FallPreview

HAN NETWORK

Special Section to:

The Darien Times

New Canaan Advertiser

The Ridgeeld Press

The Wilton Bulletin

The Redding Pilot

The Weston Forum

The Lewisboro Ledger

Darien Sport Shop employee, Jeff Whitney, fixes a table of Vineyard Vines ties in the boys departement. Bryan Haeffele photo

Getting ready for the fall with ...

Classic fashions
As August comes to an end,
its time for back to school.
From grade school, prep school,
or College, we have everything
you need to get your cool on
for fall. Stock up on the classics like Oxford shirts, polos
and khakis from Vineyard Vines
and Ralph Lauren. Stripes and
plaids from Johnnie O offers
shirts and polos in all colors.
For super cool style, mix in
transitional knits from Vince,
denim from DL1961, and cable
sweaters from our newest line
Continued FASHION on page 8

UGG boots are a staple of a fall wardrobe. Smathers and

Branson needpoint belts, available at the Darien Sport Shop,
have many designs including locally inspired designs.

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

A Wild Family Event

at the Beardsley Zoo supports Tiny Miracles Foundation
The Tiny Miracles
Foundation, Inc. (TTMF)
invites all local parents of
premature babies and their
children, families and friends
to attend a A Wild Family
Event at The Beardsley
Zoo Sunday, Sept. 27, from
4:30 to 7 p.m., 1875 Noble
Avenue, Bridgeport. The
event will support TTMF
programs and services helping premature babies and
their families throughout
Fairfield County.
Tickets include private
access to the zoo and viewing of all the animal exhibits.
Ticket holders will be able
to ride the carousel and also
purchase dinner at specialty
food trucks at the event.
Food trucks will be located
right outside the carousel
and include MeltMobile, Taco
Loco, Hot off the Grill and
Mister Softee of Connecticut.
Music will be performed
by Madison School of Rock.
Enter to win a membership
to Beardsley Zoo, lessons
from the School of Rock,
or a Stone Lane Farm Pony
Birthday Party.
Event tickets are $10 for
any guest 2-years-old and
up and may be purchased at
ttmf.org or at the door.
All proceeds from the event
will benefit The Tiny Miracles
Foundation.
Event sponsors include
Milford Pediatrics, Broder
& Orland, LLC, Bluff Point,
and Pediatric Healthcare
Associates.
To learn more about The
Tiny Miracles Foundation
and their support programs
visit ttmf.org or call 203-2029714.

Greeting autumn with

Sweets
& Sips

A Wild Family Event at The Beardsley

Zoo Sunday, Sept. 27, from 4:30 to 7
p.m., 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport.
Contributed photos

203
. 5100
203.. 762
762.5100

Sweets and Sips with

the HAN Network on
Sunday, Sept. 20, offers
an opportunity to spend
an early autumn afternoon at The Garden
House at Keeler Tavern in
Ridgefield, sampling the
creations of local bakeries, chocolatiers, sweet
shops, restaurants, wine
makers and sellers, and
package stores.
Establishments and
purveyors that wish to
serve a taste of what they
have to offer may find
information at hersamacorn.events/sweetsandsips. The cost is $200 for
a table.
Advance tickets are
$8 per person, $20 per
family. Admission at the
door is $10 per person,
$25 per family. Children
under six are admitted
free.
The Melodic Major
Quartet of Ridgefield will
provide music for Sweets
and Sips.
Keeler Tavern, the
history of which dates
back to Colonial days,
is at 132 Main St. in
Ridgefield.
Information on setting
up or sharing in Sweets
and Sips may be found
at hersamacorn.events/
sweetsandsips.

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

3B

Finding the help to get students through the fall

Its the end of August, and that
means one thing: Schools starting.
Childrens educational journey
is filled with exploration, learning and experience. With that,
many could use a little extra help
in their studies just by buckling down and getting to work.
Others could benefit from help
from a professional tutor.
Children tend to regress over
the summer, since they arent
working on academic skills
five days a week, said Lauren
Blanchette, who tutors youth in
kindergarten through fifth grade.
Come the fall, it often takes time
for students to build up their
stamina again.
Blanchette is a certified teacher
in Connecticut and New York.
She has an undergraduate degree
in speech pathology and a double

masters in childhood education

(preschool through sixth grade)
and literacy (reading and writing). She has six years experience teaching in public schools,
including the Rye and Ridgefield
schools districts. She has taught
first through fifth grade. She
comes to students homes to help
them with their lessons.
One way to help a student
build their stamina back up again
is by setting reasonable goals for
the student. said Blanchette.
For example, invite a student
to read independently for a small
amount of time and then gradually increase the amount of time
a child spends on reading. It is
also important to celebrate when
a child accomplishes something.
For example, play an educational
game or read a dessert book
(book of interest.)

