​The Madison Arts Barn recently celebrated 2022 by highlighting some of their many wonderful volunteers. All of the barn’s volunteers are instrumental in helping them fulfill their mission of empowering young people to pursue their interests and passions: encouraging a sense of community through creativity, music, and the arts in a safe and supportive environment. 

Among the volunteers recognized were,Natasha Lehman, Betty Freeborn, Amanda Waggoner, Alyssa Bartone, and Joan Walker. All of whom helped the barns efforts tremendously in 2022. 

The barn was thrilled to present the 2022 Tammy Boris Volunteer of the Year Award to Joe Walker. Joe has been a tremendous asset to the Friends of Madison Youth for many years. Some of his most notable contributions include serving as President of the Board of Directors for many years, and advancing the technology of the barn by serving as our technical director overseeing lighting and sound for all of our productions. Thank you Joe for all you have done and continue to do!

If you would like to be a part of making the barn the best place it can be, head to www.madisonartsbarn.org and scroll to their “get involved” section! Or you can reach out to madisonartsbarn@gmail.com

The Barn Community Contributor 

Posted Thu, Feb 16, 2023 at 1:09 pm ET

Five Madison Organizations Awarded State Grants

The grant program helps preserve arts and culture in Connecticut.

MADISON, CT — Five Madison organizations were awarded grants by the CT Cultural Fund.

The awardees include:

Deacon John Grave Foundation $5,800

Madison Historical Society $8,900

Madison Lyric Stage $7,900

New Haven Chorale $9,500

The Barn $8,200

"For over a quarter-century these general operations grants have been making a difference in keeping Connecticut's arts and cultural organizations vibrant and relevant in communities all across the state, including right here along the shoreline and in south-central Connecticut," Sen. Christine Cohen (D-Branford) said in a statement. "So much of who we are as citizens revolves around music and history and theatre – all the things that bring beauty and meaning to our lives in different and sometimes unexpected ways."Grant money came from the state to support the arts.

 

 

​Rich Scinto, Patch Staff

Posted Fri, Feb 3, 2023 at 9:36 am ET

MADISON FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANTS TO PROMOTE FITNESS, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS

The Madison Foundation is pleased to announce grant awards totaling $5,000 for three local organizations promoting health and wellness: Madison Little League, SARAH, Inc., and the Madison Arts Barn. In a time when children are feeling isolated, spending more time connected to devices, and less time engaging in physical exercise, these vital groups are offering activities that challenge the mind as well as the body.

 

Founded in 1967, Madison Little League (MLL) offers boys and girls aged 5 to 12 the year-round opportunity to learn and play baseball and softball in a fun, nurturing environment. The Madison Foundation provided funding for need-based waivers to families who were unable to pay the registration fee. This grant award allowed six children to participate in the program. Visit the MLL website at www.madisonctbaseball.com to sign a child up to play, volunteer, make a donation, or learn more about league operations and the community sponsors that help make youth athletics available to Madison children.

 

​SARAH, Inc., a Westbrook-based nonprofit serving people of all ages and differing abilities, is launching an adaptive virtual fitness class for its Madison Day program members. The foundation funded a weekly fitness program led by trainers experienced in working with individuals with disabilities. Set to begin in early April, and the recorded training sessions will give differently-abled people the tools to make healthy choices and live more independently. The fitness videos will be archived and used to benefit all members of the SARAH community.

 

​The Madison Arts Barn has been encouraging young people to pursue their creative passions since 1997. In early 2021, the group launched New Year, New You, a program promoting health and wellness through a variety of fun activities. Nearly one hundred adult and student participants met weekly via Zoom to exercise, learn, and support one another during this unprecedented period of social isolation. A blog detailing the program’s weekly workshops can be found on its website at www.madisonartsbarn.org.

 

The Madison Foundation provides grant funding to local nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of town residents. Grant applications can be found on the foundation’s website www.themadisonfoundation.org.

Madison Arts Barn Announces Establishment of the Tammy Boris Volunteer of the Year Award

​By Ben Rayner

​The Madison Arts Barn, aka The Barn, is introducing its Volunteer of the Year Award, named after Tammy Boris, who is part of a long legacy of community service. According to board members, this award will be given annually to one of the many volunteers who help empower young people to pursue their passions by encouraging a sense of community through creativity, music, and the arts in a safe and supportive environment.

