Recent Stories

Granby 4-H Robotics win award

Granby’s own G-4s 4-H Robotics team attended the world’s largest robotics competition and brought home an award. Over 13,000 teams from more than 50 countries competed to earn one of 1,000 invitations to the 16th annual VEX Robotics World Championship held in Dallas in April.

In Memory of…

Murphy, Ruth Secor, 90, wife of the late Owen Philip Murphy and the late Lawrence Secor, March 29

Thoughts

The fragile colors of early spring give way to the more vibrant colors of summer—children who began the school year last fall now talk of vacation plans and future endeavors. The seasons rush along. We cannot stop them.

Deacon Arthur Miller, childhood friend of Emmett Till, to speak

Granby will celebrate the federal holiday of Juneteenth on Saturday, June 17, 3 to 9:30 p.m., (rain date is June 18) in Salmon Brook Park. The hope is that in addition to a great showing of Granby residents, families will come from far and wide to enjoy this event.

The Granby Road Race is a Family Affair for the Koteens

On May 6, after two weeks of non-stop rain, Mother Nature cooperated. The day was warm, sunny and the perfect weather for a race. Racers lined up at the start eager to begin. At exactly 8:30 a.m. the horn went off and the 53rd annual Granby Road Race began.

Remembering Carol Laun

In the June edition of the Granby Drummer, I wrote about Eva Dewey, the curator and archivist for the Salmon Brook Historical Society from 1959 to 1986, who saved much of Granby’s history. In her final nine years she had an invaluable assistant in the archives—Carol Laun, who would go on to transform the Salmon Brook Historical Society into what it is today.

Pumpkin Patch returns to Granby

Again this fall, South Congregational Church is hosting a Pumpkin Patch in October, and looks forward to welcoming visitors from the Farmington Valley and beyond. The Pumpkin Patch will be set up on the front lawn of the church, in full view of Rte. 10/202, and will be open from Oct. 3 until Oct. 31, unless we sell out of pumpkins first. 

Friends of Holcomb Farm

In the May 2021 Drummer, we spoke of the continuing drought conditions in our region and encouraged believers to embrace the practices of our indigenous peoples and do a rain dance. Well, that was then, and this is now.

The Senior Skinny

Autumn Dinner: Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. Entertainment by East Chicago Joe. Sponsored by Home Helpers of the Farmington Valley. Join us for chicken potpie, mashed potatoes, vegetable and apple crisp for dessert.

Agricultural parcel donated to Land Trust

Eric Lukingbeal and Sally King recently purchased 11 acres of land at 172 Day Street and generously donated the parcel to the Granby Land Trust for the purpose of permanent preservation and protection. Eric and Sally are longtime GLT members and Eric serves on the GLT’s board of directors as well as the board of directors of the Friends of Holcomb Farm.

Meet Rusty, a special miniature horse

A very special guest visitor attended Granby’s Open Farm Day, held on Sept. 18, courtesy of Pam Traun’s Angel Horse Rescue. Rusty, a sweet little 11-year-old mini, happily accepted the pets of children and adults alike, who were astounded to learn the little guy’s story.

October’s Gifts

October’s Beauty calls us outdoors and surrounds us with the magnificent colors of her leaves. The air feels warm in the sun but cool in the shade—we wear a light jacket or sweatshirt.

For the Love of Bees and Butterflies and Ourselves

Over the past 30 years, the world’s pollinators—birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles and small mammals—have been declining at a disturbing rate. Considering that our food crops rely on pollination, human’s existence is tied to that of the pollinators, making their decline as important to us as it is to them. 

Team spirit is alive in Granby

In 2018 Ashley Puglise entered GMHS as a freshman. After years of being on the Bearcats elementary- and middle-school-aged cheer squad, it made sense for her to continue cheering at the high school level.

Registrars

An important change from 2020—there will NOT be any mass mailing of applications this year, due to lack of state and federal funding. Thanks to an extension of the 2020 executive orders, all registered voters can opt to obtain and fill out an absentee ballot application, vote absentee, and use the black Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of Town Hall to deposit their completed applications and ballots as was allowed in 2020.

Things that go Bump in the Night

The Granby Women’s Breakfast Group will rejoin for the first time since COVID on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Reservations are a must since seating is limited.

Helping restore power after Ida

Eversource sent a large contingent of crews and support personnel to Louisiana to assist with the massive power restoration after Hurricane Ida. Andy Ouellette (in yellow vest), an Eversource lead safety advisor from East Granby, is shown with the team in Raceland, a community hard hit by Ida.

What is left after the elves dance?

Matt Huebner spotted a massive ring of mushrooms at Stop & Shop in Granby and did some research. It seems that in English and Celtic folklore, fairy rings were caused by fairies or elves dancing in a circle.

Ritalahti exhibit at the Vineyard

Annukka Ritalahti’s first solo art exhibition was in 1981. Now after 40 years she is celebrating her journey as an artist exhibiting new stained-glass pieces and a collection of glass jewelry at Lost Acres Vineyard through Oct. 10.

GAA All Member Art Show, Oct. 2-29

The Granby Artists Association is excited to present the GAA All Member Show Oct. 2 through Oct. 29 at the Granby Public Library. In a continuing effort to create a vibrant and supportive community for the arts, the GAA invites its entire membership to show off their talents.

2021 Election Guide

Voters will have the opportunity to vote for 22 open seats. In the past, the Board of Selectmen race has caused some confusion.