The headstones, tombstones and obelisks in Westport cemeteries honor many locally famous names: Sherwood, Nash and Staples, among others.
But only one shows an internationally known cartoon character.
Mort Walker’s stone shows Beetle Bailey, the lazy soldier in one of history’s most recognizable strips. It also includes his signature, as its creator and long-time illustrator. (Click here to see.)
But where in Westport, last week’s Photo Challenge asked, could Beetle Bailey’s image be seen?
Willowbrook Cemetery, a dozen readers quickly answered.
John McCarthy included the grave’s exact location in the vast Main Street boneyard (Section 12, Row 3, Grave 36), while Wendy Schaefer noted that though Walker lived in Stamford, his second wife lived here. Her first husband — cartoonist John Prentice — is also buried in Willowbrook.
Other readers who correctly identified Beetle Bailey/Mort Walker’s final resting place were Pat Saviano, Jonathan McClure, David Sampson, Andrew Colabella, Judith Marks-White, Jeff Jacobs, Mary Ann Batsell, Nancy Engel and Moira Ratchford.
Today’s Photo Challenge echoes an important message. Where in Westport would you see it?
If you know, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Susan Garment)
(If you enjoy our regular Sunday Photo Challenge — or any other part of “06880” — please consider a donation to your hyper-local blog. Just click here. Thank you!)
Greens Farms Academy’s commencement ceremony yesterday had many traditional elements.
The 90 members of the Class of 2022 marched in, to “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Valedictorian Shealeigh Crombie and salutatorian Alicja Farber addressed the crowd. Head of school Bob Whelan spoke movingly of the class as a whole, and described each individual graduate with personal adjectives.
But the commencement speaker was not your usual honoree. Darryl McDaniels — co-founder of Run-DMC (the first rap group on the cover of Rolling Stone, and first inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame); an author, philanthropist and mental health advocate — took the mic, and owned the crowd.
Parents, grandparents — and of course the graduates — sat rapt, as “DMC” spoke (and rapped) about the soon-to-be-alums’ possibilities, potential and purpose.
He talked about the importance of imagination, and assured them they were well prepared for whatever lies ahead.
The recessional was as traditional as ever. But this was a GFA graduation for the record.
Darryl McDaniels delivers the commencement address.
Once again it’s graduation season. For the third year in a row, Le Rouge is distributing “Give a Little Love” chocolate hearts. The goal is to give one to every graduating student in Bridgeport, when they get their diplomas.
It’s a community-wide effort, for our neighbors a few miles away. Each heart is $8. To buy one (or more!), click here.
“Double Indemnity” — an exhibit of work by artists Miggs Burroughs and Ann Chernow, based on the film noir classic — is on display at the Westport Library through September 6. An opening reception is set for June 23 (6:30 p.m.).
The show also includes 3 special movie nights, all on the 19-foot screen in the Trefz Forum.
“Double Indemnity” will be shown on June 23, immediately following the reception.
“Detour” will be screened on July 7 (7 p.m.); Susan Granger hosts.
On July 14 (7 p.m.), it’s the original “Nightmare Alley.” Miggs and Ann will host.
Ever since COVID, Westporters have enjoyed outdoor dining — and music — on Church Lane. It’s a great experience — but the musicians don’t play for free.
The Westport Downtown Association has started a GoFundMe campaign to help. The goal is $4,000, to offset the cost of 30 evenings of music by local performers. Click here for more information, and to help.
Music on Church Lane.
=================================================
Around the corner from Church Lane, one of Westport’s most iconic buildings has been sold.
177 Main Street — the restored house at the entrance to Parker Harding Plaza, most recently home to Local to Market, and before that Talbots and (of course) the Remarkable Book Shop — was purchased by Eleish Van Breems Home Westport.
Headquartered on Franklin Street, and with stores on Railroad Place and Nantucket, Eleish Van Breems offers “a clean, elegant and fresh approach to interiors, all with a Scandinavian essence.”
“In Death, the Gift of Life” earned top honors in the “Death & Dying” category, for the 16th annual National Indie Excellence Awards.
The anthology — inspired by Dan Levinson’s experience with his father’s end-of-life passage — includes 10 Westport stories about those choices, and the challenges faced by people with terminal illnesses.
Each narrative explores men and women who faced the medical establishment head-on, then deliberately embraced grace and courage in the aftermath.
Click here to order the book. All proceeds benefit the Westport Library, Senior Center and Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County.
Mark your calendar for October 13 (7 p.m.), too. That’s the date of the official, twice-COVID-delayed launch party for the book, at the Westport Library. Click here for details.
Danny Amoruccio, manager/sexton of Willowbrook Cemetery Association, says: “This little one is hanging around Section 11. We remind everyone not to approach or bother the new fawn. We seeing so many people pestering this little guy.”
Sure, it’s a cemetery. But Willowbrook has long been an enticing place to walk, jog, bike, even play.
The expansive property on Main Street, just past Coffee An’ heading north, is beautiful. There are plenty of paths, and lots of greenery.
Plus a large mausoleum, which many “0688o” have noticed over the years.
