North Stonington couple completes America's Great Loop

Duane Jelly and Diana Laverda of North Stonington recently received a “BaccaLOOPerate” degree from the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Assocation for completing America’s Great Loop, a 6,000-mile ocean and river trip around the eastern U.S. and Canada.

Jelly and Laverda completed the trip, which goes up the Atlantic Intracostal Waterway and New York canals down to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico, on their 35-foot Trojan International power boat, the “Bella Donna.”

“It was a true learning experience every day as one of us needed to be a full-time Captain, part-time mechanic with unlimited overtime and novice meteorologist while the other became an expert navigator, proficient line handler and professional organizer,” they said in a release. “We will forever cherish the friends we were so fortunate to make along the way and look forward to crossing paths in the future on and off the water. From Hell’s Gate to conquering Lake Michigan and the Mighty Mississippi and from the fjords of Canada to crossing the Gulf of Mexico and swimming with the pigs, the memories we’ve amassed will be treasured for the rest of our lives.”

For more information, visit greatloop.org.

Voluntown man named general manager of Connecticut Randall offices

The Randall Family of Companies has named veteran real estate professional Bob Leighton of Voluntown to the new position of general manager of its Connecticut offices. He brings to his new role nearly 40 years of experience in real estate sales, management and operations leadership at several prominent brokerages.

In the past, Leighton held several executive-level positions, owned and operated his own brokerage in eastern Connecticut, and has spearheaded growth initiatives for RE/MAX of New England.

"In his new role, Bob will help direct our Connecticut growth efforts at Page Taft and Randall, Realtors, help with the delivery and implementation of our agent resources and assist our Connecticut managers in day-to-day operations," Mike Schlott, president of The Randall Family of Companies, said in a release.

"I am thrilled to help build The Randall Family of Companies' presence in Connecticut and support its growth strategy," Leighton said in a release.

Leighton has two daughters and four grandchildren. He also has a degree in real estate and urban economics from the University of Connecticut.

Nature Center names three new trustees

Rebecca Nolan, Jennifer Herbst and Claudia Bachmann-Bouchard have been named to the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center's Board of Trustees.

The three women, who joined at the center's annual meeting Oct. 14, will each serve three-year terms.

Nolan is a landscape architect living in Pawcatuck. She currently serves as the associate director of strategic partnerships at the Rhode Island School of Design. Herbst, currently living in Mystic, has a master's degree in environmental engineering and is an environmental compliance expert for industry.

Bachmann-Bouchard, originally from Argentina, is a seventh-grade science teacher at Teacher's Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School in Norwich.

For more information about the Nature Center, visit dpnc.org.

ELHS student named Niantic Rotary Student of the Month

Priya Whitley of East Lyme, a student at East Lyme High School, received the Niantic Rotary Club's Student of the Month Award via Zoom Oct. 7.

The Rotary program honors one student each month from East Lyme High School. The students are selected by 11 departments at the school: Math, English, Social Studies, Science, Global Language, Music, Art, Health/Physical Education, Technology Education, Coastal Connections and Family/Consumer Science. Whitley's award was presented by Kelly Nelson, representing the Mathematics Department.

Students are chosen based on outstanding citizenship and making a contribution to the school or community. Scholarships in the amount of $500 are presented to each student.

Whitley is a member of the Student Senate, Leo's Club, and Key Club. She has earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her community service.

In addition, she has earned a Girl Scout Silver Award and is currently working on her Gold Award. She was also recognized by her teachers for her commitment to online learning during the pandemic.

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