First annual Bristol Boys & Girls Club gala draws big crowd

The Bristol Boys & Girls Club “Paint the Future Gala” was held Saturday evening at the Aqua Turf in Southington, drawing a large crowd and celebrating its own youths of the year, long-time club members and one of the leaders of this year’s Bristol Central High School state championship basketball team and speakers with their own inspirational messages.

For two successive years, 2020 and 2021, the national Boys & Girls Club youths of the year have come from Bristol. Josias Reynolds (2020) and Brianne Parker (2021), along with this year’s Bristol Boys & Girls Club winner Gabriella Vincente each presented short speeches recounting their introductions to and support from the Bristol club.

Reynolds discussed autism and finding his calling as a teacher in several of the club’s programs, Parker recounted overcoming obstacles from being born into a family affected by drug use and the loss of both parents early on and Vincente shared her struggles and victory overcoming a learning disability.

BCHS’s basketball star Donovan Clingan had his BB&GC jersey retired in a ceremony led by BB&GC CEO Tamara Carlson that included Bristol native and ESPN NBA commentator Adrain “Woj” Wojnarowski and former Providence College star and NBA player Ryan Gomes.

Jay Harris, ESPN anchor, was keynote speaker. He shared an inspirational message based on stories from his youth in North Carolina, centered on just what “woke” refers to, and drawing on his admiration for attorney Bryan Stevenson and his work as Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization in Montgomery, Ala.

At one point in the festivities, kids from the club who were in attendance and who had received basketballs signed by Clingan took over the dance floor with a demonstration of their dribbling skills.

Pride Day celebrations continue into the new week

The Bristol Blues will hold their second annual Pride Night celebration at Muzzy Field, June 14. Gates open at 5 p.m. This coming Saturday, June 18, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, on Stafford Avenue will host a PRIDE 4 ALL from 7 to 9 p.m. (This later event was incorrectly reported in last week’s Bits and Pieces.)

This past weekend “Cher” the waffles was held at Main Street Pint and Plate, brunch event featuring drag performers with live singing. Earlier Bristol Health held a Pride Month rainbow flag raising with a program that included story sharing.

Latest COVID numbers trend downward

COVID-19 stats from the Connecticut COVID Data Tracker for the week ending June 6, show an slight decrease in cases as well as the rate per 100,000 cases.

In Bristol, the number of cases has dropped to 120 from 151 and the rate from 35.6 to 23.8.

In Hartford County the community level is Medium. The CDC recommends that people at high risk for severe illness, talk to their healthcare provider about whether to need to wear a mask and take other precautions. In addition, the CDC reminds people to take the following measures:

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms
• People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
• People who are immunocompromised, can learn more about how to protect themselves here.

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