Discover Danbury

June 1 Topic:  War in the Trenches (Danbury Museum)Embark on a jaunt to the past through this video seminar
series created through Open Yale Courses (OYC). 
The taped seminars were conducted by John Merriman, Charles Seymour
Professor of History at Yale University.  
Brigid Guertin, City Historian and Director of the Danbury Museum, and
John O’Donnell, Librarian will introduce the sessions with a few interesting
Danbury stories.   Programs will rotate
between the Library and Museum. 

“The course offers a broad survey of modern European
history, from the end of the Thirty Years’ War to the aftermath of World War
II. Along with the consideration of major events and figures such as the French
Revolution and Napoleon, attention will be paid to the experience of ordinary
people in times of upheaval and transition. The period will thus be viewed
neither in terms of historical inevitability nor as a procession of great men,
but rather through the lens of the complex interrelations between demographic
change, political revolution, and cultural development.”  OYC website

Interspersed
among the sessions, we’ll have copies of recipes taken from older cookbooks at
the Museum that are reflective of that particular session’s time period.  We hope attendees will take a recipe and recreate
it to share at the final session on July 27th

About
Professor John Merriman
John Merriman
is Charles Seymour Professor of History at Yale University. Specializing in
French and modern European history, he received his Ph.D. from the University
of Michigan. His publications include The Agony of the Republic: The
Repression of the Left in Revolutionary France, 1848-1851, A History of
Modern Europe Since the Renaissance, and Police Stories: Making the French
State, 1815-1851. He is currently at work on Dynamite: Emile Henry, the
Café Terminus, and the Origins of Modern  
Terrorism in Fin-de-Siècle Paris. In 2000, Professor Merriman was the
recipient of the Yale University Byrnes-Sewall Teaching Prize.

About Open Yale Courses (OYC)

OYC provides
lectures and other materials from selected Yale College courses to the public
free of charge via the Internet.  No
course credit, degree, or certificate is available through the OYC website.

Celebrate Spring by making a whole bunch of flowers! Each week we'll have a different way to make flowers using all kinds of materials. Come every week to make a whole garden!

May 4: Paint a flower - Watercolor paintingsMay 11: Fold a Flower - OrigamiMay 18: Stamp a Flower - make cardboard stampsMay 25: Weave a flower - weaving with paper plates and yarn

June 1: Glue a Flower - glue cardboard ringsJune 8: Cut a Flower - cut paper flowersJune 15: Button a Flower - make pin-back buttonsJune 22: Plant a Flower - plant a seed to take home and grow!

Frustrated with the weeds in your backyard?  Attend this talk to learn:

•  
why dandelions and other “weeds” offer benefits,

•  
how weed growth habits relate to effective
removal methods,

•  
safe, eco-friendly control techniques to use,
and

•  
how invasive plants differ from common weeds.

 Attendees may bring a week sample in for indentification.  

 A list of books and helpful resources will be
provided, including a booklet on CT's worst invasive plants. 

Presenter: Michele MacKinnon, Advanced Master
Gardener

Do you wish you could read great literature but fear you just can't fit it in? Do you join book clubs only to find yourself not having enough time to read through the entire book? Do you love a good yarn, strong coffee (okay, this is not a requirement to join this group), tantalizing discussions and great works that speak to the human condition?If you answered 'yes' to any of the above questions, then the Short on Time Book Club is for you. In this contemporary-focused book group, participants will read works from the canon of short story masterpieces. Authors will include, Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Munro, Raymond Carver, Charles Bukowski and several fascinating South American writers such as Alejandro Zambra, Maria Luisa Bombal and Cesar Aira. These explosively funny, albeit at-times slightly disturbing works will get your literary juices flowing. Come Monday morning, your heart will be filled with cool conversation starters, imbibing you with water cooler topics and rich dinner party stories to regal your friends now in awe of your literary depth.  A slice of The New Yorker has come to Danbury!Ms. Jodi Weisz, MLS will lead the group as it reads stories that aim for the heart, inspiring each individual to connect with humanity's universal themes and experiences.

Food! Fun! Friends!

Plus, you earn Community Service hours by coming!

Summer is nearly here. We'll be organizing activities for younger kids, to help them have a great summer.

Registration is required - sign up soon!

Author C. D. Peterson’s presentation, accompanied by photos and music from the era, will tell the true story of the turbulence confronting his American farm family during and post-World War II.   

An experienced narrator, he is among the last ones who personally   experienced the scarcity of the depression, the fear and patriotism during World War II, and the exuberance in that brief, post-war period when America felt safe and when the middle class was born.  

IMPORTANT NOTE: The location of this program is at the Danbury Museum, 43 Main Street, Danbury.  The program is free of charge. To reserve your seat or for more information contact the Museum at 203.743.5200. 

