Deb Karavias, a West Hartford Zumba Fitness Instructor, is back at it again--this time teaching ZUMBA GOLD. The Zumba® Gold Fitness program was designed for the active older adult, the true beginner, people who are not used to exercising, or people who may be limited physically. Zumba Gold is done at a lower intensity and speed than Zumba Basic but is just as much fun. It incorporates the same great Latin styles of music and dance.

Class times: Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Saturday 8:30-9:30 a.m.; and beginning Sept. 19th, Sundays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Held at Masonic Hall, 11 South Main Street, West Hartford. Feel free to join in at any time--classes are on-going. $6 drop-in or 10-class punch card for $50. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Bridge. Bring clean shoes for the dance floor, a face towel, and water. For more information, contact Deb Karavias at 860.313.4443.

Rosenberg Orthodontics will celebrate its 20th anniversary at its new West Hartford office at 21 North Main Street (the old YMCA building) on Saturday, September 25, 2010. Enjoy a community barbecue from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with music, food, prizes, and games! Meet Brady of Kiss 95.7 FM from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Listen to the accomplished Hall and Conard High School Jazz Bands.

New patient incentives offered: $200 for every new patient who starts treatment on that day and $100 for every new patient who signs up in the month of September will be donated to the Bridge Family Center. All new patients will receive a free teeth whitening kit upon completion of treatment. For more information about Rosenberg Orthodontics with offices in Canton, Newington, West Hartford, and Wethersfield, visit http://www.rosenbergortho.com/.

The Bridge's Youth and Family Services Department held its fourth and final week of summer adventure for middle school youth entering grades 6, 7, and 8 in the fall. Forty-six young people participated in the program and enjoyed a variety of activities including adventure games, hiking, swimming, bowling, tie dyeing, go carts, bumper boats, and a trip to Lake Compounce. Now on to the new school year!
 

Winifred Rohrbaugh, LCSW, 79, a long-time clinician at the Bridge whose work touched many lives as she shared her gift of caring and compassion, passed away on June 16, 2010 at the Alzheimer's Resource Center in Plantsville, CT. Winnie's legacy is preserved at Winifred House in Southington, one of the Bridge's STAR homes that assist adolescents in need of care, compassion and guidance.

Winnie was clearly larger than life. She was wise, kind, gentle, tough, non-judgmental, incredibly funny, and a gifted counselor. She was a very dear friend of Bridge executive director Margaret Hann and many others at the Bridge.

A Celebration of Life Memorial was held on Saturday, July 17 at the New Britain Museum of American Art where Winnie served as a docent. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to the Bridge Family Center in memory of Winifred Rohrbaugh (Winifred House), 1022 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT  06107.

The basement of the Bridge Family Center at 1022 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford hadn't been cleaned out for years until last week. A volunteer crew from the finance  department at Pratt & Whitney carried hundreds of pounds of discarded items from the basement to a dumpster in the parking lot. They even managed to discard the old hot water heater that they lifted through a hatch way and over a handicapped ramp. The Bridge is thrilled to have the job done and grateful to the Pratt & Whitney volunteers for their hard work.

The Bridge joined many other businesses and organizations in celebration of our great community at Celebrate! West Hartford on June 12 and 13. In spite of the weather, hundreds of people turned out to enjoy the festivities. The Bridge is grateful to be part of the West Hartford community.

In photo at left, two youngs boys happily purchased sodas from Bridge staff members Wendy Fair (l.), administrative assistant, and Deborah Zipkin, director of the Family Resource Center at Charter Oak Academy.