Kids Help Kids with Gift Totes of Blankets, Stuffed Animals and Books

Kids Help Kids with Gift Totes of Blankets, Stuffed Animals 
and Books:

Tomlinson students support Center for Women and Families

(posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 4/9)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

4/8/11

Fairfield, CT – While they chattered and had fun putting together the tote bags, the students’ thoughts were on the children who would be receiving them and their unfortunate situations. Their hope was that the simple gesture would bring a little cheer during an otherwise upsetting period.

Taking a cue from Project Night Night, a non-profit that gives children in homeless shelters comfort and security, Tomlinson Touch, the community service committee at Tomlinson Middle School, held a working session Friday afternoon wherein some 30 students assembled tote bags for kids uprooted from their homes in domestic abuse situations. The tote bags were stuffed with a blanket, age-appropriate books and a new stuffed animal. Fifty bags in total were assembled for kids being sheltered by the Center for Women and Families in Bridgeport.

“We try to give students an opportunity a couple of times of year to do something for the community,” said Deb Owens, co-chair of Tomlinson Touch, an offshoot of the PTA. “We always have a fall event, which has been the Rake ‘n Bake, for senior citizens who need their leaves raked. And, all year long, Tomlinson students volunteer at the Pilot House, where children with special needs take classes. We never had a spring event and, after a little brainstorming and fellow committee member Debbie Reynold’s suggestion, we decided to join this existing Project Night Night cause. The tote bags seemed doable in a day and the kids could do most of the work. Mainly we wanted the kids to have a hands-on experience.”

Owens said preparations actually started back in March when kids were asked to bring to school gently used books and new stuffed animals. Fleece materials were also purchased from a local fabric store and the canvas totes obtained from Project Night Night. “Today is the culmination, wherein each student will do finishing work on the blankets and put the bags together,” said Owens. “The bags will to go to kids that are spending time in a temporary safe house. They are in that situation because their mothers have been victims of domestic abuse that was serious enough for them to suddenly leave their homes.”

With Twinkies, pretzels, raisins and water to fuel them, the student laborers sat around tables in a third floor classroom to band together pre-cut fleece to make two-ply blankets. Then they selected books and stuffed animals from adjacent tables and inserted them and the blankets in the canvas totes.

“This is a really good cause and I wanted to help kids,” said Maddy Foynn, 12, one of the participating students. “It’s really sad to think about these young kids out on the street without their things. I think they’ll appreciate this.”

Another student, Tallis Monteiro, 11, had similar sympathies. “I like helping people and am happy that they’ll get our gift bags, but it’s also sad to know about their situation. I hope these cheer them up.”

Sarah Lubarsky, Development Director at the Center for Women and Families, came to see the students’ efforts and share some more background about her organization. “We have a very special place called Cathy’s Place, where we can put people who have nowhere else to live,” she said. “We house about 100 to 150 people a year. They can stay there for up to 60 days, until they find another place to live.”

Addressing the students directly, Lubarsky said, “Can you imagine how difficult it is to be uprooted? Often, these kids have had to leave their homes with just the clothes on their backs. You’re being great heroes today.”

Kids Make Kites and Soar to New Heights at Earthplace

Kids Make Kites and Soar 
to New Heights at Earthplace

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

4/9/11

Westport, CT – They ran in all directions, smiles on their faces and makeshift kites with long colorful ribbon tails fluttering behind them. It was a great day to be alive… and to be a kid at Earthplace Center.

Saturday afternoon April 9 marked Kite Making Day, a spring ritual that has been faithfully conducted for the past 10 years, at the Woodside Lane facility. Over a dozen families attended the event, the cost of which was included with regular admission. With an accompanying adult and in an EcoLab classroom, children constructed and decorated simple kites then brought them outside to an adjacent open field to let them fly.

The program’s coordinator, naturalist Margaret Ardwin, said of the event, “It’s a nice way of celebrating spring, getting the kids outside and introducing a little science. The kites are made of plastic trash bags, wooden dowels and kite string, with paper towel tubes to coil the string around. These are bag kites, so anyone can fly one. It doesn’t take a lot to get the kite airborne.”

