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Downtown is all about holiday shopping.
But it’s about helping others too.
This season, the Westport Downtown Association will install a dozen beautiful, colorful trees throughout the area.
Each will be decorated by professional designers. Each will also be themed to a different local non-profit.
The organizations include Filling in the Blanks, Wakeman Town Farm, Westport Young Woman’s League, Westport Fire Department, Homes with Hope, Christ & Holy Trinity Church, Aware, CLASP Homes, Westport PAL, Westport Bookstore, and MoCA Westport.
The WDA asks residents to help fund trees, lights and decorations. Click here to donate via GoFundMe.
PS: Dartmouth College’s Brovertones will sing on Sunday, December 5 (6:30 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church courtyard).
A downtown Christmas tree (last year).
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Staples’ girls soccer team has done it again!
Two weeks after winning the FCIAC championship, they earned a co-state championship. The Wreckers and Wilton battled through 80 minutes of excellent soccer, and 30 more of overtime, before both were declared Connecticut LL (extra large schools) winners.
The defensive battle was a worthy final, between teams that knew each other well. Staples shut out the Warriors 1-0 for the league crown, after beating them by the same score in the regular season.
Congratulations to coach Barry Beattie and his staff, and a wonderful group of talented, tenacious athletes!
Staples celebrates after last week’s state semifinal win. (Photo/JC Martin)
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Staples is not coach Barry Beattie’s only championship team this fall. His Westport Soccer Association U-15 Blue squad also tied for their league title. Congratulations (again) to him, and of course to his players!
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Speaking (still) of sports: The Joggers Club hosts its first-ever Turkey Burn on Saturday (November 27, 8 a.m., Compo Beach).
On tap: 5K, 10K and 15K runs, along with hot coffee, treats, and finish line music. “Celebrate the holidays with your most festive running outfit,” they say.
Regular Compo Beach runs are Saturdays at 8 a.m., and Wednesday nights at the Staples High School track (6:15 p.m.).
Click here for more information, or follow on Instagram: @TheJoggersClub.ct.
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Staples Players is back!
“Grease” — their first full mainstage musical since the pandemic — played to 2 weeks of sold-out audiences. Choreography, music, sets, lighting — all were up to the award-winning high school troupe’s always high standards.
Congratulations to directors David Roth and Kerry Long, the cast and crew. Stay tuned for news about the spring show!
Ryan Porio leads a show-stopping “Greased Lightning.” (Photo/Kerry Long)
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Greens Farms is filled with “Westport … Naturally” photo opportunities. Here’s Ron Henkin’s submission.
(Photo/Ron Henkin)
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And finally … we have a two-fer for today in history. On this date in 1877, Thomas Edison announced his invention of the phonograph …
… while — somewhat related — on this day in 1959, disc jockey Alan Freed — who helped popularize the term “rock ‘n’ roll” — was fired from WABC radio in New York. He was alleged to have been part of the payola scandal.
The Staples players did an amazing job after two years of small productions they came back in a big way!!! And the audience appreciated and showed their affection by giving them a 5 minute standing ovation at the end of the final show!!! WOW! The kids, the directors and the parents put a lot of time and energy into these full blown productions and it showed last night!!! Now it is time for them to go celebrate after we strike the set today and tomorrow!
The tree idea sounds wonderful…. I always love it when they did the trees along both sides of the river and they reflected in the water at high tide.