Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/page/50/)
In June 2024, Veterinarian Monique Fitzpatrick was introduced as the new columnist for the Drummer’s Animal Talk. Her first column was selected for first place in the informational category by the Connecticut Press Club.
Granby Public Works Department employee Tom Matyseck placed second in the Connecticut Association of Street and Highway Officials (CASHO) Snowplow Rodeo on Oct. 9.
Four Granby nonprofits are the first to benefit from the generous grant provided by the Granby Community Fund (GCF); their ads are placed free of charge in this issue.
Please visit GranbyRec.com for all of the amazing program offerings, and to register.
Highlights from the meeting held on September 9th, 2025
Members of Granby’s American Legion Shannon-Shattuck Post 182 came out to clean the Granby Veterans Wall of Honor located in Salmon Brook Park on Oct. 18.
The Granby Lions recently completed its annual vision screening of preschool and elementary school children in Granby.
On Sept. 19, the Granby Lions participated in the Veterans Stand Down event at the State Veterans Home in Rocky Hill for the third year in a row. The Lions members collected toiletry items, clothing, eyeglasses and first aid items throughout the year to donate to military veterans in need.
Registration is required for library programs unless noted. To register visit granby-ct.gov/Library, and click on “Register for a Program” or call the library at 860-844-5275.
Highlights from the meeting held on October 8th, 2025
Alofft Gallery in Litchfield, Conn., is presenting an exhibit of local artist Bill Simpson’s charcoal drawings and oil paintings. Including up to 20 pieces of his work, the show will open on Thursday, March 6, running through Sunday, March 30.
On March 9, we return to daylight savings time, and we will be setting our clocks ahead by one hour. During this time of year, it is a good reminder that we all should be replacing the batteries in our smoke alarms. Change Your Clock / Change Your Batteries. It is also a good time to check the age of your smoke alarms. The life expectancy of smoke alarms is 10 years. If you are unsure as to the age of your smoke alarms, it would be a good idea to replace the unit.
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.
Dr. John Violette, DVM, The Granby Drummer’s “Animal Talk” columnist, wins award; Shirley Murtha’s tribute to Tom Wutka a winner
Granby resident Jason J. Warnke BFA™, CMFA®, CRPC™, CFS® is a Private Wealth Advisor with the OakBridge Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in Avon.
Granby resident Mary Beth LaRosa recently joined the law offices of Nair and Levin P.C. A member of the Connecticut Bar Association, she graduated with a B.A. in Government from Cornell University and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
The winter snow, slippery ice, bitter cold temperatures, and wind chills are gone.
Albert Einstein famously said that “the person with dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts.” Clearly, Einstein never encountered Kristin Masini and her daughter Robin Tooker, who in 2022 combined their factual knowledge to make a dream come true on the Granby/Simsbury town line.
The Granby Land Trust is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing effectiveness and reliability have helped it earn a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates Granby Land Trust as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that the organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s comprehensive criteria that go beyond financials to reflect the work charities do.
One of Granby’s most beautiful places in any season, the Granby Land Trust’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve is 210 acres of diverse habitat – a unique combination of woods, freshwater marsh, open fields and ridgeline.
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.
It’s not every day that a girl from a small town in rural Nebraska, population 400, grows up to be director of finance and operations in a Connecticut town more than 1,500 miles away.
While there is plenty of winter left here in New England, Farm Manager Joe O’Grady has turned his attention to preparing for the growing season. We are thrilled to report that our entire farm crew will return to Holcomb Farm this summer!
The following students were named to the Quinnipiac University dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester: From East Granby: Corriana Howard, Liam Phelan, Benjamin Rickevicius, Erin Russell and Sarah Springer; from Granby: Pippa Large, Erin Panella-Malley, Krystal Rupram and Talin Tran; from North Granby: Jonathan Marlor, Olivia McGovern and Jason Platti.
My grandmother Katie Hurley immigrated from Ireland as a young girl. Though I never had the privilege of knowing her firsthand, my mom always kept her memory alive with wonderful stories, and most importantly, by celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in a big way.
The Friends of Holcomb Farm learned that Auer Farm in Bloomfield might need items for its new Discovery barn, so we invited them to come and take whatever they could put to good use.
A while back I was looking to get more involved in the community, to find a way to lend a helping hand, and I knew there were many great options. This town is full of generous, giving people and organizations that reach out to help others, but it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Audrey M. Phelps beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and Friend, of West Suffield, CT who peacefully passed away at home on January 22, 2025 at the age of 89.
For decades, the Cooley Schoolhouse sat quietly on the Clark family property, a relic of a bygone era when one-room schoolhouses were the heart of local education. Weathered by time in history, the building had a second chance. That chance came on August 26, 1980, when a determined community effort brought the schoolhouse to its new home at the Salmon Brook Historical Society, ensuring its legacy would live on.