Busily using colored markers to design the front face of her kite, Grace Katz, 7, of Westport, said, “It’s a great day, especially for flying kites. It’s fun to design them, then go fly them.”

Michelle Petrino of Fairfield agreed with the youngster’s weather assessment, which inspired her family’s trek to the Center. “It’s a beautiful day and this sounded like something fun to do,” she said, “and age appropriate for my son, who’s three.”

Out on the grounds, Steven Devino coached his sons Brian, 3, and Steven, 5, on effective flying techniques. He said he was a big fan of the facility. “Earthplace always puts together these great family events,” he said. “You always have something to do together that also has instructional value. And the kids are always exposed to nature and the outdoors as well.”

The Kite Making Day program is just one of the many fun, educational activities the 53-year-old Center offers. The facility also includes a 62-acre wildlife sanctuary with trails, an interactive natural history museum and live animals for public viewing.

For more information, visit www.earthplace.org or call 203-227-7253.

Fishing Derby Hooks Families

Fishing Derby Hooks Families:

51st Annual Fairfield PAL event 

provides fun for all

(posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 4/10)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

4/9/11

Fairfield, CT – “Fish on!” was the repeated cry heard along the banks of the pond at Gould Manor Park on Holland Hill Road Saturday morning as child after child pulled scaly creatures from the murky waters.

The kids and their parents – some 250 to 300 people in all – were participating in the annual Fishing Derby sponsored by the Fairfield Police Athletic League. The free event has been conducted the second Saturday of April every year for the past 51 years. It was open to children ages 3 to 15.

“This is just a great opportunity to get kids out with their families to have some fun,” said Officer Scott Sudora, the event’s organizer since 1990. “This is all about community outreach and we get people from all over. To see kids’ faces when they reel in a fish is priceless. Hopefully no one gets hooked.”

Sudora said the pond is specially stocked for the event with 375 brook and rainbow trout, but added that there are also carp, bluegill sunnies and catfish available. The Westport Striped Bass Club, along with Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle, supplies the bait, and prizes are offered in 13 categories, including biggest trout, biggest fish other than a trout and smallest fish other than a trout. Fishing poles serve as prizes and there is also a raffle conducted at the end of the event for nets, lures and bait so kids can fish on their own. Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection rules govern the derby, restricting the take to no more than five trout. “Catch and release” is generally promoted.

Retired Fairfield Police Captain Pat Carroll initiated the contest five decades ago and was on hand for the fun. “I was a sergeant in the Youth Bureau back then, and a very close friend and fisherman, Nick Fingelli, came to me and suggested we do something for the kids,” he said. “That was the beginning of the fishing contest. Nick was involved right up until he passed several years ago. It has always been held at Gould. We’ve been blessed with a great day today.”

Amid a long stretch of sports chairs, coffee cups, tackle boxes and containers of bait, Ron Pelletier Sr., from Shelton, baited hooks and reeled out lines. He had been a derby participant for the past five years and had with him his granddaughter Holly, nephew Alexander and other family. “It’s for the kids,” he said. “They have a great time and have a shot at some great prizes. We like to set up in the spot where they drop the fish in. They tend to hover near here and patrol the banks.”

Down the way, Larry Mansy of Fairfield was showing his daughter Sarah, 4, how to fish, while wife Nita looked on. “So far so good,” he reported. “I fish bass tournaments all the time. This is Sarah’s first contest. The fishies like live worms. Hopefully she’ll get a bite.”

Fairfielder Ben Faria, 13, who was participating for the third year, was lucky enough to snag a 19-inch carp, which weighed in around three pounds. “I used whole corn kernels threaded onto my hook,” he said, with regard to his strategy. “My friend’s brother taught me that. I’ve used the same in the past and it has always worked.”

Danielle Rossi, 10, of Oxford, employed a different approach that has paid off for her at past events. “I use Rainbow Power Bait usually which seems to work,” she said. “I won first place for biggest trout last year and the year before. Mostly you have to have a lot of patience. This is a fun way to spend some time with my dad. We’ve been doing this since I was four.”

