Tag Archives: Westport Weston Family YMCA

New YMCA COO Champions Her Cause

Posted on November 3, 2022 | 5 comments

Christina Scherwin is a former Olympic athlete — and more recently, a European masters champions.

She loves watching her javelin fly through the air. She knows that her efforts can be measured precisely, down to the centimeter.

Now, as the Westport Weston Family YMCA‘s new chief operating officer, she can combine her love of sports, her appreciation for the community, and her MBA-honed business acumen, to manage the organization’s operations as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The Aarhus, Denmark native came to the US at 23, to study at Moravian University. She competed at both the 2002 Olympics in Athens, and ’06 in Beijing. In between she placed 4th at the World Championship in Helsinki, and won a World University Games medal.

Scherwin was a Nike athlete in Eugene, Oregon, a track and field m mecca. She coached for 4 years at the University of Oregon, then coached privately for 4 more. One of her male athletes competed in the London and Rio Olympics.

In 2014, she came east to be closer to Denmark. She quickly embraced Westport. Of all the places she’s lived in the US, this feels most like home.

Christina Scherwin

Scherwin earned an MBA at Sacred Heart University. She consulted and did executive coaching with small businesses. In 2018 — spurred by her daughter, a gymnast training with Sally Silverstein — she joined the Y board.

When the COO position opened up recently, she realized it was her dream job. She could be back in sports, while helping people — members and staff — reach their potential.

Last week — just 4 days into her new role — Scherwin talked about her new role.

As with every business, hiring is difficult. There are more jobs available than people qualified or ready to fill them.

Meanwhile, COVID has hit every gym and fitness center hard. All are reassessing their business models.

Of course, the YMCA is not just a gym or fitness center.

“It’s a vital community resource,” Scherwin notes.

Her daughter’s gymnastics, son’s basketball and both children’s Camp Mahackeno experiences are only part of what the Y offers.

Scherwin points to initiatives like a movement group for Parkinson’s patients, and a LiveStrong program for people with cancer.

When camp is not in session, the Mahackeno Outdoor Center is open.

The Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund, meanwhile, provides money for worthy organizations.

And, Scherwin says proudly, “We never turn anyone away from the Y.”

Scherwin is as active as ever. She works out in the Fitness Center (“you have to stay fit for life”), takes YMCA classes, and helps coach high school track and field athletes (including former Staples state champion Angus Fuori).

For years, the javelin circle was her home. Now it’s the Y.

“I want to make this a great place to work, and for everyone to know what a great community resource it is. We’re a welcoming space for all ages — little kids to seniors.”

She’d like to make the Y even more welcoming and important, perhaps adding blood drives and other events.

Scherwin measured her javelin success in centimeters. At the Westport Weston Family Y, she’ll be happy to see more programs, more members — and more smiles.

(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. Please click here to support our work.)

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Remembering Ed Capasse

Posted on August 10, 2022 | 16 comments

Edward Capasse — a lifelong Westporter, former Board of Finance chair, and an active volunteer with the Westport Weston Family Y and Assumption Church — died last week, surrounded by his family. He was 91.

Ed was born October 1, 1930 in Westport, son of Police Captain Edward T. Capasse and Theresa PrunoLo Capasse.

Ed graduated from Staples High School. That’s where he met his wife of 48 years, Esther Ann Mondella, a Westport teacher.

After graduating from Fairfield University in 1952 and Boston College Law School in 1955, he became a prominent lawyer. He worked for over 60 years in Westport, first with Tate, Capasse & Johnson, then Nevas, Nevas & Capasse.

Ed Capasse

In addition to his work with the Board of Finance, Y and Assumption, Ed was an avid boater, golfer, swimmer and tennis player. He was a member of Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club and the Patterson Club.

Beyond his career as “consigliere” to Westport businessmen, he is
remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, who lived up to his Staples yearbook quote: “Upright as the cedar.”

“Deeply religious, he espoused strong family values, integrity, work ethic and charity, spiced with a wily sense of humor. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and gardening, while pursuing a late ‘singing career.'”

Ed spent his final years in Westport and Vero Beach, Florida with his late second wife, Linda Coburn Capasse, with whom he shared a decade of memories.

