April 3, 2020

ECRWSS

April 3, 2020

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The Great Greenwich Bear Hunt Continues

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RTC Selects New Chairman

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JOHN FERRIS ROBBEN

5 THINGS Sign Up for the Incredibly Popular

Greenw ich Police Chief James Heavey suggested last week that we unite neighborhoods in a unique way during the COVID-19 crisis. While we all are Staying Safe and Staying Home, outside walks with proper social distancing are good for everyone, especially our children.

Taking a tip from other towns around the country, he suggested we start a “Bear Hunt.”

Across the United States, neighborhoods are taking a page from Michale Rosens’ 1989 children’s book; We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. The idea is simple; residents place teddy bears or other stuffed animals in the windows of their homes. Parents take the kids out for a walk and a scavenger-type hunt for bears in the window.

The Greenwich Sentinel has been promoting the Great Greenwich Bear Hunt

for a week in the daily email, Top 5 Things To Do in Greenwich. For the past few days, John Ferris Robben has been out "hunting" for bears too. His photo gallery is on the website at www.GreenwichSentinel.com.

Just because we are all shuttered away, doesn’t mean we can’t connect and have fun.

This weekend, take a walk and look for stuffed friends looking out from our neighborhood windows and porches.

Greenwich Hospital on the "Front Line" At a news conference announcing Governor Lamont’s new Health System Response Team, Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven Health confirmed that Greenwich Hospital has been on the front line dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

As of Monday, she said that nine physicia ns had tested positive for COVID-19. According to Borgstrom, “Across the health system I know that at Greenwich Hospital, which has been on

the front line, they’ve had about nine of their physicians test positive including a number of emergency room physicians.”

Bergstrom also said that Greenwich Hospital has, “a number of nurses out.”

To support the hospital, the Greenwich Hospital Foundation has set up two COVID-19 Support Funds, which will provide critical support to Greenwich Hospital during the pandemic.

Support will be used for capital

expenses, including equipment and supplies. The second f u nd w i l l be dedicated to operational expenses, which will enable their clinical staff to sustain their resilience and continue to provide safe, high-quality care.

The COVID-19 Support Funds are designed to provide assistance as critical needs are identified.

To c ont ribute to the Hospital Foundation visit giving.greenhosp.org.

Fabricare's Free Services to Healthcare Providers Fabricare Cleaners is looking to show their appreciation for all those in our community providing healthcare during this pandemic. These healthcare providers are fighting every day to keep us safe and healthy while we stay home to do our part.

Fabricare’s message to local healthcare heroes is simple: Thank you. Thank you for risking your own health for ours. Thank you for working long hours day after day. Thank you for giving us some peace of mind during a time of uncertainty. Thank you.

They are showing their appreciation by offering these healthcare providers with FREE LAUNDRY SERVICE during this pandemic. So they and their families can spend any free time they may have doing other things.

To schedule a laundry pick up, call 203-229-0001 or email service@fabricarecleaners.net and let them know you are part of the healthcare community, and they will send a driver to pick up your clothing.

5 Tips to Contain Anxiety

Anxiety and Fear During Coronavirus Quarantine Daniel P. Villiers, Ph. D. & Alexander W. Merrill, M.A. None of us could have expected a pandemic virus. Yes, I know it was inevitable, but it is human nature, ironically, a survival technique, to not expect and prepare for global disaster. I have thought, especially during times of work stress, about how lovely it would be to be in isolation for a month or two; time to rediscover the creative hobbies of my teens, time to bond with family beyond the limited offer of a weekend, time to enjoy the lost art of solitude. Instead, stress and anxiety consume much of our time, and while there are many things that we cannot control during this unprecedented time, some of the following strategies are things we can control, and thus may make this time a little more bearable, and even valuable.

1. TRANSLATE: Frame your c u r r e nt c i r c u m s t a n c e a s a n opportunity to not only protect yourself, but to adapt, grow and protect others. While practicing gratitude is an extremely simple exercise, it can be powerful in reducing anxiety. Make it a game by trying to see everything (no matter how worrisome or negative) as a positive. Reframing adversities into a positive context has been proven to have immediate physiological benefits in a person’s mental state.

Understanding personal strife as part of a communal experience can also reduce its potency of perceived threat.

2. ESTIMATE: Use anchoring to manage anxiety and stop panic

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attacks. In a time of social panic, it’s key to sort factual truth from sensationalism by using statistics and tangible evidence to ground the mind and manage anxiety. This technique is grounded in science.

Using numbers and concrete facts activates the parasympathetic nervous system and calms the emotional centers of the brain that can hijack your thinking.

3. ALLOCATE: Schedule your day to provide predictability and balance to your day’s activities.

This strateg y is not meant to o p t i m i z e yo u r p r o du c t i v i t y.

Instead, creating routines is used to treat anxiety, insomnia and stress, acting as a sort of sedative to your brain. When feeling trapped inside by a national emergency such as the coronavirus, a sense of empowerment over routine is critical.

4 . M E D I TAT E : P r a c t i c e mindfulness techniques, particularly simple meditation routines, to dramatically reduce stress and anxiety. Researchers at Johns Hopkins recently sifted t h r o u g h 1 9, 0 0 0 s t u d i e s o n meditation and found consensus that meditation addresses psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. Integrating just five to ten minutes a day of a regular routine with an app like headspace can be a great tool your life. Guided imagery is another relaxation technique proven by science to improve your health (e.g. lower blood pressure. reduce levels of stress hormone (cortisol), reduce pain). Guided imagery incorporates sensory (e.g. taste,

sound, smell, sensation) and visual positive mental images to create a sense of well-being. Think about this technique as “going to your happy place."

5 . C U LT I VA T E : Ta k e t h i s o p p o r t u n it y to nu r t u r e relationships, develop new skills, rediscover hobbies and institute healthy habits. During this period of social distancing, it can be a terrific opportunity to do those things that you’ve been putting off due to our high-intensity pace of life. Read the books on your bedside table. Take up a musical instrument. Develop an exercise routine. Play board games with your family. Now’s the time to slow down, set personal goals, institute new habits and develop new skills that will last you a lifetime.

Be sure to contact a mental health professional experienced in treating anxiety disorders if you or a loved one is experiencing pronounced anxiety symptoms such as loss of sleep, loss of appetite, constant worrying or rumination about the future, feelings of panic or shortness of breath, and/or physical symptoms such as stomach pain, headache, or fatigue.

One of the nation’s leading interventionists, Dr. Dan Villiers ha s educ ated , mot ivated , and inspired more than 800 families t o p u r s u e t r e a t m e n t fo r t h e i r children with acute anxiety, OCD and trauma. Alexander Merrill h a s ta u g h t E n gl i s h , c o a c h e d , and dor m-parented for nearly 20 years at Dartmouth College, Th e Ki n g S c h o ol , Ki n gswo o dOxford, Philips Andover and Taft.

EXPERT LENDERS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

Following two terms as the chairman of the local Republican Town Committee (RTC), Richard DiPreta has stepped down and the RTC has elected a new chairman, Dan Quigley.

It has been a roller coaster ride for DiPreta as chairman of the organization wh ich is re sp on si ble for cho osi ng Republican candidates and helping to get them elected.

He has overseen both devastating losses and remarkable wins.

D i P r e t a to ok ove r a s t h e lo c a l repu bl ic a n pa r t y's le ader i n 2 018, following in the foot steps of former state representative and former BET chairmen Steve Walko. DiPreta’s f irst year as chairman saw the loss of both L. Scott Frantz to Alex Bergstein as state senator and Michael Bocchino to Steve Meskers as state representative.

In 2019 DiPreta helped shepherd Fred Camillo in as the new First Selectman in a landslide victory with over 10,000 votes followed closely by Selectman Lauren Rabin, who took in over 9,000 votes.

Earlier this year, DiPreta celebrated success with Harry Arora, who won in the special election to replace Camillo as state representative.

Now, a new member of the Republican party will take over.

D a n Q u ig ley w a s u n a n i mou sly elected chairman for a two-year term by the members of the RTC, which held its meeting online.

The RTC’s mission statement is to serve as “an integral part of the Greenwich CT community with members and associates who are committed to a fiscally-sound economic policy that promotes, among other things, an efficient government and spirit of volunteerism that serves all the people of Greenwich without encumbering future generations, encourages responsible stewardship of our precious resources and supports educational excellence, by supporting initiatives that improve the skills of all of our students, regardless of their abilities.”

Quigley was raised in Greenwich and educated in the public schools. He and his wife were married at St. Mary’s on the Avenue. Quigley sought election to

Connection & Safety

ILLUSTRATED BY WAJIH CHAUDHRY

CONNECT

By Jill S. Woolworth, LMFT During moments of marital stress, each of us favors either connection or safety. Both are essential to relationships. We typically choose a partner with the opposite priority because we are attracted to his or her complementary personality. Which is your priority? Connectors tend to be effervescent and outgoing.

Partners who prioritize safety are usually reliable and steady.

The challenge arises during inevitable disagreements when the one who favors connection pursues an argument the way a dog pursues a bone and the one who favors safety withdraws behind a stone wall. One yells and the other won’t talk. The more connectors won’t let go, the more partners who prioritize safety retreat. This often escalates into an infinity loop of unhappiness.

Though it is difficult in the moment, when we remember that the “attacker” really wants connection, and the “stone wall” longs for safety, we can shorten our arguments and become allies.

Jordan and Caitlin were at each other’s throats until they understood that Jordan was desperate for connection and Caitlin wanted safety. Prior to that, the more Jordan “came after” Caitlin, the more Caitlin “ran away.” Seeing each other’s need as 100 percent normal changed their perception of each other from hostile to compassionate.

Greenwich resident Jill Woolworth is the author of the book, The Waterwheel available locally at Diane's Books.

Cos Cob – 203.629.8400

444 East Putnam Avenue  Cos Cob, CT 06807

stamford – 203.413.6101

900 Summer Street  Stamford, CT 06905

Port Chester – 914.908.5444

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Page 2 | Greenwich Sentinel

ourCOMMUNITYnews NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR Neighbor to Neighbor has temporarily moved their distribution location to the Arch Street Teen Center. Located directly off I-95, the Arch Street location allows for easy access and truck deliveries of food and supplies, and can accommodate the current need for staff and volunteers to practice safe social distancing.

Anyone can donate funds or buy food items for people in need. Simply select the food and click to pay. Visit ntngreenwich.org

We are here for YOU! Our office is PREPARED and Will remain OPEN To care for all your eye needs.

Stay safe and sanitized!

See Dr. Fucigna 203-348-7575 FABRICARE CLEANERS Fabricare Cleaners is showing their appreciation to healthcare providers by offering them free laundry service during this pandemic. To schedule a laundry pick up, call 203-229-0001 or email service@ fabricarecleaners.net and let them know you are part of the healthcare community, and they will send a driver to pick up your clothing.

THE GREENWICH COMMISSION ON AGING is collaborating with Greenwich High School to connect high school students with older adults in our community that would like to receive a regular friendly telephone call.

If you are an older adult interested in receiving a regular call to connect, chat and check-in, please call or email Sharon Wilson at Greenwich High School at 203-531-8360 or sharon_wilson@greenwich.k12.ct.us.

GREENWICH TOWN HALL Members of the public are encouraged to sign-up for the Town’s Emergency Alert Notification System at greenwichct. bbcportal.com/Entry HEALTH DEPARTMENT The Department of Health has five phone lines specifically dedicated to the public for questions and answers about COVID-19.

They are: 203-622-7865; 203-622-7703; 203622- 7614; 203-622-7842 and 203-622-7836.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES For those residents experiencing challenges with food, finances, and living arrangements, please call the Department of Human Services at 203-622-3800.

GREENWICH FIRST RESPONDERS Greenwich First Responders will maintain their assigned shifts and schedules. The Public Safety Complex will have extremely limited access to the public. All Fire Stations are closed to the public. For non-emergency issues call 203-622-8000.

SENIOR CITIZENS • Stores that offer early bird openings: Balducci’s: 8-9am (for seniors and the immune-compromised); King’s: 7-8am (for seniors and the immune-compromised); Shop Rite: 6-7am; Stop & Shop: 6-7:30am (only for people 60+); Whole Foods: 7-8am (only for people 60+); COSTCO: 8-9am Tuesdays and Thursdays (only for people 60+).

• Senior Grocery Shopping Services: Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, 203-6229208; Greenwich Taxi ($8 pick-up meals & delivery home; grocery shopping, $15 + cost of groceries), 203-869-6000.

• The Greenwich Commission on Aging/ Greenwich Senior Center has teamed up with Greenwich Country Day School to launch the new digital program, CONNECTTConnecting Our Neighbors Naturally Enriching Community Through Technology.

For information about the various services available, please log onto the Center’s webpage: greenwichct.gov/199/SeniorCenter (Participants can connect to a live session via computer, tablet or smartphone. If they aren’t comfortable with technology, they can call in on a landline).

KIDS IN CRISIS Kids In Crisis is a 24-hour resource for children and families in Fairfield County.

Trained Crisis Counselors continue to answer helpline calls around the clock. The helpline number is 203-661-1911. Administrative staff members are working remotely, and in-house shelter staff is limited to essential employees only. Kids In Crisis has a Wish List on their website (kidsincrisis.org/waysto-give/wish-list) of items they need, which they will continue to update.

YWCA OF GREENWICH YWCA is closed until further notice. All programs, with the exception of Domestic Abuse Services are suspended. If you are in crisis, please call the 24/7 Domestic Abuse Services Hotline at 203-622-0003. Staff is operating remotely and providing all services around the clock. Check out ywcagreenwich. org/ywca-greenwich-online-from-home for activities to keep you and your family busy at home.

call center for any questions about the virus, can be reached at 833-275-9644.

GREENWICH POLICE Reporting Non-Emergency COVID-19 Activity Concerns: If you are concerned about an activity or an organization not following guidelines issued through COVID-19 related Executive Orders and emergency declarations, please call the Greenwich Police Department’s non-emergency phone number at 203-622-8004.

CONNECTICUT CHILDREN’S SCHOOL CLOSURE KIT Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has created a School Closure Kit to help parents homeschool as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. Pediatric experts have created a collection of information about structuring a child’s day, engaging them in learning and helping the whole family stay calm during these tough times. To access the School Closure Kit, visit connecticutchildrens.org CT OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD The CT Office of Early Childhood reminds first responders and healthcare workers that childcare is available for essential workers.

Where possible, for those who have to work, first look to trusted friends, neighbors, and family members who are not in a highrisk category to fill in care for children. For healthcare workers and first responders who are not able to find trusted family or friends for child care, please call the 2-1-1 dedicated number 860-756-0864 for support.

GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Greenwich Public Schools continue to provide breakfast and lunch during the school week Monday to Friday, to all students 18 years or younger. For more information on Greenwich Public School updates and food pick-up locations, visit greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/ student-support-services/health-services or call 203-625-7400.

BOARD OF EDUCATION Public Board of Education meetings will be held virtually through Zoom teleconference.

Members of the public can submit their comments to be added to the public record by emailing the Board of Education at boardofedmembers@greenwich.k12.ct.us.

Any member of the public can join the meeting at the designated start time.

For any questions regarding accessing the meeting, contact BOE Clerk Michael Antonaccio by email at michael_antonaccio@ greenwich.k12.ct.us GREENWICH LIBRARY Even while the Libraries are closed, Greenwich Library staff are available to help you with any questions you may have.

TAG (Transportation Association of Greenwich) TAG is extending their services to help residents who are homebound during the Coronavirus emergency by delivering food and bringing seniors to critical appointments.

PHARMACIES OFFERING DELIVERY Finch Pharmacy, 203-531-8494; Greenwich Pharmacy, 203-661-2721; Greenview Pharmacy, 203-531-3323; Grannicks, 203-8693492; North Street Pharmacy, 203-869-2130.

HOME DELIVERED GROCERIES OR MEAL SERVICES Home Delivered Groceries or Meal Services: Meals on Wheels of Greenwich, 203-8691312; Acme Supermarket, 203-622-2944; Top Chef Meals, 914-372-7080; Mom’s Meals, 877-508-6667; Garelickandherbs.com or 203-254-3727; Fresh Direct, 866-283-7374; Stop & Shop Peapod; Shop Rite From Home.

CENSUS 2020 Stay home and be counted – participate in Census 2020. Information can be found at my2020census.gov GREENWICH HOSPITAL Greenwich Hospital/Yale New Haven Health:

203-869-2299 for FREE Delivery

During the COVID-19 state of emergency Rudy’s Executive Transportation has been designated an ‘essential’ service and will remain open for our customers.

Rudy’s will continue to provide transportation services to our customers who absolutely, positively have to get there.

And to help combat the spread of the virus, Rudy’s has also established additional protocols to maintain safe, clean vehicles between rides, while ensuring effective infection control by all drivers.

“We at Rudy’s pledge to do everything within our power to protect our customers during the present crisis. Our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our passengers.”

- Roy Spezzano, CEO

LET US LIGHTEN YOUR (LAUNDRY) LOAD Take laundry off your to-do list.

Fabricare makes it easy: Schedule a FREE pick up at 203-229-0001 or download our FAB APP Place your clothes, sheets & bedding into a bag. We will pick up, clean & deliver.

WORK. STAY. EAT. ENGAGE. REFRESH.

1114 East Putnam Ave. Greenwich, Connecticut 06878 203.698.6980 JHOUSEGREENWICH.COM

National Guardsmen Mobilized

150 Connecticut National Guard Soldiers Were Called up to State Active Duty This Week

150 Connecticut National Guard Soldiers, including the Sentinel’s own Peter Negrea and others from Greenwich, were called up to state active duty to assist with the COVID-19 response. On Tuesday, they "in-processed” and starting Wednesday they began helping build medical surge facilities around the state.

According to Captain Dave Pytlik, Public Affairs Officer for the Connecticut National Guard, “Our role is logistical

support to the lead state agency (Department of Public Health).”

The National Guard has been been fulfilling requests for assistance (R FAs) since the Governor’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency on March 10, 2020.

Today, the National Guard called up a larger g roup in order to help build medical surge capabilities at larger facilities including Southern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University of approximately 250-300 beds each.

The Connecticut National Guard reports that they have three overarching missions: 1) Logistical support. This includes inventorying donations, distributing ventilators, distributing personal protective equipment and managing a warehouse of essential and medical supplies to support the state’s health system.

2) Building Medical Surge Capacity. Helping to set up these open areas to house patients all over the state and will continue to work with the State and the Army Corps of Engineers to identify and develop new spaces and capacity.

3) Medical planning. The National Guard has a team of talented Guardsmen that also

work i n i ndustr y a nd t hey are bringing that civilian and military experience into the field, supporting the Department of Public Health (DPH). They do forecasting and modeling every day to provide planning, guidance, and insight.

Captain Pytlik explained the process by which the National Guard provides assistance. He said, “state agencies identify things they want us to do or that they need help with and they ask us.” This is called a request for assistance or RFA. The next step he said, is for the National Guard to validate the mission, staff it by identifying units, people, and equipment needed to support the RFA, and then carry out the RFA as a mission.

This past weekend in New Britain, Connecticut National Guard soldiers helped turn a 175,000 square foot warehouse into a primary distribution center for personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and medical equipment for distribution throughout the state.

The first Soldiers arrived at the location Saturday, March 28, and operations were up and running by Monday morning. In total, 22 Soldiers are supporting three shifts at the warehouse for 24-hour operations.

So far the National Guard has: • D i s t r i b u t e d P e r s o n a l Protective Equipment (b elon g i n g to DPH a nd from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)) • Distributed ventilators • Set up 2x of DPH’s Mobile Field Hospitals (St. Francis and Danbury) • Set up climate controlled tents for patient overflow at VA Hospitals in West Haven and Newington • Established a commodities and medical supply warehouse.

• Transported medical beds to Mobile Field Hospitals • Provided donation inventory and accountability • Offered medical planning and predictive analysis in coordination with DPH • Received an “FMS” (Federal M e d i c a l S t a t i o n) f r o m Dept. of Health and Human Services, that was set up in a Field House at SCSU. According to Master Sgt. Nicole Mackay, 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, “Everybody is stepping up as team players right now. We’re in collaboration with the civilian workers here, and every day we’re working and improving our operation, and hopefully making a positive impact every day we come to work.”

Whether you have a research question for a school assignment or need reference help for a work project, their Librarians are there to help. Give them a call, and they’ll get back to you between Mon-Fri from 9am9pm. For Reference Questions: 203-622-7920, for Borrowing Questions: 203-625-6524, or email them using the Ask a Librarian form: greenwichlibrary. org/forms/ask-librarian.

PERROT LIBRARY Perrot Library is closed to the public until further notice, but they are asking the community to send their thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Photographs of your home/work activities, links to interesting web sites, your experience with the use of their Digital Library, etc. are most welcome. Use the hashtag #perrotconnects. Library staff will be posting using this hashtag as well. The library’s book drop is also closed – all due dates have been extended.

Visit the digital library at greenwichlibrary.org/keepentertained-at-home FOOD SCRAP PROGRAM: STARTER KITS While the launch of the Town’s food scrap recycling pilot has been delayed, Starter Kits containing collection bins and compostable bags continue to be offered for sale to prepare the community for the pilot launch.

To arrange delivery and payment of kits, residents should contact wastefreegreenwich@gmail. com or call Greenwich Green & Clean at 203-531-0006. For further information about the program and kit sales, visit wastefreegreenwich.org BRUCE MUSEUM: STEAM ACTIVITIES The Bruce Museum is closed to the public until further notice. All programming has been canceled though April 30.

During this time, the Museum is offering weekly STEAM activities for families with children at home. To access the PDF lesson plan, go to: brucemuseum.org/images/ uploads/Bruce_Museum_@ Home_STEAM_activities_for_ Families_3.24.2020.pdf MOTHERS FOR OTHERS Mothers for Others' donation room is closed for both client pick-ups and donation drop-offs.

Clients who have been referred to Mothers for Others by Family Centers or by Town of Greenwich Department of Human Services should contact their case workers directly to coordinate diaper pickup. For those looking to help, please consider a monetary donation so that they can quickly re-stock their shelves to continue to provide diapers to children and families

in need. Visit mothersforothers. org INDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES All indoor recreation facilities – the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center and the Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center - are closed to the public.

TRAIN STATION BUILDING The Greenwich Train Station building is closed to the public indefinitely. Patrons should use the Track 4 side of the complex.

Patrons needing elevator access to Track 3 should utilize the pedestrian bridge crossing.

The Town-operated stations in Cos Cob, Riverside and Old Greenwich remain closed to the public. * Metro North Reduces Schedule: Metro-North is providing hourly service on the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines, with extra trains added during peak times. These service changes can be found on the Metro-North website and the MYmta app.

HOLLY HILL TRANSFER STATION Holly Hill is open, and requests compliance with social distancing when residents visit the site. No new permits are being issued at this time. If residents do not have a permit, they must show valid driver’s license with a local address through the car window. The Book Swap shed and Goodwill are closed and donations are not being accepted at this time.

Hours of operation: Mon-Fri, 7am-2:30pm and Sat, 7am12pm.

PARKS REMAIN CLOSED All Town parks, beaches, marinas and the Griffith E. Harris Golf Course remain closed to the public. Greenwich Police are taking enforcement measures with violators.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY The annual spring household hazardous waste collection day is postponed and will be rescheduled in the fall.

YMCA OF GREENWICH YMCA remains closed until further notice. Membership access is temporarily suspended. You may find a collection of online resources to assist you in keeping you active at: greenwichymca.org/yhomeresources OLD GREENWICH-RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER OGRCC offers weekly free tutorials and challenges – send them your photos and videos.

For more information, visit myogrcc.org and follow them on facebook.com/myogrcc GREENWICH AUDUBON CENTER The Center building is closed

through at least April 15. All center events and programs are also canceled through April 30.

The Center’s trails are open with appropriate measures to protect the health of visitors. Visitors are welcome to explore outside, but there won’t be restrooms or accommodations available.

For more information, visit greenwich.audubon.org GREENWICH LAND TRUST Greenwich Land Trust’s offices and Mueller Preserve will be closed to all visitors and volunteers until further notice. All meetings, volunteer opportunities, and educational programs will be postponed until further notice. GLT staff will be working remotely and are available by email to address any questions. Visit gltrust.org for additional information.

GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY While the galleries, museum store and Bush-Holley House will remain closed to the public until at least April 22nd,the Historical Society is working to fulfill its mission and commitment to the community in new way to bring the best of Greenwich history – its stories, landmarks, archives and collections -- online for all to peruse and enjoy.

For more information, visit greenwichhistory.org BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREENWICH The Club is closed until further notice. Spring Programs will begin when the Club reopens.

For more information, visit bgcg. org or follow facebook.com/ BGCGKids ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE OF GREENWICH The Alliance Française is offering distance-learning via Zoom for the next few weeks. All group lessons are online. For more information, visit afgreenwich. org GREENWICH ART SOCIETY Greenwich Art Society Studio School is offering classes online. Classes start Monday, April 6. Online registration for all students Spring Term 2020 classes are available at reg130.imperisoft.com/ GreenwichArtSociety/Login/ Registration.aspx SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY Samuel Owen Gallery is offering a virtual tour of the gallery, which they will update every week. Visit my.matterport. com/show/?m=R7dFwQ8qsjG. The gallery is located at 382 Greenwich Ave. McARDLE’S FLORIST & GARDEN CENTER McArdle’s Indoor Retail Area is closed. To achieve touchfree shopping, browsing in the

Outdoor Retail Area will be guided by staff, and they will gather items for you. Call or click for pick-up or free local delivery. For more information, visit www.mcardles.com SPLURGE SPLURGE - Unique Gifts, Home Decor and Jewelry – has created a collection of Quarantine Care Packages that can be purchased in person or by phone (203869-7600). Staff will wrap these items and deliver them curbside, or to your home in Greenwich.

Want to create a customized gift package? They can set up a FaceTime appointment or take photos and send them for your review. Check their website: www.splurgegifts.com PET PANTRY Pet Pantry offers free curbside pick-up/curbside delivery to your car. Customers may place orders by calling store (203344-9295) at least to 1 hour in advance of pickup.

STOP & SHOP Stop & Shop is hiring at least 5,000 new associates for regular part-time positions in its stores, distribution centers and delivery operations across five states, including Connecticut.

Resources for residents and businesses and other helpful tips: • In addition to social distancing protocols, residents are encouraged to review CDC guidelines (cdc.gov) on preventing the spread of COVID-19.

• If you experience price gouging, please contact the State Attorney General’s Office which has a dedicated phone line and website to collect information: 860-808-5318 or online at dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint • The Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program (portal. ct.gov/DECD/Content/ Coronavirus-Business-Recovery/ CT-Recovery-Bridge-LoanProgram) will make $25 million available to Connecticut businesses and nonprofits that have 100 or fewer employees to assist with cash flow.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering lowinterest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus. Please visit their website for more information on eligibility and how to apply: sba.gov/disasterassistance/coronavirus-covid-19 • Governor Ned Lamont has provided a list defining essential businesses that are allowed to continue to operate during this time. Information can be found at portal.ct.gov/DECD/Content/ Coronavirus-for-Businesses/ Coronavirus-for-Businesses.

Also, there is a process that will

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Editorial Page

Page 8 | Greenwich Sentinel

PUBLISHER Beth@GreenwichSentinel.com Elizabeth Barhydt EDITORS & COPY EDITORS Editor@GreenwichSentinel.com Peter Barhydt, Daniel FitzPatrick, Caroll Melgar, Stapley Russell, Anne W. Semmes, Emma Barhydt

Our Oasis

It seems to us that the everpresence and overabundance of information about COVID19, both accurate and inaccurate, is draining our spirits, leaving us all parched and wandering in the desert of negativism. What we need is an oasis, a place of respite and refreshment that can sustain us as we journey through the challenge of dealing with a crisis which will, as they always do, ultimately end.

Optimism is getting a bad rap these days. Real optimism is not denying or ignoring the facts or reality of a situation, but rather adopting an attitude of hopefulness and confidence in a future beyond the present challenge. It has many benefits, including improving emotional and physical health, and it can be learned.

But an optimistic attitude is tough to maintain in the era of social media and the 24/7 news cycle. We are constantly bombarded by “nattering nabobs of negativism” to the point where we all want to curl up and just stay in bed. How can we fight this?

In 1945 (another time of considerable national stress which ultimately passed), Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers released the song “Accentuate the Positive” which contained the following lyrics: You've got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium's Liable to walk upon the scene

When you truly know Greenwich, you understand that it is about so much more than money. Ours is a town truly generous of spirit and filled with people who ask everyday how they can help.

The point is that we can all take affirmative action to change our emotional trajectory. There are already many positive things happening in our community; we need to recognize and celebrate them. For example: Arch Street, the Greenwich Teen Center, has opened its doors to Neighbor to Neighbor; two private individuals have donated over 12,000 masks to health care workers; teddy bears are appearing in Greenwich windows; stores are holding special hours just for seniors; distance learners are cheering at teacher's driving by; customers are finding ways to support their favorite local brick & mortar stores; and we are all looking for ways to answer the question, "How can I help?"

Places of worship are using technology to overcome the temporary absence of physical community; one Greenwich church, St. Roch’s, is even streaming coverage of its sanctuary live online, 24/7, not only covering its daily services, but providing the opportunity for all to contemplate and pray virtually (www.strochchurch.com). This is particularly fitting as St. Roch (St. Rocco) is venerated for having traveled throughout Italy at the time of the bubonic plague, healing sufferers and serving as living proof that one could survive the disease.

S ome p e ople a r e t a k i ng Mer c er ’s ly r ic s “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative” to heart by declaring family chat threads to be “negativity free” (there are more than enough other sources to get the bad news). Many are sharing funny and upbeat videos, photos and articles.

The imagination and creativity of people across the globe turning a shared experience into the opportunity to enlighten, entertain and uplift others is truly remarkable.

When you truly know Greenwich, you understand that it is about so much more than money. Ours is a town truly generous of spirit and filled with people who ask everyday how they can help. Greenwich is a wonderful community. We have so much to be thankful for even as we face some temporary limits on our ability to enjoy it. Let’s resolve to continue to be there for each other in whatever way we can. We are all in this – and will get through this – together.

As Little Milton famously sang in 1965 -- “We’re gonna make it, I know we will.”

HELLO LITTLE BEAR by John Ferris Robben

All over Greenwich, bears are appearing to help children enjoy their walks around the neighborhood.

Letter

Coping & Connecting

The Greenwich Commission on Aging is committed to improving the quality of life for older Greenwich residents through planning, coordination, outreach, advocacy and education. Since the arrival of Covid-19 here in the United States, and the increasing number of positive cases locally, we are all liv ing in a time of increasing stress and uncertainty.

Life as we k now it has temporarily changed. We must take the necessary steps to reduce our risk of exposure and stay safe.

Social distance does not mean that we have to socially disconnect. In fact, maintaining social connection is vital for social support and has important implications for health and wellbeing.

It’s important that each of us, regardless of chronological age, talk with someone every day.

This can present an enormous challenge for individuals that live alone. Emotional well-being is as important as physical health.

We’re thrilled to share new remote opportunities for socially connecting and engaging in a diverse schedule of programs – all from the comfort and safety of your own home.

• Zoom Classes: The CONNECTT program is a collaborative ef fort with

Letter

several days in a row or if you feel overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression or anxiety.

All residents are encouraged to review CDC safety guidelines and other reliable information about Covid-19 at https://www.cdc.gov.

Additionally, residents should refer to the Town of Greenwich website https://w w w.greenwichct.gov and the Greenwich Department of Health webpage www.greenwich. gov/575/Health-Department for impor tant information about limited services and resources available. Residents experiencing challenges with food, finances, and living arrangements can call the Department of Human Services at 203-622-3800.

The staff of the Commission on Aging and Greenwich Senior Center are work ing remotely, but you can still call the office to leave a message or email us if you have a specific question or concern. We’d love to know what you all have been doing to cope and connect. Feel free to share by emailing agefriendlygreenwich@ gmail.com.

Remember, we are all in this together.

Stay safe and be well.

Lori Contadino, MS Director of the Greenwich Commission on Aging

the ages have expressed their love for trees.

A nd i n recent yea rs, tree scientists have confirmed what these quotes express, that trees have a positive effect on the moods of people, due to a bodily reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system which controls digestive response, blood pressure, pulse rate, breath ing a nd skeleta l muscles. So that, by viewing trees, whether by walking in the woods or even just seeing a picture, all

of these will slow down, thereby causing a calm mood.

The Japanese have practiced for many years what they call “forest bathing” walking in the woods and breathing in the forest air thereby facilitating the cleansing of the mind and inner self.

Trees and woodlands have multiple environmental benefits and now scientists have proven as well their salutary benefits on humans.

So the advice of medical experts is soundly proven by tree research.

During this unprecedented time, all of us are experiencing are heightened stress. Nature has a way of improving our mental health which is much needed right now too! So whether you are taking a walk (while practicing social distancing of course!) or looking out your window, GTC hopes that you can find comfort in the beauty of our community’s natural landscapes.

Miriam Mennin is from the Greenwich Tree Conservancy

Do What You Can

If you can't do what you do, do what you can Last week, Children's Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC) announced that, in light of the rapid ly deve lopi n g Cov id-19 situation, we reluctantly canceled our Annual Benefit scheduled for April 24. The event is our most important fundraiser, and this year's event was to feature the amazing Gloria Gaynor. Along with everyone in the world, we are disappointed that this pandemic has so drastically altered our way of life. But diff icult times sometimes bring out the best in people.

And, in our case, as we, along with other non-profits, struggle

Letter

health problems • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs The good news is that there are several things you can do right now to reduce stress and support yourself during this challenging time.

1. T a k e b r e a k s f r o m watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media.

Hea r ing a bout the pa ndem ic repeatedly can be upsetting.

2. Ta k e c a r e o f y o u r body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.

3. Keep to a schedule and be mindful of self-care. Routines are important and give structure to your day.

4. Make time to unwind.

Try to do some other activities you enjoy.

5. Connect w ith others – Tr y one of the new remote programs that are being offered.

Reconnect with old friends and meet new people on Zoom.

6. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

7.

Call your healthcare prov ider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for

Walking in the Woods

“The most cheerful thing I know is the calm, the silence, which are so delicious, both in the forests and the fields. For me it is true humanity and great poetry” Jean Francois Millet.

“Come to the woods, for here is rest. There is no repose like that of the green deep woods.” John Muir, naturalist We at the Greenwich Tree Conservancy could have added so many more of these quotes about forests, if there was the space; the fact is writers and poets throughout

Letter

Greenwich Country Day School and offers daily programs that you can participate in on your computer, tablet or phone. Visit our website page on the Town of Greenwich website: https:// w w w. g r e e n w i c h c t . g o v/ 1 9 0 / Commission-on-Aging.

• Call to Chat: We’re also work ing in cooperation w ith Greenwich High School to launch the Bridging the Generations program. If you are an older adult interested in receiving a regular call to connect, chat and checkin, please call or email Sharon Wilson at Greenwich High School at 2 0 3 - 5 31- 8 3 6 0 or sh a r on _ wilson@greenwich.k12.ct.us.

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in people.

Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

According to the CDC, stress du r ing a n in fectious d isease outbreak can include: • Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones • Ch a nge s i n sle ep or eating patterns • Diff iculty sleeping or concentrating • Worsening of chronic

w it h f u nd i ng shor t fa l ls, M s.

Gaynor stepped up and leaned in.

She returned 100% of our deposit.

She didn't have to. And I'm sure she wasn't thrilled with a canceled tour. But Gloria demonstrated her angel-like qualities. She walked the walk. So, we would like to publicly thank the exemplary generosity of Ms. Gaynor, who is always gracious but continues to demonstrate the best in us.

I often look at the world in $5 increments, what it costs us to serve a child two meals and snack a day, something we do hundreds of thousands of times a year. The return of these funds will have a significant impact on the families we serve, allowing us to serve

many thousands of meals to our families.

Within a matter of days, we have all watched our calendars clear as Coronavirus has forced the cancelation of events like ours and public gatherings everywhere.

With music as the ultimate global connector, we want to further praise Ms. Gaynor for starting her inspiring #IWillSurviveChallenge on T i k Tok fe at u r i n g h e r h it anthem "I Will Survive.' With so many challenges and unknowns around us, we all need feelings of empowerment and hope. I read that Gloria likes songs that "are meaningful, have good lyrics, and touch people's hear ts." I believe both her recently released

Grammy-winning Gospel album and her decades-old Grammyaward winning signature song does just that, truly making people fe el encou rage d a nd upb e at, decades after its release.

The words of Maya Angelou are so appropriate right now: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Gloria Gaynor, thank you for lifting us up and making us feel a little more positive about the world around us.

M a r c E . Ja f f e i s t h e C E O , Children’s L ear nin g Center of Fairfield County. www.clcfc.org

Camillo Says Thank You

I would like to address all of our Town’s workforce, public servants who have kept our Town government functioning during this national public health emergency.

Thank you to our staff at Greenwich Town Hall, those working out in the field, our first responders, and our healthcare workers from wherever you are serving our Town. First and foremost, I hope you and your family are safe and well during these challenging times. There is nothing more important than

the health and safety of our employees and their families.

It’s why I took quick action to, f irst, close Town Hall to the public, and then, to issue a work-from- home order for as many employees as services would allow.

We a re fac i ng a n unprecedented crisis in our nation’s history. In times like these, public servants play a crucial role in our response and management of the situation.

Government must carry on, in one form or another.

I a m p r oud to s ay t h at Greenwich’s public servants have more than answered the call. Every day, this crisis has presented a new challenge, and our employees have been able to adapt and overcome, so that our Town is able to maintain continuity in many of ou r s er v ic e s . I w a nt to g ive a special shout-out to our f irst responders (Police, EMS, Fire), our Department of Public Works, and our Health Department for their dedicated work on the front lines battling

this virus.

The situation presented by COVID-19 is ever changing. I ask for your continued patience and flexibility as we modify and alter operations in response.

O n b eha l f of ou r ent i re community, I want to thank you all for your dedication and continued service to our Town.

Together, we will get through this.

Thank you and be safe. With great appreciation.

Fred Camillo is First Selectman Town of Greenwich

Column

By Icy Frantz These days, I reluctantly rise from bed to begin anew. Some people say it’s like Ground Hog Day, referring to the Bill Murray movie, where every day is exactly the same. I try to write but feel uninspired, flat and stuck. I long for t he days when ideas a nd thoughts struck me, in the pickup line, in a meeting or on the squash court, and I would scramble for a scrap of paper to write them down. Before sheltering at home, it was hard to find enough time to write. Now, one would think, I should be filling up my yellow legal pads. I should be writing a novel. But doing a load of laundry and contemplating my family’s next meal take all day and all of my energy. It’s an achievement, and I guess that’s something.

I am a rule follower and, to that end, I have been out of the house only to go to the pharmacy and grocery store. It feels like I am breaking out of jail, and I move cautiously, conspicuously, dressed in a cap and rubber gloves, giving other shoppers a wide berth. I haven’t showered or worn pants with a waste in days.

Strolling down the frozen food section, avoiding metal surfaces, I see a friend six feet away.

“Icy, how are you? How is everyone?” We have a quick catch up and then she says, “You know, new times, new skills.” And, that’s so true.

I organized an online Zoom surprise party for my daughter’s 14th birthday. I set up the meeting and sent out an email inviting her friends to join us. No goodie bags.

Just meeting ID’s and passcodes.

I took a friend’s online yoga class. New to screen mirroring, I ran it through my Apple TV onto the big screen.

I have learned how to behave in a Zoom board meeting and I am applying the appropriate etiquette, mike off, mike on. Video off, for a tea break or bathroom break.

Video on.

Fo r t h i s t e c h n o l o g i c a l l y challenged individual, these are definitely new skills.

In the cold and flu section of CVS, I saw another friend.

“You always have a positive spin on things,” she said.

All I could think to reply was, “This is challenging.” And then mumbled something about “new times, new skills.”

I don’t feel overly positive these days. There you have it. I f ind this social distancing challenging.

Fo r s o m e o n e w h o u s u a l l y finds a “positive spin,” this is a difficult confession.

A nd, as I consider t h is, I think about Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s five stages of grief--denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance--and I feel myself cycling throug h these stages throughout the day. We are all experiencing some loss, even those of us who are safe at home without

Love Rising

health complications. There is the loss of freedom, loss of social interaction, loss of routine, loss of normalcy and then there is fear, fear of the virus, fear for our older parents and for those with immune deficiencies, fear of the unknown, fear of the economic downturn and fear of what lies ahead. That’s a lot.

I went into our daughter’s room the other night. She was flat out,

together every night, movies, puzzle time and coloring, and lots of conversation.

We are witnessing our adult children be adults.

We a re watch i ng si bl i ngs strengthen old and forge new bonds with each other.

And we are getting another chance to show our children again and again that we really love them.

Page 9 | Greenwich Sentinel

changes, including canceling any summer plans that did not include a bed and a hospital room. I had to learn to accept my new situation.

I created a schedule, which was funny because really what was I going to do. I made rules like no day time tv. I created my own strategies for survival. I had my own mental health tips. And sometimes it was hard to feel motivated, to follow any

In life, we will encounter hard and tough times, but I have always found love is right there too. And this is my positive spin. head down, on her bed.

“Mom, I want to see my friends.

What about lacrosse? Will we have our dance recital?”

If my auto parent had kicked in, my go-to response would have been, “Think how lucky we are.

Others are sick. Others are working on the frontline, the grocery stores, food banks.”

And, this is true, but I stopped myself and said instead, “I know, sweetie- it sucks.”

It’s ok to acknowledge our own sadness, the activities that we are missing, the friends that we are missing, our old boring routine, our norm, even during a global pandemic.

That same daughter announced at our family dinner last night “It’s both a blessing and a curse,” and for those of us who are healthy and out of harm’s way, that’s a pretty solid statement.

We a r e e nj oy i n g d i n n e r s

A nd yet, being removed from our typical life can be very d isor ienti ng, a nd someti mes depressing and can feel like a curse. And depending on your temperament, time at home, alone, or with limited contact with others can be very isolating.

Can we feel both blessed and cursed at the same time?

Over 20 years ago, I spent 16 weeks on bed rest in the old Greenwich hospital. I bring it up now because our current state of sheltering at home reminds me of my time on my back. I was a little more restrained (in a bed) and I had an end date (the birth of our twins), but there are definite similarities.

I remember the first week was the hardest. My body needed to reset. I had to become physically still and my mind needed to quiet.

I had to ask others for help. I literally could do nothing on my own. And I had to make a lot of

of my self-induced suggestions. It was hard to rise in the morning.

Today, I find myself needing to adjust my pace and quiet my mind, again. I have written out schedules and have put in place strategies to keep myself and my family healthy and strong. And I am learning to cancel and postpone and accept.

I have asked others for help, and have offered help. We need each other right now.

A few days ago, I got an email ask ing me to list my greatest accomplishments. Without much thought, what immediately came to mind were the times when I felt the most challenged. Off the top of my head, surviving the bed rest I just described, running the NYC Marathon, caring for a sick child, getting sober. All of these times were steep with trial. Each one made me recognize the degree of difficulty, dig deep emotionally, ask big spiritual questions, and

look to others for help. While we coast through the good times, it’s the challenging ones that make the difference.

Learning to shelter at home is a great accomplishment too.

In life, We will encounter hard and tough times, but I have always found love is right there too. And this is my positive spin.

No matter how you are feeling; blessed, cursed, challenged, stuck, lonely, or a little of each, as sure as the sun will rise, even if concealed behind the clouds, there is love rising all around us.

I see it in the self less acts of our neighbors. I see it in the extraordinar y people doing ex traordinar y things to ease the suffering of others. I see it in the advertisements created by c omp a n ie s l i ke Ni ke a nd Budweiser. I see it (and hear it) from amazing musicians offering concerts from their living rooms.

I see it in the healthcare workers who go into work each day and care for the sick. I see it in texts and social media posts, and in the humor that is passed from one to another to another. I see it in the yogis and physical trainers who are offering online classes to those of us craving exercise and I see it in the therapists who offer their advice on how to stay mentally strong. I see it in the teachers who are reaching out to their students and who are quickly adapting to a new way of teaching. I see it in our leaders who are working to find ways to limit the harm. And finally, I see it in the ordinary people, like you and me, who are staying home and in doing so, are experiencing loss, but keeping everyone safe.

I hope you see it too.

Come visit me at icyfrantz.net The Icing on the Cake.

You’re a Millennial Who’s Back at Home...Now What?

By Hunter Eggers COVID-19 has consumed our lives for weeks now, especially since the American epicenter of the disease is so close to us in New York City. I grew up in Greenwich and now live and work in Manhattan. Under the advice of medical experts and government officials, we’ve been instructed to #StayHome. If you’re like me, you chose to flee to your parents house and may find yourself asking “so… now what?”

If you’re working remotely, I’m sure your company has given you a how-to guide on virtual work (if not, my lovely mother has put together a great list). What about everything else? You aren’t heading to a booz y br u nch, museu m, or park, there are no sports on TV, and you can only handle so much Netflix.

Outside of making sure you’re staying safe and healthy (using a telehealth virus assessment), here are a few things you can do with your newfound free time.

Take Care of Your Mind and Body Some of you are already earlyrising runners, late-night boxers, or have that one HIIT instructor who really kicks your ass. You can’t

physically be there anymore but there is no reason to interrupt your routine. If you’re more like me, you become an expert negotiator with yourself when it comes to working out: “I had a long day, I’ll do two workouts tomorrow.”

There aren’t any more excuses.

Many gyms are providing classes online for free. YouTube is full of yoga introductions and bodyweight strength workouts. Try a new workout app - it’s a great time to get moving.

Equally significant is mental he a lt h , e sp e c ia l ly du r i ng a n anxiety-inducing crisis. I tried meditating, which can be hard at first but pays off and takes just a few minutes out of your day.

Organizations like Headspace offer an intro to the practice specifically g e a r e d t o w a r d s C O V I D - 1 9.

Additionally, as someone who’s never taken the time to talk to someone, trust me - try it out.

Everyone can benefit from talking to a professional and you’ll learn more about yourself than you thought possible. In light of the pa ndem ic , Wel l ne ssCoach is offering a 90-day free trial and Ginger is offering free behavioral therapy through June.

I’ve been doing my best to stay connected to everyone as well. I’ve had virtual happy hours through Zoom or played online card or board games with friends.

Recon nect w ith you r col lege roommate and see how they’re doing. An email to an old boss, coach, or professor goes a long way as well. I’ve found that all our relationships are invaluable and keep us going, especially in times like this.

Give Back There are people who need help. If you’re like me, you’ve a lways felt passionate a bout something but never found the time to commit yourself to it. Now we have the time. There are plenty of reasons to be charitable but most importantly, volunteering and giving is the right thing to do.

The crisis may bring attention to

a project for the UN, transcribe documents for the Smithsonian or Project Gutenberg, teach a subject online, or identify new galaxies.

Volunteering can improve your resume, skills, and has significant positive psychological effects.

The world needs help. Find your way to give what you can.

Challenge Yourself A mentor of mine challenged

your flight, then let it sit on your shelf for half a decade? Attack that stack of books collecting dust at home.

- You can still feel like a true New York hipster by checking out a concert or museum virtually.

- Even if you’re like me and don’t belong anywhere near a canvas, learning to create art and music is available as well.

COVID-19 has consumed our lives for weeks now...If you’re a Manhattan Millennial like me, you chose to flee to your parents house and may find yourself asking “now what?” certain causes and re-invigorate our passion for charity while also providing an opportunity to get involved long-term.

The Meals on Wheels COVID-19 relief fund is asking for you to donate or volunteer your time delivering meals to the elderly and vulnerable. Operation Masks was started by a group of entrepreneurs to provide equipment healthcare professionals need to f ight COVID-19. There is a great need for blood and plasma now more than ever - the American Red Cross is desperate for volunteers to give what they can, especially from those of us that are young and healthy.

There are also plenty of opportunities to volunteer online and connect beyond COVID-19.

You can tutor a student, work on

me to spend my free time developing a new skill. It can be anything, from professional skills to further your career to uncovering hidden talents. It might take some time to figure out what to pursue (my pencil drawings and poetry will never see the light of day) but it’s a great time to take on a new skill. Here are a few things I’ve looked into: - Stop including French on your resume because you took it in college and learn a new language by downloading Duolingo.

- Iv y L e a g ue s cho ol s a r e offering hundreds of classes online on a variety of topics.

- Find a program or app that teaches you how to invest or code.

- Do you also read the blurbs books while waiting at the airport, buy them, read fourteen pages on

- I fou nd out how l it t le I remember from high school, and how much I used to cram for tests, and rediscovered Kahn Academy.

- Having learned one recipe from my mom six years ago and banking on that for my entire adult life thus far, I decided to learn how to prepare a new dish.

Remember when you were young, before you had a cell phone or streaming services, and you’d make up games and activities all day? Well, it turns out there are some serious benefits to re-learning how to be bored. Take some time to try doing nothing, too.

Whatever it may be, challenge yourself.

Stay Safe, Stay Present, Stay Positive This pandemic is scary and should be taken seriously

by eve r yone . We m ay neve r u nderst a nd how ou r ac t ion s will affect other people and our community, but it’s important to remember to stay safe.

At the same time, think about the silver linings of this period of time. How our society works may change in the coming months, and if what we’ve seen from the brave doctors, nurses, and other health professionals on the front lines is any indication, the best of humanity has more to offer. We’ve been given the chance to improve ourselves, whether that’s by developing or maintaining an exercise routine, working on mental health, learning new skills, or helping those in need - we can do it right now.

We are also being afforded the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time with our loved ones. There will not likely be a not her per iod i n ou r l i fe i n which we will spend weeks, if not months, with those we hold dear.

I intend to make the most of it. I have dinner with my family every night. We watch movies or play games together. Every day, I take a (very socially distant) walk with my mother, or help my father with home projects. They appreciate it and, I have found, so do I. Take some time to focus on silver linings and how you can spend your time. We’re all stuck for a little while but there are a few things each of us can do to make life at home a little more bearable, optimistic, and fulfilling.

Hunter was born and raised in Gre e nw i ch an d i s n ow a Manhattan Millennial who fled the city for home-cooked meals and six feet of social distance.

Round Hill Community Church Invites You to Find Home with Us at Sunday Worship Online During this unsettling and uncertain time when we cannot physically gather at church, we are posting our weekly Sunday worship service at 10:00 am, along with other messages, music, and resources on our website: roundhillcommunitychurch.org.

Stay connected, inspired, and spiritually nourished; join our growing virtual family!

Stay Home, Be Counted – Take Part in the Census Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo is urging residents to use this moment of self-quarantine/social distancing to complete the 2020 Census. By now most households should have received a letter in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau with a code for their household to enter online and instructions on how to fill out the Census online. The good news is that you may fill out the Census questionnaire online even if you have not received anything in the mail. Simply go to my2020census.gov and enter your code or home address. The Census only takes about 10 minutes to complete, and is completely safe, secure and confidential. Your information and privacy are

protected. “Responding to the Census is critical, as results not only determine how billions of dollars in federal funding is allocated to local communities for schools, roads and other public services, but also how many seats each state gets in Congress,” Camillo said. “I ask every Greenwich resident to stay home and be counted by participating in the Census.” Census Day is April 1.

Please use the month of April to fill out your Census questionnaire online. The U.S. Census Bureau has, for the moment, suspended field operations until April 1 and will be following up with households who have not yet responded to the Census in May.

The Town’s self-response rate is currently 33.9%, which tracks closely with the county (33.5%), state (34.1%) and national (33.5%) self-response rates. Participation by all residents will help ensure that Greenwich receives its share of federal funding, and is accurately represented in Congress and in Hartford. To fill out the Census, please visit: my2020census.gov To preview the questions asked on the Census form: 2020census.gov/en/about- questions. html. For Census support in English and other languages, as well as for those who are deaf or hard of hearing: 2020census.gov/en/contact-us.html

Obituaries, for which there is never a charge or fee of any kind, may be submitted with photos to Editor@GreenwichSentinel.com.

Kevin Thomas Duffy Kevin Thomas Duffy died on April 1. He had been recovering at Nathaniel Witherell from a short-term illness in the rehabilitation area. He tested positive and was moved to Greenwich Hospital where he died Wednesday.

Kevin Thomas Duffy was born into an immigrant Irish family in the South Bronx, NY in January 1933. His family moved to the Kingsbridge section in the Northwest Bronx, where he attended parochial schools until 1950 when he entered Fordham College. After college, Duffy was a night student at Fordham Law School.

During his law school years, he worked as a bailiff-law clerk to Hon. J. Edward Lumbard of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. in 1957 Kevin married Irene Krumeich.

Irene, an accomplished judge with the New York state Family Court and also served in the Criminal Court and the New York Supreme Court.

Upon graduation and admission to the bar, Kevin served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York (SDNY). After a short time in the civil division he was transferred to the criminal division wherein 1960 he was promoted to Assistant Chief of the Criminal Division.

Before the judgeship Kevin served as the Regional Administrator of the New York Regional Office of the Securities & Exchange Commission. That office had a staff of over 200 and it was considered the premier unit of the Commission. He reinvigorated that office, making it the jewel of the SEC. It brought both civil and administrative actions against members of the securities industry and assisted the US Attorney's office in criminal cases involving securities fraud. Because of his outstanding work at the Commision, he was offered the post of US District Judge (SDNY).

Kevin was sworn into judgeship on November 28, 1972 and his illustrious judicial career lasted until September 30, 2016. During that time, Judge Duffy gained a sterling reputation by trying some of the most difficult cases in the dockets of the US Courts. These included a number of Mafia cases (e.g. US v. Tramunti, US v.

Castellano); a number of terrorist cases (e.g. US v. Salameh, US v. Mazrook, US v.

Ramsi Youssef (the embassy bombing), US v. Bin Laden); the Black Liberation Army case (US v. Odinga); and the Iranian Assets case, among others.

Kevin taught Securities Law and Trial Practice at Brooklyn Law School, NYU, Pace, and Fordham and lectured at various law schools and universities in the US and overseas.

Kevin joined Duffy & Staab LLC after retiring on September 30, 2016, following his 44 years of service as a U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of New York.

Obituaries

Oivind Lorentzen Jr. He is survived by his wife Irene, his daughter, Irene Moira Lueling; two Oivind Lorentzen Jr. of Greenwich, CT sons, Kevin Jr. and Gavin; two sisters, died peacefully on March 27th, 2020 with Marie Heslin and Patricia McKeon; eight his children at his side. At the age of 101 grandchildren; and his nephew, Edward he was probably the last of a generation Krumeich II. His son Patrick died in 2017. of Norwegian shipowners who came to Liz Webb America as refuge from war torn Europe to build lives and raise their families in a new world.

Oivind was born in Oslo in 1919 to Oivind Lorentzen and Ragna Nilsen Lorentzen. He was a middle child of six in a family to whom he stayed forever devoted.

He left Norway in 1938 to study marine engineering at Technische Universitat Berlin, but the following year was tipped off about the impending invasion of Poland and transferred to Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

After the invasion of Norway, Oivind enlisted in the Royal Norwegian Air Force, training first in Little Norway, Canada.

Eventually stationed in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, he piloted Sunderland flying boat patrol bombers over the North Sea for the duration of the war.

After the war and graduating from MIT, he joined his father's business Lisbeth “Liz” Bryner Webb long-time along with three of his brothers, as fifth member of the Greenwich community generation shipowners. From their bases passed away on March 26, 2020 at in Oslo, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Danbury Hospital. Born in Manhattan Bermuda, the four brothers originally December 10, 1945 to Kate and Jack Bryner, operated the liner trades of their father Liz moved to Greenwich in 1950 were she between the United States and South resided for over 50 years.

America. Over time they pioneered new Following graduation from Convent of trades and developed specialized vessels the Sacred Heart, Greenwich in 1963 in Liz in the trading and transport of petroleum studied cartography at Briarcliff College in gasses, automobiles and cruise. They also New York. ventured into industry, specifically in She was married to Robert “Bob” M. Brazil. Oivind established himself in New Webb of Cos Cob and is survived by their York, and was one of the first of the lower loving daughter Lisbeth “Liza” Webb Manhattan shipping community to move Snyder. his business to Connecticut.

Liz worked for three decades as a A s Cha i r ma n of the A mer ica nrealtor in Greenwich, most recently with Scandinavian Foundation and President Cleveland Double and Arnold. Her favorite of the Norwegian- American Chamber hobby, home decorating, lead to purchase of Commerce, Oivind was ever present of more than a handful of Greenwich in promoting relations between the two homes as “fixer-uppers”. countries. He was named Knight of the Her other interests included art, First Class of St. Olav's Order by HRH King reading, travel and, most importantly, Harald in 1980 for his work as attaché for entertaining and spending time with the Norwegian Team at the Lake Placid friends. Known to many as “Lizzie”, she is Olympics. remembered for a hearty laugh, her feisty Building a series of sailboats, named wit, and as a loyal friend to many.

"Froya", Oivind was a noted member of Her granddaughters knew her only as the post-war generation of ocean racers “Glizzie”, but her niece, Katie, adoringly based in Long Island Sound successfully dubbed her simply “AB”, for “Aunt Beth”. competing in local and international races.

“AB had a gruffness with an undertone of A member of a number of yacht clubs, he humor and gentleness. She was naughty was particularly proud of Indian Harbor of with a twinkle in her eye”. which he was Commodore. He was a lifeLiz also lived in Saint Augustine, long lover of skiing.

Florida for several years before returning Oivind was predeceased by two to Connecticut in 2015 to live with her wives: Evelyn Byrd LaPrade, whom he daughter in Bethel, Connecticut. She spent met in Cambridge before the War and the the last two years of her life as a resident mother of his three children, and Dorothy of Laurel Ridge Healthcare Center in Holzinger Meeker. Erika Hall, his love Ridgefield, CT. for the last 20 years, is the reason for his Liz is survived by her daughter and extraordinary will to keep on living. son-in-law, Liza and Kurt Snyder of Bethel, Oivind lived a full life, rich in his love of Connecticut; their two daughters, Charlotte people, and in his final hours he asked for Grace (10) and Marley Hope (6); her sister only two things: "no aggression" and peace. and brother-in-law, Lynne and Skip Auch He had fought for peace and harmony his of Greenwich; nephew, Ted Auch; and whole life. With wisdom, generosity and niece Katie Watson. an acute sense of what is right and correct, Arrangements to be determined. he achieved both.

Oivind is survived by: Erika Hall and his children, Evelyn Byrd Lorentzen and Oivind Lorentzen III (Darrell) of Greenwich and Ida Lorentzen (Ulf) of Oslo.

He is also survived by his grandchildren, Byrdie Bell Fay (Sean), Thea, Lily, Claire, Oivind and Luke Lorentzen and Sandra Lorentzen (Gunnar), and his greatgrandchildren, Johannes and Ida Nerdrum Aagaard, as well as his devoted caregivers, Flor, Connie, Jazz, Stuart and Luke.

A memorial service in Greenwich will be planned at a later date.

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Kieran J. Burke, resident of Greenwich, CT, passed peacefully on March 15, 2020.

Born in Manhattan in 1926, Kieran was the eldest of three sons of NYPD hero P.O. Joseph P. Burke (killed in the line of duty in 1932) and his courageous widow, Mary Emily Burke (nee McCarthy). Kieran and his brothers, Joseph and John, grew up in the South Bronx and Rockaway Beach. He graduated from St. Ann’s Academy, now Archbishop Molloy H.S. Himself a highly decorated NYPD Detective and Sergeant, Kieran served New York City for over 33 years – much of his career at the 44th precinct in the Bronx. A US Navy veteran of WWII and Korea, he was a very proud Seabee.

Kieran married his Veronica, the love of his life, in 1952 and together they raised their family in Pearl River, NY. Kieran and Vera retired to Boynton Beach, FL where they lived for 25 years. He loved to swim, read and play cards with Vera. Veronica predeceased him in 2014 after 62 years of marriage. Kieran missed her every day thereafter.

Kieran is survived by four children: Michael (Susan), Ann Marie, Kieran, and Veronica Thomas (Richard); eight grandchildren: Kieran Burke, Clare Swanson (Peter), Anna Mongan (William), James Burke, Emma Burke, Terence Burke, Connor Thomas, and Jacqueline Thomas; three great grandchildren: Adeline Swanson, Beverly Swanson and Cillian Mongan.

O w i ng to t he p a nde m ic c r i si s , arrangements will be announced at a later date.

Patricia Flanagan

Patricia Ann Martella Flanagan (Pam) passed away on March 24 after a short illness in Greenwich, CT. Born March 21, 1929 in Port Chester, NY to Austin Martella and Florence Murray Martella, Pam attended Park Avenue School in Port Chester, Good Counsel Academy White Plains, NY and graduated from Port Chester High School class of '47.

Pam then attended Wood Secretarial School in New York City. Pam worked at Electrolux in Greenwich.

Pam was predeceased by her husband Patrick J Flanagan and her brother Robert A. Martella and is survived by her three children, Deborah Kline of Greenwich, CT, Terrence Flanagan (Felice) of Trumbull, CT and Linda Buckheit (Douglas) of Milford, CT. Pam is also survived by her five grandchildren, Robert Husted, Jeffrey Husted, Elizabeth Buckheit, Dr. Douglas Buckheit Jr. and Katharine Buckheit along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Pam was a twenty-five year volunteer with the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop with more than 10,000 hours volunteered and was an avid reader with a vast collection of books and movies. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was adored by her children and grandchildren.

We take great comfort in knowing she will be reunited in heaven with our father whom she dearly missed.

A pr iv ate g rave side s e r v ic e i s scheduled for April 3 at St. Mary's Cemetery in Rye Brook, NY. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

Contributions may be made to The American Heart Association and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Ann Dynan Ann Shelley Dynan passed away on March 28, following a long illness. She was 90 years old. Ann was born in New York, NY, on April 28, 1929, to the late Leander and Provi Shelley.

She attended White Plains High School and the Emma Willard School. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College in the class of 1950. She met her late husband, William P. Dynan, and settled in Old Greenwich, where she and her family lived for nearly 60 years. Ann was known for her work with numerous community organizations and charitable groups, including the American Association of University Women, Greenwich World Hunger, Hill House, and Call-A-Ride of Greenwich. She was a parishioner of and volunteer for St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church. Ann was an avid reader of fiction and a regular patron of the Perrot Memorial Library.

Ann is survived by four children – William S. Dynan, Stephen G. Dynan, Karen E. Dynan, and Nancy P. Dynan; si x g ra ndch i ld ren, a nd t wo g reatgrandchildren. She was predeceased by one child, Carol Ann Dynan, who died as an infant. Her children found her to be an inspiration in their lives, a patient listener, and kind to all.

In the current emergency, a private graveside service will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery in Greenwich, with a memorial service to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Maryknoll Sisters, or a charity of one's choice.

Renee Donovan Renee Stahl Donovan, lifelong resident of Greenwich, passed away on March 30 after a lengthy illness. She was 74.

She was the daughter of William Stahl and Mary Stahl. She attended Greenwich High School. She was a longtime employee of the Town of Greenwich, having worked at Nathaniel Witherell and the Town Hall.

She is survived by 2 children, Mark Stahl and Cathy Stahl, and 2 brothers, Fred Stahl and Ronnie Stahl. She was predeceased by both her parents, as well as her sister Barbara Serna, and brothers William Stahl and Charles Stahl.

Services will be private.

Margaret Dixon Margaret D. (Bryant) Dixon inspired creativity and laughter to those around her. She was an artist, a storyteller, and a beloved member of her family. Her home was the center of activity, always open to her children's friends, scouting groups, high school teams, and large family picnics. Mrs. Dixon passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 24 in a Cape Coral nursing facility at age 88.

A native of Denville NJ, Mrs. Dixon graduated from Syracuse University with a B.F.A. She was a talented and passionate artist who held various positions in publishing both in New York City and Cos Cob, CT. She served as a substitute teacher for Greenwich Public Schools.

She later invested in real estate, including residential properties in Fairfield and Westchester Counties.

Mrs. Dixon was an involved member of her community. She taught Sunday School at The First Congregational Church of Greenwich. She also introduced a ch i ld r e n's s tor y h ou r at Pe r r o t Memorial Library with a theatrical twist that incorporated handmade dolls as characters.

Mrs. Dixon is survived by her life

partner, Richard Hodza of Cape Coral; three children, Gwen Porter (Chesley) of Wilmette, IL, Scott Dixon of Yonkers, NY, and Mark Dixon (Tashena) of Rhinebeck, NY; brother, Robert Bryant (Barbara) of Chester, NJ; five grandchildren, Ruth Morrison, Sam Morrison, Chloe Dixon, Cole Dixon, and Malia Dixon.

She was preceded in death by her father, Rodger Br yant and mother, Margaret Heneken Bryant.

The family will gather for a private memorial picnic later this year.

Friends are invited to send condolences via the online guest book at MullinsMemorial.com. In lieu of f lowers, contributions can be made to the Peninsula School of Art penart.org/ memorialgift Minnie Petise July 16, 1925 - March 28, 2020 Minnie C. Petise, a lifelong Greenwich resident, passed away March 28, 2020 at age 94. She was born in Greenwich on July 16, 1925, the daughter of the late Frank Sr. & Sadie (Marino) Petise. Minnie was a graduate of Greenwich High School, Class of 1943 and went on to attend Merril Business School. She worked as a legal secretary for Hirschberg, Pettengill & Strong and its successor, Whitman & Ransom, for 25 years. She also worked as an administrative assistant for the Putnam Trust Company, retiring in 1995 after 15 years.

Minnie was a devoted member of St. Roch's RC Church. In 2009 she received the St. Augustine Medal for Service from the Diocese of Bridgeport, the result of her devotion and commitment. She was a devoted daughter, niece, sister and most of all loving aunt to seven nephews and five nieces. She also had 11 greatnephews, 6 great-nieces, and 1 great-great nephew. Miss Petise was an avid golfer and member of the Bruce Women's Golf Association. She also enjoyed painting and traveling, having visited Hawaii, Ireland, England, Spain, Italy and Bermuda.

S h e i s s u r v i ve d by h e r s i s te r, Antoinette Tesei of Greenwich, her brothers, John Petise of Tampa, and Frank Petise of Greenwich. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews; Stephanie Gaj, Janas Gaj, Pascal Marzella, Frank Marzella, Frederic Marzella, Lisa Tesei Valenti, Stephen Tesei, Peter J. Tesei, Kathleen Woolven, Frank W. Petise, Sheryl Ingbor, and Nadine Tambore. In addition to her parents, Miss Petise was predeceased by her brother, Dominick Petise and sisters, Santa Gaj and Mary Marzella.

Services were conducted privately for the immediate family on Tuesday, March 31 at Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home of Greenwich, and were broadcast via their website and Facebook Page. Interment followed.

The family would like to thank Dr. James Brunetti for his loving care along with her elite care companions, Monika Lapinski and Dorota Wysocki. They would also like to acknowledge the staff of Nathaniel Witherell Nursing Home, especially nurses, Cathy Sages, Almira Saint-Armand, Joy Cueves and nursing assistants, Doreen Wright, Dee Williams, all the members of the 2nd f loor staff.

Memorial donations can be sent to St. Roch's Church or Nathaniel Witherell.

Norman Guilbert, Sr. Norman Joseph Guilbert Sr., age 90, formerly of Greenwich, husband of the Late Florence Wanko Guilbert, passed away on Tuesday, March 24.

Born and raised in Stamford, Mr. Guilbert was a Greenwich resident for nearly all of his life. He graduated from Stamford High School, "Class of 1947" and then went on to serve his country for the United States Navy, post WWI aboard the USS George. He later had worked as an electrician for the Pitney Bowes Corporation for many years until his retirement. After retirement, he lived a simple life, was an avid collector of First Day Covers, recording various documentaries as well as saving many other odds and ends to be repaired at a later date.

He is survived by his son, Fr. Norman Guilbert of Danbury, a daughter, Virginia (Ginger) Gagliardo, a grandson Brett Gagliardo, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Due to conditions beyond control, all funeral services will be held privately in the care of the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home.

Martie S Perry May 13, 1920 – April 1, 2020 Marie Emma Curcuruto May 13th, 1933 - April 1st, 2020 Theresa A. Bologna March 29th, 1919 - March 31st, 2020 Ronald Schmitz June 23, 1954 - March 29, 2020 Vincent Cutignola May 15, 1958 - March 29, 2020 Romilda Avallone March 16, 1908 – March 28, 2020

Reach Out (I’ll Be There)

Column

By Chris Franco For the past year or so, every other month, I’ve been fortunate to include in my schedule a “cool” event here in Greenwich that I really enjoy. It takes place in a big, grand space, and a highlight for me is the Motown music pulsating i n t he b ack g r ou nd , c r e at i n g an energetic and fun vibe. I’ve always loved the smooth sound of Marvin Gaye, and my spirits soar when I hear the Temptations, the Supremes or the Four Tops.

As much as I enjoy listening to those soulful rhythm and blues melodies, tinged with gospel, more than anything they make me want to dance. And I have to admit that when I’m listening to those tunes I like the volume set high, and my exuberant new venue does not disappoint.

It gets better. At these events there are always friendly people milling about, and I often get to see the same familiar faces every other month – occasionally dressed in costume paired to the season, like in October when the event’s host donned a cape and

fangs and greeted us as “Count Dracula.” And did I mention that they always insist on feeding me? Snacks are plentiful, and I especially look forward to the Brie cheese and crackers and the famous deviled eggs.

Sounds f un, rig ht? Maybe you’re wondering why you haven’t heard about this before, and if I’m writing about an exciting new club, or maybe a fun “get down” dance party that I’ve dialed in to.

Well, it’s nothing so exotic – what I’m describing are the bi-monthly American Red Cross blood drives that take place at Temple Shalom in Greenwich!

