In Your Northwest Corner Vol. 8

Understanding the Roots of Addiction

“Uprooting Addiction,” a documentary film by Hope Payson and Tory Estern Jadow of RC Productions, focuses on the correlation between childhood trauma and drug and alcohol addiction. The film highlights specific and heartfelt stories of Connecticut residents with histories of trauma and addiction in different stages of recovery.

Greenwoods Counseling Referrals, an organization focusing on compassionate and high-quality mental-health initiatives and related care, is providing fiscal sponsorship for the filmmakers of “Uprooting Addiction” and their goal not only to raise awareness of the rapidly growing addiction epidemic, but to highlight some of its underlying causes, and instigate important conversations in local communities.

A grant from the Lucia Tuttle Fritz Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, supported the sound design and musical score for the film.

Through a grant from the Marion Wm. & Alice Edwards Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, the Salisbury Forum presented "Uprooting Addiction" in early 2019 free-of-charge at The Moviehouse in Millerton, New York.
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Recent grants from the Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and the Foundation for Community Health, a supporting organization of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, support the final post-production and marketing distribution, and wider dissemination of “Uprooting Addiction.”

Students Shine at Litchfield Jazz Festival

Each summer hundreds of young people arrive at the Gunnery in Washington, Connecticut to attend Litchfield Performing Arts’ Litchfield Jazz Camp. The Camp welcomes students ages 12 and up regardless of skill level and/or financial resources to spend four weeks attending concerts and playing in jam sessions. Camp culminates in the world-renowned Litchfield Jazz Festival, where students have an opportunity to perform on stage for thousands of attendees.

Grants from the Robert B. and Cheryl Freehill Pauls Fund and The Rivera Family Fund for Arts and Music, funds of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, supported scholarships for 2018 Litchfield Jazz Camp attendees.

The 2018 Litchfield Jazz Festival Student Stage was made possible by a grant from the Khurshed Bhumgara Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation.

“In these difficult times with the state and national funding for nonprofits in arts and education all but gutted, funding by regional donors is essential,” said Vita Muir of Litchfield Performing Arts.

Winsted Seniors Get Moving

The Winsted Senior Center provides educational, recreational, and cultural activities for local seniors as well as assistance with medical insurance, health clinics, daily lunches, van transportation, travel opportunities, and intergenerational programs.

Through a recent grant from the Margaret C. Tupper Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, the Winsted Senior Center began offering fitness classes, including Chair Yoga, Stretch your Body and Mind, Zumba Gold, Ballroom Dancing, and Line Dancing free of charge to local older adults and people with disabilities.

“Fitness builds strength, improves balance, sharpens the mind, protects the joints, reduces stress and, when exercising with a training instructor, offers a safe and monitored environment," said Jennifer Kelley of the Winsted Senior Center.

"Since we started, the number of participants continues to steadily increase as well as their commitment to fitness and new friendships.”