January 29, 2021 by Greenwich Sentinel

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January 29, 2021

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Camillo, Greenwich Public Schools '21-'22 Budgets

By Richard Kaufman

O n Tu e s d a y n i g h t v i a Z o o m , Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo unveiled his $450.6 million municipal budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, followed by Board of Education Chair Peter Bernstein and Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones, who presented their spending plan. Camillo's proposed spending plan weig hs i n at $ 4 50,6 49, 5 8 5 w it h a $51 million capital budget and would represent a 0.51 percent increase over the current budget of $448.3 million. It would also represent a 1.75% increase in the town's mill rate, which is used to calculate property and vehicle tax. The Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation had set guidelines last fall calling for a budget of $460 million, with at most a $55 million capital budget.

"The town and the Board of Education must continue to offer services that make Greenwich the best place to live, raise a family, start a business and/or retire," First Selectman Fred Camillo said. Fo l l o w i n g C a m i l l o , B o a r d o f E du c at i o n C h a i r Pe te r B e r n s te i n and Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones presented the school district's operating budget of $169,846,597, along with a $32 million capital budget. The operating budget, wh ich is seperate f rom add itiona l school employee benefits, represents an increase of almost 4 percent over the

current budget. Capital Projects Camillo has said recently that the hardest part in crafting a budget is prioritizing and allotting money for capital projects. "Capital improvements substantially affect the fiscal vitality and quality of life in Greenwich. Capital improvements

Vaccination Clinics Open Greenwich residents who are 75 and older are eligible in Phase 1B to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine which will be available – by appointment only – at four locations in Town. Greenwich Hospital is operating a daily clinic at the Brunswick School King Street campus in addition to its Northeast Medical Group location at 500 W. Putnam Avenue. Family Centers is operating a clinic at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center in Old Greenwich. And the Greenwich Health Department will have a clinic open 3 days a week at Town Hall. Details on hours of operation for those two sites will be announced. For those who do not have Internet access, information and reservations may be obtained by calling the Yale New Haven Health COVID hotline at 833-2759644; Commission on Aging at 203-862-6710 or Health Department: 203-622-7703, 203-622-7842, 203-6227836, 203-622-7865 or 203-622-7614. If you do have Internet access, you may use the Yale New Haven Health web site: y n h h s.org /cov idvacc i ne

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Missing Teen Greenwich Police are attempting to locate Sydney Renee Roswess, 15, who was last seen at Kids in Crisis on January 24. Sydney is approximately 5'5" with blond braids. She was last seen wearing a burgundy sweatshirt and white shorts. Anyone who may know Sydney's where a b outs is aske d to c a l l t he Greenwich Police Department at 203622-8004.

Concerns Over Tree Removals, Noise Pollution Along I-95 There is growing public concern over the removal of trees as well as noise pollution issues along I-95 in Greenwich. On Jan. 21 The CT Department of Transportation conducted a public i n for m at ion m e e t i n g c on c e r n i n g prop ose d St ate P roje c t i nvolv i ng resurfacing, bridge rehabilitation and Please turn to page 9

STORY IDEAS Publisher@ GreenwichSentinel.com COLUMNISTS Columnists and community impact. Jenny at CommunityImpact@ GreenwichSentinel.com JIM KNOX info@beardsleyzoo.org LETTERS Editor@GreenwichSentinel. com CORRESPONDENCE PO Box 279 Greenwich, CT 06836

By Kris Herndon Five new recruits joined the Greenwich Fire Department on Monday. Fire Chief Joseph O. McHug h welcomed Joseph Battinelli, Jennifer Osher, Tim Lew is, Ryan Crook and

family, friends and well-wishers, as well uniformed firefighters, first responders and members of the press -- was enthusiastic, cheering and applauding each new recruit in turn. After welcoming those in attendance,

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AMAZING news: Valentine’s Day flower arrangements are back this year at Abilis Gifts in Glenville. Shop local and support a good cause. Order roses, petite arrangements, and Abilis gift sets for Valentine’s day arranged by Flowers by René - Abilis’ own talented floral designer! Visit the Abilis website https://www.abilis.us/ or call 203 531-4438 to order your valentine's flowers by February 3rd. Abilis Gardens & Gifts 50 Glenville Street, Greenwich.

By Jill S. Woolworth, LMFT In moments of marital stress, humor defuses tension. When your partner acts defensively or d isplays what you consider to be a “character defect,” it can be helpful to reframe what you see: consider that your spouse has put on a costume i n sel f- defen se . L o ok for the fearful person underneath your spouse’s costume. Each of us puts on a costume when we feel t h r e atene d, t y pic a l ly an aggressive one or a prote c t ive one . W hat costume do you put on? Do you become a ferocious grizzly bear, a jaguar, a dictator, or King Kong? Or do you put on a suit of armor, a turtle shell, a rock, or an ostrich costume? Costumes are removable, not part of our character.

Scott Lanahan in a brief ceremony at the Greenwich Fire Station. To facilitate social distancing, chairs were set several feet apart, and masks were required for those in attendance. Though limited in size due to the ongoing pandemic, the audience -- composed of

Calls to Action Illustrated by Wajih Chaudhry

EVENTS Editor@GreenwichSentinel. com

ADVERTISING Peter@GreenwichSentinel. com; call 203-4850226; or buy online at GreenwichSentinel.com/ Advertise

Ryan Crook, Tim Lewis, Scott Lanahan , Joseph Batinelli, Jennifer Osher. Photo by Kris Herndon.

Costumes

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o r t h e Va c c i n e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Management System (VAMS) via the state Department of Public Health dphsubmissions.ct.gov/onlinevaccine to register.

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for donors to contribute, whether it's for naming rights for the building, the gymnasium, outdoor space, or even brick s which would be on display. Camillo hopes to reveal a "chip chart" soon to outline how the town can chip away at the $18 million price tag through donations. The enhancement of Roger Sherman Baldwin Park has always been a favorite for Camillo, he said. In his proposed budget, there is $1.25 million put aside for design work and improvement. For fiscal year '23, $11.2 million would be needed for construction. The entire plan calls for the demolition and relocation of the Parks and Recreation building, which Camillo said obstructs sightlines and views of the waterfront. Walking paths near the

GFD's Five New Recruits

News You Need to Know By Caroll Melgar

require careful, long-term planning a nd budgeti ng so that u n foreseen f inancial emergencies do not curtail planned maintenance and necessary replacement," Camillo said. “But no matter how worthwhile these projects are, we can’t do them all at once. These are hard choices that are made. We can’t do everything.” On Tuesday night, Camillo outlined several projects included in his proposed budget. For the new Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, $18 million is being budgeted for construction with a bid expected to go out by Oct. 1, 2021. Camillo said the project is a good example for what a public/private partnership should look like, and he added that he hopes to announce an "anchor donor" for the project shortly. There will be a few other ways

K now ing th is ca n change stressful moments i nto opp or t u n it ie s to help each other (and our children) with costume changes. Louise shouted at her partner, “You’re an iceberg. I can only get to 10 percent of you!” Connor parried, “And you’re a giant sponge. I can never fill you up!” The visual was so powerful and funny that they both laughed. The iceberg and the sponge became their singleword ways of letting each other know when they felt abandoned or overwhelmed. This comical visual allowed them to give one another what was helpful. Greenwich resident, Jill Woolworth is author of the book, The Waterwheel, which is available locally at Diane's Books (203-8691515) or info@dianesbooks. com) or at Amazon.

Fill The Van! St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Riverside hosts a food collection for Neighbor-to-Neighbor every Thursday from 10-11:30AM (weather permitting) in their parking lot for a "contactless" drop off. Hit the grocery store and grab some protein staples: including beans, canned tuna and chicken, peanut butter, oatmeal etc. All you need to do is bring your non perishable foods for donation and the folks at St. Paul’s will do the rest!. Reach out for more information: email hello@stpaulsriverside.org or call: 203 637-2447. Volunteer at the Greenwich Audubon Center: Become a part of the solution to create a better, more sustainable world. Opportunities are available for volunteers 14 years of age or older. If you are under 14 years old, you can still volunteer as long as an adult accompanies and works with you. If you are interested in an internship for school credit, or would like to discuss a special project, other opportun or volunteer questions, please contact Elyssa Scheck at 203-869-5272 x346 or escheck@audubon.org. Greenwich Audubon Center 613 Riversville Road Greenwich, CT 06831. Support Pathways Inc. and the OG Social Club by purchasing a restaurant gift card this weekend. Dine local and help your neighbor: 20% of all gift card revenue will go to Pathways Inc. Visit the OG Social Club website to purchase a gift card by Sunday January 31: https://www.ogsocialclub.com/ Community Centers Inc (CCI) is sweetening Valentine’s Day for 87 local seniors and they need your help! Pitch in and grab one of the following items: small sized Valentine's Day baskets, tea bags, heart shaped cookies, chocolate kisses, a single red/pink rose for each basket and don’t forget a Valentine’s Day card with a lovely note. Come help with Valentine basket delivery on Friday February 12th between 12pm-2pm. Reach out to Vanessa Cardinal at vanessa.cardinal@ccigreenwich.org or call 203 869-1276.

Local New Briefs Continued Anne Semmes Gets the Vaccine Community Calendar

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Local Student Achievements

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Puzzles for Kids and Adults

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Astrology for Week of Jan. 31, 2021

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The coolest local breweries

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Don’t delay your care. We’re safe and here for you. At Yale New Haven Health, we’ve instituted a comprehensive 10-step safety program in all of our facilities to ensure that everything is clean, safe, and ready to treat you at a moment’s notice. Our world-class medical expertise, combined with these world-class safety measures, ensures that you’ll get the care you need with the peace of mind you deserve. greenwichhospital.org

OUR COLUMNISTS

Take Note - This Matters

COLUMN

By Icy Frantz I usually cry when I am feeling i n spi r e d when somet h i ng or someone is so remarkable it’s as if God is pinching me – “Take note. This matters.” In the last week alone, I h ave b e e n m ove d t o t e a r s more t ha n once. Fi rst, t here was the incredible young poet, Amanda Gorman, so poised on t he world s t a ge , d r e s s e d in bright yellow, of fering her written words of passion while simultaneously moving her hands in encouragement. Yesterday I watche d f rom my b e d room window as the sun rose, also bright in color, and message a majestic awakening and greeting of the day. And then this year’s three amazing f inalists for the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year award that I was honored to meet on a Zoom call also had my eyes welling. I am sure there were additional outbursts, because honestly, while others f ind it difficult to show emotion, I have trouble containing it. But what is it about a word that is often trite and sometimes elusive? Inspire def ined is to e xc ite , e nc ou rage , a f fe c t , or arouse. It is derived from the Latin root inspirare, which means “to breathe or blow into”. COLUMN

Digging even farther back into history, inspire is described as “a divine or supernatural influence or action”. These definitions are broad in scope, ranging from mere encouragement to a much loftier supernatural inf luence, and this has led to its overuse and misuse, and a reaction to its use that is often cringeworthy. To be clear, I do not cry when I have been “inspired” to get my nails done by some friend with a perfectly fresh manicure, and I do not fa l l prey to ex treme emotional undoing when I am “inspired” to clean my car because of the ghastly smell of a spilled latte. These dumbeddown versions of inspiration are important - motivating even but they pale in comparison to the type of inspiration that truly energizes me. For the sake of this piece, I will focus on the type of inspiration that is related to transcendence; sometimes temporary, but always weig hty. The “take note, this matters” moments when we are so moved by nature, an action, a person, or a performance that we want to do better, be better. This kind of inspiration knows no bounds. It is not limited by race or religion, f inancial situation, or party aff iliation - isn’t that refreshing? It’s the stirring of something new, improved, or more importantly, a shift in one’s previous concerns. I am always inspired by stories of people who have overcome adversity. Always. It’s the finest ex a mple of “we c a n do h a r d

To find inspiration we must first believe in it. We must see that even in a world fraught with disease and discourse there are stories, some every day, and some found on the world stage that collectively give us hope and personally transform us. things”; the stories where people have literally done amazing things in the face of great challenge. I have a friend who paints even t houg h she h a s l ive d w it h a chronic arthritic condition her whole life. And another friend who has raised her children on her own while her former husband goes in and out of institutions due to a mental condition. And still, another friend who has beaten cancer not once, not twice, but three times, and lives with the most beautiful outlook on life. We are all given hard in life - some more than others - but to live with it and through it with grace and tenacity is inspiring. I am equally inspired too by those incredible souls who go out of their way, sometimes despite their own circumstances, to better the lives of others. Mother Teresa singlehandedly inspired the world with her commitment to others; she is a wonderful example, but there are so many others right here in our own communities

and across the globe. Look at ou r he a lt hc a re workers who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic, or the volunteers and workers manning our soup k itche n s , ou r fo o d p a nt r ie s . And look at our youth, the next generation who may be the most inspiring of all. I know a young girl who raised over $7,000 in one day at her lemonade stand to help an animal sanctuary and a young boy who collected over 2,000 pairs of socks for the homeless. I love when a young person has so much to teach me. I know I am not alone, but sometimes leav ing a f uneral, I am full of both sadness and inspiration, t wo seeming ly conflicting emotions. Of course, I am sad at the thought of death, a loss, and of a life without, but I am often inspired by the life that was lived. Listening to the eulogies at a funeral, it is hard to not take stock of our own life. In fact, sitting on the wooden bench of a pew, I have often plotted a new path. I will be

kinder, more engaged, a better mother, a more loving wife. I think about my own funeral (what will be said – Good God!) and what would I like to have said and how can I make the necessary changes. It’s easy to be inspired by nature. I have climbed more than a few mountains in my lifetime, and perhaps delirious from exhaustion at their peaks, look ing out at the land below and beyond is inspiring. Certainly, it’s a moment of great pride - I made it! - and the reward is the view. But more than that, it’s a feeling of connection to our world, and the consideration of its maker, and the ref lection of our own little piece in a much greater whole. But we don’t need to climb a mountain to be inspired by nature; it’s all around us, in our largest cities and across the barest plains. We just need to stop and take it in. Writers and artists and all creative souls look for inspiration everywhere. Sometimes it simply myster iously app e a rs at o dd

moments and in strange places in unusual ways. And sometimes it needs to be coaxed like one would cajole a dog away from a lurking skunk - consistently and calmly. For me, I have sat staring at a blank page, hoping, wishing that words and ideas will fill my head with no luck, and other times I can be driving in my car and suddenly be consumed with the words and ideas that were absent before. Where does it come from, this sneaky inspiration? I don’t know exactly, but I do know that I am extremely grateful when I put my hand out inadvertently and catch it. To find inspiration we must f irst believe in it. We must see that even in a world fraught with disease and discourse there are stor ies, some ever y day, a nd some found on the world stage that collectively give us hope and personally transform us. We can put ourselves in the direct path of inspiration by intentionally seeking it, tilting our head in its direction. Stop and listen to the music, read about the lives of remarkable people, ask the questions that matter, commit to really getting to know the people in our lives, and marvel at what they have done and what they have overcome. Get up early to watch the sunrise, or sleep in and wonder at the midday light. Contemplate life’s finish line, it’s not over until it’s really over, and how to live a life, inspired. Icy Frantz Visit her at The Icing on the Cake at www.IcyFrantz.net

For the Love of a Greater Good

By Eli Schaffer A community of caring neighbors makes all the difference when times get tough. Just like the famous generosity of Greenwich, the intercon nected lives of birds and other w ildlife of fer opportunities for neighborly love. Each of us has faced the realities, good and bad, of what we have, what we need and what matters most when things get tough. The same events that forced some into solitary living, forced others into home schooling, where some spent time in second homes, others are going on 11 months of occupying the same single room. Personal experiences since last March have varied greatly, yet we have all been effected by the many ways our world has dramatically changed. When we needed it most, our shared humanity has emerged time and again through moments of joy, through compassion for one another and for many, through time immersed in the magic our local environment. As the Director of the Greenwich Audubon Center, I have witnessed examples of each many times –especially recently. With the prospect of another spring remaining at home, the Greenwich

Audubon team thought hard about how our work could create the most lasting positive change and togetherness. Nature marches on to the beat of the seasons and for us at Audubon, that beat is the sound of flapping wings migrating south every fall, and north again in the spring. Our programs reflect the connections to nature that each special moment of the year makes possible. A lthough we often focus on the birds you can see while walking our 15 miles of hiking trails across 6 sanctuaries in town, a world of bird activity can be created almost anywhere by s i mp l y o f fe r i n g b i r d s e e d through a variety of feeder setups. Welcoming birds to your backyard with us is the perfect way to connect with the season of love this February. Through Audubon programs, we can connect to each other to celebrate nearby nature and support wildlife all while supporting neighbors in need.

For the Love of Birds, in support of Neig hbor to Neig hbor, is a month-long celebration of backyard bird feeding and the special access to nature it brings. As we educate about how and why we create foodsource hot-spots for our feathered friends, we also acknowledge the dire need for food many families in our area face as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Half of all revenue brought in through our For the Love of Birds programs and 10% of revenues from For the Love of Birds birdfeeder packages will be donated to Greenwich’s own Neighbor to Neighbor food bank. With nothing more than a bi r d fe e der a nd a p oster of Connecticut birds in winter, our toddler son and I spent countless hours last spring learning about nature from our backyard and from our back door. As he grew from shouting “Wookapoo” as Red Bellied Woodpeckers f lew by in March to identifying Chickadees and Blue Jays just by the sound

of their calls in May, the darkest days of lockdown were also among the most special for our learning together. Experiences in nature are proven to make you happier and live longer. What better way to celebrate the joy nature provides us than to provide for each other and the birds? All February long, and beyond, I encourage you to join the Greenwich Audubon Center as we celebrate For the Love of Birds to foster learning in nature while ensuring that our neighbors have what they need most when they need it the most. Among the legacy non-profits in Greenw ich, the Greenw ich Audubon Center has met challenges of generations past and we are facing down the challenges of today with the same steadfast focus on making the world a better place for birds and people to share. Although our buildings remain closed until spring, the Center staff have been hard at work preparing for the spring migration, and the many

All February long, and beyond, I encourage you to join the Greenwich Audubon Center as we celebrate For the Love of Birds to foster learning in nature while ensuring that our neighbors have what they need most when they need it the most.

visitors we will welcome as the weather turns warm again. New exhibits, trail features, partnerships and programs will renew how you experience Audubon. Until we open again, For the Love of Birds offers multiple ways to reconnect with nature. In addition to programs and backyard birdfeeding set-ups, we are booking private nature adventures for throughout the year guided by a training Audubon

naturalist. This February, share your love with Greenwich Audubon and join For the Love of Birds in support of Neighbor to Neighbor. Eli Schaffer is the Director of the Greenwich Audubon Center. He is living a life-long dream of connecting families and nature-lovers to meaningful experiences in our local environment. He lives in Stamford with his wife and two sons.

We’re treating you to 50% off an array of our favorite seasonal styles, available in limited quantities. Visit us at 371 Greenwich Avenue! or call us at (203) 930-2408!

COMMUNITY CALENDAR PLANNER LIBRARIES:

greenwichlibrary.org Jan. 29 12 p.m. SCORE Showcase: Oasis Senior Advisors. Free. Register. 203-622-7924.

ywang@greenwichlibrary.org.

7 p.m. Virtual – ReConnect: Friends Friday Films “The Booksellers” Panel Discussion with WNPR’s Colin McEnroe. csherman@

greenwichlibrary.org Jan. 30

10:30 a.m. Virtual – Cooking Demo: Winter Cream of Leek and Veggie Soups with Sylviane. 203-531-0426. 11 a.m. Virtual Drop-in Computer Lab. 203-625-6560.

trainingcenter@greenwichlibrary.org

4 p.m. Virtual – ReConnect: Peterson Concert with The Bill Charlap Trio. kpetrov@

greenwichlibrary.org Feb. 1

10 a.m. Virtual – Storytime.

dsullivan@greenwichlibrary.org 1 p.m. Virtual – Creative Writing Workshop: Writing for Sanity. 203-625-6534.

ghayes@greenwichlibrary.org

7 p.m. Virtual: Data Analytics. 203-625-6533. mmartin@

greenwichlibrary.org

Feb. 2 10 a.m. Virtual – Weekly Job Search Accelerator Group.

mmartin@greenwichlibrary.org

6-8). 203-622-7918.

emorrissey@greenwichlibrary.org 4 p.m. Virtual – Bookworms Book Club (Grades 2-3). 203-622-7940. children@

greenwichlibrary.org

7 p.m. Virtual – Cybersecurity. 203-625-6533. mmartin@

greenwichlibrary.org

Feb. 4 9 a.m. Virtual – Parent & Child Yoga for Tots (Ages 2-5). Via Zoom. dsullivan@

greenwichlibrary.org

10 a.m. Virtual – ‘Fiesta de los Cuentos’ - Bilingual Storytime. dsullivan@

4 p.m. Virtual – Chair Yoga with Kristin. Adults. 203-5310426. 4 p.m. Chess Club (Grades K-5). Free. Register. children@

greenwichlibrary.org

6 p.m. Virtual: Intro to 3D Scanning. 203-622-7979.

innovationlab@greenwichlibrary.org

7 p.m. Virtual: SQL understanding of concepts of with extensive handson experience. Register.

mmartin@greenwichlibrary.org Feb. 3 10 a.m. Virtual – Story Time (Toddler, Preschool).

dsullivan@greenwichlibrary.org 1 p.m. Virtual – Get Started with Investing I: Intro to Most Popular Investment Vehicles. 203-622-7924.

ywang@greenwichlibrary.org

3 p.m. Virtual – Afternoon Story/ Craft (Ages 2 ½ & up). 203-622-6883. 4 p.m. Virtual – YA Book Discussion Group (Grades

Webinar: Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. Feb. 4 1 p.m. Webinar: Migraine & Women’s Health. Webinar: Pulmonary Disease and Diabetes.

csherman@greenwichlibrary.org

4 p.m. Virtual – Junior Book Club (Grades 4-6). 203622-7915. mwalsh@

greenwichlibrary.org

5 p.m. Virtual – Tai Chi with Ken Dolan. Adults. 203-5310426. 7 p.m. Virtual – Python, from basics, all the way to using machine learning packages. Free. Register. mmartin@greenwichlibrary.org Feb. 5 10 a.m. Virtual – Senior Chinese Book Discussion Group. 203-622-7924. ywang@

greenwichlibrary.org

12 p.m. SCORE Webinar: 3 Dux/ Design - A Children’s Educational Modeling System Business. ywang@

greenwichlibrary.org

Feb. 2 1:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

12 p.m. SCORE Webinar - Get Found on Google: SEO Basics. 203-622-7924. 1 p.m. SCORE Webinar - Shipping as a Small-Business Growth Strategy. 203-622-7924. ywang@

Webinar: Hip Replacement Education. Via Zoom. Free. Register. 203-8633598.

2 p.m. Virtual – How Lockdown Has Changed TV Viewing (And Ways to Make the Most of It). 203-625-6560.

10 a.m. Virtual – Storytime with Ms. Ann. 203-622-7920.

ywang@greenwichlibrary.org

GreenwichHospital

Feb. 1 12:30 p.m.

greenwichlibrary.org

11 a.m. Virtual Drop-in Computer Lab. 203-625-6560.

trainingcenter@greenwichlibrary.org

vs. Fiction. Questions can be submitted ahead of time to Vaccinecommunity@ ynhh.org or live during the event. facebook.com/

lmatthews@greenwichlibrary.org

greenwichlibrary.org

3:30 p.m. Virtual – Meditation Workshop. 203-625-6549.

schan@greenwichlibrary.org

PERROT LIBRARY:

perrotlibrary.org/events Feb. 3 7 p.m.

