Monroe Parks & Recreation Department’s 4th annual scarecrow contest is coming back to Great Hollow Lake this fall. The fundraiser benefits the Social Services Exchange Fund, providing scholarships for young people to attend Summer Fun Days Camp.
Businesses, nonprofits and school groups will set up a scarecrow that corresponds with the theme they want to be displayed at the Great Hollow Lake area of Wolfe Park during the weeks of Oct. 24 through Oct. 31.
Visitors driving and walking around the park will vote on their favorite scarecrow via the Monroe Parks and Recreation Department website.
The winning group will be announced on November 1, 2023 and will be awarded a one day complimentary picnic rental for 100 guests or less during the 2024 picnic rental season.
The fee to enter a scarecrow is $75, which includes a sign and a stake. The deadline to enter is October 13, 2023. To register, visit monroerec.org, send an email to [email protected] or call or visit the Monroe Parks & Recreation Department, 7 Fan Hill Road, Monroe, 203-452-2806.
Community Float Night
Admission is free with a nonperishable food donation to the Monroe Food Pantry. All are welcome. Children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Bring your own float and participate in swim times. There will be prizes for the top three floats. Lifeguards will be on duty.
Preregistration is recommended, visit monroerec.org, send an email to [email protected] or call or visit the Monroe Parks & Recreation Department, 7 Fan Hill Road, Monroe, 203-452-2806.
Silver Threads in concert
A Silver Threads Band concert will be held at Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, 733 Monroe Turnpike, on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m.
The Silver Threads Band performs soulful ballads, hymns and socially conscious folk songs. It’s led by Julie and Rob McClenathan, longtime Monroe residents who met playing and singing in a Westport rock band.
Julie also sings with the Connecticut Chamber Choir and Monroe Congregational Church choir and both play handbells in the MCC bell choir.
On guitar and vocals is Monroe resident and marketing executive, John O’Rourke, a 10-year veteran of the Silver Threads Band. On backup vocals is longtime Monroe resident, Patti Early. She also sings with the Connecticut Chamber Choir and the Monroe Methodist Church Choir.
On percussion is Kristen Cusato, a self-proclaimed live music enthusiast, who lives in Fairfield and works for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Joining in on hammered dulcimer is another long time Monroe resident and live music fan, Bonnie Schneider. She also plays bass drums in the Silver Steel Drum Band.
Silver Threads’ set includes songs from the past 150 years of folk and popular music.
A reception will follow the concert, which is sponsored by the Friends of Edith Wheeler Memorial Library. There is no charge for admission, but donations are appreciated. For information, call the Reference Desk at 203-452-2852.
Lions Shred Day postponed
Due to the shredding contractor having equipment problems and no other contractor being available, the Monroe Lions Club is postponing this Saturday’s Shredding Fundraiser.
This important event will be rescheduled for the near future. The Lions apologize for any inconvenience and ask the public for its continued support. All funds raised benefit the community as the Monroe Lions Club continues to focus on its motto: We Serve.
Casino Night to benefit the Swim
Marcello’s Italian Eatery at Clock Tower Square, 477 Main St. in Monroe, is hosting Casino Night Friday, Oct. 20, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature an evening of Italian food, live music, and casino games with a portion of the proceeds benefiting St. Vincent’s Medical Center’s Swim Across the Sound.
Diners will enjoy a three-course prix fixe dinner before trying their luck at the tables in support of a local charity that provides fundamental medical aid to people in the region.
The cause is personal for Nicholas DeVellis, Marcello’s owner, who lost his mother, Sharon, to breast cancer. She was treated at St. Vincent’s. Marcello’s menu pays homage to Sharon, serving her trademark recipes like Mom’s Meatballs and Sharon’s Magic Cookie Bar.
“The team at St. Vincent’s was incredibly supportive of my mother and our family throughout her treatments,” DeVellis said. “This event will be held in her honor, and we are grateful for the opportunity to give back to a charity that helped us so much during a difficult time.”
Casino Night is $65 per person and includes a donation to Swim Across the Sound, a three-course prix fixe dinner and a gaming kick off at 7:30 p.m. with live music from Connecticut duo No Strings Attached. Each guest will be given a fixed amount of casino scrips or chips to play blackjack, craps, roulette and slot machines.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners at the end of the night, and there will be additional opportunities to win while supporting Swim Across the Sound.
For information, or to make a reservation, call Marcello’s at 203-268-7811, or book online by clicking here.
Grand opening of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish Center
TRUMBULL, CT — St. Stephen Church, 6948 Main St. in Trumbull, will dedicate its renovated Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish Center after the 11:30 a.m. mass on Sunday, Oct. 15.
The newly renovated parish center will be used to enhance the religious education of the youth and adults of the parish. It will also be the central point of the church’s faith community social gatherings.
The mass will be celebrated by Msgr. Robert Kinnally, Vicar General Diocese of Bridgeport. The dedication will follow immediately afterward. Refreshments will be served.
Notre Dame of Fairfield open house
FAIRFIELD, CT — Prospective students and families are invited to attend Notre Dame High School’s Fall Open House on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. The event will provide guests with an overview of ND’s academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs, as well as its flourishing partnership with Sacred Heart University.
Registration information can be found online at notredame.org. Contact the Admissions Office at 203-372-6521 or via email at [email protected] with any questions.
Notre Dame is a college preparatory high school with a nearly 70-year tradition of academic and athletic excellence. The school is known for its tight-knit yet diverse community with students hailing from 32 cities and towns in Connecticut and New York. Fueled by an intellectual curiosity and a strong sense of ethics, graduates leave armed for college and the world beyond.
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