Staying

In Touch

October 2026

The Staying Put office will be closed on Monday, October 12 in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day.

Thank you to all who visited our new office space. The Open Houses brought many members, volunteers and community members in for a first look!

October at a Glance

Fri., Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10am: Walk with Kate at Irwin Park

Tues., Oct. 6, 1:30pm: Writing Workshop with Elaine Friedman at Staying Put

Wed., Oct. 7, 10am: Walk with Kate at Irwin Park

Wed., Oct. 7, 1pm: 2026 Annual Carriage Barn Art Show at The Carriage Barn

Thurs., Oct. 8, 12pm: Chat and Chew Lunch at Ching's Table

Fri., Oct. 9, 10am: Part 2 of Aging Well Series - Maintaining Your Health as You Age at New Canaan Library

Wed., Oct. 14, 10am: Men's Coffee at Staying Put

Thurs., Oct. 15, 10am: Women's Coffee with Peter Farnsworth on AI at Staying Put

Tues., Oct. 20, 11am: Guided Tour of Bruce Museum and Café Lunch at Bruce Museum

Wed., Oct. 21, 2pm: Spooktacular Afternoon Tea at Staying Put

Thurs., Oct. 22, 4:30pm: Staying Put Annual Meeting at Lapham Center

Tues., Oct. 27, 10am: Men's Coffee with Peter Farnsworth on AI at Staying Put

Wed., Oct. 28, 12pm: Let's Talk About The Brothers Grimm & Pizza at Staying Put

Thurs., Oct. 29, 11:30am: Halloween Lunch & Preschool Trick or Treating at First Presbyterian Church

Member Events

PLEASE RSVP BY THE STATED DATE FOR EACH EVENT. KNOWING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL ATTEND EACH EVENT HELPS THE STAYING PUT STAFF AND SPEAKERS TO PLAN FOR SPACE, FOOD, HANDOUTS, RIDES AND TO OFFER YOU THE BEST HOSPITALITY.

Walk with Kate at Irwin Park

Fri., Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10am at Irwin Park

Wed., Oct. 7, 10am at Irwin Park

Enjoy a walk in the park with fellow Staying Put members, weather permitting. Please meet in the lower lot. Kate will send out reminder emails. Note: This is for active members with no mobility issues. Free. RSVP by the day prior.

Writing Workshop with Elaine Gilner Friedman

Tues., Oct. 6, 1:30pm at Staying Put

Writing reduces stress, helps process emotions, and rekindles memories. "Writing to Heal, Remember and Grow" is a monthly writing workshop that requires no prior writing experience. Bring a notebook and explore your thoughts, guided by author, poet and Staying Put member, Elaine Gilner Friedman. This is the second of 4 sessions. Come to only one or as many as you wish. Free. RSVP by Mon., Oct. 5.

2026 Annual Carriage Barn Art Show

Wed., Oct. 7, 1pm at The Carriage Barn

See the artwork of the talented members of the Carriage Barn with other Staying Put friends. Afterwards, we'll have some treats on the patio, weather permitting. Free. RSVP by Tues., Oct. 6.

Aging Well - Maintaining Your Health as You Age

Fri., Oct. 9, 10am at New Canaan Library Tate Rm

Second of a 4-Part Aging Well series (more information follows). Dr. Alison McElhone, MD, is a geriatrician who will speak about keeping our minds and bodies functioning well as we age. Free. RSVP with the New Canaan Library link or Staying Put by Wed., Oct. 7.

Men's Coffee

Wed., Oct. 14, 10am at Staying Put

Join the fellows for conversation on topics of your choice. We'll have sweet and savory treats along with coffee and tea. Free. RSVP by Tues., Oct. 13.

Women's Coffee with Peter Farnsworth

Thurs., Oct. 15, 10am at Staying Put

Join the ladies of Staying Put to hear about "AI-based Fraud: What to be wary of and how to prevent it from happening to you." We'll have treats and hot coffee as well. Free. RSVP by Wed., Oct. 14.

Guided Tour of Bruce Museum and Lunch

Tues., Oct. 20, 11am at Bruce Museum

Join Staying Put members for this expert-guided docent tour of the Bruce's current art collection followed by lunch in the café. Please let us know if you'd like to carpool to the museum. $10 per person. Lunch is pay your own. RSVP by Thurs., Oct. 15.

