Community News

Freezing temperatures did little to dissuade the crowd that gathered at St. Mary’s Cemetery last Saturday to honor the memory of deceased residents who served in the six branches of Armed Forces. It was Wreaths Across America day and this year, for the first time, the Norfolk Lions Club participated, placing 250 wreaths on the graves of veterans buried in the town’s cemeteries.

In a short, moving ceremony ceremony, a good-size crowd listened to a rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” ably sung by Liz Allen, Debbie Storrs, Kristin Mudge, Karen Wilson, Dahlia Alexander, John DeShazo, Jim Ackerly and Grant Mudge.

The Reverend Eric Olsen offered the invocation and benediction, while Mudge served a master of ceremonies, representing the Lions Club.

“Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the mission to remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom,” Mudge said. “Today, millions of Americans are gathering safely as one nation to remember, honor and teach.”

He said, “We can be proud to be Americans living in a free society made up of many ethnicities. … We enjoy freedom of religion and worship and can raise our children to believe as we do. … Today, more than ever, we reflect on our nation’s veterans and active-duty service members who have answered the call and served our country well. For this, we say, ‘Thank you.’”

Although the majority of the wreaths had been placed the day before, a number had been reserved for the ceremony and viewers were invited to place them on the graves that were still undecorated.

Edited 12/20/25: Officially the U.S. armed forces are the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and the Coast Guard. Sometimes the Army and Air National Guards are counted, but they come under their respective services.

The Norfolk Pub Run is a quarter century old now and the much-anticipated annual race will take place Saturday, December 20, starting at 10:30 a.m. from Town Hall.

The festive holiday race traverses 10 miles and features a challenging course along country roads around Doolittle Lake. The “early wave”—those runners who expect to run 100 minutes or more—begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by competitive runners at 11:00 a.m. The finish line, also at Town Hall, closes by 1:15 p.m.

There will be post-race celebrations at the Norfolk Pub. 

Sponsor Greystone Racing will provide digital timing and a $100 reward for a new course record. The Masters division winner can earn a $50 prize for a new course record. To date, runner Chris Zablocke holds the course record for men, coming in at 53:09 in 2011. Claudia Camargo set the women’s record at 1:00:33, in 2006. 

Registration is available online via sites like Find a Race, Fleet Feet, and RunSignup.

Norfolk residents can display pride of place this winter by stamping their envelopes with special “Icebox” stamps designed by Norfolk artist and graphic designer Hilary VanWright.

Postmaster Michelle Veronesi said the idea was inspired by the stamps used in Bethlehem, Conn., where staff member Jenna Brown previously worked. 

Brown had first-hand experience with the popularity of Bethlehem’s 85 postal cachets. Postal cachets are decorative designs or inscriptions printed, stamped or drawn on an envelope, and are distinct from official postage. In 2013, for instance, 169,985 postmarks and cancellations were applied to Christmas cards and letters mailed in Bethlehem—the self-proclaimed “Christmas Town”—between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Veronesi reached out to VanWright with a request that she design a stamp for Norfolk. VanWright said she digitally designed a few options and shared a print-out with Veronesi, who opted to have all three custom stamps produced.

The stamps, which come in two sizes, are available for free at the retail counter for customers to use as they mail their letters. “We don’t recommend them for packages,” said Veronesi, “but they can stamp their envelopes.”

Following an incident in which a resident fell on the slippery walk outside the Hub, First Selectman Henry Tirrell is reviewing policies for treating snowy and icy sidewalks in the village.

Tirrell said he has spoken with the Public Works Department about treating the sidewalks after storms and that the department pre-treated walks in anticipation of Thursday’s wintery mix. 

The town has a sand/salt machine that it uses to clear the sidewalks from the Catholic Church through to the businesses on Station Place, and down to the asphalt walkway leading to Meadowbrook. It also clears Maple Avenue but does not plow around the Green and or the library’s walk, which are slate and could be damaged by the plow. 

