The Greenwich Red Cross has deployed long-time volunteer Adele McDowell, Ph.D., a trained psychotherapist and author of “Balancing Act – Reflection, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today’s Fast-Paced Whirl” to Joplin, Missouri to support ongoing disaster relief operations. Adele McDowell will be working in a mental health role, assisting those affected by the recent tornados.

Originally, from Dallas, Texas, Adele spent three weeks volunteering with the Red Cross in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.  In response to her recently deployment, Adele says she is “so excited” to join the core of dedicated volunteers who, since April 1, have supported 33 large-scale disaster operations affecting 22 states.  “It’s an honor and a privilege,” Adele says. “You never know how things are going to unfold, but to witness the bonding of the human spirit is something that hugely enriches your life.”

Since April, volunteers like Adele have responded to an unprecedented number of tornados, floods and severe storms; providing nearly 54,000 health and mental health consultations, opening 240 shelters, serving nearly 2.4 million hot meals and snacks and distributing more then 1.2 million relief items such as toothbrushes, shampoo and cleaning supplies.  As a particularly violent storm season rages on, dedicated volunteers and staff will continue to work tirelessly to bring shelter, food, supplies, comfort and hope to thousands of Americans in their times of need and deep anguish.

As the 2011 hurricane season begins, the need to prepare for future disasters becomes even more urgent.  Preparing communities is a core mandate of the American Red Cross mission and is also economically the right  thing to do—for every dollar invested in community disaster preparedness, up to $10 are saved in post-disaster response costs.  Preparation also saves lives. In Japan, tsunami drills and warning systems such as coastal sirens are credited with saving thousands of lives during the March earthquake and tsunami.  To learn how you can prepare for disasters and emergencies, or how you can support disaster preparedness in our community, visit their website at www.greenwichredcross.org.

The Department of Parks and Recreation announces that there is still space available in  all summer tennis classes for children 4 years old and up to adult intermediate levels. 

Summer clinics will begin on June 6.  The town will run one-week sessions, Monday through Thursday, with a rain make up on Friday, if needed.  The cost of each week long clinic is $60.00 for the lollipop program (4 to 5 year olds), $65.00 for the Pee Wee program (6 to 7 yr. Olds), $70.00 for one-hour junior and adult classes, and $85.00 for the one and a half hour adult classes.

For a complete schedule and a registration application, call the Recreation Office at 203-618-7613, or visit www.greenwichct.org.

Alex Lewandoski installs plumbing.

First United Methodist of Greenwich Rebuilds Mississippi Homes Damaged by Tornadoes

Caring people from United Methodist Churches all over the country have been flocking to Yazoo City, Mississippi, for the past year and a half. They went to help this impoverished community recover, recuperate and rebuild after two violent tornadoes struck them late in 2009 and early 2010.

In March the pastor, ten parishioners and friends of Greenwich’s First United Methodist Church joined 13 others from a Michigan church to help in the rebuilding and rehabilitation of ruined building and shattered lives.

The missionary teams are co-ordinated by VIM (Volunteers in Mission), an arm of the Church’s UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). VIM is charged by the Church to provide emergency relief in disaster areas wherever it may be needed. At the Yazoo City site Larry Mullen, a retired construction engineer, has been volunteering all this time as supervisor of the successive waves of volunteer teams. Step by step over the months, they have rebuilt 47 homes. Six more homes have been built new from the ground up. Each evening Larry would meet with our workers and ask, “What did you do today? And what tools do you need me to provide for your work tomorrow?”

“It was one of the greatest mission trips I’ve ever been on,” Don Lewandoski exclaimed. “My son, Alex, Pastor Ariel,  and I installed the plumbing work on one house, and then went on to another”. Master plumber, Don, runs his own business, Liberty Plumbing, in Greenwich.

Don’s wife, Leigh, supervised the interior, working with Becky Brown, Ann Schifman-Deibler and Terry Kimball to measure, cut, mount, nail, spackle, sand and smooth the seams of the sheets of wallboard so they were ready for painting by the next team of workers. Their work was mostly in the new home being rebuilt for Mrs. Johnson. When she saw them starting their work the first day, she declared in a big voice, “Y’all are a blessing to my soul!”

Norm Cote preferred to work outside, upon ladders painting, digging and grading the land around the foundations of the new houses. He was joined the first day by “Aybo”, the grandson of Mrs. Brown, whose new home they were building.

