Community Organizations

State Liquor Commission Fines Wee Burn Country Club $15,000, Says Minor Was Served There

By |
Download PDF

Wee Burn Country Club served alcohol to a minor and violated four other liquor laws or regulations, the state Liquor Commission has determined, so the commission fined the club $15,000 for that and suspended liquor sales for two days in October. The commission’s public notice about the suspension has few details about the violations it says the club committed, but, in addition to “sale to minor,” lists them as “club permit,” “restrictions on drink promotions,” “consumer bar violation” and “sale to intoxicated individuals.” The club, located at 410 Hollow Tree Ridge Road, will be barred from serving liquor on Oct. 12 and 13, 2020. The commission’s website didn’t give any details about the sale to a minor, but Darien police last August accused a Darien man of providing liquor to two “minors” — 19-year-old caddies, in part at the Wee Burn club bar.

Community Organizations
Americares KN95 Mask Donation Americares Warehouse

Americares Delivers 1.4 Million Masks for Health Care Workers in CT, NY and Around the U.S.

By |
Download PDF

Americares is delivering more than 1.4 million protective masks for health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The masks will help to alleviate shortages at hospitals and primary care facilities in 11 states and Puerto Rico. — an announcement from Americares

The city of New York has already received 300,000 masks and the state of Connecticut and Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts have each received 100,000. In Puerto Rico, 40,000 masks will be distributed among 11 of Americares partner health centers on the island. The rest of the masks are headed to California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee and Washington where state and city officials will oversee the distribution and allocation of supplies to medical facilities based on need.

Community Organizations
Pam Dysenchuck David Dysenchuck P2P Person-to-Person Door2Door COVID-19 Coronavirus 2020

Person-to-Person Starts Home Delivery Service, ‘Door2Door,’ for Most-at-Risk Clients

By |
Download PDF

In response to an increase in demand for food assistance, and to ensure that their most-at-risk clients receive the essentials, Person-to-Person (P2P) has implemented a new home delivery system, called Door2Door, for those unable to leave their homes during the COVID-19 crisis. — an announcement from Person-to-Person

Using a contactless system of delivery, volunteer drivers are dropping off bags of groceries at the doorsteps of P2P clients who are not able to make an in-person visit to one of their three food pantries, whether due to age, disability, illness, or other high-risk category. P2P has food pantry locations in Darien, Norwalk, and a mobile pantry in Stamford, and has seen a sharp increase in the need for food assistance at all three of their locations. “We have many clients who are seniors or need to remain in their homes. No one should have to choose between their safety and access to food,” shares Nancy Coughlin, CEO of Person-to-Person.

Community Organizations
Digital Weekends Bruce Museum

Online Activities and Projects You Can Do at Home, from the Bruce Museum

By |
Download PDF

The Bruce Museum in Greenwich is presenting online short videos and descriptions of projects kids, teens and families can do at home as you socially isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s the announcement about the program series, called “Digital Weekends,” from the Bruce Museum:

Digital Weekends with the Bruce are fun, hands-on art and science projects for you and your family. Over the next several weekends, teaching artist Grayson Kennedy and Youth and Family Programs Manager Megan Brown will lead you in an online activity based on exhibitions at the Bruce Museum. Use the linked videos and write-ups to make something fun and creative while you’re home. This week, for our first project, we will explore the artwork of L. A. Ring, whose paintings featured in the exhibition On the Edge of the World: Masterworks by Laurits Andersen Ring from SMK – the National Gallery of Denmark.

Charity Events and Opportunities
Katharine Calderwood of Calderwood Digital Corbin Cares distribution

Darien Foundation Postpones ‘Yacht Rock On’ Fundraiser a Year, Gets Behind Corbin Cares Food Distributions

By |
Download PDF

The Darien Foundation has canceled its annual fundraiser, ‘Yacht Rock On,’ originally scheduled for April 25, 2020. The event will now take place on April 24, 2021. The foundation also announced that it is actively supporting the Corbin Cares initiative to provide food to Darien seniors and others in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, and described what other projects it’s funding in town. — an announcement from the Darien Foundation
“We had a great team working on Yacht Rock On and we had significant momentum,” said Byrne Pozzi, benefit co-chair and board member of the Darien Foundation, “However, once this crisis hit, we quickly shifted our focus to helping the community.”
Added Alison Muench, also a co-chair of the benefit, said the founcation is offering ticket holders a full refund or the opportunity to donate some or all of the ticket purchase price. “Many of our corporate and individual sponsors have been incredibly generous in light of the cancelation and have offered to convert their sponsorship dollars to outright donations,” said Executive Director Sarah Woodberry.

Community Organizations
DJ Joe Star Lighting the Way

DJ Joe Agostino Invites You to His Dance Party: 6:30 to 7 PM Saturday, March 28 Live on Facebook

By |
Download PDF

Take a little time Saturday night for DJ Joe Agostino’s “super fantastic virtual dance party” live on Facebook from 6:30 to 7 p.m. tonight, Saturday, March 28, and you can help a guy with some challenges fulfill his dream to be a professional DJ. CLICK HERE to join DJ Joe’s dance party tonight, Saturday, from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Joe also held a “dance party” last Saturday on Facebook live “that received over 6,400 comments and had hundreds of visitors in the first half hour,” said Peter Saverine, director of development at Star Inc., Lighting the Way in Norwalk, where Joe is a client. “We are hoping, with your help, that DJ Joe will go viral with his goodwill,” Saverine said. “If there is ever a time we need to share these uplifting stories and spread some cheer and goodwill, this is it.” Joe Agostino’s Story
Joe’s mother, Laurie Agostino, gave this speech at the 2020 Mayor’s Ball in Norwalk:

24 years ago, our family began the most amazing journey when I found out we were expecting our first child.

Community Organizations
Flickr via Wikimediia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SARS-CoV-2_(yellow).jpg

DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: News Bulletins, Info, UPDATES

By |
Download PDF

Shorter news and updates on how COVID-19 epidemic is affecting Darien residents:
No Quiet Cars For Now
Saturday, 9:51 a.m. — “[D]uring the MTA Essential Service Plan, Metro-North will be suspending the Quiet Cars program,” Metro-North has announced. Children’s Learning Centers Cancels Benefit Featuring Gloria Gaynor
Friday, March 27, 2:53 p.m.:

Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC) has cancelled its April 24 spring benefit, which was to have featured Gloria Gaynor, the CLC announced Thursday, March 26, on its website. As of 2:47 p.m., Friday, March 27:
A Little Silver Lining: Metro-North Fares All Off-Peak Now
“With new, reduced train timetable all fares will be OFF-PEAK, even during rush hour,” CT Rail Commuters tweeted. Gov Lamont’s Latest Executive Order Issues Rules on a Slew of Topics
On Thursday, Gov. Ned Lamont issued another executive order, No. 7N, related to COVID-19, and it covered numerous topics.

Community Organizations
Tokeneke Sch Darien Book

Book Drive by Tokeneke School Students Gathers 5,836 Books for Darien Book Aid Plan

By |
Download PDF

Back in February, students at Tokeneke School held a book drive for Darien Book Aid Plan collected 5,836 books that the organization is sending to Peace Corps volunteers and literacy programs in the U.S. and worldwide. Here’s Darien Book Aid Plan’s announcement about the project:
If you entered Tokeneke School during the month of February, you would have noticed signs around the school promoting a book drive organized by the Tokeneke Student Council to benefit local non-profit Darien Book Aid. Darien Book Aid distributes free books to Peace Corps volunteers and literacy programs around the globe as well as to underserved schools and other programs in the United States. Thanks to the students and families of Tokeneke School, the book drive was a huge success and yielded a record-number 5,836 gently-used books for the non-profit. Some of these books are already on their way around the world.

Community Organizations
Person-to-Person food pantry

If You Need Social Services During the COVID-19 Epidemic: What’s the Same, What’s Changed

By |
Download PDF

Anyone who gets or is thinking about getting social services from the state, the town or from local and area organizations such as Person-to-Person may have heard of some or all of the many changes made in the past several days in the way that’s done. Here’s a roundup of the changes, in case you missed any, of what’s different and in some cases, what’s the same because of or in spite of the COVID-19 epidemic and social distancing policies:

SEE ALSO: Suddenly Need Health Insurance After COVID-19 Dislocations? New ‘Exceptional Enrollment Period’ Announced (March 18)

Applying for Unemployment Benefits? It’s Online for Now
UPDATE, 8:24 p.m., Wednesday March 18: From Gov. Ned Lamont’s 6:32 p.m.news release, based on his late afternoon public news briefing:

“The Connecticut Department of Labor has closed its main office in Wethersfield and all of the American Jobs Centers throughout the state to in-person visits from the general public effective immediately. The agency is encouraging people to utilize their online services, which can be found by visiting its website at www.ctdol.state.ct.us.

