Dave Grossman is the rowing director and boys head coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club.
His rowing career began there in 2005. He quickly began coaching too. Dave was a 4-year member of the Hobart College team. He competed at the Head of the Charles Regatta, national championships and Henley Royal Regatta.
The other day, Dave came ashore to the Westport Library. We looked back, in this 25th anniversary year for Saugatuck Rowing Club’s modern facility, at its growth and evolution (and the role the Winklevoss family has played). We talked about the sport of crew: who it attracts, what it takes to compete, and the impact it has on rowers of all ages.
We talked too about Dave’s life, on and off the water. Click here or below, for a fascinating half hour.
Earlier this year, an abandoned tiger-striped cat set up residence in a Westport resident’s garage.
Town animal control officer Peter Reid reached out to long-time Westport Animal Shelter Advocates volunteer Sandy Young to assist with trapping.
WASA is the volunteer group for Westport Animal Control. The cat was trapped, and set up in Young’s home as a foster.
While recuperating, it gave birth to 5 kittens. She’s been a loving and protective mother, but now it is time for the 2-month-old young ones to find homes.
It is hard to get good images of kittens for social media. But Staples High School Photography Club student Andrea Jaramillo and advisor Stacey Phelan organized a photo shoot.
Reid and WASA president Julie Loparo got the okay to use the Westport Police Department classroom. Club members Hazel Rossi, Elizabeth Stauder and Beatrice Schwabe joined Jaramillo and Phelan, to calm the babies and capture their best sides.
Next month’s Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand show is very timely.
“What the Constitution Means to Me” takes center stage December 1 (7 p.m.).
At age 15, playwright Heidi Schreck earned her college tuition by competing in Constitutional debate competitions across the country. In this play that is “hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human,” she revisits her teenage self to explore how the document has shaped her family, her future — and our nation.
Ned Martin’s “Common Core” has been reduced from $13,100 to $5,000.
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Speaking of the holidays: The biggest toy drive in town returns next month.
The Westport Police Department, Police Athletic League and Westport Police Benevolent Association will once again collect new, unopened and unwrapped toys for all ages and genders — along with cash donations — in the ASF Sports parking lot.
The dates are Saturdays and Sundays, December 6-7 and 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
From December 1 on, there will be collection boxes at ASF, Westport Police headquarters on Jesup Road, Awesome Toys and Gifts, and the Toy Post.
Mark the dates. And start shopping!
Westport Police, PAL — and Yogi Bear — collected toys for underprivileged youngsters last year, at ASF. (Photo/Cat Malkin)
The Saugatuck Rowing Club celebrated the 25th anniversary of its boathouse yesterday.
Owner Howard Winklevoss; his sons Cameron and Tyler, who began their Harvard and Olympic careers there, and founder James Mangan were among the many current and former rowers and coaches who joined in the festivities.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker offered her congratulations too, for SRC’s success in putting Westport on the “national and international” rowing map.
From left: Howard Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, James Mangan, Cameron Winklevoss. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Also last night: Over 400 people packed the Westport Library to celebrate 60 years of the Grateful Dead. The Spadtastics — a Darien tribute band who themselves have been playing together for 40 years — starred in the Trefz Forum.
The modified Supper & Soul concert-only show was sponsored by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce and the Library. Three restaurants offered Dead- inspired drinks, with Basso creating the “Grapefruit Dead” gin-based concoction.
The Spadtastics, on stage. (Photo/Matthew Mandell)
The Westport Project — the new fully sustainable home going up at 16 Westport Avenue — has just added a 9th episode to its video documentary series.
The shows — starring builder Chris O’Dell of the O’Dell Group design/build firm, and designer/actor Eva Amurri — have racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
The latest episode — featuring the appliances planned for the new home — should be of interest to all Aitoro fans. Who doesn’t love the Norwalk appliance store, known for its huge selections, customer service, and community service?
Speaking of the environment: Aspetuck Land Trust’s “Lunch & Learn” webinars are always intriguing. And educational.
