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")
Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
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.
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.