<p>Norwalk, CT – In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is partnering with New York Blood Center (NYBC) to host a blood drive at its South Norwalk facility on Monday, January 27.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“<span style="color: rgb(8, 8, 9);">We seek to be more than a fun family attraction, and to do more than our conservation and education initiatives for the region; we seek to serve our community to meet their needs and deliver on important community services.</span>&nbsp;We’re proud to partner with New York Blood Center to provide a lifeline to our neighbors in need,”&nbsp;<strong>said Jason Patlis, President and CEO of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk</strong>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“National Blood Donor Month is an important reminder that the need for blood never takes a break. We are grateful to The Maritime Aquarium for hosting a blood drive at this critical time of year,”<strong>&nbsp;said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President at New York Blood Center.</strong>&nbsp;“January is always a difficult time for the&nbsp;blood supply&nbsp;as the post-holiday rush, seasonal illnesses like COVID, the flu,&nbsp;and RSV, school breaks, and inclement weather all contribute to making blood donations less of a priority.&nbsp;We encourage Connecticut residents to roll up their sleeves, bring a friend and start the new year off by giving the gift of life.”&nbsp;</p><p>The Maritime Aquarium is located at 10 North Water Street, Norwalk, Connecticut. New York Blood Center’s mobile clinic will be parked directly outside the front entrance with appointments available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;As a special thank you, blood donors will receive free admission to explore the Aquarium.&nbsp;</p><p>To reserve a time slot, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/326486" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">New York Blood Center’s website.</a>&nbsp;</p><p>For more information at The Maritime, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maritimeaquarium.org.%20/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">www.maritimeaquarium.org. </a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The American Red Cross is helping one&nbsp;family – two adults&nbsp;after a fire today&nbsp;on Dairy Farm Rd., Norwalk. The Red Cross provided assistance to meet the family's&nbsp;immediate needs.&nbsp;Responders included: Ginger Flynn, Mike Griffin and Kathy Wong.</p><p>The Red Cross also provided a recovery envelope containing information helpful to families recovering from a fire, including tips on cleanup; notification of important contacts; dealing with damaged items and more.&nbsp;The Red Cross is also providing comfort kits containing personal care items such as deodorant,&nbsp;toothbrushes, shaving supplies and other items a resident might need when suddenly displaced from their home by a fire.</p><p>Those affected will connect with Red Cross caseworkers in the coming days to work on a longer-term recovery plan. The Red Cross is able to provide assistance through the generosity of our donors and commitment of our volunteers.</p><p><br></p>

<p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is pleased to welcome a grey seal named Mikey.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Mikey is doing great exploring his new habitat! He is very inquisitive about his surroundings and is quickly becoming an excellent companion for our youngest harbor seal, Sono, as we had hoped,” said Senior Mammals Trainer Dylan Salamone.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mikey is the first grey seal to live in the Aquarium and will reside in Pinniped Cove with harbor seals Rasal, Leila, Feisty, Gracie, and Sono. Like harbor seals, greys seals can be found in Long Island Sound during the winter months when they migrate south in search of warmer waters. While both species can be found in Long Island Sound, there are distinct differences that will help guests tell them apart. A grey seal's most distinct characteristic is its long, curved nose. Grey seals are also larger than harbor seals. Once fully grown, they can weigh up to 880 pounds and measure up to 10 feet in length.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mikey was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago on Feb. 17, 2024. He may not be visible at all times as he adjusts to his new home. </span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

<h2><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Why Small Businesses&nbsp; Matter</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Shop small, do big things for your community</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community.</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Meet Richard Tavella, President, of </strong><a href="https://fairfieldcountyrestoration.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Fairfield County Restoration</strong></a>.</p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tell me about how Fairfield County Restoration started</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Richard Tavella, owner of Rick’s Main Roofing Ltd., realized the benefit of providing the same reliable management team to coordinate and perform other home improvement projects. As a result, he established Fairfield County Restoration in 1995 as an affiliate to Rick’s Main Roofing. Customers can enjoy the ease and satisfaction of receiving the same quality workmanship for all their carpentry, masonry, and painting needs while dealing with the same trusted office.</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What Is Your Best-Selling Service?</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Fairfield County Restoration provides services for residential and commercial properties, including interior and exterior remodeling and restoration projects. Our company is experienced in:</span></p><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Kitchen &amp; bath design/build</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Carpentry</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Masonry</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Painting</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Decks</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Vinyl &amp; wood siding</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Windows and doors</span></li></ul><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We welcome projects and repairs of any size. Our goal is to meet, if not exceed, our customer’s expectations.</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">How Many Local Businesses Do You Support (Products and Services)?</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">At Fairfield County Restoration, we use only the highest quality construction materials from the top manufacturers in the country, such as Andersen Windows &amp; Doors, CertainTeed Siding, and high-grade lumber. We purchase our materials primarily from local distributors, including:</span></p><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">New Castle Building Products</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Lansing Building Products</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">Ring's End</span></li></ul><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Fairfield County Restoration is located at 15 Strawberry Hill Avenue in Norwalk.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Questions? Call 203-838-8798. Visit Fairfield County Restoration’s website </span><a href="https://fairfieldcountyrestoration.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://fairfieldcountyrestoration.com/</a></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">HamletHub thanks</strong><a href="http://www.jkinfordbeautygroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong> </strong></a><a href="https://www.fairfieldcountybank.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Fairfield County Bank </strong></a><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!</strong></p>

