Author: Webmaster (Page 47 of 92)
About: Friends of Selleck’s Woods
The Friends’ mission is to protect Selleck’sWoods as a nature preserve and as a place for quiet recreation where: some may find a source of personal renewal, and the young, a source of wonder and growth. The Friends are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cares for the Woods on behalf of the Darien Parks & Recreation Commission
How you can contribute:
Monetary contributions are always welcomed and volunteers are encouraged to help and participate in any one of a number of activities detailed on the Friends’ website.
DMA Volunteers:
Chris Filmer (President)
About:
Hyde Leadership Charter School (Bronx, NY) – https://www.hydebronxny.org/
Hyde’s mission is to develop the deeper character and unique potential of each student. Using the Hyde process of Family-Based Character Education, Hyde will unite students, families, and teachers in helping each child achieve his or her best. Rigorous learning attitudes, leadership skills, and a social conscience lay the foundation for success in college and fulfillment in life.
How you can contribute:
Hyde-Bronx needs financial support to be able to provide a college preparatory program that approaches what Darien students receive. The school can often use volunteers, e.g. to read to the youngest children and to help run special programs. There is usually room on the Board of Trustees for an additional, motivated trustee.
DMA Volunteers:
Cliff van Voorhees led the team that obtained the charter for this school in 2006, then served as the school’s COO and assisted the Board of Trustees. Our late member, Wilder Baker, was an active and dedicated trustee in whose name there is a fund to support alumni in college (90+% of our graduates) with small scholarships when they have trouble buying books or covering other essential expenses. Steve Cary, who has yet to join the DMA but is known to many of us, also served as a trustee for some time, and George Hawes has also been very supportive of the school with his time and resources.
Chip and Stuart Weismiller Everyday Entrepreneur Venture Fund https://www.
This topic was tabled.
There have been numerous articles in the business press about the impact of climate change on business and investing. Lots of talk about CC at Davos.
It is more complicated than buy green, sell brown. Think
- ratings agencies
- attracting young employees
- consumer boycotts
- government regulations
- investor divestitures
- carbon taxes
- real estate
- muni bonds
- insurance
- PSGE was bankrupted by the fires. Unimaginable a couple of years ago.
- I was in Council Bluffs last fall. The spring floods never receded. Farmers couldn’t plant, hence could pay their taxes. Yet the municipalities have the fixed costs of schools, police, etc.
- Think of the cost of rebuilding roads, airports, ports. All the NY airports are on low ground.
- Blackrock’s & others new ESG funds.
It isn’t all defensive – there are opportunities.
No matter what you believe about climate change, it will impact your portfolio.
Here is a link to an academic paper from NYU. Sunil will explain the equation on p6.
About the Carver Foundation of Norwalk
Carver’s mission is to close opportunity gaps for all children and to ensure they graduate high school on time and ready for college and careers. Carver combines a set of key partnerships between school districts and their highly skilled educators, community organizations and parents to deliver after-school, summer and community programs that consistently demonstrate striking results. This academic year, Carver is serving more than 2,500 students, operating in 17 K-12 Norwalk Public Schools, the Carver Community Center, and the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport. Since 2005, 100% of Carver seniors have graduated on time. Over the last three years, over 95% of Carver seniors enroll in college immediately following graduation. Visit their website at: Carver Norwalk
How You Can Contribute
Carver can always use donations and volunteers.
Carver volunteers are tutors, mentors, homework helpers, career counselors, and other skill-specific project leaders who offer their support, feedback and praise. The community center utilizes individual and groups of volunteers for community events such as Career Fairs, talent contests, student and family awards ceremonies, holiday celebrations, food drives, etc. Corporate teams produce daylong events for our youth and undertake extensive renovation and cleanup projects. Carver dedicates one staff person to volunteer management.
Carver held a Connections cocktail party to introduce Darien residents to Carver last October at the home of DMA member Hugh Montgomery and Callie Sullivan. Patrick Steele and John Hess were on the organizing committee as was State Representative Terrie Woods. Several DMA members attended. Carver will hold another Connections party in Darien later this year. Anyone interested in attending or learning more about Carver should contact Patrick Steele at 203 856 3689 or psteele235@gmail.com
DMA Participants
Patrick Steele
About:
Darien TV79 is the Town’s government and community television station. It is available to Darien residents on Cablevision / Optimum and online via Vimeo .
Staffed by volunteers and paid camera operators, TV79 covers up to fifteen government meetings each week, usually airing them live as they happen and repeating them beginning each Friday when our new program schedule gets underway.
All programming on TV79 is aired “gavel to gavel” without editing. TV79 follows guidelines approved by the Board of Selectmen and is funded by the Town and cable subscribers.
All meetings since 2016 are available on demand on our Vimeo Channel.