The next one is “Mini-Forest Revolution: Rewilding our Communities for Climate Resilience” (November 20, 12 noon).
Mini-forests support hundreds of species, are many degrees cooler than its surroundings, soak up stormwater, take up spaces no bigger than a tennis court, and become maintenance free within a few years.
A new artist has been added to George Barrett and Brian Keane‘s show at the Westport Library next Sunday (November 16, 2 p.m.).
Sarah Gross is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter. She has performed with Zach Bryan, and won Jimmy Fallon’s “Battle of the Instant Songwriters.”
Barrett — the 1973 Staples High School graduate (and former Orphenian) who grew up here in a home filled with classical, folk, rock, blues and jazz; whose influences include Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Beatles, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Sting and Norah Jones, and whose new album, “Rearrange Things,” is released this month — will be joined by Grammy-winning musician/composer/producer (and Staples ’71 grad) Brian Keane, plus other guests.
Before the show, Barrett and Keane will chat about their unique life journeys and unexpected reunion. The conversation will be hosted by “06880”‘s Dan Woog, who has known both for over 50 years.
Congratulations to Lina Elwood. The Westport resident and Hopkins School sophomore is a winner in the Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition. She’ll move on to compete in the next round: the Eastern Division. Those winners move on to the national finals.
Lina has won top prizes at numerous state, regional and international competitions. She has also played with the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra and Norwalk Symphony Orchestra.
Long-time Westport resident Edith Zwick Evans (formerly Edith Shufro) died on March 22 in Hamden. She was 99.
Edie was born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1925. Her family fractured when the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938. Her mother and a sister died in Treblinka.
A year after the arrival of the Nazis, Edie escaped Austria on a Kindertransport train to the Netherlands. She was taken to England and lived there until 1943, when she sailed to the US in the midst of the war.
Edie earned a bachelor’s degree at Antioch College, and a master’s in social work at Columbia University. A friend from Antioch introduced her to Arnold Shufro, a textile salesman in New York City.
They married and moved from Manhattan to Westport after their first 2 children were born. They raised three children on Crestwood Road.
Edie regularly attended French club luncheons with Westport friends and studied sculpture at the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan with Stanley Bleifeld, of the National Academy of Design. I
n the mid-1970s Edie returned to part-time social worker at High Meadows School in Hamden.
Eventually she and Arnold divorced, and Edie married Robert Evans. The couple became innkeepers at the Sedgwick Inn and restaurant in Berlin, New York.
After Bob died, Edie lived in Williamstown, Massachusetts, then spent her final decade at the Whitney Center in Hamden.
Edie is survived by her daughters Cathy and Carol Shufro. Her son Mark died of a chronic illness in 2022. Her grandchild Sarah Shufro Mandelkern died as a child. Edie’s survivors include daughter-in-law Lisa Kerpen Shufro, 6 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
And finally … today is the birthday of Mary Travers, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. The beautiful woman with the beautiful voice — who was born in 1936, and died in 2009 at 72, from leukemia — had many Westport connections.
In 1996, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss discovered rowing. The twins were 15 years old, tall, and searching for a sport.
Their father Howard found a small club half an hour from their Greenwich, home. Coach James Mangan liked the boys’ size and athletic potential. They were captivated by his stories about rowing.
The twins took 11 strokes, with a big wooden sweep oar. It seemed fun, but daunting.
A few weeks later on TV, the twins watched rowers compete at the Atlanta Olympics. They realized where the sport could lead.
Those first years, they rowed on the Saugatuck River. Their boathouse was a dilapidated wooden building, without electricity or running water. Their locker room was a gas station across the street.
The original boathouse, on Riverside Avenue. It was moved to that site from the train station.
Rowing changed the Winklevoss brothers’ lives. They gained strength and confidence. They won major races, then rowed at Harvard University and the 2008 Olympics.
The Winklevoss twins.
Their Westport rowing club grew too. In 2000 the ramshackle building was on the market. The boys’ father, Howard Winklevoss, bought it. He built a new state-of-the-art boathouse, to grow the sport for young people.
