“06880” is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. Our mission is to create a community for Westporters old and new, near and far, through sharing stories, news, events, history and perspectives, uniting all who love our hometown.

We publish “06880,” a hyperlocal blog focusing on stories about Westport, Connecticut — its politics, history, issues, organizations, personalities, arts, sports, businesses, opinions, trends and more.

We also sponsor events, including forums, workshops and meetings, to educate, inform and raise awareness of community issues, and help residents share ideas.

The goal of “06880” is to create a more informed and cohesive community, and offer resources to readers to contribute to charitable causes.

“06880” is overseen by a board of directors. Members include Miggs Burroughs (chair), John Dodig, Dan Donovan, Chloe Murray, Annette Norton, Amy Saperstein and Bill Scheffler. See biographies below.

06880, Inc. has been recognized as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. We will provide a tax receipt for all monetary donations greater than $250. Our tax id is # 37-2000587.

Since 2022, “06880” has:

• Initiated and developed Westport’s sister city relationship with Lyman, Ukraine; led effort to raise over $252,000 for building supplies, generators, police and trash trucks, communications equipment, holiday meals and more, with partner Ukraine Aid International.
• Published the “Pic of the Pics” photo book, highlighting the best images from “06880”‘s popular nightly feature.
• Joined with the Westport Downtown Association to present the 2nd annual Holiday Stroll, with Santa Claus, music, entertainment and more; over 500 people, and more than 40 retailers and restaurants, kicked off the season together.
• Served as media sponsor of Westport Library’s Verso Fest music workshops and concerts (2022 and 2023).
• Partnered with the Library to organize a meeting with “Little Rock 9” member Carlotta LaNier, and students from Westport and Bridgeport.
• Organized “Understanding Ukraine: Past, Present and Future” panel with Professor Wolodymyr Zaryckyj, director of the Center for US-Ukrainian Relations.
• Partnered with the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center’s 3 $7,500 scholarships for aspiring art students.
• Welcomed 150 “06880” friends to the annual July “blog party” community gathering.
• Volunteered at Experience Camps’ “Day of Champions.”

For more information or questions, email 06880blog @ gmail.com.

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Board of Directors

Lifelong Westport resident Miggs Burroughs graduated from Staples High School, and Carnegie Mellon University’s drama department. After graduation he ditched drama and took up art. Sales of his early pop art prints and paintings led to commissions, at just 26, to design a US postage stamp. He created 4 covers for Time magazine during the Watergate era, including Richard Nixon’s resignation cover. An easter egg he was asked to design for the Reagan White House sat on the President’s desk, and now resides in the Smithsonian.

A full-time graphic artist since 1972, Miggs has designed hundreds of logos, posters and websites for commercial and non-profit clients. He has been named Volunteer of the Year by many local organizations including CLASP Homes, the Westport Weston Family YMCA and Rotary Club. In 1985, as part of Westport’s 150th birthday celebration, he was chosen to design the first town flag, which now flies above Westport schools, municipal buildings and parks. From 1985 to 2005 Miggs produced and hosted “Miggs B on TV,” a popular local cable TV show featuring personalities as diverse as Martha Stewart and Rush Limbaugh (and Dan Woog).

More recently, his arresting lenticular art has garnered awards, commissions and a place in Westport’s Permanent Art Collections, along with installation of 16 pieces in the pedestrian passageway between Parker Harding and Main Street. In early 2022, 30 lenticular pieces were permanently installed at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, New York, thanks to the generosity of Westport resident Melissa Ceriale. Miggs’ work can be seen at www.miggsblenticular.com.

Miggs’ favorite thing about Westport: “The river, to enjoy both scenically from the shore, and recreationally as a kayaker in the middle of it. It is always refreshing to view Westport from a swan’s vantage point, looking out at our busy town from this peaceful waterway.”

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Dan Donovan is a native Westporter, son of Westport town legend Mollie Donovan and her quiet yet supportive husband Jack, and a 1982 graduate of Staples High School. He and his 4 siblings were raised in Westport. They benefited from the great town school system, and became the first generation of their family to graduate from college. Dan and his wife, Staples graduate Nicole (’86), raised their 6 kids in Westport.

After earning a bachelor of science degree from Lehigh University, Dan started his career at Pfizer. He spent 13 years in positions of increasing responsibility, culminating as European director of Pfizer’s cardiovascular portfolio. Dan then embarked on an entrepreneurial career. He founded Envision Pharma, and was the visionary behind the creation and development of industry-leading medical publications software Datavision. His most recent venture, rareLife solutions, helps people with rare diseases. Dan’s career in rare diseases began in 2011 when he was appointed to the board of directors and later as chief business officer of Cancer Prevention Pharmaceuticals, where he observed the fractured rare disease ecosystem combined with passionate stakeholders. That experience inspired Dan to establish rareLife solutions and create onevoice^TM, a cloud-based educational community-building software platform.

Locally, Dan has served on the board of A Better Chance of Westport, and created Embrace Hope Sandy Hook, a 501(c)(3) that provided equine therapy to those impacted by that horrible day in history. Dan was also a founding member and president of the Top of The Hill Team, Staples boys soccer’s booster club. Dan also coached rec and travel soccer in Westport for 27 years, along with baseball and softball.

Dan’s favorite thing about Westport: “The bonds formed and friends made as a result of being raised in this town that are as strong today as they were when I was a child. It is truly unique.”

