Norwalk
Save-A-Suit gives suits to veterans
Bethel-based Save a Suit recently held a successful “Suits and Salutes” event that benefited over 100 military veterans.
Held on July 1 at the SoNo Collection mall in Norwalk, the event offered free suits to veterans, along with other professional attire and accessories, and provided an assortment of activities for families and veterans alike, including video games and outdoor games.
Mayor Harry Rilling of Norwalk, an Army veteran as well as former police chief, also joined the event to honor the veterans. The event stands as a reminder of the importance of supporting the veterans who have served the nation, saying it “gives them a fighting chance” in the work world, according to officials from the nonprofit Save-A-Suit organization.
The event was held in celebration of Independence Day Weekend.
“The best part was the wow factor as veterans were transformed before the eyes of their friends and family. They were treated to the wow! factor as the veterans stepped out in their suits looking their best,” organizers said in a statement.
Areawide
Give blood, get ‘Shark Week’ T-shirt
The American Red Cross says it is sending blood to hospitals faster than the donations are coming in. More donors are needed in July to help avoid a blood shortage that could impact patient care at hospitals across the country, according to the Red Cross.
Donors who give through July 31 will receive an officially licensed “Shark Week” T-shirt from the Discovery Channel, while supplies last. Also, all blood donors through Aug. 12 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a three-night New York getaway for two with a private shark dive adventure at the Long Island Aquarium.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities include:
—New Canaan: from 1 to 6:30 p.m. July 18 at Saint Mark’s Church, 111 Oenoke Ridge Road; and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 19 at New Canaan Town Hall, 77 Main St.
—Norwalk: from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 24 at St. Philip’s Church, 25 France St.; from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 28 at American Legion, 60 County Road; and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 31 at Norwalk Hospital, 34 Maple St.
—Westport: from 9 a.m. — 2:30 p.m. July 19 at VFW, 465 Riverside Ave.; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 26 at Greens Farms Church, 71 Hillandale Road; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 27 at Christ and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Westport, 75 Church Lane.
To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Weston
Free guided hikes offered at Devil’s Den
The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut will offer free guided hikes to the public on July 22 at its Devil’s Den/Lucius Pond Ordway Preserve in Weston.
Hikes will last about two hours, with breaks, and follow a moderately difficult 5-mile loop. Anyone interested in taking part can find details and register at forms.office.com/r/EBXEpjZ6MJ.
The guided hikes will be led by preserve staff member Ben Croll, who will share his knowledge about Devil’s Den’s historic and ecological significance, and TNC’s work in the region. Attendees will also learn how to safely navigate the trails of Devil’s Den, including how to use the new digital kiosk.
The route will follow alongside the West Branch of the Saugatuck River system and include the Spoonwood trail, which is on the preserve’s newest acreage.
“I’m excited to show off some of the newest parts of Devil’s Den. This is a very special place; I love being able to share that with people and exploring where we fit into nature,” Croll said.
The Devil’s Den preserve covers more than 1,800 acres in Fairfield County’s Saugatuck forest lands. More information can be found at nature.org/DevilsDen.
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s work in Connecticut, visit nature.org/connecticut.
Fairfield
Pequot Library Summer Book Sale returns
Pequot Library’s 62nd annual Summer Book Sale will run July 21 to July 25.
The sale will offer bargains alongside collector’s items, including a first edition of the English translation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment,” one of nine known examples of its kind in the world.
The sale also includes more than 400 collectible items — an increase of more than 50 percent from last year, as book sale volunteers successfully processed a backlog of donations that had accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pequot Library is located at 720 Pequot Ave. in Southport.
The five-day sale takes place in large tents on the Great Lawn and parking lot and in the auditorium and Reading Room. Admission is free. All proceeds support Pequot Library’s annual programs and library services for adults and children.
The sale will feature five appearances by local authors who will be available to sign books. Tim Cole joins the library from 9 a.m. to noon on July 21, followed by Dan Harmon from 1 to 3 p.m. Eve Cateveras appears from 10 a.m. to noon on July 22, followed by Amanda Parrish Morgan from 1 to 3 p.m. Suzanne Farrell Smith will be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon on July 24.
The Summer Book Sale features more than 50 categories of items for sale, including CDs, DVDs, LPs, children’s books, cookbooks, fiction & classics, history, biography, gardening, auction catalogs, mysteries and signed books.
Trinity Episcopal Church will again host its “Park for Food” drive from July 21 through July 24 where people can park in its parking lot on the corner of Pequot Avenue and Center Street in exchange for canned food or monetary donations.
The sale runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 21; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday to Monday, July 22 to July 24; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25.
More information can be found at www.pequotlibrary.org.
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