First Selectman Flatto Accepts Gov. Malloy Appointment as Executive Director of Division of Special Revenue

First Selectman Flatto Accepts 
Gov. Malloy Appointment as 
Executive Director of Division 
of Special Revenue

(Posted to Fairfield-Sun website 3/22)

By Mike Lauterborn

3/22/11

Fairfield, CT – At a hastily assembled press conference at Sullivan Independence Hall Tuesday morning, First Selectman Kenneth Flatto announced that he would accept an appointment by Governor Dannel P. Malloy as Executive Director of the Division of Special Revenue and leave his First Selectman position. His new role will entail managing various special revenues and regulating legalized gaming in the State of Connecticut, including the Lottery, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Democratic Selectman Sherri Steeneck will assume Flatto’s current role in April through the November election period.

“I’m very excited about this but it’s one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” said Flatto, adding that he will start his new job toward the end of April. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve as First Selectman for the past 12 years and on the board for the past 16 years. I love this job and I love the town of Fairfield.”

Flatto said that, in large part, he was favoring re-election, but “the people of Connecticut have a lot of challenges, and the draw to help was strong.” He added, “The tipping point for me was knowing that I would have a chance to be part of a great administration and help the state. I’ve been so impressed by the people they’ve been selecting and think I can fit in well.”

Assessing Fairfield, Flatto said it’s in great shape. “We’ve touched every facet of our town in positive ways and done a lot to shape the future,” he said. “If there was ever a time to move on, it’s when you’re in a good position.”

The First Selectman said he had accomplished 80-90% of the key things he had planned for the town. These include the building and renovation of eight schools, a library, a sewer plant, town’s recreation center and three new parks, as well as the creation of over 120 acres of new open space. Flatto also claimed the revitalization of Fairfield Center, maintenance of the town’s AAA rating, certain neighborhood improvements and implementation of public safety programs.

With regard to unfinished business, Flatto said, “It would have been nice to be First Selectman when the new train station opens, and I would have liked to have shaped the future of the Exide site. I also wanted to take the town website to the next level and make it more functional for townspeople.”

About a new First Selectman, Flatto remarked, “I certainly would want my successor to be competent and do the job right. It’s traditional for the party to make a recommendation. I’ll put my two cents in and make my hopes known. Who’s chosen is up to the people in power when I step down.”

For her part, Steeneck said she would not be interested in the position long-term, though Flatto had every confidence she would do the job well. “I don’t have the time or inclination to continue as First Selectman, but I’m happy to cover during the transition,” she said.

Flatto said that, though he would be moving on to a new chapter, he was not leaving the town behind. “I will make sure the transition is seamless, and while I’ll be a private citizen, I will help my successor in any way I can.”

Looking to his new role, Flatto said he has laid the groundwork already. “I met with the governor last month, and met with staff. I thank the governor and lieutenant governor for their confidence.”

Flatto said the executive director position has existed for the past 20 years but that it is being restructured, and how it works will be determined over the next few years. The pay level is slightly less than his current salary, which he said would be a hardship but outweighed by the opportunity to help the state’s citizenry.

Flatto commended the town for making him and his family, who will continue to reside in Fairfield, welcome. “The citizens of Fairfield have been so incredible to me and my family. The greetings around town and just driving around and knowing the impact I’ve had on the surroundings has been rewarding.”

The First Selectman thought it was interesting that when he first took office, his son Evan was a toddler. “Now he’s a senior in high school and going on to college. Things have come full cycle.”

Fairfield’s first citizen looked forward to his new challenges. “I have the opportunity to be part of a new world, a bigger world, do some great things and impact even more.”

Hands-on Cooking Demo A Fun, Healthy Evening

Hands-on Cooking Demo A Fun, Healthy Evening

By Mike Lauterborn

(For Fairfield Citizen News)

3/16/11

Fairfield, CT – Meat eaters, tofu munchers, young and old. They were all gathered together to learn about, prepare and share healthy food choices.

Held early Wednesday evening at Roger Ludlowe Middle School, “Feeding the Mixed Table”, a free program aligned with Fairfield Library’s One Book One Town effort, addressed how to cook healthy and tasty food that both omnivores and vegetarians could enjoy. About 20 people pre-registered for the session, which was conducted in the school’s Food Lab. Robin Glowa, a self-described passionate food professional, health counselor certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and columnist, led the activity.

