Good Luck to All Students & Educators!

Thank you to all of our educators for all they do in and out of the classroom.
September 1, 2023


Most of our children are back in the classroom after an awesome summer. I had the honor of attending the Convocation for Derby Public Schools on Wednesday. It is always so great to talk with teachers and staff and see how dedicated they are in helping our students succeed.

A huge "thank you!" to all our educators for doing what you do! Have a great start to your school year!
Click on any of the links below to jump to that section of the email:
 
Retirement Plans For Small Businesses
On Monday, I joined Comptroller Sean Scanlon at Griffin Hospital and then visited multiple downtown Derby businesses sharing information about the MyCTSavings plan that gives small/independent business owners a way to offer retirement plans through the state to their employees. 
Not only is this a smart option, but it was great to hear direct local feedback. Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk with us.

We visited the following businesses:
  • Riverwalk Social
  • Love Hunter Watches
  • Raro Motor Car
  • City Stitchers
 
Stay Sober & Safe This Labor Day Holiday
Summer is almost over and with the Labor Day Holiday coming up, the state and the feds are reminding everyone about the dangers of drunk driving.
According to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository, there were seven crash fatalities over the 2021 Labor Day Holiday in Connecticut, including three driving under the influence (DUI) crash fatalities. In Connecticut in 2021, the last year of verifiable data, preliminary data shows 112 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes, which accounted for 38% of all fatalities in the state.

If you plan to head out and celebrate Labor Day, make sure you have a plan to keep everyone safe. CLICK HERE for safe alternatives to driving impaired.
 
Last Weekend of Free Museum Visits For Kids
The start of the new school year means the Connecticut Summer at the Museum program is wrapping up on Monday, September 4. This is the last weekend to bring your children to participating museums for free. An accompanying adult, who is a Connecticut resident, can also gain free entry. 

I took advantage of this program last week and visited the Norwalk Maritime Museum with my kids where we had a great time!
Check out some of the local options to visit!

The full list of participating organizations and institutions can be found here.
 
Support For Women-Owned Businesses
Time is running out to apply for the next round of the Women's Business Development Council’s (WBDC) Equity Match Grant Program. The deadline is September 27.

The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in Connecticut who have been in business for two or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million.
Since the start of the program, WBDC has distributed 216 grants of over $2 million to women-owned businesses in Connecticut.
Click Here To Learn More About the Program
 
In The News
Milford-Orange Times: "Family GPA"
 
Derby Events Calendar
Check out the events below to see what's going on in Derby, and click the button at the bottom of this section to access the community calendar.
Derby Community Calendar
 
Upcoming Events in Hamden
Take a look at the fliers below and click on the button to learn about upcoming events in Hamden:
More Hamden Events
 
Orange Events and Community Calendar
Check out the upcoming events in Orange, and please click the button below to access the community calendar.
The Town of Orange Concert and Fireworks show is slated for Saturday, September 2 with a rain date of Monday, September 4 (Labor Day). There will be a Queen tribute band.

The festivities will begin around 6:30 P.M. on the Orange Fairgrounds, 525 Orange Center Road. The concert will be followed by fireworks at 9:30 P.M. CLICK HERE for more information.
Orange Community Calendar
 
Woodbridge Events and Community Calendar
Check out the events below and click the button under that to access the community calendar.
From dough to sauce, join an instructor to make some pizza pies from scratch using an Ooni pizza oven! This program is B.Y.O.A. (Bring Your Own Aprons!) CLICK HERE to register.
REGISTER HERE for the Murray Lender 5K Bagel Run on Sunday, September 10 at the JCC of Greater New Haven.
This unique farm-to-table fundraiser features Massaro Community Farm's produce along with other locally sourced food and drinks to create a spectacular seasonal feast. CLICK HERE to get tickets.
Woodbridge Community Calendar