BoomerRoomers is an online interactive community for boomers — and others.
It’s a place where baby boomers facing loneliness, and financial and housing insecurity, can find other boomers with houses, apartments, accessory dwelling units — even houseboats and communes — to share.
But it’s not limited to those old enough to remember (or have been at) Woodstock.
Students looking for housing, or a homeshare — and willing (or eager) to move in with a boomer — can do so too.
BoomerRoomers is also a “virtual third space” for boomers to find compatriots and new friends. It’s even a spot for an online daily “wellness check.”
Now, BoomerRoomer is a Substack blog too.
Stories focus on issues like aging in place, housing insecurity among seniors, loneliness and more. “We seek to address ageism where it lives,” says founder Jayne Ehrlich, who operates BoomerRoomers from a Westport office. (Click here for a 2023 “06880” story, on the launch.
She’s looking for guest contributors to the Substack. “You don’t have to be a boomer,” she says. “All writers are welcome.”
If you’re a boomer — or a student, Millennial, Gen Xer, Gen Zer, or even a member of the Greatest Generation that preceded the boomers — and have something boomer-related to say, email info@boomerroomers.com, or call 203-984-0547.
Okay, boomer!
The BoomerRoomers logo.
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If you haven’t heard of dirty sodas, you probably are not on TikTok.
The social media trend of non-alcoholic beverages made by adding flavored syrups, fruit purees, cream or half-and-half and perhaps a fruit garnish to soft drinks arrived at Compo Beach yesterday.
A group of girls — Madeline, Olivia and Zoey — have created a business called (of course) Cherry on Top. They included boba and gummy sharks as options in their dirty sodas.
At Cherry on Top …
Teens and tweens swarmed the stand, at the well-traveled spot a few feet from the Remarkable Bookcycle.
The girls gave complimentary drinks to the lifeguards, who were very thankful.
It’s already September, so Thanksgiving is right around the corner. (After, of course, the Jewish High Holy Days, Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day, Halloween and Election Day.)
Time for a turkey vulture, and today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo feature.
(Whatever your generation, if you enjoy being part of this online “06880” community, please click here to support our work. Thank you! Or, as they say today, ty.)
Back in June of 2017, “06880” introduced a new feature.
“Unsung Heroes” pledged to honor “amazing people who never get shout-outs.”
I explained: “Store clerks, bank tellers, baristas. Cleaning ladies, volunteers, neighbors. Their list is probably a lot longer than the one of all the great men and women everyone always thanks.”
Every Wednesday, I said, “our unsung heroes will have their praises sung.”
Our inaugural Unsung Hero — the very first of 396 (and counting) — was Trudy Lynch.
Alert — and grateful — “06880” reader Chris Swan nominated her. He said:
Trudy Lynch has been our USPS carrier for many years. But since I retired 4 years ago, I’ve gotten to know her very well.
Though morale at the Post Office seems to have gotten very low, Trudy always smiles and tries to raise her coworkers’ spirits.
Trudy Lynch and Chris Swan.
She often stops her truck and walks up to drop off mail, as opposed to stuffing it in the box on the street. She is not your typical government employee.
Just today, she delivered (another) Amazon box. Her smile was so contagious, she gave us a real lift.
My wife Carol wondered how many people actually know their carrier’s name?
So we took her picture to send your way in recognition of this terrific employee, serving our community tirelessly day in and out.
In the 8 years since, Chris and Carol moved away. They moved back. (Unfortunately, not on Trudy’s route.)
Through it all — during good weather and bad, COVID and recovery, an influx of residents, and an increase in traffic and rude drivers — Trudy kept delivering mail. She kept inspiring her coworkers and mail customers. She kept smiling.
But to everything there is a season. Trudy is now looking forward to a new one.
She’s retiring from the US Postal Service. But her many friends along her route did not let her go without a sendoff.
On Thursday — her last day — they decorated their mailboxes, in a Trudy tribute.
Two of the many mailboxes decorated to honor Trudy Lynch … (Photo/Mikayla Doyle)
“We have become so close with Trudy over the years. Obviously, she made an incredible impression on so many people along her route,” says Mikayla Doyle, who let “06880” know about this moment.
“We are all sad to see her go. We will miss her beautiful smile, but are excited for her new journey. Happy days, Trudy!”
… and one more. (Photo/Mike Hibbard)
The retirement of a postal carrier is normally not Big News.
Yet people like Trudy are special. They make the rest of us feel better, about ourselves and the world.
News does not always have to be big. Sometimes, it’s the little news that’s most important.