“The main book selected for our One Book One Town program is ‘Eating Animals’ by Jonathan Safran Foer,” said Nicole Scherer, Head of Teen Services at Fairfield Library and Chair of the One Book One Town campaign, “and one of its prime concerns is food and family participation when someone’s diet changes. In this case, the author became a vegetarian. He raised a lot of questions about the role of food and family. These days, more and more young people are deciding to become vegetarians, which can cause stress at the family table, especially if parents remain omnivores.”

Scherer said that Cheryl Beatty, a librarian at Roger Ludlowe and One Book One Town committee member, came up with the idea for the evening’s program and called in Glowa to help suggest meal solutions.

“We’re not here to tell people to stop eating meat, but to try and incorporate more vegetables, beans, etc. into their diet once or twice a week,” said Glowa. To this regard, she distributed recipes to the group for several healthy food options: double bean burritos, mixed vegetarian minestrone, ancient Aztec quinoa salad, double tomato bruschetta, fruit salsa and cinnamon chips, and vegan dark chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache. Attendees, the majority of whom identified themselves as meat eaters, were then divided into five teams and assumed separate cooking stations.

The Pierz family of Fairfield – Robbin, husband Walter and daughter Lindsey – chose to make cupcakes. They were prime targets for the talk.

“I’ve been an on-and-off vegetarian for 20 years and, last January, Lindsey decided to become a pescatarian,” said Robbin.

“I end up making my own dinner – chicken, beef, barbecue,” said Walter.

“I’m hoping to get Walter to take vegetarianism more seriously, as a lifestyle possibility,” said Robbin.

Others, like Liz Beardsley of Shelton, just wanted to know about healthy options. “I’m interested in learning more about holistic, natural and vegetarian cooking from someone with the qualifications Robin has,” she said.

As the chop chop of kitchen knives began, steam curled from pots and ingredients were stirred in bowls, Michelle Flashman, liaison for the Family and Consumer Sciences department at Roger Ludlowe, hopped from group to group to provide assistance.

“It’s really been over the last few years that we’ve adopted a whole foods curriculum,” Flashman said. “Ancient grains and lean proteins are what we talk about. This aligns well with our programming.”

Chopping fresh basil for bruschetta, Samantha Heilweil of Fairfield, said a recent film steered her to healthier food choices.

“Ever since I saw the movie ‘Food Inc.’, I haven’t been able to eat a hamburger or farm raised food,” she said. “I’m happier eating more organic foods.”

As all the cooking aromas mixed together in the room, Glowa exclaimed, “It’s really starting to smell great in here! Look at that beautiful basil!”

Mariko Bender of Trumbull, who was born and raised in Fukushima, Japan, which had been stricken by a recent earthquake and tsunami, was just glad to have something else to occupy her for a little while than worries about family there.

“I try to choose healthy food,” she said, preparing quinoa salad, “and often go to Catch a Healthy Habit Café here in town. I try not to eat too much meat, but it’s challenging to translate that to my family. My husband is a big meat eater.”

Debra Jones, a social studies teacher at Roger Ludlowe, was enjoying the social aspect of the gathering. “How great is this? I’ve spent an hour with these people and I could write their life story,” she said. “We’ve been cooking and chatting up a storm.”

As they finished their creations, the teams set them out on platters at their stations and grabbed plates and bowls to go around and secure a small portion of each menu item. 

“This is the best part of the whole event,” said Bender. “I’m hungry!”

Full Court Peace Founder Breaks Barriers with Basketball

Full Court Peace Founder Breaks 
Barriers with Basketball

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Westport News)

3/20/11

Westport, CT – Weston native Mike Evans never imagined his passion for basketball would take him around the world on a peace-making mission. Now he’s planning to apply his experiences in Connecticut to address the achievement gap in local communities.

Sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Westport and Weston, Evans, 28, presented a lecture titled “Full Court Peace” late Sunday afternoon in the Community Room at St. Luke Church, 49 Turkey Hill Road North. The talk focused on Evans’ efforts to use basketball as a means of diplomacy in war-torn parts of the world. About 25 people attended the free session, which was followed by a brief reception.

