Ridgefield Magazine | May/June, 2020

SAM GRAVITTE: A STAR IS BORN STORIES OF SELF-ISOLATION

FRIENDS UNITE: FREAKY FRIDAY 100 YEARS OF WOMEN VOTING

Ridgefield MAGAZINE

MAY/JUN

Quiet Time

STAYS FRESH THRU JUNE 2020 $4.95

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Give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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scribbled note

THE IMAGE on the cover from Ballard Park symbolizes much of what we are all experiencing now: sitting on the bench— not playing the game, not going to work, not living as we are accustomed, and just looking for that quiet place where we can escape from the world.

Westy Mover Concierge For over twenty-five years, Westy Mover Concierge has recommended select movers to thousands of customers in order to make their moving experience pleasant and at reasonable cost. Westy does not charge movers for the service, but insists that they satisfy our customers.

It’s hard on so many levels. The human loss, the financial calamity, the monumental stress on the health-care system and all who work in it. We are grateful to them all, at Danbury Hospital and elsewhere. And we are pulling for all the small businesses such as ourselves who don’t have two to three months of cash flow to ride this out, and just hope they are still with us at the other end.

Gerri Lewis highlights some stories people shared of how they are spending their self-isolation. The issue also celebrates the local arts & culture—Sam Gravitte who made his debut on Broadway, and a behind-the-scenes story about Freaky Friday, which was to open at ACT in May. We look forward to seeing these performances getting back on stage.

And with this being the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, we profile notable local woman on their successes and thoughts about women’s role in society.

See you all on the other side of this, when we can get off that bench and get back to life.

——Geoffrey James Morris

Excellence in Real Estate A passion for excellence, a strong work ethic and a commitment to getting the job done is the foundation upon which I have built my career as a full time realtor.

8 Longmeadow Lane, Redding | $875,000 | 4 Bed, 4/2 Bath Fabulous plantation style Colonial majestically sited on 2.9 acres. Set in Redding’s sought-after Longmeadow subdivision of preeminent homes, this 5,200 square foot home offers an ideal living and entertaining flow. Features include a classic butterfly staircase, gorgeous chef’s kitchen, sumptuous master bedroom suite, three additional en-suite bedrooms, finished 3rd level and an unfinished walk-out lower level. Four expansive verandas offer spectacular views.

22 Heron Road, Norwalk | $668,900 | 4 Bed, 2/1 Bath Graced with a stately brick and clapboard exterior this lovely Colonial is tucked into the private enclave of individual homes in desirable Saugatuck Landing in the Sasqua Hills area of East Norwalk. Highlights include hardwood floors, 9’ ceilings, updated kitchen, a spacious family room with fireplace, main level office, generous master bedroom suite, finished walk-out lower level, plus irrigation system, public water & sewer and a fantastic close-to-all location!

12 Bates Farm Road, Ridgefield | $549,000 | 4 Bed, 2/1 Bath Live the good life! Distinctive 3/4 BR shingle-style Colonial beautifully sited on a .50 luxuriant, professionally landscaped acre with gorgeous views of idyllic pond abutting property. The heart of the home is the open plan kitchen & family room with soaring ceilings, skylights and wall of sliders to expansive deck. Numerous special features incl: updated, chic white center island quartz & stainless kitchen; new main level HW floors; MBR with fireplace and sumptuous bath; auto generator; C/A. Conv to town, Rt7 & I84.

77 Stepney Road, Redding | $349,000 | 2 Bed, 2 Bath Charming 1780 Antique - the epitome of the quintessential country cottage. Lovingly cared for, updated and expanded with vintage beams, wide-board floors, cathedral ceilings, floor-to-ceiling fireplace and a country chic kitchen. Nestled on 1+ acre with spectacular perennial gardens, patio, native stone walls, rustic outbuildings, lily pond and waterfall. Newer roof, auto generator, thermal windows throughout, central air and much more.

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Ridgefield

C O N T E N T S / / M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0

features

36

Backyard Bliss Dirk and Marie Antoinette Boot seamlessly blend their Dutch and Italian heritages in a sophisticated, yet welcoming home. They also do their backyard up in style with a sports pavillion, swimming pool, patio, outdoor kitchen, vegetable garden, and a labyrinth.

Photographs

by

Rana Faure

26

Super Freaky Caitlin Kinnunen spent so much time at Katie Diamond’s Ridgefield home that the young Diamond kids thought she was part of the family.

Now when Freaky Friday opens at

36 A More Perfect Union //

On the hundredth anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment, Pamela Hovland talks with women from Wilton, Ridgefield, and Norwalk about the historical impact of this landmark legislation. Page 42 6 //

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

ACT at some future date, the duo will play mother-daughter roles.

B y G e o ff r e y M o r r i s

21

A Star Is Born Sam Gravitte got his start on the stage at RHS. Now when Broadway reopens, and we hope it’s soon, Gravitte will continue in his role as a lead in the blockbuster Wicked.

B y G e o ff r e y M o r r i s

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OUR FOCUS IS ON YOU

Comprehensive Eye Care for Adults and Children • Dry Eye Treatment • Vision Therapy • Myopia Control • Sports Vision • Treatment of Eye Diseases • Specialty Contact Lenses • Optical Boutique

CONTENTS CONTINUED

28 26

3/19/20

departments 4 Scribbled Note 10 Behind the Scenes

21 The Vibe

Meet the writers and the

mother-daughter duo in Freaky

photographers for this issue

Friday at ACT, the Milligans’ life in

14 Feedback

Ridgefield

The readers have their say

16 ShoutOut This, that, and the other thing

Sam Gravitte on Broadway, St. Mary Parish goes to Guatamala,

36 The House Tour A stylish family love the outdoors

42 A More Perfect Union

18 We’ve Got Answers

What women today think of the

Stories from self-isolation

have come, or not

19th Amendment and how far we

ON THE COVER “On the Bench (at Ballard Park),” by Deborah Hayn, p4 96 Danbury Rd., Ridgefield • 203-438-5855 www.RidgefieldFamilyEyeCare.com

Mike Anderson 203.770.3349

Jack Baldaserini 203.788.4040

Peri Bartro 203.240.5919

Susan Bryant 203.257.6881

Carole Cousins 203.241.0277

Kim Cuniberti 203.733.6976

Tim Dent 203.470.5605

Donna DiBartolo 203.858.0597

Margi Esten 203.241.8453

Joan Florczak 203.615.4913

John Frey 203.240.0624

Grace Fuschetto 203.241.6835

Kathy Gaisser 203.788.0063

Debbie Gore 203.417.5692

Joanne Grasso 203.733.9344

Jefferson Guthrie 203.788.9400

Carol Hanlon 203.240.1233

George Hanlon 203.240.1234

Deb Haws 203.241.7977

Sharon Hoverman 203.733.5073

Charlie Knoche 203.731.7770

Maureen Kozlark 203.733.8823

Jodi Langford 203.733.8804

Rosanne LoSchiavo 203.733.1433

Art Meyer 203.240.6304

Paul Ogden 203.942.9519

Courtney Martin 203.917.2700

Carissa McMahon 203.442.4159

Award winning REALTORS® representing Ridgefield and Redding through experience and historical knowledge.

Contact one of our accomplished REALTORS® today!

