It’s a staple of Westport’s July 4th fireworks: Little kids buy light sabers at the PAL booth, then run around Compo Beach pretending to be the Jedi, Sith and other Force-sensitives.
Greg Ruder goes light-years further.
You may have seen the 2002 Staples High School graduate this summer. He’s the guy fire spinning and flowing, up and down the shore.
Greg Ruder in action …
Greg returned to Westport 2 years ago, after 13 years in the Bay Area. He learned Bo Staff in his Kung Fu San Soo (ancient Chinese martial arts style) classes, and was trained by his sensei to help him teach self defense classes to people of all ages, especially high school students headed to college.
After 7 years, Greg earned a first degree black belt.
Kung fu was his foundation for learning body awareness and movement. He’d long been a dancer, watching jam bands, Phish and Dead incarnations.
His graceful motions have been described as “martial/hippie flow/spinning.”
Greg is largely self taught. His props include a staff, double staves and nunchucks — all with daytime, LED light and fire versions.
The LED props draw the most attention. Fire spinning is reserved for private places and sessions.
… and with his black belt certificate.
At the beach, he is swarmed by young kids and teenagers. “The lights, and the vibe it creates, breaks down barriers and helps facilitate an immediate connection,” he says.
They want to play with the lights. Parents ask if he teaches his techniques.
For a decade, this has been Greg’s hobby. He takes his props everywhere — walking his dog, running errands, going to work. He’s currently a server at Match Burger Lobster.
But he’s taking a step forward with his side gig — teaching youngsters and adults.
“It gets kids off their devices and into their bodies,” he says. “They learn how to move with control.”
For older people he offers meditation, breathing, qigong and yoga. All work symbiotically.
He can also teach self-defense, but wants to focus more on dance and fun. Greg enjoys helping people play with props, and move their bodies in new ways.
“Surrendering to the flow and allowing the mind to release control is the goal for achieving the flow state,” he says. “This is my meditation.” He works outdoors, and is searching for an indoor space.
He has already done a block party. He hopes to do bring his walk-around flow to weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties, corporate events and more — not as the main attraction, but as a fun, costumed addition.
He is very safe with his fire show, he assures potential clients.
(For more information, email findingyourflow2@gmail.com, or call 203-820-1122.)
(And, because there are always multiple Westport connections: Greg is friendly with 1996 Staples graduate Sean Von Stade. He’s the founder and co-owner of Flowtoys, the industry leader. They make the lights Greg uses, and staffs, wands and other equipment. Based in Emeryville, California, they host flow jams that Greg attended, with music and flow fellowship.)
(“06880” often highlights Staples graduates doing intriguing things. That’s an important part of local journalism. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Back in 2018, following a nor’easter, Bert Porzio did something so great, he earned a “Special Edition” Unsung Hero award.
Five years later, he’s been nominated again. Art Schoeller writes:
What happens when you discover your cat 60 feet up in a tree, after he’s has been missing for cnearly two days?
My first inclination was to call the Westport Fire Department. They responded quickly, but said they could not get their equipment into a good position to do the rescue.
In researching “cat in tree” (thank you Google!), you’ll find that most fire departments do not even respond, prioritizing more demanding emergencies.
It was suggested I try a tree service. I called Tom Kashetta, who has done work for me in the past, but he was away. He recommended Bert Porzio.
Bert called right back, but said he could not leave his job site until 5 p.m. Kudos to Beth and Joe Berger who hosted me in their yard, including lunch, while observing Gandalf up in their tree.
As promised Bert came at 5. He scaled the tree, and almost got Gandalf. Halfway down the cat jumped off and went out on a very thin limb.
Bert Porzio goes — literally — out on a limb to save Gandalf.
Bert made the save. When I asked him what I owed him he said, “I did it for the sake for the cat. I have cats myself. I love them. You don’t owe me anything. Just find a way to pay it forward”.
Thanks, Bert!
Bert Porzio and Ganalf. (Photo/Art Schoeller)
PS: Gandalf is home, healthy, but with a slight gash under his eye that is healing. I’m pretty certain he had a run-in with a creature that scared him up the tree.
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com)
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But forget “The Gray Flannel Suit,” “The Swimmer” and “The Stepford Wives.”
My favorite is “Below Surface.”
The 20-minute documentary focuses on an unlikely subject: the Westport Weston Family YMCA’s AquaFit program.
