Wreaths Across America is a national program, honoring fallen servicemembers, and all who serve. Over 2 million volunteers take part, in all 50 states and overseas.
This year, for the first time, Westport joined in.
On Saturday, Scouts from Troops 139 and 39 honored Westport veterans buried at Assumption Cemetery on Greens Farms Road. They placed a remembrance wreath on each grave, after a short but moving ceremony.
Kudos to the Scouts, and local coordinator Patty Kondub. Among many other activities, she’s vice president of the VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 Auxiliary.
Thanks too to all who donated, to help decorate our veterans’ graves. It sounds like the start of an important new Westport tradition.
Scouts who participated in Saturday’s Wreaths Across America event.
Our “06880” Roundup often links to David Pogue’s “CBS Sunday Morning” segments. Our Westport neighbor frequently films his pieces here — at his home, on his street and in random spots around town.
Yesterday, he offered a double dose of Westport. He interviewed Nicholas Britell, The composer — who scoed “Succession,” “Moonlight,” “12 Years a Slave” and “The Underground Railroad,” among others — moved here at age 13. He graduated from Hopkins School in New Haven in 1998, then headed to Juilliard and Harvard.
Pogue — who has his own musical theater chops, including stints as a Broadway musical director, conductor and arranger, before wandering off to become a New York Times tech writer, PBS “Nova” personality and CBS “professional explainer,” among many other things — interviewed Britell.
They talked about how movie scores are written. Or not written. The Westport native noted that sometimes, it’s best to leave the music out altogether.
An accident yesterday temporarily shut down Riverside Avenue, and sent one person to the hospital.
Westport Fire and Police Departments, and EMS, responded to the vehicle rollover. After stabilizing the vehicle and removing the occupant, firefighters used grip hoists to perform a controlled roll and put the car back on its wheels.
The scene on Riverside Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Westport Fire Department)
Frank Sisson describes today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo:
“This magnificent tree spotlit by the late afternoon sun, and the stripes painted by its shadows and those of its fellow trees in the golden hour lighting around 3:30 p.m. at Winslow Park seemed particularly striking and photo-worthy.”
The State of Connecticut has procured 500,000 at-home COVID test kits; each contains 2 tests. Westport’s allotment 3,420 kits.
The kits will be distributed to Westport residents tomorrow (Thursday, December 30) at Staples High School, beginning at 1 p.m.
Each vehicle will receive 2 kits, on a first-come, first-served basis. A driver’s license will be required to receive the test kits.
As early as next week, the state will also distribute N95 masks. Details are still being finalized.
Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani says:
I strongly encourage people to limit gathering sizes during this holiday week. Because of the scarcity of these kits, I ask residents to please take only the kits that you need for your immediate family so that we can distribute as many as possible to help flatten the Omicron curve.
Residents testing positive via the home test should stay home or isolate for 5 days if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others. There is no need to obtain a follow up PCR test.
Given the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant, it is vital to wear a mask both in public, and when interacting in close contact with individuals outside of your household. For the latest CDC guidelines, please click here.
Westport Public Schools families should report positive COVID cases of students using the district’s reporting voicemail or email (click here for details). It is not necessary to report positive results from at-home testing to the Westport Weston Health District. (Hat tip: Ernie Lorimer)
Then put your tree by your mailbox by 6:30 a.m. on January 8. Tape an envelope with a donation (suggested: $20 per tree) to your front door (cash or check, payable to “Boy Scout Troop 39”).
They’ll do the rest. Scout’s honor! (Hat tip: Jenny Rago McCarthy)
This has been a tough year for many. It’s been especially difficult for the Colletti family.
Chuck and Roe Colletti have been active with Westport organizations, events and charities since 1974. Their daughter Cassie is married to Sean Mecsery. They have 2 children, 6 and 2 years old. For the past 2 years Sean has battled stage 4 brain cancer for 2 years.
They’ve shuttled between hospitals on both coasts for surgeries, chemotherapy radiation and trial medications. It’s been brutal.
