CONNECTICUT TRAILS DAY - June 7

9 - 11 a.m. Tree Walk with Matt "Twig" Largess
      Meet at the Bolton Commuter Lot, Routes 44 and 6 across from Georgina's Pizza, and join the Bolton Conservation Commission and nationally known arborist Matt "Twig" Largess for a three-mile Tree Walk through two of Bolton's favorite parks. The terrain will be moderately difficult with some steep hills. Sturdy footwear is recommended. No Dogs. No Facilities. Heavy Rain Date - Sunday, June 8, 9-11 a.m
      For more information contact Chairman Rod Parlee at TOBCC@aol.com or 649-8066 ext 110 or Vice Chair Susan Frampton at sframpton@planetree.org or 645-1774.

1 - 3 p.m. Bolton Heritage Hike
      Meet at the Heritage Farm, 266 Bolton Center Road. Join members of the Bolton Historical Society and Conservation Commission to see and hear about this best-preserved Connecticut Revolutionary War campsite on the proposed W3R National Historic Trail. The hike has a one-mile loop and a two-mile loop. The terrain is hilly but easy to moderate. The two-mile trail continues to the Hop River State Park Trail and back up to the barn. Sturdy footwear is required. Bring water. There are no facilities so please plan accordingly.
      Registration is suggested. E-mail Bolton Town Historian Hans DePold at depoldh@comcast.net or leave a message at 646-7220.

GRAND OPENING OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

      The Bolton Volunteer Fire Department will hold the grand opening of the new Fire Department Emergency Operations Center located at the firehouse on Monday, July 7, at 7 p.m. The public is invited. Refreshments will be served.
      This grand opening is the culmination of a communications systems upgrade that allows the Bolton Fire Department better interoperability with surrounding towns, including when they come to Bolton to provide mutual aid. While much of the funding came through a grant from FEMA, the renovation of this space would not have been possible without the generous donation of goods and services from Craig Froh, Lingard Cabinets, Al Lawton, Northern Lights Electrical Contractors, Brian Henry, and Ian Roberts.

BOLTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Collection Bin in Bolton for Used Books
      Do you have books, CDs, DVDs, videotapes, or audio books that you no longer need? Don't throw them away--we have a better option!
      The Bolton Community Education Foundation (BCEF) is sponsoring a "Got Books" donation bin, which has been set up at the Bolton Center School parking lot near the Board of Education entrance. As you drive onto school grounds, the bin is in the parking area on the left.
      Got Books is a national organization that collects books and then gives them away to schools, libraries, overseas troops, and groups in need. The organization also sells books and other items to benefit various charities.
      The donation bin at the Center School is available around the clock. Got Books accepts all books in basic functional condition including hardcover and paperback books, children's books, cookbooks, and limited copies of textbooks. Also accepted are CDs, DVDs, videotapes, and books on tape. The only reading materials not accepted are encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, and catalogues.
      Each time the collection bin fills, Got Books will send a truck to empty it. The Bolton Community Education Foundation will receive 3 cents for each pound of donated books, which amounts to about $100 per bin.
      The Foundation will use the funds to support its mission to sponsor interesting and educational programs for all Bolton residents, and to provide grants to individuals who would like to bring additional learning opportunities to town. So when you clear out your unused books, you can benefit our whole community!

Coming this Fall... A Bridge to China
      Keep an eye out this fall for a special program presented by Bolton High School Principal Paul K. Smith on his April trip to China. The Bolton Community Education Foundation awarded a $1,000 grant to support the school's efforts to establish a "sister school" in the Shandong Province of China.
      The program will provide a look into Chinese culture, lifestyles, and education, and also will discuss how you as a community member could travel with a Bolton group to China in April 2010!
      Mr. Smith has set up a "Bolton High School-China Partnership" blog at http://boltonandchina.blogspot.com that provides more information on this exciting and innovative "sister school" program.