Conductor David Recca. David Recca is currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at the Conservatory of Music of Purchase College, SUNY. There he directs the Purchase College Chorus and Purchase Chamber Singers, he is a frequent guest conductor of the Purchase Symphony Orchestra, and he teaches a variety of undergraduate courses including music history, music theory, ear training, and conducting. He is also the director of the Southern Connecticut Camerata, a Norwalk-based early music ensemble known for its incisive and historically informed interpretations of early music ranging from renaissance madrigals to medieval motets. He is beginning his fourth season as the assistant director of the New Amsterdam Singers, a fixture in Manhattan’s choral scene which has been championing new works by living composers for over 40 seasons. He has also served as assistant conductor of Mercury Opera Rochester, principal assistant conductor of the Yale Camerata, and artistic director of Madrigalia Via, whose performances were hailed as “sinfully blissful” by the Wall Street Journal. He has prepared choirs for conductors such as Helmuth Rilling, David Hill, Masaaki Suzuki, Simon Carrington, Erwin Ortner, and Sir Gilbert Levine.In May 2014, David completed the coursework and performing requirements for the Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree in Choral Conducting at the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He holds a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music and a Performer’s Certificate in Vocal Coaching and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from Purchase College. He is a proud resident of Danbury, Connecticut.

http://danburymusiccentre.org/

Make your audio dreams a reality.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor (by appointment only) will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Must register 7 days in advance prior to session.

Free! Registration required in advance HERE. No Walk-ins.  For more information about Studio 170, visit us online at: danburylibrary.org/recording-studio/

Join us for monthly (March-June) introductory class that will give you hands-on experience with a tiny, yet powerful microcontroller.  The Arduino microcontroller lets you build projects that sense real world properties --temperature, illumination or magnetism. You can light up a light with different colors, make sound, turn on a motor or operate another electronic device.  FREE. For ages 12 to 112.  An Arduino kit will be provided for use during the class.Registration is required.

Sahaja Yoga Mediation is a simple, time-honored technique that is easy to learn.  It helps reduce stress and increase wellness.  Start your journey towards being peaceful, balanced, and integrated by connecting with your true self.  Anyone can do it!  Free.  No registration.  For ages 10 - adultNOTE:  Continuation of classes past June 25 TBD.

Who knew physics could be so much fun?

We'll be making cobra weave chains out of craft sticks, and then letting them "explode."

Fun for fifth grade and up!

Many people underestimate how much money they will spend on healthcare during their retirement.  Taking the time now to budget for healthcare costs can help you maintain the lifestyle you want in retirement.  In this workshop, you'll learn how to estimate your future healthcare costs and create income to help you cover some of those expenses.  

Workshop topics:The rising cost of healthcare and its impact on retirement savingsEstimating your future healthcare costs in retirementMedicare Parts A, B, C and D: Coverage and costsCreating income to help cover some healthcare costs during retirementSpeaker:  Michael Visconti, CFP, Regional Vice President, Prudential Annuities

Prudential Annuities is providing this workshop for informational or educational purposes only and does not provide investment advice or recommendations about managing or investing your retirement savings.

Learn how to maneuver through various sites. 

REGISTRATION WILL OPEN TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CLASS

Make origami during the month of May with Maker-in-Residence, Nghiep K. Luu.

Learn about Origami with our latest Maker-In-Residence! It is an art form that has been handed down from parent to child through many generations. Origami involves the creation of paper forms usually entirely by folding. For Ages 5+Free! Registration required.

This 4-week course for TEENS, will take a journey through different guitar effects, looping, ambient song crafting as well as recording using Logic Pro X.

Students who have an interest in home-based recording and creating ambient textures and songs will learn how to create sonic textures with guitar pedals, guitars and lap steel instruments, how to play over loops, record and layer songs using Logic Pro. 

June 6 - Introduction to guitar effects and looping

June 13 - How to layer & loop sound on sound

June 20 - Recording multiple tracks, using digital/analog effects 

June 27 - Final product & how this can all be done at home!

 *Must attend all classes! Free! Seating is LIMITED. Registration required.  Ages 16+

Make your audio dreams a reality.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor (by appointment only) will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Must register 7 days in advance prior to session.

Free! Registration required in advance HERE. No Walk-ins.  For more information about Studio 170, visit us online at: danburylibrary.org/recording-studio/

Bring along your current project or get started with something new! Enjoy a casual and friendly knitting group. 

Free! No registration, just drop in.    

This program is open to anyone 10 or older who would like to learn chess or learn more strategy. William Mattison is an experienced chess player and he will be on hand to teach basic beginner moves and strategy for the more experienced player. This program is free. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

June 8 Topic: Sites of memory, Sites of mourning - Guest lecture by Jay Winters (Danbury Library)Embark on a jaunt to the past through this video seminar
series created through Open Yale Courses (OYC). 
The taped seminars were conducted by John Merriman, Charles Seymour
Professor of History at Yale University.  
Brigid Guertin, City Historian and Director of the Danbury Museum, and
John O’Donnell, Librarian will introduce the sessions with a few interesting
Danbury stories.   Programs will rotate
between the Library and Museum. 

