Y's Men News -- Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | | REMINDER: We meet tomorrow at the Saugatuck Congregational Church, not at the Sherwood Island Pavilion | |
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Table of Contents
(Scroll Down to Find the Article Behind the Headline. Articles are
in the same order as the Table of Contents)
- CT Secretary of the State First Speaker of Y's Men Season
- Peter Greenberg at Westport Library September 25
- Annual Hot Dog Festival Set for Tuesday, September 9
- Last Chance to Sign Up for Shorefest at Sherwood Island
- DNR Concert to Honor First Responders
- T&E Lists Upcoming Outing
- Y's Men Invited to Westport Rotary Football Pool
- Life Talk Group to Discuss "Ideal Day" at September 9 Meeting
- Blood Drive Set for Friday, September 19
- Up Close: Non-Fiction Book Club Focuses on "Apollo 13"
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Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group Meets Weekly
- Y's Men Fred Packer and Russ Blair Pass Away
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Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas
First Speaker of the Y's Men 2025-2026 Season Tomorrow
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Stephanie Thomas
Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas will be the first speaker of the Y’s Men 2025 - 2026 season. Her presentation will be in Hoskins Hall at the Saugatuck Congregational Church this Thursday, September 4 at 10:00 am, followed by a Q&A session. Guests are welcome to attend.
As Connecticut’s 75th Secretary of the State, Thomas has led groundbreaking election reforms, including early voting, a centralized voter registration system, and a $25 million voting machine upgrade. She is currently working on implementing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of Connecticut and automatic voter registration across state agencies.
Previously, Thomas served as State Representative for the 143rd District, representing Norwalk, Wilton, and Westport. With 30 years of experience advising nonprofits and running her own business, she combines business-friendly advocacy with effective public service. The first Black Secretary of the State, she holds degrees from NYU and New School University and lives with her husband in Norwalk.
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 and business meeting at 10:00 am. Come early and meet your fellow members. Guests are always welcome.
| | Y's Men Travel Group and Library Welcome Peter Greenberg | | |
Peter Greenberg
Peter Greenberg is America’s most recognized, honored, and respected front-line travel news journalist and consumer adviser.
He is travel editor for CBS News, appearing on CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News, and CBS Sunday Morning, as well as NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, PBS, and in Newsweek magazine.
Greenberg is the author of The New York Times best-selling Travel Detective series. His website, PeterGreenberg.com, is one of the premier travel news resources for consumers and industry insiders.
Please join us and invite your friends to attend this wonderful and informative evening.
Tickets are are selling fast, so click here to purchase yours at the Library's website. Bon Voyage!
| | Annual Hot Dog Festival Set for Next Tuesday | | |
The Y’s Men Annual Hot Dog Festival, postponed from July, has been re-scheduled for next Tuesday (September 9) at 5:00 pm. A fundraiser for Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the event will be at Compo Beach South.
Unlike the regular Tuesday evening beach picnics during the summer where participants bring their own food and beverage, food is provided at the Festival with hot dogs as the main attraction. You're still welcome to bring your own dinner and beverage.
The festival raises money for Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang so bring a donation in cash or a check made out to Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang.
A rain date for the event is Wednesday, September 10.
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Last Chance to Sign Up for Shorefest at Sherwood Island
Ever since the pandemic, Sherwood Island State Park has been the Y’s Men's summer Thursday morning “go to" place for socializing with coffee, donuts and bagels along with regular hiking and walking.
Now we have an opportunity to help support a location that has been so important to our members for the past five years: Attend Shorefest this Friday, September 5, the annual dinner and silent auction that is the primary fundraiser of the Friends of Sherwood Island State Park.
The Friends have been a critical factor in maintaining and improving the Sherwood Island experience. They were asked by the state to cover the majority of the repairs which were needed by the Sherwood Island Nature Center. During Covid, the Friends spent $44,000 in securing mini splits, replacing and upgrading touch tanks, and completely overhauling the computer system and infrastructure. Annually, they replant and maintain the dunes, organize nature hikes, maintain the fish tanks, secure and plant trees, and fund an intern program.
Click here for detailed information on Shorefest and to buy tickets.
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DNR, the Almost All-Physician Band, to Honor First Responders
DNR, the almost all-physician band, will be performing at the Levitt Pavilion on Thursday, September 11, to honor Westport's first responders. The concert will focus particularly on the town's volunteer Emergency Medical Service.