Yet thanks to Patty Kondub — the energetic, creative and much-loved instructor who is the heart and soul of both the program and the film — the camaraderie, joy and, yes, life-saving experience that is AquaFit come vividly to life.
Dick Rauh — 96 years young — describes what the class has done for him. So do others, of many ages and from 4 continents. Patty melds them all into a young-feeling, tight-knit group that fulfills the Y’s dual mission of promoting healthy living and creating community.
AquaFit helped Patty herself through a dark time of her life, which she describes movingly.
But “Below Surface” is bright and alive — just like those morning classes. The cinematography makes it shine.
The film has been screened at festivals around the country, and won the “Next Great Filmmaker Award” at the Berkshires International Film Festival. It will be shown October 19 (noon, New Haven Public Library) at the New Haven Documentary Film Festival.
Now through October 1, you can watch it for free, thanks to the virtual World Peace Film Festival. Just click here.
It will be the most uplifting 19 minutes of your week.
(For the “06880” back story on “Below Surface,” click here.)
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The start of tomorrow’s Long Lots School Building Committee meeting has been changed.
The new time is 6 p.m. (it was originally 6:30). That’s Thursday, September 28, in Town Hall Room 201/201A.
It’s a 6 p.m. start tomorrow for the Long Lots School Building Committee.
“People have the legal right to access state waters and fish for Blue Crab. The taking of Blue Crab requires no license, and there is no daily limit during the open season from May1 – November 30. The Conservation Office does not regulate the taking of crabs from the pond. The Sherwood Mill Pond Advisory Committee and the Shellfish Commission do not have authority to restrict the crabbing either.
“To clarify, this does not mean the Town has ignored the public requests for checking the crabbing. In fact, the Westport Police Department have conducted more than 50 patrols of Sherwood Mill Pond this summer. They have interacted with the individuals who are crabbing, they have actively provided education, and they have checked the catches to ensure proper measurements are being followed.
“The officers have used Infrared cameras to confirm that individuals were taking crabs and that any clams they have seen were dumped. They have worked individually and in conjunction with CT DEEP Encon Police. Officers have been proactive in responding to calls and will continue to provide our Town with this response.
“We want to inform the public that over 70 parking tickets have been issued along Hillspoint Road and the Old Mill parking lot in the last few weeks. One night alone had over 30 parking tickets issued. The Police Department will continue their oversight, including adding additional tactics in the future, to ensure that the laws are followed.”
For several years, Saugatuck Rowing Club has commemorated loved ones lost to breast cancer — and raised funds for survivors — by turning the Saugatuck River pink.
Literally.
Names are read aloud, and rose petals scattered into the Saugatuck River. They’re then swept out to sea.
This year’s “River of Roses” charity soirée is set for Sunday (October 1, 1 to 4 p.m.; ceremony at 3).
The $75 ticket includes (of course) rosé cocktails, raw bar, charcuterie, lobster and pumpkin bisque, clam chowder, apple crisp, Donut Crazy and a cash bar, plus live music by Fake ID.
Proceeds support SurviveOAR, the empowering, supportive community that provides mental, physical and emotional healing to women with breast cancer after traditional treatment ends.
Six members will be compete in Head of the Charles race next month.
Click here for tickets, or to buy roses ($25 each). Click below, for highlights of the 2019 event.
Parents of children with special needs have plenty to think about.
Including finances.
Westporter Kimberly Greenberg — a Morgan Stanley vice president — leads a free breakfast seminar for parents and caregivers, called “Protecting the Future for Your Child With Special Needs.”
Financial experts will share first-hand experiences on October 3 (9:30 a.m., STAR, 182 Wolfpit Avenue, Norwalk_. Tours of the renovated STAR center, including the new assistive technology lab and lending library, are also available.
To reserve a spot, or for more information, email ahenry@starct.org.
This event has flown under the radar. But it’s an important one.
Tomorrow (Thursday, September 28, 10 a.m., Westport Library), Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, state Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Ronald Welch and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will recognize the service of Westport veterans who served during the Vietnam War era.
There will be a color guard, national anthem, and more.
Staples High School graduate Tim Barmmer was killed in Vietnam. He is memorialized at Veterans Green, across from Town Hall.
Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service’s Jenna Baumblatt has been named Connecticut’s 2023 EMS Youth Corps Member of the Year.
