Letters to the Editor

Nature Center

thanks volunteers

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Darien Nature Center, I would like to thank all of the families who volunteered their time and energy on Saturday, April 24, to spruce up the trails in Cherry Lawn Park.

Thanks to their generosity and hard work, we were able to remove branches and debris, spread wood chips and make repairs to ensure that our wonderful trail system is in tip top shape for the many families that enjoy them throughout the year. We are also grateful to Aldo Criscuolo and his staff at Heights Pizza for providing lunch for our hungry workers.

It was a great opportunity for families to spend a day outdoors together and help us keep our walking trails clean and enjoyable for all. Please stop by and see the results of their efforts! And remember, "please leave no trace."

Lynn Hamlen

Executive Director

Darien Nature Center

Y needs space, but

not on its property

To the Editor:

I love the Y. We have been members since 1976 so we have seen a lot of changes. Our daughter was very active in gymnastics in the early days of Alla and Boris when the program was growing and had half the gym. The Y needed a whole gym and the gymnastics program clearly needed more room. It made sense to find a new location, and they found a much larger space on the side of the Goodwives Shopping Center, with plenty of parking.

My granddaughter attended a Tumble Bees class there about six years ago and it was wonderful.

I now go to the health club several mornings a week. Often I come out at about 9:45, and find people are thrilled to see me as they circle to find parking spaces. Out of curiosity, I went to the gym location and found a 2-year-old class of Tumble Bees in session, mothers and children, six pairs, six cars. I learned that that class was somewhat smaller than usual. There were four teachers who must have parked further back. Since there are no "other spaces" at the Y, that makes at least 10 to 15 additional cars parked there on a usual Wednesday morning. Other parts of the day may have similar problems: after school programs, open gym times and summer camp. If the space isn't "large" or "safe" or "cheap" enough I can understand their need to find a new space - but not one on the Y property.

Sally Bassler

Darien

Death penalty

should be appealed

To the Editor:

The fact that Randy Steidl spent 12 years on death row for a crime he did not commit ought to amaze us (Ex-death row inmate crusades against fatal flaws in system). But his story is not that unusual. Since 1973, 138 people in 26 states have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence.

Exonerations have been in the news in Connecticut. In the last two years four men, who each served well over a decade for murder, were released from prison after evidence of their innocence emerged. Two of these men -- Ronald Taylor and George Gould were released just last month -- after new DNA evidence was found and an eyewitness recanted her original testimony. This sounds a lot like Mr. Steidl's story.

The fortunate difference was that the Connecticut men hadn't been sentenced to death. Still, it's easy to imagine that Connecticut will make the ultimate mistake and sentence an innocent person to death.

This is a risk too big for me.

We should repeal the death penalty in Connecticut to ensure we don't join the ranks of so many other states that have sent innocent men off to die. Mistakes are inevitable, but when we're dealing with life and death, there's just no room for error.

Judy Meikle

Darien

Y property can't

accommodate expansion

To the Editor:

On Sept. 23, 2008, the P&Z Commission adopted a resolution firmly denying the Y's request to construct an on-site gymnastics center of more than 10,000 square feet.

The resolution noted, "Some Commission members believe that the maximum development potential of the site has been reached or exceeded, and that the YMCA cannot accommodate any more activity on-site. The Commission acknowledges that in the past, the gymnastics program has been moved off-site, which has relieved some of the intensity of use on the property and reduced the impacts on the neighborhood. In fact, as correctly noted by one of the neighbors in one of their letters to the Commission submitted as part of the record, the Commission has previously said that `the YMCA shall continue to make efforts to move large traffic generating programs and activities off-site' and `The location and size of the gymnastics building, the nature and intensity of the proposed gymnastics program operations involved in or conducted in connection with it, the size of the site in relation thereto, and the location of the site with respect to streets giving access to it, are such that the application is not in harmony with the orderly development of the district in which it is located.' "

Now compare the above with the following points taken verbatim from the minutes of YMCA Board meetings held in 2010. "The Board is awaiting the results of an existing session by P&Z to be held sometime this week. The outcome will determine the course of future litigation." "Goal is to gain approval for the entire facility renovation, which includes the Holly Pond School, on-site Gymnastics Center, parking lot expansion, and three-lane lap pool." "Membership sales, however, is encouraging with 84 additional new members." "The Feb. 6 Gymnastics Open House for children ages 1 to 5 was an enormous success. The Board discussed holding open houses for other programs in the future to bring both an increased awareness to the community and possibly new memberships."

