Sound Mind-Sound Body Community Walk is Sept. 11

NEW HAVEN — The Connecticut Mental Health Center Foundation will launch its first annual Sound Mind-Sound Body Community Walk Sept. 11, at Long Wharf Park.

Special guest, author Mary Collins, will speak and sign copies of her book "American Idle: A Journey Through Our Sedentary Culture," organizers said in a statement.
Collins is an award-winning author and professor of creative writing at Central Connecticut State University. Her book "American Idle" offers advice about integrating physical movement into the natural flow of everyday lives, the statement said.
SMSB organizers hope to attract more than 200 walkers to raise more than $20,000 for the CMHC Foundation and to highlight the important connections between good mental and physical health and wellness, the statement said. Yale-New Haven Hospital is lead sponsor for the event.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Leon’s Restaurant and ends with an awards celebration and brunch from 10:30 a.m.-noon, also at Leon’s, the statement said.
According to the CMHC Foundation, one in five Americans lives every day with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and chronic depression. Many live in poverty and are homeless or poorly housed and some also struggle with addictions, the statement said.
"In the last few years we have been alarmed to discover that people with serious mental illness also have a life expectancy 25 years shorter than the general population due to the stressors of poverty and the inadequate treatment of physical health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity," Kyle Pedersen, CMHC Foundation director said in the statement. "We hope the Sound Mind-Sound Body Community Walk will help everyone focus on and celebrate good health and wellness."
For registration, team and pledge forms and additional information or to sponsor the event, contact Sharon DeGenaro at 203-974-7082 or sharon.degenaro@yale.edu or visit the website at www.cmhcfoundation.org.
Minimum entry fee of $25 per person entitles the walker to a free SMSB T-shirt. Individuals and teams that raise at least $50 per person will receive T-shirts, special prizes and complimentary brunch at Leon’s.
The CMHC Foundation encourages organizations, community groups, schools and faith communities to sponsor teams and is offering a special fundraising incentive. All teams that raise at least $1,000 can designate 25 percent of their total earnings to a community organization that promotes good health and wellness for people in recovery. The CMHC Foundation is grateful for the support of lead sponsor Yale-New Haven Hospital and its many other sponsors.

Beach cleanup needs volunteers

NEW HAVEN — Trailblazer and United By Blue will hold a volunteer beach cleanup from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 11) at Long Wharf Park.
Those who want to participate should meet at 10 a.m. to learn the basics of the clean up operation. Volunteers are not required to stay the entire session and all necessary information and supplies will be provided. You can register online here.

"Soak up the New Haven Harbor scenery and stretch of notable historic buildings while we work together to restore the pristine beauty of trash-free beaches. Enjoy refreshments then plan on experiencing a fun and educational event, (including prizes) with a difference you can actually see. Bring yourself. Bring your family and friends. Come ready for a great time," Trailblazer said in a statement.
United By Blue, which designs, manufacturers, and sells a line of sustainable apparel and accessories, uses sale proceeds to conduct an ongoing cleanup of oceans and other waterways, according to a statement. The company tracks what is collected at cleanup in an attempt both to find ways to prevent dumping and because as part of its business model, the company removes 1 lb. of trash for every 1 product sold, the statement said. Learn more about United By Blue here.

Learn more about Trailblazer here.

Prostate screening and related event to be held at Hospital of St. Raphael

NEW HAVEN — The Hospital of St. Raphael will hold two events in coming weeks to inform people of the importance of having prostate screenings done.
The hospital will offer free prostate screenings by appointment on Sept. 16 for all men 50 or older who don’t have an urologist. The screenings are part of as part of the Project Brotherhood outreach program and will be held at the St. Raphael’s Father Michael J. McGivney Cancer Center, 659 George St.
Register online at www.srhs.org/prostatescreening or call Program Coordinator Augustine Okeke at 203-867-5479.
Then, the hospital will hold its third annual Prostate Cancer Symposium from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 23. at the Cronin Auditorium at the hospital. The symposium will included talks by two physicians, a demonstration of the robotic da Vinci Surgery system and a buffet dinner, the hospital said in a statement.