Mary Attanasio, co-chairperson of the Interfaith Council, said Evans’ talk had particular relevance to her group’s work. “The Council is comprised of 15 congregations – three Catholic, three Jewish and nine Protestant,” she explained. “Mike’s efforts to enhance relations in various parts of the world, and breakthroughs in Protestant/Catholic relations, in particular, are of great interest to us.”

Basketball has always been Evans’ sport of choice. His parents, who emphasized how lucky he was to be raised in Weston, pushed him to play in underserved areas, which was “a real eye-opener,” he said. “Much of my motivation comes from my early experiences with my teammates.”

Reluctant to join the corporate world upon graduation from Hamilton College in 2005, Evans went abroad to Belfast, Northern Ireland to play semi-pro basketball. “It was the worst league in Europe, where six-foot tall white guys are allowed to play,” he joked. “When I was there, I saw the intense division between Catholic and Protestant communities. Even the sports were divided. Cricket is predominantly Protestant while Gaelic football and hurling are predominantly Catholic. Basketball was the only sport there that did not seem to have religious baggage.”

The climate inspired Evans to try an experiment. “I approached the principal at one Catholic high school and one Protestant high school, two structures separated by a 50-foot wall,” he said. “I offered to coach travel basketball in each of the schools, without letting on to either that I was dual-coaching. Soon enough, I had five 15-year-old boys from each school that had caught on to me as a mentor.”

Evans then took things up a level. “After a month of coaching, I tried to convince the two sets of boys to play on the same team together,” he said. “They said ‘absolutely not’, which was disappointing. I started looking for answers to help understand how to unite the two factions.”

Courageously, Evans, passing himself off as an American journalist doing book research about Ireland’s “troubles”, tracked down and met with Eddie Copeland, the head of the Irish Republican Army. Evans hoped Copeland could provide insights. Copeland told him basketball wasn’t going to make the kids come together and that it would take something more. It inspired Evans to offer the students a trip to the United States.

“The first time these working class boys played together was in Weston, against a well-to-do Catholic high school team,” Evans said. “The ice started to melt and we beat them by 25 points. I’ve never seen a more terrified opposing team.”

Evans and his players returned to Northern Ireland where their season continued. “We were 9-0 then suffered a loss, which seemed to undo everything,” he said. “I knew I had to get the support of the two ringleaders of our team to reverse the negative spin. Our last game was against St. Mary’s, an all-Catholic school. We won the game on a collaborative basket between these two boys.”

In celebration, the team returned to Weston for another visit, staying with local host families. Their last night was spent in New York, where they really bonded, said Evans.

The experience led Evans to found Full Court Peace in 2008, a non-profit organization with a mission of using team basketball to enhance education and build social capital around the world.

“I began rolling out a principle of sports diplomacy wherein basketball serves as a catalyst to break down barriers,” he said. “I’ve applied this since in Havana, Cuba, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.”

Evans said basketball is the only sport in Cuba not controlled by the Communist regime. He set up a youth team there in the summer of 2010. In Mexico, where over 1,000 children have been killed in drug violence since 2006, Evans set up basketball clinics. The latter took kids off the street and taught them Harlem Globetrotter-style trick shots that served to build self-confidence. Locals in both areas have since become advocates for change and are carrying on Evans’ work.

While pursuing a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship at Harvard College, Evans is now turning his attention to domestic division. “I am focusing on fighting the achievement gap between students in Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk and those in surrounding affluent communities.”

To learn more about and help support Full Court Peace, email Michael Evans:

Michaelevans@fullcourtpeace.org

Caribiner Climbing Contest Helps Youths Reach New Heights

Caribiner Climbing Contest Helps Youths Reach New Heights

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

3/19/11

Fairfield, CT – They came, they climbed and they conquered.

Over 75 youths ages six to 19 tested their mettle Saturday afternoon at Caribiner Indoor Climbing in Fairfield’s new Sportsplex, 85 Mill Plain Road, in a USAC Sport Climbing Competition. In addition to offering a number of challenging climbs, the event featured a DJ, raffles, frozen yogurt samples from Tasti-D-Lite and a bake sale to raise money for the resident climbing team to attend a national competition. The facility, which is housed in a former factory space, opened August 6, 2010, and has a vertical climbing height of 40 feet.

