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Many teenagers want to volunteer.

Some hope to bulk up their transcript. Most have a genuine interest in expanding their horizons, giving back to the community, and doing something good for someone else.

But students have busy lives — and limited knowledge of the non-profit world. They seldom have the time, energy or ability to search out a cause that sounds interesting, then figure out how, when and where they can help.

Similarly, organizations looking for volunteers don’t have an easy way of finding them, communicating their needs, and scheduling their hours.

Until now.

Fittingly, the solution to those twin problems comes from a young person.

Jared Gordon

Jared Gordon is a lifelong Westporter. A senior at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan — where he is editor of the paper, a leader of the Finance and Civic Engagement Clubs, and whose internship experiences include an affordable housing group, Congressman Jim Himes and the Lansing, Michigan mayor’s office — he seems to have an overflowing plate already.

But Jared  — whose volunteerism began in 8th grade, when he started a club to help with Clothes to Kids of Fairfield County‘s winter drive — found time for one more effort.

Two years ago, he reached out to other non-profits. His goal was to connect organizations with potential student volunteers.

Jared gathered information — on groups’ missions, and their needs (both general and specific). He created a website — called simply CARE — that makes connections easy and clear.

Nearly 20 signed up. They range from New Covenant Center and the Family & Children’s Agency to Earthplace, Food Rescue US an the Connecticut Institute or Refugees & Immigrants.

That was just the start.

Jared connected other schools, inviting them to join. A dozen or quickly did.

The Staples High School chapter — led by Dylan Johnson — is among the largest. At last month’s Involvement Fair, 75 students signed up.

Weston High School also has a chapter.

Already, CARE’s kids have clocked thousands of volunteer hours.

The enthusiasm from both sides has surprised even Jared.

“It’s a lot to ask students to give up their time,” he says. “But a lot of them say they love the organization they find. They’re meeting great people, and doing rewarding work.”

CARE volunteers, on the job at Pacific House in Stamford.

“It’s wonderful to know that I could just go online, open up a tab and put in a resource that is needed right then and there. and how quickly the response comes back,” says Lisa Habasinski, manager of community engagement at Family & Children’s Agency.

“It’s so important for the younger generation to realize that there’s a true need right in their own community, and that they’re able to do something either individually or as a group and give back. Partnering with CARE has been such an incredible opportunity for us.”

Jared graduates this spring. But at St. Luke’s and other schools, younger students are in the leadership pipeline, to continue the work.

That’s one more way that young people in Fairfield County volunteer. And CARE.

To learn more about CARE, click here. 

(“06880” often highlights the achievements of young Westporters. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

The coming election is crucial for Westport.

Voters have several ways to assess candidates. But it’s not always convenient to get to to debates or forums.

Mailings don’t really dig into issues.

And yard signs are not exactly profound.

Today, “06880” introduces a new feature: “Where We Stand.”

Once a week, between now and Election Day, we’ll ask candidates for 3 important boards — Selectmen/women, Planning & Zoning, and Education — one specific question.

We’ll print their responses verbatim. (And we’ll change the order we run them each week, to be extra fair.)

An informed electorate is the greatest bulwark of democracy. Westporters have always participated avidly in our town government.

“06880” is proud to do our part this fall to help.

This week’s question for the Board of Selectmen/women is: “What is the single most important issue facing Westport right now, and how will you address it?”

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Democratic Party-endorsed candidates Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich say:

Our top priority will be Westport’s infrastructure. Whether it’s solving traffic problems, upgrading parking at “Harder Parking” (aka Parker Harding), fixing a fast deteriorating Cribari Bridge, or building a school, Westporters deserve leadership that prioritizes essential projects, and then gets them done.

We will bring the community together to discuss our spending priorities. We are not talking about just “listening.” Reaching consensus on Westport’s infrastructure agenda will make sure taxes don’t have to rise unnecessarily, and will guarantee that the most pressing capital infrastructure projects are pursued with appropriate urgency; while respecting the process and citizen input.

We will weigh in on the most transformative proposed project in modern Westport history: Saugatuck. We will help guide the community conversation to a better answer for development in Saugatuck than The Hamlet. Together, we will find the path to a real solution.

Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich

We all know that downtown parking is a growing problem. As your selectmen, Amy and I will seek a comprehensive plan for downtown which leverages the work of the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, and includes ideas from business owners, too.

I will hold community discussions with neighbors to seriously consider other options such as a parking deck with liner retail and a “green roof” with passive recreation. We can solve the parking problem for a generation or more. We also need more sidewalks, and need to make Westport more walker- and cyclist-friendly.

We will fix the Cribari Bridge. In fact, we are already working with our state delegation. We will figure out how to maintain its charm while making it safe, while exploring creative options to keep large trucks off our local roads. We will consider local control of the bridge, too.

When elected, we will evaluate creating the role of director of economic and community development, a position that Fairfield has employed to great success. Business and community concerns are entwined, and both benefit when there’s someone dedicated to building consensus on how to move forward and facilitating those outcomes.

We can add transportation issues to this position’s portfolio, so that parking and traffic implications are considered when making big infrastructure decisions.

Ultimately, addressing Westport’s significant infrastructure investment choices requires leadership skilled in analysis, planning and project execution, as Amy and I have demonstrated in our careers and public service.

However, the most important talent is a willingness, even a passion, for listening to others. Our selectpeople should be confident in their vision for Westport, and prepared to persuade others on the merits. But they should also be humble, open to good ideas regardless of the source, so that the outcome for Westport is based not only on the best information and strategy, but also a range of perspectives.

My door will always be open to all Westporters. Only by working together can we fashion a plan that enhances this great town in a responsible way. That’s what we’ll do from Day 1.

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Republican Party-endorsed candidates Don O’Day and Andrea Moore say:

The most important issue facing Westport today is our inability to move projects forward.

Too often, our review and decision-making process is polarized and slow. Even small matters are delayed — or avoided altogether. Extensive public input and hard questions are always appropriate; however, never-ending requests for additional data can be decision avoidance. Nothing happens without decisions, and inaction ultimately hurts all Westport residents.

Andrea Moore and Don O’Day

Here are some of the of the most pressing issues requiring more action in Westport:

Affordable Housing and 8-30g

With the shortage of affordable housing, we are routinely targeted by developers exploiting our 4% ratio of affordable units that is well below the state’s 10% mandate. This shortfall leaves us vulnerable to dense apartment projects, with little zoning oversight under 8-30g. Reaching 10% is not realistic, but we can secure a new 4-year moratorium based on projects already in the pipeline (e.g., Post Road West and Hiawatha Lane).

What we will do? Double down on efforts to identify land or buildings for affordable housing. Westport has strong partners in the Affordable Housing Committee, Housing Authority, and Planning & Zoning Commission, and we must be ready to act quickly when opportunities arise. We should also encourage “friendly” 8-30g projects, as Darien has done, by working with developers willing to collaborate with the town.

Saugatuck Development

The future of Saugatuck remains unsettled, with the choice between no action, a thoughtful development, or a large 8-30g looming.

What we will do? Development with P&Z oversight is better than a dense 8-30g project with little control. We must resolve outstanding concerns through open dialogue. We cannot afford stalemate — we must talk and negotiate. It is better to have input than to relinquish control.

Senior Housing

Seniors face a severe lack of housing options. Single-level homes and condominiums are especially scarce.

What we will do? Establish a first selectman’s task force, with members from the Board of Finance, P&Z, Y’s Men and Women, and other stakeholders. Its charge: (a) expand senior housing inventory (retrofitting existing office space?), (b) incentivize developers to include more senior-friendly designs, and (c) explore financial tools such as tax abatements on new projects.

Downtown Parking

Parking downtown remains a challenge, and Parker Harding is overdue for significant improvements.

What we will do? Follow the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee’s structured 4-part strategy to address parking challenges and address ADA issues that have been brought up. No solution should be off the table.

Capital Projects

Over $400 million in proposed capital projects — and that’s before bonding costs. Every sponsor believes their project is most urgent.

