SALISBURY — Live music, lobster rolls, face painting and a mix of local nonprofit organizations filled Academy Street in downtown Salisbury on Saturday, Aug. 8, for the fifth annual street fair hosted by The Lakeville Journal.
The decision to highlight nonprofit organizations is one that Lakeville Journal Publisher James Clark feels strongly about.
“Part of what makes this region so special is the number of people who give so freely of their time and resources,” Clark said. “As a nonprofit ourselves, we know that work isn’t always visible, and the Street Fair gives us a chance to celebrate the work these organizations are doing and the people behind them.”
Audrey Cole of the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging (WCAAA) was on site with information on the often-bewildering subject of Medicare.
Cole, who lives in Sharon, said the WCAAA is a nonprofit serving 41 towns in Western Connecticut with Medicare counseling, Alzheimer’s care, caregiver support , meals, transportation, chore assistance and more.
Medicare is always a hot topic, she said, in part because figuring out which program to choose — and when to sign up — can be difficult.
“There are lots of deadlines, lots of programs,” she said.
The advantage in asking WCAAA for help, Cole said, is its independence.
“We work for the taxpayers. We don’t steer anyone in any direction.”
In the parking lot of Johnnycake Books, Linda Ciano, director of community engagement for Project SAGE, greeted visitors beneath a large tent.
The Lakeville-based nonprofit domestic violence prevention agency has two fundraisers currently underway.
“The Bling’s the Thing” offers jewelry donated by supporters at bargain prices, while a five-dollar bill gets shoppers an extra sturdy, large blue Project SAGE tote bag.
Project SAGE is also sponsoring a community art project and inviting anyone to participate — no artistic skills required. The results will be displayed at an event at the Scoville Memorial Library on Sunday, Sept. 13.
At the Salisbury Association, Lou Bucceri discussed a range of local history, from Salisbury’s iron industry and the role of its cannons in the American Revolution to the Holley knife collection and Ethan Allen’s insistence on being inoculated against smallpox by his friend Dr. Thomas Young of Amenia Union.
The idea of deliberately injecting a healthy person with a small amount of a disease was very new and, to many, seemed unwise if not downright evil. Allen got his smallpox inoculation on the steps on the Congregational Church on a Sunday, for maximum publicity.
“And he was hauled into court ona charge of blasphemy,” Bucceri said.
Allen subsequently beat the charge.
During the fair, musician and educator Danny Tieger set the tone in front of a crowd of youngsters eager to hear live music. He asked them to brainstorm about what kind of animal they’d like to hear a song about.
The children came up with a combination of a lion, a bird and an alligator.
Tieger immediately launched into a song, made up on the spot.
“What’s our alligator-bird-lion’s name?” he asked.
“Chomps,” said a little boy.
“Chomps it is,” Tieger replied.
Around 1 p.m. John Keilty of Litchfield took over the live music duties. He set up a Bo Diddley beat on one note, turning it into a repeating motif recorded electronically. He then soloed over it, soaring off in unexpected directions before bringing it back to the riff.
Keilty’s primary job is running a guitar repair business. He plays in a couple of bands, including Shake the Dust out of Litchfield.
Participating Nonprofit Organizations
21st Century Fund for HVRHS
Berkshire Taconic
Community Foundation
Community Health & Wellness
Congregational Church of Salisbury, UCC
Crescendo
East Mountain House
Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut
Housatonic Child Care Center
Noble Horizons
Northwell Health
Project SAGE
Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission
Salisbury Forum
Salisbury Housing Committee
Salisbury Housing Trust
The Corner Food Pantry
The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News
The Salisbury Association
The
Western CT Area Agency on Aging
Aly Morrissey
Children show off their balloon unicorns.
