TOWN BRIEFS
‘Touch A Truck’ at Veterans Memorial Park
Stamford Downtown, in conjunction with various City of Stamford departments, will sponsor a free event during the school spring break.
Touch A Truck is a family-friendly event designed to allow children to explore, climb and touch vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
The Stamford Fire Department, Stamford Police Department, Stamford Emergency Services and City of Stamford Operations Department will have on hand emergency and rescue vehicles as well as other city vehicles.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 17 at Veterans Memorial Park, 130 Atlantic St.
For details, call 203348-5285 or email events@stamford-downtown.com.
Eclipse extravaganza at Nature Center
Experience the Great North American Eclipse of 2024 at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center from 1 to 4:30 p.m. April 8. According to a release from the Nature Center “this will be North America’s only chance to witness a total solar eclipse within the next 20 years, with Connecticut the closest it will ever be to the path of totality within many of our lifetimes.”
Stamford will experience nearly 92 percent totality at 3:26 p.m., the release states, at which time the sun will resemble the slightest crescent moon. Those at the Nature Center will measure the drop in temperature from the eclipse’s start to its point of greatest totality. There will be science experiments, presentations, crafts and, of course, places to safely view the eclipse.
A complete list of programs and details will be available as the event approaches. Viewing glasses are available for reservation by Director’s Circle Members only.
Registration is not required and the program is free.
Stamford native serving Navy in helicopter squadron
Petty Officer 2nd Class Lucio Lionetti, a native of Stamford, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 49.
According to a statement from the Navy Office of Community Outreach, Lionetti said the “skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Stamford.
“I worked in construction and that taught me a lot about keeping my head down and keeping a goal in sight,” said Lionetti in the release. “Sometimes it can feel like what you are doing in the Navy doesn’t really have a big purpose, but a lot of little things go into building something great. It is an exceptional feeling to be a part of the Navy.” Lionetti joined the Navy a little over four years ago. Today, he serves as a naval aircrewman.
Passover fair at synagogue
Congregation Agudath Sholom, 301 Strawberry Hill Ave., in Stamford, will host a Passover Fair presented by the synagogue’s men’s club at 10 a.m. Sunday. The event will include Brent the Cheese Guy, Hedy the Hat Lady, a wine tasting and more.
The Passover fair will precede a CAS Youth Pesach Mystery Show at 11:30 a.m. That event is geared toward junior detectives ages 3 to 7. For more information on the fair, visit www.cas-stamford.org.
To register for the mystery show, visit cas-stamford.org/event.html?key= S20240312123832239.
Sunrise of Stamford becomes Benchmark Senior Living
An 83-apartment assisted living community at 251 Turn of River Road will now be called Benchmark at Stamford.
The largest senior living provider in New England recently announced it is the new operator of the former Sunrise of Stamford, an assisted living community.
With the new location in Stamford, the company now operates 65 senior living communities throughout the Northeast, including 20 in Connecticut and eight in Fairfield County. The company offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and respite care.
Benchmark operates centers in Brookfield, Fairfield, Redding, Ridgefield, Shelton, Stamford and Trumbull.
“We’re excited to bring to Benchmark at Stamford the high-quality care and services that Benchmark has built its reputation on for the last 26 years,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark.
In addition to 83 apartments offering everything from independent assisted living to memory care assisted living, Benchmark at Stamford offers a wide variety of common spaces and boasts several indoor and outdoor dining areas, including a dining room, bistro and private dining room. It also includes a large lobby, library, sun porch, multiple recreation rooms, fitness center and hair salon.