Shout Out

Fire Department Marks 125 Years

The Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department’s carnival returns June 22-25, after a twoyear hiatus, just in time for Ridgefielders to celebrate the department’s 125th anniversary.

And a carnival is not all that’s in store.

The volunteers are planning a grand parade down Main Street, with up to 50 fire departments competing for awards on Friday, June 24, starting at 6:30. The carnival, which will be open evenings at East Ridge Middle School, will end with a bang on Saturday night, in the form of a fireworks display on East Ridge. Details of the carnival, parade and fireworks will be posted on the RVFD Facebook page.

The fire department was established in 1897, soon after Ridgefield suffered a devastating fire, which destroyed most of the business area along Main Street’s east side. Hampered by lack of water and equipment, the townspeople who rushed to the scene were helpless to extinguish the fire. Finally, after one building was dynamited and another partially torn down, the blaze was contained. Ten buildings, including Town Hall, were destroyed.

In February 1897, the Ridgefield Fire Department, with 70 members, was formed and elected Charles S. Nash its first chief. Former Governor Phineas C. Lounsbury donated two pieces of apparatus: a chemical engine truck and a hook and ladder truck with a pump. (Both could be drawn by men or by teams of horses.) A special town meeting in early 1897 approved making space in the new, brick Town Hall to house the fire-fighting equipment.

A water system was the next step and the Ridgefield Water Supply Company soon brought a reliable water source to the village.

In 1907, the town voted to build a firehouse on Catoonah Street and in 1968 added a station in Ridgebury. In 2022, the combined department of 34 career firefighters and 57 volunteers is led by Chief Jerry Myers.

The Great Fire of 1895 in Ridgefield burned a great number of buildings, including the Town Hall which was rebuilt in 1896 and is still standing today. Following the fire, the modern fire department was established and is still operating today, celebrating their 125th anniversary.

Western CT Youth Orchestra Celebrates 20 years

The Ridgefield based youth orchestra has been serving young musicians from all over the area recently celebrated their 20th Anniversary with a Season Finale on June 5th in Danbury!

The Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra (WCYO) is a non-profit that serves advancing and advanced youth musicians in grades 5 - 12 and offers three ensembles. They have kept their program running throughout this pandemic and have put a lot of effort into keeping music in their student’s lives. “We are really proud of the work we do every Thursday at rehearsal and at our concerts,” said Executive Director Ruth Feldman. “Our Music Director, Eric Mahl, is a gift conductor with a unique ability to inspire our youth musicians to perform with both a technical and emotional connection to the world’s great music, wowing our audiences year each year!” WCYO launched the Charles Ives Music Festival (CIMF) in 2020 and offers professional artists concerts in August as part of their summer festival along with educational programs for youth musicians - one of the Artist’s concerts is at the Playhouse on August 7! Go to wctyo.org

Illustration created by Ameila McPartlin, RPAC student and Savannah College of Art and Design freshman.

Tipsy Cones!

A great way to enjoy the summer!

Still have a few parties left in the summer? We’ve come across a quirky catering company that brings the ice cream truck experience to the adult world with alcoholic ice cream! “Why did I do it?! After a MILLION years of tending bar, I realized there were so many drink recipes that would make a much better milkshake or scoop,” said Founder Brooke Santagata-Albers. “So, I started experimenting in the kitchen, and a year later I was up to 27 different flavors, each more delicious than the last! Creamy Whiskey Vanilla Bean, Maple Stout, and Strawberry Wine Sorbet just seemed to make sense.”

The company is not surprisingly gaining in popularity, so catch them soon! The ice cream truck is operating until Saturday, October 22, 2022.

For more information, go to tipsycones.com

Ridgefield Responds

Ridgefield Responds is the town’s community mobilization effort to support humanitarian initiatives locally and abroad. The nonprofit organization launched after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and came together to provide aid after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and with a local rent assistance program after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Ridgefield Responds has now mobilized again to activate the power of the Ridgefield community to help the Ukrainian people suffering from the ravages of an unnecessary war. Ridgefield Responds’ kickoff community event, “Rasom (Together) in Ridgefield” took place in June 5th in Ballard Park, bringing together people of all ages to express our solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Event included food trucks, music, Ukrainian delicacies, art, crafts, speakers, sunflowers and more! However, donations are still being collected and are always welcome and imporant in giving the aid needed.

Ridgefield Responds is working directly with the Rotary Club Ukraine Lviv-Leopolis who are “boots on the ground” and are directly delivering supplies and funds where they are needed most. The LvivLeopolis Rotary Club members, who include renowned doctors, professors and large and small business owners, are helping to directly inform the local Ridgefield Responds efforts.

Follow Ridgefield Responds on Facebook and Instagram (@ ridgefieldrepsonds) and visit the website at https://ridgefieldresponds.org for news on upcoming events, fundraisers, and general information on the initiative.

Donations are being accepted here: https://ridgefieldresponds.org/ ridgefield4ukraine/

Ridgefield Responds operates under Friends of Ridgefield Community Programs, Inc, a 501c3 tax-exempt charitable organization. All donations are 100% tax deductible. •