Wine Tasting at the Governor's Residence - June 15, 2010
What a perfect way to spend a lovely June evening. Over 100 CWC members and their guests spent a few hours tasting wines, catching up with friends and enjoying the elegant surroundings of the first floor of the Governor's Residence. It was such a delight to sit on the patio and take in the beautiful grounds that surrond the Residence, which has been the home for Connecticut governors since 1943 . This is an event I am sure our members will want us to do again!
State of the Art Media Technology: A Tour of NBC Connecticut Studios - May 18, 2010
What an event! CWC members and their guests were given an all access tour of the studios during a live broadcast of the evening news. It was fascinating to watch how it all comes together - the live feeds, the taped segments, and the guests in the studio. Our tour took us into the control room and throughout the building. During the reception, we were thrilled to have anchors Gerry Brooks and Keisha Grant and meteoroligist Brad Field join us.
2nd Annual Tax Refund Lunch - April 16, 2010
The Member Relations Committee put together another fun, relaxing and delicious lunch at Carbone's Ristorante in Hartford. This "no program" program gave members the opportunity to catch up with each other, meet some of the newer members, and get a little competitive with a brief quiz about our state.
The Hidden Treasures of the Connecticut Historical Society - March 11, 2010
Our visit to the Connecticut Historical Society began with Executive Director Kate Steinway giving our members and their guests an overview of the mission of CHS and and an idea of the many treasures they hold. Following her brief talk, they were taken in smaller groups for a behind the scenes tour of the painting, textile, manuscript and storage area that is not open to the public and were shown some of the most treasured articfacts. They also toured the library and some of the current exhibits. The evening ended with a reception catered by Cafe Louise.
The Artistry of Cake Decoration: Watch & Learn - February 9, 2010
It was another fun evening thanks to the creative programming ideas of the Member Relations Committee. This was an event with a little bit of everything - the members learned some basic cake decoration techniques, they heard about what effect popular shows like "Ace of Cakes" and "Cake Boss" has had on the food industry and they tried some delicious appetizers and cake. Now that is the way to end a busy work day!
Capitol Happenings: Regionalism in Connecticut - January 27, 2010
Our first program of the year brought us to the State Capitol for our annual Capitol Happenings program. This year the focus was on regionalism, and our excellent panel of state legislators and local officials discussed some of the pros (lower costs, shared responsibility) and cons (loss of local control). This year our featured panelists were State Representative Brendan Sharkey, State Senator Len Fasano and First Selectwoman Mary Glassman. Many thanks to CWC member Diane Smith who served as moderator.
Over 60 of our members and guests enjoyed the lively debate and peppered the panel with many questions. Following the program, CWC members enjoyed catching up with each other and tasting some delightful offerings from Chatterley's.
Holiday Gathering & Annual Meeting - December 8, 2009
This year's event was held at The Town & County Club in Hartford, a club founded in 1925 to advance the interests of women. CWC members and their guests enjoyed the elegant surroundings and hearing more about the club from some of the members. During the annual meeting portion of the event, three new board members were elected - Sandra Johnson, Gayle Russell, and Barbara Taylor. On behalf of the entire board, President Sheila Moses thanked those board members whose terms were ending - Anne Elvgren, Anne Noble and Barbara Wagner.
Getting to Know Members, Getting to Know....The Claypen - November 17, 2009
At this members only event, the creative juices were flowing for the two dozen members who came to The Claypen, a "paint your own" pottery studio in West Hartford Center. While putting their own special touches on mugs and other ceramic items, members enjoyed catching up with each other.
Do You Know About....COMMON GROUND - A Program to Introduce CWC Members to Interesting Projects and Cultural Activities in Our Community - October 28, 2009
CWC members and their guests were introduced to Common Ground, an international leader in the development of solutions to homelessness. Founded by MacArthur Fellow Rosanne Haggerty in 1990, Common Ground is a pioneer in the development of supportive housing and other research-based practices that end homelessness. The group toured Common Ground's first project in Hartford, The Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Foundation Center, a 70 unit mixed-income apartment building and the first LEED certified "green" mulit-family residence in Connecticut. Following the tour, Ms. Haggerty and members of her executive team spoke to our group about the program in Hartford and their other programs in Connecticut.