“The course offers a broad survey of modern European
history, from the end of the Thirty Years’ War to the aftermath of World War
II. Along with the consideration of major events and figures such as the French
Revolution and Napoleon, attention will be paid to the experience of ordinary
people in times of upheaval and transition. The period will thus be viewed
neither in terms of historical inevitability nor as a procession of great men,
but rather through the lens of the complex interrelations between demographic
change, political revolution, and cultural development.”  OYC website

Interspersed
among the sessions, we’ll have copies of recipes taken from older cookbooks at
the Museum that are reflective of that particular session’s time period.  We hope attendees will take a recipe and recreate
it to share at the final session on July 27th

About
Professor John Merriman
John Merriman
is Charles Seymour Professor of History at Yale University. Specializing in
French and modern European history, he received his Ph.D. from the University
of Michigan. His publications include The Agony of the Republic: The
Repression of the Left in Revolutionary France, 1848-1851, A History of
Modern Europe Since the Renaissance, and Police Stories: Making the French
State, 1815-1851. He is currently at work on Dynamite: Emile Henry, the
Café Terminus, and the Origins of Modern  
Terrorism in Fin-de-Siècle Paris. In 2000, Professor Merriman was the
recipient of the Yale University Byrnes-Sewall Teaching Prize.

About Open Yale Courses (OYC)

OYC provides
lectures and other materials from selected Yale College courses to the public
free of charge via the Internet.  No
course credit, degree, or certificate is available through the OYC website.

Celebrate Spring by making a whole bunch of flowers! Each week we'll have a different way to make flowers using all kinds of materials. Come every week to make a whole garden!

May 4: Paint a flower - Watercolor paintingsMay 11: Fold a Flower - OrigamiMay 18: Stamp a Flower - make cardboard stampsMay 25: Weave a flower - weaving with paper plates and yarn

June 1: Glue a Flower - glue cardboard ringsJune 8: Cut a Flower - cut paper flowersJune 15: Button a Flower - make pin-back buttonsJune 22: Plant a Flower - plant a seed to take home and grow!

Get ready for an awesome night of cycling adventure when the Ciclismo Classico BIKE TRAVEL FILM FESTIVAL pedals into Danbury on Friday, June 8 at 8PM.
It’s back and bigger than ever! The 9th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival returns to The Palace Danbury. The festival showcases independent films from around the world that depict the adventure, humor, and growth inherent in bicycle journeys.

https://thepalacedanbury.com/ciclismo-bike-travel-film-festival/

Danbury PAL is hosting a Paper Shredding and Electronics Recycling Event for all Danbury residents with the support of Sikorsky Credit Union.

This is a great opportunity to safely and securely shred confidential documents and recycle your old computers, TVs, printers, etc.

Funds raised will help support the Danbury PAL.

Suggested donations based on bins of paper or electronic item size is between $5-15+

Have you heard about Tibetan Art and Mandala Art? This latest trend to sweep art schools comes to Danbury.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own gel pens and favorite mandala drawings.

Tibetan music will be played to enhance the experience. 

Proceeds from this concert will be used to establish the Ben DaSilva Chair for Principal Trumpet Player.
Program in honor one of the pillars of Danbury's cultural life: Ben DaSilva,who passed away this fall. In his work with Danbury Cultural Commission, Ben helped to ensure the health of Danbury's music and culture, and his support after completing his work on the Commission continued for the rest of his life. As just one example, he was a regular audience member at concerts of each of Danbury Music Centre's ensembles.

The program for the concert will follow a standard symphonic orchestra format, with a couple of additions to feature the extraordinary talents of the conductor. The program will include:
1. Brass Fanfare (possible)
2. An overture (Rossini or similar genre)
3. Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23, featuring pianist Martha Locker
4. Tchaikovsky Symphony #5
5. An encore with Joe as trombone soloist

Make your audio dreams a reality.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor (by appointment only) will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Get a hands-on guided introduction to Garageband with these weekly sessions in the Danbury Library’s audio recording suite, Studio 170.

An instructor will be available during the session to guide you through Apple’s digital audio work station application Garageband, that allows users to create music or podcasts.

No previous experience necessary, but must have proficiency with computers and recording devices.

Must register 7 days in advance prior to session.

