Tag Archives: Betty Lou Cummings

Browsing By The River

Posted on July 21, 2013 | Comments Off on Browsing By The River

Small tents shade artists and artwork, while huge tents welcome book lovers this weekend.

Westport is buzzing with the 40th annual Downtown Merchants Association Art Show in Parker Harding Plaza. Just a few steps across the Post Road, the library sponsors its yearly book sale.

The art show runs until 5 p.m. today. The book sale continues tomorrow; on Tuesday (9 a.m.-1 p.m.), everything is free (though donations would be nice).

Former second selectman Betty Lou Cummings stopped by some striking animal art.

Former 2nd selectman Betty Lou Cummings stops by some striking animal art.

Lou Frederick takes a break from selling handcrafted jewelry.

Lou Frederick takes a break from selling handcrafted jewelry.

"Don't mime me," this guy says.

“Don’t mime me,” this guy says.

The library takes its "big tent" mission literally.

The library takes its “big tent” mission literally.

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Posted in Arts, Downtown, Library

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The Jeff Shoup Walk

Posted on May 4, 2013 | 8 comments

Most Westporters know — and love — the Riverwalk, the brick path hugging the Saugatuck from the lower Jesup Green parking lot, past the library, all the way to the Levitt Pavilion.

Most Westporters don’t know, however, that before Betty Lou Cummings fundraised for the Riverwalk, there was a smaller path named for Jeff Shoup. It leads from the library parking lot — near the Levitt entrance — down to the Riverwalk.

The plaque — almost buried by foliage now, honoring a young man who died in the 1970s shortly after graduating from Staples — says “His love for nature will live forever.”

Jeff Shoup Plaque

The other day, a longtime Westporter strolled down Jeff’s Nature Path. He found not beauty and serenity, but a mess of fencing and smashed trash cans.

Shoup 1

Looking closer, he saw what he thinks may be a small amount of oil, leaching into the river from what — back in the day — was once the town dump.

Shoup oil

We probably can’t do much about the oil — after all, the USS Arizona still leaks nearly 72 years after being sunk at Pearl Harbor.

But we can do something about Jeff Shoup’s Path. Perhaps it was overlooked during last month’s town cleanup day. Perhaps the fencing has something to do with the renovation of the Levitt Pavilion.

Perhaps someone — who remembers Jeff, or just wants his path to look nice — will spend an hour or so straightening it up.

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Posted in Downtown, Library, People, Places

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Betty Lou Cummings: Still Cheering

Posted on June 6, 2011 | 14 comments

Generations of Westporters know Betty Lou Cummings as Westport’s #1 cheerleader.

Whether serving as 2nd selectman or leading projects like the Riverwalk or library’s River of Names, Betty Lou is a big civic booster.

Some Westporters know that Betty Lou’s enthusiasm comes naturally:  She was a cheerleader at Michigan State.

What many don’t know is that she was 1 of the first female cheerleaders there — or in the entire Big 10.

Recently, Betty Lou returned to her native state.  The occasion was bittersweet — she and her husband Tom said goodbye to his mother, who died recently at 103 — but she also stopped by her alma mater’s alumni association.

When they heard her history, they taped her — for their archives, and YouTube.

In 1954, Betty Lou says, 200 students tried out for the cheerleading squad.  Only 6 were chosen.  Four — like her — were blonde.

“We were famous all over Michigan,” she says.  Nearly all cheerleaders at the time were male.

In the video, she talks about her work with Westport’s Senior Center.  Every Super Bowl Sunday, she leads cheers at the annual party — with her green and white Spartans pompoms.

She also says that instead of accompanying the squad to the Rose Bowl, she got married.  Her father objected:  She could get married any time — but there was only one Rose Bowl.

At the end of the video, Betty Lou gives a rousing Michigan State cheer.

She hasn’t lost a beat.

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Posted in Organizations, People

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Drunken Destruction

Posted on April 24, 2009 | Comments Off on Drunken Destruction

Westport Library Riverwalk destructionIn a feat of drunken driving that defies belief, a local landmark was demolished last night.

A 23-year-old Monroe driver went the wrong way down Main Street; struck a parked car; continued through the Taylor Place parking lot; bounced off the steel book drop at the Westport library’s lower level, then tore through the Riverwalk on the banks of the Saugatuck River.

The driver weaved along the tiles and grass, plowing through a dozen or so heavy stone benches that bore the names of Westport donors.

Westport Library Riverwalk destructionSomehow he kept going, despite mangling bench after bench.  The driver plowed along the unlit strip of park, which grew narrower with each bit of carnage.  Benches flew; the driver kept going, Levitt Pavilion-bound.

Finally — near the end of the Riverwalk — the driver crested the bank, and plunged toward the river.   Ironically, he was saved from possible death by one of those same benches, which caught underneath the car and stopped its descent.

Westport Library Riverwalk destructionThe driver was charged with DUI.  Early this morning, the clean-up began.

Parks and Recreation workers assessed the damage.  A&B Family Memorials in Norwalk — which provided the original benches — is ready to repair or replace them.

Westport Library Riverwalk destructionBetty Lou Cummings — the mastermind behind the Riverwalk, whose 57 benches, thousands of commemorative bricks and beautiful landscaping has provided a tranquil spot for strolling, sitting and smooching for 2 decades — was heartsick this morning.  She’s a dynamo with countless community projects to her credit, but the Riverwalk is her most visible — and perhaps her favorite.

Betty Lou is ready to help rebuild.  And she has no sympathy for the drunken driver.

“Those benches cost more than $2,000 each, and that was years ago,” she said.  “It’s going to cost a lot of money.   I hope he has plenty of insurance.”

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