Community Connections provides opportunities to discuss community issues and interests, and opportunities for collaboration among organizations serving Lyme and Old Lyme.

Community Connections Luncheon
For Nonprofit & Organization Leaders, Board Members & Volunteers
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
12:00 noon
Old Lyme Country Club

THE AGE OF AI: Opportunities and Challenges for Nonprofits

Presenter:
Walker Mulligan
Founder, GuilfordAI

This presentation will be given in two parts, and is designed to help nonprofit professionals build both a clear understanding of artificial intelligence and a practical sense of how it can be applied to their work.

Part One (12:00 to 1:00 p.m.) will focus on basic AI use cases and introduce ways you can begin learning AI tools for yourself. This part is essential — it lays the foundation for the rest of the session by clearing up confusion, providing real-world examples, and helping participants start building confidence. Handouts will also be provided with key points and resources to support ongoing learning.

Following a brief break, Part Two (1:10 to 2:00 p.m.) will move beyond the basics into application. We’ll explore how nonprofits can begin experimenting with AI in their own work, what kinds of benefits and challenges others are experiencing, and open the floor for a more interactive Q&A.

Attendees are welcome to leave after the Part One, but it’s important to note that the second half builds directly on the first — so if you’d like to stay for Part Two, attending Part One is crucial.

The session will be led by Walker Mulligan, founder of GuilfordAI, an AI consultancy in Guilford, Connecticut. Since founding the company, Walker has worked with organizations of all sizes and industries to integrate AI into their daily practice. His consulting emphasizes clarity, practicality, and solutions that meet the unique needs of each organization.
Together, the two parts are designed to leave participants with both a solid foundation in AI basics and a practical roadmap for putting those ideas into action in their own organizations.

RSVP ONLINE: CLICK HERE
RSVP BY EMAIL:  lolcommunityconnections@gmail.com
Cost: $30
TO RSVP, CLICK HERE

Please join us to discuss community issues and interests, and opportunities for collaboration among organizations serving Lyme and Old Lyme.

Community Connections is a network for local organizations to explore collaboration opportunities for the enhancement of our Lyme-Old Lyme community.  All area organization leaders and volunteers are welcome to join us.  NOTE:  This page is temporarily hosted by LYSB, while the Community Connections website is under construction.

We launched in September of 2014 with a networking luncheon attended by more than 80 people representing more than 50 organizations.  We host three luncheons per year with networking and discussions on community topics.  Previous meetings and topics listed below.

Community Connections was created by local volunteers who saw a need for our area organizations to network and collaborate. Our planning committee includes:
Tina Birkic
Trudy Burgess, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding 
Katie Huffman, Old Lyme – Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
Cheryl Poirier
Dyanne Rafal
Mary Seidner, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau
Laurie Walker, Coldwell Banker
Jean Wilczynski, Exencial Wealth Advisors

NOTE:  This page is temporarily hosted by LYSB, while the Community Connections website is under construction.

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS:
Brian T. Dagle Memorial Foundation
Boy Scouts Troop 26
Camp Claire
Caroline’s Miracle Foundation
Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut
Coldwell Banker
Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut
Duck River Garden Club
Essex Savings Bank
Estuary Magazine
Estuary Transit District / 9 Town Transit
Exencial Wealth Advisors
First Congregational Church of Old Lyme
FISH – Friends in Service Here
Florence Griswold Museum
Friends of the Lyme Library
Friends of OLPGN Library
Friends of Whalebone Cove
Girl Scouts of Lyme/Old Lyme
Healthy Addiction
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding
HOPE Partnership
Kiwanis of Old Saybrook/Lyme/Old Lyme
Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore CT
Lyme Academy of Fine Arts
Lyme Ambulance Association
Lyme Art Association
Lyme Farmers Market
Lyme Garden Club
Lyme Land Trust
Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce
Lyme/Old Lyme Education Foundation
Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Womens Club
Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club
Lyme & Old Lyme Neighbors Magazine
Lyme-Old Lyme Schools
Lyme Public Hall
Lyme Public Library
Lymeline.com
Lymes’ Senior Center
Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau
MacCurdy Salisbury Educational Foundation
Mentoring Corps for Community Development
Music Now Foundation
Musical Masterworks
Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center
Old Lyme Historical Society
Old Lyme Land Trust
Old Lyme Open Space Commission
Old Lyme – Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
Old Lyme Police Union
Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association
Old Lyme Volunteer Ambulance Association
Old Saybrook Rotary Club
Overabove
PARJE (Public Art for Racial Justice Education)
Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
Safe Futures
Shoreline Arts Alliance
Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries
Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council
St. Anns Episcopal Church
Studio 80 & Sculpture Grounds
Thames Valley Council for Community Action
Tim Buckley Project
Valley Shore YMCA
Vann Bulas & Co
Womens Exchange of Old Lyme

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