So today, “06880” looks back fondly — and with renewed appreciation — at our very first Unsung Hero.
The fact that today is Labor Day — a holiday we’ve come to see as just nice time off, rather than a time to honor all the workers who make our world go ’round — is just icing on Trudy’s retirement cake.
Some Sunday Photo Challenges are hidden in plain sight. We pass by them every day, but often look past as they blend in with the landscape. Or we don’t look far enough up (or down) to see them.
Others are out in the open, but you won’t see them if you don’t go there. We don’t show really obscure spots. Still, if you don’t shop at Trader Joe’s, you won’t recognize part of its mural.
And if you don’t walk out toward the Sherwood Mill Pond, on the pedestrian path and footbridges heading to Compo Cove, you won’t pass Clark Hanford’s house.
His is the last one on the left, before the garages. That’s where last week’s Photo Challenge was located. Karen Como’s photo showed a planter, with a little green figure, set amid some scruffy grass and dirt. (Click here to see.)
Clark is a Staples High School graduate, and a noted artist. His yard is home to an eclectic array of stuff — including, at one time, a tiny electric vehicle.
If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a trip. So, of course, is the walk along the Mill Pond.
Pat Saviano, Micheal Simso and Beth Berkowitz were the readers who correctly identified last Sunday’s challenge.
If you know where in Westport you’d find this week’s, click “Comments” below. It too is in the “you’ve got to go there to know” category.
But if you don’t go there — sorry, you’re just not a real Westporter.
Working this summer at a Yale University lab, researching a rare and potentially fatal skin condition called ichthyosis (EDD), he was inspired to raise awareness — and funds — for the disease, through the swim.
Yesterday, he did.
And he did it very well.
He finished first in his age group. Labmate Devin Seli, a medical student affected by EDD, who trains with a triathlon group at Compo Beach — placed first too, in his age group. Another teammate finished second, while a fourth was third in the half-mile swim.
Congratulations, Nolan! Note: They’ve raised nearly $2,000 so far. The fundraising link is still open. Click here to contribute.
Nolan Francis (left) and fellow swimmers/Yale labmates, at Lake Quassapaug.
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Speaking of fundraising: Rach’s Hope — the non-profit honoring the memory of 2015 Staples High School graduate Rachel Doran, which provides nutritious food, lodging, transportation and encouragement to family members when a child is in intensive care — is as active as Rachel herself was.
On Sunday, October 5 (3 p.m., Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach), everyone is invited to join the 5th annual “Walk the Extra Mile … For Rach’s Hope” event.
It’s a fun, community-wide beach walk, with live music, a pizza truck, beer and wine, dessert, and special Rach’s Hope swag.
Need more incentive? In celebration of his 84th birthday, Rachel’s grandfather Michael Isenberg completed his pledge to walk 1,000 miles for Rach’s Hope.
He’ll be there. He invites everyone to “walk the extra mile” with him — or come cheer others on.
Westport is a great town for young kids, teenagers and their parents. It’s pretty good for empty nesters too. There are plenty of thngs to do, and plenty of places to do them.
But if you’re college-age?
Hannah Portman — a Westport native, Greens Farms Academy graduate and current Boston University junior — just spent a summer here. She reports:
Many of my college friends didn’t grow up in areas like Westport. Often when I tell them where I’m from, or describe Westport, I can see it register: They realize I’m lucky.
Their first reactions are usually something like, “Westport has the best shopping!” Or, “It’s so pretty there!”
Hannah Portman (2nd from left) and friends, at a Westport 4th of July party.
Having lived here my whole life, I think I started to overlook the great qualities of Westport. I always understood I was privileged to grow up in such a beautiful town. But it wasn’t until I left for college that I truly understood what I had left behind.
I always feel safe here, even walking home from the beach at 11 p.m. I love walking Soundview Drive and saying “hi” or “good morning” to the people I pass, whether I know them or not.
I love how much dedication the town puts into events like the annual fireworks and the various festivals downtown.
The fireworks is one event that draws Westporters of all ages together.
Westport’s sense of safety goes beyond just the physical. It’s a place where people can genuinely be themselves, which isn’t a given in a lot of communities. You can have a protest downtown and it’ll stay peaceful, without fear of violence or backlash.
I think Westport does a great job creating a welcoming environment to all generations. But when it comes to my specific demographic — young adults –there’s still room to grow.
At school, especially in a city like Boston, there’s constant stimulation. Restaurants are open until 2 a.m.. There are late-night spots to hang out, and endless things to do.
There’s always a place to go with friends, an activity to participate in. Of course I don’t expect that same energy from my small coastal hometown. But I do think there could be a bit more.