Free! Registration required in advance HERE. No Walk-ins.  For more information about Studio 170, visit us online at: danburylibrary.org/recording-studio/

Are you ready to fly?Drones have captured the next generation’s imagination and are undoubtedly the way of the future! The Milestone C team of aerospace industry professionals employ cutting-edge technologies and experiential learning techniques to equip students with key skills in this exciting new industry.During this 2-day Drone Engineering Camp*, students will not only learn about basic aerodynamics and unmanned aircraft architecture, but also apply the engineering process to build and fly their own drones in teams. They will also pilot drones using Milestone C’s highly-realistic flight simulators. This thrilling hands-on aerospace experience will culminate in a drone challenge, allowing student teams to compete while internalizing the knowledge, skills, and experience gained during the program.

Teens (Ages 12 to 16), Location: Story Corner*Must attend BOTH dates - Monday, June 11th AND Tuesday, June 12th!

Free! Registration required.

Sahaja Yoga Mediation is a simple, time-honored technique that is easy to learn.  It helps reduce stress and increase wellness.  Start your journey towards being peaceful, balanced, and integrated by connecting with your true self.  Anyone can do it!  Free.  No registration.  For ages 10 - adultNOTE:   Continuation of classes past June 25 TBD.

Take the AAA Driver Improvement Program to relearn the basics of defensive driving and learn current driving practices. Those who complete the 4-hour course will be mailed a certificate of completion.  CT drivers who complete the class and are 60 years old or older may be eligible to receive a 5% discount on their auto insurance. (Discount does not cover uninsured motorist coverage, rental reimbursements or towing or labor costs.  Be sure to check with your insurer for details.)Registration required online or call 203-797-4505, option 3 to register.  For workshop details, call Fran Mayko at AAA: 203-937-2595, ext. 4615.

Feel free to bring a bag lunch or a snack!

Connecticut Ballet will hold open auditions for dance scholarships for Danbury middle and high school students on Tuesday, June 12 from 2:40-4:00pm at Broadview Middle School Auditorium, 72 Hospital Avenue, Danbury. The Khalda Logan Dance Scholarships are named in memory of Khalda Logan, an original member of the Ballet’s Danbury Dance Initiative Task Force and beloved WESTCONN faculty member who succumbed to cancer ten years ago. Monies raised are distributed to youth chosen by audition to enable them to pursue foundational or accelerated arts training in the discipline of their choice.

The audition will be judged by three local dance professionals along with Artistic Director Brett Raphael. Interested students should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to take a simple dance class with a Connecticut Ballet instructor. Prior training is helpful but not essential. Boys and girls will try out at the same time. Winners will be announced at the company’s annual Ives Concert Park performance in July 2018.

For more information, please call Connecticut Ballet at 203-964-1211 or visit www.connecticutballet.org.

Kids ages 8 and up are invited to make a photo frame for Dad for Fathers' Day.

The frame will be made with craft sticks, and you can display your photo in it for a keepsake for your dad.  Limited to 12 kids.

These series of (4) informational sessions focusing on a different weather topic. Presented by WCSU student meteorologist,  Eric Gottier as he discusses Danbury weather and how it affects you.

Week #2 Week #3 SEVERE WEATHER: Hail, wind and lighting!Week #4 CLIMATE CHANGE: Are we at risk?Free! Registration required.

Danbury Ambassadors of Music Adult Band, under the direction of Albert Montecalvo, perform their end of season concert at 7:30 in the Marian Anderson Recital Hall on Tuesday June 12th

Women earn less than 20% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science, engineering, and physics, but they make up more than half of the population of the United States - and the numbers have dropped even more recently. Closing the gender gap in technology development is a key to any successful society. In order to foster and encourage an interest in computer science in young women, this program will explore the benefits of learning to code for middle school girls. The program will explore the use of HTML coding and an introductory version of Python, and how to extend the application of these skills on your own following the program. No coding experience is necessary to attend.

Girls, take hold of your future TODAY! Learn the valuable skillset of "code" aka computer programming with this special workshop directed on introducing girls to this ever-growing technology field. This will be a FUN experience facilitated by Patrice Gans, Founder and Executive Director of Random Hacks of Kindness, Jr. 

Come learn to code and meet some new friends in the process!

FREE. Ages 10 - 18.Registration is Required.

Kids ages 5 - 11 are invited to a fun building workshop.  ImagArena® combines
the spirit of an art program, the materials of a building workshop, and the
framework of a video game to provide an experience that engages everyone. 

Participants engage in energetic building challenges featuring
over a dozen building materials. At the end of the workshop their creations are
posted online to share with family and friends. A perfect  after school, exciting, hands-on activity.Registration is required and is limited to 20.  PLEASE CANCEL IF AFTER REGISTERING IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT!  THANK YOU.

MEETING NOTICE

Who: City Council Members
When: 7:00 P.M. – Monday, June 18, 2018
Where: 3rd Floor Council Chambers, City Hall, 155 Deer Hill Avenue

Purpose: Public Hearing for the following:

1. Abate Personal Property Tax – Information Technology (Praxair)
2. Danbury Ordinance Recodification

(Copies of the above are available in the Legislative Assistance Office)