According to board member Cristal DePietro, it is no surprise that the first recipient is Tammy Boris, who is the award’s namesake. Boris first got involved with Madison Arts Barn more than 15 years ago through her father, Bill Barker, one of the founding members, and she and her family continue to volunteer and provide support for the organization.

DePietro said Madison Arts Barn was part skate park and part event space, with bands playing weekly when it began. Starting out as a volunteer, Boris developed a deep connection with The Barn and its youth, and using her determination and drive, she was able “to build what was a great blueprint into an incredible non-profit organization,” DePietro said.

Boris’ commitment and passion led the board to hire her as the organization’s executive director, according to DePietro.

Under years of Boris’s leadership, The Barn “has grown to be a comprehensive youth-oriented setting that provides a safe and substance-free space where kids can feel the freedom of being themselves without judgment,” according to DePietro. According to the board, there were numerous reasons why they chose to create the award and to honor Boris, stating that many of the town’s most “beloved events,” like the Daddy Daughter Dance, the Chili Cook-Off, and the Haunted House, have been created or inspired by Boris. However, one act by Boris stands out for The Barn community—one that helped save the organization during its most difficult period.

“COVID had many ramifications throughout the community with a prolonged recovery ahead, but The Barn’s future was secured by the selflessness of Tammy herself. With a gesture so simple, she changed so much by stepping down as co-director in order to ease the financial burden that was felt due to the loss of income and donations due to COVID,” DePietro said. “With the needs of the community increasing and the emotional wellbeing of local youth so critical, it was more important than ever for there to be a place like The Barn.”

DePietro said Boris’s passion is infectious in the best sense of the word and that her presence and dedication continue to inspire both staff and students. Boris also has the title of director emeritus with the organization as well.

“It has been clear to The Barn and its board of directors that when looking for a volunteer of the year for recognition, the bar could not be raised any higher,” DePietro said. “The Barn is so grateful for her service to the community and its youth.”

According to its website, in 1997, a group of youth-conscious citizens formed Friends of Madison Youth, Inc., now doing business as The Barn. The Barn’s support and funding came from a wide range of organizations in addition to individuals. In 1999, the Town of Madison agreed to allow the organization to use The Madison Arts Barn, and with the generosity of The Wilbur W. Pardee Fund, the Greer Fund for Youth, The Erwin C. Bauer Trust, The Madison Foundation, and many individuals, they raised over $300,000.

On May 5, 2000, The Barn opened its doors to the community and has been open ever since. As of 2020, more than 80,000 have participated in our programs and events.

For her part, Boris said she is truly humbled by the honor and, like a true volunteer, credits others for their work and dedication above hers.

“I’d just like to say thanks to [Executive Director] Robyn Klaskin and the entire board for establishing this yearly award and naming it after me. It’s truly a tremendous honor. I am surprised and humbled because when you volunteer, you do it for love, not for recognition. I love the kids, I love the adults, and I love everything The Barn stands for,” Boris said.

Boris said she never loses enthusiasm for The Barn and is proud of her family’s legacy to the organization and The Barn’s commitment to shoreline youth.

“It’s wonderful. This place and these people are my families. Though I’m not as heavily involved as I once was...I am still participating in plays, and doing costuming and artistic involvement because these people are my best friends,” said Boris. “Working with my father, working with the kids, has been very rewarding. To see these kids enjoy it and what they get out of it is truly humbling and special. The satisfaction comes from feeling you are doing right by these kids.”

KIDS' MADISON ARTS BARN COMEDY SERIES TO BE TAUGHT BY TOWN NATIVEMADISON

​(July 17, 2021) — Children who possess a natural talent for humor and seem to possess a natural penchant for comedy may be a perfect fit for The Madison Arts Barn’s stand-up workshop next month. “Stand Up & Learn,” for kids in fifth grade and higher, will be held over three evenings: Aug. 4 and 5 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and Aug. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. A performance will take place on the final day at 6:30 p.m.

​Stand-up comedian and actor Kevin Flynn, a Madison native, will lead the workshop and teach participants to develop and create a routine using the art of comedic storytelling.

