Rock and Roll
The Youth Group of the Congregational Church of New Canaan Youth Group over February break ran into at a Memphis airport with rock star Joan Jett. Contributed
We hear the Youth Group at the Congregational Church of New Canaan during its mission trip ran into rock star Joan Jett (“I Love Rock and Roll”) at an airport in Memphis, and that she and her group were good enough to pose with the local teens. (Side note: First Selectman Rob Mallozzi has seen the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductee perform live and has an autographed LP cover from her.)
***
The town planner said during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission that he expects Grace Farms to submit its new application for a modified zoning permit by March 15.
***
A coyote and a medium-sized dog on Autumn Lane at about 6:45 pa.m. on Tuesday had what New Canaan’s police chief called “a close encounter” on Autumn Lane. The animal was frightened away by its owner, and the incident served as a reminder, Chief Leon Krolikowski said, “that coyote are active in the area and that they are not nocturnal. It is highly recommended that all dogs be supervised at all times and any food sources, such as bird feeders and pet food be contained and controlled.” Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Animal Control at 203-594-3510.
Tamps Bay catcher Curt Casali follows through on his 2-run homer against Atlanta on Wednesday, August 12, 2015. Photo: Contributed
***
New Canaan’s first major league baseball player, Curt Casali, hit a home run in spring training on Tuesday. He’s competing for the starting catcher’s job for the Tampa Bay Rays.
***
Halo Studios on Grove Street has announced that NORDIC Cryotherapy is opening next week, and will be one of just three cryotherapy centers in the tristate area and the first ever cryotherapy center in Fairfield County. NORDIC will be open for business at Halo Studios beginning March 6, with a grand opening scheduled for March 23. Free treatments and refreshments will be available at the grand opening.
Cryotherapy
Whole body cryotherapy, which means “cold treatment,” is a very brief procedure (the entire treatment is only three minutes) that exposes the body to temperatures of about minus 264 degrees. Although it has been around since the ‘70s where it was used widely in Japan to treat a number of ailments, it has gained radical popularity in the West in recent years, especially among elite athletes as a more efficient way to soothe and repair sore muscles. It’s even covered by insurance in Europe, according to Dr. Marie O’Connor, NORDIC’s founder and CEO.
***
Police at 9:58 p.m. Monday cited a 24-year-old for possession of less than .5 ounces of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after stopping him for speeding on Canoe Hill Road.
Pimlico is moving into the second floor of the new structure at 215 Elm St., whose street-level floor is occupied by Stewart’s Wine & Spirits. Credit: Michael Dinan
***
Pimlico, the home furnishings and design shop that had been located at Elm Street and South Avenue, is moving into the new building at 215 Elm St., whose ground floor is occupied by Stewart’s Spirits & Wines.
***
Bill Redman has been appointed as a regular member of P&Z, replacing Tony Shizari, for a term through Dec. 1, 2018.
At Stewart’s Spirits.
***
Event reminder: Stewart’s Wine & Spirits is kicking off a season of seminars and tastings with a focus on vineyards in the Burgundy “gold coast” of France. Presented by Christian Dalbavie, CSW, French Portfolio Manager for Kobrand, the event at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 11 will feature eight select wines from the Domaine Louis Jadot.
***
Niche.com recently ranked New Canaan High School #1 out of 194 public high schools in Connecticut.
***
Finally, here’s a gallery rounding up some news throughout New Canaan:
Magical Music for Life Foundation’s groups has been touring the last three months with five performances in the tri-state at schools for children with learning disabilities and special needs, a charity event, and for a holiday event in New Canaan.
Two Little Snowflakes was performed twice earlier this season by our youngest singing group – at The Enchanted Forest (a charity event in Greenwich) and at the New Canaan Holiday Stroll. The circle of life, true meaning of friendship, and spirit of Christmas are in the forefront of this family musical play. It was inspired by events of 9/11 and serves as a reminder to us all the importance of cherishing our friendships.
