It may be the most accurate club name of all time: The Y’s Men of Westport/ Weston.
Organized in 1977 for the “enlightenment, fellowship and community service” of retired or semi-retired men who live in either town — or once did — the group now includes over 450 members.
Every week, they welcome an interesting speaker. They also support a few dozen special interest groups, ranging from books, boating, bridge, classical music and skiing to global issues, investments, community service and travel.
The Y’s Men organize regular trips to New York for Hudson River cruises, historic district walks, and tours of museums and other venues.
They host a holiday party, summer lobster bakes and other bashes, a Chinese New Year celebration and more.
Every Memorial Day, they build a float that wins the parade’s “Best in Show” award. If the theme is D-Day, for example, the only thing missing is the actual General Eisenhower.
The Y’s Men’s 2021 float continued their award-winning tradition. (Photo/Dan Woog)
As their name implies, the Y’s Men are quite wise. They are also energetic, curious, helpful and fun.
They are not, however, associated in any way with the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
The name harks back to their original meeting site: the Y’s downtown location. (Today it’s Anthropologie.) There is no longer any connection between the Y’s Men and the Y.
The current meeting site — Saugatuck Congregational Church — scarcely holds all the members who gather each Thursday.
After coffee, donuts and announcements, they settle back to hear — and then question — the likes of Governors Ned Lamont and Jodi Rell, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congressmen Jim Himes and Chris Shays, JetBlue founder David Neeleman, former Madison Square Garden and New York Knicks chief Dave Checketts, former New York Giants star and Monday Night Football commentator Frank Gifford, and University of Connecticut basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
Federal Reserve Board governor Sarah Bloom Raskin, one of many noted Y’s Men speakers.
They hear from noted Westporters too, like CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota, lifestyle guru Martha Stewart, attorney Josh Koskoff, Playtex CEO and philanthropist Joel Smilow, and Jim Nantz. (The sportscaster said he wished his father in Houston could have a club like the Y’s Men — then asked that his dad be made an honorary member.)
E. Bruce Borner is president of the Y’s Men. A Westporter since 2003, he is a typical (if that is possible) member. He earned an MBA, then had a busy professional career in software development and web design.
E. Bruce Borner
The late Bill Meyer got Borner involved with the Y’s Men. Bob Mitchell encouraged him to become a leader, first as speaker’s chair, then vice president.
“it’s not just the speakers, not just the many activities” that kept him coming back, Borner says. “It’s the relationships.”
Though retired or semi-retired, members are “definitely not done,” he notes.
“There are so many people with very interesting backgrounds. They’ve got stories about their lives, and their current hikes and travels or whatever else they’re dong. The camaraderie is great.”
The Y’s Men are starting to skew younger, Borner says, with more members in their 60s.
The many new Y’s Men quickly feel welcomed and comfortable. They get involved, and engaged.
And, in a tradition dating back nearly 50 years, they receive — and offer — wise words of advice, support and friendship.
(For more information on the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston, click here for their website. It’s as vibrant and interesting as they are.)
(“06880” regularly covers the Y’s Men — and every other group in town. We rely on reader support to do it. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please click here.)
Take a hike! The Y’s Men often do. (Photo/Molly Alger)
Don’t look like many young’uns in that there group.
You may wish to get an eye exam (it’s covered under Medicare). The “Y” in YMCA stands for “Young.” If they were old they’d belong to the OMCA. What impresses me most is that they protect them by having them wear those yellow vests. That way if they get lost and/or wander off WPD will be able to locate them. Now THAT’s what I call playing it safe.
As noted in the story, there is no affiliation between the Y’s Men and the YMCA. And as of 2010, the official name is “YMCA.” It no longer refers to “Young Men’s Christian Association.”
I stand corrected (and between us “Old” Staples (the high school not the office supply superstore) classmates you do such a wonderful job keeping me corrected). And now, I’ll head off for a weekend of wilderness camping (that I learned how to do at Camp Mahackeno in the early 60’s before they went into competition with Planet Fitness).
Dan,despite the YMCA no longer wishing itself to be noted as the “Christian Association,” keeping the initials is like the NAACP wishing not to be called the “Association of Colored People;”or the United Negro College Fund keeping the truncation, UNCF yet abhorring the nomenclature, Negro. If you hang out the shingle with the intitials, then that what’s you’ll be called…and rightly so.
Amen Brother Katz!!!!
I propose we change the Y to O. See my note below.
Join the MIMS Movement
Make Initials Mean Something
Joined three months ago after moving to Westport in 1998. Activities up the whazoo. You want to do something outside your home with one person or more? Y’s Men have probably already organized it for you. Click on the website, poke around and join.
The y men’s does a great things as my uncle is a member thanks y mens for all you did yo do for Westport ct
I know a Jeff who’s a member. His wife is Pat, but I can’t think of his last name.
Rebrand as OPAA!!!! (Old Persons Atheist Association). Perfect!!! “I’m going to work out at OPAA!!!!”
I’ve been a member of the Y’s Men for five years and as Director of Communications I work with wonderful people like Dan and many others to get the word out about our organization. Everything you read in the article is true as not a day goes by that we don’t look at what more we can do for our members. It’s all about staying active, making new friends and sharing experiences. I’m very proud of our organization and how it the needs of its members and grown to one of the largest in the area. We’re not old, we’re still kickin’ butt and having fun 🙂
Sorry, typo…”how it meets the needs of its members…..”
Dick (did you know your last name means “cold” in German?) Y’s Men is a nice name and obviously a bunch of nice guys (or you’d be living in DC) we’re just having fun until Dan decides it’s time to pull the plug. I studied at what used to be the International YMCA Training School (later rebranded Springfield College) but we weren’t smart enough to call ourselves the Y’s Guys).