Letter: Blind woman thanks reader On June 1, I will be 100 years old and have been blind for the last 17 years. Recently, we finished "I Was Emelia Earhart," by Jane Mendelsohn.

How can it be that Dr. Landon's proposal to shave minutes off of physical education is a serious consideration? [...] with the falsely sincere argument that by so doing our students, who won't really miss much activity time, will gain better educational time? Think about your own children Movement, physical exertion, play all contribute to great learning, the ability to sustain focus, stress reduction, and an opportunity for children who work very hard to do something that comes easily. Ten or 15 minutes of vigorous exercise, not a little bend and stretch at one's desk, but the opportunity to do something completely different has been widely proven to enhance all aspects of thinking and learning.

On Thursday, Feb. 2, The Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to vote whether to further relax Westport's sign ordinance. If approved, the measure would allow merchants to display sandwich signs along the Post Road and Riverside Avenue. Potential customers want to shop in an attractive area -- not one littered with garbage. The Beautification Committee worked for three years to plant 90 trees on the Post Road and the median; visual trash sets that effort on its ear and creates potential liability for the town due to obstruction of visibility.

Cap total retiree benefits at a reasonable percentage of final compensation, as other towns do. Create defined-contribution plans for retiree medical benefits to which both the town and active employees contribute. Satisfy the town's pension funding requirement by contributing nonessential income producing properties that can produce steady long term returns for the pension trusts. Create one personnel department that reports to both the First Selectman and Superintendent of Schools and is responsible for ensuring that census data for pension and OPEB benefits and calculations are complete and accurate. In anticipation of the next round of union negotiations, hold a summit of union leadership, elected officials and interested members of the public to begin now to find common ground on a more sustainable benefits package for all employees.

Over 775 senior households are helped with prescription drug and Medicare programs, tax relief, heating assistance, Social Security, housing, transportation, home care and other services and information. Additionally, 486 adult households have met with department staff seeking help accessing benefit programs such as heating assistance, Medicaid, employment resources, back to school, holiday, after school and camp scholarships and other disability and special needs programs, information and casework services. The economic recession and the resulting unemployment and underemployment problems, plus the high cost of housing, are the primary reasons residents seek help for basic needs such as emergency food, utility bills and housing assistance.

In my January/February issue of Yankee Magazine, I read an article called "The Yarn Bombers" about a group in Northampton, Mass., that created knit or crochet graffiti. The "Rocky" statue near the Philadelphia Museum of Art was fitted with a vest, and lower Manhattan's famous charging bull near Wall Street got a body stocking.

The Westport News regularly reports losses of various kinds, but experiencing the horrible fire at Saugatuck Congregational Church and Saugatuck Nursery School is teaching the staff and board of the nursery school how to cope creatively with the complete devastation of the school. The response from other nursery schools and childhood venues such as Earth Place, Stepping Stones, Kids U and Pump it Up was an extraordinary offering of four days of fun for our displaced children. Past parents and current parents have been eager to help build our schools supplies.

During school breaks, either winter, spring, or summer, a group of around 15 students and one faculty advisor travel to different areas around the world to learn about social activism and do community service. While in Guatemala, I learned about a number of human rights organizations for women and indigenous people. [...] experiencing things first hand further motivates students to take an interest in an area of study and gives them a personal connection to a cause. [...] I encourage all students, whether you are in high school or college, to go on alternative breaks or similar programs, because the experience one receives when learning it first hand will change your life.

First Night exceptional First Night 2012 was a spectacular event that brought our community together to celebrate a new beginning in a safe, fun and very entertaining environment. First Night is an enormous undertaking and there are many to thank. First Night could not be produced without the help of our behind the scenes volunteers. First Night cannot be produced without the financial support of our sponsors.

Whether it was by purchasing the gift list for a single mom and child or a large family, donating toys, books, movie certificates, food baskets, turkeys or a gift card , your generosity helped make this year one of the most successful ever for our own neighbors--despite the difficult economic climate. First Night Westport/Weston generously provided free admission buttons to welcome the New Year. [...] generous donations were received from Iridian Asset Management, Athletic Shoe Factory, the Westport Woman's Club, the Westport/Weston Foundation, the Hurlbutt Foundation, the Social Concerns Committee of Assumption Church, the girls at Project Return who bought gifts for a young child, the Westport Garden Club, The Horticultural Society, The Rebecca Chusid Holiday Toy Drive, Winged Monkey, AMCAP Inc., Sterling Investment Partners, Weichert Capital Properties, Community Nursery School, Service League of Boys (SLOBS), the Learning Community, Glenn Katz at IST Baseball and the Playschool at Staples.