The 18-year-old joined WVEMS as an Emergency Medical Responder 4 years ago, and is now an Emergency Medical Technician. She also serves on the WVEMS board of directors.
EMS runs deep in her family. Her dad Rick is a WVEMS staff paramedic; her mom Lynn is a paramedic at Norwalk Hospital EMS, and her brother James is an EMT in Bridgeport.
WVEMS president Michael Burns calls Jenna “an amazing person and caregiver who maintains multiple jobs, in addition to her volunteer service. She is an amazing asset!”
Jenna Baumblatt
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Pam Rouleau is running a fundraiser with Nuvance Health for the Integrative Medicine Department at the Smilow Breast Cancer Center.
She photographed 13 people who have battled cancer — or still are — and depicted them along with their stories of survivorship.
Several members of the Saugatuck Rowing Club’s “SurviveOARS” team are included. Rouleau is a Survive-OARS rower too.
A reception is set for October 3, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the State Capitol in Hartford. It will then be on view through October 30. Click here for details.
Kimberly Wilson, Westport resident and Saugatuck SurviveOARS member.
Grammy Award-winning pianist Dave Kikoski headlines tomorrow’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, September 28, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399).
Kikoski is known for his adept post-bop style and spontaneous swinging play. He has worked with artists like Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Bob Berg, Michael and Randy Brecker, Chris Potter and others.
He’ll be joined by bassist Yuriy Galkin, drummer Vinnie Sperazza and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall. Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Enjoy a trivia night — virtually, and for a great cause.
Tomorrow (Thursday, September 28, 7 p.m.), Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County hosts “Quiz for a Cause.” All proceeds support arts education for children, primarily those with special needs.
First prize is 2 round trip airline tickets, from Avelo Airlines. Second prize is a gift from Westporter Christian Siriano’s The Collective West. Third prize is 5 private music lessons at Neighborhood Studios.
Participants are asked for a minimum donation of $45. Click here to register, and for more information.
Maintenance and upkeep of Baron’s South has gone to the birds.
So it’s not surprising that a flock of turkeys has taken over Golden Shadows, the “mansion” once occupied by Baron Walter Langen von Langendorff and his wife.
Morley Boyd spotted them, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … today is the 120th anniversary of “the wreck of the old 97.” The mail train crash was not the worst rail disaster ever — though 11 people died, and 7 more were injured — but it lives on, thanks to folks like Johnny Cash.
(“06880” loves delivering news like today’s lead story, about Patty Kondub’s AquaFit movie. If you love the news “06880” delivers, please click here to support local journalism. Thank you!)
Eight months after the RTM voted 33-1 to uphold a Planning & Zoning Commission decision to allow new development in Saugatuck, preparations for The Hamlet are moving along.
The developers are leaving nothing to chance.
This month, architects and others from DPZ — a firm specializing in pedestrian-oriented neighborhood planning — came to Westport, from offices in Washington, Miami, Portland and Puerto Rico, to see Saugatuck first-hand.
And to listen.
Working in the Riverside Avenue office of ROAN Venture, they invited town officials and others to a charrette, to view plans and offer feedback. The goal is to hear concerns about traffic, zoning, the marina and other elements while the process is still in the design phase.
Conversations result in changes “in real time,” said DPZ partner Marina Khoury.
Renderings of waterside elements of The Hamlet at Saugatuck.
The first official on Monday was Conservation Department director Colin Kelly. He offered insights into Westport’s Waterway Protection Line Ordinance, setbacks, seawalls, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and more.
Representatives from the Police Department, Selectwoman’s office and others were invited this week too.
Some attendees criticized the proposal when it was announced last year. “We want input from everyone,” says Pete Romano, whose LandTech environmental engineering firm is working with ROAN Ventures, DPZ and noted architect Bill Bensley on the project.
DPZ’s Marina Khoury and LandTech’s Pete Romano, with The Hamlet at Saugatuck drawings in ROAN Ventures’ office.
The Hamlet at Saugatuck encompasses the rectangle between Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place, Franklin Street and Charles Street, plus land on Riverside Avenue from Tutti’s to Railroad Place, and the private parking lot above Luciano Park now used for boat storage.
Plans include retail, restaurants, residences, a hotel, marina, a gourmet market and kids’ club near Luciano Park, a boardwalk, underground parking — and a total renovation of the 21 Charles Street office building.