Ed is survived by his children Thomas (Jeanne) of Westport, Mary Beth (Jim) Carroll of Falls Church, Virginia, David of Bridgeport, and Meg (Dan) MacLeod
of South Portland, Maine; grandchildren, Jay (Becca), Erin and Addison Carroll and Natalie (Subhash) and Michael Capasse; great-grandchild Jarmin James
Carroll, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to Esther and Linda, Ed was pre-deceased by his sister, Marie Whelan.

Calling hours will take place at Harding Funeral Home, Westport
on August 15 (4 to 7 p.m.). A Mass of Christian Burial is set for Assumption Church on August 16 (11 a.m.), followed by burial at Assumption Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Foundation for Fighting
Blindness. Afflicted with a hereditary eye disease, Ed overcame occupational and
professional disability with support from the Foundation. He was an
active participant in their mission. Click here, or send to PO Box 45740, Baltimore, MD 21297.

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Posted in Local politics, Obituaries, religion, YMCA

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Y’s Bedford Fund Aids Non-Profits; Grant Application Deadline Near

Posted on September 8, 2021 | 3 comments

In 2014, $40 million fell from the sky. It landed on the Westport Weston Family YMCA.

The money came from the estate of Ruth Bedford. A Y trustee emeritus and noted philanthropist — and the granddaughter of Edward T. Bedford, who established the Y in 1923, and daughter of Frederick T. Bedford, who helped found Camp Mahackeno 21 years later — she died at 99, just 2 days before the Y’s 90th annual meeting. It was the last one held in the original Bedford building.

Ruth Bedford’s bequest — a surprise to Y officials — would enable the organization to “lead the community and change lives for the next 100 years,” they said.

A year later, the Y announced the formation of a $5 million Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund. Money came from Ruth Bedford’s gift, and one from past president and longtime trustee Allen Raymond.

The goal was to provide grants in areas like child welfare, substance abuse, community service and military outreach, serving children and young adults in Westport, Weston, Norwalk and Bridgeport.

The first grants were awarded in 2016. Last year, the Bedford Social Responsibility  Fund made 25 donations, totaling $280,000.

Recipients included Achievement First Bridgeport Academy, Adam J. Lewis Academy, Carver Foundation, Cardinal Sheehan Center, Horizons, Mercy Learning Center, Neighborhood Studios, Norwalk Community College Foundation, Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Silvermine Guild of Artists, and Staples Tuition Grants.

The fund is gearing up for its 2022 grant cycle. Non-profits can apply now — but the deadline is Friday (September 10). Click here for more information.

Libby McKinney Tritschler is Ruth Bedford’s great-niece. She and fellow Y board member Juliane Sunderland co-chair the Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund.

Libby McKinney Tritschler (left) and Juliane Sunderland.

“It’s been so eye-opening to make site visits. We’ve learned so much about the need to close the education gap, and give opportunities to children and young adults,” Sunderland says.

“This is all about community,” Tritschler adds. “The Y is a beautiful facility, but this money is another way we can show we’re part of the community — and communities nearby. I’m honored to be able to continue my family’s legacy of giving back.

“Westport got very lucky that my great-grandfather lived here, and opened the Y. His only request was that everyone in town get behind it. Now, thanks to his children and grandchildren, I can help make sure the Y keep on its mission to serve children and young adults.”

(For more information on the Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund, click here.)

Ruth Bedford (center) with Lester Giegerich (left) and Dr. Malcolm Beinfield. (Photo courtesy of Westport Y)

 

(To learn more …)

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Y Project Earns State Honors

Posted on June 9, 2021 | Comments Off on Y Project Earns State Honors

Building the “new” Westport Weston Family YMCA at the Mahackeno campus was an enormous undertaking.

Countless public hearings — and nearly 2 dozen lawsuits — delayed planning, groundbreaking and construction for years.

LANDTECH — the Westport-based civil engineering, site planning, project design, environmental and construction management firm — was there every step of the way. They worked with Robert A.M. Stern Architects and many others, completing the finished product — finally — in 2014.