It is important to keep children

engaged by focusing on things
that interest them. For example,
if a student likes animals, you
could find both fiction and nonfiction books about a specific
animal. A student can then do a
research project or write an informational piece about that specific
animal.
When I tutor students, I focus
on their needs and interests and
allow that to guide the lessons. I
also try to do kinesthetic and fun
interactive learning activities to
help keep the students engaged.
I would also love if you could
include in the article that I am
flexible with doing individual or
small group sessions.
If you are interested in contacting Blanchette, call her at
516-769-6067 or at lauren.
blanchette14@gmail.com.

At New Canaan Country School, our

purposefully designed learning environment

balances the right combination of academics,
socialization and encouragement at each
level to build the intelligence, awareness,
character and spirit that lead to bold
outcomes. Because what a child learns, sees

or she will become.

www.countryschool.net

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

The Dock Shop has two locations, one in Darien and one in Westport. Contributed photos

An endless summer

Going nautical
at The Dock Shop
When you first set foot in The
Dock Shop, whether at 51 Tokeneke
Road in Darien, or 609 Riverside
Avenue, Westport, youll know
immediately youre in a very unique
shop.
The Dock Shop features a collection of nautical-themed items,

ranging from home furnishings and

dcor, to apparel, jewelry and artwork.
Custom fishing tackle including a
full bait menu in the Westport shop,
boating and marine supplies and
beach accessories are offered yearround, giving a sense of an endless

summer.
These carefully selected items
most of which are made in the
United States and New England
are the perfect gift for the boater,
beach bum or fisherman in your
life.
Most of the manufacturers of

January Term was an experiment. We had the entire 9th grade step out of the familiar
to work full-time in teams. They chose human rights challenges and were asked to
explore viable solutions. Teachers acted as mentors but students steered the ship. They
interviewed experts, they researched, they brainstormed and finally they presented
ideas. In a nutshellthey blew us away.
Liz Perry, Head of Upper School

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

the products youll find at The

Dock Shop are small cottage-type
vendors and amazing stories are
behind them.
From the owner of Phase II
Lures in Westport who hand
carves cedar fishing lures in his
shop, to an artist in Utah who
creates Whimsical Gremlin figurines out of reclaimed military
metal, the staffs at both locations
are eager to share the stories with
you.
Compiling more than 45 years
of experience in marine and recreational fishing industries, the
staff at The Dock Shop will help
what you find what youre looking for.
The Dock Shop makes you feel
like youre on vacation, except
youre dealing with familiar
friendly faces! said one customer
at the shop.
New Englanders are passionate about boating, fishing, the
beach and the New England
lifestyle, and The Dock Shop
feeds that passion year-round.
Throughout the year, the shop
showcases many of the people,
artists, authors and craftsmen
whose products are on display at
the shop.
Brands at the shop are local
and major brands, including
Shimano, Penn, Salt Life, Costa,
Swiss Army, Grunders, StormR,
Margaritaville, Garmin and
Furuno.
For more information, visit
www.dockshop.com or call 203956-5893.

5B

The Dock Shop has a variety of household products, many of which are nautical-themed .

Fall
Preview
AUGUST 27 , 2015

Robin Walluck, editor

Bryan Haeffele, designer
Martin V. Hersam, publisher
For advertising information,
call 203-926-2080

1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484

203-926-2080

Copyright 2015, HAN Network, LLC

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

Helping student athletes find success and happiness

Darien families are receiving extra support this fall
thanks to the addition of
Greg Doll to the team at
the Life Solution Center of
Darien.
Doll serves as a StudentAthlete Mentor and Character
Coach for young people as
well as a Crisis Chaplain and
Spiritual Director for adults
navigating the challenges of
lifes struggles and transitions.
Many student athletes
have private instruction to
supplement what their parents can do to help them
grow as athletes. They also
frequently have private tutors
to help supplement what
their parents can do to help
them grow as students. Doll

has been asked by parents

to supplement what they do
to help their kids grow as
people. He assists parents
in the formidable task and
responsibility of character
formation to prepare them
for the future.
I realize that this is a
sacred trust, and I take it very
seriously, said Doll. I love
the fact that we are talking
together about something as
important as their character.
I recognize how significantly
this can affect the trajectory of their lives. It is an
immense privilege.
He also cares for adults
who, are carrying around
outrageously heavy, emotional burdens. He said,

we were never designed to

carry these things around
by ourselves. We are simply
not built for it. We all need
someone to talk to, to remind
us that we are not alone and
there is hope.
In addition, he offers support for those he describes as
the successful and the miserable, he said. Everything is
going well for them professionally and relationally. They
are physically healthy and yet
theyre miserable. And they
cant figure out why. They
are even having a hard time
enjoying the fruits of all their
hard work because of the
turmoil in their interior life.
This is where he offers to do
a bit of spiritual direction.

