New Canaan’s annual ceremony honoring and remembering those lost in the Sept, 11, 2001 terrorist attacks will return to the front steps of Town Hall this Friday, Sept. 11 at 9:55 a.m. Attendees are welcome to join town officials for refreshments following the ceremony, at the New Canaan Firehouse across Main Street, Fire Marshal Fred Baker tells us.
Katherine Pembrook Avgerinos, a 2002 NCHS grad, and her husband, Ivan Jose Docampo Esmoris, at the couple’s July 5 wedding in Greece. Contributed
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Congratulations to 2002 NCHS grad Katherine Pembrook Avgerinos, looking beautiful in these photos on occasion of her July 5 marriage to Ivan Jose Docampo Esmoris in Glyfada, Greece. Here are excerpts from the wedding notice, supplied by her mom:
The Rev. Harold E. Masback, III, former senior minister of the Congregational Church of New Canaan, officiated at the service.
The bride is the daughter of Michael and Linda Avgerinos, formerly of New Canaan and now residing in Norwalk. The bridegroom is the son of Hilario and Maria Jesus Docampo of Carballo, Spain, in the northeast region of Galicia.
The bride wore a chiffon wedding gown with a beaded waist by Demetrios of Athens and carried a bouquet of white roses and olive leaves. She was attended by her sister Joanna Hughes of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., matron of honor; her sister-in-law Daria de Koning of Los Angeles, Calif.; Jessica Camus of Geneva, Switzerland, and New Canaan classmates Pamela Peterson Martinez of Concord, Mass., Pamela Sweitzer of Wilton, Conn., and Meghan Faughnan of New York, NY.
The groom’s best man was Andrea Gagliardi of Naples, Italy. Groomsmen were his brother-in-law Theodore Avgerinos of Los Angeles, Calif.; Victor Hurtado Sanchez of Barcelona, Spain, and Alexander Seeger of Berlin, Germany.
The ceremony was performed at Asteria Beach in Glyfada, Greece, a suburb of Athens where the bride’s father spent his summers growing up. The international gathering of guests represented more than 12 nations, including Spain, Russia, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, in addition to Greece and the United States. They witnessed sunset over the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf.
During the ceremony, St. Paul’s “Love” passage, Corinthians 13:1-8, was read in English by Theodore Avgerinos, brother of the bride; in Galician by Maria Jose Fraga Tasende, cousin of the groom, and in the original Greek by Alexander Avgerinos, uncle of the bride.
A highlight of the reception was the performance of traditional dances by Greek dancers. And for a day-late celebration of the Fourth of July, a small display of fireworks lit up the beach. After their wedding the couple traveled with a group of 25 friends to the Greek islands of Naxos and Koufonisia.
The bride’s father is the former owner of Avgerinos Contractors, LLC. The groom’s parents own a café in Carballo, Spain.
Mrs. Docampo graduated from New Canaan High School in 2002. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Slavic Studies from Connecticut College and a Master’s degree in Public Diplomacy from Syracuse University. She is Manager for Eurasia Business Engagement at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mr. Docampo graduated from high school in Carballo, Spain. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2007 from the University of A Coruña, Spain. He is currently a Relationship Manager for Latin America at the bank BSI in Geneva.
The couple met four years ago on the bride’s second day of living in Geneva, when they joined the same running club. They participate frequently in sporting events and spend many weekends hiking and biking in the French and Swiss Alps. They will continue to make their home in Geneva.
Renovation plans filed for 104 Dan’s Highway, former Huguette Clark estate.
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Firefighters on Sept. 1 responded to a report of carbon monoxide at the former Huguette Clark estate on Dan’s Highway. At about 12:51 p.m., Engine 4 and Ladder 3 were dispatched to the home of fashion designer Reed Krakoff and there found an active CO alarm that officials say likely was triggered by a pool truck making a delivery too close to the house.
