The presentations at the South Danbury Speaker Series will be particularly constructive and lively (even buzzy) in May, after which the series takes a break until September.
“We use the summer to plan a whole new set of speakers, which is healthy,” notes Kathy Neustadt, the series’ co-founder. “But this year, as the South Danbury Church gears up with LCHIP Preservation activities to restore the church building, there will be other interesting events going on throughout the summer that people can take advantage of and enjoy.”
Meanwhile, on Friday, May 6, Jim Heavey of Danbury will be speaking on “The Art and Craft of the Master Builder.” Beginning with an historical background on the ways in which architectural training has changed throughout history, he will also talk about his own personal experience starting in the 1950s, which included a 13-year apprenticeship (“I learned a lot.”). In recent years, he will point out, the computer has become a significant tool in architecture, but Heavey’s orientation has always been hands-on. As he puts it, “I love the feel of the paper and the smell of the graphite.”
Heavey began working at an architectural firm in Boston in the 1950s and by the 1960s was a Project Architect, Vice President, and owner. He started his own company, Comprehensive Building Systems, in the 1980s and to this day continues as a design and construction consultant – a long, productive career.
To help appreciate how things have evolved in the fields of architecture and building over time, Jessica Cook – another local resident and architect – will be on hand to ask questions and tease out some of the changes.
On Friday, May 20, Amy Papineau, a Field Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension, will talk about “Helping Our Native Bees.” A graduate of UNH with a Masters in Plant Biology, Papineau works with the Cooperative Extension to support agricultural and horticultural industries throughout the state, providing one-on-one education and outreach for fruit and vegetable farmers, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden centers, landscapers, and any other kind of agricultural business or organization. “It’s an exciting job,” she says, “with lots of different challenges and lots of different solutions.”
Papineau (who is also director of the Northern New England Pollinator Habitat Working Group), will be discussing how critical pollinating insects are to the success of local agriculture and the maintenance of biodiversity in our natural ecosystems – as well as what we can do to support and provide for them in return.
“I’m going to talk about the different types of bees you could find in the landscape,” she explains, “the role of these insects in the environment, and how you can design your garden and landscape to provide pollinators with the resources they need.”
In the context of the frightening news we hear about the plight of honey bees, this story of our diverse and healthy native bee populations is an important and a positive one.
Speaker Series events begin at 6:30 PM and are free to the public, although contributions are always welcome and appreciated. The South Danbury Church (an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ) is located at 1411 US Route 4 in South Danbury, where church services are held on Sundays at 11 AM. For more information about the spring series, call 768-3191.