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Community Ham Dinner, Cozy up with Lifelong Learning, and Holiday Bazaar
Camera Club, Women’s Breakfast, Men’s Breakfast, Granby Center Plan, Bible Study, Holiday Farmers Mar-kets, and Civic Club is “buzzing”
Donna Daye (Wynings) Fenton, 81, of Granby and formerly of Bloomfield, CT, beloved wife of 60 years to Stephen R. Fenton, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, in Holden, MA.
Fifty years ago an iconic landmark, the Loomis Bros. Store in the center of Granby was torn down and with it a piece of the town’s sense of place and history disappeared.
Each Friday afternoon, a long line of cars waits off North Granby Road in front of the meetinghouse of Granby Congregational Church’s North Campus. On warm summer days, people mingle between the cars, and on frozen winter days, the windows are rolled up, but the line persists. When the clock strikes 3 p.m., Open Cupboard Pantry opens for business, and cars inch forward to a row of volunteers ready to load bags of groceries into the trunk of each vehicle.
Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital (SBVH) will hold its annual pet food drive on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Cat and dog food donations will go to aid local food pantries and to organizations dedicated to keeping pets with their owners.
As the leaves turn and we head into the season of gratitude, the Farmington Valley YMCA is reflecting on what truly matters—community, connection and compassion. November at the Y is a time to celebrate the heart of our mission: strengthening the foundations of community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
The Quarry Road Bridge will be under construction starting on Monday, Nov. 3. The road will be shut down heading southbound from Phelps Road starting Wednesday, Oct. 29 to begin staging of materials and equipment.
The road is scheduled to be reopened by the last week of June 2026. Please follow the posted detour signs or plan an alternate route. Any questions about the project may be directed to Lee Corbert, director of public works 860-668-3280 or emailed to Lcorbert@suffieldct.gov
Roger K. Hayes, 93, of North Granby and beloved husband of the late Freda E. (Nolan) Hayes, passed away peacefully on Oct. 11.
Roger Hernsdorf passed away at the age of 87 on Oct. 4, 2025, surrounded by family.
Rick Orluk took this photo of the field in the GLT’s Ann Pelka Preserve in North Granby.
On Friday, May 16, the Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce hosted its much-anticipated Annual Golf Classic at the picturesque Simsbury Farms Golf Course. With the early morning rain giving way to sunny skies, more than 100 local business leaders gathered for a day filled with camaraderie, competition and commitment to community.
For half a century, Nannie Brown has remained a dedicated and passionate presence at Valley Pre-School. Her wisdom and experience influenced countless children, parents and teachers since she took on the role of lead teacher in 1975. Brown served in this role until 2011, when she “retired” from teaching, but she did not go far!
The third annual Granby Grange Rubber Duck Race, sponsored by Lincoln Tech, was held on May 10 at Salmon Brook Park and was a tremendous success. With beautiful cold weather and high spirits, the event drew a lively crowd and community participation. Over $1,400 in prizes were awarded to the top 16 rubber duck winners and the last place winner.
Two years ago, I purchased a bird house thinking how lovely it would look in my tiny garden. I wasn’t sure if birds would ever nest in it, but I followed online instructions on how and where to situate it and a few weeks later I saw twigs sticking out from under the roof. We had a nest in progress—a wren! She’s back this year and another nest was built.
Ladies hear about writing Hallmark movies, Men’s group gets a global perspective
Jay Harder’s photo of a tree swallow is one of several by Granby Land Trust members during Spring Migration Walks in Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve.
On April 23, Susan Regan of the Sylvia Davis Art Foundation presented an oil painting to Dick Zanini, director of history at the Wethersfield Country Club. The painting was completed by Sylvia Davis Patricelli in 1961 and reflects the practice tee at the 1961 ICO championship at the club.
Annukka Ritalahti and Mark Gottlieb were pleased to be invited to the Wadsworth Atheneum’s 42nd Fine Art and Flowers exhibit April 25–27. It was the pair’s second invitation to be part of the display of arts and crafts, paintings and sculptures throughout the museum. Live entertainment, including music, was part of the festivities.
The focus of the Social Services Department is to coordinate existing federal, state, regional and local services, to increase community awareness of these services and to develop new programs to meet the needs of Granby residents.
Take Action Granby group members peacefully gathered on the Granby green on Wednesday, April 23.
As I write this column, it’s the morning after Granby voters approved the FY26 budget.
A direct budget vote on the operation of our town is democracy in action and an important act in the self-governance of our community. Of the more than 8,500 registered voters in Granby, 1,126 exercised their voting privilege.
Make your plans to attend Granby’s annual Memorial Day Parade and program to be held on Monday, May 26.
The National High School Coaches Association will recognize Terri Ziemnicki with top honors at a ceremony in South Dakota in late June.
The Granby Drummer seeks Part Time Managing Editor
For more information, please contact editor@granbydrummer.org
The town’s FY26 Budget Referendum was held on Monday, April 21 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Granby Town Hall.
The 2025-26 Budget PASSED by a vote of 686 to 440.
Did you hear something rummaging in the undergrowth, but you couldn’t see who was making all the noise? It could be an Eastern towhee, like this one that Merle Yoder photographed on the Granby Land Trust’s Katan-Ensor Preserve.
Highlights from the meeting held on March 26th, 2025
Over the past several months the Granby Center Advisory Committee has been working with the consultant firm, BFJ Planning, to create a master plan for the Granby Center area.
Recently, I was invited by our state representative Mark Anderson to testify before the Connecticut combined House and Senate Energy and Technology committee. The objective was for me to provide technical information on utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems, BESS.