Did You Hear - NewCanaanite.com
Transcription
Did You Hear - NewCanaanite.com
Did You Hear … ? New Canaan Police on Monday investigated a residential, daytime burglary on Birchwood Avenue. Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said that force was used to enter the house, no alarm was set and it’s not yet clear if anything was taken. New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski On Tuesday, police began investigating a similar burglary on Old Stamford Road. The incidents are promoting Krolikowski to urge residents to always set their home and vehicle alarms, lock up, secure all valuables and report suspicious people and vehicles to the police via 9-1-1. Here’s a full list of ways to “Beat the Burglars,” from the chief. *** We’re hearing that a woman became enraged and began berating workers at a Main Street business on Saturday when she suspected they somehow had coerced her son into leaving a $2.03 tip on a $7.97 purchase. Main Street in happier days, during the 1960s (don’t say ’50s). Syd Greenberg photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society The boy entered the shop on his own with a $10 bill and put the change into a tip jar. Shortly after returning to his mother, the woman came storming into the shop and demanded the change back. The confused workers promptly complied—the woman left the three cents, telling the employees that’s what they deserved. *** The NCPD Animal Control section at 6:59 a.m. on Nov. 24 responded to a report of a decapitated wild rabbit on Scofield Lane. Officer Allyson Halm said: “Owls and hawks love brains, so they usually take the head first.” Enter for your chance to win a free safe ash disposal container, courtesy of the New Canaan Fire Contributed Department. *** Reminder: the New Canaan Fire Department is holding a free drawing for three metal ash disposal buckets, courtesy of New Canaan Firefighters and Weed & Duryea. Entry forms can be obtained at Weed & Duryea, at New Canaan Fire Headquarters or by sending your name and address to the New Canaan Firefighters at [email protected]. New Canaan residents only. The drawing for the ash cans will be Dec. 12. Rendering of Saxe Middle School auditorium post-renovation. *** Town resident Michael Nowacki said he intends to garner 50 signatures from registered voters and property owners to meet an anticipated Dec. 10 deadline for an intent to file referendum petition on the $18.6 million Saxe Middle School building project allocation. Nowacki said he likely will then need to garner some 650 signatures by Jan. 2 in order to prompt the referendum vote itself. *** Selectman Nick Williams had to hurry up and catch a train into New York City just before the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday was wrapping up. Before bolting, he told his colleagues—Firs Selectman Rob Mallozzi, a fellow Republican, and Selectman Beth Jones, a Democrat—that he was scheduled to have “lunch with President Clinton.” Jones quipped with a smile: “Well, aren’t you open-minded.” The DEANE’s team raised over a thousand dollars for the Movember project in support of men’s health. Contributed *** Things got hairy over at Deane during the month of November. The Deane team raised over $1,000 for the ‘Movember’ project in support of men’s health. There is still time to donate to this great cause: http://moteam.co/deane-inc. A shout-out of thanks to all those who donated and to G Albert on Elm for the end-of-program shaves. From the 2015 NCHS Boys Alumni Soccer Game. Photo by Al Morano (who started the event some 15 years ago) *** The annual NCHS Boys’ Alumni Soccer Game was held last Wednesday night at Dunning Stadium. The “old guys” won 5-3, with all the scoring done in the second half. Pictured left to right are: PJ Morano 06′, Matthias Hunkeler ’06, Patrick Randall ’06. From the 2015 New Canaan High School Alumni Soccer Game. Contributed We’re hearing that Steven Valente ’13 and Max Potter ’15 each scored a pair of goals for the alumni, and that Connor Ashley and Andrew Gibbons had goals for the varsity side. We also hear that “there were a few injuries amongst the senior citizens.” *** It’s a Halloween tradition for many students to have a class party, where they make crafts and enjoy the treats of the season. Standing, 5th graders L-R: A.J. Woldman, Adam Parrino, Ned Ravanesi, Janie Slocum, Trey Hartnett, Laura Martins, Bear Morris, Alexa Alexander, Charlie Harrison. Seated, NC Inn residents, L-R: Betty DeAraujo, Jane Corcoran, and Virginia Lamborn. Contributed However, this year, Mrs. Devine’s and Mrs. Line’s 5th graders at Saxe Middle School chose instead to do a community outreach project. The residents of the New Canaan Inn were the recipients of fleece scarves, hand-made by the students. The “special delivery,” was made November 6th, where the students were surprised by treats after all: homemade cookies from the residents. Friends and memories were made by all. As student Trey Hartnett said, “If felt good to see them actually wearing the scarves, and to talk to them about their lives. The cookies were really good too.” CERT members helped in the VFW