Now Is Not The Time To Forget

Hi Neighbor!

In this edition, we’re touching on three things that have a way of shaping more than just a single day.

We share a look at pickleball — not just as a sport, but as a welcoming community where movement, connection, and growth come together. We spend a moment with life in 2026, focusing less on big declarations and more on showing up, one day at a time. And we talk about sleep — the often-overlooked foundation that quietly impacts our energy, mood, health, and how we move through the entire year.

Different topics on the surface, but all connected by one idea: small, intentional choices that ripple outward in meaningful ways.

We’re glad you’re here.

~ TFV Team

Table of Contents

• A Gentle Reminder to Keep It Local

• Pickle What?

  • 🎾 Community, Confidence & Court Time: Camp Pickle …

  • What Campers Are Loving Right Now

  • This Season’s Focus

  • For Anyone Hesitating to Try Pickleball

  • What’s Coming Up

  • A Pickleball Getaway ☀️

  • One Moment That Says It All

  • How to Get Started

• Let Us Make 2026 A Bit More Intentional

• Sweet Dreams

A Gentle Reminder to Keep It Local

Now that the holidays are behind us and the pace of the season has softened, there’s a collective exhale happening across the valley. The rush slows. The noise fades. And in that quieter space, it’s worth remembering something important: supporting local doesn’t end with the holidays.

Small businesses, artists, makers, and community spaces rely on us all year long, not just during gift-giving season. They’re the familiar faces behind the counter, the neighbors who took a risk, the creatives who stayed, the businesses that didn’t pack up and leave when things got hard. They’re still here, opening their doors every day, hoping we’ll choose them over the big box down the road.

As a team, we want you to know this commitment doesn’t stop either. We’ll continue to showcase and highlight the people who make the Farmington Valley what it is, new businesses finding their footing, longtime staples that have shaped our towns, local artists creating quietly, and individuals doing meaningful work behind the scenes.

Supporting local isn’t just a transaction. It’s a choice to invest in the place we call home. To show up as friends and neighbors. To keep the lights on, the doors open, and the character of our towns alive, all year long.

So while today, we talk about pickleball and tips for a better coming year. Next week we talk about another small business we are so excited to share as well as a couple hidden gems.

For now though, while we exhale and breathe in the new, let’s remember those that are still here and have been for us as a community.

Pickle What?

Trying a new sport can feel intimidating — especially when you’re not sure where you fit, what you need to know, or whether you’ll be “good enough” to belong. That’s where Camp Pickleball quietly stands apart. (not to mention, they are family owned and operated and not a chain like most others)

From the moment new players walk through the doors, Camp Pickleball feels less like a competitive arena and more like a community that genuinely wants you there. Beginners aren’t rushed, overlooked, or thrown into the deep end. Instead, they’re met with structure, encouragement, and clear guidance — learning the game step by step, at a pace that builds confidence rather than pressure.

What makes Camp Pickleball especially welcoming is the culture they’ve built. Players cheer each other on. Coaches take time to explain the why, not just the how. And whether you’re holding a paddle for the first time or returning after a long break, you’re treated like someone who belongs — because you do.

If you’ve been curious about pickleball, looking for a new way to stay active, or hoping to find a sport that offers both growth and connection, this is the community to lean into. Camp Pickleball isn’t just teaching people how to play — they’re creating a place where people feel comfortable starting, supported while learning, and excited to keep coming back.

🎾 Community, Confidence & Court Time: Camp Pickleball Is Growing

If you’ve been hearing more and more chatter about pickleball around the Farmington Valley, there’s a good reason for it. Camp Pickleball has been steadily growing — not just in numbers, but in purpose.

Since we last talked about them, Camp Pickleball has expanded both youth and adult programming with a clear focus on development, sportsmanship, and community. What stands out most is how intentional everything feels. This isn’t just open play for the sake of it, it’s structured, supportive, and designed to help players actually improve.

What Campers Are Loving Right Now

The word we kept hearing? Progress.

What campers are loving most right now is the sense of progression and community they’re experiencing. Players are really responding to the structured skill development from youth sessions that build confidence and fundamentals, to adult clinics that help them hit new personal bests in strategy and consistency. Many have told us they finally feel like they’re improving week to week, which keeps them coming back.

Beyond the on-court improvement, campers consistently talk about how much they enjoy the community vibe the friendships, the supportive atmosphere, and the positive energy at every session. That combination of personal growth and connection is what’s resonating most with players right now.

This Season’s Focus

Camp Pickleball is doubling down on three themes this season:

• Intentional development – understanding why you’re taking certain shots or positions, not just hitting the ball.

• Sportsmanship & positive culture – competing hard while respecting opponents and enjoying the process.

• Community – making sure every player, from first-timer to seasoned competitor, feels supported and included.

For Anyone Hesitating to Try Pickleball

Their message is simple and refreshing: You don’t need to be good to start — you just need to start.

Pickleball is one of the most approachable sports out there, and Camp Pickleball is intentional about meeting players where they are. Most people who hesitate worry about not fitting in or not being skilled enough — and almost everyone realizes very quickly that they belong.

The hardest part is showing up the first time. After that, it gets easy. And the reality behind it is showing up for the first time isn’t actually hard at all. It’s warm, welcoming, and open to you.

What’s Coming Up

There’s a lot happening on and off the court:

• February Frenzy Tournament – February 13–14
  A high-energy winter tournament bringing players together across skill levels.

• “Meet Your Match on the Court”
  A pickleball-based speed dating event blending social connection with friendly competition.

• Seasonal camps & special sessions
  Designed to keep players active, improving, and connected all winter long.

