December 10, 2021

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The Greenwich Weekly Newspaper: local, local, local.

December 10, 2021

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Back Countr y | Banksv ille | Belle Haven | By ram| Chickahominy | Cos Cob | Glenv ille | Old Greenw ich | Pember w ick | R iverside | Bedford, N Y

The Local News You Need to Know COVID UPDATE As of Wednesday, Greenwich Hospital reported they were treating 10 COVID patients in the hospital, one of whom is in the ICU. A year ago this week, Greenwich Hospital was treating 39 COVID patients. The town Health Department is currently tracking 98 active cases, including the 10 in the hospital. Greenwich Hospital reported two positive tests for the omicron variant Wednesday. Both cases were mild and were identified at the hospital’s testing site on Tuesday, Greenwich Hospital President Diane Kelly said.

Six Local Authors with New Books Await Christmas Shoppers This Saturday at Dogwood Books

NEW BOOKS STORE OPENING TODAY Cozy up with a book from Athena Books, a brand new independent bookstore opening on Friday, December 10th. The bookstore opens for its first day with extended hours from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Athena Books aims to be a gathering place and source of inspiration for Greenwich residents that carries a selection of books for everyone. The new bookstore also plans to host book clubs, author events, lectures, and more. The name and logo were inspired by Athena, the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology, and the olive tree, a symbol of Athens, representing peace, friendship, growth and an inviting shelter. The store will be located at 228 Sound Beach Ave in Old Greenwich. For more information visit the Athena Books website at: https://bookshop. org/shop/athenabooksog Or their instagram page @athenabooksog   Greenwich Land Trust Acquires 8 Acres The Greenwich Land Trust has announced that they have acquired 8 acres of land from the Aquarion Water Company directly off of Cherry Valley Road. This vital space will serve as a continuous greenway, wildlife corridor, and will enhance public access as it borders the Converse Brook Preserve on the east, totaling 90 acres and making it the Land Trust’s largest preserve. The Land Trust plans to integrate the new acreage into the trail system already being developed on the Converse Brook Preserve, and will use the land to conserve important habitats. FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Closing Today The Disaster Recovery Centers located at the Glenville Fire Station, 266 Glenville Rd. will permanently close Friday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. Face-to-face assistance is still available at Harry Bennett Branch of the Ferguson Library, 115 Please turn to page 9

Grace Sandwiches Illustrated by Wajih Chaudhry

Six authors and their new books to be introduced this Saturday, December 11 at Dogwood Books & Gifts in Greenwich.

By Jill S. Woolworth, LMFT

All of us have to communicate dif f icult messages. Rather than avoiding the issue until we escape or explode, we can build a “grace sandwich” with affirmation as bread. The first slice of bread aff irms the other person. Start by noting anything that he or she has done that you appreciate. This could be either a character quality or a specif ic action. Such statements calm our nervous systems and draw the listener’s attention. We are all hungry for compliments. Then add: “What I want to say isn’t easy. I’m concerned you may be upset. And I need your help to get this right.” A sk i ng for help def use s defensiveness. Once you’ve done that, state the meat of the issue: the hard message. The second slice of bread aff irms the importance of your relationship, along with

your conf idence that the other person will do the right thing. Even if we doubt that he or she will, the odds of it happening increase between two slices of affirmation. Blake declared to Olivia: “I was proud to tell my parents about the award you got at work. You deserved it. I’m lucky to have such a smart wife. I have an important request and I need your help. // I doubt you k now how much it bothers me when I find your dishes in the sink. I feel like your maid. Please put them in the dishwasher. // Our relationship is the most important thing in the world to both of us. I know that you want me to be happy. Thanks for listening. Excerpted from Greenwich resident, Jill Woolworth's, b o o k , T h e Wa t e r w h e e l , available at Diane’s Books, Dogwood Bookstore, Amazon, and barnesandnoble.com. Jill is a therapist at the Greenwich Center for Hope & Renewal.

By Anne W. Semmes This Saturday is Local Authors Day at the Dogwood Books & Gifts store. From 11 to 2 p.m., six local authors will position themselves with their books in the adjoining Parish Hall alongside Dogwood Books. On offer will also be “the best coffee and hot drinks and cookies in the area!” Following on are introductions of each author and their book covers! I n t he spi r it of Ch r ist ma s , p r o c e e d s f r o m au t h o r Va l e r i e Stauffer’s “Nativity Scenes from A r ou nd t he World ,” w i l l go to Neighbor to Neighbor and will be on view in a room that has housed some extraordinary creche collections. Stauffer’s began with a Christmas gift of a German music box from her late husband Jack in 1956. “He apologized that the box, with wooden nativity figures on top was the best he could find. Little did we know then that what seemed at the time to be a simple curio, would be the beginning of a collection that has spanned more than half a century.”

Aut hor Ca r ol Japh a’s b o ok , “Mapping Eden” is a story of a young girl's grief at losing her mother to illness, with a look back into childhood and more. Japha was born in London and grew up in Chicago. As an editor and nonprofit executive, she worked for book publishers, nonprofit research organizations, and foundations. As a writer and artist, she has participated in workshops and residencies at Bennington College, Silvermine School of Art, and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. A graduate of Barnard College, Carol studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and served in the Peace Corps. Author Jeff Cooper draws from his own career as a trusts and estates lawyer at a large law firm and a major trust company for debut novel, “After The Fact.” “In those positions,” he shares, “I had the pleasure of serving honest clients and working with loyal colleagues. Writing “After The Fact” allowed me to recreate that world in a version where the clients aren’t all quite so honest and the colleagues

aren’t all quite so loyal. I drop a young lawyer into this minefield and force him to navigate his way through lies and deception. Jack thinks he’s on the path to glory, but he’s really a victim of deceit, a pawn in a game he doesn’t even know he’s playing.” Author L ouisa Hunting ton Fisher, grew up in the Greenwich backcountry where she roamed the woods and trails, played tennis and soccer, and skied and sailed with family and friends. Summers were in Sorrento, Maine and Long Island. Now, with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and experience working with soldiers and their families under the Department of Defense, Fisher maintains a private practice and resides in Dover, New Hampshire. With all her exposure to nature she developed a long lasting interest in taking pictures and in the beauty of nature as well as the wisdom that life offers. So, she has brought these elements together in her biographical journey in her book, “Finding our Way To Each Other.”

Co-authors and father and son, David and Daniel Castelline have shared their alternative perspectives on life from Boomers and Millennials in their whimsical coffee table book, "Listen Up Hipster, Settle Down Geezer!" Their three-year father/ son project showcases how differing generations actually share more in common (not less). Captured through real-life verbatim, and illustrated with poignant satire, this book is the perfect stocking stuffer for the upcoming holiday. Last but not least is author Ronice Felicia Latta who has transformed a time of loss and personal frustration i nto a n i n spi r i n g c ol le c t ion of devotional writings entitled “The Layover.” With Latta’s faith-building stories, she shares, “You can recover from your pain and triumph over your obstacles when you feed your faith with biblical truths.” Dogwood Books & Gifts is located at Christ Church Greenwich, 254 E. Putnam Avenue in Greenwich.

Family Centers New Board Members Family Centers recently announced the appointments of Briana (Bri) Hart, Terry Kaufmann and Abby Ritman to its Board of Trustees. Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization offering heath, education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. More than 200 professionals and more than 500 trained volunteers work together to provide a wide range of responsive, innovative programs.


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