October 2: Walk a Mile with “Pa” in Memory of Granddaughter Rachel Doran at Compo Beach Fundraising Celebration
Rach’s HopeWestport non-profit Rach's Hope will hold an inspirational event at Compo Beach on October 2, inviting families to "Walk the Extra Mile with Pa" in memory of his granddaughter, Rachel Doran. Michael Isenberg, affectionately known as Pa, is close to fulfilling his pledge to walk 1000 miles in his 80th year for Rach's Hope. Let's join him as he crosses the finish line at Compo Beach next month!
The community fun walk will raise funds for the non-profit to continue its mission to support families with children battling critical illness by providing lodging, food, and transportation during and after their loved one's stay in the Intensive Care Unit.
When "Pa" pledged to walk 1000 miles to honor Rachel in his 80th year, his family knew that his long walks helped him remember his granddaughter, Rachel, who passed away at the age of 21 after an extended stay in the ICU in 2018.
Pa's family thought, "Hey! Let's make it a celebration and invite the entire community to walk the 1001st mile with Pa!"
No celebration is complete without live music, so Rach's Hope's signature band, Ellis Island, is coming to play some classic rock tunes to keep the celebration moving. After a quick one-mile loop around beautiful Compo Beach, walkers and cheerleaders will be hungry and thirsty but have no fear! Black Rock's Fire Engine Pizza Company Truck and Green's Farms Spirit Shop will be there to save the day!
Please join Team Rach's Hope and the Doran family at 4 pm on Saturday, October 2 at Compo Beach to join in on the fall festivities while supporting families facing the unimaginable.
This family-friendly event promises to bring smiles and hope to attendees and the families who benefit from Rach's Hope's supportive programs. All ticket holders will receive a cool Rach's Hope hat, pizza, dessert, and age-appropriate beverages while jamming to some good tunes with some solid people. Let's go! Throw on those sneakers and get to Compo! In true Rachel style, PJ bottoms are encouraged!
To purchase tickets, donate, or learn more about Rach's Hope, visit RachsHope.org.
Follow Rach's Hope on Facebook and Instagram @rachs.hope.
Rach's Hope, Inc. is a Connecticut non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) status
Suzanne Harder Hill, 80, Died; Former Westporter, “she made friends wherever she went “
Obituary Suzanne Harder Hill, age 80, of Houston, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, the 1st of September 2021. She was born on the 18th of February 1941, in Vinita, Oklahoma, to James Lee Harder and Ruth Marguerite Harder and grew up in Healdton and Ardmore, Oklahoma.
After graduating from Ardmore High School, Suzanne attended Oklahoma State University and remained a lifelong avid fan of the OSU Cowboys. She married her husband Tom after graduating from OSU, and Tom's job took them to Houston, Westport, Connecticut, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sydney, Australia and eventually back to Houston. Suzanne loved to travel and passed that passion for traveling and visiting other places and cultures down to her children and grandchildren. One of her favorite places to visit was New York City to see Broadway shows with her daughters and granddaughters.
A fabulous wife, mother and grandmother, Suzanne was the bedrock of her family and always demonstrated incredible kindness and thoughtfulness to everyone she encountered. She loved her family dearly and was each family member's biggest cheerleader.
Always a people person, she made friends wherever she went and maintained relationships with countless people far and near. She was greatly loved by all who knew her.
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Suzanne happily participated in the lives of her daughters and her grandchildren as they grew up. Always eager to be involved in their school and extracurricular activities, she enjoyed meeting other parents and supporting her daughters and their activities including serving as a Girl Scout Leader when they lived in Rio de Janeiro and as a drill team mom when her girls were Westchester Wranglerettes and Stratford Spartanaires. As a grandmother, she loved attending Grandparents' Day at the grandkids' various schools and watching their sporting events and band concerts. Over the many years of membership at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Suzanne rarely missed a Sunday sitting in her favorite pew while Tom ushered.
Actively involved in her community, she was a cherished, longtime docent at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens. A very active member of the Houston Alumnae of Kappa Alpha Theta until her death, Suzanne also served as President of the organization from 2003-2004. In addition, she was a valued volunteer filling various roles at the Theta Charity Antiques Show for many years. Suzanne was a docent with the Heritage Society in earlier years and enjoyed membership and activities in the John McKnitt Alexander Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Sisterhood.
Suzanne is survived by her loving husband, Thomas A. Hill; her daughters, Cindy Hill Burnett and her husband Michael L. Burnett, and Melissa Hill Ochs and her husband Daniel E. Ochs; and grandchildren, Caroline, Emily, and John Burnett and Margaret, Katherine, and Thomas Ochs. Suzanne is preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Marguerite, and her brother, James Lee Harder II.
A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 18th of September, in the Sanctuary of St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where the Rev. Katie Montgomery Mears, Associate Director of Adult Ministries, is to officiate.
Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent Fellowship Hall.
KINDLY NOTE: For those unable to attend the memorial service, a livestream will be accessible by visiting Mrs. Hill's online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the Memorial Service section. There, memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with her family.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in her name be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 200 Vesey St., 28th Floor, New York, NY, 10281; or the charity of one's choice.
Sunset Shines through as Light Smoke Plumes Return
Tonight‘s sunset over Compo Beach continued to shine despite a light smoke plume currently moving over the region. As wildland fires in the west continue to burn, the plumes were less thick than in previous instances throughout this past summer - but the damage can still be noticed. Local air quality was noted as healthy tonight as regions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania continue to experience the worst of the smoke as it moves over the East Coast. Photo by Mary Sikorski for WestportLocal.com
Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 14; State Positivity Rate 2.34%, Hospitalizations Down 37
The Westport Weston Health District reported 14 new COVID-19 cases for Westport over the weekend. The State’s daily test positivity rate was down to 2.34%, and hospitalizations were down 37.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 1,984 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 31 deaths.
State Daily Test Positivity: 2.34% [down from 2.92%]
State Hospitalizations: 327 patients [-37]