Cassie has been strong, focused and committed throughout the ordeal. Meanwhile, she’s managed Sean’s family’s business — Cos Cob TV & Audio — to help keep the family afloat. COVID has made that especially hard.
Many daily medications and infusions are not covered by insurance. A GoFundMe page has been set up, to help. To donate, click here.
Sean and Cassie Colletti Mecsery, with their kids.
The “06880” tagline is “Where Westport meets the world.”
It doesn’t get more global than this.
Bert Spenkelink lives in Amsterdam. He loves the Rolling Stones. He has 25,000 photos of them in his library, and posts about them often on Instagram.
He just uploaded this one:
The photographer — uncredited — took this shot of Keith and his daughter Theodora the other day, at Sherwood Island State Park.
Avid “06880” reader (and Stones fan) Fred Cantor sent it along to me. He got it from our former Staples High School classmate Alan Bravin, who now lives in California.
So, to be clear: A fan in the Netherlands found this photo of Weston’s most famous resident, celebrating the holidays in Westport — and it came to me, a couple of miles from where it was taken, by someone on the West Coast.
Happy holidays, Bert, Fred, Alan, Keith and Theodora!
The Bedford Square store — which branched out from (great) honey products to become both an educational center and gathering place for ecologically minded Westporters — was shut by the owners of the largely Southern chain.
There’s a big hole in the heart of Church Lane today. No word yet on what will fill that very sweet spot.
Meanwhile, just a few feet away, Franny’s Farmacy closes Friday (December 31). Click here for details, reported earlier this month on “06880.”
Fourth-generation Westporter Jonathan Maddock died December 19, after fighting a courageous battle against ALS. He kept his positive attitude and wonderful sense of humor until the end. He was 66 years old.
Jon grew up here surrounded by the love and friendship of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and parents Larry and Fran Maddock, who he believed were the best parents anyone could have.
Jon loved the outdoors, and enthusiastically embraced life. He bicycled more than 5,000 miles from Westport to California and back, alone. He served as commodore of the Sandy Hook (New Jersey) Catamaran Club, sailing and racing catamarans.
He skied, mountain biked, ran long distances, ice skated, and enjoyed trout and fly fishing. He was an avid photographer of nature, as well as silly things. Jon was a skilled woodworker, building furniture and special wooden boxes as Christmas gifts. He loved listening to music, played trombone (which he laughingly balanced on his nose), and long ago enjoyed being part of the Fred Robinson Big Band.
Jon graduated from Staples in 1973, then from the University of Maine in 1977. After following a variety of career paths he and his family settled in Wolfeboro. New Hampshire, where he was employed as senior designer at Lars Heating Systems. He worked there for 20 years, and made good friends who supported him through his ALS journey.
Jon is survived by his wife Karen; daughter Kelsey; loving sisters Becky (Ray) Racine, Judy Anderson and Sandy Hasket, and many nieces an nephews and good friends. He was predeceased by his parents.
Until the end Jon was was loving, kind, understanding, compassionate, smart, funny and brave. To help carry on Jon’s fight to stop ALS, click here.
Once you get your Christmas tree, you’ve got to decorate it. Then you can enjoy it.
And then — a few weeks from now — you’ve got to get rid of it. Who you gonna call?
Boy Scout Troop 39!
For years, they’ve been hauling away Westporters’ trees. They’ll do it again this year — with COVID precautions, of course.
First, register online (click here). On January 9 (6:30 a.m.!), haul your tree to your mailbox. Tape an envelope with cash or a check made out to “Boy Scout Troop 39 Westport.” The suggested donation is $20, but of course you can give more.
They can’t accept wreaths or garlands. Other than that: take it away, boys!
Rick Hochman was working from home yesterday, near Long Lots. He looked up from his laptop and saw this lovely doe, looking like she wanted to come in for a cup of tea.
Or perhaps she was waiting for her cousin Rudolph.
(Photo/Rick Hochman)
Jordan Kessler is just 29 years old. But the 2009 Staples High School graduate is in his 7th year with J.P. Morgan’s sports finance group. He manages $5 billion in loans.
On Tuesday he received a great Sports Business Journal honor: a “New Voices Under 30” award.
