With the onset of fall, the city will soon be dispatching crews to pick up well-disposed bags of leaves from residential properties.
Leaf collection is scheduled to begin on November 7. The Department of Public Works will collect bags of leaves from residential properties of half an acre or less, with two collections during the season.
According to DPW, more than 30,000 cubic meters of leaves are collected and removed by the city each year.
To prepare for the collection, residents must rake their leaves into piles at the edge of their streets. Sheets should NOT be left on roadways, sidewalks, sump grates or open drains.
Putting leaves in these areas can exacerbate flooding during storms by clogging drainage structures.
Residents must put the leaves in biodegradable bags. The municipality will not pick up plastic bags of leaves.
Pick up service is for leaves only, not branches or yard waste.
Residents are advised to “rake early and frequently” or consider mulching their leaves by leaving them on their lawn. “Leaf mulching can improve lawns and reduce the environmental footprint associated with collection, transportation and composting elsewhere,” the city said.
Collections will be Monday through Saturday, with no pickups on Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, or the day after Thanksgiving.
According to the schedule, when collection begins on November 7, it will be in the sections of Old Greenwich and Riverside, Cos Cob, central Greenwich north of Post Road, Glenville and west of Pemberwick. After that, the collection will move to additional sections of Old Greenwich and Riverside, Cos Cob, Central Greenwich and Byram.
The DPW has set up a 24-hour leaf collection hotline at 203-618-7698 to let residents know when their street will be collected. For more information, visit www.greenwichct.gov/257/Leaf-Collection.
Downtown
As Greenwich prepares for the festive season, it is seeking support from residents and business owners to light up the town center and Cos Cob.
According to the Greenwich Community Projects Fund, “a dazzling display of bright lights will once again illuminate Greenwich’s business district” thanks to the fundraising efforts of Sebastian Dostmann and Alyssa Keleshian-Bonomo.
The plan is to celebrate the holiday with more than 100 “spectacularly lit trees” along Greenwich Avenue and East Putnam Avenue as well as in Cos Cob.
The lights are scheduled to be turned on on Thanksgiving night Nov. 24 and will stay on through Presidents Day weekend.
“The Greenwich community is really coming alive with the holiday spirit, and I’m thrilled to once again be a part of this special installation of lights in the Greenwich and Cos Cob business district,” Dostnann said. “It really looks magical and amazes me every year.”
Dostmann and Keleshian-Bonomo thanked the private donors who helped, including city landowners, residents and business owners as well as first draftsman Fred Camillo, Rick Kral and the Parks and Recreation Department of the city.
The lights are paid for entirely with private money, with no municipal funds. Organizers have urged supporters to visit www.GWCHAvenue.org and make a donation.
“Without the vision and generosity of our owners, leading merchants and businesses in Greenwich, this would not be possible,” Keleshian-Bonomo said. “The highlight is seeing the excitement on (people’s) faces as they shop, dine and stroll through our villages.”
K Dong of the Greenwich Avenue restaurant, Miku and Hinoki, said the lighting project was important for the downtown area.
“The decoration brings warmth and joy to the community,” he said. “As a business owner, I feel the lights turn the Avenue into a festive dining and shopping destination during the season.”
The Greenwich Communities Projects Fund is a non-profit organization that supports community projects in the town, including Christmas lights and the 9/11 Memorial in Cos Cob Park.
Glenville
Abilis, a Glenville-based nonprofit that supports more than 800 people with disabilities and their families, is looking to hire more employees.
It will host a job fair from 1 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 at its Stamford location at 1150 Summer St. No appointment is necessary. Candidates can walk in and interviews will take place on site.
Part-time and full-time open positions are available, including management and assistant management positions; day program jobs; and commercial and residential positions. Openings include Associate Advisors; residential and day program workers; assisted living counsellors; life coaches for Abilis LEAP programs in Greenwich, Stamford and Wilton; program managers; coffee shift managers; per diem for cafe and concession staff; occupational therapists; pediatric speech therapists; a board-certified behavior analyst; and interns.
The non-profit organization said it is “seeking candidates who want to set the standard of excellence for people-centered services through innovation, teamwork and respect for community needs. specials that Abilis serves”.
“Abilis has grown and with this growth, we have more job opportunities for those interested in incredibly rewarding careers serving our community with special needs,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and President of Abilis. . “We pride ourselves on having dedicated and talented long-term employees, with some employees staying with us for 10 years or more. We offer competitive benefits and a close community that values what we do.”
The list of open positions is at www.abilis.us/get-involved/jobs.html. Candidates are encouraged to review the list before attending the job fair. For more information, call 203-531-1880.
Downtown
The early bird registration deadline for the annual Greenwich Educational Alliance Turkey Trot is fast approaching.
The popular fundraiser will take place Nov. 26, giving residents a chance to work on their big Thanksgiving dinners while supporting GEA programs at Greenwich Public Schools.
Nearly 2,000 participants and spectators are expected for the 5k race and the non-competitive 1 mile fun run/walk.
Both start at the Arch Street Teen Center at 100 Arch St. and go through Bruce Park before returning to the Teen Center. The Fun Run/Walk, sponsored by Cadillac of Greenwich, will start at 9:30 a.m. The 5k run will start at 10 a.m.
There will be warm-ups and stretches starting at 9 a.m.
“The Turkey Trot gets bigger and better every year,” said Julie Faryniarz, executive director of the Greenwich Alliance for Education. “We look forward to bringing the community together again in November to have fun and raise funds for Greenwich Public School programming.”
To register for the 12th annual race, visit greenwichalliance.org/turkey-trot-2022/. The cost is $15 for children 13 and under and $30 for adults. After October 31, the adult price will increase to $35 until November 25. On race day, it will cost you $40 to participate.
All proceeds from the Turkey Trot will benefit the alliance’s programs, which “fund innovation, expand opportunity and inspire teachers to foster educational success for students at Greenwich Public School.”
Register before November 11 to receive a t-shirt and a goody bag.
