He met me with a smile. “I’m so glad you stopped.” As if answering my unspoken question, he turned to show me the picture pinned to his backpack. “I do it for them,” he said. That night, Stephen Lewis, whose name I later learned, was walking in honor of Branden F. Oberleitner, BCO, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, KIA Fallujah, Iraq, 5-3-03. “Because he deserves to be remembered,” he added.

With moments that ranged from a soul-stirring “Call Him Up” by the Gertrude Banks Gospel Choir to a reflective version of U2’s MLK from Combined Ensembles, Simsbury High School’s Choral Collage was pure musical bliss.

"Mountain biking isn't punk rock anymore," says Mick Ferraro of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA). "It's a very mainstream sport now. You show up prepared, you go on group rides, you hang out afterwards. The vibe is: I'm here to raise my cortisol levels, talk to people, be outside, hear the sounds, maybe see a bear. It's 'let's have fun.'"

Keep moving! The motion is the lotion! Whatever exercises an individual enjoys and can fit in their day is the right exercise. For those who have the ability, walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise. Bonus: it doesn't cost a thing (except for a good pair of footwear and the right clothes for the season) and you can do it whatever time of day you prefer.

With a love of singing and comforting others through song, the all-volunteer members of Threshold Choir attend the bedsides of people on the threshold of the end of life – those who are in hospitals or hospice.

Eighty years. With the exception of one year (i.e., Covid) the Simsbury Light Opera Company (SLOCO) has put on a production every year for 80 years with Gilbert & Sullivan operettas as its primary choice of shows.

When building a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, some pieces fit together easily and naturally, but others we may try from many different angles before we make an accurate connection. This process is often frustrating and time-consuming, but once we have endured all the attempts, the complete picture makes the toil worthwhile.

You have a wok. You love soy and hoisin sauces. Your favorite way to add flavor is with garlic and ginger. But where to go from here?