Kenn/Betsy Olbrych Anne Scott 203.733.4796 203.526.0697

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Joseph Porricelli Branch Vice President

Marilyn Sloper 203.770.6240

Bart Wickstrum 203.733.1110

Julie Yi 203.722.3889

COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM

203.515.6310 Joe.Porricelli@ColdwellBankerMoves.com

Ridgefield Office 398 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877 | 203.438.9000 Redding/Weston Satellite Office 16 Old Mill Road, Redding, CT 06896 | 203.544.9591 Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2020 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

town

behind the scenes M AY / J U N 2 0 2 0

RANA FAURE is a photographer with a wide variety of clients and a regular contributor to TownVibe Media. She is a co-founder of Mother Image, a boutique photo agency specializing in authentic women’s lifestyle images, as well as a contracted photographer for Madison Square Garden. Of shooting the images for our house feature, Rana says: “Seeing the family move from inside to outside enjoying the many areas of the home and property inspires the way I photographed it.”

AMANDA DUFF is a Ridgefield-based writer, publicist, and toddler mom. Of her Young Families article, “A Good Pairing,” which appears in The Vibe section, Amanda tells us: “Experiencing Ridgefield through the Milligans’ eyes was such a joy. It was fun learning about their favorite spots, as hearing what people love about Ridgefield always brings a new perspective to the town I’m proud to call home.” We plan to re-continue this series which we started two years back.

JULIA BRUCE is a longtime resident and has been contributing to TownVibe publications, including Ridgefield Magazine and Wilton Magazine, since 2015. In this issue, Julia reports on the efforts at St. Mary School and Parish to help those in need in Guatamala. “A small but impressive group of parishioners from St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield are volunteering to help make change there,” says Julia.

PAMELA HOVLAND is a regular contributor to TownVibe publications and runs a small graphic design studio. For more than 20 years, she has also taught design as a senior critic in design at Yale University. Hovland was passionate about writing “A More Perfect Union,” in honor of the passage of the 19th amendment 100 years ago, and interviewed women of all ages, backgrounds, and political persuasions from Wilton, Norwalk, and Ridgefield.

10 //

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

Ridgefield MAGAZINE Vol 18, Issue 3 May/Jun 2020

GEOFFREY JAMES MORRIS

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher DEBORAH HAYN

Creative Director KIM ZEISS

Operations Manager LAURIE NEWKIRK

Director of Digital Strategy SHARON PECK

Production Manager KELLY GELS

Operations Assistant Contributing Writers Heather Borbeau, Julia Bruce, Heather Creagh, Amanda Duff, Pamela Hovland, Megan Smith-Harris

Contributing Photographers Rana Faure, Doug Foulke, Pamela Hovland, Kristen Jensen ADVERTISING SALES 203-431-1708 Camille Giacomazza (ext. 113) Jennifer Hines (ext. 210) Jill Lawlor (ext. 115) Wendy Packer (ext. 117) Lisa Stiehl (ext. 112) Cara Vermeulen (ext. 213)

Summer happens at Hopkins June 29–August 7, 2020

We welcome input about this and future issues.

Please address letters, queries, and ideas to editorial@townvibe.com. To advertise: advertising@townvibe.com or call us at 203-431-1708. For those outside Ridgefield, to subscribe for one year, send $25 to:

Hopkins Summer School programs are open to everyone!

• Squash, grades 3-12 • ROAR Girls-Only Camp • Creative Writing, grades 7 & 8 • Write it Right! grades 9-12 • Pre-Algebra, grades 7 & 8 • Algebra, grades 8 & 9 • SAT Prep, grades 10-12 • Le Havre Soccer Camp • And many more

TownVibe 386 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877 203-431-1708

Ridgefield Magazine is a publication of TownVibe. ©2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. townvibe.com

Contact Kevin Cronin: (203) 397-1001 ext. 372 or kcronin@hopkins.edu

203.397.1001 • hopkins.edu A coed, college preparatory day school for grades 7-12

S P O N S O R E D

C O N T E N T

Who and What Is RPAC? RPAC

Art Center & Academy was born from a vision where, as a community, artists would be able to create art, receive instruction from MFA-certified educators, and take part in community events. We offer private and semi-private studio workspaces to our Resident Artists with 24/7 access, membership options, curriculum-based and independent-study educational programs, a state-of-the-art computer lab fully equipped with the latest cloud-based creative software, and much more. Each resident artist and member is part of RPAC and part of our family.

What is RPAC’S mission? To create, promote, and exhibit the working artist, emerging artist, and student while providing a supportive and creative environment.

Can you give us a sneak peek of the types of classes available? Art classes in painting, watercolor, and various mediums of choice, including illustration and graphic design learning through freehand as well as digital, using the latest Adobe Creative software. We offer workshops with classroom instruction in various topics from logo design to how to paint in acrylic and oils. We recently started offering online classes through a LIVE interaction platform.

Who are your faculty? MFA-certified instructors from Western Connecticut State University and Naugatuck Valley Community College; workshop instructors from Cooper Union and Naugatuck Valley Community College; as well as various other industry leaders/experts where we see a need or void of knowledge.

Online Workshops Spend time learning new graphic skills. RPAC is offering creative online workshops. Learn Adobe software like Photoshop, Illustratror, and InDesign.

Learn from RPAC experts who teach at the university level and have worked in the graphic design and illustration industry for 3+ decades. RPAC will also be offering online classes in studio art, photography, illustration, and a workshop for creator’s block (it’s similar to writer’s block, BUT WORSE!).

For details, go to: www.RPACartcenter.com

Who are your students? High school students who are looking to: a) build/ create their portfolio resumes for college applications, b) unleash a hidden talent and passion to ultimately lead to a career; adults with a passion for art who want to dabble in a new medium and/or enhance an existing skill; professionals looking for continuing education and/ or to enhance the creative side of their employees; art educators.

Tell us about your gallery. Along with the RPAC Art Center & Academy vision, came RPAC Gallery, which we opened to provide a place to showcase the resident artists’ work in a retail gallery storefront with a prime, downtown Main Street, Ridgefield location. In addition to the retail storefront, the gallery’s online home, RPACGallery.com, offers a more extensive collection of each Resident Artist’s work.

Any final thoughts? As we celebrate our one-year of the Art Center this July, we look back and take pride in what we as a team have accomplished and the comm- unity of artists that we call our RPAC family. As our journey continues, we look forward to a future full of creativity and learning. Thank you from RPAC!

RPAC Art Center & Academy // 424 R Main Street, Ridgefield, CT // rpacartcenter.com

Find the Fake

town

feedback

Somewhere in this issue is a fake ad.

Find it and send your answer to editorial@townvibe.com

More than 200 people took part in our Fake Ad Contest in the Mar-Apr issue. Congratulations to everyone who picked Put Your Foot Down.

The winner, selected randomly from a list of all those who entered and provided the correct answer, is Carin L. Crook of Ridgefield. Winner receives a gift certificate to an area business.

SCRAPPED How Can I Start Composting? by Honor Creagh was an informative article, touching upon both backyard composting and Curbside Compost’s paid service. I missed reading about the third option—the town of Ridgefield’s drop-off option called Ridgefield Organics Food Scraps program.

