Community News

Norfolk Hub will be closed for building maintenance Friday, August 26. Pop-up hours will be cancelled on Saturday, August 27.

The Norfolk Land Trust has released a handy pocket-size trail guide that lists 10 trails keyed to a simple map. Descriptions include information on where to find the trail heads. The guide is available at the Norfolk Hub, 2 Station Place, and other spots around town.

The need for donations continues. The Rev. Erik Olsen said donations to the Food Pantry increased after recent appeals, but so has the demand for assistance. He stressed that the Food Pantry, while located in Battell Chapel, is sponsored by Norfolk NET and serves the whole community. The Pantry needs donations in all categories–monetary, food, cleaning items and personal hygiene. Donation checks can be made to The Church of Christ and mailed to: PO Box 582, Norfolk, CT 06058. Non-perishable food items can be left in the blue bin at the back of Battell Chapel.

A map of Great Mountain Forest’s recreational trails has always resided on the Forest’s website. Now GMF has released a paper version, nicely printed and folded into an informative brochure that just fits a hiker’s or biker’s hand or pocket. Copies are available at the Norfolk Hub, 2 Station Place, as well as other places around town. Entry gates are at 201 Windrow Road, Norfolk, and 200 Canaan Mountain Road, Falls Village.

Tamara Muruetagoiena, executive director of Great Mountain Forest, Inc., has been appointed Director of Sustainability at the International Fresh Produce Association located in Newark, Del. She joined GMF in 2019 to help  the organization advance new forest management plans that recognize the ecological and economic benefits of forests. GMF manages one of the larger, private forests in southern New England. The Board of Trustees will be announcing a leadership plan shortly.

The Hub will expand its operating hours, effective April 4. It will now be open Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m.-4: p.m. (June 1-Sept. 1, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Check for Saturday pop-up hours and activities. Sunday, closed. Click here for list of programs/events – held in person & virtually. Members with before/after hours access see use availability here.

 

In keeping with state and federal regulations on records retention and disposal, school officials plan to destroy records of Special Education and 504 students who left or graduated from Regional School District No. 7 or Botelle School in Norfolk on or before June 30, 2016 or who were born before July 1, 1998. These records could be needed for Social Security benefits or other purposes. Anyone wishing to review his/her records or to obtain the originals may do so by calling Quentin Rueckert, director of Shared Services, at 860-379-8583 before June 15. For more information, click here.

Efforts are accelerating to restore the Church of Christ Congregational steeple. The Steeple Restoration Committee has selected one of three plans presented by GNCB Consulting Engineers and Noyes Vogt Architects and fundraising efforts are beginning in earnest. To date, one-third of the approximately $400,000 needed for restoration has been pledged. To donate toward the restoration, click here.

Immaculate Conception Church is participating in a St. Martin of Tours Parish food drive during the six weeks of Lent. Donations of non-perishable items may be left in a box provided at the church. The food will be distributed through the Norfolk Food Pantry.