Chester Rotary holding lobster take-out fundraiser

CHESTER — Chester Rotary cannot have its usual lobster festival this year, but members have scheduled a take-out lobster dinner fundraiser Sept. 12. Each $40 dinner will feature double lobsters, corn-on-the-cob, baked potato, coleslaw, roll and melted butter. There are no steaks this year. Each take-out dinner will be packaged to stay hot and leak protected. Meals will be delivered to each patron’s car. Pick-up will be at Chester Fairgrounds at pre-scheduled times between 4:30-6:30 p.m.

All orders must be made and paid for in advance no later than Sept. 4. Order and pay online by going to www.chesterrotary.org and clicking the green “Buy Lobster” tab. “When you place your order, you will choose a 15-minute pick-up time slot from 4:30 to 6:30. Dinners will be delivered to your car at the pre-scheduled times. Please order early as only 200 dinners are planned,” members said in a statement.

All of the proceeds will be used to help the community. For more information regarding Chester Rotary and this fundraising event, visit www.chesterrotary.org.

Bridging the Gap is Meals on Wheels fundraiser

WESTBROOK — The Estuary Council of Seniors, Inc. is hosting a series of interactive virtual events, Sept. 8-12. The event series, Bridging the Gap, is a virtual fundraiser for the Meals on Wheels program which serves more than 60,000 meals annually throughout the nine-town estuary region, according to a statement.

Tickets are available through the Estuary Council’s website and Eventbrite. Ticketholders will have access to all five events and can choose which ones to attend. All events begin at 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 8 - Guided Meditation Workshop with David Chandler. No experience needed.

Sept. 9 - Tai Chi and Yoga Class with Kim Langley. No experience needed.

Sept. 10 - Paint and Sip Night hosted by The Drunken Palette. Guests will paint Daylight Lighthouse. Art supplies are provided; participants must respond by Aug. 31 and pick up their supplies at the senior center.

Sept. 11 - Trivia Night with prizes, hosted by Trivia Hub Live

Sept 12 - Interactive Cooking demonstration. Choose to watch or cook along with ECSI's own Chef, Aaron Pratt, as he makes a steak and scallops entree with risotto and asparagus. Recipes will be given in advance but participants purchase their own food if they are cooking along. Tickets include access to all 5 nights of events. Choose one or all five.

The VIP ticket option includes local delivery of art supplies, a bottle of wine, and key ingredients for Cooking Demonstration. Note that this option only applies to those living in the council’s town service area.

Anyone outside those towns will need to pick up their items at the senior center. Visit ECSI’s website at www.ecsenior.org to see a full description of each of the programs as well as access to the link to purchase tickets.

All money raised will benefit the Meals on Wheels program.

Church to hold take-out turkey dinner

HADDAM NECK — Haddam Neck Congregational Church Ladies Aid will hold a Fall Take Out Turkey Dinner starting at 5 p.m. Sept. 26. Turkey dinners with all the fixings and home made dessert will be available for pick up at the Haddam Neck Congregational Church School Parish House Building, 408 Quarry Hill Road, Haddam Neck. This event is being held in place of the church’s regular turkey dinner that is always held in October. Cost is $15. Call Sue Olsen at 860-267-2848 or Helen Perron at 860-467-6662 to place an order and for information and directions. www.haddamneck congregationalchurch.org

Red Cross calls for blood donors

FARMINGTON – During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood or platelets to support kids, teens and young adults battling cancer, as well as others in need of transfusions, according to a statement.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 15,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year. Childhood cancer patients may need blood products on a regular basis during chemotherapy, surgery or treatment for complications, according to the Red Cross.

Cancer and cancer treatments can put patients at risk for low red blood cell and platelet counts. Some types of chemotherapy can damage bone marrow, lowering the production of red blood cells and platelets. Cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma attack the bone marrow as well. Blood and platelet transfusions can enable patients to receive critical treatments needed to fight and survive cancer, members said.

Blood and platelet donations are needed to ensure blood products are available for pediatric cancer patients and others throughout this pandemic.

As a thank-you, those who come to give Sept. 4-8 will receive a pair of Red Cross branded socks, while supplies last.

Make an appointment to donate by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 800RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Blood drives are also essential in helping ensure blood is available for patients this winter. To learn more and sign up to host a blood drive this fall and winter, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.