Artist’s rendering of the re-skinning of 21 Charles Street …
… and the view from the Saugatuck River.
(“06880” broke the story of The Hamlet at Saugatuck last year. If you appreciate local journalism, please click here to upport our work. Thank you!)
The Long Lots School Building Committee meeting scheduled for tonight (Tuesday) has been rescheduled for Thursday (September 28, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall Room 201/201A).
There will be 15 minutes of public comment regarding the feasibility study project, followed by a work session with the design team for project status updates, review and discussion. The public may attend the work session, but not participate.
The Long Lots School Building Committee meets again this Thursday.
The Board of Selectwomen meet tomorrow (Wednesday, September 27, 9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium). Among the agenda items: “to establish School Zones with Fines Doubled, on the following Town–owned roadways surrounding schools”:
North Avenue at Coleytown Elementary and Coleytown Middle Schools
North Avenue at Staples High School and Bedford Middle School
Cross Highway at Bedford Middle School
Hyde Lane at Long Lots Elementary School
Burr Road at Kings Highway Elementary School
Morningside Drive South at Greens Farms Elementary School.
They’ll also request the Connecticut Department of Transportation to do the same for state-owned roads: Easton Road (Coleytown), Post Road East (Greens Farms), and Riverside Avenue (Saugatuck)
Traffic on North Avenue near Staples and Bedford either crawls (above) or races. (Photo/Adam Vengrow)
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There’s a lot to like about the Westport Library.
The website has not been one of them.
It’s always been a bit clunky — cluttered, and not particularly intuitive.
Yesterday, the Library rolled out a redesigned home page.
Highlights include a simplified menu and robust footer to more easily access core offerings.
The further down you scroll, the more you see: an improved calendar, upcoming events, podcasts, etc.
A “primary content space at the top of the page” promises “increased engagement, more ways than ever before to discover upcoming Library events and existing Library assets, and breakout boxes highlighting current Library content such as reference guides, videos, podcasts, news, and more.”
Click here to view and explore the redesigned website.
At last: A Westport Library website that works!
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There’s always something cooking at Wakeman Town Farm.
Among the upcoming events:
Risotto and Rollatini Workshop (October 10, 7 p.m., $125)
You can do both, on October 7 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
William Raveis Charitable Fund, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are sponsoring “Shred It! For Cancer Research.”
The suggested donation is $10 per box or shopping bag, $20 for a large garbage bag. You can pay by cash or check.
Questios? Email amy.askew@raveis.com.
PS: It’s contactless. You don’t have to get out of your car. And you don’t even have to remove staples from documents.
David McCallum — the Scottish actor who starred in “The Man from UNCLE” and “NCIS” — was also a frequent presence on the Westport Country Playhouse stage.
He appeared in 6 shows — “Signpost to Murder,” “Crown Matrimonial,” “Donkey’s Years,” “Romantic Comedy,” “Run for Your Wife” and “Angel Street” — between 1974 and 1996. (Hat tips: Jack Krayson, Pat Blaufuss)
David McCallum in the Westport Country Playhouse program for “Angel Street.”
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I’m not sure what was happening at Anthropologie yesterday morning.
And finally … on this date in 1898, George Gershwin was born. He died just 38 years later, of a brain tumor — but not before writing (and playing on the piano) classics like these (below).
Westport connection: Gershwin’s sister Frances (Frankie) lived in Westport for many years. She was married to Leopold Godowsky — the co-inventor of Kodachrome color film — and, unlike her brother, lived to old age. She died in 1999, at 92.
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In the 1950s, a surge of new families changed Westport forever.
They built new homes. They needed new schools. They got involved in town affairs.
Those post-war parents picked up the volunteer reins from the men and women who had made Westport what it was in previous decades. They joined well-established local organizations, and started others. They ran for political office. They asked how this beautiful, resource-rich town could be even better; then they made it happen.
Their baby boomer children continued that tradition. Some were their literal descendants, who stayed in Westport or moved back later. Others were baby boomers who grew up elsewhere, then somehow found their way here and understood that for a community to thrive, every member who can, must contribute to it in some way.
Coleytown Capers was a 1950s fundraiser for the elementary school. It was directed, produced and acted in by dozens of parents. Many worked fulltime in entertainment and the arts. PTAs today find it difficult to recruit volunteers.
