The aim of our events is not just to raise funds for our grants program. It is also to provide activities that engage and and bring together people of all ages in the Durham/Middlefield community. As a result of our changing community, our assessment of our events, and our desire to, in-person, reach more community members, we are making some changes!

CVEF In-Person Events

Talk of the Towns – Saturday, March 23, 2024 – A Great Success

Our “Ted Talks” style, in-person event, gathered about 60 or so people who were treated to presentations by four (very varied) speakers.

First up was Schuyler Beeman, owner of Arbor Farm in Guilford, CT. His humorous recounting of his journey from youth, through college, professional theater (including animal handler), back to his Guilford hometown where he now raises goats, coaches swimming, attends grad school and performs his own cabaret show delighted the audience.

Turning to the serious side, Dr. Alison O’Neil educated the group on all the things stem cell research can do for us. She particularly focused on neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s, but also addressed questions about chronic diseases, such as diabetes. Prior to coming to Wesleyan in 2018, she was involved in stem cell research at Harvard and MIT.

Peter Marteka's long journalism career is perhaps best recalled by his 22-year, award-winning nature and hiking column for the Hartford Courant. Still hiking – and still writing about it for Connecticut Magazine – Marteka encouraged us all to get out there and take advantage of the miles of trails and hikes in the Nutmeg state.

Locals look forward to the Durham Fair every September, many focused on the Main Stage lineup. Fair Entertainment head Wendy Manemeit (accompanied by Marigold, the Durham Fair cow), regaled the group with her 27-year history of managing this task. Who the entertainment is, what their demands might be, how they treat her staff, it was all on the table, with lots of tales and laughter offered up. It was a great end to a rewarding evening.

Howard Kelley Community Service Award Annual Reception: Each Fall, we announce our Howard Kelley Community Service Award recipient for the year, and there is a combined reception in the Fall with our annual grant recipients.

CVEF Grants Reception: Each year, our grantees are announced in June. This has been done either through a small gathering, via our website and other social media (during COVID years) or sometimes in a larger event. In 2022, we organized a “Spotlight on Grants” celebration to highlight our 14 years of giving grants. See the photos on our Grants page. Starting in 2023 and moving forward, there will be a combined reception in the Fall for both grants recipients and our Howard Kelley Community Service awardee.

CVEF Online Activities

Trailblazers: Plans are moving ahead for adding to our Trailblazers video stories. New videos of CRHS graduates and their high school journeys are in the works. Keep checking back.

Speaking of Fun: These 2021 videos featuring interesting projects and subjects are still just as fun to view and learn this year.

News and Notes: Our quarterly electronic newsletter (February, June and September) summarizes what CVEF is up to.