St. Dominic School Art Club Presents a Magic Doll House to Southington Community Services

This is a true story of a magical doll house converted from the dust of an attic to a sparkling new doll house for some as yet unknown little girl to soon be surprised with it, a gift of the labor of many hearts in Southington. The Art Club of St. Dominic School and their art teacher, Mary DeCroce, presented a refurbished vintage doll house to Southington Community Services  Director , Janet Mellon, standing at left in the back row with with DeCroc to her left. Standing in back, from the right are Doris Smith who donated the doll house, Grace Fortunato and St. Dominic School Principal, Patricia M. Tiezzi. The Art Class surrounds the doll house: 3rd Grade—Anthony Penisse,  Olivia Textiera, Maddie Napierski, Grinffin Prushinski, Charlene Weavwer and Joshua Zatulski. 4th Grade:  Allison Rembish, Julia Panerella, Katie LaCluyze, Rachel Carbone and Sarah Sisto. 5th Grade: Olivia Bates, Isa Miani, Katie D’Agostino, Kate Hardy and Theresa Cusson.  The donor of the old house is Doris Smith, a Plantsville resident who moved here from her life-long home in New Jersey eight years ago. A very gregarious and giving person, Smith soon immersed herself in church and community volunteer work at First Congregational Church, Calendar House Senior Center, Bread for Life, Church Women United and regular visits to shut-ins. She's a ray of sunshine wherever she goes and a natural in her role of Sunshine Lady at Highland Hill condominiums where she lives. One day a few months ago, Doris showed her good friend and neighbor, Grace Fortunato, a doll house Smith's late husband had built for their grand-daughter decades ago. Smith couldn't get herself to commit this treasure to the trash heap and wondered if there was some way it could find it's way to a deserving little girl who might not otherwise receive such a gift. The story was brought to Southington Community Services Director, Janet Mellon, who immediately saw the opportunity to help carry out Smith's wishes and help someone in a meaningful way. Local artist, Mary DeCroce, was approached about restoring the doll house which clearly needed a lot of TLC. After Mike Hodgins and Dennis of Calendar House Senior Center did some repair work on the house and its furniture, DeCroce came up with the brainstorm that the task might be a good project for her Art Club at St. Dominic School. Principal Patricia Tiezzi eagerly supported the idea and when presented to the art club, they were overjoyed to take on the project. In five weeks they gave a new face to the exterior and interior of the 2-1/2 story doll house and its furniture. The sparkling fantasy became real on Tuesday, May 14th when the Magic Doll House was presented to Mellon. With innocent excitement, the kids recited the story of the journey of the sparkling doll house from the attic to center stage. Mellon thanked the children and told them that their gift will be part of a special items auction following the Unique Boutique sale and Dinner on Monday evening, May 20th at the Aqua Turf. All proceeds of the event will be used to help the Southington Food Pantry buy food for our local hungry. In the accompanying gift photo by local photographer, Paul Dinnean, the students surrounding the doll house are:   3rd Grade—Anthony Penisse, Olivia Textiera, Maddie Napierski, Grinffin Prushinski, Charlene Weavwer and Joshua Zatulski. 4th Grade: Allison Rembish, Julia Panerella, Katie LaCluyze, Rachel Carbone and Sarah Sisto. 5th Grade: Olivia Bates, Isa Miani, Katie D’Agostino, Kate Hardy and Theresa Cusson. In the background, l. to r. are Janet Mellon, Mary DeCroce Patricia Tiezzi, Grace Fortunato and Doris Smith.

Can you imagine look on the face of the little girl who receives this sparkling new  Magic Doll House, a gift of many hearts, and is told the story behind it!