Letters to the Editor

Luncheon to benefit Touch of Life Fund

To the Editor:

We are pleased to announce that the Women's Initiative at the New Canaan Community Foundation is holding a luncheon on Feb. 15 at the Roger Sherman Inn to benefit the Touch A Life Fund. Our speaker this year will be Tony Pavia, principal of New Canaan High School who has announced his retirement at the end of this year.

The Touch A Life Fund at the Community Foundation provides emergency financial assistance to individuals in need as identified by staff at New Canaan's Department of Human Services, local schools and other organizations. To date, more than $100,000 has been used to assist residents of all ages with expenses such as fuel and rent bills, food expenses, summer school, camperships, clothing, school supplies and other essential items. The fund is a critical part of the support system we have in town for our residents in need. Supporting this effort directly helps your fellow neighbors.

We would like to recognize the generous underwriting support of Jeanne Gnuse and HTG Investment Advisors. We would also like to acknowledge committee members working to organize the event, chaired by Dorcas Hills and Liza Pohle. Thanks go to Paula Addeo, Cindy Charas, Jeanne Gnuse, Diane Hanauer, Kim Healey, Lindsey Heron, Hope Hetherington, Sara Hunt, Cathy Irwin, Kristen Leopold and Susie Repko.

Tickets to the Luncheon are $50, which covers only the cost of the event. Additional contributions to benefit the fund are encouraged. If you would like to receive an invitation, please call the office at 203-966-0231. Registrations may also be made online at www.newcanaancf.org.

Cynthia Gorey

NCCF Executive Director

Stop wasteful spending

To the Editor:

Since September 2010, I have attended most periodic meetings of the Long Range Planning Committee (formerly the Town Center Planning Group) and participated in its Nov. 22 public forum and the Jan. 19 public workshop.

To my utter dismay, $25,000 of our local tax dollars have been squandered for an unnecessary Phase One "Scope of Work" project. There was very little justification for such wasteful spending. New Canaan taxpayers and residents derived extremely limited value for the $25,000 paid to outside consultants. There is an abundance of experience and talent in New Canaan from which the LRPC could have formed a pro-bono team to develop the Phase One "Scope of Work" study (this was amply demonstrated by the recent efforts of the New Canaan Senior Health Care and Housing Development Team ably chaired by Jim Lisher).

The LRPC is poised to request approval for a much larger sum of money (estimated to be between $150,000 adn $250,000) to craft a document for Phase Two of this project. This is definitely not the way we want our local tax dollars to be wasted. We should expect our locally elected and appointed persons to always exercise impeccable fiscal prudence and responsible decision-making.

If you are a concerned New Canaan taxpayer, please get involved and communicate to your Board of Selectmen, Town Council, Board of Finance and Long Range Planning Committee to voice your objections and to have them put a permanent end to the wasteful spending of our local tax dollars. Thank you.

Frederick Chang

New Canaan

NCNC is a town `treasure'

To the Editor:

Like many residents of New Canaan, I deeply value the resources that make our town such a special place to live. One of our uniquely special resources is the New Canaan Nature Center, which has been a treasure to so many families for 50 years now.

Generations of young children form their earliest outdoor memories and make their first connections with nature on the 40 acres of educational and environmental wonderment. Countless teens and adults alike can explore their interests, learn or volunteer with friends. Education literally comes to life for hundreds of school-age children who get to spend time on site and "hands on" with professional naturalists and more than 40 live animals.

It's hard to imagine that less than an hour from New York City young families have the chance to tap a maple tree and help turn sap into rich New England maple syrup. In the heart of New Canaan we can experience the "owl moon" on a winter night hike and gather around a campfire at dusk to celebrate the summer solstice. Where else can people of all ages come to learn, play and explore 365 days a year with no admission fee? Have you been lately?

I'm writing this letter as a reminder to the community of how special the Nature Center makes our town by enriching our lives, our children's lives and our landscape. As a 25-year resident of New Canaan, a volunteer and past president of the board of our nature center, I am unabashedly plugging support for our wonderful 40-acre oasis on Oenoke. Our support is critical and I hope that you'll join me in giving generously to the annual appeal this year. You can give online at www.NewCanaanNature.org, but I encourage you to visit the center and make your gift in person. While on site, walk the trails, listen to the birds, explore the many habitats and remind yourself of what a special resource the Nature Center is to our wonderful community.

Joe Merrill

New Canaan