Nature Picture of the Week: Flying Squirrel

This picture was taken by local wildlife photographer Ashley Cumberledge, who writes: "As someone who’s always loved wildlife, I was so excited to discover flying squirrels living in the birdhouses in my own backyard. I had no idea we even had them here in Connecticut! Since they’re nocturnal and so tiny, they’re rarely seen, so I’ve felt really lucky to catch a few quick daytime glimpses when something woke them up and they peeked their little heads out!"

For more photography by Cumberledge, see her Instagram account here.

Southington in the American Revolution

SCREENSHOT FROM 'SOUTHINGTON IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION'

Today the names 'Sloper' and 'Woodruff' are likely to make you think of roads or places in town. Yet 250 years ago, they were the names of real people who lived in what we now call Southington. As part of this year's America250 celebrations, The Southington Outsider has teamed up with Christina Volpe, curator of the Barnes Museum, to create this short film that focuses on Captain Daniel Sloper, his wife Hannah B. Woodruff, and the small but not insignificant role they played in the American Revolution. Filmed at YMCA Camp Sloper and South End Burying Ground, it offers a rare glimpse into Southington's revolutionary past.

Southington in the American Revolution - A Short Film

CLICK TO WATCH

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/abd89a_f33ecf2ad1b249758ffa85107d93f0a8/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Special thanks goes to Wayne Edwards, who is a member of our Board of Directors and a professor in the Communications, Film and Media Studies Department at the University of New Haven, for working with his students Elisa Broche and Jay Sanders to film and edit this video. Thanks also to John McDonald of CTPhotoPro for sharing the drone footage of South End Cemetery.

Southington Organizations Awarded over $29K by Main Street Community Foundation

[Press Release] Main Street Community Foundation is proud to have recently awarded a total of $29,280 to nine nonprofit organizations serving Southington residents through its General Grant Cycle. A total of $167,740 was awarded to forty-seven local organizations through this grant cycle to further their reach and meet the needs of residents in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington, and Wolcott. Since its establishment in 1995, MSCF has awarded grants and scholarships totaling nearly $36 million and is one of the leading grantmakers in the Central Connecticut region. To view all grants awarded in this cycle, visit mainstreetfoundation.org/grants-awarded#general.

The grants awarded to organizations serving Southington are as follows:

·       CyberKnights Robotics - $4,500 - The Southington STEM Pipeline to begin shop modernization and upgrades for CyberKnights programming (KAWFY Memorial Fund)

·       Friends of Southington Community Services - $2,000 - Operation Stay Warm program to purchase equipment and supplies essential for the clothing program, supporting for families in need (KAWFY Memorial Fund, Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust)

·       Mattatuck Museum - $4,140 - After School Art with the MATT in collaboration with the Southington YMCA’s after-school program to introduce participants to diverse artists, mediums and styles (Sid Bernard & Ed Miller Children's Fund for the Visual Arts, Lynda M. Mazur and Michael F. Colomonico Jr. Hands-On Fund)

·       Palace Theater Group - $3,000 - Performance and post-show discussion of Mrs. Doubtfire on stage at the Palace Theater for high school students from Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth and Southington (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)

·       Southington Girls Softball League - $2,000 - Field 1 dugout replacement to benefit 350 female athletes (Paula & Rick Knight Family Fund for the Southington Community)

·       Southington Housing Authority - $5,000 - Complex enhancements to improve community spaces and encourage socialization, physical activities, and safety (KAWFY Memorial Fund)

·       Southington Public Library - Barnes Museum - $6,000 - Exterior preservation  and conservatory woodwork restoration for the preservation and stabilization of The Barnes Museum (KAWFY Memorial Fund)

·       Southington Symphonic Band - $1,200 - Support for sheet music and related expenses to provide music for the community (KAWFY Memorial Fund, Southignton Arts Council Legacy Fund)

·       The Tabernacle Christian Church - $1,440 - Giving Back Food Pantry program to purchase groceries and fresh foods for food-insecure residents in Southington and surrounding areas (Paige Wartonick Laferriere Memorial Fund)

General Grant Cycle awards support basic needs, increase access to opportunities, and create vibrant communities, to meet the needs of the communities served by the Foundation. Grants are distributed from endowed funds established by donors to support local communities and causes they are passionate about, from arts and culture, to food and housing, and mental health and wellbeing.

Applications for the General Grant Cycle are submitted annually in the spring, and are thoughtfully reviewed by local residents that volunteer on MSCF’s Distribution Committee. The Committee reviews all proposals, conducts site visits, and makes funding recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. This annual process ensures that the goals and programs of the grantees are feasible and align with the fund donor’s intent.   

To learn more about the Main Street Community Foundation, visit mainstreetfoundation.org. 

The Main Street Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for both present and future generations in the communities served by encouraging and promoting gift planning, prudent stewardship of assets, effective grantmaking and community leadership. A nonprofit public charity, created by private citizens, the foundation works with donors in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott who wish to build permanent charitable endowments to support their communities. Since its founding in 1995, the foundation has provided nearly $36 million in grants and scholarships.