The 31st Annual Youth and Prevention Leaders (BEST) Awards will be presented on May 10, at 6 p.m. at Muzzy Field. Award winners reside within the Bristol community.
The awards are hosted by the Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services department, the BEST Coalition and the Bristol Youth Commission and recognize youth who have given exceptional service to their community.
Individual youth awards recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to help others through the use of their thoughtfulness, energy, talents, skills, or personal abilities.
Youth groups are recognized for those groups whose full memberships, collectively, and without compensation, have made significant and meaningful contributions that can be quantified by the number of activities, service projects, as well as qualify by the effect on the people being served.
The Future Prevention Leader of the Year Award recognizes a youth member who demonstrates an exceptional ability to work productively within the community to reduce substance misuse and mental illness. This person shows a willingness to pursue prevention work in the future.
The Coalition Member of the Year Award celebrates the BEST Coalition member who went above and beyond the call of duty. This individual demonstrates passionate, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and hardworking qualities. The member is actively involved in meetings, events and other coalition duties.
Vietnam-era veteran’s ‘Spouse Appreciation Day’ to be held May 13 at Bristol Public Library
Vietnam-era serving veterans’ “Spouse Appreciation Day” will be held May 13, 1 p.m., at the Bristol Public Library, 5 High St. Spouses and families are asked to register early to ensure everyone is properly recognized. Email www.bristollib.com or phone (860) 584-7787 ext. 3.
A Certificate of Thanks and Appreciation from the Bristol community will be presented to spouses or immediate family members. Spouses may receive a red or white carnation, honoring their Vietnan-era veteran (living or deceased).
Spouses and/or immediate family members of Vietnam-era veterans surviving anywhere in the world between 1955 and May 1975, and who do not need to have served in a conflict, are eligible. Spouses may have been married to Vietnam-era veterans at any point in their lives during or after the 1955-1975 era.
Master’s level clinical internship through Wheeler Clinic
Wheeler Clinic is offering placement for interns in both outpatient and In-home settings, including experience working with dual diagnosed acute clients, presenting with psychiatrist conditions, substance use disorders and other social determinate of health.
Interns will receive practical training on agency Electronic Health Records, the use and application of the DMS-TR, individualized treatment planning, evidenced based practices, as well as resume building and preparation to enter into the clinical workforce.
Candidate must be currently enrolled in a university master’s program for Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), Clinical Mental Health Counseling. For information, click here.
2023 ‘Dinner on the Diamond’ tickets on sale
Tickets for the “Second Annual Dinner on the Diamond,” benefiting the Friends of Bristol Parks and Recreation Fund, are now on sale.
The date for the fundraiser is Saturday, May 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. The event includes dinner and entertainment directly on the infield at historic Muzzy Field. The celebration not only kicks off summer in style but celebrates Bristol’s local parks and recognizes community partners.
The Friends of Bristol Parks and Recreation Fund is administered through the Main Street Community Foundation. For information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Free parenting program aids families
Wheeler is offering a free six-week virtual Circle of Security® Parenting™ class to teach parents and caregivers how to better understand the needs of children and adolescents, bring joy to families, and promote healthy and positive parenting.
The virtual sessions are open to parents, caregivers, grandparents, foster parents, and childcare providers. Course certificates of completion are provided for all who attend all six sessions in their entirety. Space is limited.
The courses are facilitated by Melissa Mendez, LCSW, director of early childhood programs at Wheeler.
Mendez says in a recent announcement from Wheeler that the program focuses on an attachment theory for how parents and caregivers acknowledge their own frustration at the complexities of parenting today.
For more information or to RSVP, please email Mendez at mmendez@wheelerclinic.org.
Wheeler 38th annual golf tournament fundraiser set for Sept. 13
Wheeler’s 38th Annual Golf Classic, presented by Mutual of America Financial Group for the fifth consecutive year, will take place at The Country Club of Farmington on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Registration is open, and sponsors, players, and prize donors are welcome.
Proceeds from this event will support our planned community health center and flagship location in Bristol, which will provide convenient, whole-health services for the whole family in one convenient location.
In 2022, the Golf Classic event grossed a record-breaking $100,000 to support individuals and families in care through Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund, bringing the total amount raised since its inception to more than $1.3 million.
For more information, visit WheelerHealth.org/Golf or contact Sue O’Connell at 860.793.4214, 860-609-1583, or soconnell@wheelerclinic.org.
Exchange Club to hold ‘Honoring Heroes’ program in June
The Greater Bristol Exchange Club will be honoring the late police officers Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy, along with Officer Alec Iurato as this year’s “Police Officers of the Year” at its “Honoring Heroes” program at the Aqua Turf Grand Ball Room on June 29.
DeMonte and Hamzy were struck down in the line of duty in an Oct. 12 shooting. Iurato, who was injured in the same incident, is credited for stopping the shooter.
Proceeds from the event will go to the “Fund the First,” a fund which was set up in honor of our deceased officers, and to assist their families.
Tickets are available online at Honoring Heroes Tickets. For sponsorships, go to Sponsorships.
For information, contact Exchange Club program director, Jack Ferraro at TheBristolExchangeClub@gmail.com.
Bristol Hospital bed capacity
As of May 9, 61.3 percent or on average 82.1 of 134 adult staffed hospital beds, the same as the previous week, were occupied at Bristol Hospital, according to the State of Connecticut’s Data and Analytics division.
During the same week, the number of occupied staffed ICU beds remained at 64 percent or 9 of 14 from the previous reporting period.
Latest COVID-19 update and stats
The COVID-19 state of emergency for the country had been lifted by the Centers for Disease Control, it has been reported through various news media. While the emergency status has been lifted, COVID-19 is still a serious concern.
At the moment, 150 deaths are being reported daily from those who contracted the disease, which would result in a projected an annual death rate of 54,000 deaths. For comparison’s sake, deaths attributed to the flu have averaged between 12,000 and 52,000 deaths a year on average, with a high of 52,000 in 2017-18 and a low of 23,000 in 2015-16.
Bristol’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 2.9 percent up from 2.4 percent the previous week, with 4 positive cases down from 5 positive cases the previous week, leaving Bristol in the medium category with fewer than 15 cases per 100,000 people. Hartford County is in the low category again this week.
The CDC recommends that people at high risk for severe illness, talk to their healthcare provider about whether to need to wear a mask and take other precautions. In addition, the CDC reminds people to take the following measures:
- Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
- Get tested if you have symptoms.
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.