Composting efforts grow as more homes join pilot program

TRAC Chair Barbara Bettigole tosses a green bag at the transfer station.
Alec Linden
TRAC Chair Barbara Bettigole tosses a green bag at the transfer station.
SALISBURY/SHARON — It was a sunny Saturday at the Salisbury/Sharon Transfer Station Aug. 23, and amid the usual din of whirring compactors, clanking machines and car doors slamming, the occasional thud of a compost bin lid falling shut could be heard.
“There goes another,” said Barbara Bettigole, chair of the Transfer Station Advisory Committee, known as TRAC, as a man dropped a hefty green gallon bag into one of the four brown bins arranged next to the recycling drop point.
Another woman, Kris D., deposited food waste from her mother’s house in Lakeville, where a home compost would be too restrictive. It’s a “very big game changer,” she said, to be able to toss things like bones and shellfish that would bring bears and other unwelcome visitors to the backyard.
“People who come are just so enthusiastic,” said Bettigole, noting that around 500 households across the two towns have signed on to the food waste diversion pilot program, aided by recent efforts on TRAC’s part to build out outreach and education around composting.
On July 26, the Committee stationed volunteers at the Transfer Station to educate residents about the food waste pilot program, which is in its fifth year, and distribute countertop compost bins to new signups.
The effort was successful, bringing 26 new households into the program. Sharon First Selectman Casey Flanagan said it was productive to educate residents on waste management and the benefits it can have, such as reducing 43,188 pounds of CO2 — the equivalent of driving a car 50,000 miles — over the past year.
“People seemed very motivated to learn what they can do to make a difference, which didn’t surprise because the residents of Sharon and Salisbury are well known in the state for their recycling efforts,” he said, reflecting on his hour behind the desk.
TRAC is organizing another table sitting for the midweek crowd later in September, where it anticipates more households to jump on board. State Rep. Marian Horn (D-64) and Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand have both indicated that they will take a turn at the tables on that date.
Bettigole emphasized that sign-up, which includes a roll 25 three-gallon biodegradable bags, a counter-top bin and a larger bin for storage and transporting collected food-waste bags to the Transfer Station, is free to residents, unlike the programs in other towns which inspired Salisbury and Sharon’s approach, many of which charge an initial fee for the materials. The expenses for the bins and bags are built into the budget for the Transfer Station.
Another recent milestone for TRAC’s food waste diversion efforts was at the annual Jane Lloyd Clambake on July 19, where approximately 575 pounds of shellfish and corn detritus, among other food scraps, were hauled away. Bettigole said she was exhausted after the event — “I had to find a really cold swimming hole” — but that the partnership with the long-running fundraiser was rewarding.
Bettigole said recent progress with the food waste program has been promising, but the “magic key” in reducing total municipal waste is a combination of food waste diversion with a unit-based pricing system. These programs, commonly known as “pay as you throw,” allow households to pay for disposal by the amount of waste they produce rather than via a flat yearly sticker fee.
The two towns have teamed up to apply for a Sustainable Materials Management Grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Conservation that would help build out both programs. Speaking on Aug. 28, Transfer Station Manager Brian Bartram said that he expects the grant announcements to come later in September.
He noted that while the towns intend to test out a unit-based system, the option to bail will remain if unit-based pricing ends up not working for Salisbury and Sharon residents.
“Some people will win by pay as you throw, some will lose,” he explained. “Just like they do now buying a sticker.”
Crews battled raging flames in the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 28, when an abandoned factory on High Street in Torrington caught fire. At 1 a.m. ladder trucks were deployed around the brick building to contain the fire, an effort which persisted well into daybreak. By 8 a.m., crews had still not entered the building due to unsafe conditions. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was unknown. Multiple departments responded from as far as Plainville and residents reported the smell of smoke from miles away. High Street remained closed on Monday with rubble in the road. The building once housed the Hendey Machine Company, which was among the largest employers in Torrington prior to the firm’s closure in the 1950s.
Corinne Kalser, MD, left, talks about the benefits of animals as therapy partners, as Renee Bouffard, LCSW, of Healing Hoofbeats of CT, on right, watches Harry Potter, a young horse at Time Out.In the background, Finnegan, lead horse at Time Out comes to see what’s going on.
“Horses and other livestock maintain their wild instincts. They sense what we are feeling and that makes them amazing therapy partners.”
— Renee Bouffard, LCSW
In 2008, Time Out Foundation became an official rescue and therapeutic riding facility, fulfilling a lifelong dream of founder, Corinne Kalser, M.D.With her husband, David McArthur, LCSW, and the rest of their staff, they offer a haven for children and adults through gentle, relaxed therapies centered around animals — rescued horses, dogs, cats, and goats — on their 35-acre farm in Lakeville.
To ensure the foundation continues, Kalser is partnering with Healing Hoofbeats of CT, an organization with a similar philosophy of care.
