The Bylaws Committee and IHSM Board are pleased to advise that the 2015 Bylaws revisions are complete and are available for your review on the website, www.milfordirish.org. Just go to the Welcome page, or News and Happenings page, and then scroll down the left hand column, and click on the green “Bylaws” tab. The February 2015 revised By-laws are posted first, with the existing By-laws, last revised June 2013, following.
Please take a moment to review the entire 2015 document and come prepared to vote on if you accept the new version in its entirety or would like to keep the current bylaws in place without any revisions. The voting will take place during our March 31st meeting. Submitted by Hilary Schorsch,IHSM Parliamentarian.

Listing of upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Parades and St. Patrick’s Day-related events (not all are sponsored by IHSM)
PARADES: There will be parade signup sheets for marchers at the 1/27 and 2/24 general membership meetings, or contact Parade Coordinator, Brian Murphy at brytymrjg@yahoo.com.
Sat, March 14th, Milford Parade, assemble at First Cong Church parking lot, 11:30 Sun, March 15th, New Haven Parade, details to follow. Tues, March 17th, Bridgeport Parade, assemble at Harbor Yard at 11 Sun, March 22nd, Mystic Parade, details to follow
GREEN ALL OVER – AN IRISH CABARET, Friday, February 27th, 7:30 pm, sponsored by the Mulkerin School of Irish Dance, to raise funds for their Ireland trip. To be held at the Savin Rock Conference Center, West Haven (on the boardwalk, next to Jimmy’s Restaurant). Entertainment includes emcee Sean Canning, Keltic Kick, James McInerney, Beth Bradley, and more! For tickets call 203-934-2267; also available at IHSM meeting on 1/27. Tickets $20, or $15 for ages under 12 and over 60. Event is cabaret style, BYOB and snacks; coffee, tea, and soda bread will be provided. Advanced reservations strongly recommended and appreciated – this should be a sell-out!
IHSM ANNUAL IRISH WOMAN AND MAN OF THE YEAR DINNER: Saturday, March 7th, 7-11 PM, at Costa Azzurra. Full details listed in Happenings.
MILFORD ST. PAT’S PARADE COMMITTEE FUNDRAISER – ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST, Sunday, March 8th, 8 am to 1 pm, at Masonic Hall, 59 Broad St, Milford. Pay at the door. Only $7, pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee, tea, pastry.
*SHAMROCK SALUTES – IHSM supports our troops! “SHAMROCK SALUTES” – is a service project of IHSM, with St. Patrick’s Day week as target delivery date. It involves sending snacks, comfort items, and messages of thanks and encouragement to our deployed U.S. Military service members, courtesy of the grateful Irish-Americans of IHSM. How you can help right now – if you have a relative or friend who is a U.S. service member (any branch) and is scheduled to be deployed/stationed overseas through the month of March 2015, please gather the following information: a service member’s APO/FPO address, number of service members in their unit/immediate group, email address of the service member receiving the packages (if possible), and any special requests for items to be sent. Contact Alicia Haley,Chairperson:Veggiesing4kids@aol.com or phone: 203-903-7086. At the next two IHSM meetings (January 27th and February 24th) there will be containers for collecting the following items to be included in the packages:*
1) Notes and drawings from children and adults. Suggestions: Begin with “Dear Service Member”, thank them for their service and what it means to you, keep it positive and encouraging, avoid politics, no peace signs, please, tell them how their service has affected your life, wish them a safe return home. When drawing pictures: Think St. Patrick’s Day – the time they will receive them! Members often decorate the insides of their tents, bunks, and shared area, with artwork from children back home. Cheerful, happy artwork, signed with child’s first name and age only.
2) Items for the packages:Gallon-sized Ziploc bags, pens, blank note cards and envelopes, hard candy like Jolly Ranchers, Lifesavers, individually wrapped candy bars, fruit snacks, travel-sized packs of baby wipes, crossword, Sudoko or other puzzle books, individually wrapped drink mixes to add to water (Crystal Light, Gatorade, instant coffee mix, hot cocoa mix), individually wrapped snacks with protein if possible (nut mixes, trail mix, dried fruit, energy bars, granola bars, beef jerky- no pork, individually packed snack crackers with peanut butter/cheese fillings, lip balm like Carmex, Chapstick, Burt’s Bee’s, trial-sized hand lotion. Thank you for supporting our nation’s deployed Service Members!
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE TONIGHT FOR WILLIAM MCNAMARA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – DEADLINE IS APRIL 30TH. This scholarship is for students planning to pursue further education in September 2015 in a full-time study program in a 2 or 4 year college, vocational, or technical school. Applicants must be child, grandchild, stepchild, nephew, or niece of IHSM member in good standing (member for at two consecutive years and dues paid in full for all years, including current year). If you are unable to pick up an application tonight, please contact Debbie Mead at 203-877-9446. All details and criteria are included in application information.

