FIRST UP on GMW is an occasional column that highlights shorter announcements or updates, and helps you get a quick start to the Wilton news of the day. Have a news tip, item or something you know people are chatting about? Email us at editor@goodmorningwilton.com.
Minks to Sinks Returns This Week — Donations/Consignments begin Tuesday, Sale begins Saturday
The iconic Minks to Sinks tag sale is set to open its doors to bargain hunters from Saturday, May 4 to Sunday, May 6 at 395 Danbury Rd., promising a weekend filled with great deals and even greater community spirit. This event not only allows shoppers to find unique items at competitive prices but also supports Family & Children’s Agency’s crucial human services.
Donations and consignments are accepted beginning Tuesday, April 30.
More information about the sale and Family & Children’s Agency is available at minkstosinks.org and FamilyandChildrensAgency.org.
Donation and Consignment Schedule:
- Tuesday, April 30: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 1: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, May 2: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Donations only)
Sale Days:
- Saturday, May 4: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. — full day of shopping
- Sunday, May 5: 12-4 p.m. — bargain day, with everything half-off
- Monday, May 6: 9-11 a.m. — fill a bag for $10
Location: 395 Danbury Rd., at the corner of School Rd. and Rte. 7, near the Wilton High School tennis courts.
Wilton Land Conservation Trust Appoints New Stewardship Manager
The Wilton Land Trust has appointed Christian Malone as its newest Stewardship Programs Manager. With a passion for conservation and a wealth of experience in environmental stewardship, Malone brings invaluable expertise to the organization as it continues its mission of preserving and protecting Wilton’s natural landscapes, enriching the community, and educating people about nature.
Malone, a biologist, conservationist, and Connecticut resident, will oversee the Land Trust’s trail networks, maintain native plantings, and manage the organization’s high school internship program.
“I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to be able to share the same goal of connecting communities to nature,” he said, something the Trust continues to strive for. “I want to bring awareness to our woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and rolling hills, as they are what inspired my career in conservation,” Malone said.
Malone will utilize applied science, community outreach, and educational programs to expand the impacts of the Wilton Land Trust and empower environmental awareness and conservation.
Malone attended William Peace University where he graduated with a degree in Biology. During his time there he traveled to Costa Rica where he learned from local herpetologists, mammalogists, and ornithologists; participated in wildlife ecology projects; and planted white almond trees for the endangered Green Macaw.
After graduation, Malone worked for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as an assistant to Wildlife biologist Peter Picone. With his experience in ArcGIS, Malone intends to add a comprehensive and interactive database of maps to share with Wilton to better inform the public of the Trust’s native habitat restoration efforts.
Wilton Meadows Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Opens New Sensory Room
Wilton Meadows Rehabilitation and Health Care Center recently opened a new sensory room. Officials at the skilled nursing facility said in a press release that the room provides a safe space where patients with sensory processing needs can experience a variety of sensory inputs in a controlled environment, something that can help reduce anxiety and improve communication skills during treatment.
According to Mary Sourivanh, LPN, Clinical and Community Liaison at Wilton Meadows, the new sensory room is the latest addition to the health care facility and has provided a space with a “more behavior-specific approach to caring for residents with dementia and cognitive impairments.”
Through communicating with items that provide stimulation, residents are able to be more engaged with activities that they can participate in. Sourivanh said keeping the residents busy, with purpose, creates an environment where the residents are more awake and engage more.
The sensory room is designed to offer small person-centered groups that are personally tailored to address patient’s specific needs. According to Sourivanh this provides a better “quality of life for cognitively impaired residents who have trouble participating in large groups because of how overstimulating that can be.”
The room is equipped with a variety of sensory stimuli, such as lighting, sounds, textures, and scents, that can be adjusted to provide a calming or stimulating experience. Other special features include a giant bubble wall, aroma therapy, music therapy, and plenty of tactile elements.