Tirrell said a section of walkway along Route 44 from the southern corner of the Station Place entrance up to the intersection of routes 272 and 44 will be closed for the winter. “A wall has bulged there which makes regular travel difficult and snow clearing practically impossible,” he explained.

He said sidewalk improvements will be on the selectmen’s radar next summer.

“I will work on creating a one-page informative sheet to let people know how the town crew handles regular snow occurrences,” Tirrell said, adding that he encourages people to let his office know if there are icy spots.

“Unfortunately, cold, sunny days can lead to melt that then freezes as the sun goes down,” he said. “If anyone ever becomes aware of poor conditions, they can let us know and we will get it taken care of ASAP.”

He noted that there are wooden boxes filled with sand under the Town Crier sign near the Hub and near the package store. “Two more will be put out shortly so in a pinch nearby business owners can put down some sand on icy spots,” he said.

Last year the selectmen took an ordinance that would have required property owners to clear their sidewalks after snowfalls, but nobody would even make a motion to discuss it. Former first selectman Matt Riiska proposed the ordinance after the town was sued when a pedestrian slipped and fell on a slippery walk.

It was an auspicious day for the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department last Saturday when it broke ground for its new fire house on Shepard Road. A project 15 years in the making, the new fire house will replace a 50-year-old structure that the department has long-since outgrown.

A good-size crowd filled the old fire house where speakers described the long process that brought the plan to fruition. Fire House Committee member Matt Ludwig said the groundbreaking was “more than a ceremony, it’s a reward for everyone. We look at this site and see more than dirt and equipment. We see a future for us for generations and decades to come.”

Ludwig, a 29-year veteran, said, “Building a fire house is about people, patience and a whole lot of teamwork. It’s not the result of one person’s or one group’s effort, but of the community coming together.”

Fire Chief Brian Hutchins added that the new fire station “reflects the trust the town puts in its volunteers to be ready, dependable and there when someone needs us. … Today isn’t about turning soil—it’s about strengthening our ability to protect the people who live in, work in and are connected to Norfolk.”

The new structure will nearly triple the space the firefighters have to work in and is expected to be completed next December. “A fire house is so much more than a place to house our trucks,” said department president Paul Padua. He reported that volunteers put in 5,500 documented manhours at the old fire house this year. “We do a lot of things here and we do them for you,” he told the crowd.

Volunteers who served on the committees over the years were introduced, but special praise was reserved former first selectman Matt Riiska, who shepherded the effort over the last five years. Emcee Jon Barbagallo termed him “the person who probably got us to where we are today,” and U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes said his “robust” application made it possible for her to make the case for $500,000 in federal funding. 

Thanks were also extended to the Capital Campaign Committee, which has so far has raised more than $3 million toward the $9-million-plus cost of the building. 

A new group is forming to play volleyball at Botelle School Monday nights. Kim Crone and Stan Dzenutis, both of whom love the game, decided to start the group, which is open to all levels of skill. “Last week was our first week,” said Crone. “We had a few people come and it was lots of fun. It’s a drop-in, truly recreational volleyball program that meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Botelle gym.”

The program is co-ed and currently designed for adults over the age of 18, although Crone said, “We may be flexible on that age.” Participants do not need equipment other than comfortable athletic clothing and clean sneakers to protect the gym floor. The town’s Recreation Committee provided the equipment needed.

“Stan and I love the game. Our kids are grown and not playing sports anymore, so this is a way for us to get out and play again,” she said. “It’s just a fun time with no pressure.”

For more information, call Crone at 860-830-8862.

As part of the Wreaths Across America campaign, the Lions Club will lay wreaths on the graves of 245 Norfolk veterans on Saturday, December 13. It is seeking assistance in placing the wreaths on the veterans’ resting places. 

A starting ceremony will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery at noon. 

