Submitted by Kristin Battistoni
(September 12, 2023) — When my husband and I first moved to town in 2004 we were not very familiar with the area except that it was beautiful, on the Connecticut River and a central location between our two jobs. When we first moved in we received a welcome packet that had coupons and letters from many places, including the local floral shop, hardware store, hair salons and churches. I don’t know who put that packet together, but it hung around on the counter for several months as we figured out everything from where could we get the best deal on bird seed to the hours the library was open.
It is now nineteen years later and some shops have turned over and new ones have opened. Our church combined with another and we changed our name, but our roots were planted in our first year in town because of a simple welcome-to-town packet.
The Haddam Sustainability Committee wants to bring this back! Â We are putting together a traditional welcome packet for new residents in Haddam, Haddam Neck and Higganum. They will be mailed out unless we get a volunteer to deliver them in person. We are inviting all businesses, organizations, committees and sports teams to share what they do in the community. Put together a letter, flyer or special offer that can be handed out.
We also want to hear from residents who have been in town for a while. What type of information would you like to share? Have you been in town your whole life and want to share your favorite hiking trail or fishing spot? Maybe you could help organize an annual event. What if we could create a calendar of town events in one single place?
Let’s make new residents excited about all the wonderful events and opportunities we have to get involved in here in Haddam.
Contact HaddamSustainabilityCommittee@gmail.com or stop by the Tax Office at the Haddam Town Office Building with ideas.