“This is a way to keep it going after retiring,” said Kalser. Renee Bouffard, LCSW, founder of Healing Hoofbeats, along with Nikki Hedden, LMSW, and Rebecca Caruso, LCSW, will begin offering therapy at Time Out beginning Oct. 13. Based in Bethlehem, Connecticut, the Healing Hoofbeats team will bring their animal-assisted therapy services to Lakeville — and, as Kalser noted, “takes most insurances.”
Bouffard explained the process: “At the initial meeting, we introduce clients to all the animals with the intention of choosing who their therapy partner will be. This will be their partner for the duration of the therapy.”
“Through that process of building a relationship, issues come out — depression, anxiety, trauma. The therapist can address and can help solve them,” she added.
“Horses and other livestock maintain their wild instincts. They sense what we are feeling and that makes them amazing therapy partners.”
Relationships are built through groundwork and learning about your therapy partner.
“My oldest client is 89.We treat all ages — children, adults, families, couples, veterans,” Bouffard said.
For more information or to schedule an appointment at Time Out with the Healing Hoofbeats team, visit healinghoofbeatsofct.org or call 203-244-8411.
The living room is light, airy, and quiet, with works from local artists on the walls...and no television.
Craig Davis and Keavy Bedell have opened East Mountain House in Lakeville. It is an end-of-life facility — a home, really — that can accomodate up to two guests at a time. The first guest arrived in mid-September.
The house, at 14 Bostwick St., is the one Davis shared with his wife Sandy Dennis, who died in 2020. Davis said her spirit lives on in the house itself and in the approach taken for the guests.
When a visitor enters the house from the back, the first thing to do is greet Lucy the dog.
Next is to change into a pair of slippers, supplied by management.
Then the visitor is led around, with a stop in one of the guest bedrooms, complete with hospital bed and television.
The living and dining area is spacious and comfortable.
And quiet. No TV in here, quite deliberately.
In fact, there are no televisions anywhere except in the two guest rooms.
Davis said the house had to be remodeled to some extent, including removing a spiral staircase for something more conventional and practical. But the antique windows remain.
On the second floor are bedrooms for nursing staff and family members of guests, plus an office for Executive Director Cristin Gallup.
The third floor has a quiet space or “hangout.”
The house is decorated with works from local artists.
The yard is fenced in, and guests can bring a pet if the pet “is nice and gets along with Lucy.”
The entire atmosphere is influenced by Buddhism.
“It’s Buddhist without being Buddhist” said Davis.
One of the two guest bedrooms at East Mountain House, with a hospital bed, television, and Lucy the dog being helpful on the couch.Patrick L. Sullivan
Bedell, who is a certified end-of-life doula, said she and Davis talked about starting something for end-of-life care for some time.
“East Mountain House is 10 years from inception, with three years of earnest, hard work” she said.
The facility is affiliated with Visiting Nurses and Hospice of Litchfield County (VNHLC), so there is a trained staff presence around the clock.
Plus there are between 20 to 30 volunteers involved.
To qualify, a guest must be enrolled with VNHLC, have a medical diagnosis of three months or less to live, medical insights on what to expect at the end of life, have a signed MOLST form indicating Do No Resuscitate, have a designated health care proxy and financial power of attorney, and have a hospice plan for continued care in case of discharge.
There is a sliding scale for payment, and if a guest has few assets, there is no charge.
The effort relies on donations and volunteers. East Mountain Foundation Holdings is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
East Mountain relies on donations and volunteers, both of which are cheerfully accepted.
East Mountain House is “our gift to the community,” said Davis, and added, “Ultimately the community will have to keep it going.”
860-596-4117
With four urgent care centers and an emergency room, there are a number of options for immediate care in Torrington.
Emergency rooms are intended to treat severe conditions such as major trauma, chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke, head trauma, neck or spine injury, severe bleeding, seizure lasting longer than 3 minutes, severe burn, vision loss, choking, electric shock or struck by lightning.
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital emergency roomRiley Klein
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, part of the Hartford HealthCare system, operates an emergency room in its main location at 540 Litchfield St. Live wait times can be checked online at charlottehungerford.org/services/emergency-room
Urgent cares often treat conditions such as colds, flu, fever, asthma, allergies, emphysema, minor skin lacerations, cuts, burns, urinary tract infections, sport or occupational injuries, sprains and strains. Many locations offer x-rays, drug screening, biometric testing and physicals.
Hartford HealthCare GoHealth on East Main St.Riley Klein
Hartford HealthCare GoHealth operates two urgent cares in Torrington: The location at 996 East Main St. is open Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Phone: 860-866-5809; the location at 112 South Main St. is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 860-387-4365
Hartford HealthCare GoHealth on South Main St.Riley Klein
Concentra urgent careRiley Klein
Concentra operates an urgent care at 333 Kennedy Dr. Suite 202, which is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 860-482-4552
American Family Care (AFC)Riley Klein
American Family Care (AFC) operates an urgent care at 1171 East Main St., which is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 860-407-5048
In the event of an emergency, dial 9-1-1.