A life , Guided by thoughtful wealth management. well lived
You have built a remarkable life shaped by vision, perseverance, and thoughtful decisions. Your wealth should be guided with that same intention.
Milford’s
Orthodontist Since 1968
Our focus is always on you and your smile
Dr. Gary Opin and Dr. Perry Opin understand that changing a person’s smile can change a person’s life. Throughout your entire orthodontic experience, they will be attentive to your comfort, will listen to and respect your treatment goals and concerns, and partner with you to achieve a lifetime of smiles. At Opin Wide Orthodontics, our doctors develop lasting relationships with our patients and their families, while providing a superior level of care to create healthy, engaging smiles. For over 55 years, we have been leveraging state-of-the-art treatments to provide our patients with highly individualized, effective care.
Little Ones and Loyal Companions
This issue is dedicated to the children and pets who fill our homes and our hearts, and to the community that shows up for them in extraordinary ways.
You'll read about the Boys and Girls Club of Milford, an organization that has long served as a second home for young people in our area — a place where kids can learn, grow, and belong. Their work is a steady cornerstone of this community, and we're glad to shine a light on it.
You'll also meet Anthony's Army. After a brain tumor diagnosis at a young age, Anthony Muoio has become a champion for kids facing similar serious health problems. Now eleven years old, Anthony, his family, and friends have built something remarkable: an organization dedicated to raising awareness about pediatric brain tumors and supporting those navigating the same uncharted waters. It is one of those stories that is both devastating and deeply inspiring, a testament to what love looks like in action.
This issue also brings you conversations with two specialists whose work touches the most important parts of our lives. A psychologist offers insight into supporting the emotional wellbeing of our kids — because raising children means tending to the whole child, not just the visible parts. And an estate planner reminds us that one of the most loving things we can do for our children is to plan thoughtfully for their future, even the futures we hope never come.
We also celebrate Milford Food 2 Kids, a volunteer-led effort to ensure local children don't go hungry on weekends, when school lunches aren't an option. Food insecurity is a reality for too many families in our own neighborhoods, and this organization is meeting that need with compassion and consistency.
And because our families include the four-legged members too, we couldn't leave out Reliable Fence — our resident "pooch protectors" — who help keep our beloved pets safe right in our own backyards.
Milford is a community that takes care of its own. This issue is proof.
With gratitude,
CHELSEA SPATA, EDITOR @MILFORDCITYLIFESTYLE
August 2026
PUBLISHER
Mark Arnold | mark.arnold@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Chelsea Spata | chelsea.spata@citylifestyle.com
INTERNS
Harshitha Kothapalli, Madeline Babcock
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Madeline Babcock, Harshitha Kothapalli, Chelsea Spata
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Mark Arnold
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman
LAYOUT DESIGNER Lillian Gibbs
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
Benefits of Weight Loss Injections at The Radiance MD
Our weight loss injection services go beyond just shedding pounds; we focus on holistically improving your well-being. Here’s why patients across West Haven, CT; Milford, CT; and Shelton, CT trust our program:
Safe and Supervised: Every treatment is overseen by knowledgeable medical professionals to ensure safety.
Personalized Care: We understand every individual is unique. Your sessions will be customized based on your health profile to maximize results.
Comprehensive Services: Our center also offers dietary, nutritional, and what we like to call AEP (adverse effect prophylaxis) services that can help support you on your weight loss journey.
Jennifer Dilungo, PA-C
Sherif Saleh, MD
Juliana Maria Arbelaez Linero, APRN
Jessica Sarkisian, APRN
city scene
1: Dame and Shahan at Foodie Fest 2026 2: The Dawson Chess Academy at Milford City Lifestyle Studio 3. Maryjo holding a future major leaguer 4: Jay and Benny 5: My sweet boy Baxter 6: Lucy 7: Local heroines save Milford from invading herd of dogs
business monthly
The Giggling Pig: Art and Joy at Walnut Beach
Founded in May 2022 by Milford mother and art lover Mikayla Silva, The Giggling Pig Art + Party Studio is an award-winning children's art studio nestled at Walnut Beach, open year-round and offering classes, camps, birthday parties, and special events for kids and adults alike. Whether your little one is a budding Picasso or just looking for a creative afternoon, this colorful studio delivers imagination, community, and plenty of giggles.
Scan to read more
Sunshine Ceramics: Pottery and Wellness on the Green
Founded by Milford resident and teacher Marie Chutjian, who discovered pottery as a grounding, therapeutic practice, Sunshine Ceramics is a full-service pottery studio and gift shop situated right on the Downtown Green. Following a recent expansion, the studio now offers an even wider range of creative experiences — pottery classes, paint-your-own sessions, children's programs, and wellness-focused workshops — for all ages and skill levels.
Scan to read more
Dogtopia: Premium Daycare and Boarding for Dogs
Owned by Owen Botting and Michele McHugh, Dogtopia of Milford is a full-service facility offering doggie daycare, boarding, and spa services conveniently located off I-95 on Quirk Road. The 6,800-square-foot space features four climate-controlled playrooms with rubberized flooring, outdoor play areas, and live webcam access — so you can check in on your pup anytime. Every dog is grouped by size, temperament, and vaccination status.
