The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
CJR to celebrate gratitude with Sept. 4 event
LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield Aid of the Connecticut Junior Republic is hosting Celebrating Gratitude, an afternoon of light bites and wine pairings at the Litchfield Community Center, 1-4 p.m. Sept. 4.
This benefit will celebrate the success of the Litchfield Aid's 2021 fundraising campaign, Embracing Children and Families: Conquering the Next Pandemic, which raised funds to help the Connecticut Junior Republic expand its behavioral and mental health services in Litchfield County to meet surging community needs in the wake of the COVID pandemic, according to a statement.
Celebrating Gratitude will also be a tribute to the generosity of the community and the difference the funds raised have made to those served by CJR.
The Litchfield Aid's Embracing Children and Families campaign netted $90,000 and concluded earlier this year, members said. These funds were gifted to CJR, along with $7,633 to support scholarships for students served by the Cable Academic and Vocational Center, for a total contribution of nearly $97,700.
Light bites will be provided by Ciesco Catering, with wine pairings and spirits provided by Donna Pace of Gathering Harvests, and Litchfield Distillery, which will be serving a signature cocktail. A silent auction featuring items donated by R. Derwin, Jeffrey Lawrence Jewelers, Music Mountain, Tom Hlas, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Noujaime's Bistro, Judith Secco, Thorncrest Chocolates, The Workshop, and others, will be a part of the event.
“As President of The Litchfield Aid, I am personally very grateful to the other members of our organization who worked with me to make this campaign such a success,” said president Susan Vontell. “Immediate Past President Pat Hearn launched this endeavor in 2021 and our small campaign committee included members Martha Bernstein and Cara Blazier,” she said.
“Thanks to the generosity of many contributors, our campaign to help CJR expand behavioral and mental health services in Litchfield county – at a time of unprecedented need – was a huge success,” she continued. “The members of The Litchfield Aid are grateful to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and families in the community at a time when CJR's services are so urgently needed.”
A voluntary organization comprised of approximately 100 members, The Litchfield Aid was established in 1911, just seven years after the founding of the Connecticut Junior Republic, for the sole purpose of supporting CJR's programs and facilities. Since that time, The Aid has raised more than $2.6 million to benefit the children, youth and families served by CJR, and its members have fulfilled an important role as goodwill ambassadors.
Officers of The Aid for the 2022-24 term include: President Susan Vontell of Morris; Vice President Paula Rolleston of Litchfield; Recording Secretary Judy Maxwell of Norfolk; Treasurer Kathy VanOrmer of Litchfield; and Assistant Treasurer Tiffany D'Andrea of Litchfield.
To sponsor or attend the Celebrating Gratitude event, please visit The Aid's website: litchfieldaid.org. For more information about The Litchfield Aid of CJR or to receive an invitation, contact the Connecticut Junior Republic at 860-567-9424, ext. 278.