"Little Ralphie" Comes To Saugatuck's Riverside Park
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Most people in town are familiar with the annual Great Duck Race hosted by Westport Sunrise Rotary which returns on Saturday June 24th for it's 14th year. Many people are also familiar with the giant, 30 foot inflatable yellow duck named Sunny, named after the Sunrise Rotary which appears in various places in town to promote the event. The Sunrise Rotary has provided Sunny with a little brother "Little Ralphie" only 12 feet high named after the late Ralph Kreuger. Ralph, a noted Sunrise Rotarian who came up with the idea it was to purchase Sunny to aid the organization in drawing attention to The Great Duck Race, one of the Sunrise Rotary's big fund raising event.
"Little Ralphie" this weekend was stationed at Riverside Park, inviting people to join in the fun, help local charities and hopefully win some great prizes including a $5,000 first and $1,000 second prize, with the next eight winners each receiving $500.
As many know, thousands of yellow ducks will be released on a specially constructed sluice, with each duck being assigned a number. Each ticket purchaser has a corresponding number and the first 10 duckies to cross the finish line win the cash prizes. To join the fun tickets can be purchased online at: Sunrise Rotary Duck Race Tickets . tickets may also be purchased at the Westport Farmers Market held Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 50 Imperial Avenue, Westport, Webster Bank, 244 Post Road East, Westport or from your friendly Westport Sunrise Rotarians who can be found around town at various sites and events.
Also At Riverside Park
The newly renovated Riverside Park which now is now nicely landscaped and has multiple picnic tables and several benches facing the Saugatuck river is being visited frequently.
A couple enjoying one of the river view benches watches as kayakers paddle upriver and a pair of youngsters lead their mom to one for a post-game pizza.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Staples Boys Lacrosse Repeats State Championship Defeating Fairfield Prep
File Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Sacred Heart University seems to be the Staples boys lacrosse’s happy place. This is where they won the CIAC State title last year and this is where they repeated that championship victory by defeating top seed Fairfield Prep Jesuits. The Wreckers turned an early lead by Prep into a 13-6 Staples victory.
The usual Wreckers scoring machine came to play with senior Tyler Clark, who is also a stand-out football player led with four goals, with the other usual offensive powerhouse players Leo Sequenzia, Ben Burmeister, Gavin Rothenberg and Sam Eigen each firing past the Prep goalie twice. Finding the net once each were Michael Nealon and Tristan Schaefer.
File Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Chamber Of Commerce Honors Westport "First Citizens"
Award recipients Charlie Haberstroh, Founder and CEO of CastleKeep Investment Advisors (L) and Bill Harmer, Executive Director of the Westport Library
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce honored Charlie Haberstroh, Founder and CEO of CastleKeep Investment Advisors, and Bill Harmer, Executive Director of the Westport Library who were this year’s First Citizen Award recipients. This was the return of the First Citizen Award gala dinner since the pandemic.
The event was attended by many notables including Senator Bluementhal, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas, First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, former First Selectman Jim Marpe, former Second Selectman Avi Kaner, State Senator Cici Maher, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, Weston First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor and other leading citizens.
Above: Bill Harmer with his family, and Charlie Haberstroh with his family
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery
“We have selected a fine and admirable mix of awardees this year,” said Matthew Mandell, Executive Director of the Chamber. “Each year the board looks for one nonprofit and one traditional businessperson and these dedicated individuals stood out and represent what is best in our town for their work ethic, generosity and how they approach business.”
“It is a distinct honor to be recognized by a community that has given my family so much since we moved here in 1990. Whether it's long nights on the baseball fields, picturesque sunsets at Compo Beach or digging out of the sand hazards at the Longshore golf course, I cherish the many memories and experiences in Westport,” said Charlie Haberstroh. Since I founded my investment advisory firm, 2000, I've also had the privilege of giving back to the community through public service. I was inspired to do so by my wife and by Bill Meyer who also inspired many who continue to serve Westport.”
“I am deeply humbled and moved by this recognition by my friends at the Chamber of Commerce for frankly doing work that I absolutely love and am extremely passionate about,” said Bill Harmer. “Thanks also to my staff and our Board of Trustees who consistently support our vision and allow me to be a part of this magnificent place we call Westport and the Westport Library.”
The keynote speaker this year will be Richard Blumenthal, Senior U.S. Senator from the State of Connecticut, having previously served as the State’s Attorney General.
Also receiving awards will be four “Young Entrepreneurs,” Marley Brown, Akhila Kooma, Addison Moore and Jamie Semaya seniors from Weston and Staples High Schools, for their efforts in creating new and intriguing business ventures.
“What a wonderful group of innovative kids, they truly embody the entrepreneurial spirit,” said Barbara Reynolds Chairman of the Board of the Chamber. “They have executed at a higher level and deserve these accolades. Congratulations to all.”
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Elmo Learns A Trade
Elmo is a 5 month old yellow labrador retriever who is a bright and energetic puppy and is now in his initial phase of learning to learn a specialized and highly valuable trade. He is learning to become a seeing eye dog who may eventually become the "eyes" for a sight impaired person, enabling them to live a more productive and independent life.
Elmo was on a training walk through Westport Thursday night. He was in a puppy class along with his Guiding Eyes for the Blind volunteer puppy raiser Jared Malise who was also being trained by Maureen Hollis, regional puppy instructor for the organization.