A 15,000-square foot building – with world-class fitness equipment, and room for an ever-growing number of boats – replaced the original facility.
Saugatuck Rowing Club today. The Boathouse restaurant, on the top floor, offers sweeping views of the Saugatuck River.
Talented coaches built junior and adult programs. Beginning in 2013, the Saugatuck Rowing Club has won at least 1 junior national regatta each year. Its boys and girls teams compete at the famed Henley in England, before 500,000 spectators. SRC regularly ranks in the top 3 programs in the country.
Looking sharp, at the Henley Regatta.
As SRC celebrates its 25th anniversary, it is a model for similar clubs across the country.
It now serves 150 adults a year, and over 250 juniors. More than 150 are competitive youth rowers; they practice 6 times a week, for about 20 hours. A
Another 110-plus are in beginner and intermediate groups, training 2 or 3 times weekly. Last summer, over 130 youngsters took the club’s “Learn to Row” class.
Every year, a new generation of rowers follows Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss – and others like Staples High School graduate Oliver Bub, who raced in the 2024 Olympics in the men’s pair. They work just as hard, learning the same life lessons, and enjoying the same supportive camaraderie.
“Rowing is a sport like no other,” Howard Winklevoss says. “The oxygen that’s pumped to the brain a few hours a day, six days a week, has a very positive effect.” Those effects are both physical and mental.
Rowing is a demanding sport — physically and mentally.
The discipline of rowing, including early morning and after-school workouts, and the demands of working seamlessly together as a team, spill into the classroom. The roster of colleges that SRC alumni attend — some to continue rowing, others not – includes every top school in the nation.
Howard Winklevoss has become an evangelist for rowing nationwide. “If there is water nearby, kids can be on it,” he says. “It’s the best gift you can give them.”
Girls varsity 8, in 2018.
One key to a successful program is its coaches. Six are full-time at Saugatuck Rowing Club. They train adults in the mornings, in between youths’ before-school and afternoon session. They are passionate about their sport, and role models for all. “We hire the best coaches, then get out of their way,” Howard Winklevoss says.
Dave Grossman
Head coach Dave Grossman is an SRC alumnus. After rowing at Hobart College, he returned to the club in 2011. He took over the boys program in 2018, and was named rowing director three years later.
“Discipline, trust, teammates – everything Saugatuck gave me, I wanted to make sure others had it,” he says. He enjoys watching middle schoolers gain strength, confidence. and social and leadership skills – then pass them on to younger rowers.
Though SRC strives to be as successful as possible, “that’s just a byproduct of making sure our rowers are good people who give back to their community and society,” Grossman says.
Of course, “that helps when they get in a boat. The more confident they are, the better they feel about themselves, the tighter the group becomes. And the faster they’ll go.” The club’s motto is “All of us, or none of us.”
Some teenagers come to rowing from other sports after burnout or injuries, Grossman says. Others have little or no sports background.
Adults, meanwhile, range from those who rowed in college 20 or 30 years earlier, to those in their 50s, 60s, even 70s looking to be active after a sedentary life. A common refrain is, “We saw you on the river, and wanted to be there too.”
Adult boat, on the Saugatuck River.
As someone who benefited from a scholarship while at SRC, Grossman is thankful that the club offers aid to those who need it.
Saugatuck Rowing Club’s trophy case is filled with cups and plaques. Coaches and members are proud of those accomplishments.
Henry Basham, meanwhile, has a long career ahead of him. Now a senior at Greens Farms Academy, he began rowing in 8th grade.
Rowing attracts “people like me, who want to do something but are not good at team sports. And someone who likes to work hard, and enjoys being part of a community.” Within a month, he had found his passion, and supportive friends.
Finishing 3rd in the nation in the U-16 8 boat as a freshman was “like summiting Everest,” he recalls. “All of us had been driven to get better. We were all new to the sport, but we made a big jump every day.”