Older meetings are archived and accessible at the Darien Library. For more information please contact us at DarienTV79@gmail.com.
Visit their website: Darien TV79
How you can participate:
The Town’s government TV station welcomes those interested in training as camera operators, video producers and viewers! Help us help our town stay better informed.
DMA Participants:
Dave Dever (General Manager)
Jim Cameron (Program Director)
Mike Wheeler
Dave Dever
Jim Cameron
What Future 5 is All About
We believe that every young person who climbs our stairs has potential to lead a fulfilling life. We believe it is never too late to help shape the life of a young person, regardless of economic or family circumstances.We believe in the power of connection and the importance of belonging to a caring community. Over the last 10 years, Future 5 has helped more than 530+ students achieve their academic, career and life goals by connecting them to Coaches, College, the Community, Careers, and most importantly, their own Character.
Future 5 worked with 232 Students
158 High School + 67 College + 7 Alternative Pathway
100% of Future 5 high school seniors graduated.
91% of Future 5 students “landed with a plan.”
56 Seniors received 266 Acceptances to 67 Colleges and Universities.
Students received more than $750,000 in scholarship funds.
Students contributed more than 1,330 hours of community service.
Visit their website at Future 5
How you can contribute:
They are looking for donations and also mentors/tutors.
Who at DMA is involved
Ed Sweeney
Alec Wiggin
John King
Jay Bennett
Rob Roberto
Robert Austin Martella, a longtime Darien resident and WWII veteran, passed peacefully on February 4, 2020 at the age of 94. Bob was born in Port Chester, NY on June 24, 1925, the son of Austin B. Martella and Florence Murray. His father was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps in WWI and, when his time came, Bob was proud to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Bob’s mom was also a huge influence, instilling in him the importance of family that he would carry and celebrate for the rest of his life.
Bob graduated from Port Chester High School in Port Chester, NY. After high school, eager to join the war effort like so many of his older friends and classmates, he convinced his dad to write a letter to the local recruiting office giving permission for Bob to enlist, which was needed because he was only 17 years old! During WWII he spent three years with the 5th Air Forces, Signal Corps Division, and was awarded three Bronze Service Stars for his campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines. After returning from the Pacific Bob married Janet L. Werring on August 27, 1949 and they spent their first year living together at Tusculum College in Tennessee.
After living in Rye and Yorktown Heights they settled in Darien in 1972 where they stayed for the remainder of their lives. This time together saw them easily eclipse the Golden Anniversary mark as in the end they were married for 69 years.
Bob worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance in New York City for over 36 years. He was very active as a troop leader in the Boy Scouts and, along with his wife Janet, a volunteer with Pegasus Therapeutic Riding program. He loved gardening and tinkering around the house, but his favorite hobby by far was boating. In addition to indulging this passion he also donated countless hours helping out (and hanging out) at The Darien Boat Club.
We will miss Bob’s avid storytelling and his enthusiasm for life’s little moments, from sharing cocktails on the deck with his beloved wife to presiding over family barbecues to celebrating every conceivable holiday on the calendar.
Bob is survived by his children Robert (Linda), Suzanne, Barbara Morehouse (Hank), Karen and Charles (Ariadna). He was a proud grandfather of Lauren, Evan, Leal, Diego and Sofia. His sister Pam Flanagan resides in Greenwich, CT.
The family would like to thank Darien EMS Post 53, the nurses of Waveny Home Health Care and Visiting Angels of Stamford.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Thomas Moore Church in Darien on Monday, February 10th.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, c/o Candice
Sciarrillo, 310 Peach Lake Road, Brewster, NY 10509-1715 (www.pegasustr.org/donate/)
or Darien EMS Post 53, P.O. Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820 (www.post53.info)
As you can imagine, for someone who has been wearing prison greens for years, proper civilian clothing is a must and is sorely needed. (New York, which is not atypical, gives a released inmate only $40 and a bus ticket home.) This year’s drive will take place on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 before our regular meeting.
Just bring those gently worn items (suits, ties, shirts, pants, sweaters, coats, etc.) that’s been clogging up your closet to the DCA parking lot before our meeting on May 4. A Hudson Link van will be waiting to take it to the Hudson Link office in Ossining, where it will be Ossining office where it will change someone’s life. It will be much appreciated!
It costs $60,000/yr to incarcerate a person. The NY the recidivism rate is 43% – a stunning waste of money and lives. However, Hudson Link, through counseling, education, and help with reentry, has a recidivism rate of just 2%. Part of the help with reentry is a professional wardrobe that can help land a job and find housing.
Last year the clothing drive was a huge success. Let’s make it happen again.
Arranged by Pete Wells
Hudson Link has spoken at DMA twice:
Damian Rossney and Billy Seales,Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison,Wednesday, April 18, 2018
To find out more see: www.hudsonlink.org