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J.C. Martin 6/3/23 J.C. Martin 6/3/23

Memorial Day: Commemorating Those Who Served and Sacrificed

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

Westporter's all love our Memorial Day Parade, seeing friends and people we know marching through our town; seeing the amazingly crafted floats, hearing the band and admiring all our athletic teams, our police, fire and ET's who protect us. But once the parade comes to and end several hundred parade-goers walk to Veteran's Green for the most important part of our Memorial Day celebration; honoring the veterans who bravely fought to protect our freedom, with some making the ultimate sacrifice.

This year one of those vets we honored was Grand Marshal Ben Pepper, (above left) who is 99 years old and who fought in the Battle Of The Bulge, one of the largest and bloodiest battles of World War II. British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill described it this way, "This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory." Ben Pepper was one of those warriors.

The veteran we also honored and who has become the face of Westport's Memorial Day Commemoration, Korean War veteran Bill Vornkahl who has been the driving force for the event for half a century. Many other highly decorated veterans of our military service held positions of honor at the ceremony and also watched from the audience.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

The service began with a moving invocation delivered by Rabbi Greg Wall (above, right) of Westport's Beit Chaverim Synagogue who spoke eloquently about the meaning of this day, about the horror of war and the loss of loved ones and of the bravery of those who served. He credited the hard work of VFW Post 399 who's volunteers work so hard each year to make this solemn event achieve it's goal of remembering and honoring the men and women who have protected our freedom and preserving our way of life.

Town officials were also in attendance as was Congressman Jim Himes, and First Selectwoman Jen Tooker who addressed the crowd expressing her gratitude. A wreath was laid at the base of the permanent Memorial. The Staples High School band then performed which was followed by two band members playing Taps with one trumpeter playing the melody and the second one solemnly echoing the first.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

J.C. Martin 6/3/23 J.C. Martin 6/3/23

Staples Boys Lacrosse Routs Hall High School 19-3 in CIAC State Tourney Opening Round

This photo sums up the opening round CIAC tournament match between Staples and Hall High School on Wednesday.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com *Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.*

The Boys LAX team, ranked #2 took charge on the field from the first face-off and after scoring their first goal in less than two minutes, they kept their foot on the gas scoring 8 more goals and hold #15 Hall High School of West Hartford to only a single goal in the CIAC State Tournament opening round on Wednesday at home.

Staples had balanced scoring from Leo Sequenzia, with 3 goals, Ben Burmeister also with 3 and Gavin Rothenberg led the scorers with 4 goals.Same Eigen added two with Adam Udell and Tristan Schaefer also adding to the total.

Also finding the Hall net were Will Fleming, Dixon Scherer, Owen Bessey, Tim Herold and Will Fleming.

J.C. Martin 5/30/23 J.C. Martin 5/30/23

Westport Comes Out In Force To Honor Our Veterans On Memorial Day

A beautiful, sunny day in the 70's on Monday made for a perfect setting for Westport's annual Memorial Day parade which wound it's way through town delighting the thousands of spectators from Riverside Avenue, across the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge and finishing up after passing Town Hall.

Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery

Every, or nearly every civic and community organization in town participated, with the award winning Staples High School band and the Suzuki Music School providing the soundtrack. Staples Varsity Cheerleaders pumped up the crowd, the Westport-Weston Y's Gymnastics team did flips and handstands and youth sports teams from the little leagues to softball and lacrosse waved to the admiring crowds.

Revolutionary War officer Miggs Burroughs marched promoting the Yankee Doodle Fair, the minuteman statute on Compo Rd. we all pass by all summer long rode through a float through town looking suspiciously like RTM member Andrew Colabella.

American flags waved in the breeze, vehicles decked out in the Red, White and Blue accompanied A.J. Penna's flatbed carried the Westport Rotary's Giant Duck reminding us of the annual Great Duck Race along with a very large lobster giving thoughts to the Rotary's annual Lobsterfest which seems a long way off at the unofficial start of summer.

Members of all the service branches and veterans of the Korean War, Viet Nam and even World War II, like Grand Marshall Ben Pepper who is 99 years young this year reminded us of why why were gathered; to honor the service and sacrifice of those who returned from wars and especially this who did not.

Check back tomorrow for more parade and Memorial coverage.

Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

J.C. Martin 5/30/23 J.C. Martin 5/30/23

50th Westport Fine Arts Festival Draws Thousands Downtown

Westport kicked off the Memorial Day Holiday weekend with the always exceptional Westport Fine Arts Festival, now in it’s 50th year.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

Westport's downtown was filled with art lovers and appreciators of the spectacular gallery quality Painting, Watercolor, Photography/Digital Art, Sculpture, Drawing (Pastel, Pencil, Ink), Printmaking, Mixed Media, Glass/ Ceramics, Jewelry, Wood and more. The event, larger than ever featured new artists and multiple music performances from classical to a little bluegrass, a food court with several gourmet food trucks and bars serving libations.