—Tiffany Carlson

NICE CHARGE I agree that the town should install more EV charging stations [“Electric Avenue,” Mar/Apr]. As the article stated, there will be tremendous growth in the number of electric vehicles in the coming years, and having chargers is a good way to welcome visitors to town.

—Jason Watkins

GREEN AWARDS I was sorry to see that TownVibe and Ridgefield Magazine had to cancel or postpone the Green Awards, which were supposed to have happened on March 26 at the Garden House at Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center. It’s such a great event and a super service that TownVibe provides to the environmental community.

—Veronica Hyatt

At Ridgefield Academy, imaginations flourish and academic excellence takes root. Supported by exceptional faculty, students in our small classes are both encouraged and challenged, expanding the boundaries of their capabilities. www.ridgefieldacademy.org

Here, the dreamers of today become the thinkers of tomorrow.

Call David Suter, Director of Enrollment at 203.894.1800 x112 to learn more about our exceptional program.

Free bus service within 15 miles of the RA campus.

Ridgefield Academy, 223 West Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT

BATTLE OF RIDGEFIELD I have lived in Ridgefield for 15 years and have always assumed that the Colonists beat the British in the Battle of Ridgefield. Thanks for clarifying it in “We’ve Got Answers,” Mar/Apr].

—Stephen Morton

» Send comments to

editorial@townvibe.com

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ShoutOut

This, that, and the other things

Taking a Walk

IT WO R KS Ridgefield’s A Better Chance (ABC) program provides academically talented women of color who live in areas with poor schooling options the opportunity to attend Ridgefield High School. One 2008 graduate spoke at the ABC gala in February about her experience then and now as a program tech manager at Facebook in London. Says Safiya Samms:“I can say with complete confidence that my experiences and success were a result of the education I received and the challenges I overcame while a part of the Ridgefield ABC program.”

Thanks to spring’s early arrival, we’ve had plenty of opportunity to get outside and exercise in the fresh air, to free our minds from self-isolation. Most local trails offer ample space for social distancing, and many allow leashed dogs. Some of our favorites include: Hemlock Hills, Bennett’s Pond, Mountain Lakes, Topstone Park, Aldrich Park, and others. One positive note about Covid-19 is that it got people appreciating the wonderful stretches of nature that we have in Ridgefield.

Give Thanks

S PA R E A Q U A R T E R? Weir Farm National Historic Site is now immortalized on a quarter released by the U.S. Mint, as part of the America the Beautiful Quarter Program, which started in 2010. The program issues 25-cent coins that feature designs depicting national parks and other national sites. The quarter depicts an artist, wearing a painter’s smock, outside Julian Alden Weir’s studio at Weir Farm and bears the inscription “A National Park for Art.” It was designed by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

16 //

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

Garden Plan A classic in the making, Garden Design Master Class brings together 100 essays by top garden designers, from acknowledged experts to acclaimed tastemakers.

Look for essays from locals such as Pamela Salvatore and Sarah Kowitz. Spanning styles and genres, principles and tenets, collectively these essays and images represent a comprehensive education for the reader, providing expert design advice and philosophy, from practical considerations to stylistic concerns.

Wow, we are grateful for being well-fed, thanks to the dedicated stock clerks at various markets in the area: Stop & Shop, Caraluzzi’s, Whole Foods, Ridgefield Organics, Milillo Farms, and Nature’s Temptation among them. Of course, many restaurants did a major pivot, transforming their sitdown menus to takeout only—instituting delivery, curbside pickup, and other measures. And, let’s not forget the generosity of donors who have provided food to those in need.

Of course, the healthcare workers who have sacrificed their own wellbeing to care for us at Danbury Hospital and urgent care centers as well as EMTs are our ultimate heroes.

Fast Fund The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund established by the Fairfield County’s Community Foundation raised more than $1,000,000 from private foundations and corporations and is now taking pledges from individuals. The fund as established “to support our most vulnerable residents” affected by the economic crisis.

FCCFoundation.org/COVID19ResiliencyFund.

THE DAVID EVERSON TEAM N E W YO R K . C O N N ECT I C U T

HOMEWOOD, AN 18TH/19TH C. SHINGLE STYLE COLONIAL REVIVAL ESTATE — A HOUSE IN GOOD TASTE • PRICE UPON REQUEST Exquisitely enhanced and restored 1750 home with 30 rooms, pool w/ carriage/pool hse, $2m+ upgrades incl. generator, irrigation 50’ ballroom, 50’ chef’s kitchen/butler’s pantry, 14 FPs, 10+ BRs, system, stone terraces, gardens & orchard. Quick NYC commute.

HOUSE AS ART • $799,000

BREATHTAKING FIFTY MILE VIEWS • $1,099,000

Casual yet sophisticated lifestyle home. 4 BR/3 Bath modern Custom 4 BR, 4 full/1 half Bath home w/spectacular views. Octagonal masterpiece on 8 ac. Walls of glass, chef’s kitchen, lrg decks, pool. turret; lrg LR w/ 180° views; wrap-around terrace; main level master.

QUINTESSENTIAL TUDOR • $949,000

HISTORIC LODGE • COMING SOON

THE GABLES • $999,000

4 BR, 4 full/1 half Bath on 1+ ac. Wood floors, Stone lodge on 2.12 manicured acres, 4,000 Beautifully finished Arts & Crafts Shinglecrown moldings, 3 FPs, chef’s KIT, finished sf, 4 BR/3 baths, vaulted great rm, 1st fl MBR, style 4 BR, 3 full/1 half Bath on an acre at end LL. Stunning pool w/stone terrace, spa. pool, stone patios, improvements inside & out. of cul de sac near town, but private.

IRADELL FARM, A COMPLETELY RENOVATED 1920 GEORGIAN COLONIAL ESTATE — A VANDERBILT LEGACY • $2,695,000 This estate w/oak paneled salon/FP from a Vanderbilt yacht, 4 BR, Consuelo Vanderbilt who lived here for over 60 years. The home sits 5 full/3 half baths and 5 FPs was purchased in the 1940s by heiress above lawns & fields on 3 acre property. Additional land available.

real estate at its best

203.246.7150

470 MAIN STREET, RIDGEFIELD, CT 06877 • DEVERSON@WILLIAMPITT.COM

M c B R I EN

INTERIORS

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ADAPTING to the new normal and spending time creatively. “I personally am loving the return to family dinners, puzzles, and Monopoly night!” says Jane MacKenzie.

She and husband Neil took a bench to their neighbor’s driveway and had a long-distance cocktail, with friends who sat at a window. Another night they sang “Happy Birthday” to a neighbor from the lawn outside.

One family, decided to take the close of all court activities to heart.

They created their own pickleball court in their driveway—family only for now so I’m not sharing where.

ACT of CT, our wonderful nonprofit equity theater, gave a performance—with social distancing—to thousands of viewers all over the country, with performances by Stephen Schwartz, Bryan Perri, and others.

Anne Beatty reports that she

attends her Bible-study group, via Zoom. In fact, people all over are taking advantage of the videoconferencing site by attending book clubs, cocktail parties, and virtual play dates. One St. Mary teacher reports that her students were so excited to see each other’s faces on Zoom that it took them a full ten minutes to settle down to do lessons.

My grandchildren ages 5-13 must be getting tired of so much allowed screen time because all report back that they have been riding their bikes.