“Ice Eagles” Soar to New Heights

“Ice Eagles” Soar to New Heights

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

4/1/11

Southport, CT – An 11-year-old’s interest in learning to play ice hockey set in motion the creation of a school’s first ice hockey team. By itself, this is not such a unique development, but consider that these students are challenged with various learning disabilities. Soon, they will go head-to-head in competition against an experienced sister school.

The school with the fledgling team is the Eagle Hill School of Southport, which parent Katherine Sullivan described as a small school with students that are all bright and teachable but have some form of learning disability. “It’s a school where kids ‘learn to learn’ then transition back into public or private schools,” she said.

Last summer, when her son Jared voiced his desire to play hockey, Sullivan approached the Fairfield Ice Academy, with which she was already familiar, as they had donated skating passes to a school fundraising event she had helped coordinate.

“They asked if he’d be interested in a starter ice skating class, as a first step towards playing hockey,” Sullivan said. It turned out another 14 boys from the school were also interested in skating – not all for hockey necessarily – and a class was launched in September.

“There were four very talented young male instructors at the Academy that had played in college or prep school who were assigned to teach the group,” said Sullivan. “This would be a unique challenge for these teachers as the boys each have some form of learning challenge, from dyscalculia and dyslexia to language-base disabilities. And most of the boys had never played on an organized team sport because of their challenges, or had had bad experiences.”

When Sullivan first met with the instructors, she told them that they would have to slow things down, repeat things and have a lot of patience. “Tamara Guarino, the director of the ice rink, was particularly understanding and enthusiastic and the staff seemed to love kids,” she said. “There was also a great ratio of teachers to kids, about 3 to 1, and an attention level comparable to Eagle Hill’s environment, so I felt this was going to work out.”

One of the four instructors assigned to the class, Guy Savage, 27, spoke about how they got things started. “It was all strictly skating for the first eight weeks,” he said. “And just like any other kids, it was about getting the most out of them. Some needed to be coaxed, others just needed positive reinforcement. Attention spans varied, so keeping things fun and the kids involved was key, as well as making them feel like they were accomplishing something. We stressed that having the ability to skate would set them apart and boost their confidence. They thought that was cool.”

Savage said the boys’ level of interest in playing hockey varied at first until they really started skating and felt comfortable on the ice. What was very appealing though, he said, was going to the Academy every Friday. “It was like a mini field trip, and they got to hang out with their pack.”

Another of the four instructors, Brendan Gyarfas, 21, explained how the group made the transition from just skating to playing hockey. “In November, we started to introduce equipment and getting them familiar with it,” he said. “The first on-ice instruction was about stick handling and skating with the pack. With equipment on, it feels different skating, so there was getting used to that and balancing.”

Gyarfas said warm-up drills were introduced next, in which the boys skated around the perimeter to center ice, did crossovers with the puck and shots on goal from opposite corners. “They were very attentive on the ice and picked up on the techniques pretty quickly,” he said. “Their high level of enthusiasm helped. We tried to keep it as fun and interesting as we could.”

Power skating, stick handling, special skills and shooting all became the focus through the winter months at the Academy. “As far as teaching rules, we got into some basics – keeping sticks down, no hooking or slashing, etc. – enough to have a rudimentary understanding,” said Gyarfas. “More complex rules like ‘off sides’ regulations have been excluded at this point in their development.”

Savage said the boys themselves are largely responsible for their own success. “They cheer each other on, slap each other on the back, pick each other up,” he said. “It’s great to see. We know kids can be cruel and they’re not like that at all. They’re always positive and great with each other. It’s special.”

Pat Macoy, 24, who serves as both an instructor and coach, introduced the idea that they challenge another school to a game. “It came to a point where these kids were really starting to develop as hockey players,” he said. “I suggested they play Eagle Hill-Greenwich (the Southport school’s sister location) as both schools have students with learning difficulties and the same goals.”

