Thanksgiving

‘On that best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.’
—William Wordsworth

As autumn comes to a close and the holiday season rushes in with all its annual appeal, people in our communities begin to exhibit a communal spirit that shows off the best in all of us. Thanksgiving marks the start of this time of reflection. There are parades on our Main Streets, bringing neighbors together to stand in the cold and wave at passing fire trucks and floats. Family get-togethers that often include friends and those alone during the holiday become celebrations of much more than roast turkey and pumpkin pie. The holiday unites us as families, neighbors and as members of a community.

We take the time to embrace those close to us as well as reach out to those in need.

Last week’s Page One article about Beverly Becker in North Canaan, who has been the driving force behind 17 years of Thanksgiving community dinners in the Northwest Corner, provided a heartwarming example of ‘kindness and love.’ With help from many churches and volunteers, Beverly’s dedicated team will again serve up a free Thanksgiving Day dinner at Pilgim House in North Canaan. She said she got the idea for community dinners when she “heard a priest read a passage about giving to people you don’t know and expecting nothing in return.”

In this week’s edition, on Page One, we tell the story of a homeless family of four that is living in a tent in the woods, huddled up during our cold nights under blankets, jackets and sleeping bags. For the Garcia family, the Gathering Place in Torrington, a drop-in center for homeless, is a place to get warm and wash clothes. The family gets meals at the Community Soup Kitchen in Torrington. It should not be overlooked that homelessness in Connecticut has risen by 14% in the last two years.

In 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be a national holiday — to encourage people to unite in gratitude — the nation was engaged in the Civil War. Lincoln wished to “heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it...to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

As we come together this Thanksgiving, let us be grateful for all that we have, and that includes living in community that can come together and care about everyone, one that shares its bounty with the less fortunate and the lonely and unites us all in gratitude.

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.


With gratitude

We are grateful, too, to our many readers, advertisers, supporters and donors. Without you, we would not be able to continue our mission of helping members of our communities make more informed and inspired decisions through our comprehensive news and arts coverage. Enclosed in this week’s edition is a pre-addressed envelope and appeal letter. With your continued support, we will be able to serve our communities for years to come. Please give generously.

Latest News

Fallen trees injure man, destroy fences at dog shelter

Two uprooted locust trees still lie in the yard in front of Animal Farm Foundation’s original kennels where they fell on a fence during a storm on Thursday, June 19.

Nathan Miller

AMENIA — Fallen trees, uprooted and splintered during a thunderstorm, injured a man, destroyed fences and damaged a dog kennel at the Animal Farm Foundation facilities in Bangall.

Isaias Nunez was cleaning along a road on the property with Marco Ortiz, another employee of the dog shelter, when the storm rolled in on the afternoon of Thursday, June 19.

Keep ReadingShow less
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit millertonnews.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less