COMMUNITY BRIEFS

MIDDLETOWN — St. John Paul II Catholic School’s Victor Andres Triay has been awarded the Philip and Dana Zimmerman Gold Medal in the 2019 Florida Book Awards, Florida nonfiction category, for his book “The Mariel Boatlift, A CubanAmerican Journey.”

“Dr. Triay, an award-winning historian, portrays the repressive climate in Cuba as the democratic promises of Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution gave way to a Communist dictatorship under which the people of the island became virtually cut off from the outside world,” school officials said in a statement.

“He illustrates how escalating internal tensions during the regime’s second decade in power culminated in an exodus of over 125,000 Cuban refugees across the Straits of Florida during the spring and summer of 1980.

“Dr. Triay and his wife have taught Spanish at St. John Paul II Catholic for more than 10 years. Together they enrich the lives of our students with their Spanish immersion program as well as sharing their personal experiences involving this tumultuous time in history,” the officials continued.

Buckley named church’s director of faith

MADISON — Amy Buckley, a graduate of the Juilliard School and winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council regional audition, has been chosen as director of faith formation at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society in Madison.

She made her way from her Carnegie Hall debut in 2010 in New York City to lead the religious education program of Unitarian Universalism, a faith founded during the Protestant Reformation nearly 500 years ago.

Raised a Catholic, she began to find meaning in a variety of other religious traditions, both Christian and Jewish, two sources of Unitarian Univeralism.

She worked with the Union for Reform Judaism and was a long-term substitute teacher at the Rodeph Sholom School in New York City.

“This Unitarian Universalist faith aligned with my belief system and moral compass. I thought I was already living the UU faith by honoring all faith traditions in one place,” Buckley said in a statement.

Music originally brought her to the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist congregation when she was hired as vocal music leader in 2017. Buckley also presents her storied vocal talents by regularly performing a solo repertoire for weekly services and holidays at SUUS.

Through planning music for Sunday services for both children and adults, and working with the multi-generational SUUS orchestra, her knowledge of the Unitarian Universalist faith deepened and grew into appointment as director of faith formation last fall.

As such Buckley oversees the religious education program for children and youth. The age-appropriate lessons incorporate knowledge and understanding of all faiths and their honored prophets, including Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Mohammed, Buddha, and the history of religious faiths.

In grades 4-6, the program uses a curriculum that immerses children in how to make the world a better place through social action.

SUUS children and youth currently participate in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program of lifespan sexuality education with other local churches, on alternate years. The current OWL program for grades four to six includes physical and emotional development.

Buckley is known locally as the former music director of the theater program at Walsh Intermediate School in Branford and as a former member of the vocal faculty at Community Music School in Centerbrook.

She made her Ivoryton Playhouse debut in 2015 and was last seen there as Mrs. Abromowitz in “Coney Island Christmas.” She was executive director of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Music Festival from 2008 to 2012.

Her undergraduate music degree is from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. She also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England. Buckley maintains a private teaching studio in Westbrook.

Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society is located at 297 Boston Post Road in Madison; 203-2458720, www.shorelineunitarian.org. The minister is the Rev. Jeanne Lloyd.

Further information about the international faith is available from the Unitarian Universalist Association at www.uua.org

Descendants of Philemon Freeman sought

MIDDLEFIELD — African-American Revolutionary War veteran Private Philemon Freeman was buried without a marker on his grave in May 1820.

That will change May 16, when Middlefield area groups will gather to commemorate his service with a ceremony unveiling his headstone. Family is sought to attend and participate in the ceremony.

Any descendants of Private Freeman’s five children — Philena, Aaron, Elam, Sena or Loretta — are asked to contact the Middlefield Historical Society at historicalsociety@middlefieldct.org for more information.

Empty Bowls rescheduled, donations wanted for food banks

HEBRON — RHAM High & Middle School, 85 Wall St., Hebron, is rescheduling its Empty Bowls Dinner to Oct. 8.

With the anticipation of community members being out of work and in need, organizers are asking residents to consider purchasing tickets now for the fall event and to donate to local food banks.

Needed items as noted on the food bank websites include:

Personal care/ household cleaning items (cannot be purchased using SNAP benefits) — toilet paper, facial tissues, paper towels, body wash, bar soap, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo/ conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine supplies, liquid hand soap, toilet cleaner, disinfectant, laundry detergent; vegetables (no salt); diced tomatoes (preferably no- or low-salt); Healthy Request or low-sodium soups; fruit cups (in juice or water); applesauce cups; juice boxes (100 percent juice preferred); jelly/jam (plastic or squeezable); individually packaged snacks (pretzels, goldfish, smartfood, etc); spices (dollar store); salt and pepper; cereal; tuna and other canned meats; mac and cheese; pasta; peanut butter; oatmeal; beans; canned ravioli; pancake mix; rice; condiments — mayonnaise, catsup, mustard, barbecue sauce, salad dressing.

Contributed photo Amy Buckley