Just as important as the medals are the lessons he’s learned. “You can’t row by yourself. You always have to work with others,” Henry says. “You feed off everyone else. You trust them. And seeing the difference from the start of the season to the end is insane.”
He plans to row in college. “I need it to function,” he notes. “Rowing is like a rock for me. If I’m in a bad mood, I know at 3:30 I can see my friends at practice. Just knowing I’ll be there gets me through the day.”
Fellow Greens Farms Academy senior Clementine Kirt was invited to row by an eighth grade friend. Almost immediately, she felt inspired by “so many strong women.” She quickly advanced. In the spring of freshman year, she won a national U-17 regatta with a 4 boat.
Saugatuck Rowing Club has had “an amazing impact,” Clementine says. “I don’t know what my life would be without it. I’m so grateful for what James Mangan, Howard Winklevoss and all the others have brought to life.” Like others in the club, she says, “You not only leave a better athlete, but a better person.”
It’s not easy. “Practices are rough. Results aren’t handed to you. They come through consistent discipline and grit.”
Those intense workouts create unshakable bonds. Calling her teammates “family” is not hyperbole. Waking up at 4:40 a.m., practicing until 6:30, then returning after school for another three hours – after which she is in her room, doing homework — means she sees those girls more than her actual family.
Through training and races in all kinds of weather, dry land workouts, and conversations, laughs and many car rides in between, she is grateful for Saugatuck Rowing Club.
The rewards are worth all the sacrifices.
This spring, Saugatuck will graduate 26 seniors. Yet Clementine is confident about the future. “We’re already writing the next chapter. Younger girls always learn from older ones. Knowledge gets passed down. We know we are capable of anything we set our minds to.”
As the Saugatuck Rowing Club enters its second quarter century, Dave Grossman looks back, and ahead.
“Every year at our final banquet, the captains speak. I’m always impressed at how much they’ve learned, and how meaningful the club has been to them,” the rowing director says.
“We’ll just try to continue what we’re doing, and improve the good model we have. And we’ll keep providing opportunities, on the water and off, to everyone.”
The 2019 Staples High School graduate has just been crowned Miss Globe USA. She’ll represent our country in the international Miss Globe competition.
Sam is a proud first-generation Albanian-American, with deep roots in her heritage and a strong commitment to service.
A former Miss Connecticut Teen USA, she used her platform to bring awareness to important social issues like human trafficking.
She launched a video series featuring interviews with survivors and experts, created an educational anti-trafficking program for high school students, and collaborated with nonprofits across the world as a spokesperson.
Sam is currently the president-in-training of Kaleido, a non-profit founded in 2006 with a shelter in Mexico City. She spoke at the Washington International Summit Against Trafficking, and hosted an international panel at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Sam also serves as executive director of the Albanian-American Association of Ulqin. She has hosted events on women’s empowerment, including one with the President of Kosovo.
She speaks English, Albanian and Spanish, and hopes to be an attorney.
Staples Orphenians are in final preparations for their trip to Spain.
Before they go, they invite the public to a (free!) sendoff concert. It’s this Sunday (June 22, 3 p.m., Trinity Church, 651 Pequot Avenue, Southport). They’ll sing the repertoire they’ve prepared for overseas.
Their itinerary includes performances in Madrid and Barcelona: one at the Church of San Millan and San Cayetano, a festival with Rollo Dilworth at Basilica del Pi, and a mass and hour-long concert at La Sagrada Familia.
Speaking of music: Nearly a decade after its start, The Cello Camp has earned a spot as a “first chair” summer program.
It was created by cellist, educator (and Staples High School graduate) Danielle Merlis.
She envisioned “a welcoming space where young cellists can connect with each other, discover the full range of what the cello can do, and grow as musicians. It’s not about perfection. It’s about curiosity, creativity, and building strong technique through high quality instruction.”
The camp includes bass players, and welcomes guest clarinetists, drummers, pianists and singers.
If you’re near the Fairfield County Hunt Club now through Saturday, you’ll notice plenty of action.