<h2><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">The </span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Oklahoma! Concert Version</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> comes to Norwalk on Saturday, February 8th&nbsp;at 7:30 pm and Sunday, February 9th at 2:00 pm.</span></h2><p><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);">Norwalk, CT – The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is proud to join forces with New Paradigm Theatre Company for an extraordinary co-production of the classic musical </span><strong style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);">Oklahoma!</strong><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);"> Join us for this captivating performance led by the talented Norwalk Symphony Musical Director Jonathan Yates and visionary New Paradigm Theatre Stage Director Kristin Huffman.&nbsp;From “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” to “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” and “People Will Say We’re in Love” the hits just keep coming! </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);">Our stellar cast includes </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Aaron Young</span><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);"> as the charming Curly, Heidi Giberson as the spirited Laurey, </span><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21); background-color: transparent;">Mia Gentile</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> as the delightful Ado Annie, Lukas James Miller as the devoted Will Parker, Kyle Gonyea</span><span style="color: rgb(21, 21, 21);"> as the brooding Jud Fry, Gwendolyn Jones as the wise Aunt Eller and Vincent McCoy as the entertaining Ali Hakim. </span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Student and adult actors with New Paradigm Theatre round out the cast. </span></p><p>For more information visit our website at <a href="https://www.norwalksymphony.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.norwalksymphony.org/</a></p>

<p>If you're passionate about food, customer service, and making a difference in the community, Wegmans Food Markets invites you to an open interview hiring event for its upcoming Norwalk, Connecticut location. Scheduled to open in summer 2025, the Norwalk store is looking to fill over 200 part- and full-time positions.</p><p><strong>Event Details</strong></p><p><strong>Date:</strong> Wednesday, January 15, 2025</p><p><strong>Time:</strong> 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.</p><p><strong>Location:</strong> Wegmans Norwalk Hiring Office</p><p>40 Richards Ave., Suite 220, Norwalk, CT 06854</p><p>Available roles include customer service positions in merchandising, service, culinary, and perishable departments, as well as entry-level management roles. Applicants must be 18 or older. After completing an application, attendees will receive an on-the-spot interview. Candidates are encouraged to apply online in advance <a href="https://jobs.wegmans.com/en/norwalk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://jobs.wegmans.com/en/norwalk</a>.</p><p>Emily Gee, the Norwalk Store Manager, emphasized Wegmans' commitment to excellence:</p><p>“We’re looking for applicants who have a passion for food and are eager to make a difference for our customers and the community. The ideal candidate also shares our core values of respect, caring, and high standards. If you match these criteria, we can teach you all the other skills you need to thrive in our company.”</p><p><strong>Additional Hiring Opportunities</strong></p><p>Starting immediately, Wegmans will hold "Walk-in Wednesdays" every week through February 26, offering same-day interviews from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Paid training for all roles begins at Wegmans' Harrison, New York location, ensuring employees are prepared for the store's opening. Hiring for additional part-time roles, such as cashiers, will commence later this year.</p><p><strong>Why Work at Wegmans?</strong></p><p>Wegmans Norwalk, a 92,000-square-foot supermarket at 675 Connecticut Avenue, is set to employ approximately 500 team members, most of whom will be hired locally. The company is celebrated for its:</p><ul><li><strong>Competitive Pay</strong>: Hourly employees receive premium pay on Sundays and holidays.</li><li><strong>Robust Benefits</strong>: Flexible schedules, leading healthcare coverage, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with a 6% company match.</li><li><strong>Career Development</strong>: On-the-job training, an employee scholarship program, and opportunities for advancement, with Wegmans promoting from within.</li><li><strong>Recognition</strong>: Consistently ranked on FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for 27 years, including a 6th-place finish in 2024, and recognized as a Best Workplace for Parents, Retail, and Caring Companies.</li></ul><p>Don’t miss the chance to join this award-winning employer and be part of a team committed to excellence. For more information, call the Wegmans Norwalk Hiring Office at 203-299-3333.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>