The Power of Puppetry: a Virtual Discussion with Leslee Asch, author of ‘Out of the Shadows’. Via Zoom. Free. Register. ST. PAUL CHURCH:

facebook.com/SPLCByram Jan. 30 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. St. Paul Lutheran Church annual Creole Spaghetti Dinner, with 10% of the proceeds benefiting Neighbor to Neighbor. They will also be holding a food drive during the dinner pick-up. Order via their FB page or call Jack, 203-252-2327. HOSPITAL:

greenwichhospital.org/events 888-305-9253 Jan. 28 1 p.m. Webinar: Virtual Support Group: Chronic Physical Disability. Via Zoom. Register. Free. 6 p.m. Virtual Town Hall: COVID-19 Vaccine: Facts

Feb. 5 12 p.m. Webinar: Bariatric Informational. RETIRED MEN’S ASSOCIATION: greenwichrma.org/speakers/futurespeakers-3 Feb. 3 11 a.m. Webinar: Flemming Heilman, author, philanthropist and international business executive on his memoir, The Unacceptable Face, a 21st century story of an itinerant career under apartheid, European socialism and American capitalism: “Capitalism, Socialism, and National and Corporate Politics.” Free. Register. GEMS (Greenwich Emergency Medical Service)

greenwichems.org Feb. 5

Honoring First Responders - 2021 Benefit. Online. For ticket, silent auction and donation information visit Gems2021.givesmart.com KIDS IN CRISIS:

kidsincrisis.org Feb. 5-15 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY: greenwichhistory.org/visit Feb. 2 5 p.m. Curator Happy Hour - a virtual tour of the latest exhibition, ‘Lost Landscape Revealed: Childe Hassam and The Red Mill, Cos Cob’. Free, members; $10, nonmembers. Register. Through March 28 ‘In Lost Landscape Revealed: Childe Hassam and The Red Mill, Cos Cob, Works by Hassam and Impressionist Artists Demonstrate Importance of Cos Cob in History of American Art’ exhibit.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE: afgreenwich.org Feb. 3 5 - 6 p.m. ‘Worldwide Wednesdays’ - join in for lively discussions on French films. Open to all. Donation. RSVP for a Zoom link. CHORAL SOCIETY:

gcs-ct.org Feb. 2 7:30 - 9 p.m. Zoom rehearsals. No auditions are required to participate, just an interest in choral music. Every Tuesday. For more details contact admin@

Through March 21

Feb. 1 1 p.m. Lecture: ‘On the Hunt’ - Alan Fausel, Executive Director, American Kennel Club Museum of the Dogs. Via Zoom. $25.

greenwichdecorativearts@gmail.com

BEDFORD PLAYHOUSE: bedfordplayhouse.org

lfreeman@brucemuseum.org

lwvgreenwich.org/

greenwichdecorativearts.org

Open Studio. 7th-12th Grade. Wednesday, by Appointment Only. Free.

Feb. 6 12 - 2 p.m. Seal Spotting & Birding Cruise. Aquarium Dock, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk. $31.50.

7 – 8:30 p.m. Bruce Presents: Getting off the Ground: The Science of Sustainable Farming – Webinar. Via Zoom. RSVP. Free, members; $20, nonmembers; students receive a 20% discount.

Registration begins for GBC’s ‘Forest Days Explore with Me’ - an allweather, outdoor stay and play enrichment program for kids 12-36 months and their caregivers. ow.ly/5UEA50Dhx8A

DECORATIVE ARTS:

archstreet.org Virtual Yoga Takeover. 7th-12th Grade. Tue. & Thu., 4-5pm Free. Online.

THE MARITIME AQUARIUM: maritimeaquarium.org

Feb. 4

Feb. 1

Winter Walk: Identifying Trees Without Leaves. Converse Brook Preserve. Meet at GLT’s Mueller Preserve, 370 Round Hill Rd and caravan to the Converse Brook Preserve parking area. Preregistration is required.

ARCH STREET

10 - 11 a.m. Print Making Art Workshops with Nancy McTague. Via Zoom. (Students will receive a materials list, which will be available at Jerry’s Artarama in Norwalk). RSVP. cflax@brucemuseum.org

LWV:

1 p.m.

Temple Sholom, 300 East Putnam Ave.

Feb. 3

BOTANICAL CENTER:

Jan. 29

Feb. 1 1:30 - 6:30 p.m.

brucemuseum.org

greenwichchoralsociety.org

gltrust.org/calendar

Greenwich Hospital, 5 Perryridge Rd.

Feb. 11 7 p.m. ‘Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President’ Q&A. Ticket buyers will receive a link to watch the film and to register for the Q&A no later than Feb. 1.

BRUCE MUSEUM:

Kids In Crisis Winter Scavenger Hunt. Register. $10, individual or team.

LAND TRUST:

Jan. 28 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The League of Women Voters Student Essay Contest: “Dear Madam Vice President” - write a letter to Vice President Harris, sharing your stories, advice, and wishes. Greenwich students in grades K-12. Essays due: March 21. Submit to: youthoutreach@lwvgreenwich.org NAMI SOUTHWEST CT:

namisouthwestct.org/online-support Feb. 3

6:30 p.m. NAMI-CAN (Child and Adolescent Network) Online Support Group for parents and primary caregivers of children and adolescents, under age 21, with behavioral and emotional issues (Every Wednesday). Free. Contact admin@namict. org for the meeting password. RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE:

RedCrossBlood.org

Free Delivery 203-869-2299

Page 6 | Greenwich Sentinel

Oral History Project Blog

Commuting on the 5:11 “Meet me at 5:11 - Ghou li Bridge.” To the uninitiated, this may sound like an intriguing message delivered to someone i n a m ov i e a b o ut s p i e s a n d espionage. In reality, it refers to a card game played on the 5:11 train from Grand Central Station to Greenwich more than fifty years ago. Commuting by train to Manhattan has changed dramatically since the “Mad Men” days of the 1960’s. In earlier times, people were more apt to have a conversation with a seatmate without the distraction of laptops. I f voices were hea rd, it was because travelers were talking to one another, not to a third party on a cellphone. Classic movies of lovers first meeting on trains were mostly produced before the need for quiet cars. The ever-popular b a r c a r, n ow d i s c o n t i n u e d , allowed commuters to schmooze and order a drink before arriving home. And, for a number of years, dozens of players engaged daily in numerous games of “ghouli bridge,” a commuter-adapted bridge game originated in the 1940’s, on their way into and out of Manhattan. In 1993, Peter Carlson, Sr. was interviewed by Philip Murphy for the Greenwich Oral History Project about ghouli bridge. Mr. Carlson considered this activity one of the joys of commuting as he recalled this game which he played from 1956 to approximately 1970. He also remembered fondly a particular train car with the name emblazoned on its side: “V:XI-GBC” which translated to the “5:11 Gentlemen’s Bar Car”. Mr. Carlson played ghouli bridge daily on the 8:00 train in the morning and the 5:11 returning home. The rules of ghouli bridge were simple. As Mr. Carlson explains it: “Ghouli bridge is simply regular bridge, but you don’t shuffle the cards . . . Because of the (length of the) train trip we tried to get in as many hands as we could. Therefore, you didn’t shuffle. You just slapped the cards together, cut them, and dealt them. And you dealt them five at a time, five at a time, and three at a time, not one at a time. Therefore, the ghouli hands were sometimes outrageous.” There could be anywhere from ten to fourteen games played on each trip. “The conductor would bring a cardboard playing table which sat across the four players’ knees. For that he received the sum of ten-cents a man, or forty cents. And with the ten or twelve or fourteen boards he carried every morning, he made himself about five or six dollars tax-free.” By 1960, the price had gone up to fifteen-cents per player and, over time, to a high of thirty-five cents. Eventually, the practice of bringing boards ceased and some players were relegated to peeling the advertising posters carefully off the train wall. Of course, to maintain their reputations, the players had to carefully replace the posters before leaving; this could be a fairly tricky process. According to Mr. Carlson, a l mo s t a l l t he playe r s we r e veteran players. “Some of them were leaders of industry, and some of them weren’t, but we had formed pretty much of a fraternity, and there was, probably, fifty or sixty bridge players, and they looked forward every day to their

GFD

From Page 1 Chief McHugh addressed the recruits. “This is a big day for yo u ,” h e to l d t h e m . “ Yo u’r e em ba rk i ng on a new ca reer, and joining the Greenwich Fire Department. The members of this Department work hard and tirelessly to serve the people of Greenwich.” Chief McHugh brought a note of levity to the solemn occasion as, recalling his own qualification a s a f i r ef ig hter, he s a id t he challenging training course can seem longer than it is: “You’ll start next week on your eighteenweek journey,” he said, “although it may seem like eighteen months, or eighteen years.” He recalled making many mistakes during his own training, but said that he looked back with on those challenges with pride. On a more serious note, he exhorted the new recruits to remember that their training and education never really ends:

Greenwich Train Station. Courtesy of Greenwich Library

Greenwich Bar Car. Photo credit "New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association; Wayne D. Drummond collection.

Men at Bar. Photo credit penneyvanderbilt.wordpress.com games . . . A lot of times you’d be playing with guys that you knew for three or four years, but you never knew their names. You just knew them as George or Frank or Peter or Sam. You didn’t know what their last name was; you didn’t know where they worked, where they lived. You didn’t care.” The old New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was often subject to delays. However, this did not seem to disturb the ghouli players. “The trains were subject to delay over and over and over again, and if we were playing bridge, we didn’t mind . . . It meant we got more hands in and were

having more fun . . . I remember the night of the big blackout (in 1965), when all the power went off. I think we played bridge on the train for two or three hours” until all were disembarked and had to make their way home. Eventually, ghouli bridge died out with the passing of many of the veteran bridge players. Mr. Carlson described the times then as more relaxed. “I think the guys today are a little more intense, a little more worried about going into work. They spend time with their computers and briefcases . . . The times have changed quite a bit.” When asked for any final

thoughts, Peter Carlson remarked, “In retrospect it was a fun time. I made a lot of friends, enjoyed playing when I was a young man playing with the older men, and I got to know a lot of people, and it passed the time away. And I look back at it with fond memories.” This blog was derived from the 1993 interview entitled “Bridge Playing Among Commuters” and is available for purchase at the Oral History Project office. Mary A. Jacobson is the OHP blog editor. The Oral History Project is sponsored by the Friends of the Greenwich Library. Visit the OHP website at glohistory.org.

“ R e a d , p a r t i c ip ate , a n d a sk questions,” he told them. “It’s a challenging, dangerous job, and you have to be on top of your game. A lways tr y and learn, always try and give something back to the Department, and be the best firefighter you can be.” “We are very excited for all of you to join this Department,” he concluded. First Selectman Fred Camillo was on hand to swear in the new recruits. “On behalf of the town of Greenwich, it’s a great day for you, and it’s a great day for us, too,” Camillo said. As is standard procedure, Camillo then led the recruits in their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America; the Constitution and statutes of the State of Connecticut; and the laws and ordinances of the Tow n o f G r e e nw i c h ; a n d to faithfully discharge their duties as firefighters. Hav ing so sworn, each recruit was given an official GFD badge, which was pinned on by a friend or family member chosen by the recruit. Chief McHugh

introduced the new firefighters to the assembled crowd: Joseph Batinelli, originally from Stamford, went to Stamford High School, then on to UConn, b efor e joi n i ng t he Glenv i l le Fire Department and becoming an EMT. Batinelli’s father and g r a n d f a t h e r a l s o s e r ve d a s firefighters. Jennifer Osher, orig inally from Stamford, attended Westhill High School in Stamford, and is a graduate of Columbia University, w ith a deg ree in French and Francophone Studies. Tim Lewis, originally from Stamford and now living in New M i l for d, had volu nte er e d i n Greenwich, is an EMT, and had previously been employed by GEMS. Ryan Crook, originally from San Francisco, CA, graduated f r om t he Un ive r sit y of New H aven , a nd ha s s er ve d a s a mem ber of the Sound Beach Fire Department, and is currently working toward EMT certif ication. Crook’s uncle, a retired Fire Marshall for the Town of Greenwich, was on hand

to pin Crook’s badge. A nd Scott Lanahan, f rom Manahawkin, NJ, is a graduate of the University of New Haven and has prior experience as a volunteer firefighter in various departments in the region. Fol low i n g t he c e r e mony, Chief McHugh was asked by this repor ter whether Greenw ich f iref ighters had rescued any kittens out of trees lately. “That’s mostly a myth,” he said, laughing, “but it’s true, we do a lot more than just respond to fires. There are so many different kinds of public service calls we do. We’re here to respond to emergency calls from the community, and that could mean a lot of things. It could be a leak, an odor of gas, an alarm going off. We’re trained to respond to different situations.” He said the department has been luck y in attracting great f iref ighters: “We’re very fortunate in finding good people,” he said. “We have five great new recruits here today, and we’re very excited to have all five of them.”

Page 7 | Greenwich Sentinel

Town Government

Update from Town Hall By Richard Kaufman Vaccine Clinics Open COVID-19 vaccination clinics opened in Greenwich this week, and First Selectman Fred Camillo agreed they were a welcome sight to see. "It's been a long 10 months, but the fact that we have a vaccine here in our midst so quickly is nothing short of a miracle," he said. Currently, residents who are 75 and over can receive vaccinations at four locations in town: Greenwich Hospital is operating a clinic at the Brunswick School King Street campus, and their Nor theast Medical Group location at 500 W. Putnam Ave. Family Centers is offering a clinic at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center in Old Greenwich, and the Greenwich Health Department will have one open three days a week at Town Hall. If you are eligible for Phase 1B and want to make a reservation online, you may use the Yale New Haven Health website -ynhhs.org /covidvaccine -- or t h e Va c c i n e A d m i n i s t r at i o n Management System (VAMS) via the state Department of Public Health -- dphsubmissions.ct.gov/ on l i nevacc i ne -- to r e g ister. Residents may go to any clinic in Connecticut. For those who do not have Internet access, information and reservations may be obtained by calling the Yale New Haven Health COVID hotline, at 1-833-275-9644; Greenwich’s Commission on Aging, at 203-862-6710, or the Greenwich Health Department, at 203-622-7703, 203-622-7842, 203-622-7836, 203622-7865 or 203-622-7614. Camillo said that the main issue right now is obtaining an adequate

FRED CAMILLO First Selectman

"We know that there's more help on the way," said First Selectman Fred Camillo about vaccinations. supply of vaccine. "We know that there's more help on the way," Camillo added. "I know both locally, at the state level and the federal level -- all three levels are committed to getting this done and achieving herd immunity as soon as is humanly possible. We're in such a great place now compared to where we were last March. We just have to keep our eye on the ball." BET Approves Funding for Intersection Improvement The Board of Estimate and Taxation approved the release of

conditions for $200,000 for the Greenwich Avenue/Elm Street improvement project that will increase pedestrian and motor vehicle safety, while enhancing the aesthetics of the area. Camillo called the project "an integ ral par t of our plan to m a k e G r e e nw i c h Ave n u e more pedestrian friendly." More improvements to intersections in the area are expected in the future. "This is really going to be something that makes Greenwich Avenue shine a little bit brighter," Camillo said. "We have to make sure that when you say the words 'Greenwich Avenue' you think about walking, safety, beauty, dining, shopping." The Greenwich Avenue/Elm Street project is expected to cost around $300,000 in total. Crafting the Budget Camillo, who presented his 2021-2022 budget on Tuesday night, said preparing the spending plan is always difficult, but it's even more difficult when there are many capital projects to prioritize in town "It's always hard, but especially since we have all these projects that have been sitting around for years, in some cases decades. We'r e f i n a l l y p u s h i n g t h e m towards the goal line,” Camillo said. “It's really easy to say, ‘I want, I want, I want,’ but it's a lot tougher to say, ‘Ok, how do we do it in a reasonable and prudent manner?’ Greenwich is known for that, and we never want to lose that. We're very lucky to have the volunteers we have in place.” Major capital projects i n C a m i l l o’s b u d g e t i n c lu d e construction of a new Eastern G r e e n w i c h C i v i c C e n t e r,

improvements to Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, and a new station for Greenwich Emergency Medical Ser v ices in the backcountr y. Money is also budgeted for design work for a new Dorothy Hamill Rink, and for soil remediation at Greenwich High School and Western Middle School. Student Diversity Leadership Conference T h e F i r s t S e l e c t m a n ’s Youth Commission is accepting registrations for the 2021 Greenw ich Student Diversity Leadership Conference: “Difficult Dialogue: Exploring Identity to Impact Change.” The program will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., virtually on Zoom. Up to 200 students, from all high schools in the Town of Greenwich, are invited to participate in a day of ref lection, conversation, and collaboration on issues that shape their worldview and inf luence their experiences in their schools and community. Camillo said any platform where young people can come together is very important. “You want them to be engaged, you want them to see how things go, because in a few years they'll be the ones making the decisions. You want them prepared, you want them aware of the issues and how decisions are made, what good lobbying efforts look like,” he said. Registration closes on Jan. 30. For more information, g o t o g r e e nw i c h c t . g ov/ 7 0 9/ F i r s t S e l e c t m a n s -Yo u t h Commission. Stay Up tp date. Check back here each week for alternating updates from the BET leadership and First Selectman Fred Camillo.

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Problems with Cardinal Stadium Plan By Richard Kaufman Construction on the Greenwich High School bleachers could be delayed, causing them to be unavailable for graduation in June. Last week, the Planning & Zoning Commission voted to move Phase 1B of the Cardinal Stadium improvement project forward, meaning the funding request was now ready to be taken up by the BET. Approval came just after the BET Budget Committee met so they were unable to work through the normal process. As BET members noted in their meeting, the Planning and Zon i ng Com m ission had not issued its formal decision on Phase 1B yet, and because of a 30day period during which residents c a n cha l lenge t he Mu n icipa l Improvement status, it was best to postpone. BET members said it was not wise for the Board of Education to enter into a contract commitment and spend the funds until the 30day appeal period was completed, which w ill also allow for the

m at ter to move t h r oug h t he normal BET processes. The project was broken up into phases. Phase 1A includes the construction of new home-side bleachers that are ADA accessible with a press box, elevator, new bathrooms and a team room that will go below the bleachers. Phase 1B includes the addition of new lights on existing poles, handicap parking, and an entry kiosk. The BET released funds for the fabrication and installation of the home-side bleachers as part of phase 1A last fall. However, Greenwich Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Sean O'Keefe said work on the bleachers is now dependent on foundation work and the installation of footings, which is included in the funding for Phase 1B. "This definitely will seriously i m p a c t o u r s c h e d u l e ," s a i d O'Keefe, who seemed surprised by the postponement. "I'll come out and say it: we will not have the bleachers for graduation. It could mean that we won't have bleachers until sometime in the fall," O'Keefe said. " We h ave n o t r e l e a s e d a

contract for any por tion of Phase 1A and 1B other than the release for the bleachers, which is fabrication and installation. It did not include footings. The footings fall under the contract that we're still holding, because we're waiting for the release of funds that would allow us to go to contract with the contractor," said Dan Watson, Director of Facilities for Greenwich Public Schools. "The way the bid was set up, 1A and 1B is one project. We were not allowed to go to contract without a fully funded project." BET members were perplexed about the way the bid was set up. "It was my full understanding that the reason the Board of Education came back last October was to have the full amount of funds needed to proceed with Cardinal Stadium so it would be ready for graduation. This ha s adde d some con f u sion I was not aware of,” said BET Budget Committee Chair, Leslie Tarkington. "Now I'm more confused than ever. I thought this was bifurcated into 1A and 1B so the bleachers could be done in 1A, and then

the 1B would take care of itself with the other aspects. Now I'm hearing that the contract as bid combined the two, and I'm not happy with this process at all right now," added BET member Karen Fassuliotis. "I'm really equating this to a bait-and-switch at this point in time. We approved one thing; now we're told that it includes something else. I'm in favor of postponing until we can unravel this." BET me m b e r A ndy D uu s asked O’Keefe if another Request for Proposal was possible to get a separate bid for the foundation/ footings work so that it could continue as planned. O'Keefe said that process would take a couple of weeks at best and wouldn't buy any more time. BET member Bill Drake said the Board was fully supportive of the Cardinal Stadium project and that any delay is a result of the processes that are in place. "The big picture is that the BET supports this project. We want to see this happen. It's gotten snagged in the clerical aspects of paperwork and approvals in the town," he said.

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Page 8 | Greenwich Sentinel

PUBLISHER Beth@GreenwichSentinel.com Elizabeth Barhydt EDITORS & COPY EDITORS Editor@GreenwichSentinel.com Peter Barhydt, Daniel FitzPatrick, Stapley Russell, Anne W. Semmes

No More Taxes, Senator Looney While much of our attention has been captured by what has been happening in Washington, our state legislature in Hartford has been busily at work and it deserved your attention as well. Recently, Senate President Pro-Tem Martin Looney, a democrat from New Haven, introduced two bills that would have a disastrous effect on Greenwich. The first would implement a statewide property tax on residential and commercial property. It would establish a one mill state-wide tax, one dollar in taxes for every one thousand dollars in house value. Senator Looney has made no attempt to hide the fact that he views Greenwich, and other wealthy communities, as the state’s ATM machine and this bill, as written, is no exception. It exempts the first three hundred thousand dollars of the assessed value ensuring pretty much every homeowner in Greenwich will have to pay this tax while most in his own community will not. The second bill Senator Looney f iled would implement a surcharge on capital gains, but not all capital gains. It would only effect taxpayers who earn $500,00 or more as an individual or $1 million or more if married and filing jointly. Again, this would affect many people living in Greenwich and other wealthy communities in Fairfield County, but not the rest of the state. It appears that because Senator Looney cannot control his spending, he is looking to tax his way to solvency. Connecticut’s fixed costs such as Medicaid, debt service and retiree benefits continue to grow faster than state revenues and make up 52 percent of the state’s budget. He needs to look at reducing the state’s

Recently, Senate President Pro-Tem Martin Looney, a democrat from New Haven, introduced two bills that would have a disastrous effect on Greenwich. fixed costs before he looks to increase revenue from Greenwich in the form of taxes. It is said that Albert Einstein once explained that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We have been here before, many times. Taxing the wealthy will not fix our state’s finances. It will further erode them and encourage people to move away from Connecticut, therefore denying the state tax revenue that will be paid in other states. We all have neighbors or know of people from our community who have moved to Florida. According to the Internal Revenue Service, Connecticut has witnessed a net loss of more than $12 billion in adjusted gross income between 2012 and 2018 due to outmigration. That number is staggering and scary! According to a Pioneer Institute report, 64 percent of that loss came from those earning more than $200,000 a year – the highest income level used by the IRA in their migration data. This should be a huge wake-up call to Senator Looney, the Governor, our own state delegation, everyone; that if they continue to implement progressive taxes that are targeting communities like Greenwich more people will move. Even proposing them is driving people to leave. We wonder how many hedge funds and money managers are already packing boxes and looking at real estate listings on Zillow? When these people and businesses move it does not just affect revenue in Hartford, it affects us here in town. When one hedge fund decamped for Palm Beach, instead of selling their large property they donated it to a private school. While that was absolutely wonderful for the private school, it did take a significant property of grand list here in town. Our nonprofits suffer as well. They were used to receiving donations from these individuals, and in some cases counting on those dollars to make their budget. Now those donations are going to organizations in the states where they have moved. Our local nonprofits need to find new sources of income, which is difficult. While there is a lot going on in the world right now, we must not lose sight of what is happening in Hartford. We must be diligent and let our delegation know how we feel. And, please, Senator Looney, no more taxes that target Greenwich.

LETTER

Editorial Page 2 Acres of Trees to be Removed

By JoAnn Messina

Greenwich’s trees are part of our natural heritage and the extensive community forest of Greenwich. Because they are part of our everyday existence, it’s easy to overlook that it’s not the handiwork of Mother Nature alone. Residents, nonprof its and town off icials all have a role to play in preserving and enhancing Greenwich’s wood lands and the many env i r on ment a l a nd he a lt h benefits that they provide to our community. T h e G r e e n w i c h Tr e e Conservancy’s role is multifaceted including planting trees and advocating for established trees. While GTC is not always successful in our advocacy to spare trees from removal, the losses inspire us to carry on.