Consider Joining Us!
      Come be a part of the planning for our upcoming programs by becoming a member of the board of directors for the Bolton Community Education Foundation. Learn how you can help advance life-long learning opportunities in our community!
      We invite you to visit the foundation's website at www.BoltonEdFoundation.org to find out more about the foundation and the work that we do. Or call Beth Harney, foundation chair, at 649-1331.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

      Join the fun this summer at Vacation Bible School being held at Bolton Congregational Church. The theme this year is "God's Big Backyard," which focuses on service, how to serve your family, friends, neighbors, community, and God. We will explore this through fun games, music, crafts, and song. Come take part in this weeklong program July 14-18 from 6 to 8 p.m. It will be held at the church and is open to children age 4 through those entering sixth grade. The cost is $10 per child with a maximum $25 per family. Call the church office at 649-7077.

BOLTON SUMMER JUNIOR TENNIS TEAM
June 23-July 31

      Play tennis this summer. Learn how to compete hard while having fun. Open to all boys and girls ages 10-17 who like to play tennis. Our Bolton team will compete against surrounding junior teams. Practices will be held Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m. at the high school with home and away matches on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Transportation to and from matches is not provided. All players receive a team T-shirt. The cost is $90. Checks should be made payable to Cherie Baker. UConn student and Huskies tennis player Alex Venezia will serve as day-to-day coach. Questions regarding the team should be directed to organizer Cherie Baker at 647-7516 or kbaker7973@aol.com.

LAND TRUST MEMBERSHIP APPEAL UNDERWAY

      Recently you received in the mail a green card with a pen and ink drawing of a woods scene by Dorothy Hall. This card is your invitation to join the Bolton Land Trust, or to renew your membership if you are already a member.
      This is the one time each year when we reach out to the community and ask you to join in our effort to preserve land for us to enjoy, and for those who follow us to appreciate. The land trust is an all-volunteer, non-profit group, and 100 percent of your contribution goes toward ongoing expenses associated with the land we acquire and our community activities.
      Since our inception in 2001 we have preserved 150 acres of land in Bolton. Our Blackledge Marsh parcel on Deming Road has a public trail for all to enjoy, and we are in the planning process for our other parcels. Please join us in making a permanent mark on what Bolton looks like now and in the future.
      If you would like to speak confidentially about the many land preservation options that are available to you as a landowner, please contact Gwen Marrion at 643-9302 or gmarrion@snet.net.

NEWS FROM MACC

      Thank you to all who participated in the MACC Walk on April 20. It was great fun and raised approximately $30,000 for our programs.
      MACC would like to thank the people of Bolton for their generous donations to the National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive. The drive was a great success and took a huge effort on the part of the letter carriers. The MACC pantry is now brimming with food! We are located at 460 Main Street in Manchester and are open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and on Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. We are available to Bolton residents in need of assistance with food.
      The Mobile Foodshare truck will be at the following locations on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.: June 10 - parking lot across from Emanuel Lutheran Church (60 Church St., Manchester); June 24 - parking lot across from St. Bridget's Church (80 Main St., Manchester); July 8 - Bolton Senior Center (104 Notch Rd., Bolton); July 22 - Municipal parking lot on Birch St., Manchester. Mobile Foodshare is for low-income households. Please bring boxes or bags for your food.
      Food Stamps are our nation's first line of defense against hunger. Please feel free to call MACC at 647-8003 x11 to see if you may be eligible for this nutrition program.