Main Street has plenty of stores. But Hannah Portman would like to see more variety. (Photo/Hannah Portman)
For example, the cost of a good time in Westport is not sustainable for a college student on their own budget.
It’s always fun to go downtown, do some shopping, and grab something to eat, but every time I do, I spend more than I budgeted. There aren’t any affordable hangout spots. Growing up, places like Rye Ridge Deli and Westport Pizza were cheap, easy options to hang out with friends. Now, it feels like GG & Joe is one of the only spots left with that vibe.
Hanging out — with friends or work — at GG & Joe. (Photo/Hannah Portman)
I often find my friends and I heading to nearby towns like Fairfield, where places like Firehouse Deli and Colony Grill serve as both a spot to eat and hang out.
The same goes for nightlife. Most restaurants close by 11. If you want to be around other 20-somethings you’re going to areas like SONO, or even into the city. Late nights in Westport usually means a backyard, or someone’s car at Compo.
There are ways to make Westport more inclusive and exciting for young adults. The Levitt Pavillion, for example, has so much potential. It’s a great space, right in town, with free shows in the summer. But when I look through their calendar, it’s rare I find something that really excites me.
Most bookings are catered toward adults or children. It’d be great to see them bring in some DJs or indie bands that appeal to my crowd.
A recent Levitt Pavilion audience. (Photo/Susan Garment)
Similarly, the Westport Library hosts great events and speakers, but they seem geared toward older and young audiences. If they brought in authors or creators that my friends and I follow, it could become another draw for young adults, and further differentiate Westport as a cultural center.
I know Westport already offers some leadership opportunities through groups like the Youth Commission and Toquet Hall, but most of these are geared toward high school students. For those who have left for college but still consider Westport home, there’s no clear space to get involved. That’s the gap I’m talking about.
Of course, it’s not all on the town. A lot of it comes down to my generation stepping up. We need young voices in Westport’s leadership that can represent our age group, and work with the programming in the community to help shape a community we want to participate in.
Westport is great, and I wouldn’t want to have grown up anyplace else. There’s so much to love as a 20-year-old, but there’s also room for growth.
The infrastructure is already here. Now we just need representation and initiative to make it even better.
(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all. Email 06880blog@gmail.com. Thank you!)
This is not stop-the-presses news, but: Parents are under tremendous pressure.
Work demands, societal expectations, concerns about children’s safety and the influence of social media, caring for their own parents … and that’s just for starters.
“Parenting Pressures: Navigating Challenges and Achieving Balance” may not solve every issue. But the event — September 15, 7 p.m., at the Westport Library — can’t hurt.
And at least you’ll be surrounded by parents just like you.
There’s a panel discussion with mental health experts, followed by small group sessions where attendees can ask questions, share resources and receive support.
As of today, there may be competitive races in only 4 of the 9 Representative Town Meeting districts.
Here’s the breakdown. (NOTE: Each district elects 4 members. The RTM is non-partisan.)
District 1: Incumbents: Andrew Bloom, Matthew Mandell, Kristin Mott Purcell, Chris Tait. Petitioning: Gail Coykendall.
District 2: Incumbents: Jay Keenan, Melissa Levy, Louis Mall, Mike Perry. Petitioning: Harris Falk, Jenna Petok.
District 3: Incumbents: Ross Burkhardt, Jimmy Izzo, Pamela Troy-Kopack. Incumbent not running: Don O’Day.
District 4: Incumbents: Andrew Colabella, Clarence Hayes, Jeff Wieser. Petitioning: Victoria Wylie, Charles Lucas, Cara Zimon. Incumbent not running: Noah Hammond.
District 5: Incumbents: Peter Gold, Karen Kramer, Dick Lowenstein, Claudia Shaum.
District 6: Incumbents: Candace Banks, Seth Braunstein, Alma Sarelli. Petitioning: Lauren Karpf. Incumbent not running: David Rosenwaks.
District 7: Incumbents Brandi Briggs, Jack Klinge, Ellen Lautenberg Hendel. Petitioning: Joseph Carson. Incumbent not running: Lauren Karpf.
District 8: Incumbents: Wendy Goldwyn Batteau, Rachel Steel Cohn. Petitioning: Jill Grayson. Incumbents not running: Ari Benmosche, Julie Whamond.
District 9: Incumbents: Jennifer Johnson, Nancy Kail, Sal Liccione, Kristin Schneeman. Petitioning: Addison Moore.
