Bundled Up and Biking through Downtown
Two of Westport’s littlest community members remained bundled up as they toured downtown in the basket of their family’s bike. WestportLocal.com photo
Hundreds Attend Wakeman Town Farm Tree Lighting
Wakeman Town Farm which has become a Mecca for Westport families held their annual Christmas Tree lighting event Friday night kicking off the Holiday Season with a crowd estimated at 800 or more over the course of the evening. Families enjoyed the Christmas tree and decorated grounds, sweet treats from The Porch and Sweet P Bakery, and hot chocolate from The Granola Bar and Starbucks. Also, a variety of local school musicians playing Christmas and Chanukah favorites.. Children played among several lighted trees and brought their parents to the bonfire to warm up and toast marshmallows.
Photos by J.C. Martin for WestportLocal.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery
The One that Westport Wants: Standing Ovation for Staples Players - GREASE Performances Continue
(click to enlarge) As the Staples Players took to their final number, members of the audience took to their feet in a standing ovation for the Players show. All photos by WestportLocal.com(click to enlarge) WestportLocal.com photoThe music of Grease filled the Staples High School corridors Sunday afternoon as the Staples Players continued their on-stage performance of the seventies classic.
Last Spring the Staples Players celebrated their return to the stage - after over two years - during their opening night of Words, Words, Words… and Music; the socially-distant audience was capped at 1/3 capacity.
With 100% capacity approved for Grease, the Players’ opening night on Thursday celebrated a full audience for the first time since 2019.
The anticipated magic that the Players are known for brought a tangible feeling of excitement before Sunday afternoon’s performance; some of the younger audience members couldn’t even remember their last Staples show without social distancing separating them from their neighbors.
(click to enlarge) WestportLocal.com photoHowever when the house lights dimmed, the packed house greeted the performers as they took to the stage. The energy was electrifying (no, not hydromatic) as the dozens of Westport teens danced, sang, and coiffed their hair to the toe-tapping families below. Through special effects, lighting, and pure talent - the hundreds in attendance were unknowingly transformed back to the 1950s for the remainder of their Sunday.
With Grease, the Staples Players continue to add another layer of “getting back to normal” for Westport; the community converged on the local high school auditorium while taking time to catch up with friends and neighbors seated near them or during the show’s intermission.
Another local tradition revived.
Due to popular demand, the Players added an additional feature of the show for this Thursday night. Tickets are still available, with all funding going to support the widely renowned acting group and the work that they do. All audience members must be masked while indoors, and must present proof of COVID-10 vaccination or testing.
For more information, visits staplesplayers.com.
Celebrating 10th Annual ADL Walk Against Hate
Arthur Cohen, Alan Honigstein, and Shira Honigstein joined the ADL’s 10th annual Walk Against Hate movement that ended at the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge this morning. The walk began at the Old Hill green and was lead by a few dozen community members just after 10:00 this morning. WestportLocal.com photo
Community Members Walk against Hate to Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge
Local community members walked from the Old Hill neighborhood down to the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge in Downtown Westport today to condemn “antisemitism, bias, bullying and all forms of hate”, according to the ADL. 2021 marks the tenth year that the Anti Defamation League has supported the Walk Against Hate movements - with more than 100,000 participants joining in on walks throughout the country today. A few dozen walkers lined the eastern portion of the bridge to wave and speak with passersby. WestportLocal.com photo
Westporter Takes Porsche Prize at Air Cooled Car Show on Veteran’s Green
Mike Marett and his daughter Florence with their 1990 Porsche 964 Carrera 2. Westporter Mike Marett, with daughter Florence, accept their prize for best Porsche from the Small Car Company’s judges during this morning’s Air Cooled Car Show on Veteran’s Green. Marett’s 1990 Porsche 964 Carrera 2 received high-praise from the local gearheads as a Japanese model that was imported to the United States and kept in its high-performing state. Marett acquired the car two years ago and travels to shows across the country with it - most recently attending the Luftgekühlt festival in Indianapolis, Indiana that celebrates the Country’s “Luftgekühlt” cars - Porsche’s air-cooled models.
Hills Point Bridge Named in Memory of Khaliq Sanda, Staples Class of 2014, Duke Class of 2018
State Senator Will Haskell’s OfficeToday, Westport leaders including State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport), State Representative Jonathan Steinberg (D-Westport) and First Selectman Jim Marpe celebrated the life of Khaliq Sanda by announcing that State Bridge 00067, carrying Hills Point Road over Interstate 95, will be named in his honor. Khaliq graduated from Staples in 2014 and was a participant in the A Better Chance of Westport program. In March of this year, he passed away after battling a cancer diagnosis that came in May 2016.