Basketball game to draw court regulars to court

EAST HAVEN — The lawyers are back in court.
So are the judges, local and state police officers, and other law enforcement-related professionals.
Yes, it’s the 18th State of Connecticut Law Enforcement Championship Basketball game to be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Silver Sands Beach Club, 640 Silver Sands Road, organizers said in a statement.
Players will include members the law firms of Altschuler & Altschuler of West Haven, Fasano, Ippolito & Lee of New Haven and state judges, lawyers, probation officers, state and local police and related law enforcement professionals, organizers said.
The game also will include numerous former UConn players some former NBA players, organizers said in the statement.
This year’s game is dedicated to international law’s enforcement protecting the environment and in remembrance of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the two mining disasters this year in Chile and Peru, flooding in Pakistan, and devastation from the earthquake in Haiti, the statement said.

Mark your calendars

NEW HAVEN — New Haven Public Library will begin fall hours throughout the system on Tuesday.
The Main (Ives) Branch at 133 Elm St. will be open noon to 8 p.m., Mondays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 1 to 5 p.m.,, Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays.
Fair Haven Branch at 182 Grand Ave., Mitchell Branch at 37 Harrison St., Stetson Branch at 200 Dixwell Ave., and Wilson Branch at 303 Washington Ave. will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays closed on Fridays.
Wilson Branch will be open 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays, while Fair Haven, Mitchell and Stetson will be open 1 to 5 p.m. one Saturday a month, on a rotating basis.
Dates of the Saturday rotation include: Fair Haven Branch on Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11; Mitchell Branch on Sept. 18, Oct. 16 , Nov. 20 and Dec. 18; Stetson Branch on Sept. 25, Oct. 23, Nov. 27.
All branches will be closed on Labor Day, Sept. 6. For more information, call 203-946-8125.

Editor's note: The information in this poast was submitted

Can you lend a hand?

NEW HAVEN - United Way of Greater New Haven is seeking volunteers to help improve local nonprofits, schools, towns and parks, the agency said in a release.

"All are welcome to participate; individuals, families, friends and groups from workplaces, schools, and community and faith organizations in United Way Days of Caring," on Sept. 10 and 11, the release said. "It is an annual series of community service projects focusing on community health and wellness including preparing and servingmeals, painting therapeutic rooms for kids , reviving community greenspace and much more."

The volunteer celebration is from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Soundview Family YMCA, 528 East Main St., Branford.

It is open to anyone who would like to participate in Days of Action and will include food, fun and games for the whole family, the release said.

“Days of Caring is a great opportunity to connect to your community in ways that you don’t get to do on a daily basis,” Cara Pavelko, donor relations and volunteer coordinator, United Way of Greater New Haven said in the release. “It also gives people a chance to step outside of their daily routines and give back in a meaningful way.”

There are more than 25 projects at 18 different nonprofit organizations to choose from in and around Greater New Haven.

"The projects and activities will raise understanding about what it means to Live United by demonstrating how when we reach a hand out to one, we influence the condition of all," the release said.

Register to volunteer by visiting uwgnh.org or contact Cara Pavelko, Donor Relations & Volunteer Coordinator of United Way of Greater New Haven, at 203-691- 4225 or by email at cpavelko@uwgnh.org

Benefit to be held for families of fallen Bridgeport firefighters

A fundraiser to benefit the families of Bridgeport firefighters Lt. Steven Velasquez and Firefighter Michel Baik, who died fighting a July 24 house fire, will be held starting at 1 p.m. Sept. 25 at Lanza Restaurant, 370 East Main St., Ansonia.
All ticket and raffle proceeds will be given to The Bridgeport Fallen Firefighters Fund, in c/o Bridgeport Firefighters Employees Federal Credit Union, Bridgeport.
The event will include a touch a truck, pony rides, a bounce house and face painting for the kids. There will be bands all day outside, food, beverage trucks, and raffles for the adults, organizers said. The donation is $20 ticket. Tickets are available at Lanza.

