Jennifer Leeper

Happy Friday! From my family to yours, I want to take a moment to send my best wishes for the holiday season, and express that it is my sincere honor to represent you and work on issues that matter to our community and Connecticut.

Remember that as we celebrate, we also share many blessings, so in the spirit of the season, please spread joy and make these holidays truly special.
 

In this week's eblast, you can read about Fairfield's Holiday Light Tour, a new college admissions program, and more. You can click on the links below to navigate between sections.

• Holiday Light Tour
• New College Admissions Program
• Christmas Carol Exhibit/Fairfield Museum's Annual Fund
• LaMP New Years Eve Performance

Our Holiday Light Tour is back thanks to the Fairfield Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation! Follow the map below to see this year’s entries for their 4th Annual Light Up Fairfield competition and don’t forget to share your holiday decorations!

Connecticut is offering a wonderful new program that will make applying for higher education much easier - and less expensive - for graduating high school students. The Connecticut Automatic Admission Program allows students who meet certain criteria to be automatically admitted to several Connecticut colleges and universities by filling out a single application form, free of charge!



The following colleges and universities are participating in the program:

• Central Connecticut State University in New Britain
• Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic
• Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven
• Western Connecticut State University in Danbury
• Mitchell College in New London
• University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport
• University of New Haven in New Haven
• University of St. Joseph in West Hartford
• Goodwin University in East Hartford

Don't delay: the deadline to apply for high school seniors who are graduating this spring is January 4, 2024.



Graduating seniors in the top 30% of their class, as identified by their individual high school counselors, are eligible.



Applying for college can be an intimidating, time-consuming, and expensive process. But with the Automatic Admission Program, applying for some of our great state schools is more accessible than ever - evening the playing field for all applicants, particularly first-generation, low-income, and minority students.

On December 19, 1843, Charles Dickens published the novella “A Christmas Carol.” The story was an instant success, with the first edition selling out by Christmas Eve that year. On view through January 28, 2024 in the Fairfield Museum's special exhibition “Dearly Departed: Mourning & Memory” are two early editions of “A Christmas Carol” from the collection of the Pequot Library.

In the spirit of haunted humor, stop by the Fairfield Museum to see the books in person and explore the rituals, practices, and traditions that help us reconcile death, understand loss, and honor those who have passed on. https://bit.ly/3LD9Zcj

And as they prepare for another year packed with exciting new exhibitions, programs, and events, please consider making a year-end gift to the Fairfield Museum’s Annual Fund. As an independent, community-supported non-profit, they rely on generous donors like you to help raise 20% of their annual budget—crucial funding that pays for:

• The tools and resources needed to create dynamic family and adult learning experiences,
• New exhibitions that explore the rich legacy of our community,
• Library resources that serve hundreds of students and researchers,
• And so much more!

Thank you for helping the Fairfield Museum thrive! https://bit.ly/46S1y5o

Get ready to rock, roll, and revel in the most electrifying night of the year! Join Fairfield Theatre Company on New Years Eve for the best party in town. Rockin 'the night (and year!) away will be LaMP - a cooperative trio of drummer Russ Lawton, organist Ray Paczkowski, and guitarist Scott Metzger. This fresh musical blend combines the well-established synergy of 'Russ and Ray' from Soule Monde and Trey Anastasio Band, incorporating Metzger's characteristic acrobatic melodies from Joe Russo's Almost Dead and Circles Around The Sun. Grab your friends and family and make this New Year's Eve the loudest and most unforgettable one yet!

More details can be found here.