Elmo and his puppy raiser Jared were working on a polite greetings with people they passed by who were delighted to show Elmo some puppy love. They had just worked on another element of his training, settling on a bench in a public setting so Elmo could learn how to ignore dogs and people passing by while remain calm and connected. Elmo is training to be a future guide dog for a sight impaired individual. Jared is a volunteer puppy raiser who has taken Elmo into his home to raise him till he goes in for formal harness training and is teaching him basic manners, obedience and socialization to human experiences for his first year of life.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind provides guide dogs to people with vision loss. Said Maureen Hollis, "we are passionate about connecting exceptional dogs with individuals for greater independence. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide all services completely free of charge to people who are blind or experiencing vision loss. At Guiding Eyes, we rely upon the contributions of our generous donors to fulfill our mission."
They are also currently in great need of puppy raisers or sitters in the Connecticut area and New York areas. Said Hollis "We could not complete our mission without wonderful volunteers like Jared and his wife Andrea helping us by taking our puppies and giving them the skills they need to make it to harness training!"
To learn more and to help this great organization visit them at www.guidingeyes.org or by calling 800-942-0149.
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Air Quality Issues Leave Westport Beaches Nearly Empty Thursday
Old Mill Beach had virtually no visitors on Thursday, except for those pictured below
Photos & Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The Old Mill Beach gate guard confirmed the beach was groomed early Thursday morning and by end of day it was clear from the lack of footprints that there were almost no visitors that day. It was much the same at Compo Beach. The exception here is clearly the more than a score of shorebirds who were taking advantage of the ebb current, the receding tide, to score an easy dinner.
There were more than a dozen Black Crowned Night Herons including a juvenile (brown feathers) who were joined by several both Snowy and Great Egrets as well as the omnipresent seagulls. The only activity was the jostling for position among these beautiful shorebirds to get the best "seat at the table" so to speak.
Westport Installs Bike Repair Stations To Aid Cyclists
Photos & Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
You may have noticed these unusual looking black, tubular objects in several Westport locations and wondered what they are. They are in fact "Fixit" repair stations for helping cyclists traveling through town who may encounter mechanical issues with their bicycles.
They are made by Dero, a company specializing in all things bike related, which offers a myriad of products from various types of bike racks to bike shelters and lockers and more to a global market. Riders simply lift their bikes onto the horizontal hanger bars which allows the pedals and wheels to spin freely while making adjustments, and then utilize the various tools which hang from secured stainless steel cables. Available tools include screw drivers, multiple sized allen and box wrenches, a Torx wrench and tire levers.
Above, Dominic, 6 years old and sister Cordelia, 5 of Westport discover the "Fixit" bike repair station newly installed at the Jesup Green parking lot.
Click on an image to enlarge
The “Fixit” bike repair stations came about at the suggestion of RTM member and avid cyclist Peter Gold who brought the idea to Public Works Director Peter Ratkiewich. They felt that with all the expenditures for transit, new sidewalks and other projects enhancing travel through and about town, a small investment supporting the many cycling enthusiasts and casual riders would be welcome addition to town amenities. They looked at popular bike travel routes including downtown and town beaches and determined the locations for the stations would be the Jesup Green parking lot behind the library, the rear of Town Hall, and both Compo and Old Mill beaches.
Greenwich Polo Club Opens 2023 Season
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
High Goal Polo returned to the Greenwich Polo Club which opened the 2023 season on Sunday, June 4th with the first round of the East Coast Cup series, the Bronze Cup. The season promises lots of exciting polo action as teams compete in the only high goal tournaments on the east coast of the U.S. in the summer season.
The legendary, White Birch Farm team has now combined with Round Hill Polo and they prevailed over another newly formed team, the Roxbury Riders by a single goal scored in the last Chukker, ending the match by the score of 10-9. Both teams were formed with some of the best talent in High Goal Polo playing today.
Match MVP was John Lipman from White Birch Farm/Round Hill . Tommy Biddle of the Roxbury Riders played Best Polo Pony Popona. Part of the excitement of High Goal Polo is the game's lightening pace, with polo ponies achieving speeds of up to 35 MPH and shots on goal traveling at over 100 MPH!
Mohamed Jami of the popular Greenwich based band MOJO kicks of the match with a stirring rendition of our National Anthem.
Greenwich Polo Club will host three more matches in June with gates opening at 1:00 PM each Sunday with play beginning at 3:00 PM. Matches resume after the July 4th break, with a 4 week break in August, with matches beginning again on August 28 running through October 8th.
Greenwich Polo tickets start at $50. per car for open lawn seating with premium options available. Gates open at 1:00 PM. Guests picnic on the grounds bringing their favorite foods and beverages and several gourmet food trucks offer a great menu with craft cocktails offered at the Pony Bar. Leashed dogs are welcome.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
After the match Dj's start the dancing and delicious Argentinian barbecue is available.
The next match open to the public takes place on June 11th. Tickets are available at greenwichpoloclub.com.
The Greenwich Polo Club is recognized as one of the elite high-goal polo venues in the Northeast. Internationally recognized for its rosters of legendary teams and players.
At the end of the match players were presented with their gifts and posed for photos along with the Best Polo Pony, Popona.
Nestled in the beautiful backcountry of Connecticut, Greenwich Polo Club was established in 1981 and is recognized as one of the elite high-goal polo venues in the world. Known for its unmatched roster of legendary teams, professional players, and champion equine athletes, fondly known as polo ponies. Distinguished families, young entrepreneurs, artists, and well-known personalities are all part of the international dynamic which makes Greenwich Polo Club so unique.
Each Sunday match is attended by more than 2,000 spectators flocking from New York City, Fairfield and Westchester counties, to witness the highest caliber of polo while enjoying an afternoon with friends and family. Greenwich Polo Club has also hosted many dignitaries and celebrities and in 2013 Prince Harry chose Greenwich Polo Club to host the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup. The prestigious match raised funds for the Sentebale charity founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in memory of their mothers to raise funds for Lesotho’s most vulnerable children.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
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.
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.
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.
