Civil War veteran Milo Freeland is featured in Falls Village—Canaan Historical Society’s new exhibit honoring Black History Month.
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Dina La Fonte
Photo by Dina La Fonte
The “sober curious” movement has gained momentum in recent years, encouraging individuals to explore life without alcohol—whether for health reasons, personal growth, or simple curiosity. Dina La Fonte, a certified recovery coach, is theSenior Business Affairs Associate at Mountainside, an alcohol and drug addiction treatment center with a holistic approach to wellness that has several locations, including the one in Canaan, Connecticut. With nearly five years of sobriety, La Fonte blends professional expertise with lived experience, making her a powerful advocate for recovery.
Like many, La Fonte’s path to recovery was not just about removing alcohol; it was about rediscovering herself. “Once you get sober from a substance, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, gambling or what have you, emotional aspects of change come into place,” she explained. “It’s not a hard stop; it’s a continued process of integration and struggle.” Her own journey has led her to a career in recovery coaching, allowing her to help others find their own path.
“What I love about my work at Mountainside is that it allows me to be who I am without forcing me into a mold,” she said. “In recovery, we identify our authentic voice, establish boundaries, and clarify what we truly want.”
La Fonte explained that the rise of the “sober curious” movement may reflect a cultural shift in how we approach alcohol and self-care. La Fonte attributes this change to open conversations that break down stigma. “Even five or six years ago, admitting you had a problem came with embarrassment,” she said. “Now, the more we discuss it, the more people realize they’re not alone.” This newfound openness has perhaps made it easier for some individuals to explore sobriety and even do so without the pressure of a lifelong commitment.
Beyond emotional well-being, La Fonte also noted the physical benefits of sobriety. “It wasn’t immediate, but after a year, I noticed my skin clearing up, my energy improving, and my confidence growing,” she recalled. “Casual drinking dehydrates the skin, affects sleep, and contributes to inflammation. When people realize how much better they feel without alcohol, they want to hold onto that.”
In her role at Mountainside, La Fonte has expanded beyond coaching to influence organization-wide initiatives. “I still work directly with clients, but now I also help evolve how we support them,” she said. “Mountainside takes a holistic approach—integrating yoga, grief therapy, sound baths, and more. It’s not about pushing people through a system; it’s about meeting them where they are.”
La Fonte uses her social media platform as a “micro-influencer” to promote sober living and wellness. “I focus on positivity in sobriety—whether it’s skincare, self-care, or mental health. I test vegan and cruelty-free products, but I only promote what aligns with my values.”
For those exploring sobriety, La Fonte’s message is simple: “I’m not here to judge. I’m here to help.” She encourages open conversations and meeting people where they are. “If you’re curious about sobriety, let’s talk. I don’t need to know you to be proud of you. I don’t need to know you to love you. I already love you.Just reaching out is a huge step.”
With voices like La Fonte’s leading the conversation, perhaps the sober curious movement is more than a trend—it’s a cultural shift redefining what it means to live fully and authentically.
To contact Dina La Fonte, email her at dina.lafonte@mountainside.com, explore the Mountainside website at mountainside.com, or follow La Fonte on Instagram @dinalafonte
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James Shay signed copies of his book “Mohawk Mountain Skl Area: The Birth of Snowmaking” after a talk at Hotchkiss Library of Sharon Feb. 2.
Matthew Kreta
The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon hosted local author James Shay Feb. 2 for a talk on his new book “Mohawk Mountain Ski Area: The Birth of Snowmaking.”
The book follows the life of Mohawk founder Walt Schoenknecht and his important contributions to the sport of skiing.
The evening presentation was delivered to an engaged audience of skiing fans in the library’s main room. Shay began his talk with a few photographs of views from the top of Mohawk Mountain, showing distant mountain ranges, uniquely eroded rock faces and structures that still stand from the times of the revolutionary war.
Shay showed pamphlets, posters and original hand drawn maps and designs from when Mohawk first opened in 1947.
Shay spoke about the life of Walt Shoenknecht, the main subject of his book. Shoenknecht founded the Mohawk ski trails in 1947, leasing the land in 1946 and spending $45,000 on the construction of the ski area.
In Mohawk’s second season, Mohawk did not get any snow and resorted to ordering several tons of ice blocks, crushing them and spreading them on the slopes. This process was time consuming, costly and overall a worse experience than real snow. From this season, Shoenknecht got the idea to look into snowmaking.Shoenknecht enlisted the help of the TEY Manufacturing company, run by Wayne Pierce, Dave Richey and Art Hunt. The three engineers used the research of Ray Ringer to build the first snow making machines. These machines were brought to Mohawk and are the first documented case of a trial run of the snow making machine.
TEY ended up filing the first patent for these devices, and snow machines were installed on the mountain. The machines continued to develop and evolve up through the 1980’s and today there are one hundred modern snow machines on the slopes of Mohawk.
Shoenknecht was inducted into the skiing hall of fame in 1979 for his many contributions to the sport introduced in his ski areas on Mohawk and Mount Snow in Vermont. Today, Shoenkneckt’s daughter Carol Lugar remains the president of Mohawk as one of the few remaining family-owned ski areas in the United States.
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Trina Hamlin playing harmonica.
Nicole Compte
Trina Hamlin is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Norfolk, Connecticut. Widely regarded as an accomplished performer, Hamlin has toured the U.S. and abroad for more than two decades with Melissa Etheridge, Dar Williams, Susan Werner, Charlie Musselwhite, and more.
A masterful player, Hamlin will be teaching free, introductory harmonica classes at the Norfolk Library Feb. 3 and 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Her affectionate, playful style on stage and in the classroom have earned her the reputation as a well loved and respected musical force among colleagues and students.
Hamlin loved music from an early age. She took piano lessons from 2nd through 8th grade, sang in her school choir, and over time, moved from piano to guitar and later into playing percussion/small drum kit. She eventually attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“Harmonica was a happy accident. I had a friend who asked me to play it with her. She mentioned ‘bending a note’. That opened up the instrument and my interest in it. It made it feel more like a voice. The second opening was harmonica as a rhythm instrument,” Hamlin said.
Inspired by Boston-based band “The One Eyed Jacks,” Hamlin also observed what Charlie Musselwhite and Junior Wells were doing.
“Listening to that while having no technical idea of how to play the instrument made my head spin! I decided to just play and figure it out on my own,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin primarily plays “Cross Harp” or “Second Position,” which is typically where most blues players begin.
“I like it because it allows me to use the bendable notes for a more expressive sound. I love longer, string oriented lines and grooves. The folk or first position sound of Bob Dylan or Neil Young is not my first choice, but it is very necessary in some cases,” Hamlin said.
Though she is a masterful player, the instrument continues to challenge and inspire her.
“I don’t play a lot of traditional blues at this point. I love trying to play any style. The most challenging thing about it, and music in general, is leaving space for things to breathe and finding lines that add to the whole. I love that it is easy to carry and has such a wide range of expressions,” Hamlin said.
Settling on the darker tones of Tombo’s Lee Oskar Harps, Hamlin has suggestions for students.
“Don’t buy the cheapest harmonica. They can be hard to play. Plan on spending$25-50. Hohner Special 20’s are nice and Lee Oskars are too. I usually tell students to get a C harp. You can find so many videos and tutorials online, which might help you get started. Or maybe I can help!” she said.
“Say yes and learn something new. The beauty of it is that it is set up for success, meaning, you don’t need to have a musical background to make sounds. I love to give people a foundation to work with and see where it goes from there,” Hamlin added.
To register for Hamlin’s class, visit: norfolklibrary.org/library-events
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