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Roundup: Maria’s Kidney, Saturday’s Stroll, Stew’s Menorah …

Dan Woog

Maria Vailakis-Wippick needs a kidney.

The former Staples High and Long Lots Elementary School staff member, kids’ and adults’ yoga teacher and meditation leader (at schools, the Senior Center, YMCA and Christ & Holy Trinity Church), and longtime Westport resident, is just 63 years old, and in excellent health otherwise.

Her family has a history of chronic kidney disease. Her son and daughter are not eligible to donate, because they’re at risk of the disease. Her siblings have compromised kidneys too.

A kidney from a living donor has a much higher success rate than waiting 5 to 7 years for a deceased donor kidney. At 15% function, and stage 5 kidney failure, she would have to go on dialysis before one would become available. She watched her father suffer through that.

Testing is easy. It involves an EKG, bloodwork, stress test and colonoscopy.

Even if you don’t match with Maria, your donation starts an exchange program. She could get another matching kidney, from someone who donated on another person’s behalf.

Call Yale New Haven Hospital (866-925-3897, option 1) to find out more about donation. Give Maria’s name as the recipient.

Maria Vailakis-Wippick

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This one snuck up on us: Tonight (Friday, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.) is the annual Wakeman Town Farm holiday tree lighting.

In addition to the lights, there are home-baked cookies, treats and hot chocolate from The Porch and Sweet P Bakery — plus a bonfire, and local musicians.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Bill Constantino — a Wakeman family member — do the lighting honors.

The 2021 Wakeman Town Farm tree. (Photo/Dan Woog

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Don’t forget: Tomorrow (Saturday) is the day for the “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll! Its’ 5 to 7 p.m., up and down Main Street, plus Church Street and the Post Road.

It’s a great, family- and kids-friendly way to ring in December.

The Holiday Stroll is very family friendly. There’s a visit from Santa, costumed characters, a photo booth, holiday music from the Orphenians, caroling (beginning at Sconset Square) and more. Youngsters can drop off letters to Santa too (he’ll personally answer each one, with a self-addressed envelope).

Meanwhile, another 8 merchants have signed on. That brings the total to a whopping 60 stores, restaurants and more who will hand out goodies, offer discounts, or find other creative ways to welcome Strollers.

New additions include Cloud Nine Designers, Cold Fusion Gelato, Courtgirl, Club Sweat, Middlemarch, Moxie Salon & Beauty, Penfield Collective, and State & Liberty Clothing.

Here are the treats:

There will be vendor booths too, including Tend, Stretch Zone, SugarKrisp and Westport is the Bestport. Non-profit booths like Homes with Hope and MOSS will also be in attendance. Sponsors David Adams Realty and SCA Crowley make it all possible.

A serious Santa conversation, at last year’s Stroll. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Speaking of the holidays:

Stew Leonard’s community menorah lighting celebration is next Thursday (December 7, 5 p.m.).

It’s the 32nd annual family-friendly event for “the world’s largest dairy store,” which began life as a Clover Farms milk vending machine in Saugatuck.

Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht of Beth Israel Chabad will light an 18-foot menorah, followed by live music, holiday songs and pre-packaged kosher refreshments. Hot potato latkes, dreidels and chocolate gelt will be distributed to all.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and Westport dignitaries will be on hand for Fairfield County’s largest menorah lighting. .

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Speaking still of the holidays: Westport Country Playhouse is a collection site for Norwalk Toys for Tots and Westport Homes with Hope food pantry during its December lineup of shows, including “The Lightning Thief” on December 2, the “Warrior Class,” Script in Hand play reading December 4, “A Sherlock Carol” December 19-23, and “The Nutcracker” December 8-9.

But you don’t have to see a show to help. Items for the 2 charities may be dropped in collection boxes in the Playhouse lobby any time the box office is open (Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.), as well as performance times.

For Norwalk Toys for Tots, new, unwrapped toys and books for children will be collected through December 14. Items sought include books for all ages in Spanish and Haitian Creole, and toys for newborns through age 18.

For the Homes with Hope food pantry, items may be dropped off in the Playhouse lobby during the run of “A Sherlock Carol,” Tuesday, December 19 through Saturday, December 23. Items needed include canned tuna, chicken, meat; canned vegetables and fruit; hot and cold cereal; canned soup, beef stew, chili; peanut butter and jelly; pasta sauce; mayonnaise; rice (small bags or boxes); protein and granola bars; and crackers.

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Production began this week on “The Apprentice.”

The film with the familiar name is “an exploration of power and ambition, set in a world of corruption and deceit.” It explores Donald Trump’s efforts to build his real estate business in New York in the ’70s and ’80s, along with his relationship with attorney Roy Cohn.

Deadline says, “Filled with larger than life characters, it reveals the moral and human cost of a culture defined by winners and losers.”

The Westport connection: “The Apprentice” was written by Gabe Sherman. He went to Kings Highway Elementary and Bedford Middle School, then Staples High for one year before transferring (in part for skiing) to the Holderness School in New Hampshire. 

Sherman graduated from Middlebury College in 2001. His bestseller “The Loudest Voice in the Room” inspired Showtime’s miniseries “The Loudest Voice,” starring Russell Crowe as Fox News founder Roger Ailes. 

For more details on the film, click here.

“The Apprentice” stars (from left) Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump, Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump (inserts).

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Earthplace’s winter program guide is online. It includes information on youth and teen programs, drop-in activities, family and adult events, and day and summer camps.

Click here to see.

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo was taken on Morningside Drive South.

Sure, it’s more natural for leaves to just lie where they fall.

But this is the suburban way.

Fingers crossed there’s not much wind …

(Photo/Bob Weingarten)

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And finally … in honor of today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo above:

(“06880” is filled with information you can use — today, and every day. To help support our work, please click here. Thank you!)

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