Lions Club member Sandy Evans said the club is buying the wreaths, which cost $17, but is seeking donations to help defray the cost. Checks can be made out to Wreaths Across America and left at the National Iron Bank. 

The Lions will receive a portion of each donation that can be used to help funds the club’s local charitable activities. 

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help place the wreaths should call Sandy Evans at 860-866-7923.

Christmas is coming early for the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department. An official groundbreaking ceremony for its new fire house is scheduled for this Saturday and site work has already begun.

The public is invited to attend the 2:00 p.m. groundbreaking. If the weather is too cold, the ceremony will be moved inside the old firehouse. 

The moment will be the culmination of years of work by town officials, firefighters and a capital campaign committee. The new facility, which will sit on the same lot as the current structure, is expected take just over a year to complete, with a projected finish date of December 21, 2026. It will cost $9.3 million, with another $1.1 million designated for soft costs such as insurance, contingencies and the like. Town officials and the capital campaign committee continue to seek additional funds to help reduce the tax burden.

First Selectman Henry Tirrell said he spent his first week in office completing paperwork for the project. The town has received its bond anticipation note and is looking into investing it in a state-run short-term investment program.

“We have a good amount of money on hand, so we don’t need to use it right away,” he said. “If we invest it, we may make enough money off of it to pay some of the interest.”

Tirrell is also filing paperwork to secure the $3.25 million in grants promised by the state and federal governments. At the local level, the capital campaign committee headed by Tony Kiser and Barry Roseman continues its efforts to raise funds and is collecting the roughly $3 million that has been pledged.

The move to build a new facility is necessitated by the increasing space demands of a modern fire department. The current firehouse is 50 years old and has become increasingly cramped as the size and amount of firefighting apparatus has increased. The new 10,100-square-foot structure is nearly triple its 3,700 square feet and will provide space to house the six primary firefighting vehicles while supporting ancillary uses such as administration, dispatch and training, and adding better ventilation and a proper kitchen. 

The old firehouse will be torn down when the company is settled in its new quarters.

Work on the retaining wall being constructed by the state Department of Transportation on Route 7 will be paused for a couple of weeks because of the cold weather, according to First Selectman Henry Tirrell. He noted that much of what is being done now requires pouring concrete, which is not easy in super-cold weather.

The multi-year highway project is expected to be completed next September, 400 days before the original end date. The crews started affixing the final dress stone to the front of the structure this week. 

Tirrell said he has requested that the DOT address another section of the old, deteriorating retaining wall that is outside the scope of the main project and Tirrell is waiting for the state’s decision. “They shortened the job by more than a year, so they have a little wiggle room,” Tirrell said.

The state is scheduled to start replacement of a second bridge on Mountain Road in April with a completion date of November.

“It would be great if by next Christmas we could have a finished bridge, a new wall and a fire house,” he said. 

The Norfolk Fire Department will host Santa on two occasions this December. The Jolly Old Elf will swing through town Saturday to take part in the department’s 33rd annual Breakfast with Santa from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Battell Chapel. 

A family style buffet will feature scrambled eggs, pancakes, home fries, French toast, breakfast meats and beverages. The cost is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for children younger than 12. Youngsters under the age of 5 are admitted free. Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted. Proceeds benefit the fire department.

Santa will give the firefighters a boost by coming to breakfast, but they will turn around and give him a hand on Christmas Eve when he briefly trades in his sleigh for a ride in a fire truck to deliver packages locally. Between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., Santa and his helpers will spread holiday cheer by delivering gifts right to participants’ doorsteps.

Those who wish to receive a visit should drop off pre-wrapped, labeled gifts at the firehouse, 20 Shepard Road, on one of the three Monday evenings before Christmas (December 8, 15, or 22) between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

A $10 donation per gift recipient (check made payable to Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department) is requested.

Participants can fill out the delivery form online. Santa will do his best to honor preferred delivery times. The service is available to town residents and, time allowing, to homes close to Norfolk.