'Why You Belong In Stratford': New Video Series Promotes Town

STRATFORD, CT — Why do you belong in Stratford? The reasons are innumerable, say locals and officials in a new promotional video from the town's Economic & Community Development Commission.

The video, titled “Why you belong in Stratford,” is the second of two promotional videos in the commission's "Why Stratford?" series, which aims to showcase the town's perks, including its people, businesses and natural resources.

Although the coronavirus pandemic derailed the commission's original plans for the series, it bounced back last fall with its inaugural video: "Why Your Business Belongs in Stratford," which has nearly 10,000 views, said Economic Development Director Mary Dean.

“Production began in the fall of 2019, but when the first video was set for release in March 2020, COVID hit and we decided to change course," Dean said in a statement. "The Commission then hired Stratford’s own award-winning photojournalist John Dempsey to create a series of six smaller, 30-second videos highlighting various small business sectors, which aired each week throughout the summer. The goal was to remind and motivate people to keep their business local, to support our small business community especially through the pandemic.”

In the second installment of the video series, Stratford Mayor Laura R. Hoydick describes the town as "a great place to grow up."

"If your kids grow up here and they are engaged in this community, they can live anywhere in the world,” Hoydick, a lifelong Stratford resident, said in the video.

Amanda Meeson, Executive Director of Stratford’s Sterling House Community Center, also appears in the video.

“Stratford was our high-five decision,” Meeson said of her family's decision to relocate to Stratford from New York City.

Residents can subscribe to Stratford Economic and Community Development Department’s YouTube Channel to be alerted to the release of future promotional videos.