Remarkably, he was not the only former Wrecker in the elite group of 30. Jesse Heussner — a 2011 Staples alum, now director of basketball operations and analytics at Creative Artists Agency — joined Jordan as a “New Voices Under 30” honoree.
Jordan graduated from Vanderbilt University, with a major in financial management and entrepreneurship, and minor in Spanish. Jesse majored in government at Dartmouth College, from which he graduated cum laude.
Jordan Kessler (Photo/Kenta Shirafuji)
And finally … this is Phil Ochs’ birthday.
The folksinger — compared, often unfairly, to Bob Dylan — has been somewhat forgotten today. His songs — often about important political and social issues — were pointed, thought-provoking, and had a profound influence on me growing up. (I still think “Power and the Glory” should be our national anthem.)
He also had an interesting connection to Westport. On March 31, 1968, while performing a benefit concert here, someone handed him breaking news, which he relayed to an appreciative crowd: Lyndon Johnson had just announced he would not run for a 2nd term as president.
Phil Ochs died by suicide in 1976. He was 35 years old. Today, he would have been 80.
Sure, yesterday was magical. Christmas is, you know, the “most wonderful time of year.”
But today. Christmas is so yesterday. Boxing Day is for Brits. Us go-getting Americans need to throw away the toys that no longer work. Toss out the leftovers.
And think about getting rid of that big Christmas tree too.
Fortunately, there’s help. At least for that last task.
Boy Scout Troop 39 of Westport will happily pick up your tree. That once beautiful, soon dying and needle-dropping symbol of recent holiday cheer can be disposed of with one simple mouse click.
The big day is Saturday, January 11. This is the 11th year in a row the Scouts are providing the service, so they’ve got the drill down pat. (And it’s a green drill: The trees are recycled as mulch. Typically they collect and chip enough trees to provide the town with 5 tons of garden mulch!)
Boy Scout Troop 39 to the rescue!
To register, click here. Reservations are limited so — unlike Christmas shopping — don’t delay.
Place your tree by your mailbox by 6:30 a.m. that morning.
The suggested donation is $20 per tree (cash or checks made out to “Boy Scout Troop 39” are fine). I’m sure the Scouts would not refuse higher amounts. Funds go toward activities like food drives, community service projects and backpacking trips.
The Boy Scouts are well known for “good turns” like helping old ladies across streets. Bush league. In Westport, they help little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
NOTE: The Scouts can’t accept wreaths or garlands (the wires ruin tree chippers). You’re on your own for those!
Yesterday, Boy Scout Troop 39 placed flowers on the graves of veterans, at 5 Westport cemeteries. Here, they decorated the entrance at North Kings Highway. The flowers were donated by VFW Post 399. (Photo/Amy Schneider)
Sure, Christmas was nice. Presents, family, eggnog and fruitcake.
But now it’s on to the next thing: Getting rid of the tree.
Like so many other tasks in Westport — leaf-raking, pool-cleaning, airport-driving — this task too can be outsourced.
Boy Scout Troop 39 of Westport will happily pick up your Christmas tree. That once beautiful, soon-to-be dying and needle-dropping symbol of recent holiday cheer can be disposed of with one simple mouse click.
The big day is Saturday, January 7. This is the 7th year in a row the Scouts are providing the service, so they’ve got the drill down pat. (And it’s a green drill: The trees are recycled as mulch.)
Boy Scout Troop 39 to the rescue!
To register for this service, click here. Reservations are limited so — unlike Christmas shopping — don’t delay.
Place your tree by your mailbox by 6:30 a.m. that morning — yeah, you do have to move it that far yourself — and tape an envelope with your donation to your front door.
The suggested donation is $20 per tree (cash or checks made out to “Boy Scout Troop 39” are fine). I’m sure the scouts would not refuse higher amounts. Funds go toward troop activities like food drives, community service projects and high adventure backpacking trips.
The Boy Scouts are well known for “good turns” like helping little old ladies across streets. Bush league. In Westport, they help little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
Posted onDecember 26, 2015|Comments Off on O Christmas Tree! Go Christmas Tree!