New Haven Police Citizens' Academy is seeking applicants

NEW HAVEN - The Police Department is seeking applicants for a session of its Citizens’ Academy that will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays from Sept. 8 to Nov. 10.
The program is designed to improve communication and understanding between police and community members and will give about 35 residents the opportunity to work with
officers and get a behind the scenes look at the Police Department, city officials said in a statement.
Applications are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the Police Academy at 710 Sherman Parkway, where the 8-week course will be held.
Forms also may be obtained at police substations, the main desk at police headquarters at One Union Ave., area libraries and on the city homepage at: www.cityofnewhaven.com. Details also may be found online at: www.cityofnewhaven.com/police.

Completed applications may be dropped off at the New Haven Police Academy from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and must be received by September 3. Citizens’ Academy staff will hold extended hours through 4 to 7 p.m. through Aug. 27 and again Sept. 1-3 at the Police Academy.
Applicants must be New Haven, be at least 18 by the first day of classes, have no major
felony convictions and no convictions involving domestic violence, the statement said.
Applications will be processed by the New Haven Police Department and potential candidates will be subject to a basic criminal history check, the statement said.
Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Participants are required to commit to actively participating in all eight sessions.

For additional information, call the New Haven Police Academy at 203-946-6119 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, or email: policeacademy@newhavenct.net.

Editor's note: The information in this post was submitted.

Knights to hold 3rd Annual Fish Fry

NEW HAVEN - The St. Thomas More Council #13500 of the Knights of Columbus will hold its annual Fish Fry from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Vinny Anastasio Scholarship Fund, which is given to a deserving local student to attend either Sacred Hear Academy or Notre Dame High School, organizers said.

St. Thomas More Council is Connecticut's first Public Safety Council, made up of active and retired police, fire and federal agents, organizers said in a statement.
The event will include fresh New England fried sole, clam strips, onion rings and French fries with a beverage, and landlubbers' hamburgers and hot dogs, the statement said. There will also be raffle prizes and entertainment provided by Silk 'n Sounds of Hamden. The event takes place rain or shine.
Tickets are limited, so call early, organizers said. Tickets are $25 for adults
and $15 for children. Children younger than 6 are admitted at no charge. For more information, call Jess Mallory at (203) 752-4555 or John Fretts at (203)
494-2277.

A chance to get to know the Yale art museums

NEW HAVEN — The Yale University Art Gallery and Yale Center for British Art will hold their sixth-annual Open House, featuring works of art, free tours, music, and light refreshments from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 2, the organizations said in a statement.
The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Yale University Art Gallery and Yale Center for British Art on Chapel Street.

Read a news story about the Yale art museum here and here

The Yale Art Museums’ Open House “invites the community to learn more about art and the museums’ collections and programs in an informal setting,” the statement said. “The celebration coincides with New Haven’s “First Thursdays” when area shops are open late.”
The museum tours by Yale student guides are intended to offer creative insights and performances by Yale’s celebrated a cappella singing groups are intended to “bring music and energy to the experience of looking at art,” the statement said.
Student guides and museum staff will be on hand to answer questions and to speak about upcoming exhibitions and events at each museum. There will also be a Yale improv group and art activities, the statement said,
Tours and performances begin at 5:30 p.m. A cappella groups, which will perform throughout the evening at various locations in the Gallery and Center are: The Baker’s Dozen, The Duke’s Men, Red Hot & Blue, Rhythmic Blue, and The Yale Alley Cats.
Yale University Art Gallery is at 1111 Chapel St. The Yale Center for British Art is at 1080 Chapel St.

Free Admission at the Peabody Museum

NEW HAVEN - The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will celebrate the end of summer with a free admission day on Sept. 4.
Doors will be open for “Summer’s Last Roar: It’s a Peabody Free Day!” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, museum officials said in a statement.
Parking is also free that day.

"Visitors will have a chance to win prizes, touch fossils and other specimens, speak to docents and educators, and take “Dinosaurs to Egypt” guided tours of museum highlights. It will also be one of their last chances to view the exhibition Coffee: The World in Your Cup, which ends on September 19," the statement said.

Audio tours, which are always free, will be available and provide information on some of the Museum’s most popular specimens and exhibitions. Visitors can access the 70-minute audio tours using a cell phone or by picking up an automated wand at the front desk, the statement said.

