Letters to the editor

Reflections bring back great memories

Thank you Evelyn for your stories about Westport's days gone by [Westport News, Aug. 20].

I turned 91 on July 26 so I beat you to some of them by two months. It was especially friendly when you went shopping. Just walking from store to store you knew half the people. You were greeted: "Hi, Jim. How's your mom and dad." The owners not only knew you but you knoew who they were -- mostly family owned.

I thank my grandfather for picking Westport to settle in. He opened a blacksmith shop on Riverside Avenue -- shod horses that pulled the street cars. Married a local girl and raised the family on Crescent Road.

James Feeney

Westport

Editor's note: The Westport News will feature Mr. Feeney's memories of life in Westport in an upcoming installment of its ongoing series, Resident Reflections. Up next week is Mrs. Marianne Leonard. If you know someone who would like to be featured, contact Editor Gary Jeanfaivre at gjeanfaivre@bcnnew.com or 203-255-4561, ext. 111.

Al's Angels needs your help

Many of you who are reading this note have driven or walked over the Saugatuck River Bridge in Westport over the holiday season and delighted in the seasonal lights. I know that there have been countless times when the passersby have asked: "Who does the lights? or "How can I support the lights?"

So many of you with young families have cheered us during the Memorial Day Parade as we paraded with our cool antique cars ... all Angels. Many of you have been witness to the work of Al's Angels in providing hope and care to children and their families ravaged by cancer and rare blood diseases. Sadly there are many in our own Fairfield County who have been wiped out financially due to this incredible hardship. I need your help with an incredible initiative of love and support this year.

Every day another child is diagnosed with life-threatening cancer and rare blood diseases. Sadly the prognosis for these children is not a good one. Cancer and rare blood diseases not only threaten these vulnerable children; the diseases have a devastating impact on the family of the ill child. Many families in the poorest regions in the northeast are faced with the fact that one or both parents must quit their jobs in order to care for their sick or dying child. The financial hardship placed on the family is enormous.

A number of years ago, along with my closest friends and family, we decided that we could not sit idly by and watch this human tragedy. We formed our own 501C3 organization, Al's Angels. Our mission is very clear. We raise money through a series of fundraising appeals so that we can provide the basic comforts of holiday meals (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas) to thousands of afflicted children and their families. Through the incredible support of our loyal donor base we also provide more than 5,000 children with toys during the season. Without these funds and this work these children would have nothing ... no token of joy during the holiday season.

I am asking you to work out and help us raise funds! We are launching an incredible fundraising event on the weekend of Oct. 2 and 3 -- 24 Hours of Hope (www.24HoursofHope.com) is a fitness fundraiser where participants will work out on either elliptical, treadmill, bicycle and/or zumba, yoga or spinning class. Members will recruit sponsors to raise funds by pledging at least $60 per workout hour. We expect hundreds of "angels" to be onsite that weekend raising funds. The event will take place at the Edge Fitness Club, 542 Westport Ave., (behind Bed, Bath & Beyond) in Norwalk from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both days.

For all of those who have wondered how you can take part ... how you can help ... 24 Hours of Hope is your chance to help and support our work. I would greatly appreciate any and all support that you can provide to this event.

It's simple. Just go to our website, www.24hoursofhope.com, and sign up to participate in this event either by creating a team and/or working out individually. If you can't participate physically then please click on donate and make a donation to help our cause.

Thanks so much for your time and support. I'm looking forward to seeing you register online and doing your workout on Oct. 2 and 3. God bless you and your families.

Al DiGuido

Westport

Community there

in times of need

On behalf of the Westport Woman's Club (WWC), and as co-chairs of the WWC Food Closet, we wish to extend our sincere thanks to the Sunrise Rotary for organizing and executing a "Food Drive" at our local Stop & Shop last weekend.

We appreciate all the volunteer members of their group that took part in this endeavor. They gave of their time to hand out "food wish lists" to shoppers as they entered the store. Then, after receiving the purchased donations, they bagged and loaded the groceries for distribution to our "Food Closet" and the Homes With Hope food pantry.

The shoppers were more than generous and the amount of groceries collected was tremendous. We are proud of our community and their selfless generosity to those in need. The demand for food increases during the summer months and this year was no exception.

As an organization, the Westport Woman's Club, working through Human Services at Town Hall, has been able to provide food since 1975, when our "Food Closet" was established. This service can only continue with the support of our community and this past weekend's food drive proved our community is there when needed.

Mother Teresa said, "If you can't feed 100 people, just feed one."

Thank you, again, to the Sunrise Rotary and to the people of our town for helping us feed many.

Wendy McKeon

Karen Center

Co-chairs, WWC Food Closet

Save the Sherwood house

Many Westporters are concerned about the planned demolition of the Virginia Sherwood house on Church Lane.

Not only has the Sherwood family been prominent in Westport affairs over the years, but the house itself was built in 1820 and helps preserve the flavor of old Westport on that street.

Moreover, should a commercial building or parking lot replace it, the congestion that already exists would be exacerbated. Alternatives should be explored.

Will this intrusion on our history ever stop?

Elizabeth Gerteiny

Westport

Cyclists and cars

can co-exist

I read with great interest Mr. Izzo's recent letter about "rogue" bicyclists who blatantly disregard traffic rules as they ride their bikes in a reckless and selfish manner [Westport News, Aug. 25].

I am one of many volunteer ride leaders with the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club and I am also an avid cyclist who has ridden tens of thousands of miles over many years. I completely agree with Mr. Izzo that certain cyclists are riding in a manner that is inappropriate and dangerous both to themselves and to anyone who may get in their way. However, I wish to point out that, in my opinion, these people are in the vast minority of riders who use our roads.

In and out of our club, riders are well aware of the hazards and dangers of riding on roads in Fairfield County, which were certainly not designed with room to comfortably "share the road." Every bicycle rider is aware that should they experience a crash with a motor vehicle, regardless of who is at fault, the bicyclist loses and the results can be catastrophic. Sound Cyclists ride leaders and members are given many hours of instruction in road safety and road rules. Unfortunately, we can't control everyone. Even within a group we are leading there is always the potential for riders to be unaware of their surroundings or to be inconsiderate to others on the road. In those instances, we attempt to quickly identify the offending behavior and effectively nip it in the bud.

Many bicyclists use our roads and the vast majority of these people are aware of and abide by both common sense and legal rules. We don't want a few bad apples to spoil it for everyone.

But how should we deal with those who feel the road rules don't apply to them? My suggestion is to handle it no differently than if a growing number of drivers suddenly decided to blatantly ignore red lights and speed limits. We live in a reward/punishment based society and we do what we can on our end to promote safety. Sometimes this is not enough. I suggest that local police set up checkpoints and give out tickets to those riders who disobey the laws.

I can assure you that if local cyclists were ticketed for running red lights or riding in an unsafe manner, word would spread like wildfire in chat rooms and bike shops everywhere warning cyclists of the need to ride within the law. Of course this enforcement would also need to be enacted on motorists who violate the "three foot law" (PA 08-101), which provides that cars not pass bicycles unless there is at least three feet of clearance available on the side of the bicyclist.

I also wish to implore the town of Westport to correct or repave the patched area of Route 136 just south of the train station. This area is completely unrideable due to the size and irregularity of the repair, which forces bicyclists to ride virtually in the center of the road for almost a mile. The line up of cars impatiently waiting behind or buzzing by a cyclist can be unsettling. On a road which is heavily trafficked by both bicycles and motor vehicles, this situation is a disaster waiting to happen. I have contacted local officials about this back in May, but no apparent action has been taken to date.

Edward Paul, D.D.S.

Westport