What we will do? Re-prioritize the capital forecast by ranking projects high, medium, or low priority, with the understanding that low-priority projects will not move forward. Apply a simple rule: If a building is functional, dry, warm in winter, and cool in summer, it’s not an immediate priority. Further, the Capital Project list is a Westport list, not a school versus town list,

Traffic is terrible

Every part of town is impacted by increased volume of cars.

What we will do? We are not going to reduce the volume of cars, but we can explore remote monitoring of variable choke points as they develop. We can use technology and adjust traffic light timing to allow for more intelligent flow.  Another idea is to guide people on how to make left hand turns onto Post Road from Wilton Road.

Westport will always be able to solve issues by working together. The O’Day/ Moore team has experience leading collaboratively, and a visible and proven track record of success. We will be ready on day one because we have done it before.

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Independent Party-endorsed candidate David Rosenwaks says:

The most important issue facing Westport today is a need for greater transparency and accountability in our town government. This challenge has shaped how decisions are made, how residents experience our town, and to what extent people feel that their voices truly matter. I have had hundreds of conversations with friends and neighbors, and have heard a consistent theme: many residents feel unheard and undervalued.

As first selectman, I will lead with transparency as my guiding principle. Transparency means more than posting documents online or holding meetings that check a box. It means creating a culture where people feel welcomed into the process rather than shut out, where residents are proactively informed, and the rationale for decisions is clearly explained. It means treating residents as true partners in government, not obstacles to be managed.

Accountability is the second essential piece. Westport deserves leadership that is accountable to everyone, not to one faction or interest group.

David Rosenwaks

Accountability means acknowledging mistakes and correcting them. It means being responsive to residents by answering their questions and explaining the reasoning behind choices, so people understand not just what was decided but why.

Accountability also means making decisions after listening to all sides, not just the loudest voices, while also standing by those choices because they were made with fairness, openness, and the long-term best interests of our town in mind.

Modernizing the way our town uses technology is central to achieving this goal. By upgrading our systems and making information easier to access, residents will no longer have to search or wait for answers. They will be able to see clearly how decisions are made, and where their tax dollars are going.

The issues Westport faces are complex, and impact every household. From capital improvements to our schools and infrastructure, to sustainability and resiliency planning, to affordable housing, traffic, public safety, and the community gardens, every one of these issues requires collaboration with residents.

Westport’s strength comes from its people. Our town is full of engaged, passionate, and creative residents who want to contribute to the town’s future.

But when people feel excluded, their energy and talents are wasted. A more transparent and accountable government will not only restore confidence in leadership, but it will additionally invite more residents to participate and share their ideas.

By creating clear pathways for involvement, whether through modernized technology, brown bag lunches, weekly online video updates, or encouraging participation in commissions and committees, we can make it easier for Westporters to take part in shaping the future of the town while also respecting the incredible history that got us to this point.

My commitment as your first selectman will be to lead in this way: to listen, to communicate openly, to explain decisions clearly, and to be accountable to the residents of Westport. By trying to accommodate as many interests as possible during each decision-making process, our results will better reflect the shared values of our town.

For Rev. Carlton Smith, the road to his position as the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport’s new senior minister was long and winding.

It began in Holly Springs, Mississippi. There were stops in Virginia, Queens, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Oakland, before he arrived at Lyons Plains Road.

Rev. Smth’s religious path was also neither straight, nor preordained.

Raised in the United Methodist tradition, he entered divinity school as a Pentecostal.

That’s about as far theologically from the UU church as Westport is, geographically, from Holly Springs.

The other day the minister sat in his new office, with views of the woods that have inspired congregants for 7 decades, and discussed the journey that brought him here.

It included Howard University (where he was in student government with classmate Kamala Harris), and an early job at the Discovery Channel in Washington.

Thirty years ago, heeding a call to the ministry, he returned to Howard for divinity school. He had joined the evangelical Pentecostal church.

But when a classmate invited him to a Unitarian Universalist Service, he discovered a tradition — including a strong emphasis on social justice — he’d never known of.

UU’s lack of a formal creed appealed to Smith too.

