Partial Solar Eclipse Watch Parties Everywhere
Watch parties and gatherings were held all over our area. Glasses to safely view the special event were sold out at most locations but were available, as they were happily being shared by those who had them and by places like libraries. Levitt Pavilion had a large crowd and people around town could be seen gazing skyward around the time of maximum coverage of the Sun by the Moon.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com (except eclipse, contributed photo) Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Watch parties and gatherings were held all over our area. One such watch party was held in nearby Redding, hosted by The New Pond Farm Education Center, a bucolic institution with it’s own observatory where stargazing events are held monthly in the summer season, the photos from which are included here. The black marks o the sun were sunspots as seen through the New Pond Farm telescope. (eclipse photo contributed) Above, excited visitors to New Pond Farm Education Center line up for a close-up glimpse of yesterday’s eclipse as others watch through protective glasses.
Excitement was building all week in Fairfield County for yesterday’s solar eclipse. The much heralded event was an anular, not total eclipse. An anular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and Sun, but does not completely cover the Sun's disk. Instead, it covers most of the Sun, leaving its outer edge visible as a bright ring or “annulus” around the darkened Moon according to the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, part of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The event was attended by nearly one hundred visitors who are pictured here. Clouds threatened to obscure visibility prior to the event, but they fortunately they cleared. Scientist for decades have recognized that cumulus clouds can disappear rapidly when the solar eclipse begins. According to he website Nature.com, “Our corrected data reveal that, over cooling land surfaces, shallow cumulus clouds start to disappear at very small solar obscurations (~15%).
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Fashionistas Line The Runway For Fashionably Westport
One of Westport’s hottest fashion events was held last week at the Westport Library, where our town’s finest clothing retailers, hair salon’s and stylists combined with a couple dozen of Westport’s beautiful models and celebrities to show the latest, greatest and hottest fashions for spring and summer. This was the fourth iteration of this very popular event which provides part of the proceeds to Homes With Hope, the Westport based an agency dedicated to ending homelessness in Fairfield County.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Helen McAlinden, President & CEO of Homes with Hope (top left, bottom right) gave a slide and video presentation detailing the work of the agency in helping those in need. Westport’s Dave Briggs (above right), did a wonderful job as this year’s Emcee, keeping the energy up and the runway flowing.
Prior to the fashion show and during the intermission guests gathered and enjoyed a great selection of hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Many were lined up for a Photo-Op with media before the Step & Repeat.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Helen McAlinden, President & CEO of Homes with Hope told WestportLocal:
“This event is a very special event to Homes With Hope because it opens up new exposure to our mission. A lot of new people buy homes in Westport and would like to give back to their wonderful new community. I’d like to express my gratitude to our longtime and new supporters for attending and encourage them to reach out to me if they would like to learn more about our work. I can be reached at 475-225-5292. I give out my cell phone all the time and take people on personal tours because I believe that people want to engage more when they see firsthand the work that we do at Homes With Hope. We have wonderful and dedicated staff and an absolute brilliant mission helping the most vulnerable in Fairfield County with housing and food insecurity.”
McAlinden continued, “Please thank all involved from me. Especially the great staff at DMA that provide a great night for all. As a result of this event we receive a portion of the proceeds which supports the agency’s operating budget to ensure that everyone that comes to our doors receive the support they need. We are about to celebrate our 40 year anniversary. I encourage people to reach out and if interested arrange to come see our 40 year documentary covering our history over the years.”
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Contact Homes With Hope to attend their 40th year celebration on April 9th which will be held at Christ & Holy Trinity’s Branson Hall at 4:30 PM.
To donate and help Homes With Hope achieve their mission’s success click here: Homes With Hope.org
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Happy Easter Westport!
Today is Easter Sunday when Christians celebrate the Resurrection. What about Passover? Often they coincide closely, not this year. Why? Since the turn of the century, Easter has overlapped with Passover every year but three: In 2005, 2008 and 2016.
In 2024, Passover will begin on April 22 and end on April 30. This also happens to be a Jewish leap year. Leap years are built into the lunar calendar because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, so an extra month is added to certain years to make up the difference.
While Easter is fixed to the full moon, spring and Sunday, the Jewish calendar is fixed to Passover.
"The entire Jewish calendar is meant to keep Passover in the springtime," said Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg of the New City Jewish Center. "The Torah said Passover happens in aviv (spring in Hebrew), therefore we need to make sure Passover is in the spring."
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge.
Message Of Peace From Saugatuck Congregational
A well-lit peace symbol beckons passers-by to consider the message of the season in front of Westport’s Saugatuck Congregational church on the Post Road. The Church welcomed Reverend Kari J. Nicewander recently as Intentional Interim Pastor, posting this message on their website:
“It is with great joy that we introduce Reverend Kari J. Nicewander, who accepted our call to serve as our Intentional Interim Pastor. Kari’s first sermon as our pastor was Sunday, January 7. Kari comes to us with over twenty years of experience in ordained ministry in the United Church of Christ, most recently as Senior Pastor of Immanuel Church of Christ in Hartford. Please join us in welcoming her to Saugatuck!”
Positioned behind the peace symbol the Church spelled out in big blue & white letters, “Join us in welcoming our amazing new Pastor Kari”.
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com