Posted onAugust 26, 2021|Comments Off on Kids Pose For Yoga Classes
Twenty years of practicing yoga has helped Carly Walker complete 2 Ironman races, and 25 marathons — injury-free.
Friends describe their aches, pains and sports-related injuries. When she tells them that yoga can align their bodies and prevent injuries — plus keep them sane — they don’t listen.
She gave up trying to convince them. Now the Westporter is concentrating on the next generation.
Carly Walker
“If I can help kids adopt yoga into their lives at a young age, it will help their bodies and minds for a lifetime,” she says. “Yoga is all about handling life and stress better off the mat.”
She wanted to give youngsters the tools to help breathe when they get upset, stressed or frustrated. Yoga helps kids stay calm on the inside, even amid chaos.
The result: Child’s Pose. The “studio for young souls” is open at 8 Church Street South (next to Little Barn).
Classes include toddlers with parents and caregivers (ages 1-4); pre-schoolers (3-5), elementary schoolers (5-10) and middle schoolers (11-14).
Carly offers 2 free classes today (Thursday, August 26): Elementary (3 to 4 p.m.), and Mom & Me (4:30 to 5:15 p.m.).
There are many similarities between adult and kids’ yoga, Carly says. But children learn through play, so she makes things fun. Amid giggles, she helps them find “inner peace, and some quiet moments on their mat.”
When she pulls out a stuffed animal dog, her young students know it’s time to get into downward dog. Poses like sleeping butterfly help ease anxiety in children, she says.
Middle schoolers enjoy yoga …
Carly shows them how to recreate poses at home, with items in their house.
All children can benefit from yoga, Carly says. “Yoga helps with flexibility, strength and balance. It improves their focus and concentration, and connects their minds to their bodies to reduce stress and anxiety. It also aids in self-esteem and confidence.”
Special needs youngsters — such as those with ADHD and autism — benefit especially from yoga, she notes. It reduces anxiety, helps with emotional regulation, improves confidence, provides consistency and helps with inner peace.
Before moving to Westport 5 years ago, Carly taught children’s yoga in New York. She is impressed with our town’s support of children.
She’s seen the competitive side of athletics here — and was an athlete herself — so she also wants people to know that a flexible, mobile body prevents injuries.
Feedback has ben good. Parents have seen children start to become angry with a sibling or friend, then say, “I’m going to breath like Ms. Carly taught me to.”
A child having trouble sleeping may put a stuffy on their belly, rock it to sleep — and fall asleep themselves.
… and so do much younger children. (Photos/Julia D’Agostino)
Some youngsters enter her studio skeptically, she says. Soon they forget about whatever happened on the playground, or the test looming tomorrow.
“Fear and anxiety come from thinking about the past or future,” Carly says.
“Standing on one foot and one hand in a yoga pose is all about being in the moment.”
(For more information click here, or follow on social media: @childsposewestport.)
Longtime Westport Library book sales volunteer Mimi Greenlee writes:
Our community is so happy now that the Westport Library is accepting book donations in the gray trailer in the upper parking lot (during library hours).
The first weeks were overwhelming. I want to give a round of applause for our volunteer team of 50 sorters and category managers.
By singling out one person, I hope “06880” readers see how much devotion and dedication is present in every one of our year-round volunteers.
Dan Delehanty was Westport’s town engineer from 1978 to 2008. In 2001 he became a volunteer for our Book Sales. He transported books and supplies from storage to our sales, sorted donated books, and was always available for any other jobs needed for Friends of the Library and the Library staff.
Dan Delehanty shows off his work. Note the time on the clock: 6 a.m. (Photo/Fred Caporizzo)
He loved putting on music and sorting books, usually in the very early morning or late at night. I was always amazed at what he had accomplished, and with such efficiency.
Dan moved to Maine in 2020 to be with family, yet this spring he came back to visit. Longtime friend and co-worker Fred Caporizzo suggested Dan come help in the Book Center for “nostalgia” reasons. That’s exactly what he did.
The 2 men were there at 6 a.m., sorting books for our Book Shop and the next book sale. How about a round of applause for them — and everyone else on our team!
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email dwoog@optonline.net)
Peter’s Market closed in January. For 7 months, Weston residents — and their neighbors in northern Weston — have schlepped to Westport or Wilton for basic needs.