In 2007, Flynn was “devastated” to learn that teen suicides had shaken the Nantucket island community, according to a press release. “He knew there was healing power in laughter, so he set his heart on applying it to the community and envisioned creating classes for kids using stand-up comedy techniques to teach confidence and self-esteem.”

Stand Up & Learn is an innovative educational program for schools to encourage confidence through comedic self-expression.

Flynn is also cofounder and executive director of the Nantucket Comedy Festival. He has an extensive list of stand-up performances but has also worked as an actor for: “Me, Myself, & Irene,” “The Heartbreak Kid,” “Osmosis Jones,” and “Sex in the City,” the news release said. He also hosted “Go For It” on Discovery Channel and has also done sportscasting for various channels.

Workshop goals include introducing children to creative writing, communication, and critical thinking skills while laughing and having fun, according to the art barn.

The fee is $175, and scholarships are available to anyone adversely affected by COVID-19, and there is no application process. To sign up, contact the venue at madisonartsbarn@gmail.com.

For information, visit madisonartsbarn.org. christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com

TIME FOR A SNOWBALL FIGHT AT MADISON ARTS BARN TO BRING WARM WISHES, RAISE FUNDS

BY SARAH PAGE KYRCZ

JAN 20, 2021

SHORELINE TIMES & NEW HAVEN REGISTER

​​Are you ready for a snowball fight?

 

​Whether there is snow on the ground or not, you may get hit, and unlike those cold spheres that fly across your yard, these snowballs are going to make you feel warm inside. The Madison Arts Barn, also known as The Barn, has started a “warm wishes” snowball fight where hot cocoa bombs, hot cocoa critters, and a hot cocoa “snow globe” are being exchanged instead of icy cold snowballs.

 

Orders can be placed by visiting madisonartsbarn.org. “For $5, I can put a smile on my nieces’ and nephews’ faces, and it’s totally worth it,” said Susan Wivell, who sent hot cocoa bombs. Each order has a personal message attached and is hand-delivered to Guilford, Madison, Killingworth, and Clinton. The project will continue through the winter with special items for Valentine's Day. “It’s fun, it’s cute,” said Robyn Klaskin, The Barn’s co-director. “People are very excited when I deliver them.” The hot cocoa bombs are $5 or $12.50 for three. They are made with a white chocolate melt shell and have cocoa mix and mini marshmallows inside. Once immersed in hot water or milk, the bomb opens and mixes into a yummy hot chocolate drink topped with marshmallows. The Cocoa Critters creatively packaged hot cocoa, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows to make a hot cocoa treat. These are $8 for a four-pack. The hot cocoa “snow globe,” which includes a mug and one cocoa refill, is currently sold out. They hope to offer this shortly. There is also a "pay it forward" option. The Barn is working with Youth and Family Services to deliver the treats to families in need.

 

 

“I think it’s a really great organization and a service and venue that’s all put together,” said Wivell. “I grew up in Madison, been a Madison resident for 30 years now, and I just really love to ‘Love Your Local,’ as they say,” she added. “Supporting local things during the pandemic has been really important, and I also thought it was a super adorable fundraiser.” The Barn is a small non-profit inclusive youth center that services youth and their communities with a focus on the arts. Their mission is to empower young people to pursue their interests and passions and to encourage a sense of community through creativity, music, and the arts in a safe and supportive environment. The Barn is financially stressed due to the closings, and reduced capacity limits that were necessary due to the pandemic explained Klaskin. “We’ve had a very difficult time since COVID hit, and so we’re trying to think of some creative ways to make money that will maybe put some cheer out into the community, as well,” she said. “It’s going to help us sustain during these difficult times.” Wivell, a teacher and mother, is excited to participate in this project at a time when the youth need a pick-me-up. “I know the kids are going through a lot right now, with in-school, out-of-school, hybrid, this that and everything, and so, I kind of felt like it’s a fun little time of the year, Christmas is over. I thought it would put a smile on their faces to be like, ‘Oh, my Gosh, Aunt Sue — Sue sent me a cocoa bomb!’ ”

 

 

The Barn, 8 Campus Drive, Madison, 203-245-2689; madisonartsbarn.org; Facebook The Barn.