"Dirt Makes My Lunch" teaches 4- and 5-year-old children about the importance of the very ground they walk on. Soil has an intricate composition, which they learn about by getting "down in the dirt" and handling worms, leaves, nests, pine needles, and many of the other things that decompose in order to make soil. Roaring Brook Nature Center, where the class is held, has been education children and other visitors about nature since 1948.

River City Art Center is in the midst of an animal-themed art camp this week. Tuesday, kids worked on making abstract animals with pencil and marker. Kate McAllister has participated as an instructor at past art camps but this is her first summer offering programs as a studio owner. "It has been a blast," she said. Campers can opt to come in the morning, afternoon or full-day. Camps carry a different theme each week and run through the week of Aug. 22. Most still have openings. For a list of camps log on to http://www.rivercityartcenter.com/. To check exact availability, contact McAllister at…

The Downright Music Band, whose memebrs work at Downright Music in Collinsville, put on a free concert at Mill Pond Park. Dozens of people attended the event, setting themselves up on the lush green fields at Mill Pond Park. In addition to their orignial work, the band covered music by Bob Marley and Otis Redding. There was also a cookout, where hotdogs and hamburgers were sold by the Lions Club, which is raising money to help make improvements to the pool house at the park.  Upcoming concerts include: Thursday, July 14- Grass Routes Bluegrass Thursday, July 21 - The Bossy Frog Band…

The Valley Chapter of Business Network International held a benefit walk Saturday to aid victims of recent tornadoes. Participants met at the Canton Historical Museum, and walked on the Farmington River Greenway.  Each participant made a donation and all proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross. The amount raised was not immediately available. 

High School students and local seniors held their annual prom Thursday afternoon and enjoyed refreshments, some dancing and live music from the Canton High School Jazz Ensemble and other bands.  The event, held at the senior center portion of the Community Center, was coordinated by three groups at the school - Canton Adolescents Taking Action, the National Honor Society and the high school music department.   

Over 25 hikers turned out for the Canton Land Conservation Trust sponsored hike in Winsor Woods Sunday afternoon. The event was part of Connecticut Trails Day, coordinated by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. More than 190 hikes and other events were held throughout the state Saturday and Sunday. In 1959, three young architects (Chris Winsor being one of them) bought 30 acres and built three houses and shared a 16-acre parcel of woods off of Route 309. Over the years, red and white oak was harvested where it was brought to New Jersey and shipped overseas. On the boat, the wood was …

The Student Council at Canton High School sponsored In-Service Day Workshops Friday, May 20. Numerous business professionals, volunteers, artists and sports enthusiasts shared tips and more with students. Offerings ranged from cartooning with Matt Ryan and Steve Kanaras to kayaking with Collinsville Canoe and Kayaking to Hip Hop dancing with Shelley Penzes of A Dancer’s Palette.  The Canton Volunteer Fire and EMS Department was one of the larger groups represented at the event with three stations and some 20 volunteers, who taught students about fire hose advancement, wilderness rescue and …

For more than 15 years now, Cherry Brook Primary School has hosted an annual May Dance. Friday, two sessions of the event were held. While the first was inside, the sun had come out in time for the afternoon session.  In addition to the traditional wrapping of the maypole, classes perform various dances and sing a few songs for parents as well.

Students and parents got the chance to test and improve their driving skills at a Safe Teen Driving Event at Canton High School Saturday.  The event was sponsored by Community of Concern and the police department and funded by the Canton Community Health Fund.  The Automobile Association of America brought a Skid Monster, which offers a similar feel to driving on ice and helps teens learn better control techniques. The Simsbury police provide a SIDNE (Simulated Intoxication Driving Experience) car.   The convincer, which simulates crashes and reiterates the need for seat belts was provided by…

Collinsville Canoe and Kayak’s 21st annual demo weekend will continue Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.  The event began Saturday and includes seminars and demonstrations on topics such as kayak fishing, canoe strokes, how rivers flow, stand-up paddle boarding, and much more. Canoe, kayak and stand-up paddle boarding manufacturers also display many models that people can test drive. For a $5 fee, which benefits SUP The Coast — a paddle fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior project and an organization that helps cleanup the oceans — participants can try various craft. Non-…

Earlier this week, the police department delivered food collected at several area banks and other locations to the Canton Food Bank in the basement of Trinity Episcopal Church.  The bed of a police pick-up was full with items collected at Collinsville Savings Society, Union Savings Bank, Bank of America and ShopRite of Canton. Webster Bank is also planning to begin collections.  Food bank director Peg Pinton said she was appreciative of the “tremendous generosity.”  “With the ever-increasing numbers that come to the food bank, it will be used,” she said.  She said on average about 40 to 45 …