The Magical Music Troupe performed A Day in the Life of a Child: Musical Revue at Country Childrens Center, Eagle Hill School, and Giant Steps School the first half of their performance term. The basis of the musical is MMFL’s album A Day in the Life of a Child, which was created with children with special needs in mind. It is a heart-warming, all-inclusive musical with interactive songs relating to a day in the life of a child. The songs were written to help teach social skills, motor skills, and various activities of daily living. The songs are all available as free downloads on the Magical Music website, www.magicalmusic.com. Some of the comments were as follows: "Magical Music for Life is an amazing program. The songs are catchy, engaging and fun! The performers are remarkable and inspiring. We look forward to seeing this fantastic troupe at Country Childrens Center for years to come.” by Brent Morton, School-Age Program Director at Country Childrens Center, Katonah, NY. From Kathleen Gallagher, Educational Supervisor at Eagle Hill Southport, "Thank you for bringing such an extraordinary performance to our school. Not only was the performance professional, but was inspiring to our students to see other students perform. The messaging was also superb." Mary Ellen Betzler, Giant Steps School Director of Education said “"I have not seen the kids so engaged by a performance as with this show and some of the kids who got up to dance were a surprise, because they would not normally do that." And also from Giant Steps School, Kaitlin Hayes, Development Associate said "What a fantastic afternoon! Our students LOVE when you perform here and music is such an intricate part of so many of their programs!"
Magical Music is holding auditions in New Canaan for the Magical Music Singers by appointment. Under the direction of Don Rickenback, this high school age group performs original Magical Music songs written for their musicals and local/national charities four-part harmony at venues including Magical Music’s annual TUNES in TIMES SQUARE concert on May 7th. Rehearsals are held on Sunday afternoons in New Canaan. Information is available at www.magicalmusic.org. Those interested in auditioning for this group should contact MMFL at info@magicalmusic.org to schedule an audition time and for details regarding the audition.
Magical Music for Life, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is to better the lives of children through the impactful and extraordinary power of music. They accomplish this by developing and producing a wide range of musical projects that deliver positive, inspirational, and educational messages to children and their families. Through their songs, performances, and projects MMFL engages children and transforms the way they understand themselves, others, and the world around them. MMFL’s four family musicals have been performed in professional theaters, schools, hospitals, and other venues throughout the Northeast. They have written songs for several national charities and children with special needs & autism, as well as performed at such venues as the White House, United Nations for the first World Autism Awareness Day, Citi Field Stadium, and Tribeca Film Festival. MMFL’s benefit concerts, One Town … One Voice in New Canaan and TUNES in TIMES SQUARE, have involved the participation of thousands of children, as well as the Broadway Community. For more information about or donate to Magical Music for Life Foundation, go to www.magicalmusic.org.
L-R: Bankwell EVP & Chief Lending Officer Heidi DeWyngaert with CAC Board Member Nancy Rebold and Executive Director Stacey Sobel
As part of their ongoing commitment to the community, Bankwell donated $2,500 to Child Advocates of Southwestern Connecticut.
Child Advocates of SW Connecticut (CAC) is a local non-profit based in Norwalk that recruits, trains and supervises court appointed volunteer advocates who work to ensure that each abused or neglected child has a safe, loving and permanent home. CAC is a member of the National CASA Organization.
“CAC greatly appreciates the generous support of Bankwell, which will enable us to train more volunteers to help more vulnerable children in SW Connecticut,” notes Executive Director Stacey Sobel.
South School Read-A-Thon Winners include, back row: Jack Haley, left, E.J. Kollitides, Bryson Baker, Niko Nikeas, Henry Bertelson. Front row: Tripp Paniwozik, left, Brandon Barua, Amelia Bergheim, Ian Lanning and Arden Alexander.