When I was growing up in town my father was a regular blo o d donor, a nd a lt houg h I remember him heading out of t he hou se a nd com i ng home with his “I Gave” stickers, I never really asked him much about his motivations for giving. The American Red Cross reports that the top reasons people give blood are to help a friend in need, and because donating blood provides a sense of satisfaction that you are helping others. They highlight that blood donations are critical to maintaining an adequate blood supply for our community, and most importantly, that donating blood saves lives. That all rings very true to me, but for whatever reason I had never really thought too much about the experience for myself. That changed about a year ago when a friend was in need of donated blood, and I looked for a blood drive here in Greenwich.

I went on to the American Red

Cross website and signed up for a blood drive at Temple Shalom. As you can tell from my description of the experience, I’ve enjoyed it and I now consider myself a “regular” blood donor, like my father.

I recently caug ht up w ith Gary Silberberg, who runs the Temple Shalom blood drive and w h o sh a r e d s o m e t h ou g ht s .

“I'm always happy to spread the

used slogan, ‘Disasters Aren't Scheduled, Blood Drives Are’!”

G a r y ’s b l o o d d r i v e s a r e a ny th i ng but a d isaster. The entire process takes about one hour, is very efficient and runs like clockwork. The f irst thing you do is register, which happens at the registration desk and is done with trained volunteers using iPads. It’s possible to pre-

which will take as little as eight to 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 20 minutes. For the donation, you’ll be lying comfortably on a padded table while the blood is drawn. The time will vary with each person, and drinking a lot of water and staying well hydrated will speed things up. Lastly, after donating, you’ll enjoy a snack and a drink before resuming your

Gary and his team of volunteers and Red Cross personnel have figured out a way to run an efficient drive, with the subtle atmosphere of a music festival, which makes the whole experience rewarding and enjoyable.” word on blood drives,” Gary said.

“My drive has become the most productive drive in the State of Connecticut. We hold it on the first Monday of the even numbered months.” Gary explained that because of the current COVID 19 situation, the upcoming April 6th drive at Temple Shalom has been postponed. Gary explained, “I had one set of signs ready to be put out, ‘Donating Blood Isn't Taxing, It's A Gift,’ which would have been appropriate for a ‘normal’ April drive, given Tax Day, but now I’m returning to my all-too-often

reg ister, wh ich entails going on-line and answering a short medical questionnaire, which is recommended as doing so will streamline things and save you a few minutes at registration.

Next is a “mini-physical”, where a friendly and pleasant medical professional will take your blood pressure and temperature, and prick your finger to obtain a blood sample that is instantly tested to assure that your blood levels are adequate for donating. From there you move on to the actual donation of a pint of whole blood,

day. Best of all is that Gary and his team of volunteers and Red Cross personnel have figured out a way to run an eff icient drive with the subtle atmosphere of a music festival, which makes the whole experience rewarding and enjoyable.

T h e C OV I D 1 9 v i r u s h a s created a critical need for blood donations. Last week Dr. Jerome Adams, U. S. Surgeon General, called on Americans to donate blood. "Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement," said Dr. Adams.

Page 11 | Greenwich Sentinel

“One thing we should all consider, especially our millennials, is donating blood. Donated blood is an essential part of caring for patients, and one donation can save up to three lives.” Because of the COVID 19 virus, Red Cross blood drives will include enhanced precautions to protect donors and Red Cross staff and volunteers.

These include having donor beds sanitized between every donor, assuring medically-recommended spacing and social distancing between donors, the use of hand sanitizer before and during the donation by donors, and having st a f f cha nge g love s b et we en every donor. In addition, all Red Cross staff and volunteers will be asked to check their temperature before presenting to work on the drive, and will not participate in the drive if they are showing any symptoms or test above 99.5 degrees. The Red Cross stressed that “We will always put the safety of our donors, volunteers and staff first.”

Giving blood is a simple, safe way to make a big difference in people’s lives. Please consider participating in a blood drive, I’m betting you’ll enjoy it!

Chris Franco is the President and co-founder of the Greenwich P o i n t C o n s e r v a n c y. C h r i s i s passionate about restoring and repurposing historic buildings, which is the focus of his company, The Franco Group LLC. Chris and his wife Rachel reside in Old Greenwich.

A Window to the World

Column

By Stuart Adelberg Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented the 2020 Academy Awards – known to most as the Oscars. The Avon Theatre Film Center celebrated the evening with a well-attended “Oscar Night” event complete with our own red carpet! Our guests enjoyed food generously prov ided by area restaurants and viewed the ceremony live via satellite on the historic Avon Theatre’s 25 foot screen. We’re grateful to all who shared the evening with us and helped to raise some much-needed funds in support of our non-profit independent cinema.

Though the Oscars recognize ever y aspect of cinematic excellence with a multitude of awards, audiences tend to focus on just a few that they consider to be the most important.

Nine extraordinary f ilms were nom i nate d for t he even i ng ’s big gest prize – the Oscar for “Best Picture.” History was made this year with the Oscar going to PARASITE, a film made in South Korea and presented in Korean with subtitles. The success of Parasite made a talented young f ilmmaker, Bong Joon-ho, the recipient of four awards – Best P ic t u r e , B e s t D i r e c tor, B e s t International Feature Film, and Best Original Screenplay. The crowd at the Avon was elated – many recognizing that this was an independent film that played to crowds at the Avon for a recordbreaking 17 weeks and was the most successful foreign language film in our theater’s history. When the Avon boasts of presenting the best of independent cinema – we mean it!!

I won’t ruin PARASITE for those who haven’t yet seen it, but I

will say that it is a social satire that focuses on the issue of economic inequality. The film doesn’t preach but presents a picture of South Korean society from two extremes – a n u lt ra-we a lt hy fa m i ly contrasted with an extremely poor one. It is the interaction between these two families that forms the basis of the story – but you will have to see it for yourself to learn

for its success. Studios are sadly littered with thousands of very well-made films that don’t succeed i n mov ie houses. PA R A SI T E spoke to American audiences, even though it was presented in another language and told a story about another culture, because the circumstances and the people on the screen were completely relatable. Early in the f ilm we

Seoul would disturb us in New York. And though the characters in PAR ASITE certainly act in ways that are different from what you or I might do, seeing this film reminds us that people are people, regardless of where they live or the language they speak.

O ne of t he g r e at t h i ng s I have learned through my tenure here at the Avon is how effective

Well-made foreign films can expose us to people, places and stories that seem very different from our own existence. The greatest benefit is an enhanced understanding that the things we have in common are far more numerous than our differences. anything more than that about the film.

I state with no equivocation that PARASITE is a well written, directed, acted and produced film.

But this alone is not the reason

become so absorbed by the story that we forget that we’re reading as opposed to listening to the dialogue. We realize that what is amusing in Korea is amusing here in the U.S. What is disturbing in

foreign films can be as windows to the world. I was not previously a fan of films with subtitles, but I have now learned that this was a mistake. Well-made foreign f ilms can expose us to people,

places and stor ies that seem ver y d i f ferent f rom ou r ow n existence. The greatest benefit is an enhanced understanding that the things we have in common are far more numerous than our differences. This point was really brought home to me watching the Oscars. Though I doubt that anyone at the Avon’s “Oscar Night” could understand what Bong Joonho was saying as he accepted his historic Academy Awards in Korean, we had absolutely no problem recognizing, feeling and sharing in his delight.

When you are able once again, treat yourself to one of the Avon’s foreign films – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Old Greenwich resident, Stuart Adelberg, is the Executive Director of the Avon Theatre Film Center, a non-profit, community supported independent cinema, that has been a fixture in downtown Stamford for more than 80 years. Stuart has a long history of involvement in the region's non-profit human services and arts communities.

ONS: Safety and Emergency Care Are a Top Priority Unti l t he COV I D -19 cr isis abates, all patients with a sudden, acute injur y must ma ke an appointment to be treated at the ONS Greenwich off ice at 6 Greenwich Office Park, on Monday – Saturday, f rom 1 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, to comply with social distancing guidelines. As an added safety precaution, all patients and individuals accompanying them to a n appointment w ill be temperature screened upon arrival.

“Ensuring the safety of patients is of paramount i mp or t a nc e ,” s a id Ja me s Cunningham, MD. “Prioritizing patients in need of emergency orthopedic treatment is one of the ways we are doing that. Our use of telemedicine further reduces patients’ risk of exposure to the ONS Sports Medicine Specialist, Dr. Marc Kowalsky consults with a coronavirus while providing a continuity of care from a safe patient using telemedicine. distance.”

Urgent orthopedic treatment measures including the temporary O N S Te l e H e a l t h is safe option for patients with su sp en sion of non- e s s ent ia l videoconferencing appointments sudden, acute musculoskeletal injuries.

Greenwich.

In response to the alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases in our area, Greenwich-based Orthopaedic & Ne u r o s u r g e r y S p e c i a l i s t s (ONS), l e a d i n g p r ov i d e r s o f or thopedic and spine care in the region, has designated all in-of f ice appointments for patients who are truly in physicia n v isits a nd elective to discuss such matters as X-ray need of emergency orthopedic surgeries, and the launch of a and MRI test results, progress d iag no si s a nd t r e at me nt . I n telemedicine service for patients of a treatment plan, and other the beginning of March, ONS who do not require an in-person consultations, provides patients implemented enhanced safety visit. with remote access to a virtual

face-to-face visit with an ONS physician from the safety and comfort of home. It also allows the physician to determine if a patient needs to schedule an immediate i n- of f ice v i sit for c a st i ng or diagnostic imaging tests. These services can be scheduled at the Greenwich office.

ONS Physical Therapy is still available for individuals requiring essential therapeutic physical rehabilitation at the Greenwich location and at the Stamford office, at 5 High Ridge Park, 3rd floor, on Monday – Friday from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. In the current environment, Dr. Cunningham said that ONS is taking every possible precaution to protect the health and wellbeing of patients, staff and the wider community. For that reason, patients in need of emergency ortho care who have cold or flulike symptoms, have travelled within 14 days, or are under a directed quarantine or who have

Ensuring the safety of patients is of paramount importance,” said James Cunningham, MD. “Prioritizing patients in need of emergency orthopedic treatment is one of the ways we are doing that. a household member under quarantine, must seek treatment at a hospital ER. Patients should speak to an ONS representative at 203-869-1145 to learn which

Hand and wrist surgeon, Dr. David Wei scrubs in. appointment is appropriate for their condition or visit onsmd.com to learn more about the temporary changes in policy, hours, locations and the new telemedicine service.

ONS is an advanced multispecialty orthopedic and neurosurgery practice that has served patients throughout the New York Metropolitan area for more than 20 years. The 26 ONS fellowship-trained physicians

prov ide ex per tise i n t he f u l l spectr um of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, sports medicine, minimally invasive or t hop e d ic , spi ne a nd bra i n surgery, joint replacement and trauma. ONS prov ides onsite digital imaging and state-of-the art physical therapy and MRI. ONS operates an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Stamford, CT. www.onsmd.com.

Page 12 | Greenwich Sentinel

Just for Fun

Astrology Column For Week of Apr. 5, 2020

Discover your inner artist.

Coloring is good for the brain and improves moods.

Growing things also improves your mood.

Start with an herb garden.

ARIES 21 March-20 April If you need cheering up ask yourself if you’d like to swap places with people you pass on the street.

With a rare and major link between mighty Jupiter and powerful Pluto in the success area of your chart, they would certainly like to swap places with you.

LIBRA 24 Sept-23 Oct If you need to convince loved ones that your way of doing things is best do so now while your powers of persuasion are strong. A little bit of flattery plus a little bit of menace will get you what you want.

Just make sure you truly want it first.

TAURUS 21 April-21 May Someone you meet this week can play a major and positive role in your life, but if you’re the kind of Taurus who ignores those who sound or look different you may not recognise their importance until it’s too late. Tolerance is not just a virtue. It’s a necessity.

SCORPIO 24 Oct-22 Nov The more others say you are partying too hard the more you will show them what it means to have a good time. Cosmic activity in the most outgoing area of your chart will make it difficult for you to get serious about your work this week, so don’t bother trying.

GEMINI 22 May-21 June You may have money to spare but you don’t have to spend it.

Jupiter in the wealth area of your chart makes you impetuous and with Pluto so close you’ll be tempted to flash the cash just to look good. You’ll make lots of new friends – until the money runs out.

SAGITTARIUS 23 Nov-21 Dec Take a look at the world around you and realise how lucky you are. Whatever the trials and tribulations in your life they are nothing compared to those of 99 percent of humanity. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and take advantage of your good fortune.

CANCER 22 June-23 July Others may appear to approve of what you are doing but that doesn’t make it right. It is more likely that they are telling you what they know you want to hear. Listen instead to your conscience – it will tell you the truth be it good or bad.

CAPRICORN 22 Dec-20 Jan Successful Jupiter and powerful Pluto unite in your birth sign this week so as far as the cosmos is concerned you cannot lose. Set your sights as high as they’ll go, then promise yourself you’ll go even higher – and you will. All things are possible just now.

LEO 24 July-23 Aug Something that happens this week may be unexpected but it won’t be unwelcome, so stop worrying and start believing that the powers-thatbe want you to be successful and happy.

On the work front a little self-confidence will go a remarkably long way.

AQUARIUS 21 Jan-19 Feb You may not mind your plans being disrupted this week. In fact, you’ll probably be glad you’re having to move in a new direction. You should, of course, have moved earlier but lacked the courage to make such a massive change. Never mind, you’ll make it now.

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept Romantically and creatively this should be a wonderful week, especially if you’re prepared to take one or two calculated risks. But bear in mind that “calculated” doesn’t mean impulsive or reckless. Weigh up the pros and cons and then take action.

PISCES 20 Feb-20 March You need a reality check and your solar chart suggests you’ll get one over the next few days.

Once you know for sure what is and isn’t possible you won’t waste time on things that don’t matter and people who take more than they give back.

Discover more about yourself at sallybrompton.com

Sudoku, each row, column, and nonet can contain each number once.

Bring Back Lost Words

namelings

People whose name sounds the same. ie: Emily and Emmalee each preferred the spelling of the other ones name.

Noun | neym-lingz | 18th Cen. English

Worth Watching: Lord of the Rings. Heroes.

“Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings J. R. R. Tolkien

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Page 13 | Greenwich Sentinel

Page 14 | Greenwich Sentinel

Guest Faith Column

Trusting in the Security of His Love

By Drew Williams At my ordination at Exeter Cat he d ra l, we wa l ke d dow n the aisle in twos – rather like Noah’s ark. I was paired with a young guy who would become a good friend. James and I liked a n d u n d e r s to o d e a c h o t h e r immediately. Whilst we were assigned to different churches, we did our post-ordination training together. I recall a particular retreat with the late theological giant, Alec Motyer. Reverend Motyer, was vice-principal of Clifton Theological College and vicar of St. Luke’s, Hampstead, and Christ Church, Westbourne before becoming principal of my seminary, Trinity College. In the course of the retreat, Reverend Motyer was keen to assure us of our absolute security in the love God. I have a vivid memory of James asking the question that we were all too proud (or anxious) to ask. James politely, but earnestly, interrupted, “Reverend Motyer, but what if, in all the challenges of ministry and the Christian life, my faith should weaken? What if,

in disappointment or exhaustion, I should slip away from Jesus?”

I have heard speak of “godly rebu ke .” O f tent i me s, “go d ly rebuke” is not especially godly and the phrase is used as a faux theological foil for common or garden-variety rudeness. But without hesitation, Reverend Motyer modeled the art of godly r ebu ke ; w it h ex t raor d i n a r y tenderness and cast iron firmness, he looked my friend straight in the eye and said, “Oh, beloved, you are entirely mistaken. You believe you have taken hold of God when in fact He has taken hold of you.”

The Christian life is full of challenges. The apostle Paul de sc r i b e d it as a l i fe f u l l of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword (Romans 8:35-36). In the condensed version of Paul’s autobiography (with thanks to John Piper) he tells us: three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And apart from other things, there is the

Dear Friends, This has been a Lent like we would never have imagined.

It has begun to be a true experience of the desert, as so many people have even been unable to go to Mass and receive our Lord in Holy Communion. Those of you who find yourself in a place where you can still go to Mass, please remember in your prayers and in your Holy Communion all those who cannot do so.

Quite rightly, we have made a lot of plans and taken a great deal of trouble to prepare virtual worship, but this is not a virtual crisis. daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. [2 Corinthians 11:25-28].

For all of Paul’s disappointments and trials, Paul was adamant that we can have absolute, unfailing security in the love and power of God. Renee Swope wrote, “As we process the pain of our yesterdays, learn through the disappointments of our todays, and face some fears in our tomorrows, doubts will still creep up and threaten to steal our hope. But each time that happens, we can stop and seek God’s perspective in that place.”

In Romans chapter 8, Paul gave us three great assurances that help us to recover that Godly perspective. (I am grateful to Keith Krell for his insights in Paul’s writing): 1. No Contest In Romans 8:31, Paul posed a critical question: “If God is for us, who is against us?” Notice that the question isn’t simply, “Who is against us?” Rather, Paul qualified it with the phrase “If God is for us.” Paul then answered with

a rhetorical question, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (verse 32).

Standing upon this truth, Renee Swope comments, “You and I have the choice to either let doubt beat us up or let God’s truth build us up. If we have Christ in us, we have full access to God’s power and His promises to live with a confident heart.”

2. No Condemnation Paul went on, “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?

It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” (verses 33-34). The question he is asking is, “Who would dare bring a charge against God’s elect?’” The truth is that no one can. God has acquitted you and declared you righteous. His plea for you is based on the finished and sufficient work of the Cross.

Again, Renee Swope: “Satan intends to deceive us by getting

us to take our eyes off who we are in Christ and focus on our flaws — and then spend our days figuring out how we can hide them.” For each and every one of us, the truth is God’s grace and mercy always precede His calling.

