Note to Y's Men: Check out the many activities and other information about the Y's Men by visiting the website www.ysmenwestportweston.org. There is no requirement to sign in unless you are visiting the Members Only section.

Tomorrow: Keys to a Long and Happy Retirement

Jim Freund

What does retirement really look like a decade in? Two decades? Nearly three?

Jim Freund knows, and he'll tell Y's Men about it as the featured speaker this Thursday, March 19. After a distinguished 30-year legal career as a partner at the legendary M&A firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where he advised on landmark deals involving TWA, Federated Department Stores, and several major financial firms, Freund stepped away from practice in 1996. He was 62. He hasn't slowed down since.

In the nearly 30 years that followed, Freund has written 14 books (fiction, essays, memoir, and photography), recorded 35 albums of popular songs, performed for audiences across the city, taught negotiating at Fordham Law School, served as a court-appointed mediator in roughly 50 Lehman Brothers bankruptcy cases, and maintained a rich monthly blog (jimfreundblog.com) of essays, music, and photography.

A Princeton magna cum laude, Harvard Law graduate, former Navy officer, lifelong New Yorker, and 40-year Easton weekend resident, Freund brings both intellectual rigor and hard-won personal insight to one of the most universal challenges we face: not just leaving work behind, but building something genuinely meaningful in its place.

Don't miss this rare chance to learn from someone who has truly been there, for the long haul.

Y's Men Thursday morning meetings are in Hoskins Hall downstairs in the Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East in Westport. Coffee, donut, and bagel social hour begins at 9:00 am, business meeting at 10:00 am, speaker at 10:30 am. Come early and meet your fellow members. Guests are always welcome.

Y's Men Sponsored VersoFest '26 Event Sunday, March 29

 Focuses on the Legacy of The Grateful Dead

Renowned music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro will be in conversation with Dean Budnick, editor of Relix Magazine, on Sunday, March 29 from noon to 1:30 pm in a VersoFest '26 event sponsored by the Y's Men.

Shapiro has owned and operated concert venues like Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theatre and has produced a wide array of music festivals. Budnick is a rock author, writer and documentarian.

They will be discussing the legacy of The Grateful Dead and the development of the jam band scene over the decades. The conversation will be followed by a screening of the Grateful Dead movie "Dead Ahead," a concert video by The Grateful Dead recorded at Radio City Music Hall and released in 1981 containing acoustic as well as electric song performances.

Tickets are free but reservations are required. Click here to obtain your tickets. There will be coffee, bagels, and cream cheese as well as delicious pastries from Cobs Bread throughout the morning beginning at 10:00 am. Two VersoFest '26 panel discussions start at 10:30 am before the Shapiro/Budnick conversation begins at noon in the Trefz Forum.

Jim Marpe to Interview NBC's Craig Melvin April 8

Craig Melvin

An evening with Craig Melvin, co-sponsored by the Y's Men and the The Westport Library, will be held Wednesday, April 8, at 7:00 pm at the Library. Melvin is Co-Anchor of NBC’s “Today” and Co-Host of “3rd Hour of Today.” He will be interviewed by good friend Y's Man Jim Marpe.

A Westport resident along with his wife, award-winning sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak, Melvin will share stories from his career at the NBC News desk and transition into his current role as a Co-Host of "Today."

He will offer a "behind-the-scenes" glimpse into his most memorable interviews and global events such as the Olympics, various Super Bowls, as well as his perspective on the future of news.

A Westport resident, Melvin will discuss his life here and experiences that shape his work. Join us on April 8 for an unforgettable night of storytelling, and an opportunity to spend an evening with one of the country’s most respected broadcasters. 

Click here to obtain your free tickets.

Shoah Memorial To Be Discussed Sunday, April 12 at Library

"She Wouldn't Take Off Her Boots," a sculpture that will be discussed at The Westport Library on Sunday, April 12.

The Shoah Memorial Fairfield Connecticut, a program that was rescheduled from January 25 because of snow, will be discussed and presented Sunday, April 12 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm at The Westport Library.

Y’s Man Paul F. Burger is Chairman and primary sponsor of the project, a nonprofit dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, education, and interfaith civic engagement. It revolves around a sculpture entitled "She Wouldn't Take Off Her Boots" that will be installed as a memorial at Fairfield University.

The sculpture will be the centerpiece of the Sunday program entitled "Fighting Antisemitism and Celebrating Community: An Introduction to the Shoah Memorial."

The memorial is being created as a permanent educational resource—honoring Holocaust victims and survivors while fostering dialogue about human dignity, moral courage, and the consequences of hatred for future generations.



For additional information on the program and to obtain free admission click here.