Life is busy with school drop-offs, soccer games, muddy paws, and endless family memories. While you're caring for those who depend on you most, make sure their future is protected too. At Inner Circle Legal Planning, we help families create thoughtful estate plans that provide security, guidance, and peace of mind for every stage of life. Because protecting your children, your pets, and the life you've built is one of the greatest acts of love you can give.
The Dawson Chess Academy: Strategy and Community in Milford
Hand Crafted Custom Furniture
Led by Chess Olympiad participant and longtime Milford resident David Dawson, The Dawson Chess Academy offers one-on-one coaching, group sessions, workshops, and afterschool programs designed to build strategic thinking skills in players of all ages. David and his wife, Julianna, launched the academy after graduating from the Milford-supported People Empowering People program, beginning with free community workshops and growing into a beloved local institution.
Bikes & Sports: Milford’s Go-To Bike Shop Since 1991
A beloved fixture on Broad Street in downtown Milford, Tony’s Bikes & Sports has served the local cycling community for over 35 years. Established in 1991 and independently owned and operated, the shop specializes in bike sales, service, and repair — all done right by serious cyclists who know their craft. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or just getting started, Tony’s has been the neighborhood’s trusted twowheeled destination for generations.
THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MILFORD AT 15
BUILDING SOMETHING GREAT
Connecticut holds a special place in the history of Boys & Girls Clubs. Hartford is widely recognized as the birthplace of the organization — the place where, over 150 years ago, the idea of a safe, structured, and nurturing space for young people first took root. So it carries a certain significance that Connecticut is also home to what Megan Altomare, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Milford, affectionately calls “the baby Boys & Girls Club in the state.” Officially chartered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 2011, the Milford club is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year — and in that relatively short time, it has become something Milford residents can no longer imagine doing without.
“People don’t remember a time without a Boys & Girls Club,” says Altomare, who has been with the organization since its earliest days. “And I love that. We’re so ingrained in everything that Milford does at this point.”
ARTICLE BY CHELSEA SPATA
That sense of permanence is hard-won. When the club opened its doors, it served 30 kids. Today, more than 1,400 individual children pass through its programs each year — through afterschool programming, enrichment activities, and a full summer camp that runs nine weeks, from 7:30 in the morning until 5:30 at night, accommodating the schedules of working families across the city. Five of Milford’s elementary schools bus directly to the club’s Simon Lake clubhouse. Three others — Orange Avenue, Calf Pen Meadow, and Live Oaks — are served through satellite school sites, ensuring that geography is never a barrier to access.
Nor is cost. Program fees at the Boys & Girls Club are kept as low as operationally possible, and they don’t come close to covering the actual expense of running the programs. The remainder is made up through individual donors, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events — including the club’s annual gala, which last year accounted for roughly 20 percent of the operating budget. And critically: no child is ever
turned away for an inability to pay. Last year, the club distributed nearly $200,000 in scholarships. Longtime supporters including Milford Bank, Coastal Bridge Advisors, OEM Sources, ShopRite, and the Devon and Milford Rotaries have been partners since the beginning, helping build the financial foundation that makes all of it possible.
The programming itself is where the Boys & Girls Club of Milford truly distinguishes itself. The after-school model is built around five core areas — education and career development, character and leadership, health and life skills, the arts, and sports and recreation — but what Altomare and her team have built within that framework is anything but formulaic. The “homework room,” for instance, doesn’t exist. In its place is the Brain Gym: a lively, active space that has somehow become the most popular room in the building, where kids tackle assignments while also engaging in STEM activities, chess, and learning experiences they might not even recognize as such. “Sometimes the kids are learning and they don’t even know it,” Altomare says, “which is pretty cool.”
Summers bring the Brain Game program, a learning-loss prevention initiative designed to combat the academic slide that affects so many students between June and September. And woven throughout it is something that might surprise you: a serious, sustained commitment to artificial intelligence literacy. In an age when educators are still debating how to approach AI in the classroom, the Boys & Girls Club of Milford has been integrating it into programming for years. Prompt engineering games; AI-powered Minecraft sessions, funded through a Comcast partnership, where kids directed gameplay through language rather than code; a multi-generational family AI program that brought parents and grandparents in alongside their children to learn about AI ethics, human oversight, and practical tools — because,
as Altomare explains, the stakes extend well beyond childhood.
“The digital literacy gap is going to get much larger because of AI,” she says. “We want to make sure families understand it — not just kids, but grandparents too, because some of them have jobs that could be gone if they’re not on the AI train.”
Most recently, through a statewide Connecticut Alliance initiative funded in part by the state legislature and developed in partnership with Quinnipiac University, club members across Connecticut spent six weeks on an intensive AI curriculum, culminating in projects that ranged from original podcasts to a redesigned public transit system for Waterbury. One student from each club was selected to attend an immersive week-long AI camp at Quinnipiac.