2009 Women in Leadership Series - Recognizing Leaders and Building Leadership: On the Court and in the Board Room - September 14, 2009
This annual event was attended by 175 CWC members and their guests. This year's speaker was Chris Dailey, Associate Women's Basketball Coach at the University of Connecticut. Her talk focused on how to develop talent and how to help talent reach their potential and to be a cohesive unit. Of course, she also delighted the crowd with a few stories about the team and Geno Auriemma!
Exceptional Women Tour - Cedar Hill Cemetery - June 4, 2009
Established in 1864 and listed on the National Register of Historical Places, Cedar Hill Cemetery was one of the first rural cemeteries developed in the United States. When the cemetery was first built, the Colt Family Plot was located at the highest point of the cemetery, and this is where the tour began. Among the "Exceptional Women" spoken about was Elizabeth Colt, Virginia Thrall Smith, Isabella Beecher Hooker and Katharine Hepburn. CWC members also toured the burial sites of a few notable men and viewed some of the more intricate and ornate monuments that can be found in the older sections of this 270 acre cemetery. Following the tour, the group gathered for a delicious reception and enjoyed our beautiful surroundings.
Tax Refund Lunch at Carbone’s Ristorante – April 17, 2009
What a way to relax after April 15th! Forty-five CWC members enjoyed one of the first beautiful days of Spring with a delicious lunch prepared by the culinary experts at Carbone’s. This lunch, organized by the Member Relations Committee, served as a “thank you” to our members.
Capitol Happenings – March 3, 2009
Over 75 CWC members and their guests came to Capitol Happenings, one of CWC’s annual programs. This year our featured speakers were State Senator Eileen Daly, Deputy President Pro Tem; State Representative Denise Merrill, Majority Leader; and M. Lisa Moody, Chief of Staff to Governor M. Jodi Rell. Associated Press reporter Susan Haigh served as our moderator. The conversation centered on the economy and how the state was trying to handle the fiscal crisis. This was a wonderful opportunity for our members to interact with our legislative leaders and get their questions answered. The event was held in the Old Judiciary Room in the State Capitol.
Holiday Gathering & Annual Meeting – December 11, 2008
Despite the pouring rain outside, over 75 CWC members and their guests began their holiday celebrations at the Great Room in Hartford 21. Members and their guests were treated to tours of the one and two bedroom apartments in Hartford 21. During the Annual Meeting, members elected three new members to the Board of Directors– Lisa Casey, Caren Kittredge and Brenda Larkin. In the spirit of the season, we collected donations for My Sisters’ Place, a safe haven for women and children who become homeless due to domestic violence, eviction, unemployment or mental illness. Kate Conway, a CWC member and former chair of the board for My Sisters’ Place spoke about the valuable programs that My Sisters’ Place runs and really gave our guests an understanding of how much this organization does.
2008 Women in Leadership Series - Reflections: Covering the Highest Court in the Land – October 14, 2008
Over 180 CWC members and their guests attended this annual CWC event, held at the Hartford Marriott. This year’s speaker was Linda Greenhouse, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for almost 30 years. Ms. Greenhouse’s spoke about some of the recent court decisions and about the justices themselves.
Discover Downtown – September 18, 2008
Do you think you know downtown Hartford? For the members who participated in this event, they certainly do! CWC members arrived at Hot Tomato’s and were placed on teams. They were given eight clues to help them find locations downtown, and they set off to figure out as many of them as they could in an hour. This event quickly turned into a friendly competition! Once everyone was back at Hot Tomato’s they enjoyed a delicious reception and a few good laughs about their adventures.
Olympic Fever…Catch It! An Excusive Tour of the ESPN Studios – July 23, 2008
Over 30 members took advantage of this exciting tour of the ESPN studios in Bristol. The evening began with coordinating producer Mike Leber talking to the group about ESPN’s coverage of the Olympics. Then it was time for the hour long tour of the studios. The tour guides were employees who have worked at ESPN for many years in many capacities, so there was no question that they could not answer! The evening ended with a lovely reception provided by our hosts.