July 2015

7/29/15: What a July!

We are winding down the month of July with quite an afterglow from the many wonderful events and gatherings that took place over the past few weeks! Children and families came for all kinds of fun activities during the week of July 6th. All program offerings that week were offered free, and with our sincere gratitude to all of you who support our daily mission! Fun was had in classes such as yoga, dance, tai chi,sculpt and tone, bridge and great arts! Reptiles came to the Center with White Memorial Conservation Center staff to entertain and educate children. Potluck dishes graced the table and dancing feet on the floor during the midweek luncheon. And the week was capped off with our annual Carnival Day where kids and parents were treated to the delights of clowns, bouncy houses, games, music and carnival fun! Kudos to Dan, Eve and several high school volunteers for making the day so special for all those who attended. 

And then the flowed continued with "Cirque du Extraordinaire"! The most amazing gala event and an incredibly FUN fundraiser for the Community Center. 340 guests had plenty to enjoy with the Circus Arts entertainment provided by Matica Arts & Co. Opportunity abounded to win great gifts through the ticket drawing and live auction too! We are so appreciative of the generous donations made by local businesses. The array of items was exceptional and of great quality and value.  The most impressive exhibit of circus theme pieces created by 17 local artists were also displayed and bid on during the silent auction portion of the evening. The artists deserve the greatest of praise not only for their remarkable talents, but even more so for their generosity of spirit and devotion to the Community Center. They are amazing! Great food and drink was enjoyed by all under the "big tent". The crew of 16 high school students from Litchfield and Wamogo were dynamos! We could not have done right without their boundless energy and focus throughout the whole event. Big Cheers to each of you!

Beyond a doubt, this was the best gala fundraiser we have had to date. Led by the incomparable Ron Leal, he once again graced the event with his creative genius and constant inspiration. Ron rocks. In addition to Ron, a great effort by the Community Center's Board of Directors helped immensely in bringing all intentions for this event to fruition and resulted in success that everyone deserves to be so proud of.

I can't leave thoughts of July without mentioning the dedication and efforts of the Community Center staff of Cheryl, Dan, Darrin, Eve, Kalina and Madeline who gave their best everyday for the benefit of every individual and group we served this month. The best thing is they are willing to do this each and every day! The staff's efforts are  further complimented by the many volunteers, both teens and adults, who give of their time, energy and enthusiasm to The Community Center and help us all shine that much more. THANK YOU!!

*Thank you to the Connecticut Community Foundation and The Bouchard Family
for the generous support they provided to make our new website possible.*

So what's coming up next?? Stay tuned...

"And here is a message from our Board President Nancy Rogers.

Reflections and gratitude for the success of "Cirque du Extraordinaire"..."

Dear Friends of Litchfield Community Center (LCC);

   On July 18, 2015 the spirit of our great town was brightly shining at the LCC’s Summer Fest 2015, Cirque du Extraordinaire.

    I want to thank everyone who was a part of this very successful fundraiser. The net proceeds from the event are over $57,000, our most successful event in our 15-year history.

    Over 340 guests came together to celebrate the Litchfield Community Center and to have fun.

    There are many people who need to be thanked, our generous donors, the artists who donated work for the silent auction, the restaurants and merchants who donated items for the raffle and live auction, the numerous volunteers, our organization’s dedicated Board of Directors and the Community Center’s outstanding staff members.

     A special thanks to board member and event co-chair Ron Leal whose creative genius and tireless energy transformed the center into a circus under the big tent. Executive Director Berta Andrulis Mette used her magical skills and figured out how to make every creative idea a reality.

    Proceeds from the event will be used to support our ever-growing programs and services.

With gratitude,

Nancy Rogers

President, Board of Directors

For pictures of the event, click here https://www.flickr.com/gp/135099208@N06/mi5679