The Fairfield June Horse Show began yesterday. The Heritage competition is a chance for the public to watch world-class riders — for free.
High performance show jumping includes a $5,000 Welcome Stake tomorrow (Thursday), and the $15,000 Grand Prix on Saturday (June 21, 1 p.m.).
Visitors can walk the course for the Grand Prix right before the competition, to experience the height of the fences and the technicality of the course.
Saturday is also Family Fun Day, with pony rides, face painting, crafts and more (10 a.m.).
Horse show action, at the Fairfield County Hunt Club.
Another “Family Fun Day” takes place at Wakeman Town Farm on July 12 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
It includes farm crafts and activities for all ages, plus visits with animals, books, hair tinsel, sunflower seed planting, a bubble show, information about bees and butterflies and music from the School of Rock.
Food (pizza, mozzarella sticks, salads, Italian ices and lemonade) is included in the ticket price.
Wakeman Town Farm will collect new diapers at the Family Fun Day. Bring as many as you can!
Also at Wakeman Town Farm: a lecture by advanced master gardener Alice Ely on milkweed growing and monarch butterfly raising (July 14, 7 p.m.). Children and adults are welcome.
Attendees will learn how to attract egg-laying monarchs to gardens, how to raise the eggs into caterpillars and healthy adult monarchs, and tips on growing milkweed species to help them thrive.
After years on CBS News, Emmy Award-winning journalist — and 1988 Staples High School graduate — Jeff Pegues joins the podcast world.
“Person of Interest” debuts June 19th on the Alive Podcast network. The Juneteenth date is intentional: Alive is a Black woman-owned company.
Pegues’ podcast will be streamed on Apple TV, Roku and Fire TV. He says, “This show isn’t about sensationalism. It’s about substance.”
He will have “freedom to follow the real story, and examine the people and perspectives too often ignored by traditional media.”
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Yesterday, Westport firefighters took advantage of a special training opportunity.
At a home slated for demolition near Compo Beach, crews practiced stretching hose lines into the structure, reinforcing essential tactics in a real-world setting.
Westport Avenue training. (Photo courtesy of Westport Fire Department)
Saugatuck Rowing Club’s juniors performed superbly, at the recent USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida. The event drew more than 4,000 athletes, from 230 clubs and schools.
The women’s second varsity 8+ earned a national championship. Westport athletes included coxswain Sora Yu, plus rowers Kate Weitz, Caroline Zajak, Sophie Cochran, Carolina Proctor and Mina Leon.
The men’s U17 4+ A boat also claimed gold. Westporters included Elena Nasar (coxswain), Cameron Jaffe and Otis Gotlieb. Daniel Sobel lives in Weston.
Up next: Saugatuck’s junior women head to the Henley Royal Regatta in London.
National champs! From left: Sora Yu, Mackenzie Fosdick, Kate Weitz, Grace Baker, Caroline Zajak, Phoebe Bryan, Sophie Cochran, Carolina Proctor and Mina Leon. (Photo copyright Row2K.com)
Celebrating on land. The rowers are the same as above, except coxswain Sora Yu is 5th from left.
Also champs! From left: Cameron Jaffe, Otis Gottlieb, Daniel Sobel, Samuel Turok, Elena Nasar. (Photo/Lisa Worthy)
From left: Samuel Turok, Daniel Sobel, Elena Nasar, Otis Gottlieb and Cameron Jaffe.
Rock star/soul singer/multi-intstrumentalist Eliot Lewis — a longtime member of the Average White Band (1989-2002) and Hall & Oates’ band (2003-23) brings his many talents as a solo performer to VFW Post 399 on June 27 (7 p.m.).
Speaking of the VFW: Trumpeter Frank London is a master of old and new jazz, swing, bop, klezmer, gympic, Baltic, Cuban, West African — and many other — music genres.
Diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer, Lonson recently released “Spirit Stronger Than Blood,” as a celebration of life. He has gained the upper hand, and is once again touring the world.
