2023 High School Graduates. Next Stop: West Point, Annapolis, Air Force & Merchant Marine Academies
These 2023 graduates of area high schools are among those men and women will soon be on their way to the nations military service academies to begin their military careers.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
On Saturday, June 10th, Congressman Jim Himes hosted members of the military service academy class of 2027, their families, and selection committee members for a sendoff celebration at VFW Post 399, on Riverside Avenue in Westport. All of the members of the class are from the CT 4th Congressional District which Congressman Himes has represented since 2009.
Pictured above, left is Jim Maxfield U.S. Naval Academy graduate with Congressman HImes. At far right photo are Sean and Jonathan Dalrymple of Westport. Jonathan on the right will be attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He is the younger brother of Sean who was selected and nominated for his second preferred choice Service Academy back in 2016. He decided however to enlist in the U.S Navy which was his first choice and where he served for six years training in Cyber Security. Their father Brian Dalrymple Murray is exceptionally proud to have two great sons eager to serve their country.
Four of the students ate the VFW event are from Westport. Zach Rosemy and Grant Zeigler, both Staples grads will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, Sam Cherry who graduated the Hopkins School, and Jonathan Dalrymple who is graduating from Weston HS and headed to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Following remarks by Congressman Himes was Jim Maxfield, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD in 1989. He spoke about his experience at the Naval Academy and the tremendous opportunity before them in their military careers, their paths to becoming a community leader afterwards and the success they will likely find in any career they chose as a result of the education and training they will receive at the some of the world's premier military service academies.
Upon graduation, the newly commissioned officers commit to serving in the military for a minimum of five years after graduation. The number of years can increase if the students become pilots.
The VFW space was filled with proud parents and family members listening intently to Himes and Maxfield and after the remarks the students and family got an opportunity to meet and talk with each other and further speak with the Congressman and Mr. Maxfield.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Both Himes and Maxfield touched upon the fact that so many of the members of the U.S. armed forces are young men and women who are performing their duties at some of the highest levels of service, whether it be upon the flight deck or other specialty aboard a 13 billion dollar aircraft carrier, or flying or maintaining 70 or 80 million dollar 5th generation fighter aircraft, or in the increasingly more vital role of cyber security. Both speakers noted the significance of an 18 year old individual being willing to make such at commitment.
Pictured above, left is Jim Maxfield U.S. Naval Academy graduate with Congressman HImes. At far right photo are Sean and Jonathan Dalrymple of Westport. Jonathan on the right will be attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He is the younger brother of Sean who was selected and nominated for his second preferred choice Service Academy back in 2016. He decided however to enlist in the U.S Navy which was his first choice and where he served for six years training in Cyber Security. Their father Brian Dalrymple Murray is exceptionally proud to have two great sons eager to serve their country.
Another Full House For MoCA Westport Concert Series
Last Thursday at MoCA Westport, vocalist Vanisha Gould, a Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist, performed in the Museum's gallery for a packed house. Accompanied by Kayla Williams on the viola and Chris McCarthy on piano, Vanisha played a range of originals and music from the Great American Songbook.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestra, led by guest conductor Michael Breaux, opened for Vanisha.
Attendees were also able to experience the current "Spark" exhibition" currently on view at the Museum, featuring the works of PreK-Grade 12 students in the Westport Public Schools.
Next up in the Music at MoCA concert series is trumpeter Summer Carmargo on July 8, 2023. Carmargo is also a Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist who currently performs with the Saturday Night Live House Band and is the first ever triple crown winner in the history of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition. Tickets are available on mocawestport.org.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport Playhouse Celebrates Community With Open House
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
In conjunction with Connecticut’s Open House Day, opened the doors of the theater Saturday to celebrate the community for a free event. The Playhouse offered self-guided backstage tours and set model and costume displays.
Above, right is Ivy, 6 years old in blue and her sister Piper, 4 years old, in pink playing the Sunrise Rotary “Duck in a Bucket” game.
In the Playhouse courtyard there were beer tastings, kids' activities, and more.
There was delicious food from Beyond the Salt food truck, cool brews from Athletic Brewing (non-alcoholic) and Rhythm Brewing, and ice cream from Jim’s Ice Cream Truck, all available for purchase.
Westport Sunrise Rotary was also on hand with their "duck in a bucket" game for kids and were offering tickets for the Great Duck Race. (see WestportLocalPress, "Ralphie Comes To Riverside Park")
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The Playhouse offered a 20% discount on single tickets to their next production Dial M for Murder! In addition a raffle was held for two tickets to their sold out Patti LuPone concert, "Don't Monkey With Broadway"
Connecticut Open House Day, now in its 19th year, is an annual event held on the second Saturday of June, provided by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. The purpose of this event is to inspire Connecticut residents to learn about all the experiences in their own backyard, anticipating that this will convert them into ambassadors who will recommend these experiences to other visitors.
Following an April production of the musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the Playhouse’s three-production, 2023 season continues with a new adaptation of “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” the suspenseful thriller of blackmail and revenge, running from July 11 through July 29; and “School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” a buoyant and biting comedy exploring the universal similarities and glaring differences facing teenage girls across the globe, playing from October 24 through November 11. The complete schedule is available at westportplayhouse.org. All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.
For ticket information, visit www.westportplayhouse.org/visit/box-office/ or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse) and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
"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.