This is based on his experience and conviction that we

are more than minds, hearts
and bodies. We also have
souls that need to be tended
to. A little soul tending goes
a long way towards a life of
peace, joy and contentment.
Greg is also the Chaplain
for the New York City
Football Club, and a guest
chapel speaker for the NY
Giants. Greg is on the coaching staff of the Darien High
School Varsity Football Team
and sits on the Board of
Directors for the Darien Little
League.
For more information, you
can reach Greg at gdoll@thel
ifesolutioncenter.net or 203836-0080.

Multi-sport high school athletes can avoid overuse injuries

by Dr. Mark Fletcher

It was pointed out that overuse injuries

make up about half of all athletic injuries.
It appears that high school athletes would
They are particularly common among chilbe well advised to play more than one sport
dren between the ages of 13 and 17. Overuse
to limit their risk of injury from overuse of
injuries also account for about twice as many
any one body part. This is apparently more
visits to sports medicine doctors than incithe case for females than males.
dents of acute trauma, the authors noted.
A recent study published in The Journal of
Overall, most overuse injuries involved the
Pediatrics suggests that overuse injury among lower leg, the study team noted. This was folhigh school athletes may vary by sex and
lowed by knee and shoulder injuries. To limit
sport. Young female athletes appear to face a risk, the researchers advised that all high
far greater risk for repetitive motion injuries
school athletes play more than just a single
than young males do, new research suggests. sport and make a conscious effort to change
The finding stems from an analysis that
up their movements. Parents, they added,
looked at overuse injuries among 3,000 male should encourage their children to get the
and female high school athletes participating rest and foods they need to stay healthy.
in 20 different sports.
There has been a lot of recent press about
Researchers from Ohio State University
the benefit of multi-sport athletic activity in
Wexner Medical Center in Columbus report
youth and high school sports. Not only are
that the highest overuse injury rate was
there overuse injury prevention but also perobserved among girls who ran track. Girls
formance benefits.
who played field hockey and girls who played
Spending seasons away from a primary
lacrosse followed this trend.
sport not only helps prevent repetitive injuBy contrast, among boys the most overuse ries from occurring but also allows the develinjuries occurred among swimmers and divopment of other athletic traits which can beners. Their rate of repetitive motion injuries
efit an athletes primary sport. Many members
was pegged at only about a third of what
of the womens US National Team World
investigators saw among female runners.
Cup Champions were multi-sport athletes

BE ACTIVE, BE HEALTHY

BELONG
You belong at the Y.
Were more than a gym, were a place where
the community comes together to stay active,
healthy, and connected.

The Y offers an all-inclusive experience for

adults, children, teens, families, and seniors to
maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

New Canaan YMCA Membership Includes:

Wellness Center: Features a large selection of cardio equipment, weight
machines, and free weights.

Group Exercise: Over 40 high-energy classes offered each week in a fun,

welcoming environment.

Mind Body Center: Rejuvinate your mind and body with classes like
Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi.

Spinning: Offering 20 classes each week, our spin classes provide an

effective cardio workout in a motivating environment.

Swimming: Enjoy adult lap, open family swim, or therapy swimming in

one of our two pools.

Pickleball, Hoops & More: Our South Gym offers open times for

adults and families including volleyball, basketball, pickleball, and more!

Access to Youth Programs: Members have the ability to register

for youth programs. Programs include swim lessons, youth sports,
Bouncing Bears preschool/youth gymnastics, and more!

The Zone: Find your inner athlete, train toward a personal best,

or take on a new challenge through functional training, stretching/

plyometrics, sports performance, and rehabilitation activities.

Indoorwalking: Group elliptical cardio classes are low impact and

high calorie burning, taught in a motivating and fun environment similar

to Spinning.