Except it wasn’t finished. Phase 2 — 22,000 more square feet, including a gymnastics center and enhanced exercise, wellness and healthcare studios, along with a redesign and renovation of the adjacent Mahackeno  Outdoor Center — opened last year. Once again, there were challenges (like a global pandemic).

The Westport Weston Family YMCA’s Phase 2 project added a gymnastics center, and several studios.

But there were no lawsuits. The project came in under budget, and ahead of deadline.

Now the Y’s Phase 2 has been named Best Large Civic Project in the entire state.

The award comes from the Connecticut Building Congress, an association spanning every important trade group in the state.

“We worked with neighbors on the site plans and landscaping,” says LANDTECH principal (and Saugatuck native) Pete Romano. “There were no lawsuits at all. The process went very smoothly.”

LANDTECH’s role was broad. They collaborated with SLAM Architects and permitting groups like Conservation and Planning & Zoning, and closed out the project for a certificate of occupancy. Getting Mahackeno open last summer — when so many other camps were closed — was crucial for many youngsters and their families.

The Mahackeno Outdoor Center pool.

“It was a group effort at a trying time,” Romano notes. “Town Hall offices were not open. People were working from home. But in the end, everyone rowed in the same direction.”

The CBC award honors every group that had a hand in the Y’s Phase 2, from the excavators and pavers to the pool and plate glass folks. Turner Construction — the firm that built Phase 1 — was involved again too.

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Unsung Heroes #193

Posted on June 2, 2021 | 3 comments

When COVID struck in March 2020, the Westport Weston Family YMCA shut down.

It reopened — very tentatively — 3 months later. Every area and program — fitness center, yoga, gymnastics, childcare — had rules. The staff followed them diligently.

The strictest regulations were in the pool. Swimmers had to sign up online 3 days ahead of time. Slots were limited to 45 minutes or an hour; there were restrictions too on the number of swimmers per lane.

In between each 45- or 60-minute session, surfaces — benches, hooks for towels, even handrails — had to be wiped down.

I’m a swimmer. For the past year, those daily workouts have been my physical — and mental — salvation.

I’ve watched the Y lifeguard in action, every day. They’ve been outstanding.

They’re diligent with their cleaning. They’re warm and welcoming to every swimmer. They’ve been patient, kind and helpful.

They helped create a nice community at the pool, at a time we desperately needed one.

A small part of the big Westport Y pool. The lifeguards have it all covered.

Yesterday, the swimming restrictions were lifted. The pool is (almost) back to normal.

Today, I give a shoutout to the Westport Y lifeguards. To Brian and his crew: Thank you. You’re “06880”‘s Heroes of the Week.

And you earned it without having to save anyone.

SPECIAL CITATION: Here’s a shout-out to the Y’s member services team too. Whether greeting guests at the front desk, working behind the scenes to solve a problem (the reservations system was sometimes glitchy), or helping someone make sense of the constantly changing regulations, they’ve been outstanding too.

And they never stopped smiling.

(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email dwoog@optonline.net)

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Anjali’s Long Journey To The Westport Y

Posted on June 1, 2021 | Comments Off on Anjali’s Long Journey To The Westport Y

YMCA once stood for “Young Men’s Christian Association.

The name Anjali is Indian. It means “devotion to God.”

Those 2 worlds — different religions, thousands of miles apart — are now one. Anjali Rao McCormick is the new CEO of the Westport Weston Family YMCA. Her path began in Calcutta; it now takes her to the Mahackeno campus, by Merritt Parkway Exit 41.

Anjali Rao McCormick

It seems almost foreordained.

Anjali’s family left India in 1984 for Long Island, where her father had a sibling. The oldest of 4 girls, she was suddenly thrust from an all-girls Catholic school into 11th grade at a public high school. “It was like walking onto the set of ‘Grease,'” she says.

As a government major at Harvard University, she thought about entering the diplomatic corps. But after graduating cum laude she pivoted to New York University’s Stern School of Business, for an MBA.

When her third child entered school, McCormick re-entered the workforce. She spent 10 years in a variety of positions with the Summit Area YMCA, rising to senior vice president, chief operations officer.

With her youngest daughter about to graduate from high school, the move to Westport seems right. She is looking for new challenges and growth opportunities.