"FAMILY DAY" FUN FOR ALL

      This year marked the ninth annual Bolton Family Day. Bolton residents enjoyed another wonderful event following the Memorial Day parade. We had a great day with lots of town organizations participating, fun activities, and, of course, food.
      This was the first year the Bolton Women's Club has led the event and we could not have done it without the tremendous support of our wonderful team. Emily Bradley and Trish Brudz, Family Day co-chairs, thank Beth Harney, Chris O'Brien, Bruce Ralston, Dennis Sheridan, and Tracy Verrastro for their knowledge, energy, time, and humor. We couldn't have asked for a better group of people. A special thank you to Karen Cordero and all the high school students who helped throughout the entire dayÑyour help was invaluable. A hearty thank you to all the volunteers who helped plan and execute this event. We especially want to thank the members of the Bolton Women's Club who stepped out in faith to take on this event and supported us from planning the event through to clean up.
      Thank you to our many contributors, who help keep our prices low with high-quality goodies: Bogners, Highland Park Market, ShopRite of Manchester, Tim Callahan, Bruce Ralston, Jim Bombria, Bolton Music Works, Bolton Republicans, Bolton Democrats, Boy Scout Troop 73, Girl Scout Troop 10392, Bolton Seniors, and the Bolton Community Education Foundation. All those who attended and enjoyed the wonderful Bogners' hot dogs send a special thank you to the Bogners, to Jeff Johnson for the use of his grill and culinary skills, to our friendly and efficient servers, Karen Bergin, Deb Bogner, and Ann Shapiro, and to Carrie Burba for her storage assistance.
      Entertainment was once again a great part of the day. Thank you to the All Star Dancers, Golden Harp Dancers, and Hidden Dragon Karate of Vernon for your wonderful demonstrations. Thanks to the Bolton Recreation Department for allowing us to use your sporting equipment for the games. Thank you to C&M Farms for the hayrides, and Funtastic Inflatables for once again making the children's experience great. To the Connecticut State Police and Sergeant Guerra, thank you for providing the Convincer to promote safe driving. Special thanks to the Bolton Fire Department for providing a fire truck and EMT for the event, and to All Wheels for providing golf carts for our seniors to use. Thank you to Charlie Minicucci and the Antique Car Group for bringing their cars for us to enjoy. We also would like to thank Bolton Self Storage for helping the Women's Club with all our storage needs.
      Family Day wouldnÕt be the same without the presence of so many town organizations. Thank you for coming out and sharing information about your organizations: Bolton Alumni Association, Bolton Booster Club, Bolton Community Education Foundation, Bolton Democrats, Bolton Historical Society, Bolton Lake Sailing Club, Bolton Land Trust, Bolton Music Works, Bolton Republicans, Bolton Scholarship Fund, Bolton Seniors, Boy Scout Troop 73, Conservation Commission, ERASE: East of the River Action for Substance-Abuse Elimination, Friends of the Rose Farm, Knights of Columbus, and the Registrar of Voters. In addition to the generosity of community contributions, we would like to thank the following for their donations to support Family Day: Bolton Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, Simoniz USA Inc., Bolton Veterinary Hospital, Connecticut Trails Kennels, Bolton Pharmacy, and a very generous grant from ERASE: East of the River Action for Substance-Abuse Elimination.

FIRE DEPARTMENT NEWS
by Tom Galeota, chief engineer

      Congratulations to Bolton's newest EMTs, Firefighter Greg Minnichiello and Ryan McConville. Both recently completed the 150-hour state training course.
      A message from the Office of the Fire Chief and Fire Marshal: Turning our clocks ahead is also a good time to replace the batteries in our home smoke and CO detectors. If your home does not have an operating smoke or CO detector, please notify the Fire Marshal's office or fire department. We will be glad to assist in obtaining and installing one in your home. Also, the school year is winding down and many programs and graduation ceremonies are upon us. We would like to remind everyone that during these activities, with the extra large crowds, we sometimes become lackadaisical about fire safety. The fire marshal's office has designated portions of the school's parking lots as fire lanes. Unfortunately, there have been times in which these lanes have been blocked by ceremony-goers. People have even removed some of the orange cones in the parking lanes in order to park their cars. During emergencies, it is critical that these lanes provide emergency vehicles clear and unobstructed access to the schools. Let's all enjoy the springtime season and please keep safety in mind.
      Fire history 101. Did you know that early fire apparatus was pulled to the scene by firefighters? Pass the Ben-Gay! The apparatus had limited riding positions for personnel because there was never a reason for anyone to ride it as all personnel were required to pull it! This must have been prior to labor unions. A little later on, horses began pulling the apparatus, but firefighters had to run to the fire! By the time firefighters ran to the scene of many fires, they were worn out and needed to rest before starting firefighting operations. And, those early fire apparatus didnÕt have sirens. They had barking Dalmatians (really) and a bell to warn of their approach. Yes, the bell was the first audible warning device in the fire service. Hand-cranked sirens became popular shortly after and, as a result, bells fell by the wayside. Some departments continued to equip their trucks with bells but more for nostalgia than anything else. None of the three Bolton engines have bells. But change is in the wind. If you listen closely this summer you may hear a previously retired Bolton fire truck bell announcing the presence of a new resident from Appleton, Wisconsin. Stay tuned.
      Structure Fire. At 2:03 a.m. on March 25, we received a call we train for but hope we never get, a fully involved structure fire. In this case, a large barn was on fire and the fire was seen by the caller to be throughout the structure. At 2:08 a.m. Deputy Chief Jim Preuss Jr. was on the scene sizing up the incident while other firefighters were responding with Bolton's fire trucks. While en-route Chief Jim Preuss called for five water tanker trucks from other towns and arranged for North Coventry Fire Department to begin water supply operations at Bolton Lake. Chief Preuss and Lieutenant Chuck Rexroad arrived on the scene with Engine Tank 134 and immediately started firefighting efforts. The fire had a significant head start and flames were showing through the roof. Firefighters also protected nearby buildings with water from handheld hose lines.
      As mentioned in previous articles, Bolton has no public water system fire hydrants. Water has to be pumped from nearby lakes or ponds to the scene through a long hose run or trucked to the scene in tankers. At this incident both methods were used. In all, more than 125,000 gallons of water were pumped. The fire was extinguished through the use of several hand lines and Andover "Big Mack" Tower 115 (big aerial ladder truck). The tower truck provided a faster, safer, and more efficient firefighting effort, thereby minimizing chances of spread to other buildings and injury to firefighters. This was the third fire in one month where a mutual aid aerial ladder truck was on-scene. More than 50 firefighters, members of the town Public Works Department, the Ladies Auxiliary, and the Red Cross teamed up at this incident. Thank you to all, including departments from Andover, Columbia, Coventry, Hebron, Tolland, Willington, and Vernon. The fire was controlled at 6:37 a.m. The last unit cleared the scene at 5:00 p.m. The last firefighters left the fire station at 8:30 p.m. that evening, with everything ready to respond.
      Thanks to Lieutenant Chuck Rexroad for contributing to this article. Thank you for your continued support... and listen for the bell!