“This is the first ‘top roping’ competition being held in this location,” said general manager Alicia Aguiar. Top roping is any climbing activity wherein the climber is in a harness attached to a rope secured to a top point and held by a belayer. The belayer is a certified guide who takes the slack out of the rope and is required for any climb at the facility.

Meaghan Smith, coach of the Junior competitive team, gave an overview of the day’s competition. “USA Climbing is a national organization that offers a bouldering series, college series and sport climbing series,” she said. “Today’s competition is a SCS event, primarily youth targeted but open to all ages. There are 67 routes defined across 30 stations. Kids have been divided into categories by age: 11 and under, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19 and open. They are scored and verified by belayers who ensure they complete their defined routes. There are degrees of difficulty assigned to routes and points are tabulated accordingly. Participants can climb for the full three hours of the competition but are scored on their top five climbs only.”

Smith said that youths that are USA Climbing members would be accumulating points that count toward a regional competition in Boston, a divisional in Pennsylvania and nationals in Georgia.

At the outset of the contest, member Tyler Cordes, 13, of Shelton, hoped to rise to the challenge. “I’ve been climbing since November,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun, though was a little difficult at first. I’m getting much better. I’ll go on to regionals no matter how I perform today and, if I do well there, I’ll go on to divisionals.”

Cordes’ pal Henry Boyd, 14, of Fairfield, had adopted a similar attitude. “I was excited about this place opening and started climbing late August,” he said. “The climbs are graded 5.4 to 5.14 depending on difficulty. I’ve reached a steady level of 5.10.”

Halie Saferstein, 14, of Weston, was a virtual veteran and a big fan of the facility. “I started doing this around age 7 or 8, in camps and at carnivals,” she said. “Then I climbed at Go Vertical in Hartford. When it closed, I started coming here. The people are really nice and the routes are really good.”

The few parents that were standing by, like Kristin Schleiter of Fairfield, said climbing has been a beneficial pursuit for their children. “It makes my daughter Greta feel empowered and more confident,” Schleiter said. “She really competes against herself. We were so excited when this opened here.”

Classified as a “Junior” climber, Augy Cohn, 18, echoed the benefits that Schleiter’s daughter has experienced. “I’ve been climbing for seven years and it’s a fun way to challenge myself,” he said. “There are times when I think a climb’s going to be hard or I have a scary slip, but I take it in stride.”

It was clear, as participants scrambled up the steep and angular walls and were lowered back down by their belayers, that they enjoyed the day’s contest. Satisfied smiles trumped any feelings of exhaustion as they clipped on and off climbing ropes and rotated from station to station throughout the facility.

Blood Donors Offer a Pint on a Day of Green

Blood Donors Offer a 
Pint on a Day of Green

By Mike Lauterborn

(for Fairfield Citizen News)

3/17/11

Fairfield, CT – For many, St. Patrick’s Day signals a time to celebrate and raise a pint. For others, it was an opportunity to give a pint.

At midday on Thursday March 17, the Fairfield Police Department at 100 Reef Road hosted a Red Cross blood drive in the facility’s parking lot. The Red Cross provided a bus in which to conduct the process and several staff members to facilitate. Over 50 people pre-registered to donate and many more participated as walk-ins.

“We partner with the Red Cross because a constant blood supply is critical,” said Sgt. Ed Greene, who contacted the organization to arrange the visit. “Most people take it for granted that, in an emergency, blood is going to be there when they need it.”

Greene added, “Our work puts us in situations where we see the need for blood – whether it’s an assault victim or accident case – so bringing the Red Cross here gives officers the opportunity to walk out the back door of the station and give blood. Our civilian employees also donate. We get support from everyone. Of course, the general public is also contributing. We’ve scheduled over 50 appointments for today’s session.”

Christine Holschlag, R.N., who was coordinating the Red Cross personnel onsite, gave some background about how this visit came about  and the organization’s blood drives in general.

“The Fairfield Police wanted to sponsor today’s blood drive and contacted our recruiting department to schedule,” she said. “The Connecticut Red Cross does about 12 blood drives every day, Monday through Friday, throughout Connecticut. The department does another six drives on Saturday statewide and even a few on Sunday.”