Learn more at www.newcanaanymca.org

through their high school and reflected on

how those experiences positively impacted
their soccer careers.
Several major college football coaches have
stated they prefer to recruit multi-sport athletes rather than football-only players because
of the athleticism possessed by multi-sport
athletes. 2015 NFL draft day statistics also
indicate the majority of drafted players were
multi-sport high school athletes as well.
The Sports Medicine Team at Coastal
Orthopaedics works with many area athletes,
young and old, to both prevent injury as well
as get injured players back in the game. For
more information about prevention and training to avoid injury or to treat injured athletes,
contact Coastal Orthopaedics as any one
of their four locations: Norwalk, Westport,
Darien or New Canaan. A walk-in urgent
care facility known as Coastal Ortho Express
is now opened extended hours Monday Saturday for sprains, injuries and pain at 761
Main Avenue in Norwalk where patients can
be treated without an appointment.
For more information, call 203 845-2200
or visit the website at: www.coastalorthopaedics.com.

join Our Dance Family

WE DEVELOP
WELL-ROUNDED
DANCERS
join
Our Dance
Family
join
Our
Dance
Family
WE DEVELOP
WELL-ROUNDED
Pre-School
throughDANCERS
Advanced

WE DEVELOP WELL-ROUNDED DANCERS

Pre-School through Advanced

For Class
Information
Pre-School
through
Advanced
For Class
Information
call: 203-744-2279
call: 203-744-2279
carriepin@gmail.com
For email:
Class
Information
email: carriepin@gmail.com
website:
www.mpdancers.com
call:
203-744-2279
website: www.mpdancers.com
email: carriepin@gmail.com

AT THE
RIDGEFIELD
AT THE
RIDGEFIELDRECREATION
RECREATION website: www.mpdancers.com
AT THE RIDGEFIELD RECREATION

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

7B

The 17th annual Scarecrow Festival is a tradition for the fall. Its a at Plaskos Farm, 670 Daniels Farm
Road, Trumbull on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and features make-your-own scarecrow; cost
is $15 which includes all materials. Also, games, crafters, caricature artist, community booths, pumpkins,
fall dcor, and food, including a corn roast. Free admission. Information: 203-268-2716.

Scarecrow Festival
takes place Sept. 27
The 17th annual Scarecrow Festival
takes place at Plaskos Farm, 670 Daniels
Farm Road in Trumbull, on Sunday Sept.
27, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
The festival features make your own
scarecrow; cost is $15 which includes all
materials. Also, games, crafters, caricature
artist, community booths, pumpkins, fall
dcor, and food, including a corn roast.
Free admission.

The farm also has a corn maze, Defeat

the Dragon, with more than one-and-ahalf miles of trails, with a portion of each
admission donated to St. Vincents Swim
Across the Sound. Admission to the maze,
is not included.
For more information or to be a
vendor,call the farm at 203-268-2716, or
email dilem@aol.com.

start here.

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

RIght, Darien Sport Shop

recently updated the
look to its mens clothing
department. Vinyard Vines
shirts and ties are popular with students from
middle school to college.
Below, Kate and James
Whitticom of Darien try
on boots for the upcoming ski season with the
help of Darien Sport
Shop employee Patrick
Charland.
Bryan Haeffele photos

Fashion

hoodies and polos made

with high performance fabContinued From Page One
ric.
Its soccer and football
season and we have everything you need for the field
Joie. With the trend in faux from performance socks to
fur, our girls department
football gloves and pants.
has hooded cardigans and
Layer up with seasonal
sweaters with faux fur and
jackets from Barbour,
shearling collars just add the down sweater from
shearling boots from Ugg.
Patagonia or the glacier
fleece from The North Face.
Pick a color, any color
Tote your books and carry
Denim trends come in
your supplies in North Face
cranberry, eggplant and
and Patagonia backpacks,
olive as well as indigo, and pencil cases from Ame and
dark washes.
Lulu and LOLO, and rugby
For sports and time outs, stripe tote bags from Color
the althleisure trend
Dunes.
brings the classic style of
Put your best foot forward

Toddlers through Six Years

Toddler and Early Education Programs
Full-Day Pre-K and Kindergarten Programs
Reading with Phonics Excellent Math Curriculum
Foreign Languages Art Music
Extended-Hours Program Summer Programs
After School Enrichment Programs
Montessori Certified Staff
Free a childs potential, and you will transform him into the world.
Maria Montessori

with high tops, lace-ups,

and slip on sneakers from
Converse, Vans, Toms and
Vince.
Fashion trends
Girls trends include
faux fur details, Faux Fur
Details, Hi-Lo Tops, colored
jeans, knit bottoms (Ponte/
leggings), soft and cozy
tops and bottoms, as well as
fashion sneakers (slip ons,
high tops and lace-ups).
Boys trends include
graphic tees, performance
fabrications from underwear to polos, Athleisure
fashion hoodies, banded
bottoms, and one-quarter
zips are still key.

96 Danbury Road, Ridgefield

Catherine Tango-Dykes, Director
ridgefieldmontessori.com

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

9B

Fast Frights contest

Are you up for dare to scare viewers?

