Chester W. Blomquist
After graduating from Gardner (Massachusetts) High School in 1944, Chester W. Blomquist served in the United States Navy for two years during World War II. In the fall of 1955, with his degree in Health and Physical Education, Chet became a physical education teacher in the Branford Public Schools and received a master's degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1967. In addition to his teaching career, Chet coached and supervised sports extensively, both in the schools and for the Branford Recreation Department, taking on baseball, basketball, football, track and field, volleyball, gymnastics, trampoline, swimming, canoeing, floor hockey, and wrestling. Throughout his 32-year teaching career (a 1987 retiree) Chet also served for 18 summers as waterfront director at a boy scout camp in New York's Catskill Mountains and subsequently served for 13 years as Pool Director at the Intermediate School.
Like many other "retirees" from the Branford school system, Chet could not stop teaching. His present classroom is twenty-eight miles of trails and roads. What began as a way of walking to improve his health became a full-blown program called "Walk the Branford Trails"; and the program, which began as a Friday-morning series, has now been expanded to include Saturday walks as well. The eight-week program of three to five miles per walk takes participants around the perimeter of Branford. Trail leaders are knowledgeable in the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Participants are enthusiastic about the walks and proudly sport the patches illustrating the trail that they receive upon completion. Even Branford natives are amazed by what they learn on the walks, seeing places they never knew existed hidden behind buildings they drive past every day.
Working with the Branford Land Trust, Chet was also instrumental in the acquisition of additional trails and the improvement or extension of existing ones so that the entire twenty-eight mile route is now connected. In addition, Chet is largely responsible for Branford’s national recognition as "A Connecticut Trail Town."
Walking the trails so frequently and serving as Chairman of the Branford Conservation and Environment Commission, Chet is keenly aware of the importance of educating Branford citizens on conservation issues and hopes to develop a resource section on this topic at Blackstone Library. He also serves on the Branford Land Trust Advisory Board and is a member of the Branford River Project, the Route 146 Scenic Byway Committee, and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.
Honors and recognition are nothing new to Chester Blomquist. In 1963 the Branford Recreation Department named a Men's Volleyball Tournament after him; the Rotary Club honored him with their Community Service Award in 1993; and 1995 saw his induction into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame. Best of all, each year since 1988, an award has been given in his name to one male and one female graduating from Walsh Intermediate School.
Chet is the father of four children: Lynn Cote, Steven Blomquist, Judy Nyberg, and Krista Blomquist. In addition to his environmental and conservation organizations, he is active in American Legion Post 83 and Tabor Lutheran Church.
Former teaching colleagues recall Chet as a gentleman with whom it was an honor and privilege to teach and remember "his true love of teaching all the children and knowing the importance of making them feel good about themselves," traits that surely his former students remember as well. And hundreds of Branford adults have benefited from the natural classroom he has led them to explore.
Like many other "retirees" from the Branford school system, Chet could not stop teaching. His present classroom is twenty-eight miles of trails and roads. What began as a way of walking to improve his health became a full-blown program called "Walk the Branford Trails"; and the program, which began as a Friday-morning series, has now been expanded to include Saturday walks as well. The eight-week program of three to five miles per walk takes participants around the perimeter of Branford. Trail leaders are knowledgeable in the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Participants are enthusiastic about the walks and proudly sport the patches illustrating the trail that they receive upon completion. Even Branford natives are amazed by what they learn on the walks, seeing places they never knew existed hidden behind buildings they drive past every day.
Working with the Branford Land Trust, Chet was also instrumental in the acquisition of additional trails and the improvement or extension of existing ones so that the entire twenty-eight mile route is now connected. In addition, Chet is largely responsible for Branford’s national recognition as "A Connecticut Trail Town."
Walking the trails so frequently and serving as Chairman of the Branford Conservation and Environment Commission, Chet is keenly aware of the importance of educating Branford citizens on conservation issues and hopes to develop a resource section on this topic at Blackstone Library. He also serves on the Branford Land Trust Advisory Board and is a member of the Branford River Project, the Route 146 Scenic Byway Committee, and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.
Honors and recognition are nothing new to Chester Blomquist. In 1963 the Branford Recreation Department named a Men's Volleyball Tournament after him; the Rotary Club honored him with their Community Service Award in 1993; and 1995 saw his induction into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame. Best of all, each year since 1988, an award has been given in his name to one male and one female graduating from Walsh Intermediate School.
Chet is the father of four children: Lynn Cote, Steven Blomquist, Judy Nyberg, and Krista Blomquist. In addition to his environmental and conservation organizations, he is active in American Legion Post 83 and Tabor Lutheran Church.
Former teaching colleagues recall Chet as a gentleman with whom it was an honor and privilege to teach and remember "his true love of teaching all the children and knowing the importance of making them feel good about themselves," traits that surely his former students remember as well. And hundreds of Branford adults have benefited from the natural classroom he has led them to explore.