Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/page/37/)
“At Valley Brook Community Church, serving children, their families and the community is important,” said Chelsea Smith, children’s ministry director, “so when we realized a playground would help us do just that, we started the process by dreaming and praying.”
Two food drives held this summer at the Granby Stop & Shop benefited both the Granby and Hartland Food Banks, which work together to share resources to feed the hungry.
Last month we shared photos and crew notes on some of the crew, and we are delighted to introduce the rest!
Closed bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) at the Granby Land Trust’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve in North Granby.
At its Aug. 18 meeting, the Granby Board of Selectmen (BOS) unanimously approved a revised long-term Lease and Use Agreement with the Friends of Holcomb Farm, marking an exciting new chapter for the farm and the Granby community.
Who remembers the Blizzard of 1978? Or the 24 inches of snow Granby received in early 2011? Or the 2011 October snowstorm when we lost power for over a week? How about Superstorm Sandy in 2012?
A rare leucistic ruby-throated hummingbird was spotted by Granby resident Denise Canora in her expansive flower garden, which is frequented by a steady flight of birds, butterflies and other pollinators.
Fifty-seven years ago, a group of dedicated Granby volunteers created a unique youth organization. The vision of those ambitious residents became Marquis of Granby Ancient Fyfe and Drum Corps.
Troop 76 B (boys) and Troop 76 G (girls) are linked Scouts BSA troops in Simsbury, drawing members across the Farmington Valley including Granby, Avon and Canton. Anyone interested in joining a troop focused on scout-led leadership, personal growth and outdoor adventure are invited to join.
Anne McSwain, of Granby, was named to the dean’s list at Smith College for the 2024-25 school year.
Leon Totten V, of Granby, was named to the dean’s list at the University of North Dakota for the spring semester.
Kiley Schneider and Maureen VonHassel, both of Granby, graduated from Fairfield University in May.
Andrew LaCroix was named to the dean’s list at Boston University’s College of Engineering for the spring semester.
It really felt like spring this week and I searched for new recipes to celebrate the end of dark winter days. I found this recipe and tweaked it a bit. My family loved it—and I’m happy to share it.
The Consolidated School and Getting to know Jean Potetz
Sticks, leafless and devoid of life, turn into the overflowing, yellow glory of the forsythia.
Sierra Shepard was awarded first place for her book review of Edna in Millbrook in the Connecticut Press Club’s 2023 competition.
Granby’s first selectman, Mark Fiorentino, received a first-place award in the 2023 Connecticut Press Club’s annual competition for his humorous short story, The New Guy.
The facts that he is Irish and that he is the guy who “got things done” in his previous job as mayor of East Hartford, led the Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee to select Granby’s town manager, Mike Walsh, as the honorary marshal to lead the East Hartford delegation of the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day parade in Hartford.
Please visit granby-ct.gov/senior-services or check your Center Life Newsletter for a complete listing of health services, support groups, clubs and ongoing activities.
Kathleen Scranton, an artist from Coventry, fashions vintage hard-cover books into distinctive purses. As guest speaker at the Granby Woman’s Breakfast meeting in March, Scranton described the process she follows during the 10 to 15 hours required to bring about her unique form of magic: transforming old books into purses, purses that many would also consider pieces of fine art.
At the annual Connecticut Lions District 23B Governor’s Awards Breakfast on March 9, two Granby Lions were honored for their service as Granby Lions Club members.
In March, the Men’s Breakfast Group learned about the process of making maple syrup from Dave Emery.
As the calendar turns to March and I mark one year on the job, let me thank the Granby community for allowing me the opportunity to be your Town Manager.
The Wildcats Hockey 7th Annual Alumni Game was held on Jan. 4, 2025. More than 40 players joined in the game including athletes from the 1990s through March 2024.
During its February 3 meeting, the Granby Board of Selectmen approved the selection of 7 Summits/New Samaritan Realty as the developer for the Kearns School property. This decision came after much deliberation after the presentations given at the January 13 meeting.
A new feature called PropertyCheck, in partnership with Cott Systems Inc., has been implemented to help protect residents from potential property and mortgage fraud.
On Jan. 24 the Connecticut Siting Council approved a 4.99-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) facility at 100 Salmon Brook Street. The proposed facility presents significant public safety and environmental risks.
Pastor Ellis Miller’s team members were Diann Bailey, George Harris and Kate Lincoln.
The consultant firm Buckhurst Fish and Jacquemart (BFJ) reported at the January 29 Granby Center Advisory Committee meeting that it had met with some Granby Center property owners earlier in January. Traffic, parking issues, and zoning were discussed.
The Board of Finance set operating budget guidelines of 3.25 percent for the Board of Education and 2.4 percent for the Board of Selectmen at its Feb. 10 meeting, with the goal of keeping the mill rate change for FY26 in the 3 percent range.
Although spring will soon be here there are many winter updates and spring announcements from various departments at Granby Town Hall.