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A few folks grumble about paying admission to the Slice of Saugatuck or Westport Dog Festival.
Quit bitching. Held this fall after a COVID hiatus, they helped fund donations of more than $10,000 to non-profit organizations. The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce sponsors both events, and announced the grants.
The traditional recipient of the Slice of Saugatuck is Homes with Hope’s Gillespie Food Pantry. This year’s donation of $4,500 brings the grand total since the Slice began to over $30,000. The giant neighborhood food tasting tagline is: “Food for those who can afford it, and food for those who can’t.”
Donations to local non-profits from the Dog Festival total $6,000 this year: $4,000 to co-producer TAILS; $1,000 to the Westport Police Department (split between the K9 unit and Animal Control via Westport Animal Shelter Advocates); $500 to Fidelco Guide Dogs; $250 to the Connecticut Humane Society, and $250 to Adopt-a-Dog.
The Dog Festival returns this spring to its usual date. Slice of Saugatuck will be held right after Labor Day.
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For years, Richelle Evarts has been a familiar, friendly face at Organic Market.
She’s been diagnosed with colon and liver cancer. Her husband William is reaching out for help.
He writes: “After exploring many options, she decided to take an integrated holistic medical path to recovery.
“Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t cover such a path. We found a facility in Mesa, Arizona, with an extensive 6 week-stay.
“I’m reaching out to all who know Richelle and what a beautiful, wonderful and giving person she is, I’m asking you to help us reach our goal for her to live many more healthy and active years. Any donation is greatly appreciated.”
Click here for Richelle’s GoFundMe page. (Hat tip: Sarah Gross)
Richelle Evarts
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Often, the state Department of Transportation works slowly.
This time, they got the job done quickly. And right.
Earlier this month, the Hillspoint Road bridge over I-95 was named for Khaliq Sanda. He’s the smart, energetic, dynamic and popular 2013 Staples High School graduate (and A Better Chance of Westport scholar) who was diagnosed with brain cancer while majoring in pre-med at Duke University. His death in March devastated Westport.
Today, signs went up on the span. They’ll serve as a constant reminder of all that we lost.
(Photo/Ben Joseloff)
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Speaking of bridges: Sunday was UN Day. As always, flags of member nations flew proudly on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
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A few days ago, our “06880” Roundup previewed Todd Suchotliff’s upcoming New York Marathon — which he would run entirely in Westport. A recent arrival in town, he invited his friends (and strangers) to run a bit with him, or cheer along the route.
It happened Sunday. Todd reports:
“It was a great day, made all the better with help from the amazing community here in my new hometown, from start to finish.
“My neighbors came out to cheer me on. Three people from the Joggers Club ran with me — one for the first 20 miles (!), the others to run the last 6.2 home. Plus my family chased me all around Westport, holding up signs and cheering for me.
Thank you fall. And we raised close to $8,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, in my mom’s memory.”
Todd Suchotliff and friend.
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In June 2020, I started an “06880” story on Gabi Conti this way:
“The guy who got away. The guy who’s hotter than you. The guy you always go back to. The guy who’s much older. The guy who’s toxic. The guy you can’t remember.
“Gabi Conti knows them all. She’s dated them all.”
The hook was that Gabi — a 2005 Staples High School graduate — had just written a book. Called “20 Guys You Date in Your 20s,” it was a compilation of her greatest hits — and misses.
Gabi is now 34. As of earlier this month, she’s also married.
This past weekend, the New York Times featured her Greens Farms Church wedding. Click here for the whole story.
Spoiler alert: The 31st date was a charm.
Gabi Conti and Daren Johnson (Photo courtesy of Robert Norman Photography)
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The Town Clerk’s office (Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue) will be open this Saturday (October 30, 9 a.m. to noon) to issue absentee ballots for the November 2 election.
Absentee ballots will continue to be available on Monday, November 1, until 4:30 p.m. All ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk’s office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Questions? Click here; email tclerk@westportct.gov, or call 203-341-1110.
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With all our recent focus on animals, “Westport … Naturally” has neglected a no-brainer: fall foliage.
This wonderful shot is from Gray’s Creek.
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
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And finally … Jay Black, the 2nd “Jay” of Jay and the Americans, died Friday in Queens, of cardiac arrest. He was 82, and suffered from pneumonia and dementia. (Click here for the full obituary.)
The first Jay (Traynor) had a great voice, on songs like “She Cried.” But Jay Black’s baritone made his predecessor sound like a wannabe. Consider these classics:
