Community Organizations
Heather Gordon Youth Program Manager Community Fund of Darien wide thumbnail

Community Fund of Darien Appoints Heather Gordon as New Youth Program Manager

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The Community Fund of Darien has added a new staff position — youth program manager — to oversee and coordinate TCF’s four student youth groups. The first manager is Heather Gordon, also works in the Noroton Presbyterian Church’s Youth Ministry. She has years of experience as a volunteer in organizations, including youth-oriented groups. — This announcement (with edits by Darienite.com) was written by two TCF summer interns, Darien students Isabelle Garrett and Alyse Wright-Webb. Heather is an extremely involved volunteer, having previously partnered with organizations such as Young Life, Trinity Church, Save the Children, and the YMCA.

Charity Events and Opportunities
Promotional image for Mission: Possible from the Community Fund of Darien

Gather a Group and Compete in ‘Mission: Possible’, Community Fund of Darien’s One-Week Contest

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The Community Fund of Darien’s invites groups of friends and family members to compete in the TCF’s inaugural “community chase” competition, “Mission: Possible!” The contest supports local nonprofits. Looking for a way to connect with friends and family while supporting our community at the same time?  Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to join the TCF’s virtual competition for teams of all ages. Mission: Possible! is a fun-filled, socially distanced event that will take place the week of Sept.

Babs White
Babs White retires Museum of Darien

Museum of Darien Costume Curator Babs White Announces Retirement After 50 Years

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Trends come and go, but a true classic stands the test of time. No one exemplifies that fashion truism more than Babs White, the Museum’s widely respected and well-beloved Costume Curator who recently announced her retirement after nearly a half century. — an announcement from the Museum of Darien

“It’s been a lot of fun,” said White, who recently celebrated her 95th birthday. “The collection has been the focus of my life.”

With over 3,000 items, including antique dresses, shoes and accessories, the Museum’s Costume Collection is recognized as one of New England’s finest, and experts throughout the region have long sought out White’s guidance on exhibitions and fashion history. Since joining the Darien Historical Society in the late 1960s, White has curated fashion exhibitions at the Museum on a nearly annual basis.

Community Organizations
Jim Cameron Darien TV79

Darien TV79 Upgrade Now Allows More Programming Each Day — Got an Idea for a New Show?

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Darien TV79, the town government television station, has expanded its program offerings thanks to a $50,000 grant for new technology from the Darien Foundation. The TV station has also announced that it is looking for programming from the community — so if you’d like to create a show, get in touch. — an announcement from Darien TV79 and the Darien Foundation

The station’s new CASTUS server system will allow scores of programs to run each day, bringing the Darien community a fresh look at all aspects of the town. In addition, the grant allowed TV79 to buy new cameras and video production gear. “Our old system allowed us to only air six shows a week,” said TV79 Program Director Jim Cameron.

Community Organizations
Tim Bosek joins Americares Board of Directors

Darien Native Tim Bosek Joins Americares Board of Directors

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Darien native Tim Bosek, a longtime volunteer with Americares and chairman of its Junior Council, has joined the organization’s Board of Directors. — an announcement from Americares
Bosek began a three-year term on the board of the the health-focused relief and development organization on July 1. “We are excited to welcome Tim to our Board of Directors,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “As chairman of Americares Junior Council and a longtime volunteer he is deeply committed to our mission to save lives and improve health for people affected by poverty or disaster.” 
Bosek has served as chairman of Americares Junior Council since 2017, helping to grow the council from 34 members to nearly 100. “My family has been involved with Americares for almost 20 years and I keep a 2002 Americares supporter card in my wallet to this day,” Bosek said. “It has been incredibly rewarding to see the impact the organization has had on so many lives. I’m excited to help Americares continue to grow and I hope the Junior Council can play a greater role in getting younger people more involved.”   
He is currently a vice president in the SPDR ETF division at State Street Global Advisors, the world’s third-largest asset manager. Prior to joining State Street, Mr. Bosek served as an associate director on the exchange traded funds strategy and due diligence team at UBS Wealth Management.

Community Organizations

Corbin Cares Initiative for Food-Insecure Families and Seniors Extended to July 3

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When Corbin Cares and the Darien Foundation partnered back in March to provide meals for Darien senior citizens and families impacted by the shelter-in-place order, the program was projected to wind down by Friday, May 22. However, the ongoing needs related to the pandemic have warranted the program’s extension to Friday, July 3. — an announcement from Corbin Cares and the Darien Foundation

“We conceived these meals to replace the lunches that were being served by the now closed Mather Senior Center and to support families who had relied on the school lunch program” said Sarah Woodberry, executive director of the Darien Foundation. “We are proud that as of May 22, this collaboration has provided 4,140 meals to those in need.”