Residents play a valuable role in caring for their own trees and adding their voices when public input is needed, for example regarding the proposed multiyear project to make safety improvements along the I-95 corridor from the NY border to Exit 6, a $200+ million project currently in the design phase. At a 1/21/21 public information meeting hosted by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, residents were given an opportunity to hear about and see the plans. DOT representatives were asked a variety of questions relating to tree removals. Unfortunately, they were unable to answer the most basic question: exactly how m a ny t r e e s wou ld b e removed? After several people asked this same question, we were informed approximately

2 acres of trees! A recording of this public information meeting should be posted on the Department of Transportation website 7 days from the date of the hearing at: https://portal. ct.gov/dot /genera l /CT DOTVPIM-Library. Residents have until February 22nd to speak out against undocumented and indiscriminate tree removals and the lack of a replanting plan with two ways to contact DOT about this project: 860-944-1111 or via email at DOTProject56-316@ct.gov . In the name of “safety” our woodlands along transportation corridors in Greenwich have been under assault these past 2 years with DOT clearcutting along Metro North and I-95 in Riverside adjacent to Riverside School, near the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center and

with now more I-95 removals to come. Wooded areas adjacent to transportation corridors provide many benefits including screening from vehicles and trains, noise reduction, air quality remediation, stormwater runoff protection, and wildlife habitat. It is sadly ironic that at a time when there is widespread acknowledgement of these many benef its that trees provide, that Connecticut DOT/Metro North are allowed t o r e m ove t h e s e v a l u a b l e woodland assets with impunity. It is only through collective efforts that we will be able to preserve our community’s trees and forest. JoAnn Messina is the Executive Director of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy

Mandatory Voting Is Unconstitutional By Karen Fassuliotis G e t r e a d y n o n -v o t e r s ! Senator Will Haskell (District 26) has introduced a bill in the State Senate that would penalize you with a fine if you do not vote in an election. P e r h a p s M r. H a s k e l l , and any other Connecticut legislator who thinks his idea is a good one, shou ld read the Constitution of the United States. If he and they did, they would find that this bill would not stand up to constitutional scrutiny. That’s because Mr. Haskell’s bill is unconstitutional. Let’s look at why that is so. In the United States, our Con s t it ut i on , t h r ou g h t h e First Amendment, guarantees that all of us have the right to speak. But just as the First Amendment protects our right to speak, it also guarantees all of us the right NOT to speak. Think about it. If a person vote s t hey a r e , i n r e a l it y, speaking as to their choice of which candidate they prefer. Conversely, when a person does not vote they are exercising their right NOT to speak and, as a result, they are sending a

political message. P u t s i m p l y, t h e F i r s t Amendment guarantees that our government cannot force folks like me and you to speak, or, in other words, to vote. Mr. Haskell may point to foreign governments, such as Australia, which has passed laws making it mandatory to vote. But in the United States, such a req u i rement wou ld violate the basic constitutional right enjoyed by us all – the right to be left alone by the government. I could prov ide other examples of countries who imposed f ines on those that did not vote, but ultimately reversed their mandate. Indeed, Italy rescinded such a law. The Italians ultimately realized that such a law impinged on the right to free speech because the freedom of speech includes the right not to speak. If Mr. Haskell and the rest of our legislatures in Hartford need further convincing, they should also look to the 24th Amendment, which was ratified in 1964. This Amendment bars the imposition of a poll tax.

Prior to this Amendment being ratified, a poll tax would not allow you to vote unless you paid a tax. Many of African de scent wer e ba r r e d f rom vot i ng b e c ause t hey cou ld not afford to pay the tax. But if a poll ta x to vote is now prohibited by our Constitution, Mr. Haskell’s mandatory fine on people who choose not to vote would be, in essence a reverse poll tax, which would penalize any American who decides not to vote. Clearly Mr. Haskell’s bill, if law, would not pass Constitutional muster. And contrary to what Mr. Haskell and his like-minded legislators believes, forcing nonvoters into the voting booth will not transform American into the progressive “utopia” that he and those that think like him believe to be true. It will not bring more voters to vote for him or any other candidate. Indeed, research has shown that the vast majority of those who do not vote are simply either not interested in the candidates, do not identify with the issues of the election or they are simply not interested in the political

process. Their choice not to vote is a political message unto itself – and to force them to speak differently by forcing them to vote is simply prohibited by our Constitution and is contrary to what this nation was founded on. Don’t get me wrong. I am the first to agree that, regardless of party or non-party affiliation, we should all be encouraging people to vote. I remind people a ll that time that men and women in our military have fought wars and died so that we can exercise the freedom to vote in an election. However, encouraging someone to vote is different from coercing them to vote. The first is acceptable, the second clearly is not. Hopefully the majority of our legislators will exercise their voices to let this bill die in Committee. And if you are reading this, please make sure you contact your leg islator in the House and Senate in Hartford to tell them that this bill should not be allowed to become law in Connecticut. It’s unconstitutional and it is simply bad policy.

Cadbury’s Commentary

By Cadbury FitzPatrick Offense Taken (But Only Slightly) I was surprised, pleased and impressed at the positive reaction to my first article. One commentator even suggested that I get an agent, but my male human family member said that was not necessary as he was more than capable of handling any financial issues. I have something I want to say. It is not so much a complaint as an observation. And before I go any further, I want to mention that I am not a part of any political party of any type or persuasion. If I was, it would probably be called the “Food and Water Daily and a Safe, Warm Place to Sleep” party. While I can’t read (contrary to the belief of some in my human family), I am quite sure that somewhere in the United States Constitution there is a provision that would disqualify me from voting. I am perfectly okay with that, particularly given the amount of emotion and drama that surrounded the most recent voting exercise. I am writing to say that I am offended (but only slightly) by a phrase I heard a politician use a while ago (I heard it repeated on the television recently). Apparently is a thing these days for humans to get offended often and by and at a lot of things,

most of which are just words, even common words, not meant to offend, and sometimes found offensive only by small groups that hold strong views on issues and matters not shared by the majority of others. Given my newly discovered “voice” observing all things human, I thought I’d join in on the fun. I am offended by the phrase “lying dog-faced pony soldier.” I am fine with the word soldier; one mem b er of my hu ma n f a m i l y s e r ve d i n t h e U. S . Army and he is a f ine, kind, respectable and responsible fellow. Soldiers keep us safe, which would be a major platform issue for my political party, if I had one. I really don’t have a view one way or the other about the word pony. I have never seen or met a horse of any sort, large or small, old or young (I have to be careful here since some of those words can be deemed offensive in some circumstances), and I try not to have opinions on creatures of any sort I have not met – except cats. It’s the rest of the phrase that I question. I am a dog. I have a dog’s face. I see nothing wrong with that, in fact I am pretty pleased with it. I was born with, and g r ew i nto, my face . I had absolutely nothing to do with its choosing. Nothing I could have done (short of trying to chase a parked car) would have changed how it developed, or the colors and arrangements of my markings. My breed is called Australian Shepherd and my coat pattern is called merle, which is basically a random a r ra ngement of colors a nd patterns. Some humans like the merle pattern, some don’t; it is a matter of personal preference and it doesn’t bother me in the slightest what people other than

my human family think about it. But I digress. Clearly, the use of “dog-faced” in that phrase is meant to be insulting. It modifies “pony soldier,” which as I’ve explained above does not appear to be the active element in the insult. As I understand it, “lying” has historically been a very bad thing and accusing someone of being a liar was something so very serious that humans could take each other to court over what they called charges of “libel” or “slander,” but now its use is apparently so common that it has almost lost its meaning. Therefore, it must not be the real intended core of the insult. Which brings us back to “dog-faced.” Why should it be considered an insult to say someone has a face like a dog? I for one would be attracted to such a face. And as I note above, there is nothing short of plastic surgery that a person could do about how they look. They were born that way. Is it really fair to judge a person (or an animal for that matter) on the basis of mere outward appearance which they had no way of choosing? That would be as crazy as judging them on the color of their coat or of their skin. What’s more, there is real scientific evidence (look it up) behind the common observation (which we’ve all made; c’mon admit it) that dogs tend to look like their human family members. So, if we look like you, then you look like us, which means you are all dog-faced! The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million. The current human population is est i mate d at 7. 8 bi l l ion. That’s about one dog for every 8 or so humans, a statistically signif icant relationship. Considering the amount of love

and companionship dogs offer their human families, and the importance of that to everyone’s emotional health and well-being during the current pandemic, now may not the time to offer unnecessary of fense to the world’s canines. Just saying. So, perhaps we can all agree to drop dog-face as a pejorative label (acceptable uses include “oh, what a cute face that dog has”). It would also be really good to stop using the words “liar” and “lying” so freely, reserving them for instances when someone is truly intending to deceive or bear false witness. Soldier is a good word and can and should be used frequently and exclusively with positive connotations. As there are only about 60 million horses of all shapes and sizes in the world, ponies are on their own in terms of objecting (good luck with that). At the r isk of repeating myself, I’d like to close with reference to a point I made in my previous article. We d o g s h ave e vo l ve d to l i ve comfortably with humans. We bond with our human families and love them unconditionally. Unconditionally, whatever their passing mood or particular circumstances. We do not judge; it’s simply what we do. It’s what makes us happy and gives meaning to our lives. We probably get more from the relationship than our humans do. In many instances our simple presence helps to ease the worries, calm the emotions and soothe the spirits of our human friends. From what I’ve observed, the world could use a lot more of that right now. (Faithfully transcribed by Cadbury’s human family member, Dan FitzPatrick)

Page 9 | Greenwich Sentinel

OPED

In Support of Modern Policing on Greenwich Avenue

By John Blankley Here we go again, a decadesold debate: the issue of traffic police on the Avenue is up before the RTM once more, pitting traditionalists against modernists. When I first served on the RTM a dozen years ago one of the first votes I took was to keep “cops on the Avenue.” The proposal at that time was to

install traffic lights, a soulless idea, so the choice then was easy and an over whelming majority nixed it. And it was all the easier for me because when we’d arrived from the UK almost 25 years before we saw local police directing traffic and it was such a reminder of “Olde England.” My thinking, even up until last year when I spoke at the BET, was that the image of p ol ic e on t h e Ave nue w a s a major comp onent of ou r Greenwich brand and therefore had to be preserved. I did not argue (as some others did) that there was any big safety factor nor that there was any deterrent against crime; my sole point was the town’s image

NEWS BRIEFS From Page 1

safety improvements from the New York border (Exit 2) all the way through Exit 6 in Stamford. The proposed project, which is due to start in the Fall of 2022, does not include plans for highway noise barriers and will include cutting trees along I-95, which has severe noise and environmental pollution consequences. The project is open for public comment through Monday, February 22. Project email is DOTProject56-316@ ct.gov and the phone number is (860) 944-1111 (Reference Project No. 56-316 in your voicemail).

Fire Department Adds to the Ranks Five new recruits were sworn in on Monday, Jan. 25 during a ceremony at the Greenwich Fire Department Headquarters – Joseph Battinelli, Jennifer Osher, Tim Lewis, Ryan Crook and Scott Lanahan. The f ive recruits will begin the C o n n e c t i c ut F i r e A c a d e my n e x t Monday, Feb. 1.

Coyote Sightings Greenw ich Police reports they have been receiving calls for service regarding coyotes. Coyotes mate from January to March and this may be the reason for the coyote activity. Conflicts with coyotes are common and may occur at anytime of year, but attacks on humans are extremely rare. However, coyotes that have lost their natural fear of humans may exhibit unpredictable behavior. Preventative measures and an improved understanding of coyote behavior by the public will reduce unwanted fears and increase the likelihood that we can co-exist. Residents can contact GPD Animal Control for questions or concerns at 203-622-8299 between 7:30am and 3pm.

Cold Weather Coming A very strong cold front is forecast to move across the state around daybreak on Friday. Extreme weather conditions are classified as near freezing or below freezing temperatures. Exposure to these weather conditions, whether indoors or outside, can cause serious or life threatening health emergencies. Residents are reminded to take precautions against hypothermia and

BUDGETS From Page 1

waterfront would be constructed, and concrete would be taken aw ay w it h g r e e n sp ac e a nd plantings added. The waiting area for boats would feature covered seating but remain open air to provide good flow. Camillo's proposed budget also includes $1.4 million for a permanent Greenw ich Emergency Medical Services Station 4 in the backcountry. Camillo said the building is needed, and that the station would provide protection for emergency vehicles and ensure that they start during cold winter months. Camillo allotted $950,000 for design work and construction plans on a new Dorothy Hamill Rink, with $17 million slated for construction in fiscal year ‘24. "We've already had several people reach out to us starting last winter wanting to help with the private funding," Camillo said. There is also money put aside for soil remediation projects: $ 1 0 m i l l i o n f o r G r e e nw i c h Hig h School and $8 million for Wester n M idd le School.

and reputation. “Cops on the Avenue” represented a quaint disting uishing feature that reminded people of old times and set Greenwich apart from any other town in New England. In short, I was a traditionalist! I n t he end however t he notion of a brand is nebulous and intangible. There was no great clamor to preserve the status quo, as evidenced by the lack of any mention of police on the Avenue in the Plan of Conservation and Development (the POCD) completed just over a year ago with significant input from residents all over town. Plus, there are facts that cannot be denied and in the end facts, sometimes awkward facts, should be determinants of

frostbite. Although anyone can be affected by the cold, infants, children, the elderly and those with medical conditions are particularly at risk. Ta k i ng pr event ive ac t ion a nd k nowing what to do if exposed to extreme cold is important to stay protected and safe.

Greenwich-Based Law Firm Announces New Partners Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC, a full-service law f irm based in Greenwich, announces that Katie O’Neill and Wyatt Jansen have both been named as partners in the firm. Katie joined Whitman Breed in 2012 and is a partner in the Business Law Department and Wyatt, who joined Whitman Breed in 2014, is a partner in the Litigation Department. “Wyatt and Katie are both talented and dynamic attorneys who have an established record of successfully adv a nc i n g ou r cl ie nt s go a l s a nd protecting their interests. The f irm is very excited to welcome them as partners,” expressed Whitman Breed Co-Managing Partner, Charlie Pieterse. Katie received a J.D., with honors, from Villanova University School of Law in 2011, and a BSBA in Finance from Villanova University in 2008. Wyatt received a J.D., with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2012, and a B.A. from New York University.

Safe Boating Class March 13 A mer ic a's Boat i ng Clu b of Greenwich has been offering their safe boating class with the cooperation o f G r e e nw i c h M a r i n e Po l i c e fo r years. They believe that ALL those who boat - powerboaters, sailors, paddleboarders, tubers waterskiiers, jetskiers and kayakers should take this class to improve their boating skills and understand how to behave in our waters. Th is class costing $80 ca n be given virtually during the Covid-19 restrictions, yet retains the interactive instruction that makes it enjoyable as well as informational. It qualifies you for the CT Boating Certificate and JetSki Certificate. For information, contact Susan Ryan at GreenwichSquadron@gmail. com.

Grace Daycare & Learning Center is New Grace Daycare & Learning Center is a new all inclusive Preschool & Childcare who opened their Greenwich

Camillo also noted that there is $1.3 million to fund the town's cybersecurity program. COVID Impacts Camillo prefaced his entire presentation by talking about how COVID has impacted the town. According to Camillo, the Town Hall visitor count prepandemic was at 735 visitors per day. Following the closure and reopening amid the pandemic, that number has been averaging 227 per day. On the flip side, prepandemic, the town website receive d 5,000 v isitors per day. Now, there are over 9,500 visitors per day. "The work is still getting done, it's just getting done in a different manner," Camillo said. Headcount Reductions Posit ion el i m i nat ion s at the full-time level include: an internal auditor (Town moved t o a n o u t s i d e a u d i t o r) ; a n administrative staff assistant in the Tax Assessor's off ice; two positions from the legal department; one administrative st a f f a s si st a nt f r om i n la nd Wetlands and Watercourses Agency; a general service director at the Greenwich Police Department; and two uniformed police officers. Pa r t-t i me p osit ion s eliminated include a

policy. For example, we haven’t had a traffic officer at the Lewis street intersection for eight years and there have been no officers on permanent traffic duty at any intersection for some months! In short, modern policing has already been implemented. Our estimable police chief, supported by the First Selectman, introduced plain clot he s p ol ice pat rols, t he ORCA initiative – “Organized Retail Criminal Activity,” and policemen on bikes. How that appeals to my memories of the country of my origin! The result is that we have a greater police presence on the Avenue than before and when it comes to directing traffic, officers now

Location on Jan 4th 2021. They offer a "Fun and Dynamic E x p e r i e n c e ." G r a c e D a y C a r e & Learning Center provides "a enriching and diverse learning environment for students, while also providing live streaming for parents with cameras in every classroom." They are Now Enrolling from ages 3 months to 5 years old. Learn more at http://www.gracedaycares.com

GIFF Announces Award Recipients Greenw ich I nter nationa l Fi l m Festival (GIFF) six Fairfield County based organizations who will receive the GIFF Community Impact Award. $100,000 will be given to the award recipients directly from GIFF Grant Funding at the virtual Community Impact Award Ceremony on February 6, 2021. The Community Award recipients are Abilis, Building One Community, Family Centers, Inc., Filling in the Blank s, Food Rescue US and The Rowan Center. These organizations pr ov ide c r it ic a l a id a nd supp or t individuals with special needs, victims of sexual violence and those facing immigration issues, food insecurity, and mental health challenges.

Thank You from Pam Sloane P a m w r o t e t h i s we e k : T h a n k You! Thank You! Thank You! Today we delivered 5 dense carloads of nonperishable foods to N-to-N in spite of the downright cold weather. And some more beautiful hand knit hats, with promises of more to come. We will continue to brave the cold in anticipation of your unfailing generosity. In addition to non-per i shables , remember diapers sizes 5-6, toddler pullups, and all kinds of personal care and home care products: soaps, shampoos, laundry care, dish washing liquid....all the things we buy in supermarkets. Tuesdays from 9-11 am in the parking area across from the rectory of St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Ave. www.stc-sta.org Next week: Feb 2, Groundhog Day, we'll be there, waiting for you!

COVID Update COVID numbers in Greenwich have remained steady. As of Tuesday, Jan. 26 the town saw an increase of 166 cases since last week — bringing the total number of Greenwich residents who have tested positive since the pandemic began to 3,223. Active cases are up 26 since last week to 189. A silver lining, Camillo

procurement specialist in Purchasing, a professional temp in the ta x collector’s of f ice, and an adm inistrative staf f assistant in Land Use. Camillo note d t hat he’d add a pa r ttime Env ironmental A f fairs administrator and an economic development director who will focus on business recruitment and retention. Board of Education Budget Following Camillo, Board of Education Chair Peter Bernstein and Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones presented the school district's operating budget of $169,846,597, along with a $32 million capital budget. The operating budget, which does not include employee benefits, represents an increase of 3.97% over the 2019-2020 spending plan. 2020-2021 levels were flat due to COVID. Bernstein explained that Greenwich Public Schools is the “beacon for all the other districts i n t he a rea” when it comes to dealing with COVID. They opened the year with a good amount of students in-person. “Other districts call us regularly looking for guidance on how to move in that direction,” he said. “Fifteen percent of our students are still remote, and that’s a choice that they’ve made,

have the discretion to step into the intersections and start directing traffic if they judge it necessary. A nd what ha s b e en t he consequence of all these changes? It’s not measurable b u t G r e e n w i c h Av e n u e i s still “The Ave.” with no loss of reputation in my v iew because people still come from far and wide. Motorists and pedestrians are self-regulating at the intersections with nary an accident and crime has been significantly reduced because the police are now actively i nvolved w ith patrons a nd shop owners in a way that the erstwhile traffic officers never could be. If we really think about it the biggest change in

said, was that the town reported no deaths in the past week. In the state of Connecticut as a whole as of Wednesday, positive cases increased by 12,680 to 244,899 over the past week. Hospitalizations dropped by 73, however, to 1,068. A t G r e e nw ich Ho s p it a l , a s of Wednesday, there were 39 patients being treated in-house. “We are continuing to see that we are staying at a plateau of our inpatient patients,” Kelly said. “We have about seven to eight patients planned for discharge [on Wednesday]. That seems to be our trend. As many as we are discharging, we seem to be getting new patients.” Kel ly s a id t hat it ’s ex t r emely important for people to continue to wear their masks and practice good hand hygiene and social distancing. “I know people are very tired at this point in time, but we still have not vaccinated enough people in our population that we should be letting up in any way shape or form,” she said.

Work on I-95 in Our Future A v i r t ua l pu bl ic i n for mation me et i n g for t he P r oje c t 5 6 -3 16 , Resurfacing, Bridge Rehabilitation and Safety Improvements on I-95, in the Town of Greenwich and City of Stamford was held on Thursday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. and recorded. Instructions on how to access the meeting can be found at: http://portal.ct.gov/ DOTGreenwich0056-0316 online. This project will begin at the New York/Connecticut state border on I-95 and extend approximately 6.63 miles to Exit 6. This project also includes minor bridge rehabilitation, storm drainage improvements, and upgrades to the guide rail and concrete barrier. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2022, based on the availability of funding. The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $205 Million. The public comment period is open through Monday, February 22, 2021. Project email is DOTProject56-316@ ct.gov and the phone number is (860) 944-1111 (Reference Project No. 56-316 in your voicemail.)

St. Patrick's Day Parade Canceled Although their website still says that the St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held Sunday, March 21, the

and we support that. But we have a lot of students physically coming into our buildings.” The t wo big ge st d r ivers fo r t h e d i s t r i c t ’s p r op o s e d budget include salaries and other contractual payments, an increase of $2.3 million, and Special Education tuition, which increased by $1.9 million. Priorities for the District One of t he pr ior it ies for the district in this budget includes the purchasing of new m at hem at ic s tex t b o ok s for grades K-8, at $652,000. "These are absolutely essential this year. Our books are 9-10 years old. Most districts [keep their books] four to six years," Jones said. "This is one item that has constantly been cut out of the budget." Jones also said the district wants to restore library books at $136,000. "This was something that was part of the reduction at the end of last year in June in order to bring [spending levels to zero]. It's important that when new literature is published, that we have access to that," Jones added. The District is also looking to restore funding that was used to pre-purchase teaching materials and custodial supplies last spring when the pandemic hit. Capital Budget

terms of our “look” has been the Covid-induced restaurant enclosures, and they will be followed soon by intersection “bump outs.” So the times they are a-changing, and Greenwich Avenue is adapting. Perhaps in that fact, the ability to adapt, we should see the true nature of our brand. We now enjoy a transformed Greenwich Avenue and modern policing, efficient and effective. We should welcome it. I hope me m b e r s of t he RT M w i l l accept the new normal. As for me, behold a traditionalist who has evolved into a modernist! John Blankley Former Democratic member of the Board of Estimate and Taxation.

Greenwich Hibernian Association has had to cancel the annual Parade again due to the pandemic. The parade, which traditionally heads down Greenwich Avenue, had been scheduled for March 31 with former Selectman John Toner as Grand Marshal. "We had hoped to hold the parade but just made the decision to cancel," said Vice President of the Association Jim Dougherty. "We didn't think it was appropriate to hold a festive event while infection rates and deaths were still on the rise." He did say that they are looking into holding a half way to St. Patrick's Day Parade in September.

