The Community Connections Centers

ALERT: Extreme Hot Weather Protocol Monday 7/28 at 12:00 P.M. Through Wednesday 7/30 at 8:00 P.M.
Cooling Centers Are Open Across the State and Can Be Located by Calling 2-1-1

Lyman Orchards in Middlefield is kicking off its 19th annual Sunflower Maze on Saturday, August 2, 2025, with a family-friendly celebration from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Visitors of all ages can explore Connecticut’s original Sunflower Maze, designed with over 350,000 blooming sunflowers in brilliant yellow, red, and orange hues.

This year’s maze theme features beloved Sesame Street characters, including Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster, nestled throughout the pathways. The festive day begins with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 9:00 am at the maze, located at 105 South Street in Middlefield.

Proceeds from the maze support Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders, with $1 from each admission donated to the cause. Additional festivities will be held at the Apple Barrel Farm Market, located at 32 Reeds Gap Road, including food, treats, and more seasonal fun.

The Sunflower Maze will remain open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm through Sunday, August 24, 2025. Visit lymanorchards.com for updates on additional activities and ticket details.

For more information, call 860-349-6000. Please note: Lyman Orchards is a pet-free property. Service animals are welcome.
https://lymanorchards.com/event/sunflower-maze-opening-day-2025/

Boys & Girls Club Ice Cream Run Race 5K
August 3, 2025
For more information and registration : https://runsignup.com/Race/CT/Milford/boysandgirlsclubofmilfordicecream5k


ADULT RACE
Start Time: 8:30am
End Time: 12:00pm
Price: $38.10 incl. $3.10 Fee
Registration: ends August 1, 2025 at 2:00pm


KIDS RACE
All children under 10 are welcome to participate
Kids Race Starts at 8am
There is No Fee or Registration for the kids race.
We will begin to gather the kids around 7:45am and the race starts at 8am
The kids will run down Broadway and turnaround finishing where they started
All participants will receive a small medal

Milford’s Youth & Family Services 2025 Back to School Backpack Program. The Deadline is extended to August 1st. Click on the photo for the QR code to apply.
If you have any questions email : DMills@milfordct.gov or call 203-783-3253.

NEW!! Milford Recreation
Family Open Swim
For Milford families to enjoy a safe, fun, and refreshing way to connect!
Every Sunday in July and August from 11:00AM - 1:00PM at the McCann Natatorium.
$10 per family per swim 🏊
Pre-registration is required by the night before! https://milfordct.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29958

Summer 's party at the Park -Taylor"s Trail Saturday July 19, 2025 Southport Park , 170 Old Post Rd, Southport , CT. The Sasquanaug Conservatory will open a new pet friendly hiking trail! Join them for music & ice cream for people & dogs!

Virtual Camp Starts Monday, July 7, 2025!
SPARKLER
Each week: Learn about a new theme related to the heart — from feelings to calming down — from the host of Sparkler’s Little Kids, Big Hearts podcast, play off-screen using special play prompts for parents/caregivers and children inspired by the theme of the week, sing/dance along to an original song on the theme.
How to Camp @ Camp Sparkler
Already have the Sparkler app? You’re ready! Just wait for Opening Day, July 7, 2024. Camp Sparkler will appear in your app!

New to Sparkler? If you’re new to Sparkler, download Sparkler’s mobile app: Google Play Store/Apple App Store. Registration Code is MFRC
ZOOM link: https://uconn-edu.zoom.us/j/91611553522?pwd=gkob4I7OYaNjYAdt4ODHhLILvmYXkF.1#success Camp Schedule Week 1: July 7-13 — We Belong Week 2: July 14-20 — Let’s Work Together! Week 3: July 21-27 — Calming Down Week 4: July 28-Aug 3 — Feeling Grateful Week 5: Aug 4-10 — Let’s Imagine! Week 6: Aug 11-17 — Helping Others Week 7: Aug 18-24 — We Feel Week 8: Aug 25-31 — Hopes and Dreams

Milford Youth & Family Services Back to School Backpack Program . Register by July 7, 2025. Must be a Milford Student entering K-12. Due to limited supply, registration will close early if our cap is reached prior to the deadline.

To register please email Dmills@milfordct.gov or call 203-783-3253 with the following information:

Youth’s full name
Parent’s full name
Phone number
Email
Current Address
School attending in the Fall
Grade entering
Gender

Yale Center for British Art Saturday, June 28, 2025, 2–4 pm ET Docent Room- FREE A drop-in art-making workshop for families with children of all ages and abilities. Join our museum educators to discover the world of wild animals in art and make your own beasts in paper collage. All materials are provided for free. Registration is not required. About the “Make Time!” series Make time to connect and create together during this drop-in program. Hands-on activities led and designed by YCBA educators encourage you to playfully explore artworks in the galleries and through your own creativity. https://britishart.yale.edu/exhibitions-programs/make-time-wild-animals-art Child assembling architectural model at YCBA Community Day, January 2023, photo by Harold Shapiro.