Beyond academics, the club takes seriously its role in shaping character. The Keystone Club, the organization’s flagship teen leadership program, is perhaps the clearest expression of that philosophy. Members volunteer, fundraise, and work toward a
shared goal: earning enough money through their own efforts to fund the annual Keystone trip. This year, that trip is to Disney World — but it comes with leadership sessions, networking with peers from clubs across the country, and genuine accountability.
“If you don’t reach the goal,” Altomare says simply, “you don’t go on the trip. We’re not just saying, ‘you tried really hard, so here you go.’ That’s not what reality is.”
Older teens in the club have also become advocates in the truest sense. Through an environmental grant focused on erosion and coastal resiliency, a group of members spent years learning about the forces threatening Milford’s beaches — and then did something about it. They traveled to Washington, D.C. They met with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and staff from the offices of Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal. They presented their research. They used their voices. “For five years,” Altomare says, “they really learned just how important their voice is and how much meaning it has.”
“PEOPLE DON’T REMEMBER A TIME WITHOUT A BOYS & GIRLS CLUB.”
Sustaining all of it is a team that, in many cases, has grown alongside the organization itself. Director of Operations Jill Pisani has been with the Club for 14 years, helping guide its growth from a small startup organization into one of the city’s most trusted youth-serving institutions. Program Director Samantha Sontag has spent 13 years shaping the experiences of thousands of young people who have walked through the Club’s doors. Kassandra Janney has dedicated 10 years to the organization, Bryanna Ramirez nine years, and Jefri Caballero seven years. Newer team members including Brooke and Hannah Adams have quickly embraced the same culture that has defined the Club since its beginning: putting kids first.
Many staff members have watched children enter the Club as kindergartners and leave as high school graduates. They have celebrated honor roll achievements, athletic victories, college acceptances, first jobs, and personal milestones. They have also been there during difficult moments, providing encouragement, guidance, and stability when young people needed it most.
“The programs matter, but the people matter more,” Altomare says. “Our staff are the reason families trust us. They build relationships that last for years, and our members know they always have someone in their corner.”
Walk through the Club on any afternoon and it is easy to see those relationships in action: staff members know children’s interests, strengths, and goals. They know which member loves robotics, who needs extra help with math, who is preparing for a driver’s license test, and who dreams of becoming a teacher, engineer, nurse, or entrepreneur. They celebrate successes, challenge members to aim higher, and remind them that their futures are filled with possibility.
The same commitment extends to the Club’s Board of Directors, led by Board President Jonathan Berchem.
“Together, the board and staff share a common belief that every young person deserves opportunities, encouragement, and a community that believes in their potential,” says Altomare. “That shared commitment that will continue to drive the Club’s future.”
One of our very own here at Milford City Lifestyle, intern Harshitha Kothapalli, reflects on her experience having gone through the Club’s programming. She first walked through the Club’s doors in third grade, enrolled by her parents in what felt, at the time, like simply another after-school program. It didn’t stay that way for long.
“The counselors quickly grew into role models I admired and looked forward to seeing each day,” she recalls. “The welcoming atmosphere of my homeroom, the energy of the game room, the excitement during dodgeball, the calmness of the crafts room — all of it became my new normal.”
One afternoon in fourth grade stands out. Club staff selected a handful of kids with strong behavioral records to serve as counselors for a day. Harshi’s name was called. It was a small gesture — one afternoon, one kid — but it landed with the force of something much larger.
“Instead of being the kid looking up to the counselors, I got to help lead activities, guide younger members, and be someone others could look up to,” she says. “Being trusted with that role made me feel confident and capable, and it showed me how rewarding it could be to help and encourage those around me.”
That confidence only continued to grow. Harshi recently graduated from Jonathan Law High School — and this fall, she’s heading to New York University to study journalism. She credits the Club, in no small part, with making that leap feel possible.
“The idea of moving to a city as big as New York would have felt intimidating to a younger version of myself,” she says. “Some of my favorite memories from the Club came from spending time with people whose backgrounds and experiences were different from my own. Those friendships taught me to appreciate new perspectives and made me realize how much I enjoy learning about other people’s stories. The Club helped me grow comfortable in diverse communities, and it gave me the confidence to pursue a future centered around understanding and connecting with others.”
“The Club shaped me into who I am today,” she says simply. “I can say that with confidence.”
Heading into year 16, the Club’s ambitions are considerable. They are currently working toward the construction of a brand-new, 22,000-square-foot facility on Tudor Road, at the site of the former St. Gabriel Elementary School — more than triple the size of its current 6,600-square-foot clubhouse. The new building will include a full gymnasium, a dedicated teen center, a middle school center, grade-specific rooms, a STEM lab, and an art room. It is, says Altomare plainly, what the kids deserve. “We’re going to go from trying to fit a Boys & Girls Club into the community to having this permanent structure solely dedicated to the youth.”
Fifteen years in, the Boys & Girls Club of Milford is no longer the new kid. It’s the cornerstone — the place where Milford’s children are safe, supported, challenged, and seen. And it’s only getting started.