Spooktacular Afternoon Tea

Wed., Oct. 21, 2pm at Staying Put

Join Staying Put members for a High Tea experience with scones and finger sandwiches. This will be a spirited afternoon not to be missed. Free. RSVP by Tues., Oct. 20.

Staying Put Annual Meeting Featuring Dr. Dominic Roca

Thurs., Oct. 22, 4:30pm-6:30pm at Lapham

Hear the news about Staying Put's past year and future plans. As part of our Fall Series, "Aging Well: 4 Keys to Living Stronger, Healthier and More Confidently," we welcome our guest speaker, Dr. Dominic Roca, MD. A renowned pulmonologist and sleep specialist, Dr. Roca will share vital insights on how sleep patterns change as we age, how to recognize common sleep disorders, and practical strategies to ensure you get the restorative rest you need. Free. RSVP by Mon., Oct. 19.

Men's Coffee with Peter Farnsworth

Tues., Oct. 27, 10am at Staying Put

Join the Staying Put gents to hear about "AI-based Fraud: What to be wary of and how to prevent it from happening to you." We'll have treats and hot coffee as well. Free. RSVP by Wed., Oct. 26.

Let's Talk About Brothers Grimm and Pizza

Wed., Oct. 28, 12pm at Staying Put

Flannery from the New Canaan Library will join us for our Halloween-themed talk about these well known fairy tales. We'll serve a pizza lunch. Free. RSVP by Tues., Oct. 27.

Halloween Lunch & Preschool Trick or Treating

Thurs., Oct. 29, 11:30am at 1st Presbyterian Church, 178 Oenoke Ridge

Join Staying Put members for a delicious lunch celebrating the Fall season. Preschoolers will join us for some trick or treating after lunch. Costumes are optional but please nothing scary or inappropriate for children. Free. RSVP by Mon., Oct. 26.

Welcome to Our Newest Members

Joe Bock, Douglas DeRosa, Kirsten and Mike Gregorio, Mary Ann Meils, Elizabeth and James Murphy, Usha Ojha, Margaret Sedlak

Birthdays This Month

Marjorie Aronson, Bea Camporine, Carole Clarkson, Bob Dalury, Chris Dombrowski, Shelley Emery, Ann Flinn, Richard Garcia, Jeanne Gnuse, Julie Green, Carol Hutchinson, Arun Kapur, Pamela Levine, Liz Massey, Jim McKeon, Mary Ann Meils, Katie O'Brien, Jeanne Piscitello, Jackie Powell, Jake Powell, Christina Rombouts, Sue Scannell, Judy Schurman, Nate Snyder, Rita Stone, Angela Sullivan, Gretchen Watkins, Merrill Wiechmann, Peter Ziesing

Aging Well: Four Keys to Living Stronger, Healthier and More Confidently

A 4-part series provided by Staying Put in partnership with New Canaan Library and Lapham Center.

Aging well isn't just about adding years to your life. It's about adding life to your years by maintaining your independence, confidence and quality of life. Staying Put, in partnership with the New Canaan Library and the Lapham Center are offering a 4-part series featuring local experts sharing practical strategies and resources for aging well. Whether you are planning for yourself or helping a loved one, you'll leave with useful information.

Maintaining Muscle After 60 - Completed

Contact Staying Put at 203-966-7762 or operations@stayingputnc.org to receive copy of handouts.

Maintaining Your Health as You Age

Friday, October 9, 10am at New Canaan Library's Tate Room

Dr. Alison McElhone, MD, Geriatric Medicine with Stamford Hospital, will provide a geriatrician's guide to healthy aging. RSVP by calling the New Canaan Library at 203-594-5000.

Improving Your Sleep For Better Health - Staying Put Annual Mtg

Thursday, October 22, 4:30pm at Lapham Community Center

Dr. Dominic Roca, MD, Center for Sleep Medicine at Stamford Hospital, will talk about how aging affects sleep, common disorders, and how to get a better night's sleep. RSVP to Staying Put at 203-966-7762.

