CALENDAR

Sunday, Dec. 30

FAMILY WORSHIP: Family Worship Service with a special Christmas story by Rev. Timothy Haut, 10 a.m. (no 8:30 a.m. service), Dec. 30, Deep River Congregational Church, Deep River. For information go to www.deeprivercc.org , call 860-526-5045 or email: office.drcc@snet.net.

FILM, WORKSHOP: Forty people aged 75 to 100, with a collective life experience of 3000 years, share their secrets, wit, and wisdom on how to live a meaningful life, appear in Lives Well Lived”, that will be screened at Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Road, Essex, on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. Registration is recommended. For more information, or to register call the Essex Library, 33 West Avenue, at 860-7671560.

LESSONS AND CAROLS SERVICE:

Portland Ecumenical Service of Lessons and Carols; Trinity Church, 345 Main St., Portland, 9:30 a.m. The church office is attached to the main building and can be contacted at trinitychurchportlandct@gmail.com

Monday, Dec. 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY: The West Haven Italian American Civic Association, Inc, will hold its annual New Year's Eve party on Monday, Dec. 31 at the Cielo/W.H.I.A. Club Facility located at 85 Chase Lane, West Haven. Tickets $65 per person. For information, call Frank Consorte 203-676-6379 or Ellen Marazzi 203-933-7740.

Tuesday, Jan. 1

NEW YEAR’S DAY HIKE: As part of the America's State Parks First Day Hike program, the Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park is hosting a one-hour hike on New Year's Day, Jan. .1, 1 p.m. at Meigs Point Nature Center, Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1288 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Arrive 15 minutes early, bring water and dress for the weather. Meet at the Nature Center building. No dogs. Free. For additional information call 203-245-8743.

OPEN HOUSE: Meigs Point Nature Center, Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1288 Boston Post Rd, Madison, will hold an open house at the center, led by Gary Nolf and Don Rankin from the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, Jan. 1, 12-3 p.m. Bring your own artifacts to show. Free, with refreshments. For additional information call 203-245-8743.

PLUNGE FOR PARKS: The 17th annual Plunge For Parks, A Winter Festival, will be held at Lighthouse Park, Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. Plungers go at 12:15 p.m. Hot brunch for $10 hot tubs, live music, a raffle, arts and crafts, tours of the lighthouse and T-shorts for sale. Register ahead to avoid long lines at http.// plungeforparks.eventbrite.com. For more info call 203-466-1596.

UKULELE LESSONS: The Estuary Council, 220 Main St., Old Saybrook is offering ukulele lessons, Mondays in January. Beginners One & Two are available; $125 for a 6 week course and a ukulele and tuner are needed. For more information call 860-388-1611 ext.204 or visit www.ecsenior.org

Wednesday, Jan. 2

SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP: Join Economic Development Specialist Jessica Rivera of the U.S. Small Business Administration at Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, Jan. 2, 6 p.m., for a workshop that will focus on how and where to find additional small business support and educational resources. Details at hchlibrary.org.

WINTER READING CHALLENGE:

Hamden Public Library will host its 6th annual winter reading challenge for adults beginning Tuesday, Jan. 2. Readers age 16 and up are encouraged to participate in “Cozy Up to a Classic” which offers prizes. For further information call 203-287-2680 or visit hamdenlibrary.org

Thursday, Jan. 3

ELUSIVE BIRDS: Potapaug Audubon presents “Rare & Elusive Birds of North America” with William Burt, Wildlife Photographer, presenting a slide lecture, Jan. 3, 7 p.m., Old Lyme Town Hall, 52 Lyme St. Take a journey with Bill to the marshes, plains and prairies, swamps and woodlands in search of the rails and bitterns, nightjars, and other mystery birds that birders long to see. Free. Open to the public. Refreshments served. More information, call 860-710-5811.

BOOK BUDDIES: Book Buddies Book Club for first and second-graders begins Monday, Jan. 28 at the Plumb Memorial Library, 65 Wooster St., Shelton. Registration opens Jan. 3. Each month the club members will explore a different genre of storytelling including fairy tales, myths, legends fables, school stories and more. The program runs from 4-5 p.m. with a discussion of a story and a craft or activity. Space is limited. For information or to register, visit www.sheltonlibrarysystem.org or call the library at 203-924-9461.

WOMEN’S CLUB TO MEET: The Women's club of Cheshire, Inc. will welcome Gary Rose, PhD and chairman, Government and Political Science at Sacred Heart University, to lead a discussion will be about political insights on Jan. 3 at 12:30 p.m., the club’s first meeting of 2019. Women of all ages from Cheshire and surrounding towns are welcome to join us at the Senior Center 229 Maple Ave. Desserts, coffee or tea will be served. Questions, call Paulette at 203-272-8779.

MEN OVER SIXTY: The Shoreline Men Over Sixty will meet Friday, Jan 11 at Hubley Hall of the First Congregational Church of Madison on the Madison Green. The speaker is Richard Kos, presenting “Thoughts on the Global Investment Market.” All men over 60 from Essex to East Haven are welcome. The meeting starts with a lasagna lunch at 11:30 a.m. Admission $12. For reservations, phone Hank Petroskey at 203-484-9002 or email your RSVP to: Pete Hughes at ct.smos.ph@gmail.com Reservations are required. Deadline is Tuesday, Jan 8 at 5 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 5

MEN OVER SIXTY: The Shoreline Men Over Sixty will meet Friday, Jan 11 at Hubley Hall of the First Congregational Church of Madison on the Madison Green. The speaker is Richard Kos, presenting “Thoughts on the Global Investment Market.” All men over 60 from Essex to East Haven are welcome. The meeting starts with a lasagna lunch at 11:30 a.m. Admission $12. For reservations, phone Hank Petroskey at 203-484-9002 or email your RSVP to: Pete Hughes at ct.smos.ph@gmail.com Reservations are required. Deadline is Tuesday, Jan 8 at 5 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 7

FREE MOVIE: See “A Simple Favor” at the Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, Jan. 7, ,1 p.m. with free popcorn from Chpis Pub III. Details at hchlibrary.org.

LIFEBRIDGE: A Lifebridge Lunch Program will be re-instated on Mondays at the Senior Center starting Jan. 7 at the Joyce C. Budrow Senior Center, 189 Pool Road, North Haven. For information call 203-239-5432.

Tuesday, Jan. 8

SCORE WORKSHOP: Arlene Saffron will present a free workshop for SCORE on “Brand Strategy 101 for Small Business” Jan. 8, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive, Westbrook. Contact for questions/info: Anne Driscoll, anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org

CAMERA CLUB: Professional photographer Lisa Cuchara, author of Create Fine Art Photographs from Historic Places and Rusty Things, will be the guest speaker at the next North Haven Camera Club meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m., at Hope Christian Church, 211 Montowese Ave., North Haven. This presentation is free to those who belong to any Connecticut photography club, $10 for non camera club members. For more information about North Haven Camera Club, including weather cancellations, visit the club's website at NorthHavenCameraClub.com.

TECHNOLOGY CLASSES TO BEGIN:

Hamden Public Library will revisit three of its popular technology classes in January: Intro to Google Drive (Tuesday, Jan. 8, 1-2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 9, 6-7:30 p.m.); Intro to Google Photos (Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1-2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 16, 6-7:30 p.m.); and Intro to Google Docs (Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1-2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan 23, 6-7:30 p.m.). These free classes will be held in the Friends Room at Miller Memorial Library, 2901 Dixwell Avenue in Hamden. Registration is required as class size is limited. Register in person at the library, through the website (hamdenlibrary.org) or by calling 203-287-2680.