Greenwich Teens Host Student Diversity Leadership Conference The F i rst S elec t ma n’s Yout h Commission is accepting registrations for the 2021 Greenw ich Student Diversity Leadership Conference: Difficult Dialogue: Exploring Identity to Impact Change. The program will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., virtually on Zoom. Up to 200 students, from all high schools in the Town of Greenwich, are invited to participate in a day of ref lection, conversation, a nd collaboration on issues that shape their worldview and inf luence their experiences in their schools and community. Students in grades 9 – 12 can register using the program’s G oog le For m: ht tps://for ms.g le/ s3zxSxjLwcPPo9Di9 Registration closes on January 30, 2021. To learn more about the First Selectman’s Youth Commission, visit https://www.greenwichct.gov/709/ First- Selectmans-Youth-Commission.

New Student Journalism Institute The Greenwich Sentinel Foundation Student Journalism Institute (SJI) is accepting applications for leadership positions. The institute has one opening per school in Greenwich. SJI will provide the community with broader insight into how local youth see the world while connecting and bringing our community closer. To receive an application or find out more send an email to: communityimpact@ greenwichsentinel.com.

Of the $32,092,00 capital budget, $17,352,000 is slated for major projects. We s t e r n M i d d l e S c h o o l soil remediation would cost $8 million, and the Cardinal Stadium Phase 2 Improvement would cost $4.8 million. $2.75 m i l l ion was put aside for a n e w, s e c u r e e n t r y w a y t o Greenwich High School, and $1.7 million would be used for design work on Julian Curtiss School renovations. The school opened in 1946 and has had few improvements made. It has no ADA accessibility, HVAC needs replacing, and security is an issue. Just over $100,000 would be used for a feasibility study on Central Middle School renovations. The District is adding $648,000 towards cybersecurity and $278,000 to upkeep its computer network i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . B e c au s e o f COVID and the heavy reliance on digital learning, $1.4 million will be invested in student devices, software, peripheral hardware, student connectivity and network security. Building maintenance/ infrastructure totals $12 million. “The quality of our schools -- what goes on in our buildings and the physical structure of

our schools -- actually drives people to come to Greenwich. That drives our property values, and that drives our mill rate,” Bernstein said, further adding that the town needs to invest in the operation and upkeep of schools. Public Hearing There was a public hearing following the budget presentations. A majority of residents voiced support and urged the BET to accept the municipal and BOE budgets as they were presented. A number of residents specifically spoke in favor of the proposed work on Julian Curtiss, a nd t hey u rge d t he BET to approve the funding. On the municipal side, several people had questions about the lack of funding for a fire station in the North West part of town. The BET was scheduled to hold a separate public hearing on the recently released Town Fire Study on Thursday, which looked at fire services in Greenwich and made recommendations to town officials. Departmental budget meetings will begin next week, as the BET prepares to submit a recommended budget to the Representative Town Meeting.

Page 10 | Greenwich Sentinel

MEDAL OF HONOR

Hospital Corpsman John E. Kilmer

DETAILS Rank: Hospital Corpsman Conflict/Era: Korean War Unit/Command: Attached to duty as a medical corpsman with a Marine rifle company, 1st Marine Division Military Branch: U.S. Navy Medal of Honor Action Date: August 13, 1952 Medal of Honor Action Place: Korea

braved intense enemy mortar, ar t iller y, and sniper f ire to move from one position to another, administering aid to the wounded and expediting their evacuation. Painfully wounded himself when struck by mortar fragments while moving to the aid of a casualty, he persisted in his efforts and inched his way to the side of the stricken marine through a hail of enemy shells falling around him. Undaunted by the devastating hostile fire, he skillfully administered first aid to his comrade and, as another mounting barrage of enemy fire shattered the immediate area, u n h e sitat i n gly sh iel de d th e wounded man with his body. Mortally wounded by f lying shrapnel while carrying out this heroic action, HC Kilmer, by his great personal valor and gallant spirit of self-sacirfice in saving the life of a comrade, served to inspire all who observed him. His unyielding devotion to duty in the face of heavy odds reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the f inest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for another.

CITATION For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against enemy aggressor forces. With his company engaged in defending a vitally important hill position well forward of the main line of resistance during an assault by HIS STORY large concentrations of hostile Medics are vital members of troops, HC Kilmer repeatedly the team when you're in battle.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John E. Kilmer, a hospital corpsman, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in combat on Aug. 13, 1952, while serving with the 1st Marine Division in Korea. This photo was taken in 1951 after he reenlisted.

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When casualties are mounting, their skills are crucial to helping service members survive. While serving as a hospital c o r p s m a n i n K o r e a , Nav y Petty Officer 3rd Class John E. Kilmer gave his life to save his comrades. He was only 21, but his effort and courage were unquestioned, and they led him to posthumously earn the Medal of Honor. K ilmer was born Aug. 15, 1930, in Highland Park, Illinois, but his family moved him and his brother to San Antonio while they were still kids. Kilmer's teenage years unfolded during and directly after World War II. Patriotism was incredibly high at that time, so on Aug. 16, 1947 — the day after Kilmer's 17th birthday — he dropped out of high school to join the Navy.

Kilmer, who went by the name Jackie, graduated from Hospital Corps School in 1948. When the Korean War broke out, his four-year stint as a sailor was almost up. But he wa nted to put h is med ica l training to good use, so he reenlisted in August 1951. According to the Sextant, a Naval History and Heritage Command blog, Kilmer had an undisclosed dispute with a superior officer at some point after reenlisting. Because of that, he asked for a transfer to the Fleet Ma r i ne Force, wh ich prov ides suppor t to Marines during action and reconnaissance operations. After completing Field Medical School, Kilmer was transferred to duty as a hospital corpsman attached to the 3rd Battalion, 7 t h M a r i n e R e g i m e nt , 1 s t

Marine Division. Shortly after, they deployed to Korea. On Aug. 12 , 1952 , U.S. Marines were involved in a bitter f ight to take over an area called Bunker Hill, a crucial hill that was in the hands of Chinese enemy forces. I f the U. S. took the h i l l, it would enable them to observe movement from far away. The Chinese were initially caught off guard by the attack. Kilmer's rifle company had dug in well forward of the main line of resistance early in the day, expecting a counterattack. It came later than they expected — in the early-morning hours of Aug. 13. Shortly after midnight, large swaths of enemy forces started assaulting the rif le company w it h mor t a r, a r t i l ler y a nd sniper fire. Kilmer moved from

one position to another, helping wounded Marines and carrying many men to safety, despite putting himself in harm's way. Eventually, Kilmer noticed a seriously wounded Marine lying in a field, so he started to crawl toward the man. Another Marine saw the intensity of the gunfire and tried to stop him, but Kilmer pushed on anyway with only his duty on his mind. H a l f w ay to t he m a n he was trying to rescue, Kilmer was badly wounded by mortar f r a g m e n t s . H o w e v e r, h e continued on, inching toward the man despite all the enemy shells falling around them. K i l mer st a r te d to g ive t he Marine first aid when another barrage of f ire exploded. Thinking only of his patient, Kilmer threw himself on the other Marine to form a human shield. In doing so, the young corpsman was hit by f lying shrapnel. The Marine he shielded survived. Kilmer died just two days short of his 22nd birthday. Kilmer's body was eventually returned home and buried in the family plot at San Jose Burial Park in San Antonio. Fo r t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y valor he showed during battle, Kilmer received the Medal of Honor. Navy Secretary Robert B. A nderson presented it posthumously to his mother, Lois Kilmer, during a Pentagon ceremony on June 18, 1953. Kilmer's legacy lives on. Many Navy hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities ac r os s t he world have h i s photo placed prominently on walls they have as memorials. The Navy Inn at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee, was named Kilmer Hall in his honor in 2003. Eve r y ye a r, on t h e a n n i ve r s a r y o f t h e yo u n g cor psma n's de at h, severa l instructors, staff and students from Joint Base San Antonio's Navy Medicine Training Support C e nte r g at h e r at K i l m e r 's gravesite. A long w ith local veterans' organizations, the crowd holds a remembrance ceremony to honor the brave soul who gave his life to save others. The Greenwich Sentinel encourages readers to let us know about connections they have with Medal of Honor recipients. This article was written by Katie Lange as part of a series in which Defense.gov highlights a Medal of Honor recipient each week. It is our nations's highest medal for valor.

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Page 11 | Greenwich Sentinel

EDUCATION

Greenwich Country Day School Teens Help Cos Cob VFW By Kris Herndon On Thursday afternoon, a small crowd gathered at the Veteran’s Memorial on Strickland Road, as two local high school students presented the Cos Cob Veterans of Foreign Wars with a check for $1000.00. Leonardo Corsano-Leopizzi and Jack Sullivan, both tenth graders at Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS), had partnered with Chipotle to raise the funds. Doc Orrico accepted the check on behalf of the VFW, and Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo – a Cos Cob native -- was on hand to say a few words of appreciation. T houg h m a ske d a nd s o c ia l ly d i st a nc e d due to the ongoing corona pandemic, the event had a festive and cheerful mood. There was a lighthearted moment when, upon receiving the check, Orrico briefly dropped it, then retrieved it and held it high, amid cheers and laughter. Orrico was ready with a gift to thank the young men: two official VFW baseball caps, emblazoned with embroidered patches. Corsano-Leopizzi and Sullivan both promptly donned the caps and posed for pictures with Orrico, Camillo, and other

representatives of the VFW. After the event, Orrico said it makes him hopeful to see young people supporting the VFW. He added that he doesn’t take it for granted. “For some reason the younger guys, if you say, ‘Why don’t you come join?’ the first thing out of their mouth is: ‘What’s in it for me?’” Orrico said. “Well, what’s in it for you is what you put into it!” He added that in the current difficult times, strength comes from togetherness. “Just roll with the punches, keep your mask on. We will get through this. We’ve been through worse, and we’ve got to get through this, too, all of us.” Corsano-Leopizzi said he was happy to help out the VFW. He said a conversation with Sullivan started the ball rolling. “We were talking at practice one day, and we decided we wanted to do something special for the Veterans to show our appreciation. I’m from Greenwich, so I knew about the VFW here,” Corsano-Leopizzi said. “We had to go and track Doc’s number at the Greenwich Civic Center, and go and talk to him and figure out how this would work. It took a couple weeks for the check to come through, and now here we are.”

“It’s a really rewarding feeling to be able to do something like this and help out, do something that you really care about. It’s a rewarding feeling to know that you can help.” Corsano-Leopizzi said that work ing with Chipotle was Sullivan’s idea. Chipotle’s Community Fundraising Prog ram has simple resources students can use to build and promote fundraisers for causes of their choice. Sullivan came to GCDS from nearby Rye High School, where community fundraising is also encouraged. “About every six months they did a fundraiser with Chipotle,” Sullivan said. Corsa no-L eopi z z i, who is consider i ng a military career, said the experience had taught him something about community outreach and mobilizing for a cause. “Take control of it yourself, be outgoing, get the word out. Try to let as many people know as possible,” he said. “We were doing this through GCDS, but we didn’t just stay within that community; we told other friends we know.

We got the word out around town.” The students also thanked Chris Winters, who is Head of School at GCDS. “We really appreciate Dr. Winters encouraging and guiding us with this,” Sullivan said. “And also the faculty and staff for donating, and for helping us spread the word.” Corsano-Leopizzi said that GCDS has a strong emphasis on community service, volunteering, and good works. “They really make it possible for students to get out and do outreach, and get involved in things we’re passionate about,” he said. Both students said they were simply happy to help. Sullivan summed it up: “It’s a really rewarding feeling to be able to do something like this and help out, do something that you really care about. It’s a rewarding feeling to know that you can help.”

Local Students with Outstanding Achievements These select students have been named to the Fall 2020 Dean's List at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.: Caroline Negrin of Old Greenwich, Megan Doherty of Old Greenwich, Joshua Fervil of Greenwich, and Jack Caruso of Greenwich. Jo n a t h a n S h i l e n o f C o s Cob was among more than 1,000 students from Miami University who received deg rees during the virtual fall commencement on December 11, 2020. Shilen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Biology. College of Charleston congratulates our students who

were named to the President's List for Fall 2020 including: Alexandria Caporale of Greenwich, majoring in Elementary Education; Jody Bell of Greenwich, majoring in Finance; and Nicole Zamzok of Greenwich, majoring in Special Education who were all named to the President's List. College of Charleston congratulates Pierce Ornstein of Greenwich who was named to the Dean's List and is majoring in Political Science. SUNY New Paltz is proud to congratulate Christopher Maggio of Bedford, NY, for being named to the Dean's List for the fall 2020

semester. The following students have been named to the University of Delaware Dean's List for the Fall 2020 semester: Amanda Nielsen of Riverside, Tatiana Minassian of Bedford, Mallory Reinken of Greenwich, Emma Barefoot of Riverside, Dylan Dreher of Greenwich, Natalie Medico of Greenwich. The following local residents were named to the Dean's List at Hamilton College for the 2020 fa l l semester: Ca it lin Ster n of Greenwich. Stern, a senior majoring in sociology, is a graduate of Greenwich Academy.

Kevin Iobbi of Riverside. Iobbi, a junior majoring in economics, is a graduate of Greenwich High School. Madeleine Howe of Greenw ich. Howe, a junior major i ng i n psycholog y, is a graduate of Greenwich Academy. Maggie Dunne of Bedford. Dunne, a sophomore, is a graduate of The Fox Lane High School. Sophie Maniscalco of Bedford. Maniscalco, a sophomore, is a graduate of Byram Hills High School. James Griffin of Riverside. Griffin, a first-year student, is a graduate of Brunswick School.

The following students have been named to the Dean's List at the University of New Hampshire for the fall 2020 semester: Lisa Hryckowian of Greenwich, CT earning Highest Honors; Toni Cardini of Cos Cob, CT earning High Honors; Angelica Dziurzynski of Greenw ich, CT ea r n ing H ig h Honors; Phoebe Myers of Greenw ich, CT ea r n ing H ig h Honors; Harley Guerrieri of Old Greenwich, CT earning Highest Honors; Christopher Loparco of Riverside, CT earning High Honors. Grace DeLoe of Greenwich, CT excelled during the Fall 2020

semester, achieving a GPA of at least 3.5 to earn a spot on the Dean's List. Nicole Trotta of Bedford, NY achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA during the Fall 2020 semester, earning a spot on the Provost's List at Hofstra University. 930 undergraduate students at Coastal Carolina University were named to the Presdient's List for the Fall 2020 semester. That's 10 percent of the student body with a 4.0 GPA for the fall semester, including Lily Lombardi a Marine Science major from Greenwich. Congratulations!

Put Your Best Voice Forward the very act of speaking can be a harrowing experience. It can make us feel incredibly vulnerable, allowing a glimpse into our very sou l. W ho wa nts to fe el l i ke that? We won’t feel like that if we acknowledge our voice. A muscle of such importance, no matter who we are, needs care, exercise, nourishment and love.

By Leland Williams Importance of Voice What can our voice reveal a b o u t u s? O u r b a c k g r o u n d , intelligence, personality, and ultimately our power. As soon as you open up your mouth to speak people are forming an impression of you, judging you. They are deciding whether you are worthy of listening to in mere moments. Perhaps a harsh statement, but all too true. A 2014 study from Glasgow University in Scotland posits t hat l isteners develop impressions of you in less than a second. One second! That’s one ‘hello”! So why, do so many underestimate the importance of voice? Well, firstly, we humans rely heavily on our sense of sight to process information and therefore put more time and thought into how we look to others rather than how we sound to others. Secondly,

Voice Work is for Everyone Vo i c e wo r k i s n’t j u s t f o r singers and actors. Voice work is for all; the young sales associate learning to pitch, the executive addressing stock holders, the high school Senior at countless college interviews, or even the tenuous ch i ld de sp erate to b e he a rd. Politicians, teachers, religious leaders, the list is endless. We all have the right to speak, to be heard. We all have the right to have a free and powerful voice that exudes confidence, authority, that could inspire and lead the world to positive change. It’s true! Your voice can bring positive change, for yourself, your business, and yes, even the world.

As soon as you open up your mouth to speak people are forming an impression of you, judging you.

teacher certification program in voice and speech and now am a RRT Teacher. Ms Rodenburg is known as the world's leading e x p e r t i n voi c e a n d s p e e c h . Finding my own voice and the connection it has to the world was an incredible journey and one that I am very proud to have made. Improving your voice is possible, but for many the voice needs to be found first. I have had the privilege of working with a group of high school students for the past 6 months. It is a slower process than Finding and Improving Your usual. Vulnerabilities are at an Voice all time high. Voice work takes I have spent the last two years cou rage a nd t r ust a nd t he se working with Patsy Rodenburg brave students allowed me to lead and her apprenticeship master

them in their own journey to find and connect to their true voice. Through a series of practical exercises and activities that fuse together the dynamics of body, breath, voice and language these young people have developed stronger more vibrant voices. They learned techniques to keep their breath low and to maintain a relaxed body even under pressure. In addition, they can now identify and overcome unwanted habits such as vocal fry, vocal swallow and “up talking” (a teen favorite). These daring teens are now more conf ident, ar ticu late and are developing a stronger sense of self. They can stand up for themselves and when you can stand up for you rsel f you g ive ot hers t he opportunity to stand taller too. What an impact! All that, just by utilizing and exercising the voice. Benefits to Voice Work Building conf idence and expanding self-awareness were just some of the many benefits for those high school students. But, voice work benefits all. RRT training will enhance leadership skills, garner trust and authority, help develop and establish genuine presence. One of the greatest assets of voice work is the ability to com municate and con nect

effectively and sincerely. And those physical habits hampering your voice? They will diminish revealing a positive, fearless voice. A voice that can lead, lift others up, influence outcomes and voice concerns. A true authentic voice, unique to you. It is not too late to make a New Years resolution and start working on your voice. I have over 125 exercises in my repertoire. Here are a just a few to get you started: Align your body. Just being aware of the weight of your feet on the floor is incredibly grounding. Unlock your knees and align them with your feet, hips, and shoulders. The old adage of imagining a piece of string gently pulling at the top of your head works surprisingly well. Relax your neck and shou lders. Th is c a n b e done anywhere while standing on line at the coffee shop, sitting in your office or about to take the LSAT”s. Take a deep breath and squeeze every muscle in your body, from your toes all the way up to the top of your head. Hold for five seconds and release your body and breath simultaneously. This works! Lower your breath. Many of us breathe from our chest. But this hinders breath intake, expansion and needed support. To lower the breath try this simple exercise.

First, hug yourself and flop over gently f rom the waist. K nees slightly bent (as always.) Now, take three deep breaths, then let your arms drop. When you roll back up you will feel your body naturally t a k e l owe r, m o r e e x p a n s i ve breaths. Yawn. That’s right! Yawning naturally opens the back of the throat. Yawning and humming for just two minutes can do wonders for your speaking voice. Just like warming up a car before driving, gently intoning in this way will help eliminate effort when you have to speak. Now you are ready to go and share your voice! This is just a very brief work out that when practiced can be done in less than five minutes! W hen you emp ower you r voice, you empower your body and soul. What better way to start a new year? For more information on voice work, speaker coaching, and discovery, contact Leland Williams at LelandWilliams.com. Leland Williams guest wrote this column on bealf of Lockey Coughlin. From Lockey: Thank you Susan Leland Williams for guest writing my column this month! Aside from her teaching gig at Education

United Way: Closing the Town’s Achievement Gap By David Rabin Every year, scores of Greenwich children begin kindergarten at a distinct, quantifiable disadvantage from their classmates. Though all Greenwich residents are entitled to the privilege that is our impressive public school system, it is the first three years of a child’s life that are the most important when it comes to learning* and a child’s longterm education. As a community, shouldn’t we ensure every child in town has the opportunity to start kindergarten on a level playing field? Achievement gaps occur when one group of students outperforms another and the dif ference in average scores for the two groups is statistically signif icant. We developed GPAT to tackle this inequity specif ically. For the last three years, the Greenwich United Way has been hard at work developing and implementing a program that aims to close this gap – Early Childhood Achievement

Gap Solutions (ECAGS). It is a twopronged approach consisting of a pre-natal to three years old portion – Greenwich Parents as Teachers (GPAT) – and the Pre-School Instructional Coaching (PSIC) prong for 4- and 5-year-olds. A highquality, evidence-based program like GPAT makes it possible to overcome the achievement gap that students may begin their academics with. The GPAT home visitation program is a free and voluntary early intervention program that serves low-income families and their children, from birth (prenatal) to age three. Recognizing how critical prenatal care and the first three years are to a child’s development, GPAT utilizes a nationally recognized, 35-year-old evidence-based home visitation model, Parents as Teachers (PAT), to partner with families and support parents and caregivers in their children’s development. During the most critical learning period of life, GPAT delivers the necessary programming to ensure children receive the best start possible. To i m p l e m e n t G PAT, w e partnered with Family Centers because of its unique position to provide additional wraparound services to address participating families’ needs, such as health

GPAT currently serves 38 families with children – from newborns to toddlers and preschoolers up to 35 months old. In even the brief amount of time we have been up and running, among just this one group, our educators have identified: seven developmental delays, two hearing problems and three physical health delays – all of which could significantly hamper a child’s education and progress if left undetected or ignored. services, counseling, workforce development a nd classe s for English Language Learners (ELL). GPAT is staffed by two fulltime, bilingual Parent Educators (PE) who are trained as Certified Pa rent Educ ators to prov ide parent education, developmental information and family support to parents through personal home visits to promote the healthy development of children. They are supported by two part-time

supervisors who have also been trained in the PAT curriculum. GPAT currently ser ves 38 families with children – from newborns to toddlers and preschoolers up to 35 months old. In even the brief amount of time we have been up and running, among just this one group, our educators have identified: seven developmental delays, two hearing problems and three physical health delays – all of which could significantly hamper a

child’s education and progress if left undetected or ignored. But with the identification and understanding of these potential issues, the children have received specialized services specific to their needs. Evidence shows that early intervention can change a child’s developmental path for the better and improve longterm outcomes for the participating children, families and communities at large. The impact of GPAT can best be understood through the positive ef fects it has had even when conducted virtually, not just through in-person home visitation. Even in a pandemic, when instruction and support are done remotely, the encouraging inf luence the Parent Educators have on the lives of the parents and children is incredible. Take, for example, the single mom who gave birth in April and struggled with the early days of parenting compounded by sy mptom s of p ost pa r t u m depression. The isolation of the pandemic further intensified the normal struggles and sadness any new parent faces. Turning to GPAT, the new mom was matched with a Parent Educator who served as a dedicated resource for the very purpose of helping the parent to parent. By improving the lives

of participating families, GPAT improves the lives of the children. Though they were only able to work together virtually at first, the new mom and her PE turned around a difficult situation by establishing a strong bond – a relationship that will continue to reap benefits for the child as she begins school in a few years and throughout her academic career. Our goal with GPAT is for our participating at-risk children to be at least on par with their non-at-risk peers as they enter kindergarten, preparing them to succeed throughout their lives. High-quality early education is proven to break the cycle of poverty. Our data shows that GPAT is working. Now with three years of success under our belts, it is time to scale it up to include more children to better prepare them and their parents for a higher quality life. For the first time ever, closing the achievement gap in town is within our reach. With your support, we can make it a reality. Greenwich Parents as Teachers is the solution to a brighter future for these families and our community. Your call to action? Support our “Drive to 425.” I am available for your questions and suggestions; call me to discuss ways you can join this effort.

