Morning Weather Report [03/02/21]: Blustery
Today
Sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values between zero and 10. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Wind chill values between 15 and 20. Southwest wind 7 to 13 mph.
Tomorrow
Sunny, with a high near 49. Wind chill values between 15 and 25 early. West wind 7 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind around 6 mph.
The Great Westport Sandwich Contest Begins
Photo taken at today’s kick-off event at Manna Toast. L-R Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Molly, Ira Bloom, WWCC President Matthew Mandell, Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, First Selectman Jim Marpe, RTM Sal Liccione, Selectwoman Melissa Kane, Rep. Stephanie Thomas, WWCC Board Member Cara Mocarski (contributed photo)
Press ReleaseThe Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a new event for the Town and its residents, the Great Westport Sandwich Contest. This event is a follow up to the highly successful and embraced Pizza, Burger and Soup Contests run the last three years.
Today at Noon, First Selectman Jim Marpe proclaimed the month of March as Westport Sandwich Month. This announcement and the kickoff of the event took place at Manna Toast, on Church Lane.
This year’s contest is dedicated to the memory of longtime chef and owner of A&S Fine Foods, Albert Pizzirusso, who passed away suddenly earlier this month. Albert was a wonderful man and great supporter of the Chamber. He will be missed.
The contest, to take place throughout the month of March, will have 18 and counting sandwich making restaurants, delis and markets competing in ten different categories to be crowned Best Sandwich Maker in Westport. Judging will be done by the residents of the Town by voting on-line for each category. Furthermore, by voting, each participant is entered into a drawing to win a free sandwich from one of the ten winning restaurants. Over 4000 votes were cast in the last three contests.
"This is a fun way for our community to interact, support our local restaurants, delis and markets and best of all get to eat lots of sandwiches," said Matthew Mandell, Executive Director of the Chamber about his newest event. "It's all about creating experiences and this will be a positive for everyone; businesses, residents and of course the Town as a whole.”
The 18 competitors so far from across the town are: A & S Fine Foods, Calise’s, Capuli, Don Memo, Fortuna’s, Deli Grammie’s Donuts & Biscuits, Joe’s Pizza, Kawa Ni, Layla's Falafel, Manna Toast, Match Burger Lobster, Mystic Market, Organic Krush, Out Post Pizza, Rive Bistro, The Granola Bar, The Whelk, Winfield Street Deli.
The Ten categories are: Best Chicken Sandwich Best Steak Sandwich, Best Vegetarian Sandwich, Best Combo Sandwich, Best Club, Best NY Deli, Best Pressed Sandwich. Best Breakfast Sandwich, Best Wrap Sandwich, and Best Fish/Seafood Sandwich.
Each Restaurant, Deli or Market may enter up to four categories, but can only win two at most.
Residents have a month, beginning on March 1 and ending on March 31, to visit all the venues, enjoy the offerings, then go to the Chamber's Sandwich Contest web page to vote via cell phone or PC. As the community participates throughout the month the social media hash tag #greatwestportsandwich can be used in posts. The more pictures of people eating sandwiches the better.
Sponsoring the event again is Westport law firm Berchem Moses PC. "We are pleased to sponsor this event. Not only is the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce an outstanding organization, but there is nothing better than a good sandwich," noted Berchem Moses PC Westport managing partner, Ira Bloom. "I hope to sample them all during the month."
The winning restaurants or markets, to be announced in April, will receive a plaque to commemorate their achievement. For more information and to access the voting pages, go to www.westportwestonchamber.com/sandwich
Homes with Hope After School Program Receives Rotary Club COVID-19 Grant
Press ReleaseWestport Rotary Club donated $1,075 to Homes with Hope, a Westport-based nonprofit organization, in support of its After School Academic Program, known as ASAP. Westport Rotary Club Foundation Chair Julien Beresford presented the check to Homes with Hope President Helen McAlinden; Lynn Abramson, ASAP Program Director; and Paris Looney, Homes with Hope Vice President on Wednesday, February 24.
“These funds will enable Homes with Hope to provide a safe and supportive after-school program for children in families in transitional housing,” said Foundation Chair Beresford.
Homes with Hope ASAP was selected by Westport Rotary Club to receive the funds as part of the club’s Covid-19 Community Response Grant program. The funds will be used to transport children living in Homes with Hope’s housing to the after-school program, where they receive food, tutoring, supervision, and mentoring. This need is especially important given the increase in online learning modules and the widening of the academic gap for those without a parent available to assist them. This need is immediate as some of the children are unable to get to the ASAP program. It also is temporary as usually there are a greater number of volunteers providing transportation.
In recognition of the tremendous strain on local communities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rotary District 7980 has allocated additional funds to support Westport Rotary Club’s community relief efforts.
“The Westport Rotary Club is thrilled to offer extra support to our community during this time,” said Westport Rotary Club President Leslie Roberts. “Homes with Hope is one of the many organizations in need.” Westport Rotary will be distributing all of the funds donated by the community to its 2020 LobsterFest Charitable Giving fundraiser. Grant recipients will be announced and receive the funds in the next two months.
Homes with Hope is a Westport-based organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Fairfield County. It provides safe emergency shelter, food, and supportive services as tools to help its clients achieve independent lives. For those who wish to provide additional financial support to the Homes with Hope (HwH) ASAP program, HwH president Helen McAlinden requests checks be sent to: Homes with Hope, ATTN: ASAP program, 90 Saugatuck Avenue, Westport, CT 06880.
Representing a cross-section of local business and professional leaders, the Westport Rotary Club is an organization of men and women united in service to their community, vocation and the world. One of 35,200 Rotary clubs worldwide, the Westport Rotary Club is known for philanthropy and for providing hands-on project leadership both locally and internationally. More information is available at www.westportrotary.org.
Rotary Club luncheon meetings are currently being held virtually three Tuesdays a month from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. The Club welcomes membership inquiries. Please contact Club President Leslie Roberts or Membership Chair Fides Ostbye on the club website at www.westportrotary.org.