Rev. Carlton Smith, outside his new home. (Photo/Dan Woog)

He served in communities throughout the East — and in California — before joining the Unitarian Universalist Association staff. He led the Southern region – from Texas to Virginia, then headed a team of 10 overseeeing congregations from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast, plus Alaska and Hawaii.

His favorite place? “Each has its own magic. I like wherever I am at the moment.”

Right now, that’s Westport.

Smith has been impressed with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s “depth of history, sense of commitment, and all who have helped it thrive.” He was attracted to “the abundance of social justice programs, and the engagement with the community.”

Smith will serve as senior minister for a year, while a search committee seeks its next settled pastor.

That’s a familiar spot. He is an Accredited Interim Minister, filling the position in a number of places.

It’s a specialized role. Interim ministers “hold the congregation together, as it discerns its identity: what it wants to hold on to, and let go of,” Smith explains.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.

The match between a congregation and its minister is “like online dating,” he notes. There is a website where UU communities look for ministers, and ministers look for vacancies. Each provides detailed information. If there is mutual interest, in-person meetings follow.

Smith’s interest in Westport was piqued not only by UU’s rich legacy and social justice commitment, but something more personal. Westporter and member Denny Davidoff served as moderator — the highest lay position in national leadership — from 1992 to 2000. She helped shape liberal religion in North America, and inter-religious dialogue globally.

Smith knew her, through his work on the UUA staff.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport faces several challenges. Like many religious institutions, it still grapples with the effects of COVID on membership and participation.

“People are more selective now about their discretionary time. Volunteerism is a challenge,” Smith explains.

For a congregation that emphasizes social justice, this is a fraught time. It is also a time, Smith says, “when communities like ours must step into the gap.”

On the other hand, “when people are anxious, they seek out a congregation like ours. They’re looking for like-minded people, to grieve losses with, and share.” Westport church “can be a magnet for people looking for a place to belong.”

Since beginning his new post on August 15, Smith has met many congregants, on committees, in interest groups and at potlucks.

“This congregation does hospitality well,” he says. “There is no shortage of opportunities to gather around food and fellowship. People have great appreciation for each other.”

He sat in on 2 Sunday services, and led his first one this past weekend. Just before Labor Day, he spoke about the contributions of the labor movement to American society.

Ahead: meeting other faith leaders in town.

And, on September 14, the reopening of the Unitarian Universalists’ sanctuary, after renovations.

It’s a new look, for a new season — and a new minister.

The view from the sanctuary. (Photo/David Vita)

Westport native Jean Hunt Tucker died August 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was 100, and one of the last surviving “Rosie the Riveters” in the country.

She was born in a house on Imperial Avenue built by her father, Leon Hunt.

Jean graduated from Staples High School in 1941. Soon, she became one of the first female engineers to work during World War II. Among her projects: the F4U Corsair.

Jean Tucker with the Connecticut Air & Space Center’s Corsair, 2 years ago.

After Staples she headed to college in Ohio. But several months later, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. She returned to this area, and enrolled at Bridgeport State Trade School to learn drafting.

At 18 she joined the engineering department of Chance Vought Aircraft in Stratford. The company sent her to the Academy of Aeronautics, near La Guardia Airport, which trained women entering the industry.

She was one of very few females at Chance Vought. Most of the others were secretaries and clerks.

Jean made drawings of parts for electrical installations — without ever seeing the actual equipment. She also worked on fuselages.

Part of the Connecticut Air & Space Center’s exhibit is dedicated to Jean Hunt Tucker.

In 1945 Jean entered Northeastern University, as one of its first class of women. She earned a BS in industrial engineering.

She married in 1949. When the company moved to Dallas, she stayed here. She earned a degree in industrial engineering, and taught math for 38 years in Massachusetts, New York, Indiana and Pennsylvania, and in England as an exchange teacher.

After retiring from Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, she spent many years teaching in Honduras.

Jean was an avid model railroader and amateur genealogist. She was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She is survived by her son Mark, of Pinellas Park, Florida; daughters Wendy of St. Petersburg, Florida and Dency of Los Angeles; 2 granddaughters, 5 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.