Monthly Archives: September 2014

‘Dinner and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire” Event This Evening Benefits Childhood Cancer Research

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ACT flyerAn organization with a mission to raise funds for pediatric research, Achieve Change Together (ACT), is hosting a “Dinner, a Movie, Popcorn and More” event on Saturday, Sept. 6, at Clark Memorial Field in Old Saybrook.  Grass opens at 6 p.m. and the movie, now announced as “Mrs. Doubtfire,” starts at 7:30 p.m.  The costs is $20 per car, which includes the movie and popcorn.  Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.

Every dollar raised goes directly toward childhood cancer research via The Truth 365’s “Dream Team” of leading oncologists.  These talented doctors represent The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Sloan Kettering, St. Jude’s and Seattle Children’s (visit www.thetruth365.org for details).

The following editorial was submitted by event organizer Kristen Michalski Alexander:

Not so long ago, I learned from a friend about Madison “Maddy” Garrett.

In 2012, Maddy had been diagnosed with Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma.  One of the rarest childhood cancers.  It had spread into limbs, snaked through her spine, and had penetrated into bone marrow; the tumor was wrapped around organs and arteries, through her intestine and into her chest. The tumor in her three-year-old belly was so large that she looked nine months pregnant.

Maddy had a 30 percent chance at survival.

Inspired by her bravery, I researched what I could.  Though average cancer survival rates have grown for the last 40 years, many childhood cancers have survival rates much lower than the average.  The facts are unsettling:

  • Less than 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s budget is directed to childhood cancer research (Source: St. Baldrick’s Foundation)
  • Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children and adolescents in the United States. (Source: National Cancer Institute)
  • In the last 20 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only two pediatric cancer drugs that were initially studied in children. (Source: American Association for Cancer Research)

During her journey to recovery, Maddy’s 5-year-old friend had been diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer.

Another child suffering.  Another family struggling.  I couldn’t sit back anymore.  I had to help win this war!

And so I decided to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer through a special event, “Dinner, A Movie, Popcorn and More.”  The event will be held Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014.

I reached out to my high school classmate Lou Rolon, a guiding force for our community through Shoreline Neighbors, for advice.  Lou possesses an inspirational compassion, dedication, and strength. He offered to help however he could.

I then reached out to Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation (http://www.awoccf.org/). AWOCCF helped produce The Truth 365, an Emmy Award-Winning documentary film and social media campaign that gives a voice to all children fighting cancer.

I asked their co-founder Dena Sherwood if we could work together.  When she graciously agreed, it meant we could host the event with their 501(c)(3) status.

For continuing updates, “Like” the ACT – Achieve Change Together Facebook page and remember to join us on Sept. 6.

For further information, call: 860-339-6310,  via e-mail: actquestions@gmail.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ACT-Achieve-Change-Together/
Website coming soon

To donate: Please make a check payable to Arms Wide Open/The Truth 365 and mail it to P.O. Box 495, Ivoryton, CT 06442.  Or go online at http://www.awoccf.org/donate/ and select “Achieve Change Together Event – CT”.

Zhang’s Artwork Featured in Fresh Ayer Gallery Exhibition

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Artwork by Christopher Zhang.

Artwork by Christopher Zhang.

“Artwork by Christopher Zhang” is currently on view at the Fresh Ayer Gallery in Old Lyme.

Born in Shanghai, China, Zhang acquired a BFA degree in China and a MFA in the United States. In addition to creating subject matter paintings, he specializes in portraiture and landscapes. His versatile styles and skills in both still life and Chinese traditional painting and calligraphy have also won popularity.  His primary painting medium is oil.  Others are watercolor, acrylic, gouache and Chinese ink.

As a professional artist, Zhang has focused on two types of subject matter in his paintings:

  • Chinese minorities and their indigenous cultures and traditions:
  • Classical Ballet Dance

 

An Open Letter to our Readers from Diane Birdsall

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An Open Letter to Friends and Patrons of the Diane Birdsall Gallery

I have taken on a job that will take me outside of the gallery in Old Lyme and into another phase of exhibiting.

I will be working with a hotel developer, Charles Mallory — he operates several beautiful and viable hotels in Greenwich, Southport, Stamford, Aspen [Marfa] Texas and a Vermont inn to be completely revamped, as well as a new hotel project on the boards to open in 2016.

I closed the Old Lyme, 16 Lyme Street address gallery at the end of this past show on Aug. 22. The walk-in traffic has always been slow and having a presence outside of the brick and mortar space is more viable.

After SCOPE in Basel and Cutlog in New York, I am now receiving request regarding sales and just recently sold a work to the largest art collector in Turkey.

Funny how art sales work — it sometimes takes years or minutes for people to make a move.

