Jennifer Leeper

Breast Cancer Awareness, and more

View this email in your browser Dear Neighbor, Happy Friday - I hope you had a great week!   It was great to be united with Bridgeport at the Shiloh Baptist Church this past Sunday in defense of our communities and in opposition to UI creating a new right of way through our communities’ churches, historic landmarks, homes, and small businesses. The charge of the Siting Council is to *balance* the lowest cost alternative with community resources and the environment. The Siting Council has not adequately done that balance and we will continue to speak out and defend our communities until they do. In  this week's eblast, you can read about what I've been up to around the district, DEA Takeback Day, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections. Breast Cancer Awareness Month Around the District DEA Takeback Day Events this Weekend Halloween Season in Fairfield! Breast Cancer Awareness Month  Each October, we bring awareness and honor the millions of lives affected by breast cancer. Throughout the month, we stress the importance of mammograms as the best way to screen for breast cancer, which is the most common cancer among women, except for skin cancer.  One in eight women in the United States will get breast cancer. More than 40,000 women die from breast cancer in the U.S. each year. Thankfully, though, with early detection and more advance treatments, like what is available here in Fairfield at the new partnered Hartford Health and Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the prognosis for those diagnosed with breast cancer has become much more positive.  Let us stand with survivors, honor those we've lost, and continue fighting for a cure. If you're interested in donating, to the Norma Pfriem Breast Cancer Pink Pledge, please click here! Around the District  It's been a busy week in the district, including discussions with educators and a meetup with some Fairfield residents. Below, you can read more about what I've been up to! Thank you to everyone who joined me and Reps. McCarthy Vahey and Keitt for our Pints & Policy discussion! These events are always so insightful.  The most common concern we heard this week was a deep fear for what will happen to insurance premiums if the ACA subsidies are not restored by Congress. We talked about the ways we are working at the state level to be prepared to fill the budget holes that we can left by HR-1. Unfortunately, we will not have the resources to make up for all the federal changes and to put it into perspective, just funding SNAP alone is $72 million per month. Hearing about the issues that matter the most in our community is what helps me prepare for the next session, and I will take these conversations with me to Hartford! For anyone that missed the event but would like to share their thoughts, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me! I'm grateful to have joined EdAdvance last week, in a room of 175 educators, talking with their Executive Director, Jonathan Costa, about AI in education. There are so many complexities ahead for our educators, students, and families, and I am grateful for all the thought leaders in this space. DEA Takeback Day  The drug epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. When they do - it has dangerous and often tragic consequences.  You can help fight that epidemic by participating in DEA Takeback Day. It's an opportunity for anyone to remove unneeded medications from their homes, preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction. On October 25th, from 10 am to 2 pm, you can turn in excess drugs at dozens of collection site locations across the state. You can find details on the drop-off process and locations by using the DEA Collection Site Locator. Click here to find the closest site to you and for more info. Events this Weekend Mattress Recycling Event Veterans Park (909 Reef Rd., Fairfield) Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:30am-12:30pm Read more here Halloween Season in Fairfield! Third Annual Scarecrow Contest Enter between now and Oct. 31 Read more here Halloween on the Green Fairfield Museum (370 Beach Rd., Fairfield) Sunday Oct. 26, noon-4pm Read more here Lantern Tours Oak Lawn Cemetery & Arboretum (1530 Bronson Rd., Fairfield) Saturday, Oct. 26, 10am or noon Read more here Haunted Candy House Workshop Fairfield Museum (370 Beach Rd., Fairfield) Saturday, Oct. 26, 10am, noon, 2pm Read more here I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol. Sincerely, Jennifer Leeper State Representative Website Email Facebook Instagram Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe from this list | Update subscription preferences