Community Connections
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, May 13, 2026
12:00 noon
First Congregational Church of Old Lyme
Stop Blending In: Building an Undeniable Brand in an Era of Constant Disruption
Presenter:
John Visgilio
Founder and CEO, Overabove
This session is a wake-up call for organizations that still believe brand building works the way it used to—because it doesn’t.
In a world where audiences are overwhelmed, media is fragmented, and “safe” messaging disappears into the noise, this talk will challenge non-profits to rethink everything: how they define themselves, how they show up, and how they break through.
Grounded in Overabove’s belief that everything has changed and that today, brands must think and act like media companies, this session will unpack how to build a clear, undeniable brand rooted in truth and differentiated positioning—then activate it through authentic storytelling, data-led insight, and integrated communications that actually moves people.
Attendees will walk away understanding how to transform their organization from a passive communicator into a powerful storyteller—one that doesn’t just raise awareness, but changes minds, builds community, and drives real impact. Miss this, and you risk continuing to blend in when the future belongs to those bold enough to stand apart.
• • •
Overabove is a strategic marketing and communications firm built for a world where everything has changed. We combine data, strategy, and bold creative to help brands break through the noise, think like media companies, and build real connection and impact.
Founder and CEO, John Visgilio brings this approach to life—helping organizations uncover what makes them truly different and turn it into impact.
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, William Pitt Sotheby’s Realty
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
PREVIOUS TOPICS:
| September 2014 | Meet & Greet |
| November 2014 | Roundtable Discussions |
| January 2015 | Volunteers: How to recruit, train, & retain with Megan Ellis, High Hope Volunteer Manager |
| May 2015 | Meet the Media with Lymeline, WFSB Channel 3, The Day, Lyme Times |
| September 2015 | Defining Your Image with John Visgilio, Outthink |
| December 2015 | Collaboration! with Maryam Elahi, Community Foundation of Eastern CT |
| March 2016 | Social Media for NonProfits with Julia Balfour LLC |
| June 2016 | Grant Writing and Grant Making with Millie Devine |
| September 2016 | Shifting Paradigms with Ian Neviaser, Superintendent LOL Schools |
| January 2017 | High Speed Rail in SE CT with Gregory Stroud, SECoast |
| September 2017 | Board Building with Nancy Brennan, National Executive Service Corps |
| January 2018 | Media Strategies to Boost Marketing in 2018 with Kayla Hedman, Miranda Creative |
| May 2018 | Get Your News in Local & National Publications with Lee Howard, The Day |
| October 2018 | Planning for Success with Tom Gezo, PMP |
| January 2019 | Leaving a Legacy with Alison Woods, Community Foundation of Eastern CT |
| March 2019 | Collaborations & Networking for Non Profits – Happy Hour with Kitty Stalsburg, High Hopes and Katherine Verano, Safe Futures |
| December 2019 | Meet the Funders with Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Foundation, Community Foundation of Eastern CT, Essex Savings Bank |
| May 2019 | How Connecticut’s Budget Affects Your Organization with Keith Phaneuf, CT Mirror Budget Reporter |
| January, 2020 | How a Healthy Community Affects Your Organization with Frank Burns & Sue Gray, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, and Howard Margules, OL Economic Development Commission |
| July, 2021 | Reconnect, Network & Mingle Happy Hour at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts |
| September, 2022 | Making Your Organization’s Social Media Count with Rachel Edwards, Dreamscapes Marketing + Design |
| April, 2023 | Philanthropy is About Relationships with Claire Godrow, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding |
| October, 2023 | What Does Good Governance Look Like?, with Patricia Dowling, Dowling Coaching and Consulting |
| May, 2025 | THE AGE OF AI: Opportunities and Challenges for Nonprofits, with Walker Mulligan of Guilford AI |