"Khaliq left an indelible mark on Westport, enriching our town with his kindness, humor and grace,” said Sen. Haskell. Walking through the halls at Staples, it seemed that every student and teacher knew and admired him. In the wake of his passing, I had an opportunity to work with just a few of the many people who loved him to name this bridge in his honor. For those who pass by it each day, I hope it will remind us of his optimism and compassion, bringing out the best of Westport -- a town Khaliq loved and a town that loved him."
Watch Khaliq speak at the ABC Westport Dream event in 2018.
“Khaliq was an outstanding individual who had his future tragically cut short by cancer. During his time in Westport, he made a positive impact on our community - Khaliq was beloved by his peers and excelled in the classroom. He will be sorely missed. Naming a road in Khaliq's honor will ensure his life and legacy will never be forgotten," said Rep. Steinberg.
“While I didn’t know Khaliq personally, my understanding from those who knew him well was that he was a talented, deeply compassionate, energetic young man who had a passion for education, community service and a zest for life," said First Selectman Marpe. "It speaks volumes that Khaliq was so highly respected and possessed strong leadership qualities – these are his legacies. Now, he is further recognized with the honor of having this bridge named for him so that his kind heart and good works will be memorialized for generations to come.”
Khaliq Sanda’s Obituary, March 2021
Khaliq Melle Sanda was born on September 7th, 1996 in New York City to Angela and Oumarou Sanda. Khaliq attended Craig Elementary and Alton C Crews middle school both in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Due to his academic excellence, he was accepted as a Scholar into the A Better Chance of Westport program where he attended Staples High School in Westport, CT. When he arrived at Staples High School in 2010 as a freshman, Khaliq Sanda brought with him his contagious joy, quick wit and genuine warmth. At the beginning of his high school career, he became involved in Peer Advisors, an after-school group that allowed students to discuss issues and share stories. Through this organization, Khaliq fostered friendships with people from all over the Staples community. These bonds came easily to Khaliq—his friends recall that he loved people and people loved to love him.
This love for Khaliq spread like wildfire throughout the Westport community. He acted as a unifier amongst his classmates—"knowing Khaliq” was a common catalyst for Staples students forming new friendships. As a student, he was responsible, hardworking and exceptionally bright. Despite his course load, Khaliq managed to effortlessly excel in school. His teachers at Staples High School were not immune to his infectious charm. He was a presence in the classroom—expressing his ideas with eloquence, while also making his teachers laugh. He could be seen in the library helping friends with homework and making plans for the weekend. Khaliq worked as a tutor for younger students in the Westport community and served as a role model for many. Always an advocate for his peers, he was involved with Key Club, a philanthropic organization that serves the local community, as well as Student Assembly where he helped make decisions for the Staples student body.
He was a champion for others in everything that he did. Khaliq’s accomplishments at Staples were impressive, including outstanding grades and many leadership positions, but his true superpower was connecting with others. Khaliq’s ability to connect with people knew no bounds. In addition to his biological and his host families, Khaliq was a son, brother and nephew to so many. His sincerity transcended generations; his friends fondly remember the relationships he cultivated with their family members—grandparents and younger siblings alike. He lived authentically and his support encouraged his friends to do the same. When those close to him needed advice, Khaliq knew how to listen intently and guide them in the right direction. He was a confidant to all. He graduated from Staples High School as a beloved member of the Class of 2014 and a cherished member of the Westport community.
Khaliq then attended Duke University where he pursued a Bachelors degree in Global Health and Biology. He was devoted to his goal of going to medical school and ultimately becoming a psychiatrist, and it was no surprise that he excelled in his courses. In a matter of weeks after arriving at college, Khaliq morphed into the undisputed “King of Duke.” Seemingly uninhibited by normal social fears, he naturally established deeply-rooted relationships with everyone he met. He displayed his endless love for Duke by mentoring younger students on campus, acting as a tour guide, and serving as social chair for his fraternity, Sigma Nu. He worked tirelessly to graduate on time with his friends, overloading courses to make up for time spent getting treatment.
In conversations with his Duke friends remembering Khaliq, there is one word that consistently comes up: lucky. Lucky to have had a once-in-a-lifetime friend who made each one of them feel like the most special person in the world. Khaliq’s capacity to love far exceeded your average person’s, and his immense influence could be felt even when he was nowhere near. He pushed his friends to be funny, loving, kind, open-minded and confident. He was not simply loved and respected by his friends, he was adored. His legacy is everywhere. In his own words, he was iconic.
Upon graduation from Duke University in 2018, Khaliq accepted a position as a Community Outreach Coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City, where he dedicated himself to clinical research, enrolling taxi drivers for a program focused on reducing hypertension in New York City, the city that he loved. His city.
Our brilliant, funny and compassionate Khaliq is now on a new journey. We have no doubt that the former Mayor of Westport and King of Duke will soon be a reigning prince in his new destination.
While a great and beautiful light has been extinguished, we take comfort in knowing that his kind, caring and generous spirit lives on powerfully in the many friends and relatives who were blessed to know him.
