Roundup: Duck Race, Trout Brook, Cut Trees …

The Great Duck Race is almost here.

The Westport Sunshine Rotary Club’s annual day of family fun begins at Jesup Green at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 29.

The Family Fun Fair includes activities like Nerdy Derby, pin making, face painting, bubble machines, duck pond giveaway and more (plus food trucks!).

The duck race event starts at 1 p.m. Thousands of plastic ducks are dropped from a giant front loader, down a 160-foot long sluice course on Jesup Green.

Each duck has a number, matching a $20 raffle ticket. The first 10 ducks across the finish line win money for their ticket holders. First place gets $5,000, second place $1,000, while the next 8 earn $500 awards.

All the fun is for a great cause. Sunrise Rotary donates the proceeds to local and international charities.

Tickets can be purchased online at westportsunriserotary.org, or from any Westport Sunrise Rotarian at any time — uncluding the morning of the event.

A few of the thousands of racing ducks. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Paul Newman’s family was front and center last week, when Aspetuck Land Trust celebrated the 25th acquisition of Trout Brook Valley, at the Pequot Library.

Purchasing the 730 acre preserve in Easton for $11.3 million — and saving it in perpetuity — was an enormous effort, involving hundreds of people.

But, ALT says, during the long saga “there was no moment more pivotal than when 3 (Newman) daughters, Lissy, Clea, and Nell, discovered that the beautiful property they knew so well was going to become a luxury home development with an 18-hole golf course.”

Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward jumped into action. They donated $500,000 towards the purchase, then starred in a benefit performance of “Love Letters” at the Westport Country Playhouse, raising another $175,000.

“There is no doubt that when the Newmans showed that they cared, people followed,” the Land Trust said.

Lissy Newman accepted the award, on behalf of her family.

Lissy Newman, at the Aspetuck Land Trust event.

The ALT event also included the Native Landscape of the Year Award, to Ann and Charles Stebbins.

Among many other activities, the longtime native landscapers have dedicated themselves to a 36-acre site in Westport.

“It took years to eradicate all of the invasives and plant natives,” Aspetuck Land Trust says, “but this property is now the beautiful CT Audubon’s Smith Richardson Preserve, open to the public attracting and supporting a wide array of wildlife. Their dedication is an inspiration to home and landowners everywhere who want to build back the ecosystem upon which all species rely.”

Charles and Ann Stebbins

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Speaking of the environment: The foliage on Riverside Avenue is a little less dense today.

At least 3 large trees were taken down at the Saugatuck Rowing Club. Here’s the new view:

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Renovations have begun on 2 Homes with Hope facilities.

Both the Gillespie Center/Hoskins Place men’s and women’s shelters downtown, and Project Return/Susie’s Place for young women on Compo Road North will undergo significant alterations and upgrades.

Gillespie Center.

They will open in January.

Project Return.

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Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between June 12 and 19.

A 59-year-old Stamford man was charged with driving under the influence, failure to drive right and illegal possession of a controlled substance, following a report of a hit-and-run accident at 1:30 a.m. on June 14 at 515 Post Road East.

The driver stopped on Compo Road North, when his vehicle became disabled. He was unable to provide police with any information on how the crash occurred.

A 44-year-old Westport man was arrested for assault and strangulation, folliwng a domestic violence incident at 6:45 a.m. on June 15.

A 64-year-old Stamford man was arrested for failure appear, after a motor vehicle stop revealed he had an active re-arrest warrant.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

• Traveling unreasonably fast: 6 citations
• Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 6
• Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 5
• Failure to obey state traffic commission signals: 4
• Improper use of markers: 3
• Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 3
• Following too closely: 2
• Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
• Passing a standing school bus: 1
• Speeding: 1
• Disorderly conduct: 1
• Driving while texting: 1
• Improper turns: 1
• Failure to grant right of way: 1
• Failure to renew registration: 1
• Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1

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Anne Leskow was one of 3 winners in our recent “Cool Cohl Katz Contest.”

She correctly identified the former Westporter who started their career as a stockbroker, before moving on to fame in other areas: Martha Stewart. Her name was pulled randomly, out of all 47 correct answers.

Yesterday she got her prize: a haircut and makeup application, from Cohl.

Lookin’ good!

 

Anne Leskow, before (left) and after her session with Cohl Katz.

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Former Westporters Peter Garcia and Gloria Garcia died this year in Broomfield, Colorado, within months of each other.

Peter, 80, passed away peacefully on January 18, from complications of pneumonia.

Born in San Francisco, he grew up in the US, Vietnam, Cambodia, Peru and other countries.

His loving wife of 45 years, Gloria, also died peacefully on May 29, following a head injury and a long struggle with dementia.

She was born in the Canary Islands. She lived in Spain, Panama, Germany, Venezuela, Guatemala and the US (mostly in Westport, as well as Atlanta and Colorado).

Before meeting Peter, Gloria was married to Bernd Planton. He died in 1977, leaving children Klaus and Christian.

Peter and Gloria are survived by their four children (all graduates of Staples High School) and 7 grandchildren: Klaus, son Sebastian and daughter Marissa; Christian (Marit) and daughter Isabella; Jen Garcia Allen (Jefferson Allen) and daughters Flynn and Liv, and David (Ashley), daughter Arianna and son Jaxon.

Peter was a graduate of Oakland University. He spent his entire career with Xerox, retiring as a marketing and customer service executive.

Peter loved politics, travel, bridge, and reading the New York Times cover to cover.

Gloria attended college in Panama City. She worked for Procter & Gamble and Xerox in South America, before devoting her life to caring for her family.

Gloria enjoyed reading, the arts, painting, bridge, tennis and gardening.

Peter and Gloria lived in Westport for over 35 years. Both participated in New Neighbors and Graduates. Peter was a member of the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston. Gloria was a member of both the Spanish Group and International Group of Westport.

Donations in the couple’s name may be made to Alzheimer’s of America and Tobacco Free Kids. Their interment will be private, on July 5 in Willowbrook Cemetery.

Gloria and Peter Garcia

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Lou Weinberg describes today’s “Westport … Naturally” image: “This baby chickadee is waiting for mom and dad to bring back more food before it fledges.

“They bring an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 baby caterpillars to raise a successful brood.

“The Long Lots Preserve, with its green open space and hundreds of newly planted trees, shrubs and wildflowers provides the habitat to produce this much-needed starter food.”

(Photo/Lou Weinberg)

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And finally … Willie Mays — “the spirited center fielder whose brilliance at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths for the Giants led many to call him the greatest all-around player in baseball history,” and the oldest living Baseball Hall of Fame member, died on Tuesday in Palo Alto. He was 93.

Click here for a full obituary on the legendary, beloved athlete and pioneer.

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