Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/page/6/)
How would Granby officials respond to a town-wide emergency? Imagine an extended drought where brush fires were popping up all over town and the fire department was stretched thin. What if homes, businesses and a school burned? What if water was in short supply and wells were running dry? What if Granby needed to open and run shelters for those displaced by the fires?
Red leaves, orange pumpkins, and bittersweet vines.
Do you cry when the leaves fall?
It is with great excitement that Kelly Lane School welcomes its new principal, Kim Loveland, who joined the school this fall. Stepping into her 11th year as an elementary principal, she brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to fostering a supportive and thriving school community.
I hope you try this recipe while the farmstands are full of produce. While visiting my husband’s cousin in Italy in August, she served us the most delicious caponata as an appetizer. There are lots of variations but this recipe is closest to the one we had. Enjoy!
“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?
Town Manager Mike Walsh, Board of Education IT person Frank Melanson and Town of Granby IT person Tristen Grouten attended a cybersecurity program on May 28. The Town of Simsbury invited Avon, Canton, East Granby, Farmington and Granby to join in assessing how each town handles the occurrence of a cyber incident.
Kim and Kent McCord were among the many generous people that purchased and then donated non-perishable food items, as well as donated cash, to the Friend to Friend food pantry on July 26.
On July 16, Julien’s Farm Store hosted the Granby Horse Council (GHC) during its monthly meeting that was held at Valkyrie Equestrian Center. Carolyn Mainardi, Valkyrie’s owner, gave a tour to start off the evening. GHC members and guests walked through the stables, past the indoor and outdoor rings, and were introduced to equine residents along the way.
Connect with your local Granby artists at the annual Granby Artists Open Studio weekend on Oct. 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Open Studio tour invites visitors to artists’ studios to meet the artists, watch demonstrations and find art and gifts.
Cub Scout Pack 325 of Granby held its annual rocket launch on Aug. 9 at Salmon Brook Park, and the skies were buzzing with excitement as scouts and their families gathered for one of the pack’s most thrilling summer traditions.
Girl Scouts of Connecticut recently recognized 35 exceptional Girl Scouts who earned the organization’s highest achievement at the Annual Girl Scout Gold Awards Ceremony. One of these scouts is Granby’s Mackenzie Janski.
Highlights from the meeting held on July 30th, 2025
Celia Eggert, 64, formally of Granby, CT, passed away peacefully at Apple Rehab Coccomo in Meriden, CT after a prolonged illness on August 11, 2025.
Granby Public Schools Building Facilities Department has made major strides this past summer, working to improve buildings and facilities.
In preparation for the new school year, the facilities team has ensured that school environments are clean, safe, and welcoming for students and staff. They have thoroughly deep-cleaned classrooms and other school facilities.
The Stop & Shop grocery store in Granby has selected the Citizens for a Better Granby (publishers of the Drummer) to receive a portion of the sales of its Community Bags during September. The $2.50 reusable bags both benefit the environment by reducing the use of paper and plastic bags and yield a $1 donation to CBG. That sounds like a WIN-WIN to us!
Dave Roberts, vice president of the United Nations Association of Connecticut, recently returned from the 2025 UNA-USA Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., where he represented Connecticut in a call for global engagement and international cooperation. Held June 22–25, the summit gathered 150 grassroots advocates from 225 chapters across the United States.
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.
At its Aug. 4 meeting, the Granby Board of Selectmen appointed Martha Anne LaCrosse to the Agricultural Commission.
If you’re skilled at sharpening knives, scissors, garden tools and more and are willing to volunteer your time—you are needed. Residents of Granby are welcome to bring household items to the Suffield Repair Cafe for free repair by volunteers.
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.
Registration is required for all library programs, except as noted. To learn more about upcoming programs, sign up for the library’s monthly eNewsletter. For the most updated information on dates and programs, refer to the library’s online calendar.
The Farmington Valley Quilters Guild will present From Fabric to Fabulous on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Kingswood Oxford School’s Hoffman Field House on Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford.
As the Salmon Brook Historical Society prepares to celebrate 80 years of preserving Granby’s history in 2025, it proudly reflects on the progress it has made—and the strong foundation it continues to build for the future.
By the time you read this, Chris Fisher’s photography exhibit at Lost Acres Vineyard will probably be closed, so you will have to go to the libraries in East Granby (September), Simsbury (October) or Avon (November) to experience it, but it will be well worth the drive. He started taking pictures on a seven-week summer Eurail trip in 1971 and hasn’t stopped since!