Corbin Cares enlisted six local restaurants, including Bodega Taco Bar, Ten Twenty Post, Baldanza Bistro, Four Forks, Jake’s Place and UCBC, to provide healthy, boxed meals that are then distributed to the seniors and families. “It’s inspiring to be involved in a public private partnership like this,” said Ward Glassmeyer, chairman of The Darien Foundation.

Community Organizations
Georgette Harrison wide facebook Thriving Youth Task Force

Georgette Harrison Selected as Next Chair of Darien Thriving Youth Task Force

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The Thriving Youth Task Force (TYTF) is excited to announce that Georgette Harrison will assume the role of executive board co-chair for the 2020/21 school year. — an announcement from the Darien Thriving Youth Task Force, a project of the Community Fund of Darien

She has participated in TYTF since 2016, most recently as subject matter expert.  Harrison will succeed Darien Police Sgt. James Palmieri, who will complete his term as co-chair this year after also serving as a member of the task force for many years and an officer on the executive board since 2019. [see this letter to the editor]  Sgt. Palmieri will remain on the executive board as a liaison to the Darien Police Department.

Charity Events and Opportunities

Person-to-Person Is Giving Out More Groceries and Is Asking for Your Food Donations

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Person-to-Person (P2P) is calling on lower Fairfield County community to ensure the well-being of our neighbors during the pandemic by participating in P2P’s Food Drives. During the months of March and April, P2P has seen a 50% increase in its food assistance program. Meeting the increased need, P2P has provided groceries for more than 280,000 meals to more than 4,500 families. — an announcement from Person-to-Person

However, P2P is faced with a lack of food available for families, in part due to the cancellation of the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. “Stamp Out Hunger is historically P2P’s largest annual food drive, bringing in an average of 68,000 pounds of food, enough food for 55,000 meals for families in need,” said Nancy Coughlin, CEO of Person-to-Person.

Community Organizations
Lake Avenue Bridge Greenwich over Merritt Parkway black and gold metalwork restored

Merritt Parkway Partnership Wins National Award for Bridge Project

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The recent rebuilding of the Lake Avenue Bridge over the Merritt Parkway in Greenwich has earned Connecticut a new award. A state agency, nonprofit group and business which all cooperated on the project to rebuild the bridge, part of the Merritt Parkway National Scenic Byway, won the 2020 Byway Organization’s Leveraging Services Award bestowed by the National Scenic Byway Foundation project. — an announcement from the Merritt Parkway Conservancy on behalf of the organizations in the partnership

Cited for their collaboration were the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Merritt Parkway Conservancy, and contractor Mohawk Northeast Inc.

Maintaining and repairing scenic byways, which are both transportation corridors and tourism and quality of life assets, often generate conflicts between competing missions of safety, efficiency and aesthetic stewardship among agencies responsible for their immediate upkeep and the communities who use them. “The next two generations of drivers on the Merritt will live with the way we treat it today,” Conservancy executive director Wes Haynes wrote to the foundation in appreciation for the award. “Returning this bridge to structural soundness and the way it looked when it was built in 1940 demonstrates that goals of safety, efficiency and aesthetics can be met through collaboration when everyone pulls in the same direction.”

The project required taking the bridge out of service to completely replace the structural steel.

Arts & Entertainment
Covid is No Joke fundraiser square thumbnail

Stars and Comedy Stars Align to Perform on Youtube Friday, May 1 in Benefit for Americares

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The biggest names in comedy are coming together to help health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with a special virtual comedy fest on Friday, May 1. The Covid Is No Joke comedy show will be a night of levity, laughter and community in support of frontline health workers—the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. — an announcement from Americares

The show will air LIVE on covidisnojoke.org and Americares YouTube channel at 8 p.m. EDT, benefitting Americares COVID-19 response. The star-studded event will feature a mix of sketches, stand-up comedy and heart-felt messages from:
Elizabeth Banks, Ike Barinholtz, Jack Black and Tenacious D, Wayne Brady, D’Arcy Carden, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Cotter, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Will Ferrell, Gal Gadot, Kyle Gass, Linda Hamilton, Chelsea Handler, Mindy Kaling, Kerri Louise, Jonathan Mangum, Patton Oswalt, Natalia Reyes, Adam Scott, Finn Straley, Paige Weldon, Jenny Yang and more. Americares board member and actor, director, producer Tony Goldwyn will host the one-hour event.

Community Organizations

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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.