Page 12 | Greenwich Sentinel

OBITUARIES Patrick McKay

Patrick J. McKay of Greenwich passed away suddenly on Jan. 19, 2021. He was 78. Born in the Bronx, NY on Dec. 13, 1942 to Joseph and A n ne McK ay. He worked as a court stenographer for the State of New York court system. Patrick is survived by his loving children, Christian McKay (wife Catherine), Courtney McKay and Patrick McKay, 7 cherished g r a n d c h i l d r e n a n d 1 g r e a tgrandchild. He was predeceased by his beloved daughter Tracy McDonald and dear brother Noel McKay. In honor of Patrick's life, family and friends gathered on Saturday at Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home, Greenwich, CT, where a funeral service took place. Interment followed at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Pat, thank you for blessing our lives. You surely will be missed by all of us. We are so thankful for the memories made together. We love you, and may you rest in peace. Love, Francesca, Fabio, Luca, and the Orazietti Family.

they could sell tickets to a night out with Steve! Steve has a closely knit group of high school friends and college f r ie nd s , w ho he h ad de eply regarded as true brothers. They were there for each other and could be counted on, this was sincerely mutual. Steve was loved by all who knew him, as a husband, brother, u n c l e , f r i e n d , a s o n-i n-l aw, brother-in-law, and a devoted, lov ing father to Megan Rose and Michael. He leaves behind memories that will last forever and will be greatly missed. If you knew Steve, you knew a great guy. A good guy who when coming to visit at his home, as he would rather be at his home than at yours (he didn't much like to venture out of his zip code) would say to you after a few hours… OK… the first one to leave gets an invite back!! The rest of you, forget about coming back here!!! Please join us celebrating Steve's life Friday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m. at Saint Gregory Catholic Church, 200 N. University Dr., Plantation, FL 33324. Reception to follow at Bokamper's Bar and Grill, 1280 South Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to TrustBridge Hospice Foundation at (trustbridgefoundation.org).

Barbara Asher

Steven Paen

Steven M ichael Paen, 6 3, passed away on Jan. 11, 2021 in Pompano Beach, Fl. peacefully a f ter br ief ly su f fer i ng f r om newly diagnosed rare cancer (Pleomorphic Sarcoma). Steve was prepared to fight his disease, but never had a chance to lace up the gloves. He did not want to leave us, he loved us. Our lives will never be the same, he made sure of that. Steve is survived by his wife Donna, daughter Megan Rose (William) Nesselt, and son, Michael; brother Anthony. S t e v e w a s b o r n o n Fe b . 2 6 , 1 9 5 7 i n G r e e nw i c h , C T. He g raduated f rom Nor w ich University (Class of 1979), where he was an active member of the basketball team and legendary shooter, and he would want you know that! Steve moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he started his lifelong career with Florida Agents, recently switching roles to join the Adam's Marketing Group as an associate. Steve will be best be remembered for his larger-thanlife personality and as great family man. He loved his wife of 33 years deeply. Steve was a dedicated father. He treasured his children and embraced every moment with them. Steve was known for being the greatest of all Dads, to not only his two children, but all their friends, who he loved dearly. He spent an incredible amount of his time surrounded by his children and their friends, entertaining at home and at sports games where he wou ld a lways b e ma k i ng everyone laugh. He was truly adored. At work, he could say what he wanted and "get away with it" with loud chuckles and those present remarking to one another, "did he just say that?" He was admired for how he handled them all, from the difficult customer to the loyal colleagues who became dear friends. H is brother A nthony, h is cousins Linda and Bill, and his entire extended family were an integral part of his life. Steve beca me pa r t of Ed a nd Ju ne S w e e n e y 's f a m i l y w h e n h e married their daughter, Donna in 1987. He met the family through this friendship with the Sweeney brothers, Jim and Michael, playing on the same basketball team. Steve very quickly became an accepted and loved family member and from that day forward the Sweeney family's Sunday dinners were never the same! Steve had that rare ability to assess any ongoing situation very quickly and to spontaneously come out with the most hilarious and outrageous comments. The family always said

On behalf of the Asher family, it is with profound sorrow that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved mother, Barbara Joan (née Armstrong) Asher. Born in Berlin, NH on September 6, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Albertine (née Ruel) Armstrong. She received her undergraduate degree at Plymouth Teachers College and received her master's degree in French from Middlebury Col lege L'Ecole de Fra nça is. In 1959 she studied French in Paris and Nice as a Fulbright g ra nte e wher e she r e ceive d her Diplome at the Sorbonne Université de Paris. She moved from France to Greenwich, CT to become a member of the faculty at Greenwich High School as a French teacher. Soon after, she met her husband and our beloved father, William F. Asher at a dinner party in Greenwich. In her later years, she became a Program Director at the Greenwich Senior Center. Until her move to North Carolina in 2015, she was a parishioner of Saint Mary Church in Greenwich where she served on the Ladies Guild and served for a term as President of the Parish Council. She also served on the board of Utilize Senior Energy and was a member of the Alliance Française. She was predeceased by her husband William Francis Asher and her four siblings: Leona Greene (MA), Norman Armstrong (CT), Francis Armstrong (NH) and Pauline Tatham (NH). She is sur v ived by her children: Joan Marie Asher of Stamford CT, Beth Ann Asher o f G r e e n w i c h , C T, W i l l i a m Armstrong Asher of Hillsborough, NC and Amy Asher Callahan of Apex, NC. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Christina Lynne Anthony, Jack William Callahan, Julia Rose Callahan, and Liam Francis Asher and two great-granddaughters Sienna Joy Anthony and Mila Grace Anthony. What a blessed life she led having done almost everything imaginable during her 89 years on earth. Classy and well-traveled, she had impeccable taste and a sense of humor like none other. The Francophile that she was could be seen in everything she did. Her cook ing, decorating and entertainment skills were bar none. She loved socializing and volunteering and was an endless source of good humor and positive energy to everyone around her. If there was a piano with a microphone in a room, rest assured she would be singing La Vie en Rose where she would have the crowd on their feet dancing and laughing without exception. She did it her way and remained true to herself right up u nt i l t he end wh ich w a s representative of the strong woman she was. Thank you, mom,

for each other, for the life lessons, for the laughter, and the love through the years. Join our family in raising a glass of champagne to a legacy of a life well lived. "Do not fear the mortal life, but rather the unlived life. You do not have to live forever. You just have to live."' A mass of Christian burial and celebration of life will be celebrated in Greenw ich, CT at time yet to be determined. Contributions to her memory may be made to Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital at stjude.org

John Coleman

John Henry Coleman, Jr., 70, of Pound Ridge, NY passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021 following a battle with cancer. Always lucky in life, John fittingly chose the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21stcentury to move on. He was an acclaimed storyteller who never let the truth get in the way. He was also well known for his generosity and his hair, which even many rounds of chemotherapy could not destroy. He was a charming gentleman and a true ladies’ man, though he was loved equally by all and had a passion for entertaining friends. A self-described lover of nice things, he got every ounce of value out of life. Nobody laughed louder. Nobody had more fun. John was born in Hartford, CT and raised in nearby Simsbury where he excelled playing football. He went on to play at Middlebury College in Vermont where he also loved to ski, graduating in 1973 with a degree in economics. John achieved early success in his career in institutional investment sales for Phoenix Mutual Life in New York City, and later with Wachov ia Ba n k i n Wi nstonSa lem, N.C. H is love of New England brought him back to NY where he joined the management team of NYFIX Inc., pioneer of electronically based stock order routing to the NYSE. He had lived in Stamford, CT and Ridgefield, CT prior to building his home in Pound Ridge, NY where he lived for the last 25 years, retiring in 2010. A former club champion at the Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT, John continued to enjoy golf, his friends, and his family in retirement. In 2019, John finally landed the elusive hole-in-one on the 16th hole at Stanwich while playing in the member guest with his son John. He also enjoyed boating on Candlewood Lake and the Long Island Sound and found time to participate in the Dakar Rally. John is survived by two sons, John H. Coleman, III of Greenwich, CT, and Bryan G. Coleman of Vancouver, WA, two sisters, Linda Schoonmaker of New Smyrna Beach, FL and Diane Smola of Fairf ield, CT, three nieces, a nephew, and a host of friends he called family. He was preceded in death by his parents, John H. Coleman, Sr., and Elizabeth “Buster” Coleman. As the current circumstances do not allow us all to get together, a memorial gathering to honor his life will be held at a later date. We ask that those who loved him celebrate his life with joy and enthusiasm as he would have wanted. Raise your glass in a moment of silence and you will still hear his laugh.

Ronna Sussman Ronna Brand Sussman, loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully among her loved ones on Jan. 19. She was born Feb. 6, 1941 in the Bronx, NY to Herman and Phyllis Brand. She grew up in New Rochelle, graduated from George Washington University and then lived in White Plains, Greenwich, Stamford and Beverly Hills. She was lovingly married to Ira Sussman from 1975 until he passed away in 2001 by her side. R o n n a w a s a g r e g a r i ou s and loving soul who befriended ever yone she met. It was impossible to spend an hour with Ronna without knowing about her kids, her grandkids, her favorite

foods, the last book she read… and by the end of the hour you were family and a part of her stories too. She made everyone around her feel loved, from the valets at her apartment in Stamford to the many people she knew from Temple Sholom, where she had her Bat Mitzvah in 2012. Ronna adored attending the ballet and going to Broadway shows. A nd her cook ing was l e g e n d a r y. I f y o u s p e n t a Thanksgiving meal, a Seder or just a Saturday night at Ronna's table, you finished your last bite of the umpteenth dessert looking forward to when you could come back for the next incredible meal. Ronna is sur v ived by her children: David Eppner-Sussman (Audry), Allison Bauer (Robert), and Jeremy Sussman (Rebecca); her two stepdaughters Joanne Ehrlich (Fred) and Amy Katz ( Ne i l); a nd h e r te n b e l ove d grandchildren Jake Eppner, Harris Bauer, Phin Bauer, Niall Bauer, Sammy Sussman, Gabi Sussman, Jason Stone, Jen n f ier Stone, Jacqueline Katz and David Katz. She loved and was loved deeply by all of them. Graveside services will be for family only. Donations may be made to the Actors Fund at www. actorsfund.org.

Joseph Vittoria

May 9, 1935 – Jan. 18, 2021 Joseph Vincent Vittoria, of Palm Beach and Greenwich, died at home surrounded by his family on Jan. 18, 2021. He was 85. He had been battling leukemia for some time. He died in the arms of his beloved wife of 58 years, Luciana. Joe was born in Glen Cove, LI to f irst-generation Americans, Giuseppe and Maria (nee Ingicco) Vittoria. He grew up in nearby Sea Cliff, where he developed a passion for sailing and was always available to the local yacht club's members to crew their boats. He was an outstanding student and was admitted to Yale on a scholarship, and he graduated with a degree in civil engineering, which he had originally thought would be his calling. However, upon graduating, he decided to switch to business and accepted a scholarship to study for an MBA at Columbia. On completing his studies, he was drafted, but his military accomplishments were cut short due to health issues. With unexpected time on his hands, he decided to go to Europe to visit his relatives in Italy. After a few weeks in Rome, he visited his cousin in Naples, who invited him to a friend's 18th birthday party. When the door opened, his life changed. There was the birthday girl, Luciana. After a summer of fully-chaperoned courtship, Joe knew he had to return to the US and start his career. He promised Luciana he would be back. Within a year and after a series of incredibly lucky breaks, he was back in Rome working for Hertz Rent A Car. He surprised Luciana at her home and proposed to her on the spot. They were married ten months later. Joe would have been happy to stay in Italy, greatly appreciating the famous "dolce vita" in Rome, and knowing Luciana was happiest there too. They had three of their four children, Joseph, Jerry and Audrey, there and were settled. However, a big new role came with Avis Rent A Car, and they were transferred to London, England. Their 4th child, Edward, arrived soon after their move. During their time in England, Joe renewed his relationship with sailing by buying a series of Camper Nicholson sailing yachts. The family enjoyed memorable sailing trips together in the Italian Mediterranean. By the end of the decade, Joe was back at Hertz promoted to a new global role in New York City. The family settled in Greenwich in 1980, and Joe was soon promoted to CEO. There was one more twist in the rent-a-car tale: Joe was lured back to Avis, where he eventually became CEO. Joe's years as CEO brought tremendous success at Avis, which culminated when he led the company to a then unprecedented Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP").

For years after Joe's retirement, he would meet Avis employees around the country who would tell him how the ESOP had changed their lives for the better. Joe was asked to join the board of United Airlines partly thanks to his experience of implementing the ESOP. As Joe's attention turned to life after car rental, he returned to his passion for sailing but also added his love of engineering by developing a line of sailing superyachts, the Mirabellas. Each one advanced the boundaries of composite engineering, hydraulics and sail making. However, it was Mirabella V, launched in 2004 which was the most remarkable and is still today the sailing yacht w ith the tallest sing le mast, an amazing feat of vision and engineering. Luciana ran the Mirabella yacht business out of their home in Palm Beach, which allowed Joe to continue to invest in new companies and sit on a variety of boards. He remained active with Columbia Business School, sitting on its Board of Overseers, and in the 80's served on a presidential commission under Ronald Reagan. Joe was a lifelong fan of the New York Giants and attended four of their Super Bowls, of which the Giants won three. In late 2018, Joe was diagnosed with MDS/pre-leukemia, which he was able to manage with regular treatments. In the summer of 2019, Joe and Luciana were able to join the family for a special celebration on the island of Capri hosted by his daughter Audrey and her husband Christian. Joe was in great form, dancing into the late evening. By early 2020, the world had changed, and such family gatherings that were so dear to him became more challenging. Moreover, the leukemia had progressed. They returned to Greenwich to be closer to their children. Earlier this month, despite all the extraordinary precautions that were taken to keep him safe, Joe caught COVID. Remarkably, after six days in the hospital, he was able to recover sufficiently to come home. However, the Leukemia at this point had taken over his body, and he succumbed four days later. Joe leaves behind the love of his life, Luciana, his children: Joseph (and wife Barbara) Vittoria, Jerry (and wife Francesca) Vittoria, Audrey (and husband Christian) M e i s s n e r a n d E d w a r d (a n d wife Cristina) Vittoria; and the grandchildren he adored, Joseph, Alexa, Isabella, Sofia, Andrew, Lulu, Camilla, Max, Carolina, Nic and Carlotta. He is survived by his only brother Jerome Vittoria and was predeceased by his four sisters Olympia, Helen, Marie and Olga. Joe was loved and respected by all who knew him. He rarely said a bad word about anyone and always believed the best of everyone. Joe was very generous with his time and ready to help almost anyone who asked, especially if it involved something that people said: "couldn't be done." Indeed, Joe was always a dreamer, and the combination of affection, intellect and vision is what made him so special. Joe and Luciana shared a deep religious belief and were active in the Catholic community. Joe was a Knight of Malta and a Freeman of the City of London. Family and friends gathered on Tuesday at Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home, Greenwich. A mass of Christian burial was held Wednesday at St. Roch R.C. Church, followed by entombment at St. Mary's Cemetery. Only family and close friends attended due to the current social d i s t a nc i n g r e q u i r e me nt s . A memorial and celebration of Joe's life will be planned for later in the year so that all his friends and loved ones can gather together when it is safe to do so. In lieu of f lowers, memorial donations in Joseph Vittoria's name may be made to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Miami with special recog n ition for Dr. Ter rence Bradley, who was simply brilliant in the care of Joe and to the Jupiter Medical Centre Foundation with special recognition for Dr. Nicole Corry, who also was so supportive of Joe until his last day.

Mary Wallace Ma r y L ou ise Wa l lace 82 , passed away on Jan. 14, 2021. Predeceased by her parents. She was the only child of Jeanne Horton Wallace and Dr. Robert Pulley Wallace of New York City. Mary Louise was born and raised in New York City and later lived in Riverside, CT, until recently,

where she resided at the Regal Care of Greenwich, CT. She attended Erskine College from 1956-1959 before leaving to be with her mother who was just beginning an eleven-year struggle with cancer. Mary Louise was an English teacher in the Bethel School System for many years. She took a strong interest in her students, often taking pictures of their activities, and serving as a mentor. Some of her students went on to become teachers themselves. A very intelligent, loving and thoughtful woman, Mary Louise had a deep and active interest in the stock market, loved all animals, especially cats, and was always ready to help generously with her time. As an example, she repeatedly helped proofread a friend's doctoral dissertation until every page was approved. Her friends will miss her, her humor, and her insight. A Graveside service was held Thursday, Jan. 21 in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY.

Robert Lynch

Robert Sean Lynch passed away on Jan. 18, 2021 at the age of 63. He was born in The Bronx, raised in Yonkers and has resided in Greenwich, CT for the past 23 years. After receiving his BS in Accounting from Iona College, Robert joined Arthur Andersen & Co and became a partner with the f irm in 1990. He was the Head of the Metro New York Energy Industry Practice where he worked w ith some of the firm's largest clients and led high profile civil and criminal litigation engagements. From Andersen, he launched into private equity as the CFO of Ripplewood Holdings LLC, and then went on to be Chief Operating Officer of The Weekly Reader. He then joined Marcal Paper Co. as the Chief Operating Officer. His final years working were as CFO of Stroz Friedberg LLC and most recently Mintz Group LLC. His proudest moments were watching his children Ryan and Meghan swim competitively for Greenwich High School and the Greenw ich Y WCA Dolph i ns. He was so proud of their many accomplishments both in and out of the pool, including their acceptances and continuation of studies at Tufts University and Stanford University. Bob was an avid golfer, and some of his happiest times were enjoying weekends on Candlewood Lake, boating, tubing (and tossing kids from the tube), water skiing, jet skiing, and teaching Ryan and Meghan to fish. Bob was an avid NY Giants and NY Yankees fan, often watching games more than once, in his family game room filled with Yankee memorabilia. He loved hosting gatherings of family and friends, and especially loved being surrounded by his three boxers; Barbie, Lulu and Zuzu! Bob, as he was affectionally referred to by his childhood friends or Rob, as he was known by his adult professional friends, maintained lasting relationships w it h s o m a ny, t h at b r id g e d these friendships together into lifelong bonds. Whether playing sports in the streets of Yonkers, e x p e r i e n c i n g a d ve n t u r e o n the beaches of the Hamptons or e nj oy i n g t he p l e a s u r e of h i s f r ie nd s' c omp a ny at h i s Candlewood retreat, Bob was always surrounded by his many close friends. These images will forever stoke the memories of his heart-broken friends. Robert is survived by his c h i l d r e n Ry a n a n d M e g h a n Lynch, his former spouse and mot her of h is ch i ld ren Joa n Lynch, siblings Frances Mitchell (Brian), Elizabeth Ann Newton, Arthur Lynch (Sandy), Kenneth Lynch (Virginia), nieces and nephews Brian (Kelly), Evan and Christopher (Kristin) Mitchell, Ashley Newton Scardigno (Mark), Michael Lynch (Tricia), Jamie Lynch Granero (Raul) and Jenna Ly nch Coug h la n ( Br enda n). Robert is also survived by his uncle Gerard Lynch (Jane) and his aunt Marilyn Kilroy, many cousins and several great-nieces

Page 13 | Greenwich Sentinel

Look for the Light A mericans—we need to work overtime looking for the light. As God’s people, we know that all light originates with Him. In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. In ancient times, the prophet Isaiah told God’s people: “Arise, shine, for your light has come ... Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Generations later, the Father’s long-promised Son told His followers: “I am the light of the world.” So how do you and I live in and come through these dark times of waiting? Waiting for the vaccine to come to the aid of every American. Waiting for the deaths to stop. Waiting for food and jobs and housing to be restored. Waiting for fratricidal politics to cool. How do we come through our own personal dark times that have nothing to do with the miseries reported on the news but have to do with our own personal times of loss or grief or anxiety or frustration? In every case, the answer is the

By Terence L. Elsberry The trees are still lit on Greenwich Avenue! The beautiful white lights festooning the trees up and down the Avenue every holiday season still shine: sparkling symbols of hope in the dark of a winter’s night. I’m not sure when the lights are going to be taken down. My personal hope is not until the pandemic is over. Because for me they’re lovely reminders that it’s when things seem darkest that light shines the brightest. As we continue on our way through the dark night of Covid, with all its resulting pain—physically, emotionally, financially for so many

same—always the same. In the dark times we need to look for the light. That’s our key to survival, our key to ultimate victory in life. Look for the light. Which means looking to Jesus. The Bible tells us He’s the Light of the world. And so He is. But that may not mean that much to us when we feel trapped in the depths of some personal difficulty. Those are the times we need to see Him as the light of the world, yes. But we also need to remember He’s also your and my personal, light. Which means He’s here with you and me when we’re in the depths of our own personal dark place. He’s here to light our way through our dark night and out, out into the blazing light of His morning. It’s his light that gives us courage when we need courage, strength when we need strength, hope when we need hope. We can trust Him to always show us the way He would have us take, in good times and bad. So when you’re in a dark place, look for Him. He’s there with you.

what I’m doing and simply go for a walk, take in the joys of nature, breathe fresh air. One of the best ways to bring yourself back into the light is by reaching out to someone who needs your help, your support, or just a little cheering up. Sometimes I make myself thank the Lord for my many blessings. Thank Him, quietly in silent prayer, or out loud, thank Him for all He’s done for you. Thank Him when you feel the least like thanking Him. It’s amazing how thanksgiving can lighten your mood and restore your hope. L O O K F O R T H E L I G H T. CHOOSE THE LIGHT. SHINE THE LIGHT. As the people of God, you and I have the amazing gift of God’s light in our lives. As His people, we also have a responsibility. Jesus says you and I are the light of the world. I’m the light of the world? Sounds pretty heavy, but what’s it actually mean? The apostle Paul gets specific. He says, “Walk as children of light.

And He’s light. Live in His light. But if you and I are to live in the light we need to do something else. We need to CHOOSE the light. What’s that mean, choose the light? It means to determine that somehow, some way, we need to set our minds that even in the darkest times we will look for the light. No, it won’t always be easy. But we need to set our minds on looking for ways to overcome the dark times. How? First, by asking the Lord for His help. Pray something like, “Lord, I know You’re with me. Please help me. Please shine your light in this darkness I’m in. And show me the way out.” I’ve done that. And every time, He’s given me what I need to survive, not only survive, but move through to a better place. Sometimes, it’s through music. For some of us music has remarkable restorative power. Sometimes, I’ve gone back in my memory to some happy time, some joyous event or occasion when I’ve felt totally safe, completely happy. Sometimes, I quit

For the fruit of light consists of all goodness and righteousness and truth.” When the three kings left the stable after looking at the newborn baby they had the wisdom to know that in that tiny child they had seen the face of God. God come to earth. And why had He come? Among other things, He came to show the world how to live. The kings left that day changed men. They carried the light of God—they shined the light of God out into the world of their day. They carried goodness and righteousness and truth wherever they went. God is calling you and me to do the same today. Goodness, righteousness and truth: shine the light of Christ. Look for the light. Choose the light. Shine the light. I hope they keep those lights on the Avenue shining for a very long time. The Reverend Terence L. Elsberry is the Priest Associate at Christ Church, Greenwich.