The selection committee was impressed with her management style, and results at the 4-branch New Jersey Y. She’s been called a “transformational” leader, with “community focus, talent, and vision.”

And — though she did not know it until she applied for the Westport position — her Y ties go back far longer than her decade with the Summit Area Y.

McCormick’s father told her recently that after her grandfather left India by boat in 1927, landed in San Francisco and took a train to the University of Kansas, he found friends at the local Y.

“He was a brown man in white middle America,” McCormick says. “But the Y gave him a community. He felt he belonged.”

As she settles into her new community of Westport — she’s commuting until her daughter graduates, but spends several nights a week at the Inn at Longshore — McCormick is focusing on what makes this Y strong.

And how she can make it even stronger.

The Westport Weston Family YMCA .

The Y — and all of Westport — enjoy “a rich, robust history,” she says. “This is an excellence-oriented community. People have high standards. That puts pressure on me. But it doesn’t scare me.”

Her job is to “find a way to serve all the different populations. How can we grow, along with other youth and senior organizations? What can we do with the Library, and the Community Garden? A rising tide lifts all boats.”

She knows that Westporters are passionate about many things — including the long debate, a decade ago, over the Y’s decision to leave its longtime downtown building for the Mahackeno property.

“I come in with a clean slate,” McCormick notes. “”I hear the voices. It’s my job to ask what we need to do to make sure the strongest community exists here.”

She’s getting to know the staff, and is impressed with what she’s seen. She wants to make sure they’re customer-oriented, and can deliver on the Y’s promises.

The Camp Mahackeno staff gets high marks for their involvement with campers.

McCormick takes over at an intriguing time. COVID regulations that hampered many non-profits — and shut down the Westport Y for 3 months — are easing. Yet bringing people back to the pool, fitness center and classes is not easy.

The Y’s revenues dropped significantly over the past year. That’s another yet challenge.

McCormick sees opportunity in the pandemic’s wake. More people moved to Westport than any other town in the state over the past year. Many are families, with young children. She’ll reach out to new residents, inviting them to see all that the Y offers. “Come, get healthy!” she says.

Newcomers — those families, like herself today and her grandfather nearly a century ago — are looking for community. The YMCA — no longer a “Young Men’s Christian Association,” but a place for all — can offer that.

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Friday Flashback #243

Posted on May 7, 2021 | 6 comments

This has been one of the most beautiful springs in memory. Trees, flowers, bushes — the colors are eye-poppingly wondrous.

There’s only one thing missing: the beautiful tree that stood for decades in front of the old YMCA (now Anthropologie).

Of course, nothing lasts forever. Once upon a time, another large tree graced the Y’s corner on Main Street.

Look what happened:

(Photo courtesy of Seth Schachter, via eBay)

 

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[OPINION] Wondering About The Red Barn

Posted on April 18, 2021 | 25 comments

Bob Weingarten is the house historian for the Westport Museum of History & Culture. He writes:

I get many questions about the status of historic properties. Recently I’ve received several concerning the iconic historic building at the intersection of Wilton Road and Allen Raymond Lane.

The former Red Barn restaurant was operated by the Nistico family from 1983 until its sale to the Westport Weston Family YMCA in 2015. It has remained unoccupied ever since.

A painting of the historic Red Barn property …

As part of the purchase, the Y created a limited liability company: 290 Wilton Road LLC. YMCA CEO Pat Riemersma called it “likely to be the last piece of almost contiguous (cell tower in between) property to our Mahackeno campus.”

According to the Historic District Commission Historic Resources Inventory list, the building was built around 1850 as the Augustus Draves Barn. In the 20th century it became the Red Barn restaurant.

The Red Barn in 2014.

The Nistico family purchased the property in 1983, and continued to run the beloved restaurant until 2014. It was very comfortable, with a large hearth that had been remodeled by well-known Westport architect Frazier Forman Peters in the 1930s.

The Frazier Forman Peters hearth.

The Red Barn was an “06880 Friday Flashback” in January 2019. Sally Palmer commented:

The Red Barn was witness to the passage of many major events in the lives of Westporters. It was used for baby showers, baby naming, office parties, weddings, birthdays, graduations, too many funerals, class reunions and naturally for dinner. It is more than just an empty building, and I miss it.