People are reading lots of books and binging on favorite TV series and movies. Many like my friend Karen Klein are cleaning out closets and drawers. Klein keeps a record of all the clutter cleaning she accomplishes so she can have something to feel good about when this is over.

Some of our snowbirds have

Wisdom, experience, resilience, perspective and talent live here.

reported in like Bette Spielman, who says: “Our community has adopted driveway happy hours and coffee clutches! We take our chairs and beverages and snacks out to end of driveway and gather with plenty of space between us. We socialize and shout at each other because many are hard of hearing! Ha-ha! Sometimes it is morning coffee and sometimes happy hour!”

Here’s one I check in on every day.

Susie Silston has a “rock on” theme going on Facebook. She dresses daily in costumes related to different eras and urges us all to “rock on.” One day she was a flapper, dressed in roaring ’20s garb. Another day she donned her poodle skirt and sock hop shoes.

The real challenges we hear are from people with children at home of all ages. When the weather is warm, Gillian Sheerin does a lot of outdoor activities with her kindergartener and first grader like bike riding, scootering, tennis in the yard and walks.

“We are also playing a lot of games and have a family puzzle going at all times,” she says.

Sally Sanders is working on a quilt as a fundraising effort for breast cancer. It will be auctioned off later this summer. Anyone who follows Old Ridgefield on Facebook knows Jack Sanders is there daily sharing snippets of Ridgefield’s history. It’s a great way to learn about our town.

Geri Hotard s doing a deep dive into genealogy project she’s been trying to get to for years. She hopes to finally find an answer to the riddle of “where we came from in Ireland.”

From there she plans to organize, digitize, and scrapbook 30 years of photos that are currently shoeboxes.

—Gerri Lewis

Art Pharmacist Painter Poker buddy Atria resident Photo by Mark Seliger

FOUR COMMUNITIES TO SERVE YOU

» Send us your questions:

editorial@townvibe.com

ATRIA DARIEN 203.518.4860

ATRIA RIDGEFIELD 203.489.2767

ATRIA RYE BROOK 914.249.9417

ATRIA STAMFORD 203.772.8744

256287

May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

19

THEfiRIDGEFIELDfiPLAYHOUSEfi Non-profififififififififififififififi

AUGUST SHAUN CASSIDY AUGUST 7 The iconic teen idol returns with hits – “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “Hey Deanie” and more!

COLIN HAY BAND AUGUST 12 A night of music and stories with the front-man, songwriter, & vocalist of pop sensation Men at Work!

JUNE

JULY

ANN WILSON

JOSS STONE

OF HEART

JULY 8

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer from rock band Heart who has thrilled audiences with her vocal power !

Opening Act: Javier Colon Powerhouse British soul vocalist who has released seven albums and earned Grammy and Brit Awards!

TROMBONE SHORTY

WHITNEY CUMMINGS

& ORLEANS AVENUE

HOW DARE YOU TOUR

Grammy nominee returns with an upbeat night of hard-edged funk and jazz!

Two nights! Co-creator of “2 Broke Girls,” podcast host and TV star!

PAUL ANKA

THREE DOG NIGHT

ANKA SINGS SINATRA

JULY 12

Includes pre-show Cocktail Party! A night of Anka and Sinatra classics: “My Way,” “Diana” and more!

Opening Act: Charlie Farren A night of hits, including “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Black and White” & more!

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May / Jun 2020

SHINE A LIGHT Sam Gravitte, playing Fiyero in Broadway’s Wicked, got his start on stage at Ridgefield High School.

A Star Is Born Sam Gravitte makes his Broadway debut //

››

By Geoffrey Morris

“THERE WAS ALWAYS MUSIC playing in my house,” says Sam Gravitte, who in February began playing Fiyero in Broadway’s Wicked. Gravitte, who grew up on Ridgebury Road, is the son of Debbie and Beau Gravitte—she a Tony-winning performer and he a highly accomplished professional stage actor and director. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be on Broadway. I loved what my mom and dad did and wanted to be in the family business.” At RHS, Sam played the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables among other shows.

“Ridgefield High School really prepared me well. It was an awesome theater experience, with Sherry Cox and Joyce Flanagan.”

While many aspiring Broadway performers pile up the theater classes and outside performances, Debbie and Beau encouraged their kids to broaden their interests. Sam was a standout football and lacrosse player in high school and a solid student. Attending Princeton University, he played on the nationally ranked lacrosse team and starred in Princeton theatrical shows. “My parents were adamant that we have a childhood. All that would manifest on stage in later life,” he says, referring to his twin sister Ellie and brother Charles.

May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

21

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It wasn’t long after graduating Princeton in 2017 that Broadway came calling. He was quickly introduced to a talent agency, who set him up with a voice coach. “That really changed my life,” Gravitte says of his work with vocal coach Matt Farnsworth. “Soon after that I got a call to try out as the understudy of Fiyero in the touring production of Wicked.”

once Broadway reopens in the future.

While it’s ultimately his talent that landed him the spot in one of Broadway’s biggest shows, some of his Ridgefield connections helped. First of all, his parents: their performing genes, singing in the kitchen, and knowledge of the business go a long way. “Sam has a special magic that lights up

DYNAMIC DUO // Sam’s twin sister Ellie, also an

RHS athlete, is now a filmmaker in New York.

He did that for a year until a leave-of-absence opening came up for the ensemble in Wicked on Broadway. His big moment quickly got bigger.

After seven weeks in the ensemble, he was asked to try out for Fiyero, which he was offered in January, and which he started performing February 25—and he will continue

the stage,” says mom Debbie Gravitte. “He’s taken that raw talent and worked really hard. This is what he has always wanted to do, and I’m so proud.”

What’s more, Bryan Perri, ACT of CT’s music supervisor, was music director of Wicked for ten years. Perri coproduced Joseph and the Amaz-

ing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Ridgefield Playhouse, casting Gravitte in a key role.

“That was my first professional role,” Gravitte says. “I have no doubt those connections helped.”

While Perri, as music director of Wicked, certainly can influence casting decisions, it’s Gravitte’s encounter with the show’s creator Stephen Schwartz that dramatically raised his profile.

Gravitte explains: “My mom was doing a concert with Stephen Schwartz, for a benefit at his son’s theater on Long Island, and I tagged along.

Before the show, Schwartz spotted me and asked if I want to sing for him. I sang ‘Corner of the Sky’ from Pippin, and ‘As Long As You’re Mine,’ the Fiyero duet from Wicked. That was surreal—singing these canonical songs with the guy who wrote them playing the piano. I think that too helped.

A few months later I went out on the tour.”

It’s no surprise to friends and family that Sam Gravitte is where he is today. Says Sam: “The other day, I was talking to a college friend, who said: ‘Wow, you’re living your dream.’ And it’s true.

I grew up idolizing the guys who were playing the role that I am now playing.”

Portrait of a Champion In conjunction with other groups celebrating the centennial of women’s suffrage this year, artist Suzanne Benton developed the idea of painting portraits of Alice Paul and the women employees of Town Hall. A onetime Ridgefield resident, Alice Paul was a main force behind passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote in 1920. The resulting portraits will be joined together and hung, first at Keeler Tavern in August, and then presented in a ceremony at Town Hall in October.