Soon — “as soon as possible,” in fact — Lily’s Market will open in Weston Shopping Center. The news was first reported by Weston Today.
Among the familiar faces: Jay Stasko, who worked at Peter’s on and off since he was 16 (and whose daughter is Lily), and DJ Hall, who managed it for 22 years.
Westporter Mark McWhirter will head up the business side.
Also in the works; Weston Pharmacy. The goal for Ken and Susan Lee — who signed the lease — is to open in early September. (Hat tip: Dick Wingate)
Administrators say: “Please log into your online account to verify your family information. Once you have logged into your account, click ‘manage family members’ on the bottom right. To view more details, click the name of the member you want to view. Please check email addresses provided and other personal information that may have changed. Make any necessary changes and hit ‘save’ at the end.”
Have an address change? Email recreation@westportct.gov.
If you cannot log into your online account, do not create another profile. Email recreation@westportct.gov or call us 203-341-5152 for help.
The Parks & Recreation Commission meets next Wednesday (7:30 p.m., Zoom) to review 2 Baron’s South conceptual plans. To attend via Zoom, use Meeting ID 840 1308 5788; Passcode 398959.
What’s next for Baron’s South? The Parks & Recreation Commission will begin discussing the issue next Wednesday . (Photo/Cathy Walsh)
Heather Frimmer’s new book, “Better to Trust,” launches with a party at the Westport Library. It’s September 21 (7 p.m.), and includes an interview with Suzy Leopold.
Click here to register (in-person or virtually), and obtain a signed copy.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” contribution is not, notes Margo Amgott, “cute fawns, bunnies, local turkeys or fuzzy bears.” It is, however, what’s been hanging out at her house.
(Photo/Margo Amgott)
“Her web is about 4 feet wide,” Margo describes. (I have no idea how she determined its gender.)
“She’s still most of the day. But a half hour or so every day she spins (pun intended) into action.
“She’s got long black stockings and gloves, yellow markings, and is about 2 feet inches long. She has a large sac (venom? Babies?).
“We are terrified but also charmed. Anyone know what she is?”
If so, click Comments below. And let Margo know whether she should be completely charmed. Or totally terrified.
And finally … Charlie Watts’ passing marks the end of an era. The Rolling Stones’ drummer (and bandmate of our neighbor Keith Richards) died yesterday in London. He was 80.
The New York Times called his style “strong but unflashy.” It cited his work on 3 songs in particular as emblematic of the group’s success:
“He was relentless on “Paint It, Black” (No. 1 in 1966), supple on “Ruby Tuesday” (No. 1 in 1967) and the master of a funky cowbell groove on “Honky Tonk Women” (No. 1 in 1969).”
Thanks, Charlie. You gave us plenty of satisfaction.
As the Levitt Pavilion prepares to close its (metaphorical) curtain on the 2021 season — it pretty much ends this Sunday with a Motown Revue, though there are 2 dates in September, and Sheryl Crow’s benefit October 8 — it’s time to look back on 60 nights of free entertainment.
“06880” photographer JC Martin was at the Saugatuck River bandshell often this summer. There was plenty of entertainment.
But he found many of his best shots away from the stage. Here’s a sampling of what he saw.
The audience was filled with folks of all ages: adults …
… younger …
… and very young.
Some came by kayak …
… while others listened from the Westport Library’s cafe patio.
They brought picnics …
… and ttreated themselves to something special.
They filled the wide lawn …
… and enjoyed a wide variety of acts…
… in a beautiful setting. (Photos/JC Martin)
To see the remaining Levitt Pavilion calendar, click here.
Author, lecturer, advertising and television executive — and longtime Westporter — Bill Clotworthy died peacefully in hospice in Salt Lake City last week. He was 95 years old.
A New Jersey native, his first job after college was as a page for NBC in New York. After 8 months he began working with BBD&O, and had a front row seat at birth of the then-new medium of live television. He worked with Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Stan Freburg, Jack Webb, Robert Montgomery and Jack Benny, and on “Your Hit Parade” and “Your Show of Shows.”
He moved to Los Angeles in the 1950’s and was the agency rep on shows including “General Electric Theater,” where he became friends with host Ronald Reagan.
In New York in the 1970’s, Bill returned to NBC in the Standards and Practices Department. He was the on-set censor for “Saturday Night Live,” where the cast and crew affectionately referred to him as “Doctor No.” It was the same Studio 8H that he worked in as a page in 1948.