Community Organizations

What the COVID-19 Storm Has Canceled or Closed in Darien

By |
Download PDF

In Darien, here’s what the COVID-19 outbreak is causing to be closed down (usually “until further notice”) or causing to be canceled. We’ll update this list as new information comes in (links are to online announcements):

—Darien Community Association: “[T]he DCA is postponing/rescheduling imminent large events and activities. We are contacting those affected, and any rescheduling information will be posted when it becomes available. At this time, all other DCA activities will run/operate as scheduled, including our DCA Thrift Shop.” —Darien Historical Society: “In order to help prevent the spread of corona virus, public programs are cancelled until further notice.”

Community Organizations
Coronavirus illustration CDC wide for facebook

COVID-19: The New Abnormal Emerges Out of an Abundance of Closures and Other Changes

By |
Download PDF

Entire public school districts in New Canaan, Wilton and Westport announced on Wednesday that they are immediately closing, and remote learning starts Friday in New Canaan. Senior centers in Greenwich and Stamford also announced closings. Donations of clothing (but not food) to Person-to-Person and in-kind donations to the Domestic Violence Crisis Center are now being refused. Avon Theatre in Stamford announced its anti-coronavirus measures and the Stamford Symphony has cancelled its March 21 and 22 performances. That’s the new abnormal in Darien and surrounding communities as various organizations, institutions and agencies batten down the hatches and shut doors to the public in anticipation of COVID-19 breaking out here, too.

Books & Authors
Darien 1820 wide for Facebook

Bicentennial Exhibition and Commemorative Book on Life in Darien 200 Years Ago

By |
Download PDF

What was it like to live in Darien 200 years ago? As the town celebrates its 200th birthday it’s an opportune time to ask the question. A new exhibition and commemorative book, Darien 1820 — New Town, New Times by Darien Historical Society Historian Ken Reiss, will open with a Champagne Gala on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Darien Historical Society, 25 Old Kings Highway North, Darien. — an announcement from the Darien Historical Society

Both the book and the exhibition focus on life in town during the year 1820, when Darien gained its independence from Stamford and Norwalk. “People living in 1820s Darien were on the threshold of revolutionary developments that would usher in the modern age,” said Reiss.

Community Organizations
Darien Foundation gives P2P $65K for tech

Darien Foundation Gives $65K to Person-to-Person for Technology Improvements

By |
Download PDF

The Darien Foundation has awarded Person-to-Person a $65,000 grant for a technology initiative to improve P2P’s client services and to manage its many volunteers, including some 700 from Darien. — an announcement from Person-to-Person

The aim of this project is to optimize data and relationship management, ensuring increased efficiencies in the ways Person-to-Person delivers on its mission. This project will build P2P’s capacity to meet the increased demand for assistance and support the overall growth in P2P’s services. The new infrastructure will enhance the ways in which P2P collects and reviews data and will help the organization use its volunteers more efficiently.. P2P is a community-supported agency that provides food, clothing and financial assistance through three sites in Darien, Norwalk and Stamford.

Charity Events and Opportunities
Yacht Rock On Darien Foundation benefit 2020 square thumbnail

Tickets on Sale Now for Darien Foundation’s April 25 ‘Yacht Rock On’ Benefit

By |
Download PDF

Tickets are now available for purchase for this year’s Darien Foundation benefit, Yacht Rock On, to be held on Saturday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m. at The Tokeneke Club. The event will feature a live performance by the high-energy, award-winning, six-piece band Three Sheets to the Wind: America’s Number One Tribute to Yacht Rock. — an announcement from the Darien Foundation

Last year, tickets sold out over two weeks in advance, so The Darien Foundation encourages those interested in attending to purchase tickets early. Tickets are available at the Darien Foundation website. “We continue to be amazed by the tremendous support for our annual flagship event,” said Byrne Pozzi, Darien Foundation board member, fundraising chair and event co-chair.

Community Organizations
Women of Distinction YWCA Darien/Norwalk

YWCA Darien/Norwalk Now Accepting Nominations for 2020 Women of Distinction Awards

By |
Download PDF

The YWCA Darien/Norwalk is seeking nominations for women who epitomize leadership and have used their skills to make our community a better place to live for the 11th annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards. If you know of a woman who fits this description, please consider nominating her today! The deadline to submit nominations is March 6. — an announcement from the YWCA Darien/Norwalk

After nominations are received, the Women of Distinction Nominations Committee will review the submissions and select the honorees. The honorees will represent leadership in varied service and business fields throughout our community.