22 //

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

Wild Blooms Wildflowers are naturally beautiful, and attract birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators to your garden.

›› BLUE FLAX Easy to grow from seeds, these perennial flowers comes in an eye-catching periwinkle-and-violet color palette. Will grow in nearly any sunny spot. ›› MORNING GLORIES Morning glories like to climb, so give them a trellis or fence to grow on. Plant in full sun and fertile soil, water in dry periods. ›› RED POPPIES There’s more to recommend poppies than just their good looks: the pretty red annual flowers are deer-resistant and attractive to pollinators. ›› SHASTA DAISIES A low-maintenance classic.

Plant these perennials in full sun and water only during especially dry summers. If seeding directly, expect blooms after one year of growth. ›› LANCE LEAF COREOPSIS These perennials look like little bursts of bright-yellow sunshine and easily spread. They grow in partial shade and can bloom even in lessthan-ideal soil, making them a perfect candidate for hard-to-plant areas.

—Honorah Creagh

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Help Is on the Way St. Mary Parish leads a mission to Guatamala //

››

IMAGINE a childhood without access to clean water, schooling, or books. For the children in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala, this has long been their reality. The people of Santa Maria de Jesus generally live in poverty. This village of 30,000 Mayans is often excluded from government funds supporting basic infrastructure and education.

A small group of parishioners from St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield are volunteering to help make change there.

St. Mary involvement in Guatemala initially started

in conjunction with the Helping Hands Medical Missions. For more than 15 years, Ellen Miller, a member of St. Mary and a nurse at St. Vincent’s Hospital, has been traveling with Helping Hands to treat the parasitic infections common there due to contaminated water.

“Volunteering in Santa Maria de Jesus has taught me about what’s important in life: faith, love, and family,” she says. Miller reached out to Mary Staudt, chair of Catholic Action, St Mary’s social outreach committee, about the various needs of

By Julia Bruce

the people of Santa Maria de Jesus.

Staudt first accompanied the mission in 2017. Realizing that clean drinking water would significantly improve the villagers’ health, the group distributed inexpensive water filtration systems. At that

time, villagers only had access to water for about 30 minutes every other day. Thanks to a grant from St. Vincent’s, and fundraising from St. Mary, the group returned in 2018 and installed a catchment system to ensure a continuous water supply to the village.

GETTING TOGETHER //

Launched in early April, Ridgefield Streams is a landing page where the public can see what all Ridgefield arts and cultural organizations are doing. ridgefieldstreams.org May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

23

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RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

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While clean drinking water is still a priority, St. Mary’s focus has turned to supporting Angelitos de Dios, a small private Catholic school started by Elvia Ortiz, a local Mayan woman.

In Guatemala, mandatory education ends at sixth grade but many children do not go that far. Staudt, a language arts teacher in Armonk, New York, oversees the educational outreach.

“I passionately believe all children should have access to quality education,” she says.

The teachers at Angelitos de Dios are young and enthusiastic, motivated more by their dedication than a pay check. On average, public-school teachers in Guatemala earn $450 a month, yet initially teachers at Angelitos de Dios were making only $130. “With the money we’ve raised we were able to increase the teacher’s monthly salary,” says Staudt. The sponsorship program helped cover the school’s rent payments as well as structural improvements to the building, including a new roof and bathroom sinks.

The classrooms were lacking basic supplies.

Staudt purchased Spanish-language books at the Scholastic warehouse in Danbury and had them delivered directly to the school.

mission “Some of these children have never had books.

They were so happy they were dancing,” she says. She introduced a balanced literature program, modeling reading and writing instruction using the books. She bought four projectors to project images of a text on the wall, in lieu of the expensive “big books” used for guided reading in early learning classrooms. “I’ve received a lot of profes-

says. She hopes one day to replace the current outdated computers with a classroom set of Chrome Books.

Gender inequality is a prevalent social issue in Guatemala but Angelitos de Dios is challenging these stereotypes.

“These are local Mayan women running this school, which is a great model for the young girls in the school,” Staudt says. Currently, boys outnumber girls because

THE A TEAM // There is a great bond sional development in my 35 years of teaching,” says Staudt, “This is my way of paying it forward.”

In 2019, Staudt and other volunteers set the teachers up with a Google account and showed them how to use Google Apps.

Currently Angelitos de Dios is the only school in Guatemala using Google. Staudt supports the teachers throughout the year through text messages. “Changing someone’s way of teaching doesn’t happen in a four day visit,” she

culturally families spend more money on their sons’ education. “My dream is to have a girls’ scholarship to keep them in school,” she says.

While St. Mary’s Guatemala mission has made vast improvements in Santa Maris de Jesus, there’s always more that can be done.

“We want to make sure that Angelitos de Dios is able to continue,” says Staudt. A donation of $150, 100 percent of which goes directly to the school, will cover the cost of a student’s education for one year.

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theater LIKE A MOTHER ACT’s Katie Diamond and Tony-nominated Caitlin Kinnunen wil play the leads in Freaky Friday, postponed to October from its scheduled May 14 opening at ACT.

Super Freaky A mother and daughter swap roles in fun show at ACT //

››

CAITLIN KINNUNEN has spent so much time at Katie Diamond’s High Ridge home that the young Diamond kids thought she was part of the family.

While Diamond is not old enough to be Kinnunen’s mother, she’s been sort of a surrogate parent to the 28-year-old Broadway star for more than ten years. And now the two will star together in the mother-daughter roles in Freaky Friday, recently postponed from its scheduled May 14 opening to October 1 at ACT of CT, where Diamond is executive

26 //

director (see the new season lineup on page 30).

Both women grew up in Seattle and first met when then Katie Tomlinson played a mother figure to 12-year-old Kinnunen in The Secret Garden. “We kept in each other’s field of vision for the next few years,” says Kinnunen, who made her Broadway debut four years later in Spring Awakening. She moved with her mother to New York, where Diamond was then also working on Broadway. “I definitely looked out for her—I mean a 16-year-old girl in New York City,” she says.

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

By Geoffrey Morris

Diamond’s career would eventually consist of writing, producing, and starring in numerous musicals and cabaret shows, most notably as Lorraine in Jersey Boys on Broadway. Diamond attended the New England Conservatory of Music, eventually moving to Ridgefield after her years in New York City, with husband Bill and three children.

Two years after moving to New York, the 18-year-old Kinnunen was living alone, and spent a lot of time with Diamond, who had since married. “Once we started

having kids, she was over all the time. Not really understanding how genetics work, my kids thought Caitlin was part of the family. I mean, whenever we had a family gathering, like a birthday, the kids would ask: ‘Is Caitlin coming?’ ” Yes, she will be coming, staying with the Diamond family during April rehearsals and May and June performances of Freaky Friday. “It’s so exciting. I admire her so much. I have gotten to see her be a mother so now I get to embody that,” says Kinnunen of playing alongside

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Diamond. “I get to play Katie as a mom. It’s going to be so much fun. I love Ridgefield and will spend all of my time there.”

Based on the popular Disney film, Freaky Friday tells the story of an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies. By spending a day in each other’s shoes, the two come to appreciate one another’s struggles. The music and lyrics are by the Tony-winning team of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, “It’s a fun, upbeat musical that is a great way to end our second season—a dance-type show,” says Diamond.