Staying Prepared for Your Future

Thursday, November 12, 11am at New Canaan Library's Tate Room

Paul and Susan Doyle, Senior Oasis Advisors, will talk about the various options and resources available as we age and our needs change. RSVP by calling the New Canaan Library at 203-594-5000.

Paws with Purpose

Staying Put is pleased to introduce a new program created and operated by high school volunteers to help our members provide their pets with regular exercise. Whether you have a temporary need or are looking for more consistent assistance, participating students will come to your home and take your dog for approximately a 30-minute walk in your neighborhood.

Students will be matched with Staying Put members and will follow established program guidelines to help ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for the member, their pet, and the student.

Interested in learning more? Please call the Staying Put office to find out more about the program or to sign up your dog.

Hello from Kate

Published earlier this year, Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace has been popping up all over the place. I can’t miss spotting the clementine clad cover at Elm St Books, the Library, our office and more recently at my seat prior to a Board of Education meeting. Our Superintendent gifted the book to New Canaan’s educators, administrators, and the Board as an opportunity to consider how we value ourselves and others and to think about how we can cultivate connection and harness our own self-worth. Packed with anecdotal case studies, Wallace conveys four key elements of mattering: Significance, Appreciation, Investment and Dependence (SAID, to be cute about it). The stories she uses to describe these different components are thoughtful, touching, and occasionally a little out of reach to what I understand my “mattering” to be. I am not a Fire Chief turning an entire Fire Station’s morale around, nor am I a brilliant mind who because of bad luck was a garbage man for years while also putting himself through school and advancing onto Harvard Law. But the point of the book is to think about the mattering culture that we can create right where we are. And I think We (yes, a capital “W”) do a pretty good job of it, collectively in the Staying Put Community. The team, our members, our volunteers, we breathe life into her words:

Significance: Recognizing your impact, even (if not especially) in the small things- such as calling a friend just to say hi.

Appreciation: Feeling prioritized and acknowledged for who you are, for your wisdom, experience and uniqueness.

Investment: Feeling prioritized by our community, feeling seen and heard when a need is fulfilled through a ride, a grocery run, referral, or delivery of goodies.

Dependence: Being relied upon, without obligation, for the qualities that make you, you—knowing that we will see you on a Friday walk, or Book Talk, your presence matters to others.

What I love about all of this is that mattering requires a combination of internal and external work and validation. Some areas of “self help” have leaned a bit too heavily on the work we have to do inwardly in order to function outwardly. Wallace understands that when it comes to feeling like we matter in this world, external validation is just as critical a component as understanding our own strengths and needs. I invite you to come pick up the book from our lending library, but also, just come by because Staying Put, at its core, is here because you matter.

Community News and Events

Home Fire Safety Assessment

The Fire Marshall is accepting appointments to conduct complementary fire safety assessments of New Canaan homes. Call the Fire Marshall at 203-594-3030 for an appointment. Free.

Panel to Inform the Public about November Election Charter Revision Questions

Mon., Oct. 5, 10am at Lapham Center

A public information session to help New Canaan voters understand the issues related to six questions that will be on the November 3 election ballot about proposed changes to the Town Charter.

Proposed Amendments

The six proposed Charter amendments recommended by the Charter Revision Commission and approved by the Town Council to be placed on the November ballot fall under the following subjects:

1. To require all elected and appointed Town officers, with managerial responsibility over Town employees, to be subject to all applicable and published administrative rules, policies, procedures, and standards of conduct governing department heads and municipal employees of the Town;

2. To require confirmation by the Town Council of appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission by the Board of Selectmen;

3. To require Town Council approval for changes to Town-owned real property including change in use as defined under the New Canaan zoning regulations; capital lease; or sale or transfer of Town-owned real property;

4. To amend the Town Charter such that members of the Board of Finance will no longer be required to be real estate taxpayers;

5. To add three alternate members to the Ethics Board where five regular members currently serve;

6. To amend the Town Charter to reflect technical and conforming changes which clarify definitions, delete outdated references no longer applicable and update provisions to current practice and for Charter consistency.

Lapham Community Center

Call 203-594-3620 for more information and to RSVP.

