This evening, Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m., the Friends of the Lyme Public Library present “Climate Change & You,” a Zoom presentation by Climate Reality Leadership Corps member Patricia Sisson.
The presentation will address some of the many specific threats posed by climate change, identify societal approaches for dealing with them and highlight the most powerful actions individuals can take.
To register for this free program and receive the Zoom invitation, email [email protected].
The First Congregational Church of Lyme will join the National Lighting Ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. when all are welcome to gather on the church lawn for candle lighting in memory of those lost to COVID-19, and conclude with prayers for peace during the Presidential Inauguration being held the following day.
This will be a very short event and held only if the weather permits.
Attendees are requested to wear masks, and households should distance from other households.
Even if the weather does not allow the gathering, local residents should listen for the church bells, which will toll at 5:30 p.m. in concert with churches all over the country celebrating the National Lighting Ceremony.

LYME/OLD LYME — Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) and two other organizations* host an interactive online workshop via Zoom, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. for parents, caregivers, and adults who work with youth.
This presentation is extremely important because:
- One in five Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) youth in grades 7-12 report vaping.
- By 12th grade, over 40 percent of LOL youth report vaping.
- Data says that youth are at risk for developing nicotine addiction that becomes a gateway to other substances, and physical harm from vaping.
Titled, Hidden in Plain Sight, participants are invited to browse a mock bedroom that is filled with items that can be easily used to hide drugs and paraphernalia.
This will be followed by a drug education workshop on ways to:
- Understand the types of inexpensive, easily accessible products available.
- Recognize warning signs of drug use, both obvious and hidden.
- Determine what to do if a problem is suspected.
- Practice skills for having tough conversations with young people in your life.
- Learn about resources available in your community.
This program is free and open to the public. Register at this link.
For more information, contact Alli Behnke, MSW, Prevention Coordinator at abehnke@lysb.org.
*This program is presented by Connecticut Association of Prevention Professionals, Lyme-Old Lyme Prevention Coalition and LYSB.

OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library hosts a Mindfulness Workshop, Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Explore different meditation forms with Dr. Julie Liefeld, RN, LMFT, Phd, ERYT 500. Liefeld is an experienced registered yoga teacher with over 500 hours of training at the Yoga Shop and Certified Yin Instructor through Josh Summers and North End Yoga Boston Mass.
Experience the numerous benefits the world of meditation has to offer in this series featuring Yoga Nidra and more.
Set up for success with comfortable clothing, a pillow, blanket and space to lie down on your back. No experience necessary and all abilities welcome. Attend one or all sessions. This workshop is virtual (via Zoom), select the date above to register and receive a link to this program.
To receive a link to this program, register here or email: [email protected]
LYME — Lyme Land Trust and the Friends of Lyme Public Library co-host a fascinating program about birds of prey with teacher/naturalist Joe Attwater, who leads many of the bird-related educational programs for the Connecticut Audubon Society.
Attwater will identify which species of raptors are common to Connecticut, how to identify them and what makes these birds such incredible hunters.
It is free and open to all, made possible with funding from the Friends of the Lyme Public Library.
To register for this program and receive the Zoom invitation, email [email protected].
For more information, call the library at 860-434-2272.
OLD LYME — A new initiative, Pollinate Old Lyme!, will have its public launch on Tuesday, Jan. 26, via Zoom presentations at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Interested participants will learn about Old Lyme’s new initiative and simple ways to be a part of a growing “pollinator pathway” where birds, butterflies, and insects are attracted to native plants and trees in yards or gardens.
Pollinate Old Lyme! is an initiative of Sustainable Old Lyme and includes over a dozen Old Lyme partner organizations hosting anchor gardens and providing educational opportunities during 2021.
Email [email protected] with your name and location to register for one of the two Zoom presentations and obtain the log-in information by return.
OLD LYME — A new initiative, Pollinate Old Lyme!, will have its public launch on Tuesday, Jan. 26, via Zoom presentations at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Interested participants will learn about Old Lyme’s new initiative and simple ways to be a part of a growing “pollinator pathway” where birds, butterflies, and insects are attracted to native plants and trees in yards or gardens.
Pollinate Old Lyme! is an initiative of Sustainable Old Lyme and includes over a dozen Old Lyme partner organizations hosting anchor gardens and providing educational opportunities during 2021.
Email [email protected] with your name and location to register for one of the two Zoom presentations and obtain the log-in information by return.
LYME/OLD LYME — Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau hosts a virtual screening of the compelling new documentary LIKE, Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. The event is free of charge and all are welcome.
Parents, educators and community members interested in attending must pre-register for the Zoom link either here or by visiting www.lsyb.org.
More than 2 billion people have smartphones today … and we check our phones on average 150 times every day. Technology makes our lives easier in so many ways – but what is the cost of our dependence, and our children’s reliance, on screens?
LIKE is a new documentary exploring the impact of social media on our lives. It reveals the true effects of technology on the brain and uncovers the impact social media can have on our lives. The film’s mission is to educate, inform and inspire people to effectively self-regulate their screen time.
Social media is a tool and social platforms are a place to connect, share and care… but is that what is really happening? When social media users chase “likes” or seek followers, they lose sight of the fact that their devices are now using them. The goal of the screening is to raise awareness about the hidden costs of social media as well as start a conversation about how to ensure our own, and our children’s, healthy use of technology.
The LIKE screening will be followed by an informative panel discussion featuring experts from the film.
The following day, Wednesday, Jan. 27, the film will be viewed by all students at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle and High Schools. This is a great opportunity to start conversation with your children about a real issue in their every day lives.
The film features interviews with experts including Max Stossel, Head of Education & Content at Center for Humane Technology; Leah Pearlman, Co-Creator of the Facebook “Like” button; Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Psychologist at Child Mind Institute; Professor Jevin West, DataLab, iSchool, University of Washington; John Borthwick, CEO, Betaworks; and Professor Katie Davis, author of The App Generation.
To learn more about LIKE, visit http://thelikemovie.com
Editor’s Note: IndieFlix Group Inc is a global screening and streaming service that promotes and supports social impact films to create positive change in the world. IndieFlix screening service books offline community screenings in schools and corporations around the world while IndieFlix online streaming offers a monthly subscription based service to access thousands of high-quality shorts, features, documentaries, and series from around the world.
For more information, visit https://www.indieflix.com/
Join SECWAC virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at 6 p.m. for a presentation by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, New York Times and The New Yorker journalists, to speak on their book, ‘The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III.’ Register in advance.
More information at http://secwac.org.