Social Justice Is at the Heart of the Bible

COLUMN

The Early Church commissioned deacons to care for widows, orphans and the poor. They helped with food distribution. Christians created hospices which evolved into the f irst hospitals. Monasteries served as pharmacies, centers of learning, food distribution, hostels for pilgrims, and homeless shelters. Christians started the f irst universities – Ox ford, Cambridge, Bologna, Salamanca, and Paris – while missionaries created schools around the world. A r ch bi shop Tr evor Huddleston, who I befriended in London in 1986, served as a missionary in South Africa, where he helped a young b oy n a m e d D e smond Tut u at tend a n A ng lica n school, which transformed Tutu, who transformed South Africa and helped to dismantle Apartheid. The Bible has over 2,100 texts that address justice and poverty. Jesus was raised in poverty and steeped in social justice. His parents paid two t u r t le doves for t he r ite of purification after his birth – the poor person’s rate. His mother, Mary, composed

By Marek Zabriskie We have sent a copy of a little book that I edited called The Social Justice Bible Challenge to every pledging household in our church and are starting six virtual Bible studies to allow our members, friends and anyone in Greenwich to discuss it. It can also be purchased at the Dogwood Books and Gifts. You can join one of our book groups by accessing our church website. The book deals with a wide array of topics, including racism, i m m ig ra nt s, r ef uge e s, g u n violence, wealth, colonialization, access to education, etc., using biblical reflections written by faith leaders from across the country. Ch r i s t i a n it y c a l l s u s to care for the poor and socially marginalized. Sadly, social justice is someti mes d ism issed as “political,” despite being rooted in Scripture and church history.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” (Luke 4:18-19)

Social justice is not political. It is spiritual and emerges straight from the Bible.

our Baptismal Covenant and ask the assembled congregation: Will you seek and ser ve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? Everyone responds, “I will, with God’s help.” This is our commitment to social justice. The prophet Zechariah admonishes, “…do not oppress the w idow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor…” (Zech. 7:10) Jews were instructed to leave the corners of their property unharvested so that the poor could glean them and survive. A ll of us can do more to protect women, ref ugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, foreigners and the poor. Jesus says, “Whatever you have done for the least among you, you have done for me.” (Matt. 25:40) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… (Matt. 5:3), but in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, he says, “Blessed are the poor” using “ptokos,” a Greek word, meaning the poorest of the poor. The poor are close to God’s heart and should be close to our heart as well.

This became his mission statement as he cared for the marginalized, the poor, blind, maimed, lame, women, and gentiles. Jesus said that when you give a banquet don’t invite your friends and family, but invite the poor, the crippled, lame and blind. (Luke 14:13) Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers, who swindled pilgrims, thus challenging the Sadducees, who oversaw and benefited from the temple finances. The Christian concept of social justice has Jewish roots? “Mishpat” is Hebrew for justice. It emphasizes action. The Jewish concept of “tikkun olam” means “repairing the world.” Jews believe that they bear re sp on si bi l it y not on ly for their own moral, spiritual, and material welfare, but also for the welfare of society at large. Each time we Episcopalians baptize someone, we reaffirm

“the Magnif icat” – an ode to social justice. My soul magnifies the Lord… He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:45, 52-53) Mary’s commitment to social justice influenced her son. Jesus embraced the prophets, “…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your G od? ”( M ica h 6:8) a nd “L et justice roll down like a river, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24) He began his ministry in a synagogue in Nazareth by reading from the book of Isaiah,

Ch r istia n h istor y is f u l l of social justice champions like Francis of Assisi, William Wilberforce, Hannah More, Walter Rauschenbusch, Sam Shoemaker, Albert Schweitzer, the slum priests of England, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day, Archbishop Oscar Romero, Dom Helder Camara, Mother Te r e s a , A b b é P i e r r e , a n d Archbishop Desmond Tutu. What can we do to help? We can leverage our firms, family and friends to care for the poor and marginalized and teach our children to care for the vulnerable and those who suffer. If we work for a large bank, we can urge it to open branches and make loans in poor neighborhoods. If we work for a grocery chain, we can try to ensure that healthy food is available in food deserts. We can lobby our state government to provide equitable education so that a child’s destiny is not determined by his or her zip code. Social justice is at the heart of Christianity, and our world is better when we embrace it. The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie is Rector of Christ Church Greenwich

OBITUARIES continued from page 12 and great-nephews. Robert was predeceased by h is pa rents Arthur and Elizabeth Lynch. In lieu of f lowers, please send donations to Adopt A Boxer Rescue (adoptaboxerrescue.com/ donate/).

Christopher Ceci

Ch r istopher Joseph Ce c i "C.J." age 30 sadly passed away Sat u rday, Ja n. 16, 2 021. C .J. was born on Jan. 29, 1990 in Greenwich, CT. C.J. was known for having a dynamic, captivating persona l it y a nd a lways lef t an unforgettable and lasting impression on everyone he met. From small things like the way C.J. greeted everyone he saw with a warm and genuine smile, to

Brooke and Chase. He loved their embraces and learning of all their adventures. Born August 12, 1943, in Coral Gables, FL, he was the son of Florence ("Bunny") and David Tufts, a Naval officer. He spent his childhood in Old Greenwich, CN, where he attended Brunswick School before going to Suffield Academy in Suffield, CN, In 1965 he graduated from Middlebury College. He joined Off iciers Candidate School in Newport with his college friend, Lindsay Webbe, and served as Communications Officer and First Lieutenant in the Navy on the U.S.S. Stoddard (1965-1969) with two military deployments during the Vietnam War. After military service, he returned to the east coast and graduated from Boston University's School of Business. Peter b e ga n h i s t went yyear career at Chase Manhatten Bank in NYC, heading up their Municipal Bond Department. He later worked for a hedge fund for fifteen years before retiring. Peter loved his Rocky Point Club in Old Greenwich where his lifelong love of sailing was born. He knew everyone there, served

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workouts in the g y m where he both attended to his fitness regime & trained others to reach their goals. C.J. is survived by his father: V it tor io Ce c i; Step -mot her, Mitzi Ceci and his four brothers, Vittorio Ceci Jr., Nicholas Ceci, Vincent Ceci and Jason Rinaldi. He is survived by his mother: Darlene Leonard; Step-father Richard Rinaldi, Grandparents: Stanley & Evelyn Leonard. C.J. is also survived by his loving Uncles, Au nts, Nephew a nd several Cousins. C .J. was pre de ce ase d by his Paternal Grandmother and Grandfather, Francesca and Umile Ceci. Forever beloved, always in our hearts and never forgotten. In lieu of f lowers, please consider a donation to The Herren Project: herrenproject.org/about/ Due to the State of Connecticut covid guidelines, St. Catherine's of Sienna has a maximum capacity of 80 people for indoor services. We realize that many of you will be unable to attend. C.J.'s funeral will be streamed live. Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 10 a.m. stc-sta. org/ Click "view our live stream

the powerful and special way he made those around him feel that they had his true interest and care. Graduating from Greenwich H ig h S cho ol i n t he cla ss of 2008, C.J. was the Captain of t he w rest l i ng tea m ea r n i ng many honors in that role. C.J. was also a dedicated and avid football player who played an essential part in two winning seasons as a linebacker. C.J. truly loved working with kids as a Greenwich Wrestling coach where he was able to teach and inspire many kids including his youngest brother Vincent with his leadership, kindness and athleticism; C.J. was a positive inf luence and a motivator for each wrestler he mentored. As a young man, C.J. was committed to pursuing his dreams of p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n h i g h-l e ve l collegiate athletics. As a step in achieving his goals, C.J. attended Northfield Mount Hermon School and then went on to Gettysburg College to pursue wrestling, his ultimate passion. C.J. remained a dedicated athlete, consistently striving to improve his physical strength and fitness with daily

Peter Tufts

Peter A. Tufts of Rye, NY, p a s s e d aw ay p e ac e f u l ly on Januar y 1, 2021 af ter a brief struggle with cancer. He was 77. Peter is survived by his wife of 37 years, Sharron Roberts; his children, Ashley Tufts Pajdak. of Cheshire, CN, his son Pete Tufts of Charleston, SC. and his stepdaughter, Bevin Cumberland of Old Greenwich, CT; his brother, David Tufts of Santa Barbara and his former wife, Charlee Tufts of Greenwich, CN. Peter was a loving grandfather and glowed when he saw his grandchildren, Brayden, Malina, Lilla and Peyton and his step g randchildren,

as Commodore, ran the race committees and taught the kids the sport of sailboat racing. His love of sailing as a child continued into adulthood as he crewed in many Long Island Regattas every summer. He loved the outdoors, was an avid jogger, and competed in many New York Marathons, triathlons and local races, which resulted in his vast collection of race T-shirts. He possessed a remarkable memor y and a ver y curious mind, filled with facts and trivia that dazzled everyone, which he attributed to the 'Common Knowledge' he garnered from life. Peter was a true gentleman who had a quiet, kind charm about him, said his family. "He never uttered a harsh word. He cared, and it showed. He had a welcoming sparkle in his eyes that invited one to say hello and get to know him. Peter cast a wide net of love and endearing friendship." A celebration of his life will be held later in the Summer at the First Congregational Church in Old Greenwich.

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Page 14 | Greenwich Sentinel

Worship Services Information

Assemblies of God Harvest Time Church 1338 King St., 203-531-7778 www.htchurch.com In-Person Worship Services: Sun, 8:30, 10 & 11:30am (meeting on a limited basis in accordance with CDC guidelines and Connecticut’s executive orders). All services are streamed on the church’s website and social media outlets. The Glory of Christ: Wed, 7pm. Read The Bible 2021: join here facebook.com/groups/ bible2021. Discovery Track – February Session: Every Wednesday, Feb. 3-24, 7-8:30pm, register. Baptist First Baptist Church 10 Northfield St.; 203-869-7988 www.firstbaptistgreenwich.com Sunday Servings: 11:30am, Facebook Live or for Devotion: 11-11:25am (Dial in 701-802-5355, Access code 360922). Greenwich Baptist Church 10 Indian Rock Ln; 203-869-2807 www.greenwichbaptist.org Worship: Sun, 11am (in person and online through Facebook & YouTube). Catholic Sacred Heart Church 95 Henry St.; 203-531-8730 www.sacredheartgreenwich.org In-person Mass: Mon-Fri: 7am (in Chapel); Sat: Vigil, 4pm (also live streamed); Sun: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30am (in Sanctuary). (Only by registration - call or text: 203-559-9256 or email: sacredheartgrn@optonline. net). Sacrament of Reconciliation (Church) by appt.; Sacrament of Baptism: Sun, 12:30pm (call the parish office in advance). The 2021 Mass Book is open for Mass, Altar Flowers and Altar Bread & Wine requests. Ministry to the Homebound: if you, or someone you know, is homebound and would like a priest visit you, call the Rectory at 203-531-8730. St. Catherine of Siena and St. Agnes St. Agnes: 247 Stanwich Rd; St. Catherine: 4 Riverside Ave; 203637-3661 www.stc-sta.org Masses: Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri (signin at church required): Daily Mass at St. Catherine’s Church – in-person and livestream, 7am; Distribution of Holy Communion at front door of Rectory (mask & social distance required): 5:15-5:45pm. Sat (1st Sat of the month): Confessions at St. Agnes Church – in-person (specific dates in the bulletin), 3-4pm; Vigil Mass at St. Catherine’s Church – in-person and livestream, 5pm (sign-up required). Sun: Distribution of Holy Communion at front door of Rectory (mask & social distance required), 7:30-8am; St. Agnes Church – in-person, 8:30am (signup required); St. Catherine’s Church – in-person and livestream, 10:30am (sign-up required); Language Masses at St. Agnes Church – in-person (signup required), 11am (French: 2nd Sun of month; Spanish: 4th Sun of month); Distribution of Holy Communion at front door of Rectory, 5-5:30pm (mask & social distance required). Ongoing: Food & Essentials Drive for Neighbor to Neighbor (there will be a car or SUV with an open trunk in the parking lot across from St. Catherine’s church on Tuesdays, 9-11am for drop-off donations. Donations can also be dropped at the Sign-in table at Sat, Sun or Daily Mass at St. Agnes). Volunteer Opportunity: Meals on Wheels Greenwich currently delivers to approximately 100 individuals, delivering daily meals and to approximately 50 preschoolers food for the weekends. If you are interested in serving, please call Brian Maher at: H - 203-637-5203; C - 203-981-7029. St. Mary Church 178 Greenwich Ave.; 203-8699393 www.stmarygreenwich.org Public Mass: Mon-Fri, 12:05pm (no reservations are needed - limited to 50 people). Sat: Vigil, 4pm; Spanish (call 203-912-0246 for reservations), 7:30pm. Sun: 9, 10:30am & 12:15pm, (must make reservation in advance by calling the Parish Office, Thu or Fri, 9am-3pm and speak to the receptionist). Confessions: Sat, 2:45-3:45pm, on the patio. Virtual Mass: Sun, 12:15pm, with Fr. La Pastina on Facebook. Visit EWTN.com for daily Mass at 8am with encore at 12pm. Sunday Family Rosary: Sun, 7:30pm (No registration is necessary), live-streamed on YouTube (also listen by phone). St. Michael the Archangel 469 North St.; 203-869-5421 www.stmichaelgreenwich.com Sunday Mass: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30am (All masses are Live Streamed on Zoom. Log onto the website at stmi-

chaelgreenwich.com to access the Zoom Link or the LIVE Stream Masses and the Mass Reservation System). Family of Faith (Grades 1-6): Jan. 31, Online lesson. St. Timothy Chapel 1034 North St.; 203-869-5421 Daily Mass: Mon-Sat: 7:30 & 9:30am. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Wed, 10am-4pm; Live-streamed, 1011am. Confessions: Wed, 10-11am & 3-4pm. St. Paul Church 84 Sherwood Ave.; 203-531-8741 www.stpaulgreenwich.org Public Mass Celebration: Mon-Thu: 9am; Sat: 4pm (Vigil); Sun: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30am (Reservation is required only for Sunday Mass by visiting the homepage or by calling 203-531-8741, ext. 4). Holy Days: Vigil: 5:30pm, 9am & 12:15pm. Online daily Mass at EWTN.com, 8am with encore at 12pm. Daily Mass also available on Bishop Robert Barron’s website at wordonfire.org/daily-mass. Confessions by appointment only – call 203-531-8741, ext. 2. Bereavement Group: Feb. 4, 5-6:30pm, in the Parish Hall (meets every other week), contact Dianne Deachan at 914-327-0447 or diannefdf@yahoo.com with any questions. Weekday Masses are available – to place a request call Rose at 203-531-8741. St. Roch Church 10 St. Roch Ave.; 203-869-4176 www.strochchurch.com Mass: (Reservations and/or for viewing via live streaming): Mon-Fri: 7:30pm; Sat: 5pm; Sun: 7:30am (Concelebrated for Previously Scheduled 9:30am Mass Intentions), 10:30am, 12pm (Spanish). Mass Intentions: consult the bulletin for time. Christian Science First Church of Christ, Scientist 11 Park Place; 203-869-2503 www.christiansciencect.org/ greenwich Sunday and Wednesday services via live tele-conference: 203-680-9095, code is 520520*. Community First Church of Round Hill 464 Round Hill Rd.; 203-6293876 www.firstchurchofroundhill.com (If you need to reach Rev. Leo W. Curry, pastor, or any other personnel, call 203-629-3876 and leave a message or email fcroundhill@outlook.com). Round Hill Community Church 395 Round Hill Rd.; 203-869-1091 www.roundhillcommunitychurch. org Worship, Children’s Ministries and Youth Fellowship: Sun. 10-10:30am, in the Church, registration is required. Weekly service also available online. Thrive: biweekly high school gathering, Wed, 6pm. Foundations: biweekly middle school gathering, Fri, 6pm. November Bible Study: Stories of Advent, Mondays at 11 am, registration required. Congregational The First Congregational Church 108 Sound Beach Ave; 203-6371791 www.fccog.org Worship: Outdoor Service: Sun 8-9am, Memory Garden (sign-up online or call the church office); Virtual Worship: through live-streaming on YouTube and Facebook, and broadcast on WGCH (1490 AM or 105.5 FM). Connect during the week: Wednesday: Wisdom on Wednesdays (sent by Rev. Patrick Collins); Thursday: Faith Formation at Home for All and Faith Formation for Children (sent by Rosemary Lamie). Experience the Enneagram: every Thursday, through Feb. 18, 7-8:30pm, register. North Greenwich Congregational 606 Riversville Rd.; 203-8697763 www.northgreenwichchurch.org Online Worship Service: Sun 10:30am, via Zoom (email Rev. Halac at Pastor@ northgreenwichchurch.org or call the church). Second Congregational Church 139 E Putnam Ave.; 203-8699311 www.2cc.org Contemporary Worship: Sat, 5pm. Traditional Sunday Service: 10:30am. Services available online, details at 2cc.org. Episcopal Anglican Church of the Advent 606 Riversville Rd.; 203-8612432 www.churchoftheadvent.org Service: Sun, 9am, Holy Eucharist. Sunday School during academic year.

Christ Church Greenwich 254 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-8696600 www.christchurchgreenwich.org Worship: Sun: Eucharist, 8am (in-person); 10am (in-person & livestream/ on-demand); Choral Evensong (in-person & livestream/on-demand), 5pm; Compline, 8pm (livestream/ on-demand). Mon-Fri: Morning Prayer, 8am (via Zoom). Tue: Eucharist, 10am (in-person). Thu: Choral Evensong, 6:30pm (in-person & livestream/ on-demand). Pacific House Meala-Month: Pacific House seeks volunteers to cook dinner to feed 40 men. 2021 Annual Meeting: Jan. 31, 11am, via Zoom. ‘Excluded by a Line’ - a conversation about the impact of our state’s mortgage and zoning policies on minority groups: Feb. 2, 7pm, via Zoom. Fire & Wine: Righteous Women: Feb. 4, 7-8pm, via Zoom. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 954 Lake Ave.; 203-661-5526 www.stbarnabasgreenwich.org Sunday Worship: Spoken Eucharist, 8am, Church; Holy Eucharist with music, 10am, Church and Livestream; Family Eucharist, 10am, Parish Hall. (sign up for in-person service: signupgenius.com/go/4090e4aadac2ea3ff2-sunday1). Coffee and Morning Prayers Podcast: Mon-Fri. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 200 Riverside Ave.; 203-6372447 www.stpaulsriverside.org Worship Service: Sun, 10:15am, live online. Ongoing: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Food Drive: Every Thu, 10-11:30am, in the parking lot. Communal Streaming Service from Diocese: Jan. 31, 10 am. St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church 350 Sound Beach Ave; 203-6372262 www.saintsaviours.org In-person Outdoor Service: Sun, 11am. Online Worship Services available on Youtube. Jewish Chabad Lubavitch of Greenwich 75 Mason St.; 203-629-9059 www.chabadgreenwich.org Services available via Zoom. PJ Library Zoom Storytime: Mon-Thurs, 3pm & Fri, 2pm. Virtual Musical Havdalah for Families: Jan. 30, 6pm, via Zoom. Covid Vaccinations - All Your Questions Answered: Feb. 1, 8:30pm. ‘Journey of the Soul’: 6 Tuesdays beginning Feb. 2, 1011am & 7:30-8:30pm, register. Congregation Shir Ami 1273 E. Putnam Ave, PO Box 312, Riverside; 203-900-7976; www. congregationshirami.org All services, programs and celebrations are available online via Zoom. Tikkun Olam/Repair of the World: What Specifically Are We Supposed to Repair? Havdallah service: Jan. 30, 6:30-8:30pm, via Zoom. Greenwich Reform Synagogue 92 Orchard St.; 203-629-0018 www.grs.org Online programs streamed virtually on Zoom.us: Tot Shabbat with Rabbi Gerson and Cantor Dunkerley, Fri, 5pm. Shabbat services with Rabbi Gerson and Cantor Dunkerley, Fri, 7pm. Religious School: Sun, 9:30am. Hebrew School: Wed, 4:30pm. Temple Sholom 300 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-8697191 www.templesholom.com Services: live-streamed via Zoom and Facebook: Fri, 6:30pm; Sat, 10am; Sun, 8:15am. Lunch ‘n Learn: Tue, 12-1pm, via Zoom. Limited in-person Friday night Shabbat service, registration is required, lori.baden@templesholom.com. JEWEL Program: Cocktails & Cook-A-Long: Jan. 28, $18, register, templesholom. com/form/JewelCocktailsandCook-A-Long. Zoom Family Havdallah Program Shabbat: Jan. 30, 5:30-6:30pm. Lutheran First Lutheran Church 38 Field Point Rd.; 203-869-0032 www.firstpaul.com Indoor Service: Sun, 10:30am. Bible Study: Sun, 11:45am. St. Paul Lutheran Church 286 Delavan Ave.; 203-531-8466 www.firstpaul.com Indoor Service: Sun, 9am. Bible Study: Sun, 10:15am. Wednesday After-School program: Snacks & Crafts, 3-4pm; Bible Stories & Catechesis, 4-5pm; Community Dinner, 5:30pm (all are welcome); Bible Study on Romans (adults), 6:30pm. St. Paul’s annual Creole Spaghetti Dinner,

with 10% of the proceeds benefiting Neighbor to Neighbor. A food drive will be held during the dinner pick-up. Order on facebook. com/SPLCByram or call Jack, 203252-2327. Methodist Diamond Hill United Methodist 521 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-2395 www.diamondhillumc.com Online Worship Service: every Sunday, 10am, followed by a time of Fellowship. Wednesday Noonday Prayer and Evening Bible Study in the Comfort of Your Home will resume shortly. (Zoom details for all can be found on the website). First United Methodist Church 59 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-6299584 www.fumcgreenwich.com Virtual Sunday Worship, 9:30am, via Zoom (203 629 9584). Virtual Daily Gathering: Mon-Fri, 3pm, Zoom. Talking with Your Hands: Mon, 3pm. Reading this World as a Christian: Tue, 3pm. Back to Rock – music with Mr. Bruce: Tue, 3pm, via Zoom. Reading the Shape of Scripture: Wed, 3pm, via Zoom. Spring Bible Study: Thu, 3pm, via Zoom. Tea & Talk: Fri 3pm, via Zoom. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal 42 Lake Ave.; 203-661-3099 Worship via teleconference: Sun, 11am and until further notice (Dial-in number: 425-436-6380, Access code: 612220). Nondenominational Revive Church 90 Harding Rd., Old Greenwich (Old Greenwich Civic Center) www.myrevive.org Worship Service: Sun, 10am, Holiday Inn 2703 Summer St. Stamford. Online Sermons available on Facebook (facebook.com/myrevivechurchgreenwich) and on Youtube. All groups are online. Direct any prayer needs to the prayer chain at 203-536-2686 or revivecfm@gmail.com. Stanwich Church 202 Taconic Rd.; 203-661-4420 www.stanwichchurch.org Events marked by an * require registration at: stanwichchurch.org/event Sunday Service: 10am, Online. How to Live Out Your Faith: Wed through Feb. 10, 7pm, Zoom. A Call to Prayer: Thu, through Feb. 11, 7pm, 202 Taconic Rd. *Men’s Hike & Bonfire: Jan. 30, 8:45am, details on website. *Student Confirmation: Sun starting Feb. 14, 11:30am, Zoom. The Albertson Memorial Church 293 Sound Beach Ave; 203-6374615 www.albertsonchurch.org Sunday Service held online via Zoom. Trinity Church 1 River Rd.; 203-618-0808 www.trinitychurch.life In-Person Services: Sun, 10:45am, Hyatt Regency Greenwich, 1800 E Putnam Ave. Online Services: Sun, 9:45am, youtube.com/c/TrinityChurchLife/live. House Churches: Sun, 9:45am, Fairfield County, CT & Westchester County, NY. Alpha (online): Tue, 7:30-8:45pm. Presbyterian First Presbyterian Church 1 W. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-8686 www.fpcg.org Sanctuary Worship: Sun, 10am (Traditional Service); 5pm (Contemporary Service), register. Online Worship: Sun, 10-11am at fpcg.org/live. Sunday School online, 10:15-11am. The Prayer Room: Tue, 11am & Thu, 8pm. Grace Church of Greenwich 8 Sound Shore Dr., Suite 280 203-861-7555 www.gracechurchgreenwich.com Worship: Sun, 10am, Woman’s Club of Greenwich, 89 Maple Ave. (Outside. Please bring a mask and a chair or a blanket). All Bible Study studies through zoom (email gracechurchofgreenwich@gmail.com for zoom links). All are welcome. Living Hope Community Church 38 West End Ave; 203-637-3669 www.LivingHopeCT.org In-Person Worship: Sun, 10am, Sanctuary (tickets available at EventBrite by Friday 10am). Worship Service online: Sun, 10-11:15am (YouTube or Facebook). Coffee & Fellowship: Sun, 11:30am-12pm, via Zoom. Wednesday Prayer: Wed, 8:30-9am, online. ECO National Gathering: Jan. 29, 11:30am to Jan. 30, 4:30pm, Online.