After retiring in 1991 he pursued his interest in history. He became an author and lecturer, writing several books about George Washington and the first ladies, as well as guidebooks on presidential homes and sites. He published a memoir: “Saturday Night Live: Equal Opportunity Offender.”
Bill Clotworthy
A U.S Navy veteran, Bill attended Wesleyan College University and Yale University before graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in theater. He was a member of Sigma Chi, and loved singing “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi” to anyone who had the misfortune of being within earshot.
He was also an enthusiastic genealogist for over 50 years, tracing his family roots back to the 11th century in England, as well as the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown. He was a proud member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
A resident of Westport for 24 years, he served on the Representative Town Meeting. He later lived in North Carolina and Virginia, before settling in Salt Lake City in 2019.
Bill was dignified, self deprecating, funny and considered puns to be the highest form of humor. He completed the New York Times crossword puzzle every Sunday, and enjoyed singing and dancing to big band music.
Bill is preceded in death by his wives Joyce and Angela, and his younger brother, Olympic diving champion Bob Clotworthy
He is survived by his wife Jo Ann; sons Robert and Donald; daughters Lynne and Amy; stepsons Peter and Bradford; grandson Will; nieces Susan, Jodi and Erin, and nephew Bruce.
Bill was proud that over his life he donated more than 5 gallons of blood. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations (either monetary or pints of blood) to the American Red Cross.
(Click here for a fascinating interview with Bill Clotworthy. Hat tip: Dick Lowenstein)
Donut Crazy — the wonderful, warm, not-for-the-calorie-conscious coffeehouse on the eastbound side of the Saugatuck train station — is closed today.
It’s unclear whether it’s permanent. Loyal customers hope not. Their fingers are crossed it will reopen — perhaps under new owners.
The past 17 months have not been easy. Always a bit out of the way for late-arriving morning commuters to New York, the steep drop in ridership during the pandemic must have hurt.
The arrival of Steam donuts and coffee at Desi’s Corner, at the Railroad Place by Riverside Avenue, is another blow.
Donut Crazy’s 4 other locations — in Stratford, Shelton, Branford and West Hartford — remain open. That’s not too far to go for some of the craziest donuts (and more) on earth. (Hat tip: Carolanne Curry)
Sam Palmer is the son of a Staples High School teacher. A 2019 graduate of Fairfield Warde High School, he’s been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s waiting for a blood stem cell/bone marrow transplant.
And he needs a donor.
A “Swab for Sam/Be the Match” donor registration drive is set for this Saturday (August 28, 9 to 11 a.m., Fairfield Warde High School, 755 Melville Avenue).
It takes just 5 minutes to register, and have your cheek swabbed to enter the marrow donor registry. The more donors, the more chances Sam — and others like him — have to live long, full lives.
Rod Gilbert — the New York Rangers great who died last weekend at 80 — leaves behind many fans.
Among them: Charlie Capalbo. The Fairfield hockey player — and grandson of Westporters Ina Chadwick and Richard Epstein — has battled cancer for several years. His spirits have been lifted by many people in the hockey world.
Gilbert was among the first. Here was his message to Charlie, in 2017:
Did you miss the 2018 Westport Country Playhouse presentation of “Man of La Mancha?” Saw it, and want to see it again? Just looking for great entertainment, as the Delta variant has us all wary again of crowds?
The award-winning show is available now, on demand, through September 5. Tickets start at just $25. Click here to order.
Laura Nelson died Friday, surrounded by family and friends, following a battle with cancer. She was 55.
Her family says: “Laura’s light always shined brightly. The people of Westport may remember sharing a friendly wave, a peace sign or a warm smile with Laura as she drove around the neighborhood in her clementine orange VW bus, laughing and soaking up every drop of life.
“She was an accomplished communications executive and public relations expert, dedicated wife and mother, loving sister and aunt, best friend, and adored colleague.
“Above all, Laura loved her husband Jim and their children Charlie and Annabelle fiercely and unconditionally. Her pride in their accomplishments knew no bounds.”
Laura began her career as a PR professional with Dan Klores Associates in New York City. For over 3 decades she rose through the media industry as the cable television business flourished.