Tucker, a 7-year-old Springer Spaniel, and his owner Paula Montes visited the Canton Public Library Wednesday as part of a special “Martha Speaks” storytime. Kids heard selections from the series of books, written by Susan Meddaugh, viewed clips from the popular PBS show and visited with Tucker, a dog who is trained to work with groups of children and who listens to stories along with his human friends.  In the series, the beloved family dog Martha is fed alphabet soup, which instead of going to her stomach goes to her brain.  As a result, she can talk, and talk, and talk.

Between renters, Sara Shea has turned her Valley House residence, at 130 Main St., 1B, into a temporary art gallery.  At a recent open house, Shea, Corey Lynn Tucker and Chris O’Herron showcased their artwork and raised funds for relief efforts in Japan.  The exhibit runs through April 24, from noon to 7 p.m. daily. So far, the show has raised $200 for the Red Cross and for $5 people can still enter the art raffle and all proceeds will benefit the organization, Shea said. This weekend Shea will also be giving away a pair of tickets for a Bridge Street Live concert.  O’Herron has been painting…

Canton Middle School teachers and students took to the basketball court for their yearly match Thursday, March 31. The game was close and the competition was fierce.  Students took the win with a score of 51 - 50. Emma Skinner was noted with the winning shot during her last-second foul shot. The game raises funds for the school’s Parent Teacher Organization and this year netted approximately $400. 

Wednesday's Game Night at the Canton Primary school was a wonderful evening by all accounts.  "I love this event, it is great to watch different kids interact with each other,” Principal Andy Robbin said.  Robbin said the event is always fun for everyone but is also a night to give back to the parents and children.  Dawn McCarthy was the primary organizer for this event and arranges the evening with Sara Scott of The Perfect Toy in Avon. Scott said the event is in its fourth year. "I love watching kids teaching kids,” she said.  The evening was the largest in four years, with close to 75 …

Canton High School has approximately 270 students participating in the vocal and instrumental music program at school and through the long distance learning program. "Music involvement by more than 50 percent of our student body far surpasses anyone else in the Farmington Valley," says Department Chairman Tom Scavone, who was just honored as a Yale Distinguished Music Educator. According to Scavone, seniors in the class of 2009 received more than $10,000 in scholarships from colleges wanting them to participate in extra-curricular music ensembles, pep band, or a minor or major in music. …

Canton High School junior Jillian Goeler has been acting in plays since the age of 6, but this is the first year she has taken a lead role. She plays the narrator in the musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which also happens to be the first show she saw as a child of 5. “I’ve known this play my whole life,” she says. “We had the CD and the song book. I pretty much know the whole show.” Jillian says the fact that the entire show is sung makes it both enjoyable and challenging and she’s glad the narrator’s role is split between three actors. She acted in a production of Les…

“The Crown” and “The Pit” may be dramatically different but both have strong ties to the people and history of Collinsville.  And now, they share a gracious open mic host in Jo Szymanski.  Each Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., the Burlington singer-songwriter opens the floor at The Fireplace Cafe.  Thursdays the show moves to the Crown and Hammer Restaurant and Pub from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.  While there is an extremely popular open mic at LaSalle Market Friday nights, there are more than enough musicians interested in all the venues, especially in Collinsville, Szymanski said. In fact, …

On Saturday, the Avon-Canton Rotary Club held a Taste of the Farmington Valley Tropical Luau to raise money for the organization’s charity initiatives. Various wine & cheese tastings were available at the event, courtesy of local bars & restaurants. The rotary club has raised about $11,000 from the event and $3,000 from the silent auction alone, which featured 35 items, including a week at Jackson Gore Inn in Ludlow, Vermont.

Two renowned guitarists returned to town last weekend to add their talents to local shows at LaTrattoria  on Route 44 and the Crown and Hammer in Collinsville.  On Friday night, guitarist Steve Jones rejoined his Swing 39 bandmates. Jones now resides in his home state of Michigan but lived in Collinsville for many years. He will sit in again with Swing 39 at LaTrattoria in Canton from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday. The band  includes Bill Lezotte of Farmington on guitar and Donn Doucette of Bristol on upright bass and plays at LaTrattoria every Friday.  Saturday night, Jeff Pevar, a former Simsbury …