Sure, Christmas was nice. Presents, family, tropical weather and all that.
But now it’s on to the next thing: Getting rid of the tree.
Like so many other tasks in Westport — leaf-raking, pool-cleaning, airport-driving — this task too can be outsourced.
Boy Scout Troop 39 of Westport will happily pick up your Christmas tree. That once beautiful, soon-to-be dying and needle-dropping symbol of recent holiday cheer can be disposed of with one simple mouse click.
The big day is Saturday, January 9. This is the 6th year in a row the Scouts are providing the service, so they’ve got the drill down pat. (And it’s a green drill: The trees are recycled as mulch.)
Troop 39 in action.
To register for this service, click here. Reservations are limited so — unlike Christmas shopping — don’t delay.
Place your tree by your mailbox by 6:30 a.m. that morning — yeah, you do have to move it that far yourself — and tape an envelope with your donation to your front door.
The suggested donation is $20 per tree (cash or checks made out to “Boy Scout Troop 39” are fine). I’m sure the scouts would not refuse higher amounts. Funds go toward troop activities like food drives, community service projects and high adventure backpacking trips.
The Boy Scouts are well known for “good turns” like helping little old ladies across streets. Bush league. In Westport, they help little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
Comments Off on O Christmas Tree! Go Christmas Tree!
Posted onJanuary 4, 2015|Comments Off on O Christmas Tree … Go Christmas Tree!
Boy Scouts are supposed to do a “good turn” daily.
It’s hard to imagine a better one than what they’ve got planned for Saturday, January 10.
Troop 39 of Westport will pick up your Christmas tree. That once beautiful, now dying and needle-dropping symbol of last month’s holiday cheer can be disposed of with one simple mouse click.
To register for this much-needed service, click here. Then place your tree by your mailbox by 6:30 a.m. on Saturday — yeah, you do have to move it that far yourself — and tape an envelope with your donation to your front door.
The suggested donation is $20 per tree. I’m sure the scouts would not refuse higher amounts.
The Boy Scouts are well known for “good turns” like helping little old ladies across streets. Bush league. In Westport, they help little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
Troop 39 in action.
Comments Off on O Christmas Tree … Go Christmas Tree!
Posted onDecember 31, 2013|Comments Off on Boy Scouts’ Good Deed: Christmas Tree Removal
Boy Scouts are supposed to do a “good turn” daily.
It’s hard to imagine a better one than what they’ve got planned for Saturday, January 11.
Troop 39 of Westport will pick up your Christmas tree. That once beautiful, now dying and needle-dropping symbol of last month’s holiday cheer can be disposed off with one simple mouse click.
To register for this much-needed service, click here.
The suggested donation is $17 per tree. I’m sure the scouts would not refuse higher amounts.
The Boy Scouts are well known for “good turns” like helping little old ladies across streets. Bush league. In Westport, they help little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
Troop 39 in action.
Comments Off on Boy Scouts’ Good Deed: Christmas Tree Removal
Sure, Christmas was nice — but it’s already a fading memory. The gifts have all been opened, returned, broken or forgotten. The bills will soon come due.
And then there’s that big, beautiful tree, still hung with tinsel and ornaments. Pretty soon, it too will have to go.
But where?
As usual, the Boy Scouts ride to the rescue.
This Saturday (January 7), Boy Scout Troop 39 will pick up your tree. In keeping with the Scout’s focus on the environment, it will be chipped into mulch and used by the Town of Westport.
To register for this much-needed service, click here. The tree should be placed by your mailbox by 6:30 Saturday morning.
Tape an envelope with a check (“Boy Scout Troop 39″ ) to your front door. Cash is fine too — hey, Scouts are trustworthy, right?
The suggested donation is $15 per tree, though I’m sure the Scouts would not refuse higher amounts.
After all, the money helps fund Troop 39’s activities, including food drives, community service projects and high adventure backpacking trips.
The Boy Scouts are well known for helping little old ladies across streets. In Westport, we thank them for helping little old ladies — and strapping young men — dispose of big old Christmas trees.
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