To qualify for the November 4 ballot, candidates must collecct at least 25 signatures from registered voters in their district. Completed petitions must be returned to the town clerk by September 9.
For more information about the petition process or other election questions, contact Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton: 203-341-1105; jdunkerton@westportct.gov.
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The Board of Education meets on September 4 (7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria), following an executive session to discuss security matters.
The agenda includes the superintendent’s report on the start of the school year; student enrollment and staffing reports; student need assessment surveys; approval of an AI student survey, and discussion of the Staples High School roof replacement project.
It’s a shot of 2 cars that were parked yesterday, in the lot behind Chase Bank off Avery Place.
We’re not sure which driver was there first: the white car, or the gray one.
Whoever thought this was a good idea — and then walked away because, well, who knows why — just claimed a top spot in our Entitled Drivers’ Hall of Fame.
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Two women and a man have been indicted for their roles in a stolen check and bank fraud scheme.
They stole checks from mailboxes, then changed them to be payable to “runners” who cashed them. Most checks were drawn from small business accounts in Connecticut — including Westport.
Even the main Westport post office has been victimized.
Staples High School graduate and current Westport resident Jeff Manchester is head of partnerships and business development at Fin3. The digital assets company offers digital drafts — a secure payment method and process, enabled by recent changes to payment legislation.
Local companies and non-profits like The Boat Locker, Norwalk Symphony and Rosewood Remodeling are using digital drafts. Manchester invites potential customers to click here for more information., (Use this code: 828cx0)
Westport post office warning, last year. (Photo/Bob Weingarten)
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Congratulations to Ben Roland!
The 2019 Staples High School graduate is the youngest licensed architect on the East Coast. Only a few others near his age — 23 — are licensed nationwide.
Ben graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a bachelor’s in architecture — a 5-year program.
He supplemented his studies with a semester at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art in Copenhagen (the only American student there in 2022), along with coursework in philosophy, and in real estate development and urban studies at Brown University.
He interned every summer after high school — first locally, then in Boston and Washington. ce.
His thesis was a multidisciplinary investigation of coastal residential development and storm surge resilience — with Westport as a case study.
Ben then returned to William Rawn Associates in Boston, where he had interned. His roles included director of DEI and sustainability.
He set a goal of becoming a licensed architect within a year. He completed the almost 4,000 hours of architecture work needed, so he began studying in the new year.
Bentook all 6 exams within two weeks in June, passing all on the first try — a feat accomplished by only 3%.
So it was — but also was not — “back to the drawing board” for Ben.
Ben Roland
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Johanna Keyser Rossi offers today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
She notes: “Thursday afternoon, at the YMCA near the Saugatuck River canoe area, I saw this huvenile swan with its parents. It’s the first time I saw a young swan. All summer I saw pairs of swans, but no babies.”
Perhaps we should start calling it the Swanee River …
(We hope you enjoy the Labor Day weekend. Here at “06880” central, we keep laboring to bring you this hyper-local blog. If you enjoy our work, please click here to support it. Thanks!)
Posted onAugust 30, 2025|Comments Off on Online Art Gallery #281
Every week, it seems, we welcome at least one artist to our online gallery.
This week it’s Jo Ann McKinney. Her mixed media piece is very intriguing — and highlights the openness of this feature to all works, of any medium.
No matter how young (or old) you are; what style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we welcome your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, mixed media, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
Please email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in — art lovers want to know.
“Out of Work Buoys” (Peter Barlow)
Untitled (Duane Cohen — Available for purchase; click here)
“On Dry Storage at Cove Marina” (Kathleen Burke — Available for purchase; click here)
“Madame Butterfly” — mixed media using contact paper and magazine images (Jo Ann McKinney)
“Gentle Waterfall, An Avalanche” (Tom Doran — Available for purchase; click here)
“Luck No. 7” — acrylic on canvas (Eric Bosch)
“Stanined Glass Beach” — digital creation (Ken Runkel — Available for purchase; click here)
“Kim’s Gift — Peonies for Linda’s Birthday” (Kimberly Stein)
“Sunset Sip” — photograph (Jerry Kuyper)
Photographer Mike Hibbard says, “Good News: Voracious, aggressive hornets imported to devour spotted lanternflies! Bad News: What will those hornets eat when the lanternflies are gone?”
“Sneaky Yellow Wrinkled Gourds Growing in My Vegetable Garden” (Steve Stein)
Untitled (Martin Ripchick)
“Excavating” (Lawrence Weisman)
“Prowess” — pencil on paper (Bill Fellah — Available for purchase; click here)
(Entrance is free to our online art gallery. But please consider a donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
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