Tomorrow (Thursday), he’ll headline Jazz at the Post (VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7; $20 music charge, $15 for veterans and students).
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo — and nature lesson — come from Lou Weinberg.
(Photo/Lou Weinberg)
He writes: “Adult catbirds feed their young a diet of spiders and insects, primarily. As young catbirds get older, adults introduce berries to their diet.
“Catbirds are related to mockingbirds, and are well versed at the art of mimicry. Their most famous call sounds like a cat’s meow.
“This is the season when many native and migrant birds care for their fledglings.
“Green open spaces are essentially ‘all you can eat buffets’ for birds raising their young, as they harbor large populations of insects, spiders, worms and other invertebrates.
“Westport continues to see a decline in tree cover and green open space, unfortunately. The most recent example is the town’s decision to clear cut and bulldoze 4 acres (the Long Lots Preserve around the Westport Community Gardens) that is a model of biodiversity.
Finally … in honor of The Cello Camp (story above):
(From a pageant queen and a horse show, to rowers and a podcaster, “06880” is today — and every day — where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Carol Randel — a longtime Westporter, college professor and noted local volunteer — died last night, surrounded by her family.
She was 74, and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 5 years ago.
Carol grew up in Stamford. She graduated from New York University, with majors in English and education.
She and her future husband Jim met as teenagers in summer camp. They married in 1970, and moved to Westport 6 years later.
Carol began teaching as an adjunct English professor at Norwalk Commnity College when her children were teens. When a full-time position became available, her supervisor recommended her for the job. She did not have the requisite master’s degree. Her supervisor held the position whle Carol taught during the day, and earned her master’s degree at night.
She eventually became a full-time professor, and got tenure. She retired in 2016.
At NCC, Carol incorporated and ran the national “First Year Experience program. She believed strongly in its effectiveness, which helps students transition from high school to college through mentorship, tutoring, discussions, clubs, activites and more.
She particularly appreciated how the curriculum offerd support to students from less fortunate backgrounds, those struggling with academics, and non-native speakers.
Carol Randel
Carol’s volunteer efforts spanned a wide range of organizations and causes, from education and homelessness to the arts, and impacted countless lives.
Her positions included president of both the PTA Council and Kings Highway Elementary School; chair of the townwide School Art Committee; member of the town’s diversity committee; head of fundraising for Toquet Hall; board of directors member and newsletter editor for A Better Chance of Westport; publicity chair for Near & Far Aid, and most recently, board of directors member for Homes with Hope.
Carol was also a columnist for the Westport News and Fairpress. She was an avid reader and loved to write, often working on multiple novels at a time.
Carol was an enthusiastic member of the Saugatuck Rowing Club, where she had a very successful career on the water for over 25 years. She had never considered herself an athlete until she began rowing. She served as commodore of the SRC from 2007-08. Her rowing friends, competitions and the club meant a great deal to her.
Carol Randel at the Head of the Charles regatta. This photo was taken 2 years after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her boat won an age group goal medal.
Carol and her husband Jim raised 4 children, all of whom went through the Westport public schools.
She is survived by her husband Jim; children Zack (Sarah), Becky (Charlie Manuel),Eli (Kiley), and Phoebe (Shaun Donnelly); granchildren Thea, Helen and Franny Randel; Max and Benny Manuel; Quinn and MacKenzie Randel, and Tommy and Josie Donnelly; sisters Lynn Manheim, Anne Leepson and Joanie Ornstein; sister- and brother-in law Susan and Kevin Denny, and brothers-in-law David Randel and Gene Manheim.
A celebration of life will be held in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Homes with Hope.
It’s a bit early, but save the date — for the event, and for ticket sales. They always sell out.
It’s “Taste of Westport, ” CLASP Homes’ annual (and very tasty) fundraiser.
This year’s event is June 5 (6 p.m., The Inn at Longshore). As always, there will be a spectacular array of food and drinks. This year’s theme is “A Night at Studio 54.”
100% of the proceeds fund CLASP’s mission: to care, support and inspire people with autism and developmental disabilities.