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John Dodig was born in New York City. His family moved to New Haven when he was 11. He started working in his parents’ restaurant at 13. He earned a BA from Southern Connecticut State University, and a master’s from Fairfield University. John then volunteered with the Jesuit Foreign Mission as an assistant professor at Al Hikma University in Baghdad, Iraq. When revolution closed the school, he spent a year hitchhiking through Lebanon, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

Returning to New Haven, he taught junior high math, and developed a passion for teaching. After 8 years he became an assistant principal at Daniel Hand High School in Madison. He spent 6 years there, then moved on to the principalship of Cheshire High, while earning another degree in administration/supervision from Southern Connecticut.

After 8 years in Cheshire — including a state Principal of the Year award — John became principal of Wilbur Cross High School, then Fairfield High. He retired, but not for long. He was named interim principal at Staples High, for a year. But he fell in love with the school and community, was named permanent principal, and stayed for 11 excellent years. Lambda Legal gave him an “Equality” award, and the Connecticut PTA named him Principal of the Year. He retired in 2015, and remains active in many Westport arts and civic organizations. He and his husband Rodger travel extensively.

John’s favorite part of Westport: “Education, the arts and recreation are valued and supported. That is the perfect recipe for raising children who will grow to become creative and successful adults.”

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Emily Goldstein is a senior at Staples High School. She has been an
editor and contributor to Inklings, the student-run newspaper, for the past 4 years, and currently serves as public relations director.

At Staples she is also a member of Kool 2B Kind; founder and president of the Stars of Hope club, and captain of the cross country team.

Outside of school Emily is involved in many other extracurricular activities, including teen trainer for the Anti-Defamation League, and intern at Futures and Options in New York City.

Emily loves the outdoors, especially hiking and skiing.

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In 2017 Annette Norton, in 2017 opened Savvy + Grace, a “local department store” in the heart of downtown Westport. In addition, to restore a piece of Westport history, she recently purchased a 1776 farmhouse and barn in desperate need of repair.

Born in Westchester, New York, she grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut. As a child she frequented Klein’s, Remarkable and Selective Eye while her mother shopped at Henry Lehr and Joan & David. The two often enjoyed lunch at Onion Alley and Oscar’s.

Annette’s ties to Westport run deep. Prior to owning her own businesses, she was a sales representative and sold to many stores in Westport. including Mitchells, Silver’s, The Tack Room, Top Drawer and Body Talk. In addition, her late father-in-law, Robert Norton, was vice president and principal buyer at Mitchells from 1972 through 1989.

It was Annette’s personal goal, in the age of Amazon, to bring a “mom and pop” shop back to Main Street. In addition to running her business she sponsored and created the first “Westport Outdoor Market,” bringing local crafters downtown. She also ran “Busking Saturdays” during the summer, and collaborated with Triple Threat Academy for a concert in front of her store.

Continuing in her efforts to keep Main Street connected to the community, Annette has held many charity fundraisers. She has many fond memories of growing up, shopping, eating and going to the movies in Westport, and continues making memories for others today.

During COVID, Annette was overwhelmed by support for her small local business. That is why for Annette, the best thing about Westport is “the people and our community.”

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Amy Saperstein is a co-founder and co-director of the nonprofit organization AWARE (Assisting Women with Actions, Resources and Education). They raise awareness and funds to make meaningful improvements in the lives of underserved women and girls.

Previously, Amy served as the founding executive director of Project Sunshine, a nonprofit serving children in hospitals. Under her leadership, the organization grew from a local community group to an international organization with programs across the US, as well as Israel, Africa, China and Mexico.

Amy currently serves as vice president of the Cornell Club of Fairfield County, regional chair of Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, and is a board member of Project Sunshine.

She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts from Cornell University. Amy lives with her husband and 3 children in Westport.

Amy’s favorite thing about Westport: “Walking on Compo Beach in the spring and fall.”

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Bill Scheffler‘s parents moved to Weston in 1957, bringing him with them. He has lived in Weston and Westport more or less consistently since then. He attended Staples (Weston did not have its own high school until 1970) in 1964-65, and graduated from the American School in London in 1966. He considers himself to be a member of the class of 1966 for both ASL and Staples, mostly because no one has told him he can’t be.

Bill graduated from Bucknell University in 1970, and the Syracuse University College of Law in 1974. He practiced law in New York City from 1974 to the mid-’90s, working in the Law Department of the City of New York and Shea & Gould before founding a firm that eventually became the New York City office of Greenberg Traurig. He practiced in Connecticut for 15 years. Bill is a member of the bars of New York, Connecticut, several federal courts and the Supreme Court of the United States. He is happily retired.

While living in Westport, Bill served on the Zoning Board of Appeals (6 years) and the Representative Town Meeting (10 years). Along with fellow RTM member (and wife) Ann Sheffer, he helped draft legislation forming TEAM Westport, the Westport Arts Advisory Committee and the Westport International Hospitality Committee. He was a long-serving member of the Westport-Weston Foundation. He is the author of Vintage Postcards of Westport and Weston, and an avid collector of Westportiana. He ran, unsuccessfully, for the State Legislature. And while his children were attending Kings Highway Elementary School, he was a very proud “Room Mother,” (as in-classroom parental volunteers were called through the 1990s.)

Bill is currently on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs, California, as well as numerous vintage car-related groups. He is chief judge at the annual Lime Rock Concours. He founded the Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance in the mid-’90s, and chaired it for a decade. Bill’s hobby is long-distance rallying of vintage sports cars. Ann has been heard to request more life insurance, but so far Bill has remained in one piece.

Bill and Ann live in New York City and Palm Springs. They have 6 children and 8 grandchildren, which he concedes looks greedy, but every one of which he can’t help but adore.

Bill’s favorite thing about Westport (aside from Ann) is “the Westport-ness of the place, that indefinable feeling you get when the sun sets at Compo Beach in July, when the leaves on North Avenue turn in September, when the first snowfall covers Main Street in December and when spring comes to Longshore and Winslow Park in April.”