YMCA Board of Directors and the community -- please take note of the above.

Ted and Kathy Swedock

Darien

Boy Scouts thank

community for support

To the Editor:

To our neighbors and friends throughout the town of Darien, and surrounding communities, the boys and parents of Boy Scout Troops 35 and 53 want to give a resounding thank you for all your generous support in the last month. Your donations to, help with and patronage of our annual tag sale are vital for our existence.

This year we had more donations and more participants than ever before. Thank you! Your support enables us to continue the Boy Scout program in Darien.

A special thanks goes to Rings End Lumber for materials and the use of their parking lot, to the Darien Police for helping us with traffic-control and security, to our local newspapers for helping us promote the sale and to local stores for allowing us to post fliers. Thank you to those agencies who came after the sale to help us get useful items to those who need them, including the DCA Thrift Shop, Computers for Guatemala, The Salvation Army, Christian Community Action, The Mellos Center and Laurel House Thrift Shop, to name just a few.

And as the chairman for this year's tag sale, I personally would like to thank all the volunteers, many of whom are not even otherwise engaged with the Boy Scout program, for their countless hours of service. I have had the privilege of meeting and working alongside some of the finest and most dedicated parents I have ever known.

For all involved, thank you for your support of The Boy Scouts of Darien.

David Rucquoi, Chairman

Darien Boy Scouts 2010 Tag Sale

Special Olympics

works with YMCA

To the Editor:

I am continually reminded of the best of the human spirit as Special Olympics enter so many wonderful Connecticut communities. Darien has long been involved in the Special Olympic movement through the fine work of the Darien Lions program. Today, I extend our gratitude toward our newest friend in Darien, the YMCA.

Last year, long time friend and supporter of Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT), Jody Truwit, along with Elise Bulie and Kristin Edwards came to me when they recognized that their growing children needed more opportunities to volunteer. Each believed that a program for young children with and without disabilities through Special Olympics would create the best opportunity for many children in Darien and they knew just the place to get it all started; the YMCA of Darien.

On my first visit to the YMCA, I was greeted by Director Pat Morrisey, who was willing to put the needs of the families of Darien before the needs of the YMCA in particular. His goal was to ensure that children of all abilities had the opportunity to experience joy and friendship through sport. The YMCA quickly adopted our Special Olympics Young Athletes program where children with and without intellectual disabilities learn and play together, in a variety of sports.

We are in our second session of the Darien YMCA/SOCT Young Athletes Program, now held at Goodwives YMCA extension Center. The YMCA's commitment to this program is what has made its success possible. The program is free to all, the space is free to SOCT, and YMCA staff are available when needed. I've been told that the YMCA occasionally forfeits birthday party fund-raising opportunities at the center, due to the space being used by the Young Athletes Program.

The best of the human spirit ... the YMCA of Darien has given us just that. You have given truth to the SOCT tagline: "Changing attitudes. Changing Lives!" For all that you have done for the Special Olympics Movement, I humbly thank you.

Kate Careb, Vice President of Advancement

Special Olympics Connecticut

Squadron thanks yacht club for hosting course

To the Editor:

The Darien Sail and Power Squadron would like to thank the Noroton Yacht Club for hosting the presentation of the safe boating course at its facility on the harbor. For many years the Noroton Yacht Club has expedited the presentation of this course at this time of year, so that boaters may get their state credentials, and learn something about boating.

When the course started this week, students were advised that it's a course not a class, and that this course offers much more than the information required for an operators' certificate: the information necessary to operate a boat safely in the open waters of this part of Long Island Sound.

The current course got off to a good start this week with a group of about 30 people eager to learn about boating. The Noroton Yacht Club has shown a remarkable degree of public service and concern for safe boating by hosting these courses. It is thanks to the excellent teamwork of the Noroton Yacht Club and the Darien Sail & Power Squadron that more than 500 students have received their training in the past 10 years.

For more information about the Squadron visit dsps.darien.org or call 203-656-1129 for further information.

Alan Santos-Buch, Commander

Darien Sail & Power Squadron