Marcy Jackson Lecture
The lecture presentation by former AFNWCT president Marcy Jackson scheduled for January 26th has been postponed until a later date.
2016: Our 95th Anniversary Year in Review
2016 proved to be a great year for our organization. Our Language School taught 34 group and private classes over the course of the fiscal year with 108 total student enrollments. Special BISES go to our French Teachers: Brigitte Bentley, Nancy Callahan, Marda Gutierrez, Joanne Hutchings, Servane Rogers and Veronique Shay.
We also had many fun and educational special events and we’d like to extend our thanks to some of our member regular helpers including: 
Short Film Discussion Facilitator: Carol Donahue; French Discussion Group Leaders: Brigitte Blais & Fran Hellmann, Jean-Marie Gutierrez, Jennifer Humphreys, Colin Harrison and Noelle Licese; Reading Group Leaders: Kathryn MacCullough; Amanda Pond and Evelyne Purdy; Wine Presenters: Marcel Gros and Jim Donahue, and our fantastic Hospitality Committee: Nancy Callahan, Carol Donahue and Gail Gros.
We couldn’t offer such a variety of events without your generous support and all your hard work!
Thanks also to all who give to our organization through your membership dues, your generous donations and your attendance at our programs. Your support helps us promote the French language and the many cultures of the francophone world. Be sure to check out our photo galleries for this year’s special events:
- Arty Gras – Mardi Gras Party
- Cheese Making Presentation by Cato Corner Farm
- Teacher’s Workshop on Using Cinema in the Classroom & Top 10 French Movies presentation by guest speaker Anne-Christine Rice of Tufts University
- $1700 raised during the Give Local of Greater Waterbury 36-hour Fund Raiser sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation
- “Mariam” film in collaboration with the Muslim Coalition of CT
- Pétanque Summer League – new! Led by Marcel Gros & J-M Gutierrez
- Fête du 14 Juillet chez les Gutierrez
- 95th Anniversary Celebration “Voyage au Monde Francophone”
- Comprendre et Comparer des Vins – new Monthly Group!
- African Development Work by Korsu Director Allegra Itsoga
- Eurochannel Short Film Programs co-sponsored with the Southbury Film Commission
- Holiday Cocktail Party hosted by John Lamb & Lawrence Tuchman
Our French Discussion Groups are the perfect way to practice the French language skills you are learning, or are trying to improve. The format for initiating the discussion depends on the facilitator and is different at each of the site locations spread around the region to accommodate all our members living in different parts of Northwestern CT.
All discussion groups are free to AFNWCT members. We request a $5 suggested donation to those participants who are not members. Below are the locations and meeting times planned for this Fall/Winter quarter.
Southbury AF Center:
1st & 3rd Wednesday: 12 noon to 1:30 pm. BYOLunch WEEKLY DROP-IN ACTIVITY PROGRAM.
- French Discussion and Conversation – and enjoy a new topic listed on the Events Calendar each month
4th Wednesday: Jeux de Société – Scrabble, Trivia Pursuit, Mille Bornes…. played en français!
Also:
2nd Thursday: 1-3pm Ciné-club French Movies with English Subtitles. Check the website for the title to be shown.
New attendees should RSVP in advance by calling (203) 707-0710. Facilitator: Marda Gutierrez
Saturdays 1-2x/month: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. CAFE CONVERSATION. Read and discuss en français topics such as French art, literature, politics, history, music, and current events. Contact Brigitte at café@afnwct.org if you would like to volunteer to bring refreshments or if you wish to present or suggest a subject for discussion. Facilitators: Brigitte Blais and Fran Hellman
Morris Location:
1st Thursday of each Month, Monthly French Discussion Group led by a French native, previous discussion subjects have covered such topics as le Cidre, les Cadenas d’amour, Les Santons de Provence, Roquefort cheese, Le Beaujolais Nouveau. To receive a copy of the article or handout prior to the meeting and to RSVP, write to: afnwct@afnwct.org. Facilitator: Jean-Marie Gutierrez
Brookfield Public Library:
Various evening and afternoon times “Parlons Français” French class – Free admission to all. RSVP through the Brookfield library website or click HERE. Facilitator: Colin Harrison
If you know of a free meeting location and/or are interested in helping us start a new location, please let us know.