In her early career she led the communications team at Comedy Central, then a fledgling startup channel. She rose to senior vice president of communications and public affairs for VH1 and MTV. She later joined Nielsen, where she served as chief communications officer during a transformative period.
Laura advised celebrities and media executives throughout her career. Her family says, “She was known as a savvy strategist and insightful advisor. She was a student of the spoken and written word and used this knowledge to advance the interests of her clients and organizations. Maybe most importantly, Laura knew how to bring out the best in her people—she was the perfect combination of mentor, coach, advocate, leader, and friend. Over the years, she assembled multiple award-winning teams, and many of her protégés have gone on to serve as chief marketing and communications officers themselves.”
Born in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, Laura grew up in Darien. In 1983, Laura served as a Page in the US Senate and attended the Capitol Page School. At Darien High School she was the editor of the school newspaper. She graduated from Boston College with a BA in ohilosophy. As part of her undergraduate studies, she attended Temple University in Rome, where she developed a lifelong love of Italy and its culture.
Her family notes: “Laura was generous, loyal, and warm, and she readily adopted friends into her extended family. She was known for her sense of humor, authenticity, and dedication to her family and friends. She was unyielding on the things that mattered to her and to the world, and she loved with her whole heart and soul.
She is survived by her husband James A. Kremens; children Charles Kremens and Annabelle Kremens, all of Westport; siblings Gina Wilcox (Brady) of Old Lyme; Paul Nelson (Julie) of Wilmette, Illinois, and Andrew Nelson (Meghan) of Cincinnati.
A mass of Christian burial will be held Friday, (August 27, 11 a.m., Church of the Assumption.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Cancer Couch Foundation, P.O. Box 1145, Southport, CT 06890, or thecancercouch.com.
Robin Tauck is a 40-year Westporter. Her grandfather helped develop the modern tour business — and his Tauck Tours company was headquartered in Westport for decades.
Robin is the 3rd generation to lead Tauck, and has helped make it a global brand. She’s been particularly involved in cultural heritage, sustainable tourism and philanthropy.
In Westport — where she lives on Old Mill Beach — she has been a leading voice for environmental protection.
Robin joined me the other day at the Westport Library, for “06880: The Podcast.” We talked about Tauck’s history, the travel industry today, and of course, what it all means for Westport.
Click here to watch our wide-ranging conversation.
For the second summer in a row, the Remarkable Theater has entertained Westporters by showing classic films, on the Imperial Avenue parking lot’s giant screen.
And films don’t get more classic than “The Graduate.”
Mike Nichols’ comedy is set for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, August 30. It’s a great chance to revisit — or see for the first time — the triangle involving the older Mrs. Robinson, her daughter Elaine, and confused recent graduate Benjamin.
The movie famously stars Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross and Dustin Hoffman.
Although, except for a twist of fate — or a casting change — the movie that launched Hoffman’s career might have done the same for Miggs Burroughs.
In 1967 — 4 years after graduating from Staples High School — he was a senior at Carnegie Mellon University.* A drama major, he spotted an announcement for auditions on a bulletin board.
Miggs mailed a t-shirt, with his image. His roommate had fortuitously silk screened it, as a test of marketing “personality t-shirts” — a great idea, but one the roommate never capitalized on.
The t-shirt, with Miggs’ mug.
Soon, Miggs was asked to audition for the role of Benjamin:
Miggs showed up at the appointed time. He took the elevator, walked to the front studio, handed over his photos, and auditioned.
Miggs went back to school. He waited. A month later, this letter arrived:
Miggs went on with his life. He graduated. He left acting behind, and became an artist.
In the 50-plus years since, he’s earned fame as a Time cover illustrator, postage stamp designer, and — in Westport — everything from his lenticular images in the downtown and train station tunnels, to Westport’s 150th-anniversary flag, and just about every non-profit logo imaginable.
Miggs is a founding member of the Westport Artists’ Collective. He is one of our town’s true treasures. He’s a great artist, and an even better guy.
Take that, Mike Nichols!
And it’s funny how life turns out, isn’t it, Dustin Hoffman?
Miggs Burroughs. wearing a t-shirt with the Westport flag he designed. (Photo/Pam Einarsen)
* In 1967, the school was called Carnegie Institute of Technology. At Miggs’ graduation, the Mellon family announced they had bought naming rights, for about $400 million.
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