The Westport Garden Club‘s spring plant sale is always a red letter date for green thumbs.
Like so many other events, it’s fallen victim to the coronavirus. But, the club says, it’s only postponed — not canceled. A new date will be announced soon.
COVID-19 has not knocked other plans. Members of the 96-year-old organization continue to beautify and maintain gardens and cemeteries all over town.
They’ve been busy at Grace Salmon Park, Nevada Hitchcock Park, Adams Academy, Earthplace and more. No more than 2 members work at any time, and they keep far apart while weeding, pruning and planting.
Next up: extending the Pollinator Pathway project begun last year, and enhancing the town with floral accents.
Beautiful Grace Salmon Park (Photo/Ginger Donaher)
Westport Rotary Club grants are usually a big deal, unveiled with fanfare at a big May meeting.
This year, the pandemic forced a change. $80,000 in funding was announced by email. And it’s going out now — not next month — because for many recipients, the need is urgent.
Thanks to fundraisers like LobsterFest, and ongoing hard work by members, Westport Rotary can help 35 local organizations. They include Staples Tuition Grants, Homes with Hope, CLASP Homes, and a wide range of Westport-based social services, housing, education and addiction services organizations.
Also receiving grants: Bridgeport and Norwalk organizations that serve the needy, including Mercy Learning Center, Family ReEntry and the Carver Foundation.
Speaking of Mercy Learning: Many Westporters are longtime volunteers. The Bridgeport program provides underserved women with academic, language, computer and life skills; early childhood education; assistance preparing for citizenship, and mental health, job and financial counseling.
Recently, many more Westporters have given generously, as the organization adds food, medicine and diapers for women in need.
Yesterday, the National Catholic Reporter shined a great spotlight on MLC. It’s featured in the paper’s “Saints Next Door.” Click here for the full story on this wonderful institution — and the great people behind it. (Hat tip: Diane Johnson)
More great philanthropic news:
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is giving 90 grants totaling $1,359,500 from its COVID-19 Resiliency Fund. The project was launched just a month ago. Click here for the list.
But they’re not stopping there. An anonymous donor will match every donation — up to a total of $500,000. Click here to make a donation of any size. Every dollar counts!
And finally, a beautiful song that means more than ever, these days:
https://swimswam.com/connecticut-swimming-lsc-cancels-all-2020-long-course-season-meets/
Well, for all of the swimmers among us, this just hits it home. Wesleyan (long course pool for many CT meets) has stated it is closed through (at least) Sep 1. Chair of CT swimming is our own Ellen Johnston from the Westport Y, who wrote to all of the members of US Swimming in CT… swimmers, parents, coaches, officials. Her letter is in a link in this article. It’s not just the meets though that we all miss, is it? It is the essence of the pool, the workouts, the camaraderie with friends in the locker room. The athletes continue to miss their training. As much as we agonize over it, we all have to hope that mourning our lost pool training is our biggest problem.
Kris Story Cell: 203-247-0240
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Oh…the marvelous Brothers Four . Troubadours from the early 60’s , what great memories return to our generation !