Community Corner

Update: Ride The Carousel & Hair-Cut-A-Thon

Sept. 4 & Sept. 11 Fundraisers

Update August 23: 

Come ride The Carousel at Lenny & Joe's, 1301 Boston Post Road, Madison.  Event takes place on Sunday, September 4 from noon to close.  Tell your family, friends, neighbors to join us!  ALL proceeds will go to the Zack Bernier Donation Fund. T-shirts and wristbands will be sold.

There will be a Haircut-A-Thon at Station One Hair Salon, 55 West Main Street, Clinton on Sunday, September 11 from 11am to 3pm.  All proceeds will go to the Zack Bernier Donation Fund. Donations: Children and Men: $15.00; Women: $25.00.  Includes wash and cut.  WALK-INS ONLY.  Any questions, contact Maria Hazuka at dhazuka@comcast.net.  T-shirts and wristbands will also be sold!

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Update July 19:

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

There will be a benefit concert for Zack Bernier called "Zackaroo" on Saturday, August 6 at the Ethel Peters Complex (adjacent to the Joel Elementary School) in Clinton. The all-day affair will feature more than 16 bands on a large stage and an open microphone on a smaller stage. There will be arts and crafts, food, and many other attractions. Ad space and booths are available for purchase. A program half-page ad is $75; full page ad $150; banner style $200; set up your own booth $500. For more information, please contact Sam Sarkisian at samsark@bu.edu or 860-227-8689. Checks can be made out to "First Church of Christ - Zack Bernier Fund." Pastor Chris Horvath is treasurer.

Update July 12: Friends and supporters of Zack are holding a lacrosse game in order to raise money for the Bernier family. Donations will be accepted at the door as admission, and anyone who would like to play from any town is welcome! Come to the game to have fun and support a great cause! The game will be held Saturday, July 30 from 7pm-10pm at the in Clinton. For more information, email jaxs1409@hotmail.com.

Update July 6: A "Pasta Dinner Plus" benefit for Zack Bernier is planned for Sunday, July 31 from 2pm to 9pm at the . There will be music, raffles, a silent auction, kid's room and a pasta dinner. Anyone who wishes to donate an item to the silent auction or raffle please contact Mary Ellen Ierardi at 860-395-8394 or Deb Molina at 203-843-8123. 

Update July 2:  A big thanks to everyone who purchased a wristband and/or t-shirt this weekend. According to Jimmy McNamara, friend of Zack's, they raise a net profit of $6,325 for the family. The wristbands sold out completely! More t-shirts (with a new design) and wristbands (other colors) will arrive along with new bumperstickers.

Update July 1:  Friends of Zack Bernier will be selling silicone wristbands and t-shirts at (Route 81) and (Route 1) in Clinton this Saturday, July 2 from 10am to 2pm. The green wristbands are similar to Lance Armstrong's "livestrong" with black writing saying "BELIEVE FOR BERNIER." There are hundreds of t-shirts for sale, as well, featuring two different designs. All the money goes to the Zachary Bernier Donation Fund at Liberty Bank. Wristbands are $6 and t-shirts are $12.

Update June 29: There will be a service of prayer for Zack on Wednesday, June 29 at 7pm at St. Mary's Church in Clinton.

Update June 28: A fund for Zack and his family has been set up at Liberty Bank in Clinton. It is the "Zachary Bernier Donation Fund" at 8 East Main Street, Clinton, CT. They accept cash and checks.

Update June 27:  The Clinton PTA would like to coordinate a collection from its members and others to support the Bernier Family in these very difficult times.  They are requesting consideration of a cash donation so they can purchase a few local restaurant gift cards for the family. Also suggested are gift cards for Dunkin Donuts, Subway or gas cards.  All cash donations, checks and/or gift cards can be sent to Kathleen Skoczen, 13 Thrush Cross Road, Clinton, CT 06413. A message from the PTA: These are the times we gather as a community to support those in our village. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

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Recent graduate of the Class of 2011, Zachary A. Bernier, 17, was seriously injured in a fall during a hike at Chatfield Hollow State Park in Killingworth on June 24. He is now diagnosed as paralyzed from the waist down.

According to his friend Jimmy McNamara, Bernier was hiking with friends in the rain at the state park. On a trail that led upward onto a steep cliff ledge, Bernier lost his footing due to a wet surface and fell off the edge.

The long drop resulted in enough impact to break his spine in three places, fracture his neck, and fracture his skull, said McNamara.

Bernier was in the Intensive Care Unit at Yale Hospital. 

Bernier is the son of Chuck and Lisa Bernier of Clinton. He is scheduled to enter Hofstra University this fall in their Honors Engineering Program.

A Facebook page called “Prayers and Support for Zack Bernier” has been created with 3,952 “likes” on the page at this time.

Two funds/account have been created for those who wish to give to the Bernier family. See details above.

Resident Linda Diamond said the town of Clinton will come out and support this young man and his family.

“It never fails to amaze me whether it is a matter of justice or taking care of one of their own, the people of Clinton will help someone in need,” said Diamond. “They have the heart of a lion.”

Look to the Clinton Patch for more information on the account and future fundraisers.


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