Community
Important Health News from Darien Town Hall
LYME DISEASE & TICKS: SOME PREVENTION TIPS.
Please see the attached document for important information from David Knauf, Director of Health, Darien.
"Bag It" at the Library
Written by Barbara T. on 03/01/2011
On Sunday, March 6 at 5:30 p.m., we will present, in an event co-sponsored by Choose to Reuse in Darien, a special screening of the documentary film Bag It.
Choose to Reuse in Darien promotes the use of reusable bags in every aspect of everyday life and seeks to eliminate disposable bags in Darien.
BAG IT – Documentary feature; Not rated; 65 minutes
Jeb Berrier is an average American guy who is admittedly not a “tree hugger.” He makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags. This simple action gets Jeb thinking about all kinds of plastic as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. When Jeb’s journey takes a personal twist, we see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now.
“Bag It” is a film that examines our society’s use and abuse of plastic. The film focuses on plastic as it relates to our society’s throwaway mentality, our culture of convenience, our over consumption of unnecessary, disposable products and packaging – things that we use one time and then, without another thought, throw them away. Where is AWAY?? “Away” is overflowing landfills, clogged rivers, islands 
of trash in our oceans, and even our very own toxic bodies. Jeb travels the globe on a fact-finding mission – not realizing that after his simple resolution, plastic will never look the same again!
To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, please click here.
A wine and cheese reception will follow the screening.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s)
Interesting Piano Lesson at Yale Rep
"The Piano Lesson,” is one of many plays about the African American experience that the late August Wilson produced during his long collaboration with Yale Repertory Theatre. Happily, it is currently being revived with a top-notch cast under the superb direction of Liesl Tommy and includes original music by Elsa Davis. The story takes place during the 1930’s in an area of Pittsburg where many Black folk have migrated to from the South. It’s a haunting, morality play that weighs a proud, ancestral heritage against survival, and letting go of the past.
Anyone who has watched “Antiques Road Show” can understand a person’s amazement at learning the high value of an inherited treasure and the subsequent dilemma of whether to insure the object and keep it in the family or to sell it for what it is worth. Sometimes the object’s monetary value is more than the owner’s house. What would you do? In this African American family’s case, an antique, hand-carved piano depicting images of departed relatives means much more than its monetary worth. Its spiritual symbolism and psychological impact evolves into haunting ghosts representing slavery, white ownership and present day guilt.
When “Boy Willie” (LeRoy McClain) accompanied by his friend “Lymon” (Charlie Hudson) invades his sister Berniece’s (Elsa Davis) household and announces that he wants to sell the family’s heir loom piano, half of which is his, in order to buy the land that their family once worked on as slaves, he unleashes a highly emotional drama that affects his sister and the rest of the family which consists of Berniece’s young daughter, “Maretha” (Malenky Welsh) who is expected to inherit the piano, and uncle, “Doaker” (Keith Smith), who is a rail road employee and part time resident. Other members of the cast are Charles Weldon as an itinerant musician, “Wining Boy,” Tyrone Mitchell as Berniece’s new suitor, a minister called “Avery,” and Joniece Pratt as Lymon’s loose girlfriend, “Grace.” The entire cast is outstanding. Several members are multitalented singers and musicians who break out into some piano “Boogie-Woogie” and rhythmic, table slapping, railroad/convict work songs. The recently included “Berta Berta,” is a fine example of a stirring, seldom seen, African American song-style that is certainly worth the hearing and seeing for its own sake.
Be prepared to accept that the play is 3 1/2 hours long with one intermission. Much of it could be cut, but then, part of its prose would be lost. Speaking of language, some members of the audience (alas, truth be said that most attendees were not African American) were standing in line for the women’s rest room and comparing notes. They found it difficult to understand the fast-paced dialect and misinterpreted how some of the characters were related. It would help to further identify the characters in the program notes and slow down the dialogue until the audience gets its drift.
“The Piano Lesson” is a play about the African American experience, but it contains a universal message for all cultures that had to struggle in a new land in order achieve success. The acting is so real that you will feel part of this slice of life. Don’t miss this rare experience.
Plays until February 19. For more information and tickets, call the Box Office: 203-432-1234.
Bringing Nature Home with The Garden Club of Darien
Written by Erica B on 02/04/2011
In Bringing Nature Home, author Douglas Tallamy discusses the tremendous value in sustaining biodiversity in our environments and how planting native species in our own gardens can help preserve the local wildlife - insects, birds and other animals. The health of local wildlife is one of the best indicators of how healthy our environment is for people, as well. And there are simple ways that we can all make a difference - no need to overhaul your exisiting garden!
On Tuesday, February 8th at 10 AM, The Garden Club of Darien will host guest speaker Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy for an event, being held in Darien Library's Community Room. Dr. Tallamy will present ways that we can help preserve wildlife and sustain the planet through our own gardens.