To learn more, donate, or get involved, visit boysandgirlsclubofmilford.com or call 203-713-8055
PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
Boys & Girls Club of Milford structures its work around five pillars: education and career development, character and leadership, health and life skills, the arts, and sports and recreation.
After School: Club members arrive daily from five Milford elementary schools, with three additional schools reached through offsite locations. Rather than a traditional study hall, the Brain Gym blends homework time with hands-on STEM exploration, chess, and discovery-based activities.
Summer Camp: Nine weeks of full-day programming keeps kids engaged and learning through the summer months, with structured activities designed to prevent the academic backslide that sets in when school lets out.
Teen Leadership: Through the Keystone Club, older members take on real responsibility — volunteering, raising funds, and earning their way toward shared goals rather than simply being handed opportunities.
AI & Digital Literacy: From prompt engineering to family workshops on emerging technology, the Club is preparing kids and families for a rapidly changing world.
No child is ever turned away for an inability to pay.
CUSTOM FENCING SOLUTIONS
QUICK AND EASY QUOTES
• AUTO
• BUILDER’S RISK
• BUSINESS OWNERS
• DIRECTORS & OFFICERS
• ERROR’S & OMISSIONS/ PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
• FLOOD
• GENERAL LIABILITY
• INLAND/MARINE
• PROPERTY
• SURETY BONDS
• UMBRELLA LIABILITY
• PET
• ARTS & COLLECTIBLES
• ATVS/RVS/ BOATS/ MOTORCYCLES
• AUTO
• CONDO
• FLOOD
• HOME
• RENTERS
• UMBRELLA
How One Milford Boy Turned a Life-Threatening Diagnosis Into a Movement of Hope
Anthony's Army
ARTICLE BY MADELINE BABCOCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK ARNOLD
THE FIRST FIGHT
When Anthony Muoio was just four months old, his parents knew something wasn’t right.
At first, doctors believed he had a virus. Anthony was vomiting but had no fever and no other obvious symptoms. The family was repeatedly reassured that he would recover. Yet as the days passed, his condition continued to worsen.
“We kept hearing the same thing over and over,” his mother, Sarah, recalled. “It’s just a virus.”
The family’s concern grew when they noticed changes in their normally happy baby. Anthony became upset in crowded places and around loud noises. Looking back, doctors believe he was likely experiencing headaches caused by increasing pressure inside his skull.
Then came the moment Sarah will never forget.
“I looked over at him and knew something wasn’t right,” she said. “I told them, ‘Do a scan. Something is wrong with him.’”
The scan revealed a rare brain tumor called a choroid plexus papilloma located deep in the center of Anthony’s brain.
Doctors later told the family that had they waited only a few more hours, the consequences could have been grave.
Just days before his five-month birthday, Anthony was rushed to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, where doctors assembled a specialized team to save his life.
Doctors discovered a major artery wrapped around the tumor, requiring both a neurosurgeon and vascular surgeon to perform an incredibly delicate procedure. The operation lasted nine and a half hours.
“Our surgeon was incredible,” Sarah said. “We asked him to treat Anthony like he was his own child. He told us, ‘I do that for every kid.’”
“If a child can be laying
there eight days after brain surgery smiling like
that, it
reminds you what resilience really looks like.”
Against overwhelming odds, the surgery was successful, and eight days later, Anthony was lying in a hospital bed with a huge smile on his face. Sarah still keeps the photograph.
“It’s our perspective photo,” she said. “If a child can be laying there eight days after brain surgery smiling like that, it reminds you what resilience really looks like.”
Today, Anthony still undergoes medical monitoring. About 18 months after surgery, he was diagnosed with epilepsy, a common complication following brain surgery. EEGs, testing, and follow-up appointments remain part of his life.
Ask Anthony what the hardest part has been and his answer comes quickly: “Tests and needles.”
Still, those who know him describe him as one of the most positive people they have ever met.
IT TAKES AN ARMY
The inspiration for Anthony’s Army – a charitable organization that helps raise awareness and medical support around pediatric cancer – came from an unexpected place.
Before Anthony became sick, his family volunteered at Homes for the Brave, an organization that supports veterans experiencing homelessness. They had planned another visit shortly after Anthony’s diagnosis but had to cancel because he was hospitalized. The veterans wanted to help.
“They had almost nothing,” Sarah said. “But they got him a teddy bear. One man had walked miles to get there. Another made him hand-drawn superhero artwork. They had balloons waiting for him.”
Anthony still has those gifts today.
“That was the real birth of Anthony’s Army,” Sarah said. The experience taught the family an important lesson they have continued to carry with them: often the people who understand hardship the most are the first to help others. And that’s exactly what Anthony has been up to over the last decade.
After hearing that the effective treatment for Anthony’s type of tumor did not exist just a few years earlier, the Muoios wanted to continue the work of advancing medical research in the field, just as other families had done before them. One year after surgery, Anthony’s Army launched its first major project, Bags of Hope.
The family collected bags filled with blankets, notebooks, gift cards, headphones, water bottles, and other necessities for families staying at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. The project quickly gained support throughout Milford and helped Anthony’s Army grow into a community movement focused on pediatric brain tumor awareness and childhood cancer advocacy.
“It’s really become a reflection of Anthony’s life,” Sarah said.
The organization partners with local businesses, schools, sports teams, veterans groups, and community organizations throughout Milford. Anthony himself has spent countless afternoons walking into local businesses and asking for support. Whether it’s a raffle prize, sponsorship, or donation, he has become known for his determination and genuine passion for the cause.
That effort has fueled lemonade stands, Italian ice fundraisers, community dinners, comedy events, raffles, and a recent Wiffle ball tournament that drew nearly 90 participants.
LOOKING AHEAD
“As a kindergartner at JFK Elementary, Anthony met Rick George – more commonly known as Milford’s Santa Claus – while George was working as a greeter. The two developed a close relationship, and now Anthony is one of Santa’s loyal elves, attending events with George in order to bring some holiday cheer to the other children in Milford.”
For several years, Anthony has also given up birthday gifts and asked friends and family to donate to childhood cancer causes instead.
Four years ago, he became involved with Tap Cancer Out, a national organization that raises money through Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments. Each year, Anthony dedicates his competition to someone battling cancer. Sometimes it’s a child. Sometimes it’s a friend. Sometimes it’s a member of the Milford community.
The results have been remarkable.
Anthony is currently the top youth fundraiser in Connecticut for Tap Cancer Out and ranks among the organization’s top youth fundraisers nationwide. With the personal goal of surpassing $50,000 in lifetime fundraising, Anthony exceeded it by thousands of dollars, raising more than $58,000 in just four years.
Now entering sixth grade at East Shore Middle School, Anthony’s life looks much different than it did eleven years ago.
He plays baseball, wrestles, trains in jiu-jitsu five days a week, and dreams of one day becoming either a mechanic or carpenter. Through organizations like The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, he has formed friendships with athletes, veterans, business owners, and community leaders across the region.
Despite everything he has been through, Anthony remains focused on giving back, with his next project focused on raising money to place a pool table in the children’s recreation area at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital in memory of a Milford friend and mentor.
Ask him what he loves most about Milford, and his answer reflects the same gratitude that inspired Anthony’s Army.
“I love Milford. We have the best restaurants, businesses, and community. There’s lots of fun stuff to do. I like the people the best because they support a lot of good for causes like mine and are so nice. Sometimes it feels like Milford is a big family. It makes me really happy that it’s my home.”
Anthony’s story began with a devastating diagnosis and a fight for survival. Today, it has become something much larger: a movement powered by kindness, community, and a young boy determined to help others facing challenges of their own.
MARK ARNOLD
Fenced In, Safe at Shore
How Reliable Fence helped a Point Lookout family protect what matters most
From the deck of Robin and Ken Kramer’s home in Point Lookout, the view is everything: calm water stretching to the horizon, a stone patio lined with lounge chairs, and a fire pit waiting for the next family gathering. It looks effortless. And in many ways, it was.
When the Kramers took on the project of building their dream seaside home, a fence was one of the very first items on the list — and one of the most complicated. The property sits directly on the water, with a pool, a seawall, and a shoreline that present the kind of safety challenges most contractors rarely encounter. Add a growing family of 21 — including nine grandchildren, with many more years of backyard adventures ahead — plus four beloved “granddogs” with a habit of wandering, and the stakes of getting the fencing right were high.
“I knew I wanted something that would blend in with the environment,” Robin explained. “But more than that, the dogs and the kids cannot be able to escape.” Simple enough in concept. In practice, the project quickly evolved into a complex
navigation of local building codes that seemed to shift with the tide.
Enter Deven Iannone and Reliable Fence. Pool fencing regulations in Connecticut required barriers of specific heights, set specific distances from the water — and, as Ken recalled with some exasperation, the requirements kept evolving. “In order to meet code on that side, that one had to be taller,” Ken said, describing one of many adjustments. “By the time this fence was done, the regulations would have prevented James Bond from being able to get into the property.”
Through all of it, Deven was a steady presence. He physically climbed across the seawall and scrambled over rocks to properly assess every angle of the property, measuring pitch on the far side of the seawall to ensure the installation would be both structurally sound and code-compliant. He engineered a double-gate system to allow access to the fire pit while maintaining pool safety, and designed the fencing so it would blend naturally with the coastal surroundings rather than interrupt it.
“I totally trusted his expertise. He knew exactly what we wanted the moment we said it. It became a no-brainer."
“I totally trusted his expertise,” Robin said. “He knew exactly what we wanted the moment we said it. It became a no-brainer.” When Connecticut’s statutes changed again in the years that followed, Deven helped the Kramers adapt — removing a section that had become redundant, adjusting another to reflect updated rules, and ensuring the finished product still served its core purpose: keeping the grandchildren safe from
the pool and the shoreline, and keeping the family’s dog from wandering off.
The result is extruded aluminum fencing that requires virtually no maintenance — a practical choice for a saltwater environment — and that frames the property cleanly without competing with its natural beauty. “The fence was great,” Ken said simply. And given everything it took to get there, that might be the highest compliment of all.
TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
ON MARRIAGE, KIDS, AND THE COMEDY OF REAL LIFE
Trey Kennedy makes a living finding comedy in regular life. Marriage. Toddlers. Yoga pants. The Thursday-night scramble between school dropoffs, soccer practice, and whatever has to be done by morning. Twelve years in, it shows: millions of followers across every platform, three stand-up specials, a sold-out Relatable Tour, and a style of humor fans send each other captioned, “Are you watching me?” He delivers the kind of comedy that travels because everyone’s living some version of it.
Katie, his wife of six years, is a former biomedical engineer who also built a modeling career. She’s now raising their kids and co-hosting Correct Opinions alongside Trey — the show where the two of them swap takes on marriage, parenting, and whatever came up that week.
Trey has been at this longer than people realize. An Edmond, Oklahoma kid who grew up playing basketball described himself as a “shy kid who never thought he’d be an entertainer.” He started making videos while attending Oklahoma State University. After building millions of followers on Vine before the platform shut down, he gave himself six months on Instagram and Facebook to see whether he could rebuild from zero. He did. Stand-up soon followed. His first special, Are You For Real?, streams on YouTube; the second, Grow Up, on Amazon Prime; the third, built around the Relatable Tour, wrapped earlier this year. “I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now,” he says. A slow climb, made one bit at a time.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
JANIE
“I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now.”
Most of what Trey writes lately starts in his own kitchen. Thomas is three and a half, and he is, in his father’s words, “a movie.” He narrates his own life from the moment his eyes open and mispronounces words in ways his parents now repeat to each other because no one else would believe them. His younger sister, Eva, is what Katie calls “the calm one.” With a third now in the mix, the Kennedys are officially outnumbered.
After six years of marriage, Trey and Katie have learned that the partnership runs best when it gets its own time on the calendar. So once a week, they leave the kids with a sitter and go out for coffee. “You need a system,” Katie says. “It’s about taking time to look each other in the eye. Not the kids. Not the cameras. Just each other.”
The same instinct shapes the work. Most of Trey’s trial and error happens onstage or on Instagram, but the first read is always Katie’s. “There’s only been one time ever I’ve had to be like, ‘you’re not doing that,’” she says. The rest of the time, she just laughs first.
FEATURING TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
Trey and Katie talk about marriage, parenting, and the moments that don’t make the Instagram feed.
Watch or listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
JONES HAIR & MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
Tax | Individual | Business
As we proudly celebrate our 25th year in Milford, we are honored to continue serving the individuals and businesses that define and elevate our community. In today’s increasingly intricate tax landscape, even seemingly straightforward returns demand careful attention. Constantly evolving regulations create opportunities—but also the risk of overlooking valuable deductions and credits. While software offers efficiency, it cannot replicate the discernment, strategy, and peace of mind provided by Robert Testo III and his experienced team at RJ Testo and Associates —trusted advisors committed to guiding you with precision, confidence, and care.
ARTICLE BY HARSHITHA KOTHAPALLI PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK ARNOLD
"You’re exercising your voice and putting a spotlight on whom you feel most comfortable taking on that incredibly important role."
Plan Now and Protect Forever
Milford Attorney Bryan Etter on Guardianship, Trusts, and the Costly Assumptions Too Many Parents Make
AS AN ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY AND A FATHER OF TWO, WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU SEE PARENTS MAKE WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S FUTURE?
My mind goes directly towards not taking advantage of educational opportunities! Many parents unknowingly sell their family short by pursuing a basic Will, because the concept and terminology are familiar to them. They tend to assume that they don’t have enough to warrant trust planning, and they remain blissfully unaware that Wills typically trigger the need for full probate.
MANY PARENTS ASSUME ESTATE PLANNING IS SOMETHING THEY CAN PUT OFF UNTIL LATER. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE WHILE YOUR CHILDREN ARE STILL YOUNG?
It’s truly never too early to pursue at least basic estate planning. I do the whole “kidding, not kidding” thing with people when I say, “If you have a dollar to your name and a person you care about, you
need an estate plan.” As a dad, I can’t imagine rolling the dice and leaving it up to chance about which roof the kids would be under if disaster struck. By nominating a Guardian, you’re exercising your voice and putting a spotlight on whom you feel most comfortable taking on that incredibly important role.
AT INNER CIRCLE LEGAL PLANNING, WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER FAMILIES WHO WANT PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THEIR CHILDREN, AND EVEN THEIR PETS, WILL BE CARED FOR NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS?
We pride ourselves on being A+ in estate planning. Our hyperfocus allows us to learn about our clients’ goals and create custom plans while providing educational support in plain English. We prepare deeds, transfer your business interests, hold your hand through beneficiary changes, and collaborate with your financial advisors… all with one goal in mind: making sure your loved ones are taken care of – not just on paper, but in reality!