JOIN THE PAN MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE
by Matt Wraight

      Last year my boss and close family friend, Chris Lyons, lost his wife Sue Ellen to leukemia. Prior to losing Sue Ellen, she, Chris and I spoke about participating in the Pan Massachusetts Challenge. The "PMC," as it is known, is a bike-a-thon that raises money for Dana Farber Cancer Research and the Jimmy Fund. It is the largest single contributor to the Jimmy Fund, with 100 percent of all money raised going directly to the cause. Last year $33 million was raised. Last August approximately 5,400 riders participated in the PMC over the course of two days. Participants ride 50 to 192 miles over the two days depending on the route they choose and monies they raise. Chris and I raised about $15,000 last year and we rode 192 miles (Sturbridge to Provincetown, hence "Pan Mass") in two days, which is the longest route, in addition to being the original route of the PMC. This year we have six riders on "Team Suzy Q" participating in the PMC (Bobby Miner from Bolton, now living in Providence, is one rider). We have three fund-raising events planned to help us raise the required money:

June 6: Wethersfield Community Center. Silent Auction/Dinner/Dance with band.

July 8: John Wheatly Golf Classic. Indian Hill Country Club, Newington.

For more information, call Matt Wraight at 647-9306 (home) or 573-7095 (cell).

BOLTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
John B. Toomey Jr., president

      The Bolton Historical Society will be sponsoring the 2008 Bolton Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 27. This year we will be highlighting the Bolton Town Green and all of the farms, buildings and historic landmarks at and around our beautiful Bolton Center. Stay tuned to these pages as we keep you informed of what we are planning to offer during the course of Bolton Heritage Day.
      If you're interested in Bolton history or you'd like to help plan our Heritage Day and other Historical Society events, feel free to attend our bi-monthly meeting. Next meeting is on Thursday, April 3, at 7 p.m. Meetings are held in the Community Room at Bolton Town Hall, 222 Bolton Center Road. Our meetings are on the first Thursday of February, April, June, August and October. Our holiday party is on the first Thursday of December. Feel free to contact me at johntoomey@snet.net or call me at (860)721-8818.

Looking for Old Photos of Bolton
      The Bolton Historical Society is collecting and identifying old photographs of Bolton for future publication. If you have old photos of the town please bring them to the town clerk. If you want the photos back please provide a receipt for yourself and one to stay with the pictures. Your receipt should provide your name and telephone number and the identity of all photos to be returned. You will be notified to pick them up after they are scanned. The Bolton Historical Society will also be requesting the help of the public to identify people in some of the old photographs.