Think you can make the cut
as a horror film director?
The HAN Network is piling
up entries for Fast Frights, a
festival of short horror movies.
The contest is open to
residents of Fairfield and New
Haven counties who are 16
years of age or older. Multiple
entries will be accepted. The
deadline for submission is
11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time
on Oct. 10.
To enter, log on to
FastFrights.com, click the
contest icon, and follow the
instructions to complete the
entry form, which includes
your name, address, telephone
number, email address, and

date of birth.
Contestants must submit
a Fast Fright video no more
than three minutes long in the
MP4 or .mov format. Videos
must be no larger than one
gigabyte and must be highdefinition.
All videos must include
an image of a HAN Network
newspaper, website, Twitter
feed or Facebook feed.
Winners will be chosen by
online voting at fastfrights.
com and announced at the
HAN Networks Fast Frights
festival at 850 Degrees in
Ridgefield on Friday, Oct. 16.
Rain date is Saturday, Oct. 17.
The grand prize is a DJI

Phantom 3 Drone. Second

and third place finishers each
receive a wifi version of an
iPad Mini.
Videos must have been shot
by the entrant, and cannot
be professionally produced.
Permission is required from
any person who appears or
is identified in any form in a
video entered in the contest.
All entries become the
property of the HAN Network
and may be broadcast on the
network. The winner will be
announced at a Fast Frights
event Oct. 16.
Official rules and details
may be found at fastfrights.
com.

Connecticut Boat Club

New Englands Leading Girls
Rowing Club
Regular Fall Program begins August 31
For more information email sue@ctboatclub.org

Ox Ridge
Hunt Club
Riding
Academy
New Riding Program Starting August 1
Private and Group Lessons Ages 7 to Adults
Beginners to Grand Prix Riders
Full Service Boarding, Showing, and Lessons
Hunters Equitation Jumpers
Dressage Sales Lease
OXRIDGE.com 203-655-2559 LMEdressage.com

 Fall Preview HAN Network

10

August 27, 2015

The right backpack

can make a difference in kids health
As students across Connecticut prepare
to head back to school, families are stocking up on all the necessary supplies, from
pens, pencils and notebooks to clothing,
shoes and backpacks.
Myra Odenwaelder, Griffin Hospitals
director of rehabilitation services, suggested
parents and kids take extra care when
choosing a backpack.
Backpacks have been known to case
several musculoskeletal issues, from neck
pain to shoulder pain to back pain, if not
used appropriately, Odenwaelder told
HAN Radio. In fact, in 2013, there were
over 22,000 sprains, strains, dislocations
and fractures related to inappropriate backpack use.
She said injuries can be prevented by
choosing the right backpack, packing it
light and wearing it correctly.
First, ones size should be considered when picking out a backpack. It
should match the scale of the child, and
Odenwaelder said, fit between the shoulder
and waist, as well as have sufficient padding in the back and on the shoulder straps
and have two straps. Messenger bags,
although popular, do not distribute weight
properly and place a lot of stress and
strain on one side of the body, she said.
Odenwaelder also suggested taking
advantage of the chest and waist straps.
Its just like choosing an appropriate pair
of shoes or new clothing, Odenwaelder
said. Its important that the person choos-

An assortment of backpacks at The Darien

Sport Shop. Bryan Haeffele photo

ing the backpack takes the time to try

it out. Make sure that it fits comfortably
before purchasing it.
Once the perfect backpack is selected,
the next step is to make sure it is not too
heavy. According to one report, about 55%
of students are carrying backpacks heavier
than the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommended guidelines of 10 to 20% of a
childs body weight.
Therefore, a child who weighs between

55 and 60 pounds should carry no more

than 12 pounds in his or her backpack.
However, this number should be adjusted
depending on a childs fitness level and
strength.
A backpack that is too heavy may result
in red marks on the shoulders or back from
the straps, tingling or numbness in the
arms and back, changes in posture when
wearing the backpack and back pain.
Now is the opportunity to dust off those
bathroom scales, take them out, load your
backpacks and weight them out. See how
much they weigh, she said. Most people
are carrying too heavy loads.
One way to lighten the load is to carry
only necessary items. Children should
only carry what is required for a particular school day. Parents are encouraged to
consult with teachers who routinely have
students bring home several heavy books
as other options may be available.
Also, distributing the weight evenly is
important. Odenwaelder said heavier, bulkier items should be placed in the back of
bags, close to the body, with smaller, lighter
items in the front.
Following all these steps is necessary
prevent backpack-related injuries.
You can go through and make appropriate purchase, you can pack it appropriately,
but if youre not wearing it correctly, it
defeats the whole process, Odenwaelder
said. If it has two straps, use both. If it has
waste and chest straps, use those as well.