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK ON Non-IHSM Events FOR ACTIVITIES NOT SPONSORED BY IHSM, BUT AVAILABLE LOCALLY! MONTHLY INVITATIONS FROM COMHALTAS ARE POSTED HERE AS WELL!

The Happenings 2/24/15
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28th, 11:15 am – 12:45 pm, Milford Ice Pavilion, Public Skating. Meet up with other IHSM members and families for a fun winter activity! $7 Admission for adults and children over 5 years of age, under 5 are free. $3 skate rental. Discount cards available at pavilion for 10 admissions for $50 (a $20 savings). Everyone will pay their own admission and rental. Reminder from the Pavilion: No figure skating moves are allowed during public skating.

MONDAY, MARCH 2nd, Monthly Happy Hour, 5-7 PM, Anthony D’s, 331 New Haven Ave, Milford. Mother Nature snowed us out in February, but Tara from Anthony D’s has re-invited us to come in March and enjoy reduced drink prices and complimentary hot appetizers. Good parking, too!

SATURDAY, MARCH 7th, 7-11 PM, COSTA AZZURRA, IHSM WOMAN AND MAN OF THE YEAR DINNER DANCE, HONORING PRISCILLA JAMES AND BRIAN MURPHY. $40.00 per person with Open Bar, Corned Beef, Broiled Fish or Chicken Francaise, $20.00 for children. Entertainment by Mulkerin School of Irish Dance and music by Colleen and the Boys; raffles. Reservations and payment required by Feb 24, 2015. For reservations please contact: Jennifer Hussey jenniferhussey71@yahoo.com or 203-605-7743; Lisa Doyle-Smith lisa.doylesmith@gmail.com or 203-619-3429; Paula McGill phmcgill@optonline.net or 203-878-8580. Once your reservation has been made, please mail your check, made out to IHSM, to the new clubhouse address: Irish Heritage Society, 131 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford, CT 06460

NO MONTHLY LUNCHEON IN MARCH – Instead please support Irish Woman/Man Dinner (3/7), and St. Patrick’s Parade Committee Pancake Breakfast (3/8).

SUNDAY, MARCH 29TH, 1:30-3:30 PM, ANNUAL IHSM CHILDREN’S EASTER PARTY AND EGG HUNT, Wildemere Beach Congregational Church Hall, 133 Broadway, Milford. Bring all your children, nieces, and nephews for an egg hunt, craft project, snacks, and a visit with the Easter Bunny! *Admission is free, but reservations are required. Contact Jennifer Hussey 203-605-7743 or jenniferhussey71@yahoo.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 6th, 5-7 pm, HAPPY HOUR AT CASEY’S IRISH PUB, 2019 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford. Enthusiastic owner and IHSM member Kristine Casey wants to welcome all of us to share in the hospitality of Milford’s only Irish Pub! Come and enjoy complimentary appetizers and discounted drink prices.

MONDAY, MAY 18TH , 11:30 AM, ANNUAL IHSM / SLAINTE SCHOLARSHIP GOLF OUTING , Mill River Country Club, $175 per person, includes carts, BBQ lunch, post-golf generous hot hors d’oeuvres buffet and one hour open bar. Golfers, sponsors, and workers needed !! $100 tee signs – sponsor your home county! Foursomes encouraged, but not mandatory. You do not have to be a golfer to help out that day or in advance! Each year the proceeds from this event fund all our scholarships, the two Lyle James Memorial Scholarships and the William McNamara Memorial Scholarship. Please contact Mike McCabe to help with the event or to make reservations. Email: attorneymikemccabe@yahoo.com or speak to any member of the golf committee at monthly membership meetings.

SAVE THE DATES! TUES, JUNE 23rd – THURS. JUNE 25th, IHSM’S TARA THEATRE ANNUAL PRODUCTION, at Milford Fine Arts Council Theater (New Haven-bound side of Milford Railroad Station) – DETAILS TO FOLLOW!

THURSDAY JULY 16TH, BUS TRIP TO BROOKLYN CYCLONES BASEBALL GAME AND IRISH NIGHT. Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Staten Island Yankees, Thursday, July 16 at 7 pm, $40 members, $45 non-members. Price includes round-trip coach bus transportation, ticket to the game (field box seat), and a free Cyclones cap. First 3,000 guests in attendance will received a FREE Brooklyn Irish Jersey. The IHSM will be presenting our County Flags on the field during the National Anthem. The game will be televised on SNY, the official channel of the New York Mets. Contact Lisa Smith at lisa.doylesmith@gmail.com or sign at February meeting. Deadline for reservations and payments is March 31st meeting.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29TH, ANNUAL IHSM FAMILY PICNIC, 12-5 PM, WALNUT BEACH PAVILION, committee will be formed to plan the event, and details will follow. SAVE THE DATE!