3. No Separation Pau l’s nex t q uestion was “ W ho w i l l sepa rate us f rom the love of Christ?” (verse 35).

Notice that it is not who is going to separate us from our love for Christ, but who is going to separate us from Christ’s love for us. And that, as Alec Motyer was keen to reassure us, is a very big difference. Paul wrote that through Christ, we are not just victorious, we “overwhelmingly conquer!” Notice that he wrote in the present tense, indicating right now this is true.

As chapter eight concludes with verses 38-39, Paul pulled no punches. As fast as we can imagine exceptions, potholes and crevices in his argument, he scrupulously f illed in the cracks in our doubts and fears: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And notice that Paul’s list deliberately includes us, “nor any other created thing” — by which he very much had you in mind!

Across the centuries, followers of Jesus have come to see that, even in the midst of challenges and trials, God will always call us beyond our limitations to do seemingly impossible things — impossible things that require a simple but profound trust in the security of His love. It’s not so much about what Jesus wants you to do, as what He wants to do in you, as you depend on Him. It was always thus.

The Exeter Cathedral nave that James and I walked down together was built in 1400. Two hu nd r e d f i f t y ye a r s later, a minister named Thomas Brooks published a book entitled Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Christian Assurance. In it, he concluded, “Beloved, in our dearest Lord, you are those worthies ‘of whom this world is not worthy,’ (Hebrews 11:38.) You are the princes ‘that prevail with God,’ (Genesis 32:28.)

You are those ‘excellent ones’ in whom is all Christ’s delight, (Psalm 16:3.) You are His glory.

You are his picked, called, prime instruments which He will make use of to carry on His best and greatest work against His worst and greatest enemies in these latter days.”

Drew Williams previously served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Church in Greenwich and was a weekly contr ibutor to the Greenwich Sentinel. Last year he became the bishop for the Anglican Diocese of New England (ADNE).

Soon it will be Holy Week. We must unite ourselves, do that, for he cannot deny himself (2 Tim 2:13). interiorly and simply, to our Lord. We give him the homage We continue to persevere in faith, hope, and love. of our hearts, knowing that, as is said in the Mass, “it is our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you We remain united in Jesus and Mary, thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.” The saving mysteries that took place during this week two Rev. Sebastian White, O.P. thousand years ago were for our sake and for our salvation.

Editor-in-Chief Trust that the Lord does not abandon his flock, he will never

During this challenging time, many of the faithful are unable to attend Mass.

MAGNIFICAT is providing complimentary access to their online versions of MAGNIFICAT and MagnifiKid! in order to help individuals and families pray from home.

MAGNIFICAT can be accessed through their website at https://us.magnificat.net/home Below MAGNIFICAT's Editorial for Holy Week from its Editor-in-Chief, Father Sebastian White.

Page 15 | Greenwich Sentinel

On Faith Feature

Anxiety, Fear, Isolation and Uncertainty – We’ll Cope

By Marek Zabriskie This is a time that calls for non-anxious leadership. People in Greenwich are used to taking charge, getting th ings done, con necting, contributing smart ideas and making things happen.

But now, we’re hunkered down in our homes like bunkers during the London Blitz. But alas we have television and Spotify, books, Netflix, couches, showers and ample supplies of food.

Still, there’s plenty of anxiety, uncertainty, fear and isolation. The news is staggering. Few things can cause our blood pressure to spike faster. How do we cope i n these circumstances?

First, let’s face it. We’ll get through this. We always do. Our countr y has seen worse times. I spoke to my 89-year-old father in Massachusetts yesterday. He called to thank me for calling him so regularly. He spoke for an hour while my daughter and I prepared dinner.

“Have you ever seen anything like this before,” I asked. “Never in my lifetime,” he replied. “Things were tough coming out of the Depression.

Some say that we had to go to war to recover, but I think people had more spending money before the war started,” he said.

Well, there’s nothing like hearing your father compare our current situation to the Great Depression to make you feel good. Yes, things are tough, and they will get tougher before they get better, but we’re going to get through this. Americans are resilient.

Clergy are preparing to hold Holy Week, Easter, Passover and Ramadan online. Our most sacred worship events will be virtual. But thank God, we’ll be spiritually connected.

Ever y faith is reaching out to check on, listen to and pray with their members. Community and religion matter. More people may return to the faith. Religion is good. Being spiritual but not religious is like marriage

without sex. Something important is missing.

I’m hearing people talk about family members who are nurses or physicians or in other jobs that put them contact with persons diagnosed w i t h C o v a d -1 9. T h e y ’r e d e e p l y worried. We understand. One couple with an infant with a fever of 103 raced immediately to the hospital.

Everything looks different through the eyes of a pandemic. But there are also real gifts emerging from all of this. There’s a sense that we’re all in this together. Who cares anymore about Democrats or Republicans.

We’re united as a nation. We must do the right things.

Who cares anymore about Chinese, Russian or North Korean threats? We want a world where leaders have the right priorities and stop acting like narcissistic brats or caged animals. It’s time for global partnership, engendering trust, and coming together around the globe.

We n e e d t o t a k e s c i e n t i s t s seriously. Covad-19 is no hoax, nor is climate change. We cannot move forward and treat our planet like one more commodity to use up and toss away. We’re fighting Covad-19 now, but if we don’t stop mistreating our planet, climate change will take lives

like Coronavirus is doing now. These aren’t hoaxes. It’s time to listen to scientists.

There are some great gifts to be had during this time of challenge.

Many folks with grown children living in New York City and elsewhere have had their children move back home temporarily, bringing their boyfriends or girlfriends and cats and dogs with them.

There’s tremendous strength in families. There are also challenges.

Domestic abuse w ill sadly spike.

Violent spouses may become unglued.

The YWCA domestic abuse center is a key resou rce i n Greenw ich.

Counselors are counseling online.

Reach out. Get help. Contact the Center for Hope and Renewal. Make an appointment to speak to someone about your fears and anxieties.

People who have struggled with addictions may struggle significantly.

Whatever bad outlets we turn to when we’re under great stress – alcohol, drugs, pornography, overeating, nonstop work, sleeping, lashing out or blaming others – must be watched.

Time to be vigilant.

How can we cope? Keep a normal schedule. Sleep eight hours. Wake up, shower, dress nicely, make the bed, keep the house clean, exercise, pray,

read the Bible, eat healthy meals, work in chunks and take a full day off from work each week. You need a sabbath.

Connect with friends, family and neighbors. Read a good book. Don’t overdo the news.

Av o i d p e o p l e w h o t h r i v e o n spreading anxiety like a virus. If we stay calm, those around us will be calm. Calmness is contagious.

Our 2 5-year-daug hter is quarantined with me. She just spent six months traveling the world as the private teacher for a family.

We’ve h ad s ome g r e at conversations. She’s reorganized the kitchen and pantry and is teaching me to cook healthy, gluten-free meals.

She’s wise beyond her years and incredibly kind.

We weren’t expected to have this time together. She was supposed to traveling abroad, but she’s here. It’s a godsend. Even in the strangest of times, God dispenses blessings.

Pray for the helpers. Stay quarantined. Look for signs of grace.

Spread calm. Keep to a routine. Center yourself in God each day. We will get through this together.

By the Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie, Rector of Christ Church Greenwich

Worship Services & Events ASSEMBLIES OF GOD Harvest Time Church 1338 King St., 203-531-7778 www.htchurch.com HTC Ministries are being moved to online platforms until April 30. The 9 & 11am Sunday Worship will be live-streamed. Visit htchurch. com and click the tab at the top of the page that says “Watch!”. Services will also be rebroadcast later on the website and social media outlets.

Don't miss the Lenten sermon series on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross, and join in prayer for the community.

BAPTIST First Baptist Church 10 Northfield St.; 203-869-7988 www.firstbaptistgreenwich.com Greenwich Baptist Church 10 Indian Rock Ln; 203-869-2807 www.greenwichbaptist.org March 29: Pastor Lloyd Syvertsen’s sermon: "PPP - Personal Protective Promises" (Psalm 23) - All healthcare workers need PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to protect them from the Coronavirus, but everyone needs PPP (Personal Protective Promises) from God to protect them from fear of the Coronavirus, 11am, streamed through Facebook and website (greenwichbaptist.org/livestream) CATHOLIC Sacred Heart Church 95 Henry St.; 203-531-8730 Bishop Frank J. Caggiano has dispensed all Catholics from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass through March 28.

The Parish of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Agnes St. Agnes: 247 Stanwich Rd; St. Catherine of Siena: 4 Riverside Ave; 203-637-3661 www.stc-sta.org Weekend and Daily Masses are canceled.

Virtual Mass via Zoom: Wed. & Sun., 1:30pm. The priests of the parish will celebrate Mass privately for your intentions. The Rosary, Meditation Group, and Stations of the Cross are canceled. All Faith Formation classes have been canceled for the remainder of this year. The 2021 Mass Books Opening Day is postponed to a future date. St. Catherine will be open for Adoration daily from 7am-9pm (please maintain physical distance if you enter the church and others are present).

The following events have been postponed: Henrey’s The Ancient Near East Presentation Series: through April 5; Hope and Mature Faith in Troubling Times: March 28-30; Celtic Lenten Concert: March 29. (If you are able, please continue to support the work of the parish financially by either signing up for Online Giving or mailing in your weekly donations).

St. Mary Church 178 Greenwich Ave.; 203-869-9393 www.stmarygreenwich.org Sunday public Masses are temporarily suspended. Holy Week Services will be closed to the public. Liturgies will be live-streamed on Facebook (facebook.com/stmarygreenwich) – recordings will also be available to view later.

Palm Sunday - Blessing of Palms & Mass: April 5, 12pm. Holy Thursday - Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper: April 9, 7pm. Nine Days of Prayer - through April 2: recitation of the Rosary each night, 7pm. Daily Mass (Mon-Sun), 12pm, with Fr. La Pastina on Facebook. All diocesan schools and academies are closed. All parish Confirmations that are scheduled to take place before Easter Sunday will be rescheduled. Religious Education classes for the remainder of this year 2019-2020 have been cancelled. Visit EWTN.com for daily Mass at 8am with encore at 12pm (Check you local cable lineup for channel). Consider giving a donation by emailing stmarygrn@gmail.com.

St. Michael the Archangel 469 North St.; 203-869-5421 www.stmichaelgreenwich.com

Celebration of private Masses will be livestreamed daily at 9am. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday at St. Michael’s Church, 12-6pm. Sacrament of Reconciliation every Sunday at St. Michael’s Church in the cry/joy room, 121pm & 5-6pm. All Stations of the Cross have been cancelled until further notice. Cancelled: Morning of Reflection During Lent: March 28. Postponed: First Holy Communion: March 29. Cancelled: SMWA Movie Night - Members Only: March 31; Prayer Shawl Ministry: April 7.

St. Timothy Chapel 1034 North St.; 203-869-5421 Cancelled: Sunday Mass through March 28.

St. Paul Church 84 Sherwood Ave.; 203-531-8741 www.stpaulgreenwich.org Mass is suspended until April 3. Online daily Mass at EWTN.com, 8am with encore at 12pm.

(Check your local cable lineup for the EWTN channel). Daily Mass is also available on Bishop Robert Barron’s website at wordonfire.org/dailymass. Religious education classes are canceled through the end of the school year.

St. Roch Church 10 St. Roch Ave.; 203-869-4176 www.strochchurch.com Masses are closed to the lay faithful until at least April 30th but are available via LIVE streaming here on our website on the following schedule: Mass Schedule (for veiwing via live streaming): Monday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. (Latin) Monday-Saturday: 9:00 a.m. (English) Sunday: 7:30 a.m. (English) [Concelebrated for Previously Scheduled 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Mass Intentions] Sunday: 1:00 p.m. (Spanish) [Concelebrated for Previously Scheduled 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Mass Intentions] The Church will be open as follows (for private prayer): M-F 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sat. 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sun 9:00 a.m. - Noon Although there is still no attendance at group Masses or other activities, there are designated spaces for people to sit for private prayer (far apart from each other and from the altar) and the seating areas are cleaned and disinfected each day.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE First Church of Christ, Scientist 11 Park Place; 203-869-2503 www.christiansciencect.org/greenwich All services suspended until March 29.

COMMUNITY First Church of Round Hill 464 Round Hill Rd.; 203-629-3876 www.firstchurchofroundhill.com Worship services are cancelled until at least April 5. The office is closed until further notice.

Round Hill Community Church 395 Round Hill Rd.; 203-869-1091 www.roundhillcommunitychurch.org Worship services are suspended indefinitely – online Worship available at youtu.be/ CNjyLHzsRlI. Postponed: Green Screen Movie & Talk Series: March 27.

CONGREGATIONAL The First Congregational Church 108 Sound Beach Ave; 203-637-1791 www.fccog.org Suspended: Sunday morning worship services (for the time being) - messages and worship on Sunday mornings available through live-streaming on YouTube (youtube.com/ channel/UCXgou35EY5N803D4e_J4JNA) and broadcast on WGCH. All in-person small group meetings, committee meetings and outside groups are suspended. The Rummage Room on Sound Beach Avenue, operated by First Church, is closed until further notice. Cancelled: New

Musical Series for Lent: through April 2.

North Greenwich Congregational 606 Riversville Rd.; 203-869-7763 www. northgreenwichchurch.org Sunday services are temporarily suspended.

Second Congregational Church 139 E Putnam Ave.; 203-869-9311 www.2cc.org Services available online, details at 2cc.org.

Contemporary Worship: Saturday, 5pm. Sunday Services: 8:30 & 10:30am.

EPISCOPAL Anglican Church of the Advent 606 Riversville Rd.; 203-861-2432 www.churchoftheadvent.org Service: Sun 9am Holy Eucharist. Sunday School during academic year. Regular services are being held at this time.

Christ Church Greenwich 254 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-6600 www.christchurchgreenwich.org All worship services and all programs and services are cancelled at least through March 27.

Neighbor to Neighbor‘s food pantry distribution services will remain open - for more information, visit ntngreenwich.org. Stay spiritually engaged from home by visiting christchurchgreenwich. org/stay-spiritually-engaged-from-home.

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 954 Lake Ave.; 203-661-5526 www.stbarnabasgreenwich.org Worship suspended until further notice.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 200 Riverside Ave.; 203-637-2447 www.stpaulsriverside.org CANCELLED, as of March 12: Worship services and Parish operations; Candlelight Nights. Church offices are closed.

St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church 350 Sound Beach Ave; 203-637-2262 www.saintsaviours.org All public worship is suspended until further notice. All meetings, study groups, events and social gatherings connected to St. Saviour’s are also suspended.

JEWISH Chabad Lubavitch of Greenwich 75 Mason St.; 203-629-9059 www.chabadgreenwich.org The building is closed through the end of March.

Congregation Shir Ami 1273 E. Putnam Ave, PO Box 312, Riverside; 203-900-7976; Shirami.info@gmail.com www.congregationshirami.org All services and classes will be held online.

Shabbat Service and Oneg: March 27, 7:309:30pm, Service will be online (link to be provided closer to the date). Women’s Rosh Chodesh: March 30, 7-8:30pm, Class will be online (link to be provided closer to the date).

Greenwich Reform Synagogue 92 Orchard St.; 203-629-0018 www.grs.org Jewish meditation and text study with Rabbi Gerson, Tue.-Fri. 12pm. Storytime for Kids with Rabbi Gerson, Tue.-Thu. 5:30pm. Kids Sing Along with Cantor Dunkerley, Mon.-Thu. 10 am. Tot Shabbat with Rabbi Gerson and Cantor Dunkerley, Fri. 5:30pm. Shabbat services with Rabbi Gerson and Cantor Dunkerley, Fri 7pm.

All programs are streamed virtually on zoom.us Temple Sholom 300 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-7191 www.templesholom.com Temple Sholom, The Selma Maisel Nursery School and the Temple Sholom Learning Center are currently closed until at least March 31. If you have an emergency and need to reach a member of the clergy, please dial 203-869-7191 ext. 3.

LUTHERAN First Lutheran Church 38 Field Point Rd.; 203-869-0032 www.flcgreenwich.org

The Service of the Word will be streamed live at 10am on Sunday mornings at firstpaul. com/?fbclid=IwAR3Sft24W8eKzaZM-VlQ J_3y Mso8nZR6EsNzqTsOjeWrN83MsqgCI_98Ckg. The Service of the Sacrament will be offered throughout the week (at First Lutheran) by appointment to groups of ten or less.

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran 286 Delavan Ave.; 203-531-8466 METHODIST Diamond Hill United Methodist 521 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-2395 www.diamondhillumc.com March 29: Palm Sunday - Worship service online via ZOOM. Confirmation Class and Lenten Book Study meetings are cancelled until further notice. *If you have already filled your grocery bag for Greenwich Scouting’s ‘Scouting for Food’ drive, you may drop it off at the church and David Hays will pick them up.

First United Methodist Church 59 E. Putnam Ave.; 203-629-9584 www.fumcgreenwich.com Virtual Sunday Service, 9:30am, via zoom. us. On your phone: Call 1-929-205-6099, and enter meeting number followed by the pound (#) sign 203 629 9584# Bethel African Methodist Episcopal 42 Lake Ave.; 203-661-3099 Teleconference: Sundays, 11am and until further notice (Dial-in number: 425-436-6380, Access code: 612220).

NONDENOMINATIONAL Dingletown Community Church 376 Stanwich Rd.; 203-629-5923 www.dingletownchurch.org Revive Church 90 Harding Rd., Old Greenwich (Old Greenwich Civic Center) www.myrevive.org No Services for the next two weeks (online sermons on Facebook and Youtube). All groups will be online for the next two weeks. Direct any prayer needs to the prayer chain at 203-536-2686.