Mark Jacobs’ image was last week’s Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)
Emily Mikesell, Seth Schachter, Andrew Colabella, Susan Feliciano, E.M. Auber, Michelle S. Saunders, Tom Wall, Peter Swift, Jeff Mitchell and Carissa Simon Baker all recognized it from their jaunts through Willowbrook.
It’s a great spot to rest. Momentarily, or permanently.
This week’s Photo Challenge shows another soothing spot. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
Staples Tuition Grants’ annual awards ceremony is one of the high school’s premier events.
Last year’s was particularly impressive. The organization — founded in 1943, with a $100 grant from the PTA — awarded $350,000 in need-based scholarships, to 129 students. Nearly half are seniors who graduate this month; the rest are Staples grads, currently in college.
The grants — ranging from $500 to $5,000 — will help them attend a total of 77 institutions, in 24 states.
Guest speakers included longtime STG donor Dick Fincher, and past recipient/current educator, EMT and Westport Local Press publisher Jaime Bairaktaris.
But — as always — the “stars” were the students. To learn more about Staples Tuition Grants, and donate, click here.
As your dog enjoys the great outdoors, remember: June is dog license renewal month.
All dogs over 6 months old must be licensed. Fees are $8 for neutered male or spayed female, $19 for others. Additional fees apply for online applications.
A $75 infraction will be issued for any non-licensed dog, and any dog not wearing a current dog tag.
Click here for everything you need to know about dog licenses.
Speaking of teenagers: Westport Farmers’ Market‘s 5th annual Young Shoots Photography Contest opens soon. And you can be even younger than 13 to enter.
There are 3 age categories: 8-10 years old, 11-14 and 15-18. Any photo taken at one of the Thursday Farmers’ Markets is eligible. Judging is by a panel of local artists, and the public.
The contest runs from a week from today (June 10) through July 18. Winners — who earn cash prizes, special swag and membership to local art organizations — will be celebrated at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center, with catering by Sugar & Olives. Click here to submit photos.
“Starstem” by Calista Finkelstein placed 1st in the 2016 contest, in the 8-10 category.
What does it mean to be Asian American? That’s the title of a conversation next Thursday (June 10, 7 p.m.) Presented by the Westport Library, TEAM Westport and AAPI Westport, there’s limited seating at the library. But everyone around the world can tune in virtually.
Professors Erika Lee and Jason Chang are the guests. The discussion will be moderated by Westporter Heather Lee. They’ll explore Asian American life through a wide historic lens, as well as the current wave of anti-Asian discrimination and physical attacks, and AAPI communities uniting with others to create an inclusive and equitable society.
To register for in-person seating at the Westport Library, click here. To register for the Zoom link, click here.
A scene from Westport’s Asian-American rally, outside the Library.
An event last night at Mancini Salon honored owner Carla Morales. The staff surprised her with a party, thanking her for all she did to get them through the pandemic year. She kept all her employees on, under difficult circumstances — and kept them and their patrons safe. The salon reopened exactly a year ago.
Congratulations, Carla. Here’s wishing you and Mancini a great summer! (Hat tip: Patti Brill)
Sustainable Westport’s Zero Food Waste Challenge matching grant has a month left to meet its $7,500 goal. The deadline is July 2.
The aim is to double our town’s food scrap recycling participation in the next 6 months. Funds raised will educate and inspire residents about the project. Click here to donate.
Tired of bears? For today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo, let’s go back to our old favorites: deer. Lauri Weiser spotted this cute one (in between nibbles) at her Lansdowne condo complex.
Westport Country Playhouse’s popular Script in Hand play reading series continues with “The Savannah Disputation.” The comedy — filmed on the Playhouse stage — will be broadcast virtually. It premieres June 14 at 7 p.m., and streams on demand from June 15 through 20.
In “Savannah Disputation,” Mary and Margaret are feisty Catholic sisters living in Georgia, who forget about Southern hospitality when a young Pentecostal missionary knocks at their front door to shake up their beliefs. The women call in their local priest for backup, in this entertaining examination of what it means to truly believe.
A couple of weeks ago, John Kantor took “06880” readers on a tour of the secret — well, well-hidden — passages that allow kayakers and canoeists to travel from Sherwood Mill Pond to beyond Burying Hill Beach without even a portage.
Susan Iseman’s Photo Challenge last Sunday showed 2 more culverts. (Which raises the question: Why are they always side by side?)
Wrong guesses included Nash’s Pond, Sasco Creek, Deadman Brook and Otter Trail.
The correct answer: Willowbrook Cemetery. The culverts are on the south end of the graveyard, at Carriage Lane. You can see them from Main Street, (You can also see them by clicking here.)
Andrew Colabella and Alfred Herman correctly identified the site of the culverts. They’re one more reason — beside the beautiful Daffodil Mile every spring — to slow down as you pass by this beautiful, and historic, cemetery.
This week’s Photo Challenge also brings to mind Westporters who have passed — those who gave their lives for our country.
They’ll be honored tomorrow, after the Memorial Day parade, at Veterans Green. It’s well worth watching.
Meanwhile, where in Westport would you find this memorial?
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!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