And looking ahead to something truly special…

A Pickleball Getaway ☀️

Camp Pickleball is heading to Sandals South Coast in Jamaica from October 25–30, 2026 for an all-inclusive pickleball getaway. The trip blends daily coached sessions, structured match play, open play, and plenty of time to relax and connect off the court.

It’s a perfect example of how Camp Pickleball continues to evolve — creating experiences that go beyond traditional programming and strengthen the community in new ways.

More details can be found at VibeGetaways.com/camp2026.

One Moment That Says It All

During a recent youth match day, competition was intense — but what stood out wasn’t the score. Kids encouraged opponents, celebrated great shots on both sides of the net, and stayed after matches to play together like teammates. Parents cheered positively from the sidelines, letting the kids take ownership of the moment.

That mix of growth, respect, confidence, and connection is exactly what Camp Pickleball is about.

How to Get Started

The best way to register or stay up to date is through Camp Pickleball’s CourtReserve platform, where all sessions, leagues, camps, and special events are posted in real time.
👉 https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Portal/Index/10725

You can also stay connected through their email updates and social channels for reminders and highlights.

Whether you’re brand new to pickleball or looking to level up your game, Camp Pickleball is building something special — and the momentum is just getting started.

Really though, if you’re new to pickleball or thinking about joining an facility that fosters great pickleball and community, come down and walk through the doors and see for yourself, pickleball may just be what you’re life is missing.

Phone: 860-846-8084
Location: 17 Northwest Drive Plainville, CT 06062

Let Us Make 2026 A Bit More Intentional

If you’re easing into the new year and craving something a little more grounding, a little more real.

Here you can read a short, reflective piece about entering 2026 one day at a time, no pressure, no hype, just forward motion and intention.

Take a moment to read it here:
👉 https://uplifting.beehiiv.com/p/2026

Sweet Dreams

The sought-after and sometimes elusive brainwave state that is sweet when steady,  but perplexing and frustrating when it isn’t. As the relationship status might suggest: ‘it's complicated’. At times, it comes with great ease and other times, it’s a season-long science experiment. The precursor to a productive day and the enemy of eating well. As a local lifestyle coach and yoga therapist, I thought I’d compile my favorite sleep-related tips and resources for you in hopes of enjoying more rest in the year ahead.

Whether this finds you sleeping particularly well or tossing and turning, it’s true that we all phase in and out of good sleep. Why? Because we’re permeable beings. We’re influenced by what’s happening for us personally just as much as the patterns of the people in the house or the global state of affairs. I believe we’re deeply connected to each other, to the elements that rule the natural world, and so we, too, swing along with them. 

Lifestyle Tools

Sleep talk is ubiquitous in the field of life and health coaching. It comes up in every conversation I have because it affects everything from food to mood to movement. I think it’s safe to say most find a positive relationship with more movement and sleep. Too much energy left at the end of the day doesn’t pair well with sitting still, let alone sleeping. It turns into a conversation not of “how can I tire myself out?” but “how can I use movement to cultivate a sense of steadiness and ease to rest in?”

For some, that steadiness and ease is the addition of heavy weights at the gym or held yoga posture. We could fill an entire conversation on how the elements of earth and water play into lifestyle. Long story short, building strength is grounding in the body and mind.

Our exposure to natural light also drives our circadian (sleep) rhythm. All the articles on getting east-facing light exposure as early as possible in the day are true. How can you combine optimal light exposure with movement? Might I suggest a gentle exercise routine as the sun comes up? 

And if it's not the body in need of ease, it’s that darn mind of ours moving, turning and churning without ceasing. Dreaming is simply evidence that the mind never stops moving, but at least it feels like somewhat of a break. Writing down what’s top of mind in the evening can help tame the thoughts - one less thing to try and remember as you shift into sleep.

Research says it takes about 2 weeks to rebalance from significant disruptions in your typical sleep patterns - for better or for worse. And as far as filling a sleep deficit - forget it. Sleeping more doesn’t equate to getting back on track. The best thing you can do is return back to a set sleep and wake time to help rebalance.

It’s the simple things. As a coach, I’ve witnessed many an evening routine. What often helps and what definitely doesn’t? It’s the seemingly insignificant things, the natural things, that I see move the needle. Think about it this way: Sleep is a rhythm and the body is a series of many cyclical, neurochemical cascades. Therefore finding stronger rhythms in the day in eating and exercise lends itself to stability in other rhythms. We are creatures of habit.

Speaking of steady rhythms, if you’re one to fall asleep with sound, apps are great for this. They have sleep stories, sound mixing, breathing visualizations and meditations. If you’re one of many who need to sleep with a fan and drying out a home already dry with heat, try a sound app instead. The app Better Sleep is a wonderful option for this.

So, in your quest for greater rest, you might even curl up with a good non-fiction read. I’ve put together a short list of books on the topic in hopes of learning a thing or two and feeling your best this year:

Your Inner Clock by Lynne Peeples

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

Yoga for Sleep by Mark Stephens

And for all you yoga-doers, a few things to consider:

• Forward folding postures (think: seated forward folds, supported child’s pose) that support a down-regulated nervous system

• Spending time directly on the ground (prone, seated) or with all four limbs on the ground

• Pay special attention to the feet (rub and massage first, then shift attention here when placed on the ground in standing postures)

• Bringing the gaze low in your space or eyes closed

• Playing low-toned, low-frequency sounds

Sleep tight,

Elise, M.A., RYT, NBC-HWC

www.elisecusimano.com

Schedule a free, 15-minute chemistry call anytime.