Stanwich Church 202 Taconic Rd.; 203-661-4420 www.stanwichchurch.org Worship online: Sundays, 10:45am, stanwichchurch.org/live-streaming. If you or someone you know is sick, in need of help with meals or caring support, contact Pastor Heather Wright: heather@stanwichchurch.org or 203661-4420, ext. 222.

The Albertson Memorial Church 293 Sound Beach Ave; 203-637-4615 www.albertsonchurch.org Sunday Services and all church activities have been cancelled until further notice.

Trinity Church 1 River Rd.; 203-618-0808 www.trinitychurch.life Online Sunday Services: 9:45am, youtube. com/c/TrinityChurchLife/live Digital Devos (a 30-minute ‘drop-in’ devotional and prayer via Zoom call: Tue & Fri, 11:30am; Thu, 7pm, TrinityChurch.Life. Give and receive help during Covid-19 – join the Covid-19 Crisis Care Team or request help and support, visit TrinityChurch.Life.

PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 1 W. Putnam Ave.; 203-869-8686 www.fpcg.org The church is closed until further notice email info@fpcg.org with any questions.

Grace Church of Greenwich 8 Sound Shore Dr., Suite 280 203-861-7555 www.gracechurchgreenwich.com Worship is cancelled indefinitely.

Living Hope Community Church 38 West End Ave; 203-637-3669 www.LivingHopeCT.org

Pursuing Excellence in Education

Feature Column

Distance Learning and Social-Emotional Needs

By Jack Creeden I guess we are now off icially in the era of distance learning. No matter what name we use, this is a Brave New World for faculty, students and parents to navigate amidst the uncertainty and anxiety of coronavirus.

Although at first it felt like we were creating a new curriculum without much guidance, there is plenty of well-informed advice available to all of us.

And we have relied with great confidence on the models borrowed from educators in Asia. Schools across China and South Korea have been doing distance learning for more than two months. The classroom products our colleagues have produced are quite good and have helped us avoid many of the mistakes they made in Week One of their distance teaching. Their lessons-learned have made our first efforts even better.

Unlike traditional classroom teaching, where we focused almost exclusively on the student, we have learned in distance learning that we have multiple audiences. Whether at the secondary or primary school level, parents are much more involved (some of my colleagues find that statement hard to believe!) than in traditional settings. We

Feature Column

take it for granted that distance learning for a 1st or 3rd grader must involve the parents. But we have already learned that even the most high achieving high school students have found it a challenge to adjust to the different demands of distance learning.

Who would have thought that with parents working from home, there would be conf licting schedules for use of a home computer? How many instruments do you have in your home?

And even if students have their own laptops or iPads, the demand on the home network can be a challenge. What happens when mom, dad, two younger siblings and an older sister returned from university need to connect at the same time? Can you imagine the speed of a home network if three or more people are trying to download a work or school video at the same time? Who anticipated that?

Creating a schedule for access to the network or to a limited number of instruments will need to be negotiated. Where is the private space that each user needs? And since both parents are self-quarantined at home, what’s the schedule of parental assistance with electronic assignments, especially for our youngest students? And who decides when there has been enough screen time for the day? Can I as a parent declare that it is time for the family to be together and suggest we all go out for a walk at noon in the bright sunshine?

The social-emotional needs of students are always part of our curriculum planning. But in this new era of distance learning, educational leaders and classroom teachers must consider the socialemotional needs of parents, many of whom are spending all day every day for the next four to six weeks in their home with all of their children – talk about anxiety-producing environments!

And what about our faculty, most of whom have refined their craft and demonstrate a high degree of classroom expertise on a daily basis. The master teacher who has deep knowledge of their discipline and has successfully integrated technology into classroom work will f ind distance learning a whole new experience. It’s like being a first-year teacher all over again! Different apps, platforms and untested strategies to engage students, share information, prompt intellectual curiosity and promote critical analysis. Easy to say. Unbelievably challenging to pull off in the first week.

Those of us in leadership roles need to make sure we pay attention to the social emotional needs of adults in this new teaching environment.

As in so many parts of life, balance is critical. We

clear that teaching strategies will be altered. The sense of a classroom community and the energy of a room of enthusiastic and engaged 2nd graders will feel different when they all appear on a Zoom gallery screen and want to simultaneously respond to a question from the teacher.

I ad m it to b ei ng exc ite d. We w i l l g le a n innovative and improved strategies from distance learning. Adding those new approaches to the methodologies we know work in a classroom will make our teaching and learning richer when we return to school buildings. It is a grand experiment, but it will succeed only if we pay close attention to the social emotional needs of both students and adults. To do anything less will erode the academic and social emotional growth of the students in our

Those of us in leadership roles need to pay attention to the social-emotional needs of adults in this new teaching environment. will get the best work from our faculty when we wholeheartedly support their efforts, celebrate their successes and help them move on from strategies that did not work.

We need to manage the expectations of our parents. Distance learning is not classroom learning. There are distinct advantages to each.

So we must educate our parents about the many remarkable advantages that can accrue from distance learning. At the same time, we need to be

care.

Jack Creeden is the Head of Whitby School.

He is a longtime school leader who has served as Head at three independent schools and has written and presented extensively on governance, strategic planning, and the intersection between global studies and diversity initiatives.

Put on Your Oxygen Masks First

By Kimberly Lisack LCSW I am afraid to f ly. It is a true phobia that ma kes a i r t ravel completely emot iona l ly exhausting for me. I am anxiety ridden for weeks leading up to my departure, uncharacteristically silent driving to the airport, desperate for reassurance waiting to board, and practically paralyzed with fear while in the air. Perhaps my fear of flying is related to not having control, or perhaps it is because I am not a pilot and therefore do not understand how a plane can actually fly.

There is a part of me that feels like I am on an airplane right now. We are f lying through thunderstorms, diverted to a different airport, and experiencing intermittent turbulence. The pilots are focused on flying the plane, they have little time to get on the intercom and assure us we will be alright, and the flight attendants have been instructed to sit down. Other passengers are nervous too. We look to each other for comfort, but it feels fleeting.

This plane will land, we may even be bruised and battered, but the plane will be on the ground eventually. So how do we take care of ourselves and each other on this extended turbulent flight?

We may not be able to f ly or land the plane ourselves, but thankfully, there are a number of things we can do to stay socially, emotionally, and psychologically grounded while we are ‘up

in the air’.

First, remember social distancing is very different from socially isolating. Social Distancing is how we can help curb the spread of the virus. Socially isolating, however can potentially make us feel alone and hopeless. We need each other now, yet we are told to distance ourselves. The challenge is to find new ways to stay meaningfully connected. Of course, we will continue to text, as we have become a texting society, but more of my friends this past week have mentioned to me that hearing a loved one's voice has been comforting in a surprising way.

We can Skype, Facetime, email, and when done safely, we can, and should be walking, hiking, and talking to each other.

The news is worrisome, and stressful. And it will likely continue to be that way for weeks to come. This is a marathon flight, not a sprint trip.

Pace yourself, and resist channel surfing news networks. Stick to one or two trusted sources, perhaps your local news channel and one or two national networks. Limit the frequency and duration of news ingestion. Consider a morning and early evening “check in '' with a break throughout the day. And definitely try to refrain from watching the hour or two before going to sleep.

Many of us are working remotely, our work day lacks the external structure our offices, classrooms, and buildings, and co-workers

used to give us. We are tasked with creating our own structure and this can be stressful.

There are many articles on how to be productive while working from home, read them, you will

Facetime session. If you have children, partners, or elderly loved ones in your care, remember why we are instructed to put our oxygen masks on before helping the people who are dependent on us.

So how do we take care of ourselves and each other on this extended turbulent flight? We may not be able to fly or land the plane ourselves, but thankfully, there are a number of things we can do to stay socially, emotionally, and psychologically grounded while we are ‘up in the air’. probably get one or two useful tips.

I encourage you to practice self-care during this time. Remember to tend to your basic needs.

Get outside, exercise, shower, monitor your sleep and eating patterns, and try not to disrupt your pre-COVID-19 support; for example, if you have a therapist, request a weekly Skype or

Ki m Wolfs on-Li s a c k i s a bi l i n g u a l a n d bicultural Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is an adjunct professor in the graduate social work program at Sacred Heart University and at Norwalk Community College. She has worked at Kids In Crisis for over 13 years, most recently as the agency’s Clinical Director.

Historical Society Brings Town History Online In this difficult time, Greenwich Historical Society will be continuing its mission of preserving and interpreting Greenwich History to strengthen the community's connection to our past, to each other and to our future. While the galleries, museum store and Bush-Holley House will remain closed to the public until at least April 22,the Historical Society is working to fulfill its mission and commitment to the community in new way to bring the best of Greenwich history – its stories, landmarks, archives and collections – online for all to peruse and enjoy.

Highlights of the initiatives: • Daily Stories for Appreciating Greenwich’s Rich History: Each day a new story will be featured in greenwichhistory.org and via social media for educators, parents, and all those curious about Greenwich, for enjoying the town’s rich history.

• H i s to r y H ap p e n i n g N ow : S h a r i n g Experiences for Posterity The community is encouraged to document and share their experiences or topics of interest. For example: Have you taken photographs showing desolate spaces that would normally be bustling

with people? Have you used unexpected free time to write journal entries, letters or poetry reflecting on the sense of isolation (or other emotion) that results from efforts to contain the virus and rate of infection? What signs have you seen around town that speak to the prevalent sense of caution and uncertainty? Maybe you've witnessed acts of great kindness and generosity (or their tangible results). These are just a few examples of the experiences and stories the Historical Society would like to capture for posterity in the archival collection. The website will feature a local gallery of the contributed images. Find more information and to submit images, by emailing cpandolfino@ greenwichhistory.org • Online Archives Showcase the History of Greenwich The Archives photograph collection, containing more than 40,000 prints, film negatives, slides and glass plates, is an enormous visual resource for those interested in the history of the Town of Greenwich, especially its development from a nineteenth centur y farming and shipping community to the commercial and residential center with strong ties to New York City that Greenwich

is today. Access it digital.greenwichhistory.org/ cdm/landingpage/collection/p16714coll1?utm_ source=A+L etter+f rom+the+Director&utm _ campaign=A+letter+from+the+Director&utm_ medium=email.

• Virtual Education: Sarah & Her Town and Resources for Teachers The Historical Society’s Education staff has been working to recreate online resources for teachers. Sarah Bush and Her Town program, which almost every 3rd grade student in Greenwich experiences, will be presented virtually this year.

Additional education resources are being developed and posted at greenwichhistory.org and requests are being honored that support the evolving online teaching formats. Reach out to the Education

staff about resources for teachers (cpandolfino@ greenwichhistory.org).

Spring Events Rescheduled The spring events calendar is being rescheduled and reformatted. Updates will be posted via emails, the Historical Society website, and social media platform. The staff and volunteers of the Historical Society look forward to opening the galleries and museum store as soon as possible for the community to enjoy. In a few weeks, the lilacs, heirloom gardens, and arbors will be blooming with the beauty and optimism that had inspired so many artists and residents through the centuries here in Cos Cob.

Emily's Chimes Event Out of an abundance of caution, the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF) has decided to cancel the upcoming Emily’s Chimes event on Friday, April 4. The good news is that they have already rescheduled Emily's Chimes for Friday, October 23, from 7 to 11 p.m. at The Arch Street Teen Center.

The event, which will benefit the "Emily’s Chimes” restoration project at Tod's Point, will be emceed by ECFF board member, Gary Dell'Abate.

Guests will enjoy food by OntheMarc catering, specialty cocktails sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, a Raw Bar provided by the Greenwich Shellfish Commission, music, dancing and an incredible line-up of silent and live auction items.

Attendees are encouraged to wear casual attire, with a splash of BLUE. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available online at: emsway.org/ emilys-chimes The “Emily’s Chimes” event will support the organization’s pledge to the Greenwich Point

Conservancy to help fund the restoration of the Chimes Tower at Greenwich Point, built in 1901 as part of the historic Chimes Building, overlooking the waters of the Long Island Sound on Tod’s Point. Through the restoration project, the physical chimes and their intricate mechanisms will be restored. Upon completion, the chimes will be named “Emily’s Chimes” to honor the life of 16year old Greenwich High Schooler Emily Fedorko, who tragically lost her life in 2014, during a water tubing accident on Long Island Sound.

In addition to the chimes, a new Water Safety Center will be established inside the building to further the Foundation's mission to educate the community about the importance of water and boating safety.

For more info on the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, visit visit emsway.org. To purchase tickets or become a sponsor for “Emily’s Chimes,” visit: emsway.org/emilys-chimes

Column: On My Watch

Concerning Outer Space and Confinement “Dear Anne Semmes, I enjoyed talking with you yesterday and hope to stay in touch.” Its dated 1991, and he’s praising a 15-year old girl campaigning (aka Greta Thunberg) to save acres

book of poems I sent him, “Weapons Against Meanwhile, in our present predicament, Chaos,” written by a scholarly friend Mary perhaps, as my niece has sug gested, this Ewald, late of Greenwich. “They are marvelous,” confinement is preparing us to endure space he wrote. “How splendid that in this blinkered travel!

of open land in California’s Bay Area, “who keeps careful records of the rare species of birds who nest there.” Dyson was focused on nature as well as space. Much to the regret of his fans, he did maintain his skepticism of climate change.

He was more fixated on how we could use outer space for our benefit: “Comets could serve as nurseries for genetically altered trees that could grow…and release oxygen from their roots to sustain human life.”

Another letter he wrote thanked me for a

monoglot culture there is still somebody who cares for Latin and Greek!”

Dyson’s desire to use space to sustain life is an idea shared most definitely by billionaire Elon Musk whose SpaceX rocket company’s aim is to colonize Mars with fears that “Earth could be doomed.” His having survived malaria in 2000 is said to have propelled his space as salvation ambition. He reportedly views the pandemic of COVID-19 as causing more panic than harm from the virus. Therein lies hope for us all.

By Anne W. Semmes This is the ultimate escape - to think about the stars considering our present human condition. But there are persons among us who continue to be fixated on the stars and outer space. I know because I have grown up with an astronomer, my stepbrother, who now divides his time between New Zealand and Australia.

We were within miles of a reunion in New England after 10 years apart, but time ran out – the window for his way home was about to close.

He is now down under again.

Talking with him over the last week before his departure I heard a lot about stars. He was holed up with an old friend, a prominent Harvard astronomer in his farmhouse outside Boston, having arrived just as Harvard shut down. He’d been on his way to see me after seeing family in Tennessee.

My stepbrother and I in our youth had shared a pasture holding his small observatory and my big horse. When I mentioned to him having met the now late great cosmic visionary Freeman Dyson, he was singularly impressed. “Freeman Dyson?” Yes, and I have handwritten letters from him. They were written from The Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton University where, as professor of physics Dyson taught, wrote, and researched for some 60 years of his life.

Dyson saw space as a transforming force in the destiny of our species. In a splendid essay, “The Green Universe: A Vision,” he predicted, “The 21st century is likely to see manned missions exploring planets and moons and asteroids, and possibly making spectacular discoveries.”

As Dyson surmised, “The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the universe must in some sense have known we were coming.”

There’s Plenty of Story Behind Val’s Putnam Wines knew I needed some change,” he said. “I just didn’t know what is was.”

So, coming home began his watershed moment.

Initially, he stayed connected to his career as he came to better understand the backend of Val’s business.

A k nowledge of wines was another story and had him only peaking in weekly. As time went on, however, his affinity for small business helped uncork an interest in the f iner details.

The connectivity to customers also played a part and eventually solidified a full break. “I wanted to be able to wake up in the morning with some satisfaction,” he said.

Settling in had his father returning after about a year, but that doesn’t mean the old and new approaches had father and son always saw eye to eye. “We did have our butting of heads,” he lamented.

Ultimately, they learned to listen to each other and grew closer. “Working alongside him was the best gift I ever got,” Fiorita beamed.

Fiorita believes the dynamic didn’t go unnoticed, and customers gaining an understanding of a family business, left them with a sense of Val’s story. “We are people who care about others and care about doing right by the customer,” he concluded.

Why Fairfield County Bank?

Pairing the right wine to their customer’s tastes is Val’s specialty; as is their legendary generosity to charities in town.

By Rich Monetti Jeb Fiorita began easing into his father’s wine business in 2004 when illness struck his Dad. Returning home from England, the former financier would completely take over Val’s Putnam Wines after his father’s death in 2011.

Fiorita continues the traditions of the family business that began in 1962 of pairing the correct

inside. Get to know your own pallet,' Jeb said, "so you know what you want out of the experience."

In turn, Boomers with plenty of experience and demonstrated purchasing history know pretty well what they want. So Val’s elders aren’t necessarily the first to be all ears. Millennials more readily use technology to gain insight, and wine is no different.

So they come in with knowledge and want to learn more.

Val’s wine tastings provide a masterclass of sorts but embarking as a collector begins by looking inside.

"Get to know your own pallet," Jeb said, "so you know what you want out of the experience."

Your Local Mortgage Experts wine or spirt to the customer’s taste. Customers entering the store on West Putnam Avenue shouldn’t expect a dissertation, where Fiorita simply reels off the best and worst wines.

Instead, a conversation ensues to find “the right wine,” clarified Fiorita, who also owns a second Val’s in Glenville.

On the other hand, he knows that wine’s true magic occurs in relation to randomness and an unlikely combination provides his proof. On the same day, Fiorita received a bottle of Amarone and homemade cookies. He loved the dry taste of the cookies and as he nibbled, a quencher was needed.

But the wine didn’t seem right.

