Monroe to Celebrate its Families All September

A poster contest, a college placement workshop and an apple festival on the Monroe Green. All events are a part of Monroe Family Month, a celebration First Selectman Steve Vavrek hopes to have every year.

State Rep. DebraLee Hovey (R-112) told the first selectman the Connecticut Legislature stopped funding events for Family Day in 2008. But a grassroots revival for the month of September was fine with Vavrek.

"Monroe needs to get back to our community roots," he said. "For too long it has become town verses schools, activists versus schools and businesses, Republicans versus Democrats ect. ect."

The theme for Monroe Family Month is "Families — Monroe's Greatest Resource." The month will also feature a Citizen of the Year. The goal of the month will be for businesses, schools and town departments to work together with education and family oriented events and activities.

Supt. of Schools Colleen Palmer, Hovey, the first selectman and all town department heads gathered for a planning breakfast in the Ehlers Community Room of Edith Wheeler Memorial Library Monday morning to get things started.

"I commend the first selectman for embracing the families of Monroe and trying to reach out to the community," Palmer said Tuesday. "Obviously, the school is a major component of the town. We will join in any initiative that's in the best interest of the town."

"It's important to get back together as a community and show we're not just business, we're not just education," Vavrek said of Monroe residents showing unity.

Vavrek said he wants to get businesspeople into the schools more often, adding he hopes they will sponsor and support school programs.

To that end, Palmer said Masuk High School's culinary arts program will host a breakfast for business leaders on Sept. 29.

"I think there has been a long standing relationship with town businesses and our schools," Palmer said.

She also said the Monroe community has "always said yes" when the school system has asked for assistance.

Among those attending Monday's breakfast were Social Services Director Barbara Yeager, Monroe Farmers Market organizer Sue Muro, and Marven Moss.

It was Moss who had told Vavrek that 1999 was the last time Monroe honored a citizen of the year.

Vavrek said his administrative assistant, Vida Stone, searched town records and found former first selectman, Karen Burnaska, held a Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony that year, which centered around Family Day in the state of Connecticut.

Family events planned

Among the scheduled Monroe Family Month events are:

• Sept. 3, Monroe Farmers Market on Monroe Green, 3 to 6 p.m.
• Sept. 10, Family Movie Night at the library, 7 to 9 p.m.
• Sept. 11, Chess Club for Kids at the library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sept. 11 and 12, St. Peter's Apple Festival on Monroe Green
• Sept. 13, Book Review Club for Adults at the library, 7 to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 13, Center for Women and Families office opens
• Sept. 13, Teen Advisory Board at the library 3 to 5 p.m.
• Sept. 14, Lap Sit Music Therapy, ages 0 to 18 months, at the library, 10:45 to 11:10 a.m.
• Sept. 14, Toddler Music Therapy, ages 0 to 18, at the library, 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.
• Sept. 15, Writers Club at the library, 10 to 11 a.m.
• Sept. 15, Preschool Story Time for ages 3-5 at the library, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.
• Sept. 16, Rotary Day at Whitney Farms Golf Course
• Sept. 17, Beginning of Constitution Week
• Sept. 17, Monroe Farmers Market on Monroe Green, 3 to 6 p.m.
• Sept. 18, "An Old Fashioned Country Evening" sponsored by the Pilgrim's Pathway Christian Church at Harmony Grange
• Sept. 18, Chess Club for kids at the library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sept. 19, Classical Guitar Afternoon Concert at the library
• Sept. 21, AARP Driving Safety Program at the library, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sept. 21, Lap Sit Music Therapy, ages 0 to 18 months, at the library
  10:45 to 11:10 a.m.
• Sept. 21, Toddler Music Therapy Ages 0 to 18 months, at the library
  11:15 to 11:45 a.m.
• Sept. 22, Job Placement Workshop at the library, 7 to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 22, Science Snoopers, ages 3-6, at the library, 11 to 11:45 a.m.
• Sept. 23, AARP Driving Safety Program at the library, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sept. 23, Center for Women and Families speaker at Waterview Restaurant (there is a fee to attend)
• Sept. 24, Monroe Farmers Market on Monroe Green, 3 to 6 p.m.
• Sept. 25, HSBC Bank Family Fun Day, 9 a.m. to noon
• Sept. 25, Senior Health Day at St. Jude's School, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sept. 25, Chess Club for Kids at the library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sept. 25, College Planning Workshop at the library, 10:30 to noon
• Sept. 27, Teen Advisory Board at the library, 3 ot 5 p.m.
• Sept. 27 AD/HD and College Seminar at the library, 6:30 ot 8 p.m.
• Sept. 28, Literature for a Lifetime sponsored by Connecticut
  Humanities Council — an ongoing series — at the library, 10:30 to noon
• Sept. 28, Lap Sit Music Therapy, ages 0 to 18 months, at the library,
  10:45 to 11:10 a.m.
• Sept. 28, Toddler Music Therapy, ages 0 to 18 months, at the library,
  11:15 to 11:45 a.m.
• Sept. 28, College Planning Workshop at the library, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 29, Monroe Business Breakfast at Masuk
• Sept. 29, Pre School Story Time, ages 3-5, at the library, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.
• Sept. 30, Citizen of the Year Awards and Poster Contest Winners announced