He said the boys “earned the opportunity and have worked incredibly hard.” He added, “It’s been amazing to see their progress. And as much as they’ve grown, we instructors have grown as it takes a whole different discipline to teach them. The key thing here is that when they hit the ice, they forget their hardships and it all becomes about hockey and competition. It has become a passion for these guys.”

The Greenwich school, which already had two hockey teams, thought a game was a great idea, and one has been scheduled for April 8 at Stamford’s Twin Rinks. To prepare, Macoy said, “We really had to step up the knowledge about the game. It went from a lot of skating work to doing drills to teach them why the puck goes to a certain place defensively and offensively. We’ve also been having them scrimmage every week, which is great for us instructors as we get to see their progress in a competitive situation. That’s where we’ve noticed the biggest progress – passing with their heads up, talking about the game on the bench, really cooperating with each other. They want each other to succeed.”

The boys’ enthusiasm for the game was obvious. “I had done some skating before joining the Academy and really got into playing hockey,” said Ruairi Blevio, 11. “The instructors are really nice and helped along my teammates who couldn’t really skate at first. We’re all doing so well and we’re all friends.”

Blevio’s teammate, J.B. DiPreta, 11, said he was “very bad” at skating before the Academy, “but I’m very good now, and play defense. Hockey gets me stoked. I really love it.”

Jared Sullivan said it was “cool” that his mom had pulled everyone together to skate and play hockey and that it’s now his favorite sport. “I really didn’t know them or if we’d all get along, but we really hit it off and are great teammates.”

Perhaps the most die-hard team member is Gib Shea, 10. The lad broke his left wrist during a January practice and was sidelined for six weeks. “It was hard to sit out,” he said, “but I got right back to it. I think we’re definitely going to win our game because we have some great, determined players.”

SIDEBAR

The Fairfield Ice Academy: Intimate Rinks, Hands-on Instructors

Opened in Jan. 2010 in the Sportsplex at 85 Mill Plain Road, the Fairfield Ice Academy offers two rinks – one 36’ x 70, and a second 29’ x 72’ – built for small area games. “The intimate size is conducive to learning and levels the playing field,” said Director Tamara Guarino. “We have an average of about 10 to 12 kids on the ice at a time and roughly a 4-to-1 ratio of instructors to students.”

Guarino said the Academy is a great place to learn to skate, learn to play hockey or even just come to skate recreationally. She said they also offer the rink for birthday parties and that those groups have them exclusively to themselves. “That’s a big plus over a larger rink where the ice is shared. Scouting groups and schools often have outings with us, too,” she said.

Guarino added the facility provides skates, helmets and pucks but that other gear must be supplied by visitors or can be purchased from Fairfield Sports. The latter is right next door, and carries new and used skating equipment, offering a 20% discount.

“Those signed up for a program get a pass for free public skating for the duration of their program,” Guarino said. Normally, there’s a $5 fee to get on the ice, which is still very reasonable given that visitors can typically skate for about two hours. Separately, there is a $4 charge to rent skates and $5 fee for a helmet rental.

“We allow kids to progress at their own rate and move them up as they become more advanced,” she said. “Our concept is to keep kids engaged and share a love of skating and hockey that motivates them to excel,” Guarino said.

For more information about Fairfield Ice Academy, and details on its April 20-22 school break program, visit www.fairfieldiceacademy.com or call 203-254-8399.

Sea House Clambakes Founders Chart New Course

Sea House Clambakes Founders Chart New Course

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

3/25/11

Fairfield, CT – A common work ethic, stagnant wages and a desire for independence were the motivating factors that led two local men to launch Sea House Clambakes & Catering, a Fairfield-based food service business that has already booked dozens of parties for the 2011 season.

“None of my family was in the restaurant business,” said co-founder and Fairfield resident Marc Cehovsky, 42, “but everyone was a great cook. I was always in the kitchen and taught to make things from an early age.”

His partner, Jeff Seganos, 36, of Ansonia, had a similar tale. “I was just a ‘grill man’ like my dad and always liked the outdoor parties and social aspect of them.”