The next day Aybo brought a couple of his friends to help Norm. He brought more friends on the second day. By the end of the week, about 15 neighborhood kids, on spring break from school had joined in side by side with our missionaries. As one of our people exclaimed, “Letting the neighborhood kids pitch in at small jobs, that they could do, seemed to give them a sense of self-confidence they did not have before.”

FUMC of Greenwich Mission Group from left to right; Pastor Ariel Ferrari, Eileen Kasperek, Leigh Lewandoski, Don Lewandoski, Terry Kimball, Ann Shifman Deibler, Alex Lewandoski, Mary Ann Lansdale, Norm Cote; kneeling, Becky Brown.

Interacting with the people whose homes were destroyed was most rewarding for our people. On the day they arrived, they discovered a dog and her four new puppies in the ramshackle remains of Mrs. Brown’s old home.  Don bought a dog brush and taught Mrs. Brown’s daughter, Georgia, how to groom and brush them. Our 22-year old, Alex, showed a neighborhood 15 year-old — also named Alex — how to jump on a trampoline.

While these were simple acts of kindness and caring, they meant a lot both to those on the giving and the receiving sides. Another of our group bought candy bars and made sandwiches for the young new workers. The people, whose houses our people helped rebuild, were extremely appreciative, talking with them each day, and telling them of how their lives were affected by the two back-to-back tornadoes.

As Terry Kimball declared, “We hope we had an influence on their lives: they most certainly did on ours.”

League of Women Voters of Greenwich
at Nathaniel Witherell
70 Parsonage Road
Greenwich, Connecticut
Monday, Febrary 7, 2011*
7:30 to 9:30 am

*Snow date: Thursday, February 10th*

LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST

with:

• Senator Scott Frantz
• Representative Fred Camillo
• Representative Livvy Floren
• Representative Lile Gibbons

COME LEARN ABOUT THE BUDGET, TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH CARE AND OTHER TIMELY ISSUES OF STATE AND LOCAL CONCERN. A QUESTION PERIOD WILL FOLLOW.

There will be a $5 fee

For more information visit  www.lwvg.org or contact Gae Coe at 203 869-8703

Would you like to become a certified American Red Cross Instructor and teach members of the community the skills needed to respond to emergencies?  The Greenwich Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing the following class series to prepare candidates to teach Adult, Infant, and Child CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator.

Monday, September 27th, 8:00am – 1:00pm: Fundamentals of Instructor Training (F.I.T.)
F.I.T. is a pre-requisite for all instructor training and must be attended unless it has been completed in the past year. This course will help build and refine teaching and communication skills, explain the history, structure, and activities of the Red Cross and introduce Red Cross policies and procedures. Candidates with significant prior teaching experience or certification through another organization should inquire about self-study options. 

Monday, September 27th, 2:00pm – 5:00pm: Pre-Course Skill Testing
A current certification in Adult CPR/AED, Child CPR, Infant CPR and First Aid is strongly recommended as these skills are part of the testing. Candidates who do not pass the Pre-Course Skill Testing will not be able to continue the Instructor course.

Tuesday, September 28th, 9:00am – 5:00pm & Wednesday, September 29th, 9:00am – 5:00pm: Instructor Training
These sessions prepare candidates to teach the following courses: Adult, Infant, and Child CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator. The focus is on proficiency in emergency first aid skills as well as proper classroom setup, skill preparation, administrative procedures, and equipment maintenance.

Candidates must be at least 16 years of age and register for Fundamentals of Instructor Training and the Pre-Course Skill Testing separately from the Instructor Training online.  Interested participants can learn more and register online at www.greenwichredcross.org or contact 203-869-8444 x124 for more details.

To Benefit Kids in Crisis

For Mother’s Day, why not give the ultimate in luxury and pampering that mom deserves with “Go to Town for Your Mother,” a package that combines some of the best services in Greenwich. This unique offer includes a haircut and color at Becker Salon with award-winning Becker Chicaiza, a one-night stay at the luxury Delamar Greenwich Harbor, massage or facial at The Spa at Delamar and a two-hour cruise for up to six people on Barton & Gray’s Hinckley Picnic Boat. This priceless package is $1,250.00.  Five percent will be donated to Kids in Crisis.