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

11B

Plan a day to shop local fairs, shops and stands

Autumn is tailor-made for getting out of the
house to enjoy the great outdoors. With crisp
temperatures perfect for strolls or sightseeing and breathtaking scenery awash in bright
autumnal hues, autumn landscapes make for
the ideal backdrop for weekend plans, including shopping excursions.
Fall is a great season to enjoy festivals,
farmers markets and craft fairs, as merchants
look to liquidate inventory before they prepare for the rush of the upcoming holiday
season. Cities, towns, hamlets, and everything
in between will host their share of open markets and more with great deals to be had, and
fall is an ideal time to visit local shops and
stands.

300 modern American makers, Sept. 18-20;

Friday and Sunday, 10-5, Saturday, 10-6;
$12 admission, $11/seniors, $4/kids 6-16;
Lyndhust, 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown,
N.Y.; information: artrider.com.
MAC Fest 2015 (sponsored by the
Milford Arts Council), Saturday, Sept. 19, 105 on the Milford Green and at Milford Center
for the Arts, followed by free concert featuring
The Elwoods, on the Green; information: milfordarts.org or call 203-878-6647.
Annual Live Green Connecticut! Festival,
Sept. 19-20, Saturday, 10-5, Sunday, 10-4,
more than 200 exhibits. Free admission;
Taylor Farm Park, 45 Calf Pasture Road, East
Norwalk; livegreenct.com.
5th Annual ArtsFest, Sunday, Sept. 20,
Fresh produce
1-4, free day for the community featuring LAFarms big and small are bursting with probased Street Beat with Parkour Percussion;
duce come the fall. You can find the last vesSilvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine
tiges of summer crops mingling with the first
Road, New Canaan; silvermineart.org or 203966-9700.
fruits of autumn. Grab the last of tomatoes
54th Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show,
and start thinking ahead to apples, squashes,
benefitting the North Castle Public Library,
lettuces, and grapes. You can even get an early
Sept. 26-27, Satday to Sunday, 10-5, rain or
start on pumpkin season both for cooking
shine; more than 185 juried artists; admisand carving.
sion: $10, $8/seniors, free/under 18; 205
Stock the car with reusable tote bags and
Business Park Drive, Armonk, N.Y.; informascour the farmers markets for seasonal finds.
tion: armonkoutdoorartshow.org or 914-806Chances are you also might pick up some
6307.
extra treats, such as fresh honey or canned
fall. From garlic to potatoes to pumpkins to
jams.
Woofs, Wines & Felines, benefit for
or closed-off city centers, and you may find
cheeses, many seasonal items are on display.
ROAR,
Saturday, wine, beer dinner, silent
some hand-fashioned jewelry or home-crafted
You also can sample these foods in interesting
Food finds
auction Griffin Anthony Full band, Sept. 26,
artisanal soaps. Those eager to enhance their
applications and make a day of gathering reciAs plants are harvested, many items are
4 to 7 p.m., under the tent at Cellar XV, 88
homes dcor may find unique items like
turned into delicious treats. No autumn shop- pes and supplies to enjoy later.
Danbury Road, tickets $40 online at roarpainted signs, knit afghans and much more.
ping excursion is complete until you smell
ridgefield.org, 203-664-1235
Shopping local shops, farms and fairs is a
Crafts, jewelry and dcor
a fresh-baked apple pie or some apple cider
The Devon Rotary Club will hold its
great way to enjoy the fresh autumn air while
Include a trip to a craft fair, where local
doughnuts. Corn breads and fritters, cran27th
Annual Milford Oktoberfest, sponsupporting local businesses.
berry snacks and wines from nearby wineries vendors come together to display and sell
sored
by Milford Bank, on Saturday, Sept. 26
Here are some upcoming fairs and festivals
their wares, on your weekend schedule.
also are easy to find in autumn. These items
from
noon
to 9 p.m. at the Rotary Pavilion
to help ring in the season:
make welcome additions to your own pantry, Handcrafted items make thoughtful and
at Fowler Field behind the Milford Public
Pound Ridge Business Assoc. Antiques
unique gifts, which can be tucked away for
or bring a freshly made treat to a friend or
Library.
Holiday Market, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7,
giving later in the year.
family members home when paying a visit.
Lets Sing! community sing-along, Sunday,
9-3, 30 dealers in the Scotts Corners business
Booths at these types of events tend to be
Also, dont miss the food-related festivals
Sept.
27, 3 p.m., Ridgefield Library, ridgearea, Pound Ridge, N.Y.; info., 203-259-8505.
diverse. Spend the day strolling town squares
fieldlibrary.org, 203-438-2282.
that pop up on community calendars in the
Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, with more than

Raising Healthy
Children Today for a Healthy
Environment Tomorrow

Field Trips Scouts Birthdays Afterschool

Sidelined by Sports Injury?