The two first became acquainted at Fairfield Warde High School, where Cehovsky teaches American History and Seganos is a dean and was a former math teacher. “We were always hustling for money, doing side jobs,” said Cehovsky, who got his first professional cooking experience at Swanson’s Fish Market, in Summer 2001. He worked as a crew member conducting clambakes at homes, corporate events, birthdays, etc.

Cehovsky told the fish market’s owner, Gary Swanson, that he knew a great guy that could help out. “Gary said, ‘Bring him on.’ The idea was that Jeff and I would partner up and do the clambakes together,” Cehovsky said. “Jeff turned out to be very good at them and ended up leading his own crew. We actually very rarely worked together in those first few years.”

The clambakes kept the two busy summer after summer for a decade, handling upwards of 60 parties a season. Then, two years ago, a unique set of circumstances made the pair start to consider their options. As Cehovsky explained, “There was turnover at Swanson’s, our teacher pay got frozen, my wife’s real estate sales slowed and we both had kids headed for college.”

“We recognized that we were very good at what we did and could probably do a better job on our own for all the amount of effort put in,” Cehovsky said. “And, at our ages, we said to ourselves, ‘If we don’t do it now, when are we going to do it?’”

Cehovsky added that his teaching position was good prep for being independent. “As a teacher, I’m master of my own fate, more or less, when I close that door. There’s something very satisfying about that,” he said.

The two closed out the 2010 clambake season with Swanson’s, left on good terms, took out a small business loan to supplement savings and formed their LLC. “Then we went about doing all the preliminary work,” said Cehovsky, “like getting a van, buying equipment and securing insurance. We made a massive list, as long as your leg, of things that needed to be done to get the business going, and have both been very active. Anyone catering has to be ‘serve safe’, so we had to get certified by the National Restaurant Association. We also had to get familiar with all the state and local food service laws.”

Though the business is registered in Fairfield, the pair maintain a fully functioning 1,000-square-foot commercial kitchen in a business complex on the Post Road in Milford, which they rent and will operate seasonally. They have forged connections with reputable seafood vendors from Maine to Canada, and created a tasty menu to serve parties of 25 to 250 people. This includes appetizers like clams on the half shell, steamers, mussels, Little Necks and steamed clams; entrees such as lobster, rib eye steak and swordfish; and sides like corn on the cob, potatoes and cole slaw. Pricing is generally $25 to $30 per head, depending on menu choices.

“It’s just the two of us, but we surely hope to add crew members,” Cehovsky said. “For now, it’s important to people that the company owners are showing up to cater their events. That’s what may separate us from other businesses in this category, as well as the fact that you can’t get the quality and amount of food at a restaurant that you would get through us. It’s a great deal.”

Cehovsky said he and Seganos are good friends and work well with each other, even reading each other’s minds. “Though there’s a lot more work to do, when you work for yourself, it’s exciting and raises your game. It’s your face and your reputation out there, and no one wants to make a fool of themselves,” Cehovsky said.

Seganos added that the catering business is a perfect gig for them. “It’s seasonal, falling mainly during the summer months, when we’re on break from school, and on weekends and nights. We’re going to look at holiday times, too.”

Cehovsky said people thought they were crazy to start the business during these uncertain financial times, but Linda Kavanagh, Director of the New England Culinary Group, a restaurant consultancy, said they are well positioned for success.

“Having a niche like they do is far more impactful as a caterer than saying they do everything,” she said. “More than just producing a good product, it doesn’t hurt to have the personal background with Swanson’s either. Their other jobs as teachers also give them likeability, which is an added p.r. component.”

Kavanagh added, “I’ve had six restaurants open in the last six weeks. Dining is the #1 recreational activity. No matter what, people want to have a party and will spend on that.”

Jail N’ Bail Event Captures Funds for Special Olympics

Jail N’ Bail Event Captures Funds for Special Olympics:

Sacred Heart University students and faculty “bond” for cause

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

4/6/11

Fairfield, CT – Usually when someone is being arrested, they are not smiling about it. But for dozens of students, faculty members and other staff at Sacred Heart University, they were only too glad to be handcuffed and thrown in jail.