I do conceive a pop-up show here in Connecticut in a completely different sort of space.  You as patrons and clients are important to me and bringing the work of artists out into exhibition is my passion, so I do not want to lose this side of the art world that I truly enjoy.

My website will remain active and I have planned exhibits for 2015 – they will take place in new locations and expanding worlds.

I have always felt honored to work with talented artists and to be a part of their world.  And encouraging others to bring art into their life is like food for me — an absolute necessity — how can you live without it?

I could not have enjoyed the success of these past eight years without your help and belief and I thank you for your patronage and friendship.  See you soon under a different tent, but assuredly an exciting format.

With heartfelt thanks to you.

Sincerely,

Diane Birdsall
www.dianebirdsallgallery.com

Old Saybrook Couple, Old Lyme Church Sponsor Trip to NYC to Join Climate March, Sept. 21

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Rally-Washington-1-580x357

Editor’s Note 9/14:  Bus is now full.
A committed Old Saybrook couple, Dave and Mariette Brown, have teamed up with the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme to arrange for a bus of local residents to go to New York City on Sunday, Sept. 21.  The purpose of the trip is to attend, “The world’s largest rally in history to support meaningful action to combat the scourge of climate change,” according to the rally’s sponsors.

The New York City rally will coincide with a meeting of international leaders at the United Nations, focusing on stemming changes in the world’s climate conditions.  Over 850 groups from across the country are slated to come to the ‘Big Apple’ for a massive outpouring of support to deal with climate change.

So far, according to the Browns, half of the seats on the rented, 54-passenger bus have been reserved with some 20 seats still available.  To reserve a seat on the bus, call 860-388-9194 or e-mail dmbrown@snet.net 

The New York round trip on the chartered bus costs $35.  Also, persons who are unable to take the trip to New York, but who wish to buy someone else a bus ticket, should contact the Browns.

Although the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme is co-sponsoring the trip to New York City, the Browns are responsible for handling the sale of the bus tickets.

Talking Transportation: No Blue Ribbons for Metro-North

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The long awaited MTA “Blue Ribbon Panel” of experts has issued its report on Metro-North and its sister railroads, and it isn’t pretty.

Their 50 page report confirms much of what we already knew:  that the railroad placed too much emphasis on “on time performance” instead of safety … that there were serious repair issues unattended to for months … and that there has been an enormous “brain drain” of experienced railroad employees who have opted for retirement after 30 years.

All of those problems could have been prevented if MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast had been doing his job, which he wasn’t.  That is surprising, given his almost 40 years in the industry.  Remember, he was selected as Chairman by Governor Cuomo (just a month before the Bridgeport crash) after successfully turning around the NYC subway system.  And he had also spent years at the LIRR.

But the Blue Ribbon Panel was especially critical of Prendergast for running his three railroads (MNRR, LIRR, NY Subways) as silos, not communicating with each other on best practices.  If the NYC subways had a cool parts-inventory system, MNRR never knew about it.  The “safety culture” at the LIRR may have been great, but it was never shared with MNRR.

But the Panel says the problems were far deeper than just that:

TENSION:

The Panel said there is a “tension” between the railroad workers, who maintain the tracks and signals, and their colleagues, who run the trains over them.  The track workers aren’t given enough time to do their job.  To paraphrase Lincoln:  “A house (or railroad) divided cannot stand”.

TOOLS:

Compared to the LIRR and NYC subway, Metro-North is in the dark ages of technology.  Track inspection reports are still done on paper.  We don’t have state-of-the-art track inspection cars or autonomous bridge monitoring systems.  Much of the maintenance work is done manually instead of using machines.

TIDINESS:

The panel even suggests the railroad clean up all the scrap and debris along the tracks to prevent tripping hazards.

TOP-DOWN:

Did they have to suggest this: “Periodically have management walk with track inspectors to reinforce (the crucial nature of this work)”?

TIME:

The Panel suggests MTA re-open union contracts to do track and signal maintenance work overnight when there’s lots of time and fewer trains.  (Japan’s Shinkansen high speed rail has gone 50 years without a track fatality thanks to inspections of every mile of tracks every night).

TRANSPARENCY:

After years of denying there were any safety problems, the recent derailments and deaths have forced MNRR to face its neglect of safety.  The Panel also suggests increased “customer engagement” on this topic with town halls, media oppotunities and direct customer communications.

So, kudos to the Panel of industry experts and thank you for a year of hard work.  Now it’s up to the MTA and Metro-North to take the list of 29 recommendations to heart and make our trains on-time and safe.

Jim Cameron

Jim Cameron

Editor’s Note: Jim Cameron has been a Darien resident for 23 years. He is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and also serves on the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this column are only his own. You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com