Bushka elected to bank board

THOMASTON — Thomaston Savings Bank announces the election of Richard Bushka to its Board of Directors.

Bushka is a corporator of the bank and co-owner of Bushka Lumber & Millwork Co., LLC, a well-known Waterbury family business serving the community since 1954.

Bushka, along with his brothers and father, has led Bushka Lumber & Millwork Co. for the past 25 years through an evolving business model and expanding presence in new markets, both within Connecticut and across the country. Bushka has focused on steadily growing the business by establishing a niche for the company in the burgeoning market for custom millwork.

Bushka is an active member in his community. He belongs to many professional organizations including the National Kitchen and Bath Association, the New England Retail Lumberman’s Association and The Waterbury Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the building and grounds committee at Chase Collegiate School and he and his family were past recipients of the Jo Ann Davies Award at Chase Collegiate School. Richard currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury.

He attended Holy Cross High School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Post University. He resides in Waterbury with his wife, Nancy and their daughter, Tiffany.

Society acknowledges foundation grant

COLEBROOK — The Colebrook Historical Society recently received a $2,400 grant from The Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation.

“This grant enables us to carry out a very special project,” members said in a statement. “The CHS was blessed for many years with the dedication of our Curator, Robert Grigg. Bob’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable, and he concentrated on the history of our community. Bob was a generous person and wanted to share all he’d learned. He started writing columns called ‘Bob’s Bytes,’ which were published in local newspapers. Hence Bob became the municipal historian, documenting the history of Colebrook for future generations.

“On Bob’s death, the CHS wanted to honor him, and his many contributions to our community, in a concrete way. We also wanted to pass on the vast amount of local history that Bob had accumulated through the years,” the statement continues. “The idea was to gather the best of “Bob’s Bytes” into a book, but the cost of publication was beyond our budget. Now, thanks to The Draper Foundation Fund, we can make this memorial to Bob a reality. “Bob’s

Bytes” will be published and available to all this coming spring.”

SVNA receives special funding

SALISBURY — Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association has received a $1,000 grant from the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation.

SVNA’s executive director said, “We are grateful to the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation for this generous grant, these funds will help SVNA’s patients that our less fortunate during the holiday season.”

The foundation has approved 52 local nonprofits in the Northwest Corner that are dedicated to assisting area residents and families with limited financial needs.

Julia Scharnberg, grants and program director said, “The Year-End Critical Needs Grant is made possible by the Marion Wm and Alice Edwards Fund, the Draper Foundation Fund, and a very generous donor-advised fund that joined in this effort to increase the charitable resources made available for this initiative. Donors Marion Wm. and Alice Edwards, Jim and Shirley Draper, and the donor-advised fund all expressed a strong desire to assist those facing difficult and challenging economic circumstances.”

For more information about SVNA’s services, visit www.salisburyvna.org or call 860-4350816.

Nutrition program receives funding

LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield Hills Northwest Elderly Nutrition Program, which operates the local Meals on Wheels program, received a $1,000 grant to provide emergency meals to homebound seniors.

The critical needs grant funded by The Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation will provide 270 shelf stable emergency meals to 135 homebound seniors most in need.

The meals are designed to be kept on hand if the program is unable to deliver due to inclement weather. The program serves an 18 town region throughout Litchfield County.

Contributed photo Richard Bushka