Page 15 | Greenwich Sentinel COLUMN

A Breath of Fresh Air - Shepard Smith

By Patricia Chadwick News – from time i m memor ia l, it ’s b e en one of those things that we, as humans, crave. For some of us it’s the local news that we seek; for others it’s national, or international or even extraterrestrial events that pique our interest. Perhaps equally as important to us as GETTING the news is how we CHOOSE to get our news – sitting in an armchair with a newspaper or listening to the radio or glued to the television or as snippets on Reddit. I like to think of news as being offered to us in flavors, rather like ice cream—a double scoop or just a hastened sampling. Remember when Howard Johnson’s advertised twenty-

eight flavors? Then came Baskin Robbins with thirty-one. And who k nows how many Ben and Jerry developed? With the advent of cable television and then social media, news sources proliferated much like ice cream flavors. Fo r a w h i l e , I e n j o y e d listening to news debates, but no more. I now like my news the way I like my ice cream – simple and deliberately uncomplicated. Strawberry for ice cream and Shepard Smith for news. What is it about Shepard Smith that makes him my go-to source for news? How do I count the ways? Fo r a s t a r t , t h e r e ’s h i s delivery. Smith doesn’t beat around the bush – he tells it as it is, living up to the slogan of “The News by Shepard Smith”: The Facts, The Truth, The News. In some ways, he reminds me of Dragnet’s Sergeant Friday, whose persona was epitomized by his blunt, “Just the facts, ma’am,” when grilling a suspect. Sm it h’s “ju st t he fac t s” approach belies his deliberately a n d d e l i g ht f u l l y e n g a g i n g rapport with his audience and that’s his genius. He’s an actor on st age a nd d raws i n h is

we most definitely know when it is present, and when we are in need of it. I believe in the essence of each human is a call to love and to be loved. Small acts of kindness, of love, are happening around us every day. Whichever way you look, from the recent food drive collection at the Greenwich Police Department for Neighbor to Neighbor, the collection of

By Jenny Byxbee To quote Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, "Love isn't what you say, Love is what you do". As we approach Valentine's Day, I want to challenge our community to love thy neighbor a little more than ourselves. I believe in our human essence that we are all called to love, and although we can't see love,

By Jake Kircher I f a ny t h i ng has b ecome c l e a r o v e r t h e l a s t y e a r, it’s the fact that we have a truth problem to solve. The development and growth of postmodern thought (i.e., all truth is self-def ined), along w it h t h e i nte r n e t a n d t h e mass amount of information available to us for the first time in humanity, has created a daily buffet that encourages us to just pick and choose what we want to be true. And this isn’t a liberal or conservative issue; COLUMN

By Julia Hall I remember the first time I discussed my racial identity w ith colleag ues at my therapy practice in Greenwich. Several of us had collectively decided to read the book Waking Up White by Debby Irving, and as our only nonw h i t e c l i n i c i a n , I to o k a n opp or t u n it y du r i ng one of our book discussions to share about growing up as an IndianAmerican in a predominantly wh ite neig h borhood, of ten feeling like the “other” and not seeing anyone who looked like me on television, in the books I read or in positions of leadership. More than any of the content I shared that day, I remember how my body felt as I described my lived experience. My face was f lushe d a nd my che st

audience with his stories as well as his droll smile. His intonation a nd h i s s omewhat cl ipp e d speech are deft – allowing him to accentuate the words he wants you to remember. He is

a great speaker like any great w r iter—the r ig ht emphasis where it makes the most difference. That’s not to say that Smith’s news hour is about him – he’s

done” story. He goes back weeks later and follows up on peoples’ plights. And then there’s his passion – the news hour can’t come to an end until Smith has brought us up to date on football, college or professional. At the end of sixty minutes, when Shepard Smith signs off with his nightly f inal words, “And now you know the news for this Thursday, January 28,” I feel more educated, more enlightened and generally more upbeat. There is a noble and meaningful tradition here to acknowledge: Cronkite’s “That’s the way it is” or Murrow’s “Good night and good luck”. TRULY balanced and fair—much needed in the days ahead. Thank you, Shepard Smith.

newest residents. Love in action is happening all around us in Greenwich! I believe this love in action is contagious. Moreover, during these challenging times, small acts of love and kindness bring us together as com munit y, unite us, and help us love one another. If you have a special act of kindness that we can share with

the community, reach out, let us know. The Greenwich Sentinel Foundation wants to celebrate you by sharing your drives, collections and kindnesses. Your dedication to our town inspires others to spread the love. If you have a special "Call to Action" that we can be of help with email us at kate@ greenwichsentinelfoundation. org

Patricia Chadwick is a businesswoman and an author. Her recently published memoir, Little Sister, the stor y of her u nu su a l c hild hood g rowi n g up in a cult, is now available in paperback. She is currently working on her second book, Breaking Glass, about her “growing up” on Wall Street. www.patriciachadwick.com

Called to Love

COLUMN

Smith’s “just the facts” approach belies his deliberately and delightfully engaging rapport with his audience and that’s his genius.

fa r f rom self-a bsorbed. No newscaster is more of a team player. He showcases what seems like a battalion of young journalists – many of whom are new to me – and they are highly proficient. As proof of his team attitude, Smith signs off with each reporter by addressing him or her personally. “Thank you, Ali [Vitali],” or “Garrett [Haake],” or “Dasha [Burns],” or “Kayla [Tausche],” and on and on. They are real people to him, and he makes them the same to his viewers. Another delight of Smith’s news hour is the absence of pundits, talk ing heads and gurus. The time freed up from that raucous banter has been replaced w ith a panoply of human-interest stories, both in this country and on a global scale. The segments, “Coast to Coast” and “Around the World in 80 Seconds”, are integral to his mission to educate his viewers. There is a meaningful compassion in balance with his intelligence. A n e x a m p l e o f S m i t h’s humanity – he revisits important stories. Victims of a hurricane or other natural disaster are not a “one and

Valentines Cards at Cos Cob library, to the newly formed PIF, Pay it Forward Social Media group, which helps Greenwich to take care of Greenwich, and Garden Catering donating "Nugs not Hugs" to so many area nonprofits; our neighbors are sharing the love. One favorite project of mine is the welcome bags f rom the Greenw ich Senti nel fou ndation to ou r

We Have a Truth Problem it’s an ALL OF US issue. “What is true?” has become a central question we are forced to sort through every day. Fake news, misinformation, alternate facts, and conflicting stories have been trending topics and g reat doubt has been sow n over the last couple of years about who can really be trusted to tell the truth. Politicians, journalists, newscasters, and even religious leaders, have been called into q ue st ion a b out what t hei r motivations are and if they are simply sharing their opinions, as opposed to facts and truth. Simply put, truth for many has become a feeling driven by our desires, personal convictions, and passion. Those things are important, but not enough on their own. The way forward, in my opinion, is best exemplified in

a story about my son’s favorite toy when he was four. It was a large, red fire truck with a string on the front so he could wheel it around the house; except for my son it wasn’t a truck, it was a dog. His name was Eddie and he would take him for walks all the time. If we accidentally kicked it because it was left in the middle of the floor, he’d get really upset that we hurt the animal. And if we asked him to put his fire truck away, he’d angrily correct us that it wasn’t a truck, but a dog. T h e s e l it t l e a r g u m e nt s about whether it was a truck or a dog lasted for a number of weeks. It turns out that trying to convince a four year old of an absolute truth is about as easy as convincing someone of your point of view on Facebook. Eventually though, I changed my tactic and started asking

questions about his dog: Why does your dog have wheels? Have you ever seen another dog that bright red color? Do all dogs have ladders on their backs? All of sudden, rather than arguing about whether it was a dog or a t r uck , we wer e having conversations about it and he was engaging instead of defensive. After a number of these q uestions a nd h is responses, he eventually said to me one day, “Oh daddy, Edd ie isn’t a r e a l dog. It ’s only a pretend dog.” It was only by accepting my son’s relative truth and engaging in humble conversation that led us collectively to the absolute truth of the situation. This is t he sa me pro ce ss t hat I believe will guide us in the years to come as we commit to the pursuit of truth together

communally. Instead of an attitude of, “ I ’m r ig ht a nd you shou ld l i s te n to me!”, we ne e d to shift to an attitude of, “What if what I believe is true isn’t? Let me listen and ask more questions to make sure I’m not missing something.” When we immediately reject someone’s relative truth, we’re saying they aren’t capable of holding tr uth, wh ich is pa r t of the image of God in all of us. That posture change would make a huge difference as we commit to f i nd i n g A b s olute Tr ut h and pursuing it together with human decency, dignity, and love at the forefront. A s psycholog ist Ja mes Marcia suggests, you have to have equal parts exploration and com mitment to have a healthy identity. This same principle applies to our

pursuit of truth. If we are all exploration (i.e., nothing is absolutely true), we will be lacking. Likewise, if we are all commitment (i.e., I’m right and I’m not going to consider the alternative), we will also be lacking. John Perk ins def ined to l e r a n c e a s “ Yo u b e l i e ve what you believe, I’ll believe what I believe, but we won’t kill each other.” It’s that last part we have been missing. We should be able to hold our com m it ments wh i le at t he same time lovingly exploring together for the sake of growth and communal discovery. It is a return to this kind of discourse that will bring a deeper sense of u n it y to ou r i m me d iate relationships, as well as to our nation. Jake Kircher is the Executive Pastor at Trinity Church

Racial Identity Ties that Bind felt constricted. I could feel my bre at h i ng q u icken a nd my mu s c l e s t e n s e u p . My colleagues met my vulnerability with a great deal of care and support, and yet something in my body was telling me I was unsafe in that moment. Trauma expert Peter Levine in his book, “Healing Trauma, a P i o n e e r i n g P r o g r a m fo r Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body”, accurately describes the experience that I had in that book discussion group. He states that stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline release from our adrenal glands to activate ou r f ig ht or f lig ht response in situations where we fe el hop ele s s , helple s s and/or out of control. These hormones are designed to help us flee danger. As I reflect back on my own life, there were times where I made meaning of my identity as the “other” or “less than” because of the color of my skin, which left me feeling hopeless and out of control. As a child, I did not have this language nor did I have the cognition or sp ace to r e a l ly pr o ce s s my thoug hts or feelings in these situations, and those experiences remained in me, in

Right now, there are so many important and necessary conversations about race happening across the globe. my body, so even as an adult, sha r i ng t hose stor ies w it h my colleagues created for me a feeling of panic and lack of safety. As a therapist, I of ten come alongside clients as they nav igate t hei r v iew of sel f within the context of what they have been told or what they have observed. An important part of this for all of us, at any age, is an exploration of both racial and ethnic identity. Research shows that as children we observe differences in physical character traits at a n e a rly age . O ver t i me we begin to understand that these physical differences lead to categorizations of people, and that these categorizations can have value judgements associated with them. R ig ht now, there a re so many important and necessary

conversations a bout race happening across the globe and in our local communities. Many of our local libraries and community organizations are hosting virtual events. The YWCA of Greenwich is a great place to stay informed. https://y wcagreenwich.org / racial-justice/ My encouragement is that we t a ke t i me to r e cog n i z e the way that our bodies are processing these conversations. In the ex per ience w ith my colleagues who heard about my story as a person of color for t he f i rst t i me , some of t h e m m a y h a ve h a d t h e i r own body responses as well. O u r b o d ie s c a n rem i nd us t h at we a l l c a r r y t r au m a , eve n whe n we c o g n it ively dismiss those sensations for our good reasons. Our bodies a l s o r e m i nd u s t h at a l l of

these stories are important a n d wo r t hy o f b e i n g s e e n and understood. One of the challenges with allowing our trauma responses to remain unchecked is that they can often keep us from being fully present with our own pain and the pain of the people around us. Resmaa Menakem, b e st-sel l i ng aut hor of “My G r a n d m o t h e r ’s H a n d s : Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies”, states, “The body, not the thinking brain, is where we experience most of our pain, pleasure and joy, and it is where we process most of what happens to us. It is also where we do most of our healing, including our emotional and psychological healing, and it is where we experience resilience and a sense of flow.” As a community, we have an oppor tunity to build up the identities in the people we encou nter by che ck i ng in with our body responses, challenging our own biases and being present for and listening to the stories of those whose stories are different from ours. The lifelong activist and author John M Perkins states,

“there is no reconciliation until you recognize the dignity of the other, until you see their viewyou have to enter the pain of the people. You’ve got to feel their need.” While it may seem challenging to understand how our actions can impact the identity in others, it can also be extremely encouraging. My hope is that if we intentionally engage in our own body and thoug ht work, we have the opportunity to be agents of change and healing. There is no better time than now to begin. Julie Hall is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Greenwich, CT. She specializes in supporting individuals, families and couples navigating life transitions and/or trauma. Julie draws upon compassion and curiosity to foster a safe environment for clients to explore their lived experiences. She desires for her clients to be seen, known and valued. Julie also explores family systems with clients as a tool in self understanding, strength and empowerment to ultimately foster healthy growth and change. She can be reached at 203 998 5460 or juliehalltherapy@gmail.com.

On My Watch

Receiving That Covid-19 Vaccination By Anne W. Semmes “As smooth as silk” is how my sister described receiving her Covid-19 vaccine in a drive-through outside Sewanee, Tennessee. “I didn’t feel the tiniest prick,” she said. “I could have sworn I didn’t have it!” On the same Monday this week, I joined my sister by having my Covid-19 vaccine. One look at that needle the nurse pulled out of a vial, I asked, “Will that whole needle – it looks an inch long, go into my arm?” “Yes,” she said with a smile, then promptly executed the tiniest prick. With immense gratitude I became one of some 291,000 plus Connecticut citizens this week to have received one of the 515,675 vaccine doses presently allotted to our state. Mind you, with our state population numbering 3,565, 287 I am in a rarif ied 8-percent of that total. Many more doses are needed please for our fellow citizens! My vaccine experience was a breeze. A drive out King Street to Brunswick School with many markers on the road led me into the giant gym in the Sampson Athletic Center, kindly given over to Greenwich Hospital for its vaccine clinic. Beneath giant ceiling fans, were chairs placed six feet apart, as we were checked through to individual enclosures where we received our shots. We were then directed to a chair for a 15-minute rest. My eye fell upon a young girl likely pushing her grandfather in a wheelchair into an enclosure. When the needle approached his exposed arm, the young girl took an i-Phone photo of that vaccination. Yes, a memorable moment, an even miraculous moment. In a period of nine months scientists in the world, particularly the pharmaceutical giants of Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna have created a magical mix to teach our cells how to make a protein that triggers the production

of antibodies that will protect us from getting infected if the coronavirus enters our body. “The existence of the vaccine is a miracle,” my sister had shared, “and I am such a fortunate recipient. This has never happened before in the history of the world -to get a vaccine so quickly approved.” I shared my sister’s comments with Magaly Olivero, Greenwich Hospital’s Public Relations Coordinator beneath those giant Brunswick gym fans. Olivero speaks from 30 years in the health care system. “It's amazing that in less than a year from the start of the pandemic, we have not only one but two vaccines that are providing protection, and that other vaccines are in development. So, your sister is right. It's wonderful and incredulous that we have this opportunity to protect ourselves our communities, our families. It's great.” Greenwich Hospital, as part of the Yale New Haven Health system, Olivero said was now offering vaccines to the 75 and up ages also at their West Putnam Medical Center, and at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center via the Family Center. (On Tuesday our Town Health Department began vaccinating at Town Hall.) So, which of the two vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna had I received? “Pfizer - it depends upon supply.” And, now with appointment made I return to Brunswick in three weeks to receive my second shot versus in four weeks with Moderna. Magaly reported that some 250 had been vaccinated on this first vaccination day at Brunswick on Monday. Thus far, she shared that 43,141 vaccinations had been administered by Yale New Haven Health across the state, with 3,418 vaccinations administered by Greenwich Hospital. Olivero noted that there were 15 stations offering vaccines at the Brunswick site. “We

make sure that everybody stays 15 to 30 minutes afterwards so that we can check for side effects. We get people cleaning the seats when everybody leaves. We have a person that goes around and makes sure that everybody leaves with their second shot scheduled. We're very committed to making sure that people come back for their second dose.” So, what were my side effects? A sore arm on day two now lessening, and some achy joints. Not exactly jumping out the door for a walk in this cold, snowy landscape. I learned that side effects may be more severe with the second dose, “and usually respond to over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.” Magaly put my crazy fears to rest that the vaccine does not contain live or dead versions of the virus, and that it does not alter the human DNA. And would I be safe now from those exposed to Covid?” No, you need to wear a mask and you need to social distance. You're not safe until there's herd immunity. There's not a lot of vaccines that have been out there compared to the millions of people who are in our state or in our nation. So, we need to continue to be careful.” I had to ask that last question - just how long, after the second shot is one protected from the coronavirus. Olivero directed me to the YNH website: “While the studies haven’t indicated how long protection will last, the FDA predicts it to be effective for several months and possibly a year. Experts are continuing to study the virus and vaccine to learn more.” To make your appointment for a vaccine through Greenwich Hospital, visit https://www.ynhhs.org /patient-care/ covid-19/vaccine/get-your-covid-vaccine.aspx

Town Government

Latest COVID Update By Richard Kaufman First Selectman Fred Camillo and Greenwich Hospital President Diane Kelly held their weekly COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, a s t h e m a s s i ve v a c c i n a t i o n campaign continues around the state and the country. In Greenwich, vaccination clinics opened up this week in the Eastern, Central and Western parts of town, serving those who are aged 75 or over as part of Phase 1B. The Health Department is offering vaccines on Tuesdays, We d ne s days a nd Thu r s days at Town Hall, and Greenwich Hospital has a daily clinic at the Brunswick School K ing Street campus, in addition to its Northeast Medical Group location at 500 W. Putnam Ave. Family Centers is also giving shots at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center. Both Kelly and Camillo said that the clinics are going well so far, despite the widespread shortage of doses. "People are being so grateful and so calm. People are waiting their turn; people are maintaining social distancing. Everything is going smoothly. We're working closely with the state on getting

our allocation [of vaccines]. I know they're working hard to make this as equitable as they can," Kelly said. Camillo said the town is aware of people coming in from out of state to try and get appointments. He mentioned that 15 people from New York and New Jersey were turned away from Town Hall on Tuesday. "People are always going to try and skirt the rules. We're keeping an eye on it as best we can, and we're aware of it," Camillo said. "We're trying our best to ensure that Connecticut residents receive the vaccine." Camillo noted that he has received a few phone calls from p e ople who wer e conc er ne d that their second vaccination appointments had been cancelled because of a lack of supply. Both Pf izer and Moderna are twodose vaccinations -- one dose separated by 21 days and 28 days, respectively. Camillo hopes that as time goes on, supply will meet demand and eventually exceed it. If you are eligible and want to make a reservation online, you may register using the Yale New Haven Health website at y n h h s . o r g /c ov i d v a c c i n e , o r t h e Va c c i n e A d m i n i s t r at i o n

Management System (VAMS) via the state Department of Public Health dphsubmissions.ct.gov/ onlinevaccine. For those who do not have Internet access, information and reservations may be obtained by calling the Yale New Haven Health COV ID hotline, at 1-83 3-2759644, Greenwich’s Commission on Aging, at 203-862-6710, or the Greenwich Health Department, at 203-622-7703, 203-622-7842, 203622-7836, 203-622-7865 or 203622-7614. Fo r s e n i o r s w h o n e e d a ride to a vaccination clinic, the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG) is available. You can either call 203-637-4345 or email at debbie@ridetag.org to make a reservation. The cost is $6 round trip. TAG follows CDC guidelines, taking temperatures, wearing masks and recently installed shields between the seats for added protection.

Latest COVID Numbers COVID numbers in Greenwich have rema i ned steady. A s of Tuesday, Jan. 26 the town saw an increase of 166 cases since last week -- bringing the total number of Greenwich residents who have

tested positive since the pandemic began to 3,223. Active cases are up 26 since last week to 189. A silver lining, Camillo said, was that the town reported no deaths in the past week. In the state of Connecticut as a whole as of Wednesday, positive cases increased by 12,680 to 244,899 over the past week. Hospitalizations dropped by 73, however, to 1,068. At Greenwich Hospital, as of Wednesday, there were 39 patients being treated in-house. "We are continuing to see that we are staying at a plateau of our inpatient patients," Kelly said. "We have about seven to eight patients planned for discharge [on Wednesday]. That seems to be our trend. As many as we are discharging, we seem to be getting new patients." Kelly said that it's extremely important for people to continue to wear their masks and practice good hand hygiene and social distancing. "I know people are very tired at this point in time, but we still have not vacc i nate d enoug h people in our population that we should be letting up in any way shape or form," she said.

Astrology for Week of Jan. 31, 2021 AQUARIUS 21 Jan-19 Feb With intelligent Mercury now retrograde in your sign you may be confused about the direction you should be taking. The best advice an astrologer can offer is to take no direction at all. All will become clear, including your mind, when the time is right.

GEMINI 22 May-21 June You can at times be quite plainspoken so it’s not surprising if some people get offended when you point out their faults and failings. This we e k , h oweve r, it w i l l b e you r mistakes that come up for discussion. You can hardly complain that it isn’t fair.

PISCES 20 Feb-20 March You may not be in the mood to fight for your rights but you know if you don’t you’ll send the wrong kind of message to your rivals. Act tough and give the impression you are not the sort to be intimidated. No one has the right to take what belongs to you.

CANCER 22 June-23 July With Mercury now retrograde you’re likely to be feeling a bit confused. So this is not a good time to ma ke long ter m pla ns or get involved in projects you have no way of knowing will work out well. Whatever others say, you don’t have to make a decision now.

ARIES 21 March-20 April With articulate Mercury now retrograde you may find it hard to understand what others are trying to tell you – it will be as if you’re speaking entirely different languages. Don’t worry. The planets indicate what they’re saying is not worth listening to.

LEO 24 July-23 Aug You’ll have no choice this week but to deal with a situation not of your making and that will bring you no benefits. Others may turn their backs but not you. Just make sure that those you are helping know that after this they’re on their own. And mean it.

TAURUS 21 April-21 May You’re not responsible for the world and its troubles so don’t feel guilty if some people aren’t doing as well as you. Of course, help friends and family get over their problems but don’t get so caught up in their affairs that you neglect your own needs.

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept You may be bored with what you’re doing and it may get more boring still but the planets warn this is nor the right time to give up on it. Focus on something different for a while but be ready to come back to your current project when your enthusiasm returns.

LIBRA 24 Sept-23 Oct Focus on what you’re good at and forget all else. Retrograde Mercury in the most creative angle of your chart means you must recognise that the more you spread your energy around the less you will get back from it. Specialisation is the key to success. SCORPIO 24 Oct-22 Nov You’ve been overdoing it and need time to recover from your exertions – mental as well as physical. Your head is so full of competing ideas that you are finding it hard to think straight. The only answer is not to think of anything for a while. SAGITTARIUS 23 Nov-21 Dec If certain people refuse to give a straight answer to a straight question it doesn’t mean they’re trying to deceive you. They’re probably afraid you’ll f ind out something embarrassing Let them know that any secrets you uncover won’t be used against them. CAPRICORN 22 Dec-20 Jan A money-making idea may no longer seem so hot but don’t abandon it. It might be better to wait a few weeks to see if you can recoup any of your losses. Crucially, do not waste any more of your resources. Don’t throw good money after bad.

Discover more about yourself at sallybrompton.com

Page 17 | Greenwich Sentinel

Puzzles for the Weekend: Have Fun!