The Saugatuck Rowing Club’s junior women’s team is heading to the Henley.
This summer’s Royal Regattas is one of the most prestigious in the world. “We promise to make Westport proud,” says rower Charlotte Seymout.
Click below (or here) to see their video, meet the athletes, and help with fundraising.
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A rally is planned for April 5 (11 a.m.), on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Brdige.
The theme is “Hands Off.” According to one of the organizers, Bean Corcoran, that refers to many things: “Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, our bodies, etc.”
A sign from the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge rally earlier this month.
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Easter comes a day early, to the Weston History & Culture Center.
On April 12 (2 p.m.), they host a concert-reading of the play “An Easter on Mulberry Street.”
The bittersweet comedy is about an Italian-American family preparing for the holiday on the home front during World War II. The reading is followed by a talkback with the writer/director and cast.
Advance tickets are $15 for members, $20 for non-members. The price at the door is $25. Click here to reserve, and for more information.
Linda Hall — a 1987 Staples High School graduate, and associate professor of English at Skidmore College — has written a fascinating article in New York magazine, on Cynthia Ozick. The writer turns 97 next month.
Fred Cantor — who sent along the piece — says, “The starting point is the publication of a 700+-page collection of Ozick’s stories and essays. But the piece is so much more. It covers a lot of ground with respect to her life and work, including Hall’s own interactions with the legendary writer over the years.
The piece includes another Staples connection. Noted writer Cathleen Schine — a 1971 grad — calls Ozick’s “Puttermesser Papers” perhaps “the best book about (New York City) since Robert Caro’s ‘The Power Broker.’”
A “Hunger Games” competition for Westport’s last parking spot.
Possible topics for “06880”‘s April Fools story? But it’s only mid-January….
Nope. They’re the inventions of Addison Moore. A 2023 Staples High School graduate, and the winner of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Young Entrepreneur award — now a pre-law student at Lafayette College — he is “a proud Westport resident.”
For the past 8 years, he’s created a positive impact in his home town. From organizing a drive-in movie night as a freshman, to launching Feed Fairfield County (300 teens provided food for more than 10,000 residents) to founding Up | Next (the state’s largest teen-led group), Addiso has focused on community building.
Addison Moore (Photo/Analise Draghi)
But he also has a sense of humor.
Last year — as Westport grappled with political and social divisions, and other challenges — Addison searched for a way to help.
“I love this town with all my heart,” Addison says. “Westport has brought me so much joy and belonging. I felt compelled to give back in a meaningful way.”
He thought abut dropping off cookies in mailboxes, or organizing a collaborative art piece.
They were good ideas. Yet he wanted something more fun and creative.
The result: a satirical newspaper, imagining his home town in the future.
He hoped people would smile, while realizing what an amazing community this is.
(Photo/Jodie Brooke Aujla)
“Westport 2225” was a labor of love. Addison spent weeks writing stories and designing the layout. He printed 1,000 copies on his home printer, along with an explanatory letter (each of which he signed personally).
He and several friends rolled up each newspaper, tied them with bows, and spent one very cold night driving around Westport.
It took till 2 a.m., but they slipped them into mailboxes all over town. (Probably illegal, but shhh...).
His adventure did not stop there. Addison posted an Instagram video about the project, including delivery scenes. Click below to see:
Over the next few months, Addison says, he’ll roll out new initiatives and projects to hopefuly “spark meaningful change, and bring people together in Westport.”
For sneak peeks, more information, and to help, follow his Instagram: @addison._moore. (Note the period before the underscore in the address; without it, you’ll follow a girl with the same name.)
PS: If you were not one of the lucky 1,000 recipients of Addison’s paper — no problem.
(“06880” reports often on the accomplishments of Westport teens [and others of all ages]. If you enjoy our coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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Just as important as the medals are the lessons he’s learned. “You can’t row by yourself. You always have to work with others,” Henry says. “You feed off everyone else. You trust them. And seeing the difference from the start of the season to the end is insane.”
