And we'll close touting the virtual 25th Annual International Festival of Arts & Ideas - bringing you artistic exhibits, food experiences, cell phone-guided walking tours, the NEA Big Read, and Ideas programming with a theme of “Democracy: We the People” all free and online.

In between we'll check in with the American Lung Association to review their 2020 "State Of The Air" report and try to figure out why the state is doing so poorly protecting and preserving the very air we breathe.

Then meet the president of the CT Psychological Assoc. and learn how the COVID pandemic is taking a toll on our mental health by increasing stress, anxiety, and depression - particularly among certain populations - how you can address these concerns immediately and access help or support.

Last but not least, we'll help  young people in our state better map their future careers, and arrive in the workforce equipped to succeed as we tout and tell students and businesses about Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County's upcoming Inspire Virtual Career Exploration Fair.

Then we'll get Closer to Free with the folks at Smilow Cancer Hospital and the Yale Cancer Center. They helped host John Voket survive cancer, so along with a fellow survivor we'll meet who's raised more than $150,000 for the cause - we'll tell you about - and clue you in on being part of the 10th anniversary Closer to Free Ride on September 12.

Rounding out our program of virtual activities, we'll catch up with the Center for Family Justice - and hear about how this critical human services agency is supporting victims of sexual assault in a COVID world, and invite you to the center's Speaking of Women virtual gathering on September 22.