Post 653 effort to place wreaths on the gravestones of veterans buried in Lakeview and other New Canaan cemeteries on Saturday, Nov. 28. Pictured: Diane Palmento, Jaclyn Cerretani, Faith Shepard, Nancy Upton, Beth Reifers, Michael Bruneau, The Pavlov Family, Lauren Cerretani, Harold Schwartz, and Anthony Cerretani. Not pictured are Jinx Aliprandi, Irene Swanson and Cindy Ziegler. Contributed *** Individual volunteers joined groups that include CERT, New Canaan Fire, Boy Scouts and other service organizations in supporting VFW Post 653’s effort to place wreaths on the graves of every veteran buried in New Canaan. Firefighters handled 13 different cemeteries in town, with veterans from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam interred there. Here’s a photo album from New Canaan firefighter Sveinn Bragason. An envelope that was sent to the New Canaan Parking Bureau with payment for a fine. *** At right is an envelope recently received by the Parking Bureau that included payment for a fine. *** Rob Perkin presented Sgt. Aaron LaTourette and Officer Bryan Connolly with awards for the Police Department’s annual shoot, sponsored by the Perkin family. Connolly earned the Perkin Shoot Trophy with a score of 396, LaTourette the Commissioner’s Shoot Award with a score of 399. Rob Perkin (L) and New Canaan Police Sgt. Aaron LaTourette at the Nov. 18, 2015 Police Commission meeting. Michael Dinan Credit: “I salute you all for what you are doing. And on behalf of my family, I would like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving,” Perkin said at the Nov. 18 Police Commission meeting. “My father would be very proud of all that is being done at Police headquarters for the community of New Canaan.” Graham (L) and Lilly Butler (R) with Betsy and Snaffles Jesup at Handwright Gallery on Main Street. Contributed *** The New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Holiday Stroll kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, and one highlight will be the gingerbread houses decorated by local kids and families, placed in the windows of storefronts downtown. Berkshire Hathaway and Ashley Howell Petraska invite the public to visit their office at 98 Park St. during the Holiday Stroll on December 4 from. Petraska, recently promoted to Director of Business Development and Sales, plans to welcome guests to warm up by the courtyard fire pit, roast marshmallows, and sip on hot cider or cocktails as they enjoy holiday music and appetizers. Author and former Paris Bureau Chief to the New York Times Elaine Sciolino greets locals at “Find: The Lifestyle Collection” at 107 Cherry St. Contributed *** New Canaan’s Krista Fox hosted an event last week at her interior design and retail shop at 107 Cherry St. with author and former Paris Bureau Chief to the New York Times Elaine Sciolino. We’ hearing the studio was packed and that participants had a wonderful discussion. Guests from New Canaan and surrounding towns asked about Sciolino’s new book the “Only Street in Paris” and to hear her thoughts on recent Paris and world events. Marianne Director, Kay, Preschool Meredith Ahlberg, Preschool teacher & Anna Zielinski, Assistant Preschool Director & teacher. Contributed *** The New Canaan Nature Center Preschool recently received an Outstanding Organization of the Year Award from the Connecticut Outdoor & Environmental Education Association. The preschool was recognized for exceptional work in, or support of, the field of outdoor and environmental education, plus its dedication to using the outdoors and natural world as a catalyst to expand environmental appreciation in the children and adults of Connecticut. Well-Loved New Canaanites Recalled at Peter M. Deane Fitness Center Rededication New Canaan resident Pete Deane, Jr. remembers a saying his late father had: “You make a living by what you earn. You make a life by what you give.” As his friends and family recall, the late Peter Deane—a 1959 New Canaan High School graduate and standout athlete who long oversaw the family business, Kitchens by Deane, and died suddenly in 1990—gave back to the community in scores of ways, by connecting with and helping people from all backgrounds, through nonprofit organizations and a gregarious natural instinct. Peter Deane’s family was on hand for the June 7, 2014 rededication of the Peter M. Deane Fitness Center at New Canaan High School. L-R, front row: Peter Corcoran, Griffin Deane, Chris Corcoran; back row: Carrie (Deane) Corcoran, Ingrid Deane, Pete Deane Jr. and Brooke Deane. Credit: Michael Dinan On Saturday morning, Deane’s family gathered with a handful of his closest friends and fellow NCHS ’59 grads and their families, for the rededication of the NCHS fitness center named for him. Created in Deane’s memory through donations to our All Sports Booster Club (est. 1976)—mostly recently with a generous gift from the Dauk family of New Canaan—the center ranks among the very best in the state. Since the high school’s major capital project in 2005, the plaque commemorating the fitness center had been in storage. During ceremonies led Saturday by New Canaan Athletic