Wed., Oct. 7, 21, 12:30pm - Blood Sugar & Blood Pressure Clinic. Free. RSVP

Wed., Oct. 7, 10am - Fire Prevention with Fire Marshall. Free. RSVP

Wed., Oct. 14, 1pm - Happy Birthday Lapham! Drop in for cake and help celebrate. Free. RSVP

Thurs., Oct. 15 - Dec. 7 by appt - Medicare Part D Open Enrollment. Review and choose your plan. Free. By Appt Only.

Tues., Oct. 27, 10am - Understanding Smart Phone Buttons & Their Functionality. Free. RSVP

New Canaan Library

Tues., Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, 2pm-4pm - Open Tech. Help with email, smartphones/tablets, social media, etc. Free. Drop In - No Registration.

Fri., Oct. 30, 2-3pm - Computer Basics: Spot a Scam. Free. Registration Required. Call 203-594-5000

The Carriage Barn

Sat., Oct. 3, 2:30pm-4:30pm - Painting Music. Listen, Paint, and Unlock Your Creative Energy. $40 for Nonmember. Register with Link.

Sun., Oct. 11, 10am-4pm - Arts Festival. Free. No Registration Needed

Beware of Ticks

Tick bites remain prevalent throughout the fall, and we are now seeing them even through winter season. Tick-borne diseases found in the Northeast include Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, and Powassan disease.

Ticks are generally found in wooded areas, tall grass, edges of fields and forests, stone walls, shady and moist areas, and forested trails. Ticks do not jump or fly. Instead, they attach to people or animals when they come into contact with vegetation where ticks are waiting. Ticks are attracted to host odors, body heat, and vibrations, and they may use shadows as visual cues. They are also attracted to the color white.

When spending time outdoors, take precautions by wearing light-colored clothing, covering exposed skin when possible, staying on cleared trails, and checking yourself, your children, and pets for ticks after being outside.

If you find a tick on yourself or a child, remove it promptly using a clean tweezer. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure, doing your best to remove the tick entirely. Make note of the date and, if possible, the approximate time and location of exposure.

Monitor for symptoms such as fever or chills, aches and pains, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, or rash. Bring the tick to the New Canaan Health Department for identification and tick-borne disease testing. Do NOT burn the tick off, apply chemicals or Vaseline to the tick, or dig into the skin if the tick's head or mouthparts become detached.

If symptoms develop following a possible tick exposure, contact your healthcare provider and be sure to mention the tick exposure.

The Staying Put Team is Here for You

We provide New Canaan seniors with a wide range of practical services and social connections - from rides to helping with errands, minor home repairs and technology, to brightening the day with a call or visit - all making it easier for seniors to live confidently at home and stay engaged in the community.

Help is a Phone Call Away: Caring professionals to turn to for help, information, referrals, counseling, support and personalized assistance.
Transportation: Door-to-door rides within New Canaan and to local towns.
Social Events: Fun and enriching gatherings, excursions, and programs to be active and connect with others.
Groceries & Errands: Grocery shopping, prescription pick up and other helpful errands.
Help at Home: Minor home repairs, changing ceiling light bulbs, moving heavy objects and more.
Technology Assistance: One-on-one assistance in the home to troubleshoot issues for computers, televisions, cell phones and other electronic devices.
Service Providers: Trustworthy list of home service and repair professionals for hire.
Communication and Visits: Keeping in touch with those who may be facing issues of loneliness and isolation.
Community Resource: Education, advice and referrals for healthy aging.
Home Safety Assessments: Personalized and professional recommendations to reduce risks in the home.

Gina Z. Blum

Executive Director

director@stayingputnc.org

Kim Herr

Manager of Operations

operations@stayingputnc.org

Kate Brambilla

Manager of Member Services

members@stayingputnc.org

Kristin Barnard

Office Assistant

assistant@stayingputnc.org

Office Hours

Monday-Thursday: 9am-5pm

Friday: 9am-1pm

Please call us anytime

203-966-7762

Gina, Kate, Kim & Kristin

Staying Put In New Canaan

65 Locust Avenue, Suite 103

P.O. Box 484

info@stayingputnc.org

Phone: 203-966-7762