Since the purchase more than 5 years ago, the building has remained unoccupied. This bodes badly, since unoccupied buildings can deteriorate more rapidly than those in use. This is true for interior construction (floors, walls, flues, etc.), exterior facades and mechanical equipment (air handlers, heating units, A/C, etc.). I’d hate to see what the kitchen now looks like.

In November 2015 the Y said: “This is a unique opportunity for our YMCA — a long-term investment that allows us to preserve neighborhood values and, ultimately, utilize the property for the benefit of our members and the community we have served since 1923.”

Lining up for a sale of Red Barn items and artifacts, in June of 2014.

Later, Riemersma reiterated:

We purchased the property because it was likely to be the last piece of almost contiguous (cell tower in between) property to our Mahackeno campus that would likely come to market.

When we entered into the planning process for Phase II of our facility expansion, we considered using the property as a stand-alone site for our gymnastics program.

When we ultimately decided to place that program in the new wing we were left with no immediate plans for its use and that still holds true today.

At some point in the future, as private property owners, in order to ensure that the Red Barn use compliments the Y’s, the Y could look to enter into a long-term lease or sale of the property or continue to hold it, whatever option seems best for the Y’s future.

This is a relief. But after so many years I wonder how realistic it is. I believe that the Y’s membership and other Westport residents should be apprehensive.  Money talks, and future plans change depending on economic conditions.

The building has now been unoccupied for nearly 7 years, without a plan in place. I am interested in hearing what the new CEO plans for it.

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Roundup: Hazardous Waste, Health & Wellness, Kings Highway Bridge …

Posted on April 16, 2021 | 2 comments

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The Westport Weston Family YMCA gets a nice shoutout in yesterday’s Washington Post.

Joanne Kaufman — who with her husband has “perched temporarily” in Fairfield County since fleeing Manhattan during COVID — writes about her return to swimming, at our Y.

The piece is called “Dear Locker Room, You Have No Idea How Much I’ve Missed You.” I thought it would be about the joys of the pool, even in a pandemic — my daily swims at the Y have kept me both physically and mentally fit since it reopened last June — but it is mostly about the camaraderie of the locker room.

Click here to read. (Hat tip: Scott Smith)

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Don’t waste a moment!

Westport’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day is Saturday, April 24 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,) at a new site: the Greens Farm train station.

The free program is open to residents of Westport, Wilton, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich.

These are some of the items that may be hanging around your home:

Garage: Paints, gasoline, kerosene, mineral spirits, spray paint, paint strippers, paint thinners, solvents, stains, turpentine, varnishes, wood preservatives, degreasers, etc.

Garden shed: Fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, etc.

General household:  Bleach, charcoal lighter, cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, flammable liquids, mercury thermometers, moth balls, pet flea shampoos, photo chemicals, rug shampoos, spot removers, art supplies and paints, etc.

The following items are NOT acceptable: Propane tanks, ammunition, flares, explosives, commercial hazardous waste.

Before bringing hazardous household items to the collection site:

  • Make sure items are clearly labeled. Never mix chemicals!
  • Keep products in their original labeled container.
  • Place leaky containers in clear plastic bags.
  • Tighten lids of all containers, and pack items in sturdy cardboard boxes lined with newspaper.
  • Put boxes in the trunk or in back of the vehicle, away from passengers.
  • Leave pets and children home.
  • Keep your windows open. Drive directly to the collection site.
  • Do not smoke or eat while handling hazardous materials.
  • Antifreeze, motor oil, batteries of any type, fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs and electronics can also be recycled at the transfer station on the Sherwood Island Connector, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon.

Put all household hazardous waste in the trunk or rear of vehicles. Only fuel containers will be returned to residents.

Questions> Call the Public Works Department (203-341-1793), or click here.

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It seems like the only miserable thing that’s dragged on longer than COVID is the replacement project for the Kings Highway North bridge, by Canal Street.

Public works director Pete Ratkiewich reported yesterday:

“The contractor has just finished setting the first 3 of 6 bridge sections today in the pouring rain. The last 3 will be set Friday.