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More than twenty years ago, a small group dreamed of reconstructing an exact replica of General Lafayette’s 18th-century ship called the Hermione. This majestic vessel is now the largest and most authentically built Tall Ship in the last 150 years. To commemorate the auspicious occasion of Hermione’s return to the USA, the Alliance Française of Northwestern CT, will be showing the DVD “La Mise à Flot de la Coque” on Friday, June 26 at 7:00pm at the Alliance Francaise Center.
This DVD portrays the splendid celebrations held in Rochefort, France when the nearly finished reconstructed Hermione first touched the waters.
In 1780, then aged only 19, the Marquis de Lafayette secretly – and against the wishes of the French government – sailed to America on the original Hermione, commanded by Louis-René de Latouche. Latouche, like so many others, fell under the young Lafayette’s spell. Getting him safely through, in his words, “un passage agréable” to America was the start of a very distinguished naval career.
In addition to carrying General Lafayette, his precious cargo included a strong force of French soldiers who played an instrumental role in the Battle of Yorktown, where they joined General Washington’s troops to blockade the British, leading to the eventual surrender of English General Cornwallis.
In April 2015, Hermione left France to start a 27-day transatlantic crossing to return to the USA. Dockings, special events and public tours will be held in Yorktown, Washington D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, NY (July 2-4), Newport R.I. (7/8,9);, Boston, (7/10-11), Augusta, and Halifax Nova Scotia (http://hermione2015.com).
This DVD presentation is open to the public and will be shown free of charge at the Alliance Française Center located at 1 Pomperaug Office Park, Suite 301, Southbury, CT 06488.
Associate Professor of History, Judith Meyer will present “Voices from the Past: A Tale of Two French Communities” at 7pm on Friday, June 19 at our AF Center in Southbury. This presentation (in English) will take a close look at how and why the French city of La Rochelle became a bastion of French Protestantism in the 16th century, in order to shed light on the extraordinary appeal of the Reformation. Then a close look at the small town of Courthézon in the south of France in the early 17th century will offer insights into how the Protestant minority in the town managed to coexist with the majority Catholic populace and still uphold the integrity of their own faith.
Judith Meyer is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Connecticut at Waterbury. She is the author of a book, Reformation in La Rochelle: Tradition and Change in Early Modern Europe, 1500-1568, published in 1996, and several articles on La Rochelle. Her current research deals with the 17th-century consistory records in Courthézon in southern France (the consistory was the governing body of the local Calvinist church). Her article, “On the Front Lines of Co-existence: Courthézon’s Consistory in the Early 17th Century,” was published in early 2013. She is also interested in how women fared during the Reformation, and that is the subject of her most recent conference presentation, “Women and the Limits of Consistorial Discipline: The Case of Courthézon in the Early 17th Century.” She received her B.A. in history from Lawrence University and her Ph.D. in history from the University of Iowa.
Light refreshments will be served following the presentation. Admission is $10 (Free for AFNWCT Members). Reservations are kindly requested prior to June 18 by calling (203) 707-0710 or by sending checks to AFNWCT, 1 Pomperaug Office Park, Suite 301, Southbury, CT 06488 or paying by credit card below.
Starting March 9, there are two new evening French classes added to our schedule.
- French 1 for Beginners: Monday nights 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
- Advanced French for Fluency: Monday nights 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Both courses will be taught by Servane – (see Teacher info)
Both classes will take place at our AF Center in Southbury.
Please call (203) 707-0710 to receive enrollment and textbook information.
Le Conseil de l’Alliance Francaise of NW CT: Marda, Mary, Evelyne, Jean-Marie, Anik, Win, Nancy, Brian, Noelle, John, Sarah, George et Yvonne, vous souhaitent:
Bonnes Fêtes de Fin d’Année
et Meilleurs Voeux pour 2015!
C’est l’heure! Notre année fiscale démarre le 1er septembre donc, c’est le moment d’envoyer vos cotisations pour la nouvelle année.
Nous sommes confiants que vous trouverez de nombreuses bénéfices de valeur d’être membre.
Vous allez constater une petite hausse de prix d’adulte(s). Cela fait plusieures années depuis notre dernière augmentation et cette augmentation est très modeste.
Par contre, nous avons baissé le prix d’étudiants pour encourager l’adhérence des jeunes.