Holschlag says there are quotas they aim to meet. “We look for roughly 600 pints per day from all collections,” she said. “We are not currently in an emergency situation, though the importance of having an ample and safe blood supply can’t be stressed enough.”

The nurse explained what a donor experiences when they board the bus and how donated blood is handled. “At the beginning of the process, we do a mini physical exam,” she said. “Then we ask an extensive amount of medical history questions to determine eligibility. From there, we draw the blood. Samples are also taken for testing purposes. The blood goes to our headquarters in Farmington where it is processed and tested. Some of the blood is stored there, the rest is provided to hospitals.”

Holschlag noted that blood has different shelf life terms depending on components like platelets, plasma and red cells.

Before donors were processed, they were required to register with phlebotomists Luz Gonzalez and Troy Smith, who manned a table in the police department’s lobby. Gonzalez explained that information is captured from driver’s licenses or donor cards and that donors are required to read a short manual about what to expect from the process.

Stepping from the bus after donating, Chris Pedersen from Trumbull said, “Every time I donate blood, my employer pays me for the day. It’s considered a ‘blood day’. I donate every 50 to 60 days approximately. I look at it this way: At some point in my life, I may be needing blood and so I want to pay it forward now. It’s the right thing to do.”

Fairfield Officer Kevin McPadden, who was just climbing aboard the bus to donate, said, “This is the fourth time I’m doing this. Every little bit that can help save a life is important. I try to do this more than once a year. Sometimes the scheduling doesn’t work out. It’s nice when the bus is here.”

With regard his donating on St. Patrick’s Day, McPadden said, “I hope it won’t inhibit my ability to celebrate the day. I haven’t had an issue in the past with passing out. This is my good deed for the day.”

Man About Town: Steered to Angus

Man About Town: Steered to Angus

(column for March 18 Fairfield Citizen news)

By Mike Lauterborn

3/11/11

It was an overcast Friday a week out from St. Patrick’s Day and buckets of rain were in the forecast. The friendly glow of The Angus Steakhouse, at 2133 Black Rock Turnpike, was like a beacon drawing me in from the gloom. Manager Steve “Dibo” Dibartolomeo happened to be on hand at the lunch hour to give background about the place, share its evolution and outline menu favorites.

“Joe ‘Cozy’ Dolan, a bartender in Bridgeport, came out in 1950 and built the whole strip mall here, calling it Dolan’s Corner,” Dibo began. “The only other thing out here was Miro’s Farm. Most people thought Dolan was crazy to build in the middle of farmland. On Mother’s Day that year, Dolan opened the original Angus Steakhouse, which was actually called The Black Angus Steakhouse. ‘Black’ was dropped from the title after a suit for trademark infringement was filed by a similarly named restaurant.”

Dibo said The Angus quickly became popular. “The old-style steakhouse, with its masculine dark rich woods and colors, came to define Black Rock Turnpike. Actor Paul Newman used to frequent the steakhouse in the late 50s and early 60s as well as legendary NY Giants players Andy Robustelli, Y.A. Tittle and Frank Gifford, after they finished up practice at Fairfield University. Their patronage became an original draw of the restaurant and helped popularize both the eatery and the area,” Dibo said.

The Angus changed hands several times in its history and, as its popularity grew, so did the space. “The original place was 1,200 square feet,” said Dibo, “and consisted of a small kitchen, bar counter about 12 feet long and seating for 55 to 60 people. Over the years, The Angus changed its configuration by adding a single unit at a time from the adjacent strip mall, so that it now encompasses four store spaces totaling 3,400 square feet and accommodating 168 people – 68 in the bar and 100 in the dining room.”

Dibo said that as the space grew, the bar itself kept getting relocated, until Dibo’s brother Steve, an experienced restauranteur, purchased The Angus from Robert Wool in 2007. “Wool had operated the restaurant under the banner Eric & Michael’s Angus Steakhouse. Steve gutted it and returned the bar area to its original layout and glory. The décor is retro with tin ceilings and mahogany wood throughout, and the fare is classic steakhouse with an Italian flair serving certified Angus beef and the classic Angus Burger on a large English muffin. The latter has been an original favorite since 1950.”