In January, South School students participated in a two-week-long reading event to raise money for their school. Approximately 70% of students participated in South School’s Annual Read-A-Thon and raised over $21,000. Funds from this year’s Read-A-Thon will go toward upcoming grade level field trips as well as the unique STEM Bots assembly. This one-of-a-kind assembly will use robots to promote STEM learning and make it fun, participatory and engaging.
Per grade, a top reader and top fundraiser were awarded for their hard work as well as one class per grade for the highest participation rate. At the end of the event, all readers and their families were invited to celebrate with Danny Magic to thank them for their exceptional effort.
From Left Steffi Loomis, NC Color Run Co-Chair; Allison Mennitt, NC Color Run Co-Chair; Steve Karl, VP Sales, Karl Chevrolet.
The New Canaan High School Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) is delighted to announce that Karl Chevrolet is sponsoring the Blue Color Station at the upcoming NC Color Run on April 29. NCSF is hosting the first ever NC Color Run in honor of its 50th anniversary and in place of the annual scholarship drive, typically help in April. Students and adults of all ages will run/walk in either the Kids’ Color Dash, which is .8 miles for younger children, or the NC Color Run, an approximate 5k. Both events will be held at the high school and will feature Color Stations along the route.
William Egan, New Canaan High School Principal and Chairman of NCSF states, “We are honored that Karl Chevrolet, a longtime supporter of the scholarship fund and many events at the high school, will participate in this important and fun event. It’s truly bringing the entire community together and we can’t thank them enough for their support.”
Karl Chevrolet is a third-generation, award-winning, auto dealership with customers all throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties. They are currently celebrating their 90th year in business! Thousands of customers have come to Karl Chevrolet and experienced their motto: honesty, integrity, service and trust. Karl Chevrolet also supports sustainable energy through the use of solar panels onsite, waste oil furnaces to heat the shop, recycled rain water, and the sponsorship of Public EV Charging Stations in New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford and Greenwich.
To register online for the NC Color Run go to NCSF’s new website at NCHS-SF.org. The cost to register is $30 through April 28. Day-of registration opens at 8 am, with an additional cost of $10. Ages 5 and under are free! The first 500 online registrants will receive a t-shirt and sunglasses to be distributed at the high school a week prior to the event.
For more information on the NCSF, please go to NCHS-SF.org. General donations can be made online or mailed to NCHS Scholarship Foundation, New Canaan High School, 11 Farm Road, New Canaan, CT 06840. Checks should be made out to the “NCHS Scholarship Foundation.”
L-R: Lisa Cooper and Carole Eisner. On Feb. 26, the Silvermine Galleries had an opening for the new Legacy of Silvermine exhibition. A crowd of friends, family, and fellow artists showed up to honor the 18 Lifetime Guild members whose work appears in the show. There were three New Canaan artists among the 18: two current members--Rosamond Berg and Marjorie Tomchuk, and there was a central exhibit space dedicated to Jens Risom, who joined the Silvermine Guild back in 1954. The Glass House lent its 2009 oral history film on Risom to the Silvermine exhibition.
As Silvermine Arts Center moves towards its 100th anniversary, the institution is taking a moment to reflect on and celebrate some of the current Guild members who helped to shape what Silvermine is today. With The Legacy of Silvermine: Artists, Art, and Community, Silvermine introduces a new annual series honoring some of the lions of the Silvermine community. All were born in the first half of the twentieth century, and all of them found at Silvermine an artistic home. This exhibition was curated by Silvermine Guild artists Mindy Green and Karen Neems. The exhibit will run through April 9.
Twelve of the artists appear in the group shot included here. In this photo, New Canaan artist Rosamond Berg appears 3rd from left, and Marjorie Tomchuk is 4th from the right, in the gray jacket.
On exhibit with the Legacy show is an exhibition of prints and wood sculptures by artist William Kent. His large-scale key sculpture and his large-scale "Crushed Beer Can" in pine are shown in two of these photos.