He touched and enriched so many lives - bringing joy and laughter as well as knowledge and insight to all he met. He saw the best in us - even when we didn't - and made us want to be better and do better. It was his loving friendship that quietly motivated us - again often without us even realizing it - to live up to our ideals and achieve our promise. Khaliq defined courage, character and grace. He faced unimaginable adversity with extraordinary humor, patience and strength. He will be missed but his memory will endure in the actions of all who knew him and loved him.
Khaliq is preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, maternal grandmother and grandfather. He is survived by his parents’ Angela and Oumarou Sanda, surrogate parents Lori and David Sochol, siblings Kimbo, Stanley, Abdul, Eposi and Mairo and several Aunts, Uncles, cousins and a host of other loving family members and friends.
In lieu of flowers, a fund to support adolescents and young adults with the costs associated with personal and family expenses during treatment for lung and other related cancers has been established in Khaliq’s memory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Donations can be made using the following link: http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/KhaliqSanda
Physician, Weston Mom Releases Second Novel; Tickets Available for Tuesday’s Westport Library Release Event
Dr. Heather Frimmer is releasing her second novel this Tuesday evening at the Westport Library - titled “Better to Trust”. The event begins at 7:00 PM and will feature door prizes and a conversation between Frimmer and notable book blogger Suzanne Leopold.
Frimmer’s first novel, Bedside Manners, was published in 2018 and won numerous awards throughout the region - being described as “a medical story, a mother-daughter tale, and a coming of age narrative, all rolled up into one absorbing story.” by Westporter and CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota. The newest novel “Better to Trust” follows the story of a woman in need of brain surgery and her neurosurgeon brother-in-law, with intertwined stories involving drug addiction, secret affairs, and risk-taking kids.
Dr. Frimmer is a emergency care and breast imaging radiologist. She completed her medical education at Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian-Cornell and Yale New Haven Hospital, and now lives in Weston with her husband and two children.
For free event tickets or to pre-order a signed copy of Better to Trust, click here.
Frimmer at the 2018 launch of her novel Bedside Manners at the former Barnes and Noble. Photo by Jaime Bairaktaris/WestportNow.comWestport Rotary's Lobsterfest a “Smashing Success” Once Again
The 2021 Rotary Lobsterfest, arguably Westport's biggest party of the year, was held Saturday at Compo Beach on a beautiful September afternoon under sunny blue skies.
The event, which sold out completely once again for it's 10th year and was limited only by it's attendance permit and how many lobsters could be cooked per hour. They served 2,400 lobsters, 330 steaks and 325 children's dinners. Fresh clams and oysters on the half shell were offered by Norwalk's Copp's Island Oysters.
A small army of volunteers, including town officials and those aspiring to become town officials, kept the beer and wine flowing and tables cleared. Families enjoyed great entertainment for their children, and craft spirits for the adults. Live music kept dancers on their feet. All and all, another lively and successful event for the community by the the Westport Rotary - which raised more that $100,000 (final figures not yet available) for their programs and charities.
Click on any photo to enlarge. Photos by J.C. Martin for the WestportLocalPress.com
Local Runners Pick up the Baton for The Great American Relay from Boston to California
Volunteer runners began their journey to Westport at Bridgeport Fire Department. Pictured are: J Lucas, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Konstanty, Lisa Goldstein, Karla Cohen, Lauren Leppla, Kenji Ogawa, and Lead Runner Ken Gallagher. (contributed photo/no order)Beginning on September 11th to honor those lost to the World Trade Center attacks, the Great American Relay is making its way from Boston to Santa Monica, California to raise money for first responders and members of the military.
Volunteer runners make their way towards Westport with The Great American Relay batons. Monday’s schedule brought the relay from Branford, Connecticut to the World Trade Center Memorial in Lower Manhattan in ten separate stages - with stages 26 and 27 connecting at Westport Fire Department Headquarters at around 10:30 yesterday morning.
Local runners who volunteered to carry the baton from Bridgeport Fire Department Headquarters to its handoff in Westport were: J Lucas, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Konstanty, Lisa Goldstein, Karla Cohen, Lauren Leppla, Kenji Ogawa, and Lead Runner Ken Gallagher. The group handed the baton off to Barbara Campbell, Elizabeth Hofmann, and Lead Runner Jeffrey Wollman who carried it to Darien’s hand-off point.
In total, 58 runners helped get the baton from Branford to the World Trade Center Memorial by Monday night.
This morning the red baton will continue its journey West - with an expected arrival at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s City Hall late tonight with the help of several dozen more volunteers. By the time the baton reaches that West Coast - it will have traveled through 415 stages totaling 3,500 miles for nearly 40 days with the help of hundreds of volunteer runners.
To learn more about The Great American Relay or to find a stage to run with, click here: greatamericanrelay.com