DNR will be encouraging voluntary donations and will highlight the valuable role EMS plays in caring for Westporters. If people are interested, DNR can arrange for them to join the EMT service. The concert is free.
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Sunday, September 14
Aerobatic (Flying) Airshow
This event is open to Y’s Men members and spouses and significant others. Family members and non-member friends are also welcome.
https://conta.cc/4o6IDgk
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Y's Men Invited: Westport Rotary NFL Football Pool Fundraiser
If you are interested in participating in this pool, please go to the pool admin at the link below and create your account.
You can make a single donation of $50.00 for the season by Venmo funds to the address @Westport-Rotary (code 8606) or simply send a check made out to Westport Rotary Foundation, P.O Box 743, Westport, CT 06881. Write Football Pool on the memo line of your check. You will be ready for kick off on September 6.
Here's how it works: Everyone contributes $50.00 one time. Each week the weekly winner of the most games is awarded $50.00 (depending on the number of players), then at the end of the season the top 5 or 6 or 7 (TBD) get a bigger payout. Everyone else does not get funds back!
Of the total participants (last year we had 80), 50 percent goes to the Rotary Foundation Eradicate Polio Fund. (Last year it was 50 percent of 80 entrants times $50.00 or: 80x$50.00 x .5 =$2000).
The link is:
https://www.runyourpool.com/contest/?jCode=4a7000990eb34c8088a32f808be1bffa
If you encounter any problems or have any questions, please contact Jeff Wieser at wieser74@gmail.com or Jim Birchfield at jimbirchfield42@gmail.com
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Life Talk Group to Discuss "Ideal Day" at September 9 Meeting
The Y's Men Life Talk Group continues to offer opportunities for Y's Men to talk about important life topics in a safe setting where what gets said in the room, stays in the room. So far, they’ve talked about legacy, forgiveness, friendship and other subjects affecting us all (including your happy place!).
Its next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 9 at 2:00 pm in room 109 at the Saugatuck Congregational Church. The topic will be: What does your ideal day look like? ... How would you describe a day that ends with you facing the mirror and affirming, “My day counted."
If being heard, and hearing from others interests you, mark your calendars. And if you’re not a member of the Group, but would like to be, send an email to Larry Ackerman at larry@larryackerman.com and to Art Mann at mannart03@gmail.com for posting.
Because Group Leader Larry Ackerman will be in Italy when the September 9 meeting will be held, Y's Men President Mike Boyle has volunteered to facilitate the meeting.
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Up Close: Non-Fiction Book Club Focuses on "Apollo 13"
"Apollo 13," a book written by the late Astronaut Jim Lovell (and Jeffrey Kluger) on the Apollo 13 disaster, will be the focus of the Y's Men Non-Fiction Book Club when it meets on Wednesday, October 15 (not October 8 as previously reported) at 2:00 pm in room 109 at the Saugatuck Congregational Church.
Lovell was one of the three astronauts aboard the aborted flight to the moon. The book was the basis of the movie "Apollo 13."
Y's Man George Kalan, a NASA engineer who helped return the spacecraft to earth, will share his perspective of the event at the meeting. All Y's Men and guests are invited to attend what the Club expects to be a very exciting gathering.
In preparation for the meeting. the Club recommends viewing a short documentary about the Apollo 13 incident. Click here to watch it.
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Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group Meets Weekly
A small group of Y's men meet weekly to discuss topics of mutual interest inspired by current events. That's the Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group.
There are two separate groups that meet on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Saugatuck Congregational Church at 10:00 am for an hour-long discussion.
The topic for discussion is selected by consensus at the previous meeting. Each of the two separate groups is limited to seven members so everyone attending can actively participate in the discussion. An additional Monday group may be added should there be sufficient demand.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Current Events Group or in joining it should contact Y's Man Tony Pranzo at tpranzo@yahoo.com.
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Fred Packer
Y's Man Fred Packer Passed Away in July
Fred L. Packer, who joined the Y's Men in 2018, passed away on Saturday, July 12. He was 85.
Fred’s family will receive friends on Saturday, September 20, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, Fairfield. Interment will be private.
A complete obituary about Fred may be read by clicking here.
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Russ Blair
Y's Man Russell Blair Passed Away at 96
Russell Blair, who joined the Y's Men 22 years ago, passed away on Sunday. He was 96.
Russ was a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY where he earned a BS degree.
Information about services and an obituary will be made available as soon as they are received.
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