Mr. and Mrs. Louis Jolly, Jr. of Lisbon, CT (formerly of Athol, Mass.) celebrated 50 years of marriage on February 20, 2010. They were married in Athol, Mass in 1960.
Mr.s Virginia Jolly is the daughter of the late Oscar and Elsie (Shevenell) Stevens of Athol, Mass.
Mr. Louis Jolly, Jr. is the son of the late Louis Jolly, Sr. and Roseabell (Gravel). She later married Elden Haney of Maine.
Louis and Virginia have 7 children all of Conn. Brian and Cheryle Jolly, Sandi and Mark Finley, Tammy and Patrick Trainor Sr., Linda Worthington, Roy and Nancy Jolly, Mike and Dana Jolly, and Peter Jolly. They also have several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A complete family reunion is planned at their home and a surprise trip from their family.
 

Two leading groups in Norwich’s Jewish and black communities will participate in a joint Passover seder, or meal, on March 25.

Beth Jacob Synagogue, located at 400 New London Turnpike, will host the 7 p.m. gathering, Rabbi Charles Arian announced. The event is being done in conjunction with the religious affairs committee of the Norwich branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The Rev. Gregory Perry, chair of the NAACP’s religious committee and pastor of Norwich’s Greeneville Congregational Church, and Arian developed the idea. The occasion will be an opportunity for Jews and blacks to discuss their cultures, past oppressions, and the meanings of freedom, said Arian, who gave the keynote address at last month’s Martin Luther King Day celebration in Norwich and attended a NAACP Black History Month event on Wednesday where U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., spoke.

Reservations for the seder are required and can be made through the synagogue office at (860) 886-2459 or bethjacob@snet.net. A $5 donation is suggested.   

Debra Dossett Robinson and Randy Robinson are pleased to announce the November 30th 2009 engagement of their daughter Christene J. Hasbrouck of Griswold, CT to Mark R. Mullane of Preston, CT. 

Christene attended Griswold High School and is has been employed by Mohegan Sun since 2004 at Todd English’s Tuscany and Birches Bar and Grill.  Mark, the son of Timothy and Barbara Mullane of Gales Ferry, CT attended Ledyard High School and graduated with a BS from the University of Massachusetts in 1996.  Mark is also employed at Mohegan Sun since 1996 and is currently is a manager of operations in food and beverage. 

They will be wed September 18th 2010 at Ocean Beach in New London, CT.

 

Michael & Susan Rourke, of Griswold along with their grandchildren Ayden & Lukas are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Kelly Rourke to Artemio "Tommy" Otero, son of Angel Lurs Torres of Puerto Rico and Juenzy Mercado of Waterford, CT.
Tommy, a 1997 graduate of NFA is currently employed at Orchard Grove and Greentree Manor as a CNA, Kelly a 2000 graduate from Griswold High is currently employed at Orchard Grove as a receptionist. A May 22, 2010 wedding is planned at St. Mary's in Jewett City.

Denise & Robert Faraci of Preston and Peter Holden of Pawcatuck announce the engagement of their daughter Marianne Theresa Holden to Shawn Michael Slonski son of Scott & Linda Slonski of Griswold.
The bride to be graduated in 2004 from Norwich Free Academy and in 2008 from the University of Connecticut. She is employed as a Paralegal/Clerk at the Norwich Superior Courthouse.
The groom to be is a 2004 graduate of Griswold High School and a 2007 graduate of New England Tech. He is employed as a Telecommunications Technician at A-Z Corporation.
A wedding is set for April 23, 2011 at the Mystic Mariott, Groton.
 

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sweet of Dayville, Ct. announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Lynn Sweet to Robert William Allen Jr., son of Patricia Alward of East Providence, R.I.
Heather is a 2004 graduate of H.H. Ellis Technical School. She also attended Three Rivers College and is employed at General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Structural Draftsman.
Robert is a graduate of Warren High School and a graduate of Johnson and Wales University with an associates of science degree in computer aided design. He is employed at General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Structural Senior Design Specialist.
An October 2, 2010 wedding is planned with the ceremony and reception at the Foster Country Club in Foster, R.I.

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sweet of Dayville, Ct. announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Lynn Sweet to Robert William Allen Jr., son of Patricia Alward of East Providence, R.I.

Heather is a 2004 graduate of H.H. Ellis Technical School. She also attended Three Rivers College and is employed at General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Structural Draftsman.
Robert is a graduate of Warren High School and a graduate of Johnson and Wales University with an associates of science degree in computer aided design. He is employed at General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Structural Senior Design Specialist.

An October 2, 2010 wedding is planned with the ceremony and reception at the Foster Country Club in Foster, R.I.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter York of Moosup announce the engagement of their daughter, Michelle Evelyn York, to Dustin Lee Burns, son of Renee and Paul Rawinski of Thompson, CT and Brian and Doreen Burns of Tyngsborough, MA. 

Michelle is a 2004 graduate of Ellis Tech and received her associate’s degree in 2007 from QVCC. Michelle is currently employed at Able Dental. Dustin is a 2004 graduate of Ellis Tech and received his associate’s degree in 2009 from QVCC. Dustin is currently employed at Mohegan Sun.

A wedding is planned for October 23rd, 2010 at the Foster Country Club.
 

Karolina Swiecki and Matthew Pearson announce their engagement.

The bride to be is the daughter of Christoph and Dorota Swiecki of Weinstadt, Germany. She earned her graduate degree in 2009 from the University of Stuttgart in Environmental Engineering. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate at the German Aerospace Center in Vaihingen, Germany.

The groom to be is the son of James and Catherine Pearson of Preston, CT. He is a 2003 graduate of Norwich Free Academy and graduated in 2007 from the University of Connecticut with bachelors in Computer Engineering and German Studies. He is currently employed as a Software Development Engineer at Pilz Automation Safety in Ostfildern, Germany.

A September 18th, 2010 wedding is planned at Wilhelma Botanical Garden in Stuttgart, Germany with an additional reception in Connecticut in spring 2011.
 

Fourteen couples have accepted the city’s invitation to marry in City Hall on Valentine’s Day, and City Clerk Sandra Greenhalgh already is as excited as a mother of the bride.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Greenhalgh, who has been preparing since December for the second annual Feb. 14 nuptials. “People think it’s great.

She said one of the couples originally came in for a license to get married in September, but when they heard about the Valentine’s Day event, they moved up their wedding.

More getting married
The Valentine’s Day weddings were set up last year as a one-time event to help celebrate the city’s 350th anniversary. Six couples were married by former Alderman Mark Bettencourt, who is a justice of the peace.

Greenhalgh said it was such a success they decided to make it an annual event.

This year 17 slots were available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with one couple registering just before Friday’s 4 p.m. deadline. Council President Pro Tempore Pete Desaulniers, also a justice of the peace, will officiate next week.

“It’s a good part of the job,” Desaulniers said Friday. “Sandy did all the work and I just show up and speak a few lines. It’s kind of neat. I’ve married people before, but I’m excited about it.”

A rose for the bride
Greenhalgh said each bride will receive a rose from Hart’s Greenhouse and Florist. LeFrancois Florist is providing a centerpiece, while McKenna’s Florist is donating two large silk topiaries for the center aisle. The Floor Covering Shop donated funds for a bottle of wine or champagne for each couple.

Greenhalgh said Leon Barnowski, who is the technology systems supervisor at City Hall, will play The Wedding March and take pictures of each couple. They will receive copies, and the photographs will be in display on the city Web site.