“It’s a magical moment when they switch bodies. They take on each other’s personalities. I become the daughter,” she adds.

“She’s just using her body. It’s done through physicalities— how an adult or teenager might stand. This is the teenager trying to looking cool wearing her mother’s clothes.”

After her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening, Kinnunen went on to Bridges of Madison County, and then starred in The Prom, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. “She’s super-talented, and I’m so glad it worked out that she gets to perform with me at ACT,” says Diamond.

Not only does the show have two female leads, but the director (Mia Walker) and choregorapher (Abbey O’Brien) are women as well. “It’s amazing that it’s all women,” says Kinnunen. “Freaky Friday shows the relationship between mother and daughter. A female director can really tell that story properly.

And I really want to tell that story. That we can do it with a female led team is so great.”

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WATER AND WINE The Milligans at Lake Windwing, a favorite Ridgefield hiking spot.

A Good Pairing The Milligans move to Ridgefield //

››

“A STRONG SENSE of community is paramount to us, both in our business and personal life,” says Julie Milligan, who says she and husband Alex discovered this sense of community on their first day in Ridgefield, when their son Pierce was only one week old. “Neighbors stopped by with flowers, food, cards, and offers to help unpack. It was incredible.”

The Milligans, who moved from New York City, credit their cousin Jan Arnold, a longtime Ridgefield resident,

28 //

By Amanda Duff

for the introduction to town, by inviting them for what many would call the perfect fall day: a visit to the Jesse Lee pumpkin patch, followed by apple picking at Blue Jay Orchards. “We love spending time outdoors and want nature to be an integral part of Pierce’s life,” says Alex. “I even proposed to Julie during a hike.”

The weekend isn’t complete without time spent outside. “Pine Mountain is minutes away and gets us in the woods fast. Topstone has

RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

a toddler-friendly play loop ending at a playground, and Pierce is obsessed with Tarry­ wile’s tractors,” says Julie.

“Like so many new moms, I didn’t want to sit home and stare at the walls.”

Living in Ridgebury has inspired Julie to live out her “adult fairy tale” of taking horseback riding lessons and Alex his of woodworking (he just finished Pierce’s sandbox). “Driving around our area, I feel like we’re in a movie. Horse farms, wide open spaces, and winding

roads. It’s so bucolic.” They frequent Martin Park in summer, a spot that reminds Julie of Vermont.

The Milligans say the decision to base David Milligan Selections, their French-wine import business, in Ridgefield was an easy one. “We’re in close proximity to our two biggest markets, New York and Massachusetts,” says Alex. “Plus, we have fantastic restaurants here, take Bernard’s with their extensive wine list, for example.” And Alex has found local friends

PHOTO // JW BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

who share his passion for wine. “I enjoy geeking out on wine by the firepit with my friend Kyle, who’s on Ancona’s savvy team and really knows his juice.”

Incorporating the community into their business model is a priority.

Shortly after moving to Ridgefield, they hired one of their neighbors.

“She quickly became an instrumental, irreplaceable member of our team,” says Julie. They’ve also sponsored local events including the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival, The Ridgefield 25, and the Green Awards.

The main driver in their social life has been the Ridgefield Moms Club. Julie joined the club when Pierce was a newborn and was quickly placed into a playgroup with other 2017 babies. “We still meet once a week, either at a mom’s house or somewhere in town,” says Julie. The group, which has grown to about 15 families, is where Pierce has made most of his friends. “It’s such a diverse group but we share being Ridgefield moms,” says Julie.

Alex has made friends there, too. “I try hard never to miss poker night, started by one of the dads, or guys’ nights at Nod Hill.”

Opening their home for Tour de France wine tastings has become a tradition, too. They’ve teamed up with Warehouse Wines and Cellar IV to host wine evenings for their pool PVRA, Moms Club, and Newcomer’s Club among others. “Word keeps spreading! We’re doing a tasting a month these days,” says Alex.

“It’s a special, more intimate way to introduce our wines to Ridgefield.

We hand select the wines and Julie loves to do pairings on request.”

Business owners themselves, Julie and Alex enjoy supporting local merchants. Two of Julie’s favorite stores are Audrey Road and Bahr & Co. Books on the Common is a

favorite of Pierce’s, and Ross Bread, Tazza, and Tusk & Cup are favorites for coffee or tea. “Date night at Luc’s makes us feel like we’re back in the city, and we’re fortunate to have our wine on their list,” adds Alex. “It’s such a perfect ambiance.”

Other restaurants they

frequent are Sarah’s Wine Bar, Bailey’s, who also carry their wine, and Mannen. “It’s definitely city-quality sushi,” says Julie.

Like many, the Milligans say Ridgefield’s charming Main Street was a big draw. “We didn’t want a town that’s

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too small, but we knew we wanted a town where people know each other,” says Julie. She’s amazed with how many people recognize her or Pierce when they’re out and about. “We’re constantly seeing people we know, at Ballard Park playground, or at the library.” n

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Backyard Bliss A STYLISH FAMILY EMBRACES INDOOR/ OUTDOOR LIVING

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I

T WASN’T THE FIVE-BEDROOM, 7,000-square-foot house with three fireplaces that wowed Dirk and Marie Antoinette Boot. Rather, it was the sunny, two-acre property with a sports court, swimming pool, and where the house was situated that convinced this family of four to do a cross-town move. The Boots are sociable people and love to entertain. Marie Antoinette is a talented cook with a passion for both food and interior design, so it made sense for the couple to initially focus their renovation budget on a complete kitchen remodel with a refresh of the adjacent family room.

The ho-hum, builder-grade kitchen was demoed and NuKitchen of Norwalk came on board for the design and install process. Today, the sleek and efficient space is a showstopper, boasting a chic Italian aesthetic. The room is anchored by a massive island, topped with a five-inch thick slab of white quartz. Above the island, hangs a striking bubbled glass light fixture. Custom white lacquer Poggenpohl cabinetry adds an element of sophistication.

In addition to the top-of-the-line Miele and Thermador appliances and custom add ons such as pop-up drawers and a camouflaged step stool, there is a swoon worthy coffee station that can whip up a cappuccino with the push of a button. Countertops are fashioned out of Neolith, a manmade stone from Spain that doesn’t stain and is highly heat resistant. It can be made to resemble marble or leathered granite and is virtually indestructible—so much so, that it’s used on the exterior of the space shuttle. A casual eating area features a Saarinen-inspired Tulip table, clear acrylic ghost chairs with fleece throws, and a cornered banquette with graphic pillows.

The family room flows from the kitchen and was updated by replacing the dated brick fireplace surround with gray concrete. White built-in shelves have been added to display books, objets d’art, and family photos.

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RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

❱

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE The inviting pool lounge area; Henry (20) practices his basketball skills on the sports court; Max (six) “swans” around in the pool; the vegetable and herb garden with raised stone beds and pea gravel to keep weeds at bay; dining al fresco; Marie Antoinette relaxes poolside with family dog, Panda; curved boxwood hedging defines the front drive.

May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

39

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ALL IN THE DETAILS Summery tablescape courtesy of Open House Gift Shop; chic kitchen and breakfast nook designed by NuKitchen of Norwalk; the hand built stone labyrinth; heirloom Delft china inspires the blue and white theme in the dining room; formal foyer.