The haircut and color at Becker Salon includes INOA, Innovation No Ammonia, L’Oréal Professionnel’s new permanent, ammonia-free haircolor, and a haircut with Becker Chicaiza, who recently put his talent to work at Fashion Week in New York City with the models of top designer Zac Posen.

Named “one of the best new hotels in the world,” by Condé Nast Traveler, Delamar Greenwich Harbor with its picturesque setting, prides itself on personal services, while its spa promises the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation. Barton & Gray will send mom and her guests on its Hinckley Picnic Boat, a fiberglass, downeast-style lobster boat powered by a jet drive, for a two-hour cruise from the harbor. The luxury yacht’s interior deck, railing and cabinetry feature handmade mahogany and teak wood.

“Go to Town for Your Mother” can be purchased through Becker Salon in Greenwich, where a packet with gift certificates for each service will be issued, along with a gift bag from the salon and a copy of Greenwich Magazine. Customers can book each service independently at their convenience. Five percent of each package sold will be donated to Kids in Crisis, www.kidsincrisis.org, Connecticut’s only free, round-the-clock agency providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling and community educational programs for children of all ages and families dealing with a wide range of crises—domestic violence, mental health and family problems, substance abuse, economic difficulties and more.  Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis has helped more than 96,000 Connecticut children and families; last year, more than 7,300 adults and children received assistance from the organization.

Becker Salon is located at 268 Mason Street in Greenwich. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Saturday.  To purchase the package, call 203-340-9550. For further information about Becker Salon, please visit www.beckersalon.com.

Earth Day Nature Preserve Clean Up
Old Stone Bridge
Cos Cob
Sponsored by Outdoor Traders
April 22, 2010
4:00-5:00 PM (rain or shine)
Cos Cob

Bring your children and friends to Greenwich Land Trust’s afternoon of Earth Day community service and stewardship sponsored by Outdoor Traders (Arch Street, Greenwich). Help pick up and dispose of garbage and clear brush. Bring your own work gloves and wear sturdy shoes. This is a great way to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day with your children and grandchildren! The outing will be held rain or shine.

Park along Old Stone Bridge in Cos Cob (near the intersection of Cat Rock Road). Trash removal will take place along the roadway and in GLT’s Old Stone Bridge Nature Preserve.

Care of Trees will be providing seedling trees for event participants.

Why go to NYC, when Community Answers is bringing NYC to you!

Community Answers, will host “Comedy Night Lite”  at the Cole Auditorium of the Greenwich Library on Saturday, November 14th @7:15pm. The MC for the evening is our very own Gideon Fountain (Actor, Writer and Comic), the comics for the evening include the very funny  Walli Collins (ABC’s “The View”, Comedy Central’s “Tough Crowd” & David Letterman show),  James Smith  (one of Australia’s best live stand up comedians. James has appeared on all of the major television network programs: Rove Live, The Footy Show, The Fat, The Comedy Channel’s Headliners and made countless other TV appearances), and Central’s always combative Barry Weintraub  (One of the louder lefties on Comedy “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn”.)

Please join Community Answers with friends and make this a sold out event.  It promises to be real fun evening to kick back and relax, right in your own town.

A portion of your ticket is tax deductible. Tickets for the event are $65 & $50, and for a limited time Community Answers is offering group tickets (10) at a discounted price please contact 203-622-7916 or log onto http://www.communityanswers.org to buy your tickets

An evening of comedy, friends, food & laughter
Comics from New York & Connecticut
Hosted by: Todd Etelson
To benefit
Community Answers, Inc.
Saturday, June 13th, 2009
Greenwich Library
Cole Auditorium
101 W. Putnam Ave, Greenwich
7:00 pm Complimentary Wine/Beer, Hors D’oeuvres & Silent Auction
8:00 pm ShowCommunity Answers cordially invites you to
“Don’t Worry Be Happy”

Community Answers, Inc. is committed to being the clearing house of information about organizations and events in Greenwich. Staffed by more than 30 trained volunteers, they provide access to a wide range of free services to all residents of Greenwich. In 2008, they answered more than 41,000 queries via their phone lines, website & publications. 83% of all funds received go directly towards their services and programs. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW COMPLIMENTARY 2009 SUMMER CAMP GUIDE.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TICKETS

Corporate Sponsors
RBS Sempra Commodities
Cummings & Lockwood LLC
Weeden & Co.
Art designed by Ahana Shanbhogue