In this case, it was all for a good cause – an all-day “Jail N’ Bail” fundraiser for Special Olympics of Connecticut, held on the university’s campus, 5151 Park Avenue. A range of law enforcement groups were on hand to assist including the Fairfield, Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull police departments, the Connecticut State Police and the university’s Public Safety office. 

“This is the second year we’ve held the event,” said Public Safety Officer John Kichinko, who organized the fundraiser. “Last year, we raised about $13,000. Based on that success, we decided to hold it again, with a goal of raising $20,000.”

Kichinko explained how the very creative fundraising process worked. “Basically, anyone can fill out a warrant on someone, for such offenses as messy hair or sleeping too late,” he said. “The warrant is then given to one of our law enforcement partners and they’ll go get the individual wherever they are on campus. If the person is willing – and they all are – they are handcuffed and brought to appear before a judge. In this case, the judges are local attorneys, university administrators and police officials like Bridgeport Deputy Chief Jim Honis. They review the warrant and set a bail amount. The ‘suspect’ is then put in jail.”

The warrant application station, judge’s office, holding cells and bail payment area were all makeshift set-ups located on an outdoor patio next to the campus’ dining facility. This area was abuzz with activity and noise as “arrestees” were led in by officers, judges assessed cases, exchanges took place at the payment and application stations and “prisoners” wailed from their cells.

Kichinko said arrestees were allowed to make phone calls or have visits – whatever they needed to do to raise bail, which ranged from $50 to $250 depending on the arrestee. “The warrant itself is five dollars,” said Kichinko, “which is paid by the issuer of the warrant, who could be a student, faculty, family or people in the community. One-hundred percent of all funds collected go to Special Olympics.”

As Kichinko spoke, Trumbull police officer Brian Weir escorted SHU assistant women’s soccer coach Jorge Pinto, who was handcuffed, to see the judges. Pinto said, “Apparently I braked a little late in my car while traveling to Yale with the team the other day. I’ll definitely drive slower next time when the team’s in the car.”

Every prisoner had their own story to tell about their apparent misbehavior. Student Danielle Belson, 18, said, “I’m in here for being sassy and trespassing. My bail’s been set at $60. I’ve been texting people to come get me out, but no one’s answering me!”

In an adjacent holding cell, student Donald Gill, 18, said, “According to the warrant, my offense was stealing my sexy Brazilian roommate from my friends.”

One of Gill’s friends, a fellow student who helped issue the warrant, was Taylor Filanowski, 18. She said, in her defense, “He was just stealing him for far too long. We just had to do it.”

Gill said his bail was set at $50. “I’ve reached out to my frat brothers and roommate,” he said. “They’ve all come by, but no one has paid to get me out yet.”

Law enforcement wasn’t even immune to the day’s arrest activities, judging by the presence of Public Safety Officers Stephanie Trelli and Kate Frederick behind bars.

“My offense is that I’m the rookie,” smiled Trelli. “I’m fairly new to the department. This is how they pay me back!”

The cries from the jail grew louder – “Bail me out!” “Help me!” and “Get me outta here!” Assistant Coach Pinto even broke into a mournful song: “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, nobody knows my sorrow…”

Meanwhile, over at the warrant application area, Alex Drexl, 19, was filling out a warrant on her professor. “I don’t want to go to class today,” she said, then added, “It’s all good and for a good cause.”

Processing bail money, Lisa Vane, Regional Director of the Special Olympics of Connecticut Southwest Region, was thrilled that the university was hosting the event. “These funds are much-needed for our athletes,” she said. “We appreciate the enthusiasm of the students, faculty and everyone else that came out on this sunny day to help.”

Standing beside several police command vehicles parked in front of Seton Hall, Fairfield police officer Jay Valle recalled a funny stunt a teacher pulled at last year’s fundraiser. “He gave a surprise quiz to his class and they all flunked, so he had his entire class arrested, which netted about $800 in donations. This is a great event and everyone really gets into it.”

