The Westport Police Department toy drive is one of our town’s most popular giving traditions.
This year, there’s an added way to donate. The WPD will collect unwrapped toys at the Westport PAL tent during the “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll. The date is Saturday, December 7 (5 to 7 p.m.).
There are 4 collection dates at Athletic Shoe Factory (1560 Post Road East), too: December 7-8, and 14-15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
You can also drop off unwrapped toys at Police headquarters on Jesup Road (any time), or Awesome Toys & Gifts and The Toy Post, during business hours.
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Another great Westport tradition — the Slice of Saugatuck — always leads to another: a donation from the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, to Homes with Hope’s Gillespie Center food pantry.
This year’s Slice raised $5,000. Over 12 years, the event has contributed $54,000 to the pantry.
From left: Homes with Hope CEO and president Helen McAlinden, Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell, Homes with Hope COO and vice president Paris Looney.
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Thanksgiving dinner for over 200 clients of the Light on the Hill Food Pantry at Summerfield Methodist Church in Bridgeport were delivered from Westport on Monday.
The third annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive was organized as a joint project of the Westport Rotary Club and the United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston.
In addition, Kim Weigle organized a UMCWW drive to collect warm coats and winter clothing to donate to SUMC.
Members of the Rotary Club and church raised over $3,000 to supply 50 turkeys, 10 roasting chickens and 220 servings of stuffing, gravy, rice, mac ‘n‘ cheese, canned vegetables and cranberry sauce.
The items were assembled with the help of Stop & Shop Westport manager Lemar Feliciano and his team, then delivered to the food pantry by a dozen Westport volunteers.
The project developed in 2022, when Westporter Gillian Anderson — a member of both the Rotary Club and United Methodist Church — learned that the pantry’s commitment to feeding their community was in jeopardy.
Both organizations rose to the challenge, and have continued helping each year.
Westport Rotary Club, United Methodist Church and Summerfield Methodist Church members gather together.
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Tom Canavan worked on the 47th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As he escaped the wreckage on September 11, 2001, he was caught under the collapse of the adjacent 110-story South Tower.
Digging his way out of steel and debris, Canavan became one of 19 people to survive the collapse of the Twin Towers.
On December 3 (7 p.m., Westport Library), Canavan shares his story in an interview with Christie Seyglinski and Andrew Colabella.
Colabella is a Westport Town Representative Meeting member, and civic volunteer.
Seyglinski grew up in the shadow of the Twin Towers. When the 9/11 Memorial opened, she became a volunteer. She is a close friend of Canavan’s.
Tom Canavan, and the Twin Towers.
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Two favorites — Truman Capote’s “A Chrismas Memory,” and “Christmas” by Vladimir Nabokov — are the subjects of next month’s Westport Book Shop Short Story Book Club.
The discussion is set for December 19 (6 p.m.) Registration is required; email bookshop@westportbooksalesventures.org, or call 203-349-5141.
Christmas Short Stores, at the Westport Book Shop.
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Dan Horowitz has joined a group of Westporters at the Sylvan Tennis Club on Saturday mornings for the past 15 years.
One day, he mentioned that he still has his Björn Borg racquet. Other players said that they too have their own ’70s-era racquets. The idea for a tournament was born.
Horowitz runs a non-profit. Architecture Is Free Foundation provides education, mentoring and grants to students and young architects from underserved communities around the world. AIFF underwrites the event, and participants donate their entry fees to it.
The “Vintage Racquet Open” round robin was held at Sylvan last weekend. It featured food, drinks and classic ’70s tunes. Each team was required to wear vintage tennis outfits and play with vintage racquets.
A silver cup went to the winning father/son team of Alan and Joshua Kravetz. The Best Vintage Outfit award was won by Jim Kirsch.
Vintage racquets and outfits, at Sylvan Tennis Center. Front row (from left): Michael Cooney, Marvin Feinberg, Dan Horowitz, Jennifer Bentley, Todd Cheema. Rear: Michael Guzzetti, Jim Kirsch, Eiki Mera, Joshua Kravetz, Alan Kravetz, Richard Cotton, David Kaplan.
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The Y’s Women were wide awake this weekend, when Dr. Robert Altbaum spoke about sleep disorders.
The retired physician offered relief from fears. He told the audience that insomnia can be overcome by lifestyle changes and medical treatments; sleep apnea can be helped by treatment too.
Dr. Robert Altbaum
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Yesterday, he was on Bayberry Lane.
Today, he’s the subject of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Tomorrow … who knows?!
(Photo/Elissa Moses)
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And finally … the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was held on this date, 100 years ago.
Wikipedia says: “In 1924, store employees marched to Macy’s Herald Square, the flagship store on 34th Street, dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, Santa was enthroned on the Macy’s balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then crowned “King of the Kiddies”. With an audience of over 250,000 people, the parade was such a success that Macy’s declared it would become an annual event, despite media reports only barely covering the first parade.”
(Before you head to New York for the Macy’s parade — or sit in front of the TV to watch it — please consider giving thanks to “06880.” Just click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. THANKS!)
Danny: love the concept—great stuff!
Canavan interview….. where is it being held?
Sorry – I forgot to include that. It’s at the Westport Library. Thanks for asking!