In contrast to the contemporary kitchen, the formal dining room, is just that—formal. It was designed in tones of blue and white to complement the antique Delft china collection from Ruuhl’s family. A round walnut table by Gregory Clark takes center stage, and the matching chairs are upholstered in a hardworking blue fabric with a satin finish. An ornate chandelier—a wedding present to Marie Antoinette’s parents and the only personal item they brought over from Italy whin they immigrated to America—adds history and a pop of unexpected glam.

“I like the juxtaposition between classic and contemporary,” says Marie Antoinette. “European homes typically have modern kitchens and bathrooms and the living and dining rooms are filled with more formal pieces and family heirlooms.

While the indoor spaces are a distinctive blend of the couple’s Dutch and Italian backgrounds, the outdoor areas are also a reflection of what the Boot’s value: family, nature, and fun. Marie Antoinette’s father, Joseph Sarno, a retired stone mason, built an expansive slate patio that includes a lounge, dining area, and outdoor kitchen. Marie Antoinette sought advice on the garden design from her mother-in-law, Will Boot-Vis, a well-respected Belgium-based horticulturist whose personal gardens have been photographed for many books and magazines.

The backyard is large and flat and the Boot’s make full use of every space. To the left of the patio is a vegetable garden with raised stone beds, that grow kale, zucchini, Swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, pole beans, and onions, along with an assortment of herbs.

On the opposite side of the yard is a labyrinth constructed by Sarno with local field stone. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has only one point of entry and exit and is designed as a meditative tool rather than as a folly. At the very back of the yard stands a sports court—used for volleyball, tennis, and basketball—along with a gracious pool bookended by inviting lounge areas. The couple’s sons, Henry, 20, a college sophomore, and Max, six, a first grade student, make full use of all the outdoor amenities while their parents, relaxing beneath a stylish black and white awning, have an ideal vantage point from which to watch their sons grow and enjoy life outdoors. n

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RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE May/June 2020

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1983 PORSCHE 911 SC CABRIOLET, CABRIOLET 1961 FIAT OSCA 1500S PININFARINA CABRIOLET, Rare, matching numbers, Cert of Auth., black/ Red/blk leather, rare twin cam 4-cyl Maserati cork leather, 53k miles, 204hp (Euro spec).

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VOTING BLOCKS TOP ROW:

Stephanie Thomas, Elaine Tai Lauria, Lane Murdock, Kimberly Wilson, MIDDLE ROW: Hildegard Grob, Jill Warren, Lily Casiraghi. BOTTOM ROW: Peggy Reeves, Kyela McGuire, Tina Gardner, Ann Pattigrew Nunes

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UNION

100th 19th Amendment

This year marks the anniversary of the passing of the , which gave women the right to vote. Today, we stand on the shoulders of an impressive collection of utopian dreamers, determined reformers, and fearless radicals who challenged the status quo of their day to the gender imbalance of democracy and, therefore,

improve

the quality of our lives.

May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

43

The suffrage movement was one of the most significant moments of political mobilization in our country’s history.

The demand for equality at the ballot box began in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 with the world’s first women’s rights convention. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, prominent activists of the time, likely could not have imagined this task would require a sustained effort spanning several decades. A diverse collection of women were activated through meetings held in small communities like Norwalk, Wilton, and Ridgefield as well as by protests on a national stage attracting the media’s attention.

While it is important to look back at the rule-breaking strategies of the women (and the men) who got us here, it is even more important to look forward and ask ourselves what needs to change in order to make America more equitable. We reached out to local influencers—from the young to the not so young, from the political left to the right.

Who or what do you most admire about the suffrage movement?

KIMBERLY WILSON, actress, survivor: The Suffrage Movement had its obvious, and oft-named leaders, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Alice Paul, however, we must include the powerful voices and activism provided by former slaves and free black women including Harriet Tubman, Maria Stewart, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, and many others.

In 1851, Sojourner Truth spoke at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, and delivered her powerful speech, “Ain’t I a Woman.” That message of equality still resonates today. When the 19th Amendment was made law in 1920, it did not extend to women of color, Asians, Hispanics, and American Indians. This is the other historical truth: that discrimination, inequality, and racism blocked these women from their rights until the activism—including the tireless work

by Fannie Lou Hamer—helped to bring about the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which finally afforded black women the right to vote in 1965. Forty-five years after the 19th Amendment was ratified!

SHARON SOBEL, The Turnover Shop of Wilton president, adjunct professor of English at UConn and Norwalk Community College, novelist: Margaret Fuller, the first editor of the Transcendentalist periodical, The Dial, is almost always overlooked as one of the inspirational lights of the early feminist and suffrage movement. Susan B. Anthony credited her as an influence on her evolving philosophy, and Hawthorne may have used her as the inspiration for the literary characters Hester Prynne (The Scarlet Letter), and Zenobia (The Blythedale Romance). Her book Woman in the Nineteenth Century is considered the first major feminist work in the United States.

She was the first full-time American book reviewer, and the first woman allowed to use the library at Harvard College.

I admire the many who stood behind them to shift a campaign into legislation

HILDEGARD GROB, executive director, Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center, Ridgefield: I admire all women who rose up and raised their voices in support of women’s votes. Yes, some came from privileged backgrounds and thus had the financial means to support their activism, but they all took the road less traveled and fought for their beliefs thereby defying social norms and expectations.

I also admire the (smart!) men who stood beside them and supported them.

They clearly understood that plurality and diversity is a huge advantage (and a competitive edge) in every aspect.

WILL HASKELL, State Senator Connecticut’s 26th District: In college, I took a course about Women in American politics. It was the first time I had learned about Alice Paul, which is a pretty sad reflection of the priorities contained in our history curriculum. I was astonished to read about the heroic hunger strike she organized in a D.C. jail. This strike eventually landed her in the hospital, where she was force-fed. Paul was singled out for placement in a psychopathic ward, not because she suffered from any mental illness, but instead because she steadfastly picketed outside President Wilson’s White House demanding the vote. Paul lived in our community at her home in Ridgefield, and her heroism is a reminder to all of us that we should never waste the opportunity to participate in our elections. Too many citizens, especially those in my generation, take the right to vote for granted and forget that Paul once starved herself so that our elections would be open to all.

BRENDA MCKINLEY, director, Ridgefield Library: I admire Sojourner Truth for her shear bravery in standing up for the rights of black women, and, truly, all people. Despite the inequality we still see today, we have so many opportunities and outlets for making change. It is difficult from our perspective in 2020 to fully grasp how extraordinary her activism was 100 years ago.

ANN PETTIGREW NUNES, Policy, Strategic Information and Planning Branch,

Policy and Strategy Division, United Nations Population Fund: Our society expects so much, so fast. Political change cannot come fast the way we expect instant gratification for our ideas and our actions now.

I hope that as adult women leaders, we can communicate to our girls today—the ones who will hold up the future—that change requires patience and persistence. History of movements tells such a long story, which includes steps forward and back. Refusal to accept the status quo, demanding change, makes change.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing women today?