Visitors will find free parking in the Peabody lot and adjacent Yale lots throughout the day. The entrance is one block north of the Museum at the intersection of Whitney and Humphrey Streets.


The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is located at 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven. From I-91, take Exit 3, Trumbull Street, and follow signs. The Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Beginning Sept. 20, adult and senior admission rates will increase by $2, to $9 adults, $8 seniors.
Child rates will remain the same at $5 for ages 3-18 and college students with I.D. Children under age 3 are always free. No admission is charged Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m., from September to June. The Museum is closed six days of the year: January 1, Easter, July 4, Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25. Visit www.peabody.yale.edu or call the Infotape at 203-432-5050 for additional information.

Register is seeking parents of children in New Haven 'turnaround' schools

NEW HAVEN – As two city schools prepare to undergo major transformations under the district’s sweeping school change initiative, the New Haven Register is seeking volunteers to be followed throughout the year.
The Register is looking for students attending Katherine Brennan/Clarence Rogers School or the new Domus Academy to tell their stories and talk about their experiences in the classroom over the next year.
Brennan-Rogers School and Domus Academy, formerly called Urban Youth Center, were tapped by the district to be “turnaround schools” in the first year of the reform overhaul. At turnaround schools, students will experience changes such as longer schools days, new leadership and other major restructuring. The “turning around” of both schools is part of the district’s ambitious reform initiative, which aims to raise standardized test scores to the state average, cut the drop-out rate in half and ensure every student in the district can go to college.
Any parents who are interested in working with the Register to tell their child’s story of attending a turnaround school should contact reporter Abbe Smith at 203-789-5615 or by sending an e-mail to asmith@newhavenregister.com

Hop, skip and a jump

And bring a rock
BRANFORD — The Connecticut Hospice intends to make an upcoming event a tradition by sponsoring the First Annual Captain Williams Stone-Skipping Contest at 1:30 p.m. August 29 on the beach outside the Hospice at 100 Double Beach Road, Branford.
Hospice therefore invites everyone to come and enjoy “a summer fling” on the beach before heading back to school, the organization said in a statement. Children are especially welcome; food and a magician will be part of the event to make it a fun filled afternoon for all, the statement said.
The contest is open to all ages and will have four categories: Little Ones 7 and younger; boys 12 and younger; girls 12 and younger; men; and women. Each contestant will be given three stones to skip, and the judges will award a prize to the winner of each category, the statement said. There is no entry fee, but donations will be gladly accepted to benefit The Connecticut Hospice, the statement said.
For more information about the contest, or about Hospice, visit www.hospice.com or call 203 315-7684.

Run will help homeless veterans

Columbus House, Inc. of New Haven has announced the second annual Motorcycle Run for Homeless Veterans, which begins with registration at 10 a.m. Sept. 18 at Hope Christian Church, 211 Montowese Ave., North Haven.
All proceeds from the motorcycle run will benefit the Homefront, a program for homeless veterans that provides emergency shelter and transitional and permanent housing solutions, according to a statement.
The ride begins at noon and includes a 50 mile round trip followed by barbecue and live entertainment, the statement said.
For more information about the event, contact John Brooks, director of development and public relations, at 203-401-4400 ex. 108 or at Jbrooks@columbushouse.org

Renewable Energy Series at the New Haven Public Library

NEW HAVEN - As part of its Renewable Energy Series, the New Haven Public Library will act as host for a talk by Brian Driscoll of Phoenix Press about the company's 150-foot wind turbine that spins alongside I-95.

The program will run 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at the library, 133 Elm St.

Driscoll will talk about "the experience of installing and operating" the wind turbine, event organizers said in a statement.

“Coastal locations such as ours are perfect for harnessing nature's gift of moving air currents, and the clean energy generated in the nacelle at the top of the tower runs through a trench directly into our building,” Driscoll, co-owner of Phoenix Press , said in the statement.

The Phoenix Press Northwind 100 turbine, shown, produces electricity with wind speeds as low as 6 mph, and as much as 55 mph before the brakes kick in, the statement said.

At the event, a representative of Alteris Renewables, which supplied the turbine, will also be on hand to answer questions about wind energy, the statement said.