Director Jay Egan—who noted that New Canaan High School maintenance worker John Hannigan had spent two days touching up the newly re-installed plaque—Deane himself was recalled for the many lives he touched. This plaque now is installed outside the fitness center at New Canaan High School. With funds raised in Peter Deane’s memory and overseen by the high school’s only All Sports Booster Club, the fitness center is known as one of the finest in Connecticut. New Canaan Athletic Director Jay Egan said during a June 7, 2014 ceremony: “The Booster Club has continued to refurbish and resupply the equipment and when we go inside you can see that it is probably safe to say that it is still the best high school fitness center in the state, and the feedback we get from most of our athletes is even when they go off to college sometimes, the facility that they have there is not quite what they had in high school, so we’re very proud to have it and we’re very proud to have this plaque back up here so that everyone knows the story.” Credit: Michael Dinan “He excelled in football, basketball, baseball and track,” Egan said, reading from a dedicatory statement that will be mounted on the wall beside the plaque itself (full text below). “For many years he held the record for the longest touchdown run from scrimmage for the varsity Rams football team and was a member of the state champion basketball team.” “Following graduation, Peter married local beauty Ingrid Girard and began a career in the kitchen design and construction business. He eventually started his own company in that field and was soon recognized as the standard against which all others were measured. Pete and Ingrid produced daughter Carrie and son Peter, Jr. who went on to impressive athletic accomplishments of their own at NCHS and beyond. As he achieved success and recognition in his chosen profession, Pete found numerous avenues for public service and contributed to the town of New Canaan in many ways.” The Dauk family is a generous supporter of the Peter M. Deane Fitness Center at New Canaan High School, including through an All Sports Booster Club donation that led to five new elliptical machines at the facility. Pictured here are Peter Dauk’s (class of 1954) widow Nancy Dauk and his son, John. Credit: Michael Dinan As Deane’s survivors and friends recalled, the honored man’s best friend in high school was Paul Dauk. Part of the ceremony included acceptance and recognition to the memory of Paul’s older brother, Peter Dauk, whose family again through the All Sports Booster Club purchased new fitness equipment for the center. Peter Dauk, Egan said, was a 1954 New Canaan High School graduate and president of his class who played football under coach Joe Sikorski. He was New Canaan’s “first all-state player in his senior year, when they won the state championship,” Egan said, and was also a baseball standout and in basketball was the league’s leading scorer who set several longstanding records. Classmates of Deane’s who were on hand for the ceremony, with their families, included Dave Elders, Mike Hobbs, Carlton “Skip” Raymond, Joe Rucci and Walter Stewart. Asked for memories of the old gang, Hobbs said with a smile and perhaps a hint of pride: “This was not the MENSA group that you’re seeing here.” Friends (including several 1959 NCHS grads) and family gathered at the Peter M. Deane Fitness Center at New Canaan High School on June 7, 2014 for a rededication ceremony, L-R: Walter Stewart, John Dauk (son of Peter Dauk and nephew of Paul Dauk, Deane’s best friend at NCHS), Ingrid Deane, Joe Rucci, Dave Elders, Skip Raymond and Mike Hobbs. Credit: Michael Dinan “We had a good time. Everybody that you see here was an athlete,” he said, adding that Elders was the best hockey player in the class. “Peter knew everybody and was a tremendous contributor to the town,” Hobbs said. “It’s an unusual thing for a group to have been together as long as this group was together with Pete, and I think it’s a tribute kind of to who he was that everybody wanted to try and find a way so that he didn’t just go away.” It’s an effort that Deane’s widow, Ingrid (Girard) Deane, said touches her deeply. “I was taken aback that they were going to rededicate, once more, and it just fills my heart with such happiness because so many young people are enjoying this fitness center, and number two, and it’s so wonderful today, so many more students are taking care of themselves better with sports, exercising the right way,” she said. “It’s terrific and I was just delighted when I heard about the Dauk family, whom I knew, Peter Dauk’s family, who dedicated money for the machines this morning, his brother Paul was my husband Peter’s best friend in high school. All of these friends. It’s terrific. I just can’t believe that, number one, it has grown so, and then listening to Jay this morning say this is probably the best in the state, if not the country. I am totally taken aback by it and so proud. And so proud of Peter’s wonderful friends, first of all, that got together after he died and all the wonderful work they did to make this a possibility. Talk