Code Breakers

Word Search

Each number in the Codeword grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this Card Games - Find the Film stars - 16 words - listed below in this box of letters. Words are puzzle, 13 represents R, 24 represents S and 2 represents U, so fill in R wherever 13 horizontal, vertical, and diagonal backward and forward. Answer on page 13 appears, S wherever 24 appears and U wherever 2 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid. Answers on page 13. 9

18 23

Crossword 1

Jet Li

Mae West

Ryan Gosling

Ice Cube

Jude Law

Nia Long

Tara Reid

James Franco

Liv Tyler

Paul Rudd

Tim Allen

7 13

16 19

21 24

38 47

34 40

52 55

39 Affirmative votes

DOWN

40 Obtain

2 Capital of Jordan

4 Delicate

41 Battle Born State

3 Speech snippets

9 Eat greedily

42 Short numbers

4 Book opener

14 Medical insurer

43 Elapse

15 Delayed

44 High-hat

16 Radio receiver

45 Cheap sensational magazine

5 Genetic component of some viruses

17 Australian running bird

Cher

1 Limerick's second word, usually

ACROSS

45 50

Rob Lowe

Lucy Liu

Jay Mohr

Anagram Crossword

25 27

Bob Hope

1 Location question

6 Pointed

18 Univision news anchor Jorge ---

46 Perturbed

7 Religious painting

49 N Y C's --- Park

19 Make amends 20 Open grassland

53 Lexicographer's interest

9 Brenda and Ringo

22 Preserved

54 Whiffs

24 Funded 26 Biblical weed

ACROSS

25 Yek

52 Pey

20 Ronh

1 Mle

26 Duonltw

53 Nte

24 Ylp

4 Ipn

30 Adr

7 Etmi

33 Yrp

DOWN

28 Ngrceyu

11 Vae

34 Iraa

1 Uwafll

29 Cakt

12 Oorp

38 Arigba

2 Sevore

30 Lfaefr

13 Noen

40 Ncstea

3 Oterem

31 Eaidld

14 Twe

42 Lcaeif

4 Ntoon

32 Ncreaa

37 Loathed

15 Ntoa

43 Lkebad

5 Noi

35 Iaendr

38 Enterprises

16 Asrt

44 Algf

6 Porepdp

36 Nlneii

40 Young ladies

17 Cerosf

45 Daan

7 Wtnoi

37 Sbttea

41 Intelligence agency

19 Boheep

47 Eid

8 Esoket

39 Ngiob

21 Eosnpu

48 Neol

9 Lanebe

40 Pddua

43 Prize monies

31 "Two Mules for Sister --": Eastwood/ MacLaine film 32 Pulitzer winner Jennifer --33 Salad sauce 35 Fulcrums

27 Aplo

22 Lwolep

49 Upsc

10 Lreyem

41 Aess

10 Adorable child

45 Hazard

23 Roel

50 Sni

12 Caep

46 Pae

55 Enjoy to the full

11 Author unknown

46 Nightclub show

24 Epr

51 Edne

18 Epws

57 U S capital once and briefly

12 Mathematician --- Descartes

47 Pyramid place

58 Pal of Kukla and Fran

13 Adele's dancing brother

49 Upper limit

59 Dodge

21 Pigs out

34 Rowboat lever

60 Accountant's letters

23 Locks or strands

51 Short-tailed rodent

35 The Pope

25 Ram's dam

52 Valley

61 Senses

36 Confined

28 Tip sellers

56 Weird

62 Works

37 Demand

63 Agency which initiated the Waco siege

29 Largest Moroccan city

27 Hilltop 28 Not that 29 --- for Charlie 32 Expatriate

38 Face protection

30 Portable player

48 Kickless coffee 50 Indolent

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Page 18 | Greenwich Sentinel

Food Pages: Restaurant Review

Bistro V, a Greenwich Staple for a Reason By Emma Barhydt One of my favorite places for lunch, or a meeting over coffee is Bistro V on Greenwich Ave. The french style restaurant is the perfect blend of chic and casual that creates a welcome environment for all kinds of conversation. Meet with an old friend over a nice iced matcha latte or the whole family can enjoy lunch on the town. Bistro V’s menu is inspired by the bistros of France where ow ner Marc spent his time g row i ng up. The i n f luence shows through in their thoughtful, well portioned, and balanced dishes. Bistro V has a breakfast, an all day, and a brunch menu. These menus are well done, not overwhelming b ut w it h e n ou g h v a r i a n c e between dishes to give you a goo d selec t ion to choose from. For this review we’ll be focusing on the all day menu. Broken up between small plates, salads, sides, and entrees there’s something for e ve r yo n e o n t h e m e nu . Thei r a l l day menu b e g i ns at 11am, after their breakfast menu closes and lasts until

they close for the night at 5pm. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will delight in the number of dishes suited for each preference. My friends are a mix of both, and they’re always happy to go. My boyfriend’s favorite dish there is the burger. He considers himself a burger connoisseur, and while burgers are not my particular favorite dish (too messy) he has a burger at every restaurant we go to in his quest to discover the best burger on the east coast. Bistro V’s burger rests f irmly in his top three favorite burgers. Not too greasy or too light, this burger hits all of his checkboxes. My favorite dish there is the salmon. The salmon is perfectly flakey and tender without being dry or falling apart. Set atop a perfectly seasoned blend of brussel sprouts, this dish is perfect in every season and isn’t too heavy while still being f illing. There’s no need for a post lunch nap after this dish. If salmon isn’t your thing the brussel sprouts on their ow n a re delecta ble. Before eating a Bistro V I was strictly anti-brussel sprouts. Now I

can’t get enough of them… as long as they’re from Bistro V. I have no idea what they put in their brussel sprouts (I’m pretty sure it’s magic dust) but the Bistro V brussel sprouts actually make my top 5 my favorite things to eat. Stepping away f rom the healthy stuff, I can’t go through a Bi st r o V r ev iew w it hout r e m a rk i n g o n h ow ut te rl y spectacular their french fries a re. Per fectly cr u nchy a nd crispy on the outside but fluffy and pillow y on the outside, their f rench f r ies stea l the show at every meal. This is all to say nothing of their truff le fries which are so good, they are beyond description. Truffle fries are my favorite things to eat in the world. These fries are my number one favorite

truffle fry dish anywhere on the east coast. They’re not greasy, they’re not overwhelmingly truff le-y, and they’re topped w ith par mesan cheese and garlic. I have dreams about these french fries. Another star on the menu is their leek mac & cheese. Thought of as a kids dish, their mac and cheese dish elevates it to another level. Velvety and elegant, this mac and cheese is a beautiful mix of nostalgia and good food. Not too thin or thick, the texture of this dish is also fabulous. Their menu continues, and each dish is delightf ul, f ull of f lavor, and has the subtle a f ter taste of a l i fe l ived i n Paris. Aside from the menu being great, the atmosphere of Bistro V is welcoming and pleasant. The music isn’t too loud so conversation is easy and the laid back atmosphere makes it a great place to grab a meal with friends. It’s not too casual either, which creates the perfect atmosphere for a work meeting. Basically, Bistro V is a great restaurant! This place is a Greenwich staple with good reason.

Food Pages: Focus on Locals

You're Missing Out on Two Amazing Local Breweries By Emma Barhydt

PROVIDING ELITE PROFES SIONAL SERVICES Proudly serving the Greenwich Area for Over 15 Years

SERVERS | BARTENDERS | CHEFS

E V E N T S , F U N C T I O N S , A N D P R I VAT E PA R T I E S

20 3 . 9 2 1 . 7 1 7 2 S H A R O N S W E E N E Y S T E F FA N N s ha ro n @g re e n wich s taf f in g. co m

Last week, my family and ou r “COV I D cohor t ” had a small beer tasting from two incredible local breweries. I must confess that I am not a huge beer person, nor do I enjoy the traditional beers found at every summer barbeque and sports game. But, with a deep i nter e st i n br o aden i ng my drinking horizons, as well as supporting our local breweries, I began my research. By my not being a beer person, I wanted a full range of friends to try along with me. So, those who love to drink beer and whose last memory of beer was at a college party all came together to try these brews, thus the opinions given are from many different perspectives. While there are many br ewe r ie s i n Con ne c t ic ut , a nd New York I wa nte d to focus on the two closest to Greenwich that happened to be in Stamford! Half Full Brewery and Lock City Brewing each have their own unique repertoire of drinks. While we didn’t get to try every drink on either of their menus, we chose a selection we felt was indicative of their full selection. Our favorite beer is Lock City Brewing’s Over the Garden Wall Cherries and Lime which is a sour beer made w ith sweet cherries and key limes. Since Lock City Brewing only has three beers available for purchase right now, Over the G a r den Wa l l Cher r ie s a nd L i me was t he on ly one we tasted. This interesting brew is definitely a beer with lovely hoppy notes but presents a fruit-forward taste that is sour w it hout feel i ng l i ke you’re sucking on a lemon slice. It has a nice hoppy aftertaste that isn’t too strong. This beer is perfect for everyone (over the age of 21). This being a favorite beer is not to discredit or say the other beers aren’t good - it’s just a testament to how amazing this beer is. From Half Full Brewer y we tried five different beers. Their selection was much more extensive - they truly do have a different beer for everyone. They have four main categories of beer: their core series, csa p r o j e c t s e r i e s , s up e r n ov a series, and their limited release beers. Their core series brews are available all year-round. The csa project series creates completely unique beers with Half Full Brewery collaborating with local craftsmen. Their

supernova series is a varied selection of fruity sours. Their limited release beers are ones that are only in stock for a short time and are brewed in small batches. The first beer we tried was their Beacon New Eng la nd IPA. It was an all-around hit. Everyone loved it - many even went back for seconds. It’s a nice, all around beer. It was very smooth and had a full body taste. A true classic. The next beer we tried was Within Reach a peach wheat ale. This beer layers the subtly sweet flavors of peach over the top of “wheaty” lower notes. It’s very light and perfect for a summer day. Overall, it’s a well-rounded beer with some fun layers of flavor. We also tried Rise & Shine which is a collaboration between Half Full Brewery and another local “brewery” Rise Coffee. Rise & Shine is a deep porter combined with Rise’s cold brew coffee. This one was not our favorite, only because it was a touch too dark for our tastes. However, replacing Guinness in any recipe with this beer would be absolutely delicious and would add a lovely and rich flavor to any dish. For comparison, we also tried a sour from Half Full

Brewery. When Half Full says sour, they’re not kidding! This one definitely puckered some lips, but in the best way! This beer was very subtly hoppy with a punchy fruit forward taste. The blood orange packs a delicious punch. While this was not a huge hit among the group, it was personally one of my favorites. I felt that the sour notes created an incredibly interesting flavor

w ith the hops for a perfect summer evening beer. Our last beer that we tried was the North Stamford Grapefruit Belgian Witbier. This beer is part of Half Full Brewery’s collection of brews h i g h l i g ht i n g t h e d i f fe r e nt parts of Stamford. This was a delightful beer to drink. It was perfectly smooth, not bitter or too sweet. The hops were perfectly balanced, and it left a clean aftertaste. In my humble opinion, this is the perfect beer. Between these two breweries, there is a beer that ever yone cou ld enjoy. The range expressed in various types of beers between Lock City Brew ing and Half Full Brewer y is fa ntastica l a nd classic all at the same time. If you’re someone who loves beer and has their go to brand, try mixing it up and getting a few

different beers to try - you just might find your new favorite brew. If you’re not a fan of beer, you too can try a few different cans from either of these places -you might just be a convert in waiting. For those looking to try these wonderful beers you can visit their websites https://www. lockcitybrewing.com/ or https:// halffullbrewery.com/ or you can visit them in person! Lock City Brewing is located at 54 Research Dr in Stamford and their hours are 1- 6pm Monday to Wednesday, 1-7pm Thursday & Friday, and 12-4pm on Saturday, they're closed on Sunday. Half Full Brewery is located a t 4 3 H o m e s t e a d Av e i n Stamford and their hours are 125pm Friday to Sunday for pick up only. Enjoy!

Suduko

Page 19 | Greenwich Sentinel

Sudoku: each row, column, and nonet can contain each number only once. Answers on page 13.

Easy

Very Hard

Hard

Very Hard

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Page 20 | Greenwich Sentinel

REAL ESTATE DASHBOARD

A new level of commitment, and honesty in Real Estate.

GLORIA FALCON

CESAR RABELLINO

203.559.1604 GloriaFalcon@bhhsne.com

Data Compiled by Rob Pulitano [203] 561-8092

Greenwich 136 East Putnam Avenue | bhhsNEproperties.com

Address

NEW LISTINGS

Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address

List Price

351 Pemberwick Road 702

$675,000 $685,000 $695,000 $775,000 $835,000 $849,000 $1,295,000 $1,685,000 $1,800,000 $1,815,000 $1,875,000 $2,095,000 $3,450,000 $3,800,000 $4,850,000 $5,195,000 $5,400,000 $5,850,000 $6,500,000 $8,995,000 $9,750,000

106 Putnam Park 106 9 River Road 414 98 Prospect Street 98 70 Riverdale Avenue 701 5 Relay Court 24 Valleywood Road 41 Westview Place 29 Cottontail Road 29 Bayside Terrace 56 Sherwood Avenue 99 Stanwich Road 12 Cherry Blossom Lane 163 Field Point Road 28 Dairy Road 8 Cathlow Drive 21 Shoal Point Lane 969 North Street 596 North Street 41 Alpine Road 45 Husted Lane

Price/ SqFt

SqFt

$373 $420 $588 $464 $371 $400

1,810 1,632 1,181 0 1,672 0.17 2,249 0 2,122 0.09

$724 $466 $797 $468 $770 $704 $1,168 $672 $814 $1,192 $623 $624 $609 $794

2,326 3,860 2,278 4,009 2,720 4,900 3,253 7,214 6,379 4,530 9,384 10,425 14,777 12,278

2 3 2 3 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 7 4 5 6 5 7 6 6 6

2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 5 6 6 9 6 8 7

0.21

0.24 1.58 0.26 2 0.5 0.6 2 1.97 0.52 4.43 2.11 8.39 2.17

Area

Glenville

South of Post Road

Cos Cob

South of Post Road

Glenville Cos Cob Cos Cob Riverside Cos Cob Riverside North Parkway South Parkway North Parkway

South of Post Road

South Parkway Riverside Riverside North Parkway South Parkway South Parkway South Parkway

Home Appraisals By Chery MacCluskey

W it h t he m a rket st i l l exploding and buyers experiencing losing out on their dream homes to mu lt iple bid s , I t hou g ht Appraisals would be a good topic . I h ave h ad m a ny appraisals come in lower than what the house was sold for. The question being, if the house sold for this price isn’t that what it is worth? Good Question. Let’s investigate the appraisal and see if we can find the answer to this problem. What is a home Appraisal? All Appraisals are conducted by a licensed or certified appraisal, whose o p i n i o n o f t h e h o m e ’s value is an unbiased and disinterested third party. An appraiser provides a service that determines the value of the home through careful research into the market and location of the property. An appraiser will visit the home and will go through the inside and the exterior of t he hom e , m e a su r i n g dimensions, examining all amenities and will evaluate t h e ove r a l l c o n d it i o n o f inside and exterior of the home. He is required to take photos of the exterior and interior of the home. The appraiser will then examine the transaction records of properties that are like yours that have sold within the last six months and within a mile of the property. Based solely on the home visit and the records of past sales, the appraiser arrives at a professional opinion of how much the property is worth. Of course. no house is alike so the appraiser may adjust for size, condition and how many rooms are like the subject property. After the housing crisis, t h e g ove r n m e nt w a nte d to increase the appraiser’s

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independence to prevent the possibility of lending based on inf lated home values. The Truth and lending Act and Dodd-Frank Act now re q u i re appra isa ls to b e conducted independently and free from lenders or banks. Because federal appraisal independence requirements will not permit interactions between an appraiser and loan of f icers. Many lenders are very cautious about having any contact with appraisers that might be construed as violating the law by attempting to inf luence the appraiser’s opinion before the appraisal is complete. I k now it is very difficult when having an appraisal come in below what the home sold for not to be able to reach out to the appraiser to discuss for the client. Loan Of f icers and brokers cannot select the appraiser, nor can the borrower. Most lenders now order appraisals through a third party called an appraisal management company. This is not a requirement, but it is commonly used by lending companies and banks. Many lending institutes have inhouse independent appraisal departments, but loan officers still would not have access to them in any way. What do Appraisers Look for? A ll appraisals for residential do use the sales comparison approach but there are things that the homeowner can do to help the appraisal to come in at the high end. Let’s remember back when you when on your first date or interview, you try to look stellar, so you make that first impression the best possible. The same is true for when you prepare for the appraisal, declutter, give the house a fresh coat of paint, have the home clean and tidy. Even though an appraiser doesn’t base his conclusion on this, it is important to realize, that a dirty or unkempt home can increase its appearance beyond its years and can

affect the value. Here a re some tips of what an Appraiser usually cares about: 1. Condition and age of the home’s plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems

351 Pemberwick Road #702 18 Stonehedge Drive South 702 Steamboat Road #3 15 Reynwood Manor 5 Relay Court 1 Macarthur Drive 28 Byram Terrace Drive 504 North Street 3 Putnam Hill Road #1J 27 Linwood Avenue 70 Riverdale Avenue #701 70 Riverdale Avenue #701

Area

Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Cos Cob Old Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Riverside Greenwich Greenwich

Price

$675,000 $1,095,000 $4,950,000 $8,275,000 $849,000 $1,999,000 $749,000 $6,495,000 $359,000 $2,650,000 $4,999 $835,000

Day/Time

Broker

Sun 1-3 PM Sun 11-1 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 1-3 PM Sun 2-4 PM Sun 2-4 PM

Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway Coldwell Banker Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Houlihan Lawrence Sotheby's William Raveis William Raveis

NEW SALES

Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address 186 Putnam Park 186

51 Forest Avenue 72 52 Caroline Place 11 River Road 114 82 Putnam Park 82 70 Riverdale Avenue 1003 56 Prospect Street 56 18 Stone Avenue 5 2 Putnam Hill 1 H 207 Glenville Road 18 Suburban Avenue 22 Spring Street 2 99 Loughlin Avenue 3 Florence Road 47 Lexington Avenue 36 Crescent Road 10 Westview Place 71 Wildwood Drive 155 Clapboard Ridge Road 215 North Street 69 Porchuck Road

Original List

List Price

Sold Price DOM BR FB Acres SqFt

$520,000 $629,000 $715,000 $685,000 $579,500 $770,000 $810,000 $799,000 $975,000 $965,000 $995,000 $950,000 $1,175,000 $1,275,000 $1,795,000 $1,599,000 $1,895,000 $1,850,000 $2,450,000 $3,400,000 $3,995,000

$490,000 $629,000 $699,000 $695,000 $579,500 $770,000 $799,000 $799,000 $975,000 $925,000 $995,000 $950,000 $1,175,000 $1,275,000 $1,695,000 $1,599,000 $1,795,000 $1,850,000 $2,125,000 $2,995,000 $3,995,000

$485,000 $590,000 $650,000 $670,000 $675,000 $750,000 $770,250 $782,100 $923,000 $925,000 $950,000 $950,000 $1,117,500 $1,275,000 $1,500,000 $1,650,000 $1,755,000 $1,765,000 $2,000,000 $2,850,000 $3,700,000

134 36 58 279 26 133 101 25 73 437 11 47 46 52 93 47 217 69 194 339 199

2 2 4 2 2 2 3 3 2 4 3 3 3 4 7 4 4 4 4 6 6

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 4 6 7

947 1,773 1,104

0 0

1,936 1,628 2,082 1,560 2,008 1,563 1,889 2,264 2,472 3,019 2,718 3,694 3,506 4,003 7,791 9,122

0.17 0

10 0.25 0.14 0 0.19 0.2 0.31 0.43 0.17 0.32 2.18 1.5 4.18

2. Room count, with value a d d e d to b e d r o o m s a n d bathrooms 3. Location, location, location 4. Exterior amenities and the condition of pools, porches, decks and sprinkler system 5. Exterior appearance that’s inconsistent with the rest of the neighborhood that may detract from the value. 6. Functionality, room design and layout. 7. A l l i m p r o v e m e n t s t o kitchens, baths, windows. 8. Number of fireplaces 9. D e t a i l s s u c h a s i f yo u have a granite countertop, hardwood f loors and new appliances It is always a good idea to have a list of what all the improvements are for the appraiser and it also helps the potential buyer. All of these factors into the appraisal value. The Bottom Line: I hope this gives you a little more understanding on how appraisa ls work . Un d e r s t a n d i n g h ow t h e process work does give you the best chance of securing the appraiser to assign the highest possible value to the property. Appraisals don’t always come in at the value borrowers or Agents hope for, but if you have strong ev idenc e to b ack up t he number you thought it would come in at you can always appeal a low appraisal. The best evidence is comparable sales that your Agent can provide. Until next Month, I hope everyone stays healthy and happy! Be Well. Cheryl Cheryl MacCluskey is the Senior Mortgage Consultant at Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC and can be reached at 203-536-1297 or cher yl. maccluskey@phmloans.com

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Page 21 | Greenwich Sentinel

Slippers Embroidered in Spain, Tailored in Greenwich By Jonathan Muhlrad Does a person pick a shoe or does a shoe shape a person? It’s a question that comes to mind walking into the newly opened Stubbs & Wootton showroom on Greenwich Avenue. The store sells slippers. Cozy, yet elegant. They could easily be worn lounging around the house, but are also a highlight in more formal and informal social settings. Starting at $500, each pair has been handcrafted in Spain with embroidery that makes the shoe look more like a work of art than something for your feet. For example, Jackson Pollock has earned a namesake at Stubbs & Wootton: a line of colorful shoes where the velvet slipper is used as a canvas for an embroidery reminiscent of the expressionist’s drip painting. A New York Times article in 2017 used the phrase “elite-to-street” describing the shoe brand. Some of the embroidery is personal. Some slippers bear a constellation of a particular zod iac sig n in a way that ’s both striking and dreamy. Others are more playful, such as the “Cash or Credit”. The left shoe wears an embroidery of a five dollar bill—while the right shoe is embroidered with a credit card. Stubbs & Wootton’s slippers bring out personality. Justin Irvine, the brand’s Creative Director, emphasized the brand’s unique quality, “it can be whimsical…they have a story when you pull them out of the closet.” Yet, each shoe is definitively artisanal. “It’s a work of art,” Irvine underlines that this was a tenet of the aesthetic. On Greenw ich Avenue, Ir v ine says the brand and its owner Percy Steinhart saw an opportunity to meet a new audience in search of a decor with personality. Headquartered in Palm Beach, the brand credits much of its success to word of mouth. Irvine comments that in Greenwich “there’s definitely a sense of community”--a feeling that reassured the Stubbs & Wootton team as they moved into their new location. Still, the new showroom in Greenwich is very much meant to add a personal touch. Wa l k i n g i n t o t h e s t o r e , i t ’s impossible to ig nore the many permutations of shoes spread across the display tables. Each display carries its own theme. Some artistic, some whimsical, some comfortable; all of

them aesthetically pleasing. On top of that, there is a bespoke bar. Here, customers can choose custom threads and create digital mock-ups of their desired shoe. The store is there to help a patron explore, physically, but also to spark their imagination. Stubbs & Wootton carry a line of sneakers as well, a synthesis of the velvet shoe frame and the rubber sole. In addition, continuing in the Spaniard

style, the brand offers espadrilles that should be a hot commodity as summer approaches. Ir v ine is conf ident that the Greenwich community and the Stubbs & Wootton brand are a match. He invites the community to come into the store and explore, “we’re here to make people smile, to make them feel good.” Stubbs & Wootton's new store is located at 371 Greenwich Avenue.

Headquartered in Palm Beach, the brand credits much of its success to word of mouth. Irvine comments that in Greenwich “there’s definitely a sense of community”-- a feeling that reassured the Stubbs & Wootton team as they moved into their new location.

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