Besides traditional steaks, Dibo said they also feature favorites like eggplant lasagna, swordfish over escarole and beans, a huge selection of pasta and chicken dishes and Pork Chops Giambotta – onions, mushrooms and cherry peppers in a demi-glaze over the meat. “These are a few examples of how we’ve put an Italian twist on the classic  steakhouse fare,” said Dibo.

With regard to patrons, he said, “We have served generations of local people who used to come in here as kids with their parents. Our customer base is families and we have an expanded kids menu that offers smaller versions of the dinner menu.”

Dibo’s own background as a pro baseball pitcher with the Cubs also attracts notable baseball figures like Tommy John, Jimmy Piersall and Rob Dibble.

Dibo said the atmosphere varies within the entire space. “The tap room provides a light festive environment with big screen TVs and high top tables, and people order light food like sandwiches and burgers. The dining room offers a more classic dining experience.”

It had come time to saddle up and head back out on the range. Many more Fairfield establishments lay in wait to be profiled as Man About Town adventures.

Gaelic-American Club Co-Founder Reflects on His 90 Years

Gaelic-American Club Co-Founder 
Reflects on His 90 Years

(Appeared on front page of 

Fairfield Sun 3/17)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved

3/10/11

Fairfield, CT – The son of a publican, he labored on farms and docks in his native Ireland, traveled to America in the late 40s to better his lot economically, and married and put four children through college. However, his proudest achievement may be the role he played in establishing Fairfield’s Gaelic-American Club.

Green Roots

Ninety-year-old Peter Bellew, the youngest of five children, was born in County Dundalk in the south of Ireland. His father, Michael, was raised on a farm but became a publican, running bars. Michael first worked in Glasgow, Scotland, running an establishment there, then bought two others himself. He returned to Dundalk and opened a local bar called Bellew’s.

When Peter was just two, his mother, Jane, contracted influenza and passed. “We moved to Dublin, where dad opened another bar, and stayed for about three years,” Bellew said. “Then, in 1927, we moved to County Armagh. At that time, I was about seven and dad, because of poor economic conditions, decided to go to America. He had two brothers and two sisters that had established themselves there.”

When Bellew’s father left, the boy’s sister, Louise, took over care of the house. Two years later, in 1929, the world stock markets crashed, the Great Depression began and unemployment became rampant.

It was a difficult time Bellew said, but added, “We got by. When you’re young like that, you’re not depressed by conditions.”

Bellew went to a local school until age 14, which was the extent of his education. His favorite subjects were math and geography. He was also good at running, winning several trophies, and played Gaelic football. He was usually a forward and played for the local town. A favorite pastime was fishing in the lakes around the area and he would catch pike, roach and perch to bring home to dinner. In the wintertime, he joined neighbors in sending greyhounds after jackrabbits.

“I also enjoyed very long walks,” Bellew said, “often for four or five hours, across the fields. There was no restriction as to whose land you could go on.”

His first work experience was helping local farmers with cutting oats, making hay and gathering potatoes. That was in the fall. In the spring, he helped sow the potatoes, dropping them into position in the farmers’ fields.

“I would also do all the milking, checking the cattle and helping the farmer take the cattle to the local fairs,” Bellew said. “Each town had a fair on a different day. That was a big deal.”

After completing school, he worked on the farms steadily for about two years, then in a quarry near Belfast feeding a breaker. “My job was to lift these massive rocks, place them in the jaws of this stone breaker and grind them,” he said.

In 1937, Bellew moved into Belfast into what was known as “digs” – a room in a house in which you were also fed – and got work on the docks. “The war was coming and the shipyard was starting to gather scrap metal to provide to the foundries to make ammunition and guns,” he said. “I went around in a truck to collect anything that was metal – railings around big houses, decorative iron, any old obsolete machinery. I would bring it back to the dock for pick-up.”

The hard-working young man had also established himself as a musician, an accordion player, and would do gigs at local parish halls. “I had started playing at nine on a borrowed button-keyed accordion. I played with a band six nights a week. Our Sunday night ritual was to play Ard Scoil, a high school of dancing,” he said.