about good friends. And doers. I love them all.” That includes Joe Rucci, who recalls his time for about two decades with Deane in the Rotary Club of New Canaan, and about how his friend “was always helping people.” “He was always outgoing,” Rucci recalled. “I had a lot of fun with Peter, whether it was the time we took his mother’s convertible and tooled around and then he backed it into the fence in the yard, or the time he had a brand-new Mercedes”—(here Rucci pointed to his pal Hobbs and said, “Mike remembers”)—“he had a brand-new Mercedes, I took the hubcap off it and auctioned it at the Rotary Club meeting. I mean we just had a lot of fun. What comes to mind when I think of Pete is helping other people. As a Rotarian, whether it was selling lobster tickets or selling charcoal, he would always be in there 100 percent.” He was also an absolutely exceptional, gifted athlete, recalled Raymond, who played quarterback for the Rams while Deane played fullback (and whose own father, Pete Raymond, a 1933 NCHS grad, played basketball with the 1933 and state champion team). “We didn’t beat Darien in the four years that I played,” Raymond recalled with a wistful look, moments before the rededication. “Peter was a very good basketball player. And then he did track and baseball. So Peter was really a fourletter athlete. Unfortunately he had a heart attack and died too damn early.” His son, Pete Jr., said he was very touched when he heard from Egan about the planned rededication ceremony. “I give a lot of credit to Jay for putting this together and getting us all together, because when we get together like this it brings back a lot of great memories and to be here with my dad’s friends is really special,” he said. Here is the full text of the dedication for the Peter M. Deane Fitness Center at NCHS: Peter moved with his family from Darien to New Canaan when he was in elementary school. As he progressed through the public school system, he developed into an exceptional athlete. He excelled in football, basketball, baseball and track. For many years he held the record for the longest touchdown run from scrimmage for the varsity Rams football team and was a member of the state champion basketball team. Following graduation, Peter married local beauty Ingrid Girard and began a career in the kitchen design and construction business. He eventually started his own company in that field and was soon recognized as the standard against which all others were measured. Pete and Ingrid produced daughter Carrie and son Peter, Jr. who went on to impressive athletic accomplishments of their own at NCHS and beyond. As he achieved success and recognition in his chosen profession, Pete found numerous avenues for public service and contributed to the town of New Canaan in many ways. He had a large number of friends and from every segment of the town’s population, he was a much admired citizen. On July 28, 1991 Pete suffered a massive heart attack with no warning and died immediately. The shock of his death was felt most deeply by his family, but did not spare his friends and acquaintances. The line outside Hoyt’s Funeral Home was one of the longest in memory as the townspeople tried to digest this tragic and untimely loss. A group of Peter’s friends started to meet informally to explore a worthy memorial to this exceptional man. After several unsuccessful ideas, Paul Dauk, Dave Elders, Mike Hobbs, Skip Raymond, Joe Rucci and Brock Saxe, classmates since third grade, met with NCHS Athletic Director Vinnie Iovino and agreed that a state-of-the-art fitness facility available to all students at New Canaan High School would be an appropriate and fitting memorial to Pete’s life. As the group moved into fundraising mode, they quickly discovered that the mention of Peter’s name and a description of the proposed fitness center produced a large number of enthusiastic donors and the substantial cost of the project was quickly raised. There were several large contributions, but the most gratifying part of the effort was the sheer number of people who wanted to honor Pete. Vinnie oversaw the construction and equipping of the facility, which was dedicated with Ingrid, Carrie and Peter, Jr. standing proudly at the entrance on Nov. 21, 1992. At the time it was the finest high school fitness center in the state, setting a standard for other schools to follow. The center was decommissioned during the major reconstruction of the High School building in 2005, but rose again, new and improved in a new location, with the same mission and still in memory of one of New Canaan’s finest athletes and citizens, Peter M. Deane. Jay: Booster Club has continued to refurbish and resupply the equipment and when we go inside you can see that it is probably safe to say that it is still the best high school fitness center in the state, and the feedback we get from most of our athletes is even when they go off to college sometimes, the facility that they have there is not quite what they had in high school, so we’re very proud to have it and we’re very proud to have this plaque back up here so that everyone knows the story.