NEIGHBORHOODS
What’s going on in your part of Greenwich
Greenwich
Do you take endless photos in town? Amateur photographers are invited to take part in the second annual Community Photo Contest sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The theme for the contest is “For the Love of Parks and Recreation.”
“Over the past two years, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand for our parks and public spaces. As a result, our team has worked diligently to safely maintain these areas,” the Department of Parks and Recreation said in a statement. Photo submissions should express “what you love most about our public parks and recreational facilities.”
The images must be taken in Greenwich and be of parks and recreation facilities, programs or events. The deadline is July 31 to submit up to four photographs. The contest is open to nonresidents.
To submit entries, visit www.greenwichct.gov/ photocontest. All submissions should be high resolution originals and not use any filters. Recent photos are preferred but they can be from any season.
“We encourage community
members to show off their photography skills, while also showing us what they love about Greenwich,” Parks and Recreation Director, Joseph Siciliano said. “We are really looking forward to seeing what participants capture during this year’s photo contest.”
Submitted photos may be used in online and print marketing materials.
The first prize is a foursome golf certificate for the Griffith E. Harris municipal golf course. Second prize is five single entry parking tickets for Greenwich’s 2022 beach season and one single entry parking ticket. The third prize is a parks and recreation gift basket.
Riverside
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich has been working to help Afghan refugees settle in town and the surrounding area after they were forced to flee their country last year.
On Wednesday at its annual summer event, the nonprofit honored a group of 10 volunteers for their with the resettlement project.
“It’s really incredible what they’ve been doing,” said Rachel Kornfeld, the CEO of
JFS. “The Afghan placement program is different from anything else. It’s a 24-hour volunteer job that none of us really expected was going to be so challenging and also so rewarding. Our volunteers literally came together to help us plan and implement every aspect of our resettlement process.”
The honored volunteers are Julia Allen; Wayne Atwell; Rosanne Berman; Diane Effros; Amy and David Fischer; the Rev. Karen Halac of North Greenwich Congregational Church; the Rev. Edward Horstmann, senior minister at Round Hill Community Church; Claudia Leicht-Schipper; and Bruce Winningham.
It was a massive volunteer effort: Helping the Afghan refugees meant finding them places to live, getting their kids get into school and assisting with job searches.
“Once we secured those apartments it was a team of staff and volunteers that carried every piece of furniture, filled every pantry and made every bed,” Kornfeld said. “Every single aspect of the resettlement process had touch points from volunteers.”
Committees were formed to help with driving, meals, setting up finances and getting lessons in English.
“Every piece of the puzzle was driven in tandem by staff and volunteers,” Kornfeld said. “It’s taken a very special person to stay the course. It’s a lot of work and it can be very intense and challenging since we’re dealing with people who have had their lives turned upside down in a strange culture in a strange place. Those that are being honored have really stayed the course and stuck with this. It’s really incredible.”
According to Kornfeld, there are nine Afghan refugees living in Greenwich, 23 refugees in Stamford and 10 refugees in East Hartford.
Downtown
After many extensions from the town to Neighbor to Neighbor to rent the small building in the Horseneck Parking Lot, officials say it has been extended again — for the final time — to Aug. 31.
On June 23, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved extending the lease, which was set to expire June 30.
Town Administrator Ben Branyan told the selectmen that this would be the last extension because construction is almost finished on the new home for Neighbor to Neighbor. The nonprofit has been using the downtown structure as its main headquarters for distributing food to residents in need since last fall.
Work has been ongoing on its new permanent facility on the Christ Church Greenwich campus, but there have been delays due to supply chain issues. The ribbon-cutting for the new Cohen Center for Neighbor to Neighbor is set for 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at 248 E. Putnam Ave. at the church, which previously housed the nonprofit in a basement. The new 6,363-square-foot facility will offer improved accessibility as well as wider aisles, expanded refrigerator and freezer space, and more storage for the food bank.
The building is named for Greenwich residents Steve and Alexandra Cohen, who made a $1.5 million donation through their foundation.
The 2022-23 municipal budget had initially included $600,000 to demolish of the Horseneck structure, which was built in 2011 to house the Greenwich Fire Department while the downtown station was built. But that funding was cut, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich will use it for its administration and storage during a major renovation planned for its home across the street.
In April, the selectmen unanimously approved a lease with the Club for the facility from Sept. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2024, with an option to extend until May 31, 2025.
Central Greenwich
At this year’s Memorial Day parade in Old Greenwich, members of the Putnam Hill chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution took part with some of the town’s young patriotic citizens.
Members of the Mary Bush Society and Children of the American Revolution grabbed a ride on the float sponsored by the Putnam Hill chapter. Before the parade, the students posed with a replica of Putnam Cottage, also known as Knapp’s Tavern, which dates to the 1690s.
“It is important for children and young adults to reflect on veterans of wars who have fought for all our rights and privileges,” said Katie Sumner from the CAR. “It is important especially with the current events for everyone to understand how fragile our democracy can sometimes be, how these basic rights can be changed. This is a lesson of how the upcoming generation understands their responsibility to vote as everyone’s voice is important.”
Members of the DAR can trace their family directly to a Revolutionary War patriot. Anyone who is interested in joining the Putnam Hill chapter can learn more by visiting www.putnamhilldar.org.