ARTICLE BY HARSHITHA KOTHAPALLI PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
WEEKEND Warriors
Filling the Gap Between Friday's Bell and Monday's Breakfast
On Friday afternoons in Milford, there’s a small but familiar routine that plays out in schools across the city. Bags are lined up, classrooms are cleaned, and doors close after the final bell. But for some students, the end of the day also means something discreetly placed in their backpacks before they head home – food to make the weekend a little easier.
It’s a quiet system, and it’s meant to be. Most of the people who benefit from it never see how it comes together, and most of the people who run it don’t see the children they serve.
Milford Food 2 Kids started in 2015 after Michele Steinlauf came across a weekend food program while visiting family in Georgia, and it stuck with her. When she returned home, she brought the idea to Orange Avenue Elementary School Principal Carole Swift and asked if there were students in Milford who might need something similar.
The answer was an overwhelming yes.
That moment turned into a small pilot program, starting with 26 children, some early funding, and volunteers gathered in a church, trying to figure out what this would look like in practice.
“We were the ones to showcase the fact that there was food insecurity among all of these students,” Steinlauf said about herself and Reverend Ashley Grant, the duo behind the organization’s Milford roots.
From there, it didn’t stay small for long.
Today, Milford Food 2 Kids operates in every public school in the city, supporting about 250 children each week. The idea itself
hasn’t changed much over the years: shelf-stable food is packed into weekend bags and delivered to schools on Fridays, where staff make sure it reaches the students who need it.
One of the most fundamental values of the program is discretion.
“The kids are all anonymous to us,” Steinlauf explains. “The school staff selects them, and then they just give us a number per school, and we just deliver that many bags.”
Each week follows the same rhythm. Volunteers pack the food on Thursdays. Deliveries go out on Fridays. And then the school staff handles the final step, making sure the bags get to where they need to go without drawing attention to it.
The work is carried out by volunteers, around 50 people who rotate through packing nights and deliveries, along with local groups and community members who step in when they can.
Support from the community has been steady from the beginning. Early help from The Milford Bank helped the program get off the ground, and over time, other local partners came alongside them, including Town Fair Tire, Dockside Brewery, Big Smiles, and Family Security Plan, along with ongoing support from individuals and school-based efforts.
Still, Steinlauf and Revered Grant keep coming back to something simple: this only works because people show up in whatever way they can.
“Any amount helps,” Grant said. “We have schools that have done penny drives. Whether it’s a dime or $10,000, any amount is going to help feed a kid.”
“Any amount helps... Whether it’s a dime or $10,000, any amount is going to help feed a kid.”
And over time, what started as weekend food support has grown into something even broader. Families now reach out through schools when things get more difficult – through job loss, medical issues, or unexpected situations that stretch resources thin. The response has expanded with the need.
“We get individual requests from different social workers in the schools for a family who may be suffering from a medical issue or sudden unemployment – anything like that. And we support them in a lot of different ways,” Grant said.
The support has taken different forms: grocery gift cards during SNAP disruptions, winter hoodie drives, and even basic hygiene items when families need them most.
“We provide toothbrushes. That’s another simple but big thing that means a lot,” Grant explains.
Since its inception, the organization has become less of a single program and more of a network that responds to what’s needed week by week.
“We’re hoping that kids have this need to thrive, and in order to do that, sometimes it’s a little bit beyond what that food can provide.”
A big part of keeping it running now is the partnership with Milford’s Fifth Year Vocational Education Program (F.Y.V.E.), led by Suzy Garfield. Students in the program help handle deliveries every week, bringing the bags directly into schools.
Looking ahead, Milford Food 2 Kids is preparing for its November 2026 gala, which brings together sponsors, donors, and community members to support the upcoming year. It’s one of the organization’s biggest fundraising moments, with opportunities for sponsorships, donations, and auction contributions.
For Steinlauf and Grant, though, it always comes back to the same place it started: a simple question, a small beginning, and a community that kept it going.
“We get individual requests from different social workers in the schools for a family who may be suffering from a medical issue or sudden unemployment... And we support them in a lot of different ways.”
The Prete Family has been flooring New Haven county since 1959. As the second generation owner of Ultimate Interiors, Buddy carries on the tradition of hands-on, high-quality workmanship that will last a lifetime. www.ultint.com | 203.878.4457
Christina Prete and Buddy also took a lifelong passion for charitable work and created an app that helps nonprofits accomplish their mission To honor the Rackiewicz and Prete family’s commitment to giving, the Shopping Away mobile application provides a convenient way to connect those who ask, “How can I help?” with those who say, “Here’s what we need.” Go to shoppinganyway.com to download the FREE App and Support a Cause
Mind Matters
A Conversation with Dr. Michael Crane of Broadview Counseling
ARTICLE BY CHELSEA SPATA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK ARNOLD
You spent twenty years as a school psychologist before moving into private practice. What motivated the shift?
Coming out of grad school, you’re equipped with solid training in counseling and assessment. But working in schools is nothing like graduate school — you’re surviving in a challenging environment. Over 20 years, I watched social anxiety climb as smartphones and social media became more prevalent. Testing needs surged before COVID and exploded after it, driven by rising rates of autism spectrum disorder, complex trauma, ADHD, anxiety, and learning disabilities. Kids lost years of healthy development during the pandemic and continue to fall behind.