In the 2020s, Westport is changing again.
The pandemic brought a new surge of new families. They moved here for all the right reasons: the schools. The amenities. The space. The community vibe.
They are young and energetic. They are smart and creative. They are our future, and that future is very bright indeed.
But as baby boomers age, there is a concern that the civic value of volunteerism is fading.
Certainly, plenty of newcomers have picked up the mantle. They join organizations, run for office, coach teams.
But there are not enough of them.
Katie Augustyn and Haley Schulman volunteer with Food Rescue US. They deliver excess food from stores and restaurants to pantries and shelters in the area. Volunteers are always needed.
Nearly every group in town — PTAs, non-profits, town commissions — wonders: How can we get the next generation more involved?
“They do everything they can for their kids,” one current leader said. “But they don’t always do everything they can for their town.”
Last Saturday, the Town of Westport and League of Women Voters sponsored a volunteer fair at the Westport Library. (Right there, those are 3 organizations that rely often on volunteers.)
Over 2 dozen community groups had tables. Turnout was good (bad weather may have helped or hurt). Representatives offered information, answered questions and encouraged participation.
Saturday’s Volunteer Fair, at the Westport Library. (Photo courtesy of Town of Westport)
If you missed it, here they were:
A Better Chance of Westport
AWARE
Center for Senior Activities
Club 203
Earthplace
FCJazz
Food Rescue
Friends of Sherwood Island
Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Homes with Hope
Levitt Pavilion
Staples Tuition Grants
Sunrise Rotary Club
TEAM Westport
Town of Westport
Verso Studios
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Wakeman Town Farm
Westport Book Shop
Westport Community Theatre
Westport Country Playhouse
Westport Emergency Medical Services
Westport League of Women Voters
Westport Library
Westport Permanent Art Collections
Westport Rotary Club
Westport Woman’s Club
Westport Young Woman’s League
Westport-Weston CERT
Westport Weston Family YMCA.
What a list!
Education, community service, seniors, people in need, people with disabilities, the environment, the arts, politics, entertainment, veterans, health, youth — no matter what your interest, there was something for everyone.
That’s not counting the groups that were not there: PTAs. Sports. And one that I profiled earlier this month (started — yes — by new arrivals): Bike Westport.
Imke Lohs, Adam Ganser and Markus Marty are young Westporters who started Bike Westport. The non-profit is addressing our town’s transportation crisis.
I am often asked what I think about “changing Westport.” I respond that I am excited and invigorated by all the new people. Some are families; some are young singles moving into apartments.
They’re excited to be here. They quickly learn to love this town.
Now it’s up to them — not just some, but all of them — to make their mark on Westport.
And set the standard for future surges of newcomers, in the 2090s and beyond.
PS: Adults are not the only volunteers who make this town go.
The Library will host a volunteer expo for teens on Wednesday, October 4 (4:30 to 6 p.m.), featuring local youth organizations with volunteer opportunities.
(“06880” covers all of Westport: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Please click here to support our local journalism. Thank you!)
Igor Pikayzen — Westport’s favorite home-grown violinist — kicks off this year’s Suzuki Music School’s Pillow Concert Series (October 1, 246 Post Road East, lower level; bring a pillow to sit on).
All 5 performances features superb local artists.
The 2005 Staples High School graduate went to Juilliard, then earned a master’s degree and artist’s diploma from Yale University and a doctor of musical arts at the CUNY Graduate Center.
s.
He’s appeared as a soloist with major orchestras across 4 continents. He has played Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Le Teatro Sant-Cugat in Barcelona and Cadogan Hall in London; his live performances and recordings have been broadcast on WQXR, and around the globe. He’s won numerous competitions too.
Families and students attend free. as part of Suzuki’s community outreach programs. The goal of the series is for student musicians to hear exceptionally accomplished musicians. For more information, click here.
Speaking of music: There was a nearly full house yesterday at Saugatuck Congregational Church. Full house at Saugatuck Congregational Church.
Alex Beyer — winner of the Queen Elizabeth, US Chopin and Dublin International Piano Competitions, now a US Navy pilot stationed in Norfolk — performed works by Mendelssohn, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Bartok and Prokofiev.
A Q-and-A session, and masterclass with young musicians, followed the concert.
Alex Beyer performs at Saugatuck Church. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
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