Our
Doctors Are Athletes

Who Understand

Sidelined
by

Sports Injury?
Our Doctors

Are Athletes

Who Understand

your

When joint and muscle pain or injury affects

life, you need

the best orthopedic care. Our orthopedic physicians

have years of

experience and they are athletes themselves.

They
also
serve as Team

Doctors for many area high school football

teams.

Our sports medicine team gives specialized,

personal care
so you can get back

to doing the things you love.

When joint and muscle pain

or injury affects your life,
you need the best orthopedic
care. Our orthopedic
physicians have years of
experience and they are
athletes themselves. They
also serve as Team Doctors
for many area high school
football teams.
Our sports medicine team
gives specialized, personal
care so you can get back to
doing the things you love.

Norwalk
Westport Darien New Canaan

www.CoastalOrthopaedics.com
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Visit our
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ORTHO EXPRESS, Without Appointment,

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Norwalk
NorwalkWestport
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New Canaan
Canaan

www.CoastalOrthopaedics.com
www.CoastalOrthopaedics.com 203-845-2200
203-845-2200

Norwalk Westport Darien New Canaan

www.CoastalOrthopaedics.com
203-845-2200

Come explore Woodcock Nature Preserve our trails are open year round!
Upcoming Events
Sunday October 18th - Where the Wild Things Run
Friday October 23 - Family Night Prowl
December 1-12 - Wreath Festival

Wilton/Ridgeield woodcocknaturecenter.org 203-762-7280

 Fall Preview HAN Network

12

August 27, 2015

Tips for a

healthy
school year

Students are most likely to

get sick when school starts
because being at school put
childrens immune systems
to the test, offers The Mayo
Clinic. Young children who
are in close proximity to oth-

ers in large groups tend to

spread organisms like bacteria
and viruses that cause illness.
Breaking the cycle can take
some work, but its possible
to make this a healthy school
year.

OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m. | RSVP 203.322.7693

Two-Year-Olds through Grade 5

Knowledge and Experience for Life
478 Erskine Road, Stamford, Connecticut
longridgeschool.org

LAW OFFICE OF
PETER D. HOFFMAN, P.C.
200 Katonah Avenue Katonah, NY 10536

(914) 232-2242
www.pdhoffmanlaw.com

Representing Children with Special

Needs and their Families
Our firm can assist in many matters,
including but not limited to:
504 Committee Meetings
New York Committee on
Special Education (CSE)
Meetings
Connecticut Planning and
Placement Team
(PPT) Meetings
The cooperative drafting of
Individual Education Plans
(IEPs)
Impartial Hearings (Due Process
Hearings)
Litigation in State and Federal
court

Appeals to the State and Federal

Court
de novo Appeals in Federal
Court
Disciplinary Matters
CPS Investigations
Bullying and other matters
involving the Dignity of all
Students Act (DASA)
Guardianship and Planning
Tuition Reimbursement for
Private Placements
Juvenile Justice Matters

PLEASE CONTACT US TO LEARN ABOUT

YOUR AND YOUR CHILDS RIGHTS
Peter D. Hoffman, Esq. (Admitted, NY, NJ and DC)

pdh2@pdhoffmanlaw.com

Nikki D. Woods, Esq. (Admitted, NY and CT)

nw@pdhoffmanlaw.com

Hope H. Harris, Esq. (Admitted, CT)

hh@pdhoffmanlaw.com

Attorney Advertising: This is not intended as legal advice. This does not create or constitute
an attorney-client relationship, or an offer to establish such a relationship. No attorney-client
relationship can be established without a fully executed professional services agreement
and/or retainer signed by both the attorney and the client.

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

Encourage hand washing

Frequent handwashing is
a great way to prevent illness. Handwashing habits
are essential for school-aged
children and should be taught
as soon as possible. Children
should wash their hands after
they use the bathroom and
before they eat. If theyve
been playing outside or have
interacted with children
who are sick, hand washing can help remove some of
the germs lingering on their
hands. Antibacterial wipes are
another option, but they may
not be as effective as washing hands with warm, soapy
water.
Stop (some) sharing

Sharing develops good

manners and can foster new
friendships. But children

should be discouraged from

sharing food, drinks and
other personal items. Once
the item has been placed in a
childs mouth, it should not
be shared.
Sick days

National Sleep Foundation

recommends eight to 13 hours
of sleep a night for schoolaged children. Begin adjusting
sleep schedules during the latter part of summer vacation so
that children can readjust to
their regular sleep schedules.
Parents also should feed
kids nutritious diets consisting of a variety of foods.
Avoid high-calorie junk foods,
reserving such items only as
special treats every so often.