KYELA MCGUIRE, 12 year old (seventh grader), Scotts Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield, member of Ms President US: I think the biggest problem women and girls face is social pressure. People are constantly inventing new molds for females to fit. Nothing a girl does is ever good enough. We’re told we need makeup to be pretty and when we put some on its “omg, what’s with all the makeup!” Much of this comes from social media. Your friend posts a Photoshopped picture on Instagram and deep inside you know it’s fake but you still end up saying, “Wow, that looks so awesome.”

As soon as you open your Tik Tok there is a picture of girls doing the same little dance because they know what you have to do to be on the opening page and to get the most ‘likes.’ That is what drives us now—popularity and likes. Everyone is so focused on what everyone else needs from you, that we forget what we need from ourselves. What we need from ourselves is kindness, generosity and acceptance.

LIZ OSTERHUS FLEUETTE, executive director, Ms President US, Ridgefield: In the US, we have a deficit of women leaders in government positions. Women represent 51percent of the population and yet less than 24 percent of seats in Congress. We have not yet had a female President of the United States. Only three of the nine Supreme Court Justices are women. The result is that women’s

They clearly understood that plurality and diversity is a huge advantage experiences and views are not adequately represented in important policy decisions being made at the federal level. Women and girls today need to be continuously encouraged to become tomorrow’s leaders so that we can narrow the leadership gap and ensure their voices will be heard and reflected in the major decisions that impact their lives.

ISABELLE HARGROVE, corresponding secretary for the Norwalk Republican Town Committee: Violence against girls and women remains a daunting challenge globally. Institutionalized, culture-based violence is especially difficult to eradicate. Practices such as female genital cutting and child marriage still affect millions and are even happening in the United States. Every year, three million girls are cut worldwide and 12 million are subjected to child and forced marriage. There is work to be done!

HILDEGARD GROB, Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center: Unfortunately, we still live in a world where gender (and race) makes a difference in terms of opportunities and privileges. Women make up the majority of the population in the US (and across the globe), yet women are still not proportionally represented in government, not to mention the private sector. The role of women in society needs to be rebalanced where both genders have equal access to all roles. For example, women should be able to sit in the boardroom while men provide child/family care without being stigmatized and/or discrimi-

nated against. And work must be compensated equally irrespective of whether it’s done by a woman or man. Thus, the Equal Rights Amendment is critical.

LANE MURDOCK, 17-year-old activist, Ridgefield High School senior and founder of The National School Walkout: One of the biggest challenges for a woman today is the idea of identity.

What it means to be a woman has been liberated. My generation has understood that you can be feminine or masculine or both or none at all and still be a woman.

We believe that appearance is a form of self-expression and we are focused on how we can create a community that allows for women of all representations to feel part of the sisterhood. Throughout history women who have dared to represent themselves authentically have been hailed as feminist icons, so why should that change? As my generation grows older, the debate about who gets to call themselves a woman intensifies and I would like to one day see that end. People on both sides of the political aisle need to remember that even when we were fighting for the 19th amendment what it meant to be a woman was being redefined.

History never changes, it just gets clearer.

CHRISTINE LODEWICK, Philip H. and Christine Lodewick Foundation, Ridgefield: Aside from women’s issues, climate change seems to be the most similarly pervasive challenge we face. Growing up on our Wisconsin dairy farm, my parents and grandfather continually demonstrat-

May/June 2020 RIDGEFIELD MAGAZINE //

45

ed a strong concern for how we treated the world around us and this influenced my life. The word “sustainability” was not used in the ’50s but it would have been an excellent description of our lifestyle. Therefore, I am very disappointed with what seems to be a deliberate disdain for the science that provides evidence of climate change as well as the efforts to control it both legislatively and in our personal lives.

What is an example of compelling activism taking place?

JILL WARREN, 2019 Cornell University graduate, newly elected Republican member of the Wilton Planning + Zoning Board: So far this year, the most compelling events to me have been Dickinson College’s four-day sit-in for Title IX reforms and Berkeley High School’s week of protests against sexual harm. Both events demonstrate a spirit similar to that of the Suffragette movement in that these powerful women are unafraid of doing whatever it takes to achieve equality and fairness, whether this means the right to vote or the right to participate in an academic setting without encountering sexual and/or domestic violence.

What is an area of activism that you are personally involved with?

PEGGY REEVES, former director of elections for the State of Connecticut and a former state representative serving Wilton and Norwalk: For the last 25

years, I have been personally involved in protecting the right to vote, as a local election official, a state legislator, and the elections director for the state of Connecticut. Although women were granted the right to vote 100 years ago, many were unable to freely exercise that right until passage of civil rights laws, such as the 1965 Voting Rights Act. But that law was weakened by the Supreme Court in 2013, and today voter suppression continues in many states. Voters are purged from the voter list, turned away from the polls, required to provide onerous voter identification forms, intimidated from voting with disinformation, unable to vote because of long lines created by a reduction in the number of voting sites in certain neighborhoods, and permanently disenfranchised for conviction of a felony.

DARLA SHAW, professor Emeritus, Western CT State University, department of Education and department of women’s studies: My activism, as a professor of women’s studies, involves empowering both boys and girls to reach beyond what they think they are capable of doing.

I do this by exposing these students to role models, activities, mentors, books, field trips, and historical figures that can influence their lives in a positive manner.

By providing my students with challenges slightly beyond their range and acting as their support net, I find that leadership skills can be built in almost every case. Many of my women students have a stronger leadership skill set than their

Until all of our voices are heard, we do not have a representative government

male counterparts, but the male will usually be offered the leadership role over the female. After 63 years of full time teaching, and three bouts with a rare, aggressive cancer, I am not giving up.

STEPHANIE THOMAS, Norwalk small business owner, state representative candidate (143rd District): Although women gained the right to vote nationwide 100 years ago, black women and other marginalized groups of women were immediately discouraged from doing so via poll tax requirements, long waits to register, and violence. Even now, over 50 years since the Voting Rights Act, efforts are continually made to restrict ballot access.

Connecticut, for example, is one of only a dozen states that does not allow early voting which means that if you have a boss who isn’t understanding or your train is late on election day, you cannot exercise this fundamental American right.

How do you feel about recent activity around the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment?

ELAINE TAI LAURIA: I think it’s fascinating how the movement was most intense in England and the United States, yet women won the right to vote in national elections in other countries much earlier, e.g. New Zealand (1893), Australia (1902), Finland (1906), and Norway (1913). This resistance was perhaps influenced strongly by economics—the desire to control power via money and property. It’s also interesting to see how women’s roles during WWI and WWII were regarded as vital to the war efforts, however afterwards their contributions were downplayed.

SHARON SOBEL: As a college student, I both organized and attended rallies for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in New York State. In the same month it passed, I was elected the first woman president of the largest student organization on campus. I had to defend my right to hold that position, and can’t believe that all these years later, I’m still defending the right to women’s equality under the law. n

Family Ties That Bind?

Phillis Dubois, mid-19th century

During Phillis Dubois’ lifetime, Prudence Crandall

was driven from Canterbury for daring to educate black women. Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison called our state the “Georgia of the North”.

But here, freewoman Phillis Dubois was much more than the esteemed mistress of a hotel kitchen; she rests with the landlord, his wife and daughter under the family monument.

A story of antebellum altruism? Gilded servitude? Or something in between? Here, we explore challenging aspects of our national narrative through people who lived them.

Keeler Tavern

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Your cherished moments start here.

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