“The schedule has not changed, with completion expected by the end of June. Once the precast sections are in, they will be working on putting the bridge back together and finishing the project as quickly as possible.”

From his lips to …

Once upon a time, traffic flowed easily on Kings Highway North.

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Speaking of a long 13 months: Westporters are ready to get back to the fitness routine.

So the timing is great for the Westport Downtown Merchants Association’s Fitness & Health Day. It’s set for Saturday, May 1 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

The event takes place all along Main Street, but many more businesses and organizations are involved.

Fleet Feet in Sconset Square kicks things off, hosting a 5K run throughout downtown. Click here to register (spots are limited).

Westport’s leading studios and clubs — including JoyRide, Pure Barre, Row House, Elliptica, Intensity, Physique57, Club Pilates, Saugatuck Rowing Club, The Dance Collective, Stretch Lab, Kaia Yoga and the Westport Weston Family YMCA — will organize fun (and challenging) classes on main Street.

Walk-ups are not permitted for classes. To register, contact each studio directly. Observers are welcome, of course!

Other health and wellness folks will have a presence too: Franny’s Farmacy, RESTORE Cryo, Cparkly Soul, Wisdom and Youth MedSpa, Embrace Orthodontics, New England Hemp Farm, TAP Strength Lab and Organic Krush.

Other sponsors include Andersen Renewal. Wildflower Land Management, Manna Toast and David Adam Realty.

Working out at last year’s Fitness & Health Day.

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On Tuesday, “06880” reported that Bank of America’s Post Road East branch next to Starbucks — across from Carvel — is now closed permanently.

A mailing with the news directed customers to the downtown branch, next to Design Within Reach. There was no work about the fate of BOA’s 3rd Westport office, on the Southport line.

Now there is. A second mailing yesterday notified customers that that branch — at 1815 Post Road East — has also closed for good.

Banks are supposed to be prudent with their money. I have no idea how much it cost to send 2 separate mailings to all Westport customers.

But perhaps that kind of decision is part of the reason Bank of America just reduced its presence here by two-thirds. (Hat tip: John Karrel)

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Why did the gull cross the Old Mill parking lot?

To get to the other side? Or some other reason?

Who knows? But whatever the reason, it makes for a cool photo.

(Photo/Teri Klein)

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And finally … Today in 1943, Albert Hofmann accidentally discovered the hallucinogenic effects of the research drug LSD.

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Y Names New Jersey Leader As New CEO

Posted on April 12, 2021 | 1 comment

The Westport Weston Family YMCA’s new CEO has corporate experience. Anjali Rao McCormick worked for American Express and Citibank. She graduated from Harvard, and has an MBA in marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

But she’s also a Y executive. Since 2015 McCormick has served as COO of the 4-branch, 550-employee Summit Area YMCA in New Jersey.

Anjali Rao McCormick

Her key priorities there were revenue growth (membership, camp, childcare, programs), new business growth through partnerships and collaborations, ongoing digital transformation, and developing staff. In February 2020, Summit opened a new $17 million facility.

Her selection to succeed Pat Riemersma — who is resigning after 6 years at the helm — was made today. McCormick begins her new job on May 1.

Board president Jonathan Manela says, “After an exhaustive search, we are incredibly fortunate to have identified and hired a true transformational leader whose community focus, talent, and vision will ensure our viability for the next hundred years.”

A press release notes, “McCormick is passionate about the Y’s mission to bring meaningful growth and transformation to individuals and the communities it serves regardless of an individual’s needs, challenges, or goals.”

The new CEO adds, “I’m looking forward to working with the Board, staff team, and the extended Y community to strengthen the Y’s focus to be a vibrant, intergenerational community.”

McCormick’s first experience with the Y community was after her family moved to Summit from New York City, 20 years ago. She was hired by the Summit Area YMCA as a director of marketing in 2011.

“It is with great enthusiasm we welcome Ms. McCormick as we seek to reengage our community post-pandemic, with an organization my great-great- grandfather E. T. Bedford founded in 1923,” says John McKinney, chair of the Westport Y Board of Trustees.

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