Rare is the student who will

never come down with an
illness. When kids get sick,
keep them at home. Schools
may have guidelines indicating when it is acceptable for
children to return to school,
and its important that parents
Cleaning supplies
adhere to those guidelines so
Some schools may be underillnesses cannot spread around funded and may not have
the school.
enough supplies to keep all of
the classrooms and surfaces
clean. Parents can help by
Sleep
donating cleaning wipes and
While adults may need
sprays so that students and
between seven and nine
teachers can thrive in clean,
hours of sleep a night, children often require more. The healthy environments.

13B

Tailgating
fun this fall
Tailgating is one of the traditions of the autumn
season namely before those football games.
The Wilton Library is hosting Making Tailgate
Party Invites with the Die Cutter, 23:30 p.m., on
Thursday, Sept. 10.
Participants will learn to use the die cutter to
create fun invitations for all those fall tailgating events. For ages 13-113. Participants must
have a valid Connecticut library card and signed
Innovation Station Agreement Form.
Registration required. The library is at 137 Old
Ridgefield Road. Information: wiltonlibrary.org or
203-762-3950.

Sweets&
Sips

Autumn Afternoon in the Garden

Keeler Tavern Museum

10 per person $25 per family

Kids under 6 are FREE

Advanced Ticket Sales

$
8 per person $20 per family

For more information visit: hersamacorn.events/sweetsandsips

 Fall Preview HAN Network

14

August 27, 2015

Students at The
Performing Arts
Conservatory of New
Canaan perform a
rendition of Cinderella.

The Performing Arts Conservatory of New Canaan

Teaching performance skill for life

The Performing Arts
Conservatory of New Canaan
has been teaching children and
adults performance skills for
more than 12 years.
Our goal is to awaken, nurture and expand each students
creative potential by offering
professionally taught classes,

workshops and performance

opportunities, explains Melody
Meitrott Libonati, school director and former Broadway musical and TV actress.
Performing, directing and
teaching for over 20 years, she
has developed diverse and age
appropriate programs at the

Conservatory. The skills taught

to students at the Conservatory
offer a lifetime of artistic
expression and appreciation.
Libonati is also the artistic director of The Summer
Theatre of New Canaan, a
professional regional theater
company that has received out-

standing reviews and awards

for its shows and educational
programs.
The Conservatory specializes in assorted performance
oriented classes and programs
including private lessons in
most styles of voice instruction (musical theater, pop/rock,

classical, opera, sight singing

and western regional choir
audition prep and all state
choir audition prep) and piano.
The individual instruction
offers the opportunity to have
a lesson developed specifically
for the students needs and
goals. They even offer com-

HAVE NO FEAR!!!
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Viewing Party on October 16th at:
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The only thing to fear is missing the deadline!

For more details, visit:

FASTFRIGHTS.COM

Movie
Submission
DEADLINE Oct. 10th

 Fall Preview HAN Network

August 27, 2015

bined voice and piano

classes for beginning and
intermediate abilities.
The conservatory also
features an assortment of
group classes in musical
theater, Broadway style
dance (jazz and tap),
acting styles and Fairy
Tale Theatre. All group
classes are age appropriate, small classes and are
taught by a staff of highly
skilled, experienced performing artists and offer
the student a fun, social
class as well as focus on
specific needs of each
individual.
Our experienced and
highly qualified instructors, most have been with
the conservatory for five
to 10 years, work closely
with the students to build
a tailored program. This
consistency of highlytrained instructors is part
of what differentiates our
programs, said Libonati.
The facility offers a

15B

professional performance
space with a stage, lighting and dance floor as well
as three private studios.
Programs are available for
all ages and skill levels.
Students from the conservatory have continued
their studies at top performing arts college programs across the country,
been cast in Broadway and
regional theater shows,
film and TV, recording
sessions and won statewide awards in the performing arts.
The fall classes begin
right after Labor Day
and run through mid
December.
For more information,
go to website, www.performingartsconservatory.
com or call the conservatory located at 70 Pine
Street in New Canaan at
203-966-6177. Email:
info@performinartsconserv
atory.com.

Students of the Performing Arts Conservatory of New Canaan. Contributed photos

Lauren Blanchette

Infants | Toddlers | Preschool | Kindergarten - Grade 8

OPEN HOUSE
OctO bE r 26, 2014 | 12 NOON

1095 Riverbank Road Stamford, CT 06903

203 595 9500 | www.meadschool.org

 Fall Preview HAN Network

16

August 27, 2015