geared toward lower income students and are funded by the federal government, were awarded to about 65 percent of students. This funding, while essential, often does not cover all student expenses which these days can include not just tuition and books, but also daycare and transportation costs for a commuting student. That is why need-based scholarships, like the one that will be established in remembrance of Raymond S. Robinson, are essential to the College.

The scholarships, which are made possible by generous donors like Mrs. Robinson, are awarded by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. This committee meets once a year to review student applications and to award funds. Over the last five years the Foundation has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships to deserving students. Application packets for 2015 scholarships are currently being accepted. The application form and requirements can be found at http://mxcc.edu/foundation/scholarships/apply/

Application packets are to be submitted by the final deadline of March 1, 2015:

Corey Martell, Executive Assistant to the President

Middlesex Community College

Room 105, Founders Hall

100 Training Hill Road

Middletown, CT 06457

 

MxCC's Fifth Annual Legislative Breakfast Focused on Voter Participation

At Middlesex Community College, civic engagement and voter education have become focal points for developing students into responsible citizens.  For that reason, the College chose “voter participation” as it theme for the fifth annual legislative breakfast, held on campus Tuesday.
 

At the breakfast event, Dr. Steven Minkler, MxCC dean of academic affairs, welcomed attendees who included Senator Dante Bartolomeo (D-13^th District), Senator Paul Doyle (D-9^th District), Senator Paul Formica (R-20^th District), Representative Matt Lesser (D-100^th District), Representative Jesse MacLachlan (R-35^th District), Representative Phil Miller (D-36^th District), and Representative Joe Serra (D-33^rd District). Others in attendance included members of Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education, MxCC Foundation members, members of the College’s Regional Advisory Council, MxCC faculty, staff and students, and other supporters of the College.

Sen. Bartolomeo delivered the keynote speech and remarked on how residents can and should make their voices heard on the different issues being addressed during this session of the Connecticut General Assembly.  She talked about her own efforts as a community organizer through her local board of education and through her support of universal healthcare, which affected political outcomes in our state.  She talked about how residents can learn about the different bills up for vote in the Assembly, and strongly encouraged them to call, email, or meet with representatives in person.

“As elected officials, we want to hear from our constituents, and we listen to them in so many different ways,” Sen. Bartolomeo said.  “However, it is up to voters to reach out to officials, voice their opinions on issues they care about, and vote – which, of course, is the ultimate way to speak up.”

In Connecticut, only 55.6 percent of eligible residents turned out to vote in 2014, according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s office. A 2012 survey of MxCC students by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement reported a 44.9 percent voting rate.

“We want to improve the voting rate here on campus so students become lifelong voters and participants in our democracy,” explained Judith Felton, MxCC professor of human services. “We created MxCC’s new Center for Civic Engagement to help educate our student population about issues that affect the way we live and the importance of voting in all elections.  By attending today’s event, our legislators showed students that elected officials care about what we do here, and that student voices do matter.”