About to go to bed, he downed another cookie, sipped the wine and…abracadabra. The combination was incredible, he remembered and finishing both off, the serendipity says it all.

It follows that he cannot list a favorite wine, while Val’s largely fills its stock based on customer feedback. Still, Val’s inclines toward French and Italian wines and smaller wineries that produce craft brands.

The craft beer and spirit movement also applies to Val’s shelves. “The products are pristine, and the ingredients are exceptional at every level,” he boasted.

Either way, he loves sticking to the stories, because a label cannot encompass the land, family histories and passion that brings the wine home.

‘It’s my mission to stand in for the bottle and tell as much of the story that I know,’ Fiorita said.

"Val’s wine tastings provide a masterclass of sorts but embarking as a collector begins by looking

Nonetheless, Millennial sales has the industry concerned, but the curiosity implies a strong future in Fiorita’s estimation. It also makes for better banter. “I have a captive audience that wants to learn,” he joked.

Many more wine options are also right up their alley (and obviously speaks to all). “The biggest change in the past 20 years is the quality,” he said.

A big part of the improvement attributes to going old school. “People who had gone a more modern route are now going back to natural farming techniques, and you’re seeing much more expressive wines,” he said.

Mother Nature does still reign supreme, and California wildfires said as much. Fortunately, most vineyards were left unscathed, and the only residue, as some wines may contain a smoky element.

Australia wasn’t as lucky and the jury is still out. The same uncertainty goes for global warming.

“Pretty soon, it’s going to be too warm, and the grapes aren’t going to mature properly. So it’s a major concern – particularly in Europe where the climate is more erratic and the land less expansive,” he asserted.

Of course, the Coronavirus presents the current unknown, and an interruption in the free flow of worldwide goods has already been felt. “We are not receiving products as effectively as we have in the past,” he revealed.

The entrepreneur was fortunate that there was no such impediment when his father’s illness called him home. Recalling his former financial career with an office that rarely saw a smile, and ample material gain did little for employee disposition. “I

Not only do we have great mortgage products and services, but we offer great relationships too.

877.431.7431 • FairfieldCountyBankMortgages.com NMLS ID #516624

EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

MEMBER FDIC

Bridgeport | Danbury | Darien | Fairfield | Georgetown | Norwalk Ridgefield | Rowayton | Stamford | Weston | Westport | Wilton

Page 18 | Greenwich Sentinel | April 3, 2020

REAL ESTATE DASHBOARD Deborah Ference-Gray

REAL ESTATE DASHBOARD MASTHEAD DASHBOARD EDITOR

Mark Pruner | Mark@GreenwichStreets.com | mark@bhhsne.com

CONTRIBUTORS

One Pickwick Plaza Greenwich, CT 06830

Robert Pulitano | RobertPulitano@bhhsne.com Cesar Rabillino | CesarRabellino@bhhsne.com Pam Toner | PToner@HoulihanLawrence.com

Office: 203.618.3155 Mobile: 917.584.4903

LAST WEEK'S SALES

For Market Updates and Listings Visit deborahferencegray.com

deborah.ferencegray@sothebyshomes.com

Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866

LAST WEEK'S NEW LISTINGS Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866

Address

List Price

Price/SqFt

6 Arnold Street 51 Forest Avenue 52 61 Richmond Drive 18 Leonard Avenue 11 Rockland Place 59 East Elm Street Front 64 Hillcrest Park Road 31 Meadow Wood Drive 70 Overlook Drive 610 Round Hill Road 9 Witherell Drive 60 Club Road 7 Indian Head Road 50 Guards Road 4 Ford Lane 61 Lower Cross Road

$600,000 $745,000 $978,000 $1,150,000 $1,500,000 $2,095,000 $2,195,000 $3,195,000 $3,595,000 $3,950,000 $4,295,000 $4,800,000 $4,950,000 $5,150,000 $5,295,000 $5,900,000

$375 $598 $494 $382 $508 $658 $264 $1,833 $572 $850 $639 $1,000 $592 $707 $942 $449

SqFt

AC

BR

1,598 0.17 3 1,246 0 2 1,980 0.12 3 3,013 0.29 4 2,954 0.18 4 3,184 3 8,300 1.11 6 1,743 1.21 3 6,288 0.39 5 4,648 8 5 6,725 1.45 5 4,799 0.46 5 8,364 0.53 6 7,287 10.62 8 5,619 0.29 6 13,134 14.13 6

FB

Area

1 2 2 3 2 4 4 2 5 5 4 6 5 7 6 7

Old Greenwich Old Greenwich Old Greenwich Riverside Old Greenwich South of Post Road Old Greenwich South of Post Road South Parkway North Parkway South Parkway Riverside Riverside North Parkway Old Greenwich North Parkway

NEW LISTINGS

Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address

List Price

Price/SqFt

SqFt

AC

BR

FB

Area

75 Cos Cob Avenue 2 62 Greenwich Hills Drive 6 Caroline Farms Road 4 17 Talbot Lane 24 Lia Fail Way 21 Stonehedge Drive South 62 Caroline Place 56 Wesskum Wood Road 33 Tomac Avenue 92 Hillcrest Park Road 60 Hillcrest Park Road 21 Tomney Road 348 Sound Beach Avenue 10 Indian Chase Drive 135 Milbank Avenue west 135 Milbank Avenue East 60 Hillcrest Park Road

$535,000 $724,000 $749,900 $789,900 $995,000 $1,229,000 $1,650,000 $1,895,000 $1,985,000 $2,295,000 $2,699,000 $2,899,000 $3,175,000 $3,250,000 $3,250,000 $3,295,000 $3,995,000

$393 $337 $471 $344 $554 $530 $375 $874 $439 $628 $679 $569 $609 $666 $650 $659 $1,006

1,362 2,150 1,592 2,298 1,797 2,321 4,400 2,167 4,522 3,656 3,973 5,094 5,214 4,881 5,000 5,000 3,973

0 0 0 0.1 1.01 1.42 0.17 0.43 0.37 1 1.17 0.31 0.28 1 0.3 0.3 2.7

3 3 2 4 2 3 5 3 5 5 5 5 6 5 4 5 5

1 2 2 3 2 3 4 2 3 3 4 4 5 4 4 4 4

Cos Cob Pemberwick Cos Cob Byram Cos Cob Glenville Glenville Riverside Old Greenwich Old Greenwich Old Greenwich South Parkway Old Greenwich South of Post Road South of Post Road South of Post Road Old Greenwich

Address

Original List

List Price

Sold Price DOM BR FB Acres

SqFt

3 Putnam Hill 2K 9 River Road 405 51 Old Kings Highway 5 51 Forest Avenue 139 3 Putnam Hill 4B 111 Putnam Park 111 7 Buxton Lane 40 Indian Field Road 19 Old Stone Bridge Road 141 Bedford Road 10 Schubert Lane 1 Ford Lane 19 Dingletown Road 25 Fox Run Lane

$335,000 $390,000 $498,000 $550,000 $599,000 $635,000 $980,000 $899,000 $1,275,000 $1,399,000 $1,975,000 $2,385,000 $2,195,000 $3,595,000

$335,000 $379,000 $469,000 $550,000 $599,000 $599,000 $980,000 $899,000 $1,275,000 $1,399,000 $1,495,000 $2,087,500 $2,195,000 $3,450,000

$335,000 $362,000 $435,000 $550,000 $585,000 $611,000 $840,000 $867,500 $1,250,000 $1,300,000 $1,437,500 $1,965,750 $2,320,000 $3,262,500

985 1,021 905 965 1,300

220 224 170 0 4 136 62 143 293 83 281 252 11 121

1 1 2 1 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5

1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 3 4 5

10 0 0

13 0.43 0.28 1.12 5 0.31 0.27 1 2.4

2,012 2,083 3,035 3,502 3,878 2,949 3,575 6,029

NEW SALES

Data Compiled by Cesar Rabellino (203) 249-9866 Address

Original List

List Price

Sold Price DOM BR FB Acres

SqFt

11 Lafayette Court 5D 147 Putnam Park 147 107 Pilgrim Drive 8 Miami Court 33 Lyon Farm Drive 33 38 North Ridge Road 24 Meadow Lane 293 Chapman Lane

$595,000 $649,000 $663,900 $810,000 $1,500,000 $1,687,500 $4,350,000 $5,799,000

$579,900 $639,000 $649,900 $749,000 $1,500,000 $1,590,000 $4,350,000 $5,799,000

$579,900 $614,000 $625,000 $725,000 $1,500,000 $1,520,000 $4,225,000 $5,100,000

0

1,066

0.22 0.23 0 0.29 2.15 1.54

1,938 1,712 2,904 3,096 7,285 7,989

174 130 140 134 0 119 26 494

1 2 6 3 3 4 6 6

1 2 2 1 3 4 5 7

1st Quarter 2020 Home Sales Up worrying about a “weak” high-end market in the first quarter, when it’s just as likely a typical post-recession temporal shift.

By Mark Pruner Greenwich had a much better 1st quarter for home sales this year than we had in the 1st quarter of last year.

Sales & Contracts Up Our sales were up 36.5% in the 1st quarter from 74 sales last year to 101 sales this year. The coronavirus caused a slight dip in transaction in the third week of March, but transactions came back last week. For the month, we had 33 sales up from 27 sales in March 2019. This an increase of 22.2% despite the coronavirus and contracts are also up. We ended the quarter with 94 contracts waiting to close compared to 67 contracts at the end the first quarter in 2019 for a Y-o-Y increase of 40.3%.

The coronavirus has resulted in sales and rental increase in Greenwich.

Showing Houses Carefully Realtors that are willing to show houses are taking precautions with everyone wearing gloves. Some agents will make the house ready for showing and stay outside while the buyers for Greenwich real estate with sales down 11.3% and their agent go through the house. Social in 2019 compared to 2018. In Greenwich, unlike distancing is very much the rule. in the Westchester County, our sales drop due to Rentals Up, Particularly Short Term the $10,000 cap on SALT taxes was delayed by a We are also seeing an explosion of rentals, year. Westchester cratered in 2018 as our sales which are up 4 4% over last year. Rentals went up 4% that year. This unusual 2018 sales went from 68 in the first quarter last year to increase was partially due to the BET freezing 98 rentals this year. We normally only have tax rates in 2018 at 2017 levels. By 2018, the a handful of short-term rentals, but with the impact of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act income and coronavirus short-term rentals are way up, income and sale tax deduction limitation caught particularly at the high-end. Snowbirds are up with us. staying in Florida and people with second If you compare first quarter of 2018, when homes are heading out to those places. A bunch our sales went up, to the first quarter of 2020 of these folks have made their houses available you see the same sales 101 in the first quarter for folks that want to get out of NYC and it’s not of 2020 compared to 102 in the first quarter of just in Greenwich. This week, I’m putting on 2018. March sales were about the same with 33 a 12,900 s.f. house in Westport for a 2 month sales in 2020 and 35 sales in the first quarter rental at $25,000 per month. We already have of 2018. As you might expect inventory was two showings scheduled, before we can even get higher in 2018, a time when most people outside it listed. of Greenwich Hospital had never heard of a coronavirus.

Comparing 2020 to a “Normal” 2018 Bottomline, the coronavirus ef fect has If you’ve read this far you might think things essentially balanced out sales to a normal are pretty rosy in Greenwich real estate and in year.

Fewer people are looking, but a larger many ways they are. The issue is the year over percentage are buying. With inventory down year comparisons. Last year was not a good year

and sales up our months of supply is also down from $600,000 to $6.5 million and the same when you add in contracts. While not a tight market it is a competitive market.

May You Live in Interesting Times What will happen going forward is anyone’s guess. No one alive today has ever experienced this type of global pandemic and we don’t have medieval real estate records for the Black Plague. The last time something like this happened in the U.S. we were in World War I. If the virus peaks in April and declines, we may well see an even better rebound in the second half of the year. If it hangs on, we could be up, we could be down. Stay tuned.

Mark Pruner is the Greenwich Sentinel's Real Estate editor and columnist. In addition, he is a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway and occasional expert witness in real estate litigation. He is very busy working from home in backcountry Greenwich. He can be reached at 203-969-7900, mark@bhhsne.com or via his blog at greenwichstreets.com.

Inventory Down One area that clearly has been affected by the coronavirus is inventory. Last year at the end of the quarter we had a 608 single family homes in inventory and this year we only had 508 homes available as of the beginning of April. Many homeowners are keeping their houses off the market. Many owners just don’t want people in their houses right now. Also, without public or realtor open houses traffic is down, but the buyers that are out there are serious buyers.

Our inventory is down by 100 listings and that is pretty much across the board all the way from $800,000 up to $10 million inventory is down as fear has no price range. On the sales side, our sales are up by 27 houses for the quarter and that is also nearly across the board. Sales are up from $600,000 all the way up to $6.5 million. Above $6.5 million we did not see a sale so far this year compared to 3 sales last year.

We do have 4 contracts at the high-end and this compares to only 3 contracts last year.

High-End Sales Shifted to 4th Quarter For the glass half-empty types, this shortage of high-end sales in the first quarter is seen as a sign of a weak market, and there a little truth in that. What it is more indicative of is the way Wall Street awards bonuses and the timing of purchase. Before the recession, Wall Street firms and Greenwich hedge funds used to give out large cash bonuses early in the year. The result was a spike in high-end sales in February and March giving Greenwich a nice glow for the rest of the of year.

Now bonuses are given out later in the year and often in restricted stock that vests over several years. The post-recession result is that the peak for high-end sales has shifted to the September to November period. I wouldn’t start

N2N Finds New Home at Arch Street Teen Center

The outpouring of compassion from Greenwich residents is rapidly increasing. Our citizens want to reach out to help as the ripple effect of COVID-19 creates more unemployment, food insecurity and medical fallout. In this over whel m i ng g loba l pa ndem ic, work i ng together can make all the difference and building a sense of humanity and grace has to start locally.

Now that we are forced to slow down, we see immediate events unfold more clearly. As a community, we are in this together and we need to support local efforts and help where we can and to accept help when it is offered.

A s of Monday, Ma rch 30, Neig h bor to Neig h b or has made a sig n i f ic a nt step i n addressing the increased need for food by temporarily moving their distribution location to the Arch Street Teen Center. Located directly off I-95, the Arch St. location allows for easy access and truck deliveries of food and supplies.

This space is larger than Neighbor to Neighbor’s previous facility at the Christ Church location, which could not accommodate the current need for staff and volunteers to practice safe social distancing. The volunteer force dropped by 85% as safe distancing standards were adhered to and client visits to the pantry were severely limited.

They expect to return to the Christ Church location when safe distancing is no longer a necessity. They anticipate that the new building on the Christ Church campus will be functional in early 2021.

Du nca n L awson, op erat ions ma nager, along with his staff and volunteers, has worked tirelessly to accommodate more food to more people almost overnight and Neighbor shifted from a ‘client choice’ pantry to pre-packed bags of food items for delivery and distribution. At the Arch Street location, more volunteers could be willing to help. “To put it simply, we needed a bigger boat,” says Margaret Tjimos-Goldberg, Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor.

“To handle more requests from food-insecure residents, we have pivoted to a system of prepacking groceries in brown paper bags. Now, we can ramp up to 450 bags per week, maybe even

500.”

The ability to use the Teen Center happened through networking and people’s desire to help one another. Anticipating the booming need for food, Icy Frantz offered to connect Neighbor to Neighbor with Kyle Silver, the Executive Director and CEO of Arch Street. “Now more than ever, we need to work together to meet the needs of those in our community,” Icy said. “We need to be a little less selfish and a little more flexible.

That is happening all around us and it is such a good thing. Arch Street cannot do what it normally does- to provide a safe haven and a social outlet for teens. I am glad the space can be repurposed to meet the needs at this time. Kyle Silver is always all about helping our community, so this is nothing new for him. Additionally, there are two large storage buildings behind the Teen Center, owned by the Town of Greenwich. “ We w a n t t o g i v e c r e d i t t o D a r r i n Wigglesworth, Park Operations Manager in the Parks & Recreation Department for the Town of Greenwich,” Margaret said. “The department is allowing us to use that well-needed space for storage and we are most grateful. Everything has fallen into place for us to be exponentially more helpful to others. And we want to be sure we can meet the growing needs of our community.

At this time, we will not schedule curbside pickups at Arch Street but we will pivot and adjust as assessments continue to be made.”

Ma rga ret re cent ly joi ne d Neig h b or to Neighbor four months ago. New to the Greenwich community, she is impressed with the generosity of spirit here. “There is tremendous goodwill in Greenwich and it defines a dedicated and caring community,” she acknowledged. “Fred Camillo has been extremely engaged and supportive. Dr. Alan Barry, Greenwich Commissioner of Human Services for the Town of Greenwich, and his staff have been a great community partner, obtaining added support and fielding new families each day.” Non-profits are also stepping in to help each other when they can, but budgets are getting strained. The United Way was one of the first to help with an emergency grant to Neighbor to Neighbor, and TAG, the Transportation

Association of Greenwich, will be delivering bags for Neighbor on an ongoing basis. Mothers for Others donated a delivery of diapers for Neighbor to Neighbor’s young families.

In addition, Neighbor to Neighbor continues to provide fresh produce and healthy snacks for Community Centers, Inc., and approximately 100 bags of groceries will be prepared for Jewish Family Services to distribute.

“We are receiving names from the school administrators and social services every day.

People are concerned. We are all in this space together.

The good news is, hopef ully, that this collective concern and call to action can bring out the best in people.“ Online, you can donate funds or buy food items for people in need- broccoli, eggs, rice, bananas, etc. Simply select the food and click to pay.

Visit the Neighbor to Neighbor website: www. ntngreenwich.org

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