For more information or to register for this free program please visit http://www.phoenixwind.eventbrite.com/.

The Library’s renewable energy series began with a look at solar energy on Aug. 10. The final installment of the series take place on Nov. 13, with Craig Mann discussing Geothermal Energy at the Fair Haven Branch Library, 182 Grand Ave., the statement said.

For more information about the programs, call the library at 203-946-8835.

Free diapers to eligible families in New Haven

The Community Action Agency of New Haven is giving away free diapers to families who are eligible under the state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Those who think they are eligible under TANF can stop by the agency at 781 Whalley Ave. to fill out an application for free diapers. After the application is submitted, those eligible will receive a phone call as to when the diapers will be available for pickup. Applications must be filled out completely in order to be submitted, agency officials said in a statement.

Branford Land Trust event to focus on kids

BRANFORD — The Branford Land Trust will hold one-day environmental camp from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 19 and 20.
Kids ages 5-9 will have hands-on activities, including tide pools, woodland exploration, nature crafts, and a puppet show with Michael Wolski (entire show is done with recycled materials). An agenda, map, and list of what to bring will be mailed upon receipt of registration and payment of $45 (additional children, same family $35), or $35 for Land Trust members.
Scholarships are available.
The Land Trust is offering the camp on two days to accommodate more children.
Registration deadline is Aug. 16. For more information, go to www.branfordlandtrust.org or contact Martha Rice at 203-314-7128 or mhbrice@gmail.com.

'Health Smarts' at the library

NEW HAVEN - The New Haven Public Library and the Hospital of Saint Raphael will launch a new series this fall to update the public’s understanding of important health issues, according to a statement.
The Health Smarts series will be offered by physicians from the hospital in three sessions at the downtown library, 133 Elm St., on the following Tuesday evenings from 6-7p.m.:

September 21 — Stroke Update: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment, presented by Dr. Lori Cretella, attending neurologist and Stroke Team member.

Cretella received her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, followed by a neurology residency and fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at Brown University.

September 28 — Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy, presented by Dr. Robert Nardino, who directs the internal medicine residency program. Nardino has taught for 15 years about complementary & alternative medicine.

October 5 — Cholesterol: Getting the bad one down and the good one up, presented by Dr. Elena Citkowitz, director of the Cholesterol Management Center.

Citkowitz obtained her medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine, did her residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and was a fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Questions are invited following all presentations.
There no charge and free parking is available. For details call the library at 203-946-8835.

Where the fern grows...

In your garden

A class on local ferns, their identification and propagation for the garden meets from 5:30 to 8 p.m. August 16, at the Yale Peabody Museum, with a field trip to a local natural area on August 18, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on August 18.
There are only a few native species, organizers said in a statement, and identifying them is “rather easy once you know how.”
This course will include information on recognizing all the common species, discovering fern life cycles, and finding out how to propagate them for the garden, the statement said.
Partcipants will plant a small tray of spores to bring home and germinate. Required text is the “Peterson Field Guide to Ferns,” Second Edition, by Cobb, Lowe and Farnsworth, the statement said.
Co-Instructors are: Lauren Brown, botanist and author of “Weeds In Winter and Grasses: A Simplified Guide,” and Jim Sirch, Education Coordinator, Yale Peabody Museum.
The fee is $55 for museum members and $65 for nonmembers.
The museum is at 170 Whitney Ave.

Greater New Haven Peace Council to hold events to commemorate 65th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings

NEW HAVEN — The Greater New Haven Peace Council and the New Haven Peace Commission will sponsor upcoming events to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the organizations said in a statement.
A vigil will be held from 8:15 to 9 a.m. Friday at the flagpole on the Green, the statement said. A second vigil, commemorating the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki and to “rededicate activists to the goal of nuclear abolition” will be held from 11 a.m. to noon Monday, also on the Green, the statement said.
Then, a bike ride will be held from Sunday at East Rock Peace Park. Bikers will gather at the corner of Orange and Cold Spring streets from 8:30 to 9 a.m., the statement said. For more information call Henry Lowendorf at (203)389-9547, or e-mail grnhpeacecouncil@gmail.com.

Editor's note: The information in this post was provided.