What ultimately pushed me to leave was the opportunity to give genuine, honest recommendations without fear of retribution from administrators who may have priorities beyond the best interest of the individual child. Now I can speak freely about what a client actually needs. That’s very liberating.
Are you seeing anxiety and depression shift in terms of age of onset or severity?
Significantly. Anxiety in adolescents is up 60 percent since 2016. Depression rose 45 percent over the same period. Forty percent of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness,
“Kids naturally change — but the quality of your relationship with your child and the openness of communication are your first lines of defense. The most important thing for parents to understand is that they're not alone, and neither are their kids.”
and one in five has seriously contemplated suicide. Financial stress at home is fueling fear about the future. The false images of beauty and success that flood an adolescent’s world are causing increasing isolation, negative self-talk, and a deep sense of low self-worth. Young people are really at risk right now.
Who typically seeks out psychological testing, and what can families expect to learn?
Most assessments are requested by parents who suspect their child may be struggling with undiagnosed learning disabilities, ADHD, trauma, autism, or emotional dysregulation. Many adults seek testing for the same reasons. Sometimes schools are offering supports that feel inadequate, and parents want an independent educational evaluation to get a clearer picture.
What people walk away with is significant: a full understanding of their cognitive and learning profile, diagnostic clarity, documentation that supports IEPs or 504 plans, and concrete recommendations for therapy or academic intervention. We always approach assessment from a strength-based perspective — identifying not just challenges, but the skills worth building on.
What signs should prompt a parent to reach out rather than wait?
Parents have the best intuition about their kids, and I encourage them to trust it. Red flags include increased isolation, loss of interest in things they used to love, reluctance to go to school, self-harm, excessive worry, difficulty sleeping, obsessive screen use, or a shift toward darker online communities. Kids naturally change — but the quality of your relationship with your child and the openness of communication are your first lines of defense. The most important thing for parents to understand is that they’re not alone, and neither are their kids.
What services at Broadview tend to surprise people most?
Executive functioning instruction and educational advocacy. Many people don’t realize that building better organizational systems can genuinely change daily life. And on the advocacy side, most parents don’t know how many rights they actually have — or how often schools underestimate what a child truly needs. Sitting across from a panel of professionals who say “we’re doing everything we can” can be deeply intimidating. Often, that’s far from the whole story.
realty report
A SAMPLE OF RECENTLY SOLD PROPERTIES IN MILFORD.
Top residential transactions through 6/23/2026
Photo
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
SATURDAYS
Downtown Milford Farmers Market
Wasson Field | 8:30 AM
The Downtown Milford Farmers Market features locally grown fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, baked goods, over 30 vendors, food trucks, live music, and hands-on family-friendly activities. A special Children's Market on August 29 offers free admission with arts, crafts, reading, farm animal visits, and opportunities for children to run family vendor tents for the day. Note: no market on August 15.
SUNDAYS
Rockin' the Beach
Devon Rotary Pavilion, Walnut Beach | 4:00 PM
The Walnut Beach Association's free summer concert series returns for 2026 with six dates under the Rotary Pavilion at Walnut Beach. This year's August lineup features HYPE (Aug. 2), Remember September (Aug. 9), Silver Steel Band (Aug. 16), Cathy Thompson Band (Aug. 23), and Dr. B and the Remedy (Aug. 30). Enjoy live music steps from the shore.
AUGUST 2ND
Walnut Beach Ice Cream 5k
Walnut Beach | 8:00 AM
This run/walk benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Milford begins and ends at Walnut Beach, winding through Silver Sands State Park. A free Kids Fun Run kicks things off at 8:00 AM for youth 10 and under (registration required), followed by the 5K at 8:30 AM. Pre-registration is now open. A sweet way to support a great cause.
AUGUST 6TH
Milford Student Art Exhibit Awards Reception
Milford Arts Council | 5:30 PM
The Milford Student Exhibit features student artwork on view at the MAC train station gallery from June 17th, with a closing Awards Reception on August 6th. A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creativity and talent of Milford's young artists before the exhibit closes. Free and open to the community.
AUGUST 14TH - 15TH
Annual Milford Oyster Festival After Dark
Fowler Field | 5:00 PM
The Annual Milford Oyster Festival kicks off its two-night run with Nashville Drive, a premier modern country/rock band known for high-energy tributes to Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, and Zac Brown Band, alongside original tracks. Opening the evening is Milford's own School of Rock. Children's carnival, food, drinks, and Milford's beloved festival atmosphere will set the stage for a great weekend.
AUGUST 15TH
Fair on the Half Shell
Milford Green | 8:30 AM
Milford's beloved summer tradition returns as Fair on the Half Shell, featuring over 300 local vendors offering handcrafted goods, art, jewelry, apparel, wellness products, home décor, pet accessories, and more, alongside live music, food trucks, children's activities, and all-day entertainment. Free to attend and presented by the Downtown Milford Business Assocation.