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Michael Nowacki, a petitioning candidate for first selectman and founder of New Canaan Taxpayers Association LLC, told NewCanaanite.com that he paid his taxes late in order to avoid paying a 35 percent penalty in his IRA. During an interview on a separate matter, the Lost District Drive resident volunteered that he informed the New Canaan tax collector that he would be about 10 days late paying his property taxes (and did so on Aug. 28, records show). Nowacki said that a legacy media outlet in town had “threatened” to write an article about his being late on paying local taxes. “I said, ‘Listen, my financial business should be private.’ If I had to pay a 35 percent premium to the federal government and the state government to pay $9,200 and I can accomplish the same thing by paying a late fee of $250, why wouldn’t I do what I did? I did what was smart for me to do.” He paid $276.79 in interest, records show.
Exchange Club of New Canaan member Bob Butman at a recent golf outing for the venerable service organization. Contributed
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The Exchange Club of New Canaan will be hosting its 14th annual golf tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at the Country Club of New Canaan. Bob Butman, program chair for the event said in a press release: “The proceeds from the tournament support the Exchange Club’s Foundation, which this year donated over $128,000 to various charities in and around New Canaan.” The foundation’s primary mission is the prevention of child abuse, and its largest beneficiary is the Exchange Club Parenting Skills Center in Stamford. It also supports a wide variety of other local organizations. For more info, please contact Bob Butman, 203-653-3030.
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Halstead Property announced that New Canaan boutique real estate agency the Realty Guild will join the larger company where Barbara Cleary herself will remain as lead broker and Brian Cleary will serve as director of sales for the office. In a press release, Halstead Property CEO Diane M. Ramirez said: “Barbara is a wonderful woman who has built an incredible reputation throughout Fairfield County for her nurturing style, dedication and discretion with all levels of real estate transactions.We have long admired Barbara and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome her and her talented team of Agents to our Halstead family.”
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A Community Networking Event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Halo Studios at 45 Grove St. Under a theme of “What can you do for you, your family and your community?” topics include wellness, personal growth, business development and career transitions.
The SLOBs board
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The Service League of Boys—or “SLOBs,” a parent-son community service organization at New Canaan High School—will hold its annual New Membership Orientation Meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, in the high school cafeteria. SLOBs is open to any freshman, sophomore or junior boy attending the high school; a parent must also join along with his or her son. The club fosters the parent-son relationship in a philanthropic organization committed to community service and leadership development. SLOBs currently has 245 boys enrolled and is the largest and most popular club at New Canaan High School. Click here for more info.
Third grader Charlotte Laurence, kindergartener Finley Laurence and sophomore Andreas Moor. Contributed
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The United Methodist Church of New Canaan kicks off its new school year with Rally Day on Sunday, Sept. 13. This year’s theme, “Dive Deep into Your Faith,” encourages everyone to continue on their faith journey and explore a deeper understanding of God’s love. Children’s will dive right into a new Sunday School year. During worship, children are encouraged to bring their school backpacks to receive a blessing, along with a backpack clip featuring a prayer and message that will remind them of the love and care of God through the congregation that surrounds them each day at school. Sunday School classes are available for Pre-K through Senior High. “The United Methodist Church is a very healthy place for children,” Linda Allen, Coordinator of Children’s Ministries, said in a press release. “Every child is known and supported from birth through high school graduation and beyond by everyone in the congregation.”
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Congratulations to local husband and wife team Steve Monroe and Eleanor Meredith, residents of New Canaan since 1988, after Inc. magazine recognized their company, Irving Levin Associates, on its 34th annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Irving Levin Associates made the 2015 Inc. 5000 list with three-year sales growth of 59 percent. Read more here.
Owner Alicia Brandfellner stands outside Ciel Eau. The spa will have its grand opening during the week of Sept. 21. Photo by Mackenzie Lewis
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Finally, a heads-up and congratulations regarding Ciel Eau, the new day spa that has opened at 1 East Ave. (just off the corner at Main Street). The spa will hold its grand opening during the week of Sept. 21, including a ribbon-cutting with First Selectman Rob Mallozzi at 3 p.m. on Monday, “Take a Break Tuesday,” “Wax Bar Wednesday” and more. Get more details on the spa’s Facebook page here.