Cyclists and Walkers Share Thoughts in Advance of Forum

Cyclists and Walkers Share Thoughts in Advance of Forum

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

3/29/11

Fairfield, CT – On Thursday evening, April 14, at Osborn Hill Elementary School, 760 Stillson Road, a public forum sponsored by the Town of Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Advisory Committee will address bike and pedestrian access and safety throughout town. The forum will be an opportunity for residents and committee members to share ideas and concerns.

The Committee was created through a grant from the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency and is comprised of volunteer residents and representatives from the Town Planning and Zoning Commission, Police Department, Public Works and the GBRPA.

In advance of the forum, the Citizen News spoke with Kirsten Etela, the committee’s chair, and hit the street to chat with cyclists and pedestrians about the issues.

“I feel that current facilities for walkers are inadequate and many sidewalks are incomplete,” said Etela. “The town’s been doing a good job addressing, but it needs to go further. For cyclists, the challenge is the number of cars on the road and their speed. There’s also a lack of education of both cyclists and motorists on how to share the road. Motorists by law must give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing and, more often than not, that doesn’t happen.”

Out walking together along Beach Road, Fairfield residents Carrie Cochrane and Leslie Noland were mostly satisfied with conditions. “We do a three-mile route in the beach area,” said Cochrane. “We feel safe walking and no threats from cars, and there are ample sidewalks. In the winter, of course, sidewalks were impossible, but that was due to all the snow.”

Noland pointed out a couple trouble spots, however. “If it’s a main road with no sidewalks, like Sasco Hill Road or Round Hill Road, I try to avoid it,” she said. “Pequot Avenue and the Turkey Trot route in Southport could really use sidewalks, too.”

Cochrane was happy about a few recent improvements. “The new sidewalks around Unquowa and Sturges are fabulous,” she said. “They made it more of a walking area, especially with kids.”

The pair felt a dedicated walking area wouldn’t be of interest to them, as they like to change up their routes, but that it could be good for kids on bikes and moms with strollers.

Trotting east on the Post Road near the Shell station, Sam Audino, 16, of Fairfield, said he does a lot of walking around town and enjoys it. “I’ve actually been avoiding getting my driver’s permit because I feel that, if I have it, I might get quite lazy and drive around all the time. I find sidewalks to be good downtown and wide enough for walkers and bikers to pass each other.”

Still, Audino pointed out a couple difficult areas. “The intersection by Borders can be a hassle to cross given cars making various turns,” he said. “Another tough spot is North Benson Road where it goes under the train overpass. There’s just no sidewalk there.”

Pushing a stroller east on the Post Road and carrying her infant son, Kelly Scinto thought walking routes were better near downtown versus the outskirts. “Beyond Brick Walk headed east, it gets difficult,” she said. “There are fewer defined paths. If there was a dedicated area to walk or pedestrian zone, we would love that.”

Cyclist Jonah Burnim, 31, of Fairfield, who was biking west on the Post Road, was particularly opinionated on issues. “Riding the roads is pretty much suicide and you get yelled at for riding on the sidewalks,” he said. “Riding between Beach Road and Mill Plain is especially challenging. I feel like an alien. I get looks and comments like “Oh, my God” when I ride on the sidewalk. But when I’m on the street, no one’s going to stop for me.”

Burnim added, “I ride to work at a local insurance agency and other times ride for pleasure. More bike paths would be sweet and make me feel like I’m accepted and not sneaking around.”

Cyclists Jim Sabo, 22, of Bridgeport, and Tom Frost, 17, of Fairfield, were also very vocal about their local biking experience. “I do a lot of bike riding from Black Rock to Fairfield,” said Sabo. “I feel like I’m kind of limited coming into Fairfield and competing with pedestrians on the sidewalks. In the streets, it’s worse as I’m going head-on into traffic. Cars don’t pay attention to traffic signs or lights and they’re coming pretty fast. I almost got hit the other day when these two cars came through the intersection by Cumberland Farms. A designated bike lane on the street like they have in New York would be ideal.”

Added Frost, “Sometimes when I ride on the sidewalk by a business, cars exit right out into the sidewalk and right in the path where I’m riding. You can barely stop in time.”