In Northern Ireland, there was no real obligation to serve in the military, said Bellew. However, the government did make him return to work on the farm in Armagh, “They needed to have us keep up food production,” he offered.

Off to America

When WWII ended, Bellew obtained a passport and emigrated to America. “I came over on Pan American from Shannon, by way of Newfoundland, where we had a two-day layover,” he said. “We ultimately landed at LaGuardia, where I got a taxi to Grand Central and train to Bridgeport where my father had an apartment. We hadn’t seen each other in almost 20 years. It was a strange meeting after so long a period, but we got along pretty well.”

During the war, Bellew’s dad had worked at Chance Vought, a Stratford-based builder of Corsair aircraft, and had recently retired from there. When Peter arrived, his father was bartending at Nelson’s, a local bar.

“I got work at the Underwood Company in Bridgeport,” said Bellew, “assembling adding machines. It was piecework and I was able to make some good money doing it. I ended up working there for ten years.”

During that period, in 1950, he met Ann McInerney, from County Galway, Ireland, who was working in a family business. “She was lovely, one of these persons you could talk to and get along with well,” Bellew said. “I bought a house in Fairfield, on Bonney Terrace, and when we married in 1952, she moved in with me. Our first son, one of five children we would have, was born in 1953.”

In 1957, Bellew changed jobs, taking a position initially as a turbine tender for Connecticut Light and Power, in Devon. In 1960, CL&P built another generating plant in Norwalk, where he was transferred. Fifteen years later, Bellew moved the family to Easton, where he still resides. In 1985, after 28 years, Bellew retired from CL&P.

“I put all my children through college. Four of them went to UConn, while my youngest son went to Harvard,” said Bellew. It was a remarkable accomplishment for an immigrant with a farming background.

The Irish Club is Born

“Back in the late 40s, I had the fortune to meet and become lifelong friends with Jimmy Corcoran,” said Bellew. He was from Tipperary and worked for Carpenter Steel in Bridgeport. We were very Irish and used to go down to Seaside Park mostly in the evenings after work to play Gaelic football and hurling. We often talked about starting a club for Irish Americans. There were many of us here in the area that had come from Ireland, had settled in the Bridgeport area and were seeking social activities to keep the culture going.”

In 1948, Bellew and Corcoran rented a room in a building on State Street in Bridgeport and held the first official meeting of the Gaelic-American Club. Nine people showed up and Corcoran was elected president, Bellew treasurer and Maureen Doonan as secretary.

The Club held social events in other ethnic club spaces, moved in the early 50s to a third floor space on Fairfield Avenue, moved again to a ground floor hall on Goodsell Street and, in 1984, relocated yet a third time to a space above Fairfield Center Jewelers in downtown Fairfield. “Membership exploded and we knew we had to get a larger dedicated space,” said Bellew. “We discovered a lot at 74 Beach Road, got a loan from the Bank of Ireland in New York and began building a facility. In May 1993, our dream was realized. The Club opened and was an instant hit, and now membership is around 6,000. I’m fortunate to do quite a bit of traveling worldwide, but it’s comforting to come back to a place with Irish culture and so many dear friends.”

SIDEBAR

Gaelic-American Club: A Community Anchor

Tucked back from busy Beach Road, the Gaelic-American Club, established in 1993, has become an important center for Irish culture and meeting place for Irish families and their friends. According to co-founder Peter Bellew, the Club offers classes in Irish dancing, geology, plays and music instruction.

With regard to weekly offerings, Monday nights are open to anyone that wants to come perform or learn an instrument. Tuesdays, children learn step dancing from the Lenahan School. On Wednesdays, you can find Bellew himself playing the accordion, with a singer accompanying, performing favorite tunes like “The Fields of Athen Roy”, “Bring Me Back To Mayo” and “Toorah Loorah Looral.” Set dancing is offered on Thursdays in the Carolan Room. Fridays and Saturdays feature music in the pub.

The Club is also home to Feile, which is a non-profit founded in 1988 with a mission of supporting the community. It offers scholarships to high school students and makes donations to various charitable organizations. Funding is raised primarily through a 3-day annual Irish Festival. This year, it will be held mid-June at Fairfield University. The Fest attracts about 10,000 people every year who come to enjoy the Irish culture of dancing, plays, music, food and vendors selling Irish products.