Along with thousands of participating Blue Star Museums across the country, Stepping Stones is proud to offer FREE admission* for active-duty military members and their families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. And that's not all! Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our community through our Open Arms accessibility initiative, we can proudly extend this free admission benefit to military families year-round. *Must present a valid military ID upon entry. Visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums for eligibility requirements.

cARTie Community Pop Up ! Saturday, June 28, 2025 11:00 am - 4:00 pm Connecticut Museum of Culture and History 1 Elizabeth St, Hartford, CT 06105 https://www.cartie.org/event/cartie-pop-up-jun-28

The Beth-El Center in Milford, CT, will be open as a cooling center at 90 New Haven Avenue, from 8 am to 6 pm daily, as needed, according to their Facebook page. This is in response to the current heat wave and excessive heat watch for Connecticut. The center will provide a place for people to cool down and find relief from the heat, according to the HamletHub news site . Here's a more detailed breakdown: Milford Library: 57 New Haven Avenue, open during normal business hours. Beth-El Shelter: 90 New Haven Avenue, open during the day, including the Community Kitchen, until the end of dinner service (around 6 or 7 pm). Milford Senior Center: 9 Jepson Drive, open during its regular hours. To find the most up-to-date information, including specific hours and any changes, residents should: Call 2-1-1, Visit 211ct.org, and Check the Milford City Hall Facebook page for announcements.

It’s a sensory-friendly, musically immersive experience—a vibrant space to dance, create music, and connect with others. We’re counting down to the next Especially Everyone Experience, happening Sunday, June 22 at Park City Music Hall in Bridgeport, CT — and we want YOU there! This is more than just a concert. It’s an immersive, inclusive event designed with care for people of all abilities — shaped by real-life experiences and a deep understanding of how we all connect differently through music 🎟 Tickets are available now — grab yours today and be a part of something meaningful. 👉 Get Tickets

Kick off the summer at Stepping Stones Museum for Children with a FREE day of play! We’re proud to once again partner with the Connecticut Office of Tourism to celebrate the unique attractions that make our state so special. To mark Connecticut Open House Day 2025, Stepping Stones is thrilled to offer free admission all day long! Stop by on Saturday, June 14 to experience the play-based learning and kid-powered fun that make every visit to our award-winning museum unforgettable—no cost, just play! Then, keep the adventure going by exploring even more of Connecticut’s incredible attractions. https://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/experience/events#ct-open-house-day

The Community Connections would like to honor and congratulate our parent graduates! Over the course of 8 weeks we connected and bonded over Circle of Security Parenting, a wonderful international program backed up with 60 years of research. Thank you for your valuable time with us and the shared learning experience! New groups will be offered in the Fall! -Mary-Kate and Cara

Every year, from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day, the National Endowment for the Arts provides free admission to active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves, and their families. On average, more than 2,000 museums participate, including nature centers, zoos, and children's museums. Check out their website for museums in Connecticut! https://bluestarfam.org/family-life/blue-star-museums/

Housatonic River Job Network An open group that meets twice a month, dedicated to those underemployed or in transition. The primary goal – to deliver practical information for all local job seekers! Next meeting: Thursday – May 22nd, 2025 @ 6:30 pm Guest Speaker: Tina Kadish – Owner, From Job to Joy; Business Coach/Life Coach/Speaker/Author Topics: “Constructing A Solid Job Search Game Plan” & “The Best Strategies to Prepare for a Job Interview” Tina began her career as a trainer…then moved into the Corporate space as a progressive training and development professional, specializing in talent acquisition. Throughout her 13-year career as a recruiter, she had the opportunity to fill positions on a day in, day out basis. This gave her a great perspective into how companies filled their open positions, & also what the best candidates did in order to succeed. Tina believes all job seekers should have a solid strategy in place…throughout the entire process. The 1st part of Tina’s presentation will cover all the important aspects that job seekers need to include in their job search plan. The 2nd half of Tina’s talk…will concentrate on mastering all facets of a job interview, touching on all of the current formats that are used today. This will cover it all - ranging from initial phone screens, & virtual meetings, all the way up to in-person interviews! Tina will discuss how to prepare, basic do’s & don’ts, what recruiters & companies are looking for from interviewees…& how to follow up after an interview the right way to maximize success! Tina offers personalized one-on-one coaching sessions, group coaching programs, and seminars that will enable you to gain freedom in your life. Make sure to stop by for some great job search advice – from one of the top experts in Connecticut. LOCATION – Margaret Egan Community Center ADDRESS – 35 Matthew Street; Milford, CT Questions? E-mail alexy56@hotmail.com for further information.

Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month! Join Alliance for Prevention and Wellness and Milford Health Department for FREE QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer)/Suicide Prevention Training. Learn to question, persuade and refer someone who may be suicidal common causes of suicidal behavior and how to get help for someone in crisis Walk in OR Register here https://pickatime.com/client?v... Questions: Contact Jenn Clarke-Lofters, Community Health Coordinator- 203-701-4524

District Summer School Enrichment Letter: The Milford Public Schools is excited to offer a summer enrichment experience for elementary school learners. Use this link to access the program : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gba-WZiUqA_5b3Sl4Wrhv530CbKMlSBi/view