St. Peter’s Holly Fair
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will host its Holly Fair on Dec. 4, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the church, 175 Old Tannery Road.
The event will include a cookie walk, baked goods, vendors, a tea cup raffle and a tag sale.
Thanksgiving closings
Monroe Town Hall offices, Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, the Highway Department, Monroe Senior Center and the Monroe Food Pantry will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26, in observance of Thanksgiving.
The Garder Road Landfill and the Spring Hill Road Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday, November 25, 2021 and open on Friday, November 26, 2021 and Saturday, November 27, 2021 at their normal business hours.
The Edith Wheeler Memorial Library will be open on Saturday, November 27, 2021.
Thursday’s recycling will be picked up on Friday, November 26, 2021. All other customers will be picked up on their regular recycling day.
Historical Society Christmas Fair
The Monroe Historical Society will host its annual Christmas Fair at the East Village/Barn Hill Methodist Meeting House, 433 Barn Hill Road, in Monroe, on Friday, Dec. 3, from 3 to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The sale will feature a large variety of new and donated ornaments and decorations, baked goods, and a sampling of Monroe Historical Society collectibles. Vintage items will also be available. There is something for everyone.
This is the Society’s largest fundraiser of the year. All proceeds fund ongoing programs and the maintenance of Monroe’s historical properties.
Those in attendance are asked to wear a mask.
For information, call 203-261-1383.
Menorah Lightings set for Fairfield County
The Mishkan Israel Day Camp plans to celebrate the Jewish festival of Chanukah with a series of public Menorah lightings Nov. 29 through Dec. 5 in five Fairfield County communities—Fairfield, Trumbull, Easton, Stratford and Monroe.
The ceremonies are all free and open to the public and are expected to draw a number of civic representatives such as first selectmen, councilors and police department and fire department officers.
Activities for children, light refreshments and musical entertainment have been arranged at all five locations:
- Monroe: Nov. 29 (Monday), 6 p.m., Monroe Town Hall, 7 Fan Hill Road.
- Trumbull: Nov. 30 (Tuesday), 6 p.m., Trumbull Town Hall, 5866 Main St.
- Easton: Dec. 1 (Wednesday) 6 p.m., Easton Town Green.
- Stratford: Dec. 2 (Thursday), 6 p.m., Stratford Town Hall, 2627 Main St.
- Fairfield: Dec. 5 (Sunday), 6 p.m., Sherman Green, Reef Road.
For information, visit Mishkan Israel’s website or call 203-268-0740.
Sen. Kelly named ‘Champion of the Year’
HARTFORD — Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, R-21st, has been named the 2021 Champion of the Year by the Greater Connecticut/Western Massachusetts Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
The award recognizes Kelly’s work on bipartisan legislation addressing insulin affordability. Kelly advocated for a new state law that caps the cost of insulin and supplies for those with state-regulated health insurance plans and allows pharmacists to dispense insulin in emergency situations.
“I am honored to work every day with advocates, families, and community members to reduce costs and remove barriers to quality health care for all people in our state,” Kelly said. “Hard work and collaboration have led to important progress in Connecticut to make insulin more affordable and accessible especially in emergency situations to help save lives. I am so thankful to the many public voices that spoke out and helped propel these important policy measures forward.”
Kelly represents the 21st senatorial district, which includes the towns of Monroe, Seymour, Shelton and Stratford.
He advocated for the passage of An Act Concerning Diabetes and High Deductible Health Plans (Public Act No. 20-4). The new law:
- Caps the cost of a 30-day supply of insulin at $25 for those who have healthcare coverage by a state-regulated insurance plan beginning in 2022. Other glucose-lowering medications would also be capped at $25, and the cost of other insulin-related supplies would be capped at $100 per month.
- Allows pharmacists to dispense insulin without a prescription in an emergency situation. This is modeled on “Kevin’s Law,” an Ohio law named after Kevin Houdeshell, who died in 2014 at age 36 after he couldn’t get access to his insulin prescription when it had expired over the New Year’s holiday.
- Allows for a pharmacist to dispense no more than one 30-day emergency supply of certain diabetes-related drugs and devices to a patient in a 12-month period. It establishes a price cap for these prescriptions and expands the prescription drug monitoring program to include them.
Monroe Giving Tree Program
Every year, the Monroe community generously purchases gifts for town residents in need during the holiday season. Those wishing to help by purchasing a gift should click here and sign up for a specific gift.
Gifts should be wrapped and returned with the tag number (i.e. 101A) clearly marked on the outside by Dec. 1.
Drop off locations are inside the Monroe Police Department lobby, which is open 24 hours a day, and in the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library Lobby, open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To make a monetary donation instead of buying a gift, click here. For information, call Mary Ann Kalm, the town’s social services coordinator/clinical coordinator, at 203-452-2813.
No Shave November … and December
Monroe Police Chief John Salvatore will have to wait an extra month to enforce his department’s policy requiring all officers to be clean shaven.
After the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled police officers’ participation in the annual No Shave November CT fundraiser last year, the chief decided to give them an extra month to raise money for the Connecticut Cancer Foundation’s fight against pediatric cancer.
“The guys like doing it, because we have to shave every day and it’s in our orders to be clean shaven,” Officer Nicholas Franzago said. “It’s fun and it’s for a good cause.”
This year, 20 Monroe police officers will not pick up a razor in November and December. Each donated $50 to participate and all are welcome to joint their effort by making donations on the No Shave Connecticut website on behalf of the Monroe Police Department.
To donate, click here.
We have a goal of $2,000 and are at $1,635 now,” Franzago said.
The 2021 Ambassadors.
He said the fundraiser will directly benefit Connecticut families with basic living expenses, such as rent, mortgage, utilities, and food, as they strive for the children to be cancer free. The families of four children known as ambassadors will receive significant grants this year.
There will be a contest for the best facial hair with prizes from Schick, and weekly prizes of autographed MLB baseballs awarded for the top five individual fundraisers. Prizes will also be awarded to the Top Fundraising Team and Top Individual Fundraiser.