This lecture is free and open to the public. Come and hear how you can make a difference. Then, visit the Research Library on the 2nd floor for a handout and display of sustainable gardening resources at Darien Library.
TEDx Darien Upcoming Dates
(Image courtesy of flickr user jurvetson)
January 23rd, 2011
February 13th, 2011
March 6th, 2011
March 20th, 2011
TEDX Darien meets from 4:00- 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.
Calling All Playwrights!
Written by Barbara T. on 01/13/2011
The Catherine Lindsey Actors/Playwrights Workshop is excited to announce that the Actors/Playwrights Workshop, now in its 19th year, will present a series of workshops at Darien Library.
Interested playwrights should submit ten pages of their scripts to Robert Cusack at robert.cusack1@att.net by February 1, 2011.
The playwright participants will workshop their plays at the following sessions:
Thursday, February 10 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 10 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Thursday, April 14 from 7 – 9 p.m.
The workshops will allow the playwrights to refine their scripts, which will then be submitted to the Darien Library Selection Committee.
On Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m., the Actors/Playwrights Workshop will present the first public-staged reading of selections from the plays in the Library’s Community Room.
The Actors/Playwrights Workshop welcomes Actors’ Equity actors and non-Equity actors to participate, brings together local and regional playwrights and actors, and encourages a collaborative effort to create new plays and present a public-staged reading.
Co-founded by the late Catherine Lindsey and her husband Robert, the workshop introduces original plays in progress to be developed in a workshop environment with the goal of the public-staged readings. Catherine Lindsey was a beloved friend of the Library and director of Darien Library Theater for over 25 years. The memorial workshops will offer actors and playwrights the opportunity to work together to create original theatrical works in a supportive and creative environment.
The Actors/Playwrights Workshop welcomes all interested playwrights and actors, with or without experience, to join. The sessions offer actors and playwrights the opportunity to work together to create original theatrical works in a supportive and creative environment, culminating in the June 12 program, which will feature six staged performances. The musicals, monologues, short scenes from full-length and one-act plays to be performed will be chosen by the Darien Library Selection Committee. To register and/or for more information, contact Robert Cusack at (203) 655-7699 or at robert.cusack1@att.net.
Flu Shots by Appointment
Do you still need to get a flu shot? Now, you can make an appointment to receive your flu shot at Town Hall! The Darien Health Department has made it very simple by establishing an on-line, "make your own appointment" system. To make an appointment, visit darienhealth.info, or just click here.
Flu shots are available for anyone over 36 months and cost $20.00.
Message from Darien Health Department - Radon Testing
January is designated as National Radon Action Month by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Darien Health Department, in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, is pleased to join in this national effort to bring awareness of this important topic to the attention of the general public and to the citizens of Darien.
As a public service, free test kits are now available in limited supply at the Darien Health Department, Darien Town Hall, weekdays between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM.
Please click on the attachment below to read the press release from the Darien Health Department.
Town-Wide Christmas Tree Pickup Schedule
Written by JudyS on 12/31/2010
2011 Darien Department of Public Works Christmas Tree Pickup Schedule
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays, January 11-12 and January 25-26: Area north of RR tracks and west of Hollow Tree Ridge Rd., including Hollow Tree Ridge Rd.
- Thursdays and Fridays, January 13-14 and January 27-28: Area north of RR tracks and east of Hollow Tree Ridge Rd., to and including Mansfield Ave.
- Mondays and Tuesdays, January 3-4 and January 17-18: Area north of RR tracks and east of Mansfield Ave.
- Wednesdays and Thursdays, January 5-6 and January 19-20: Area south of the RR tracks and north of and including the Post Rd.
- Fridays and Mondays, January 7 and 10 and January 21 and 24: Area south of the RR tracks and south of the Post Rd.
For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 203-656-7346.
Monday at Seven - New Meeting Location
Beginning December 27th, Monday at Seven will meet at a new location. The group will meet at the United Methodist Church in Westport. The meeting time will continue to be on Monday mornings at 7:00 a.m.
Monday at Seven is a networking group of professionals in transition.
Darien Library introduced Monday at Seven to the community more than 18 months ago, and is pleased to have hosted this important program; providing a resource and meeting center for job-seekers and networkers.
Though the meeting site has changed, Darien Library staff will continue to provide assistance in job search, resume review, use of our Bloomberg terminal, and use of our technology resources to Monday at Seven participants.
United Methodist Church is located at 49 Weston Road in Westport. (It is just north of Exit 42 on the Merritt Parkway.) For more information, call James Ulrich at (203) 493-1236. For directions, call the church at (203) 227-4707 or visit westportumc.org.
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. Twitter: darienlibrary. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien.