<p><strong>ICE IS OUT! TURF IS IN at Winter Garden Ice Arena</strong></p><p><strong>Turf Available May 1-August 1</strong></p><ul><li>Hourly Rental</li><li>Birthday Parties</li><li>Camps and Clinics</li></ul><p><strong>May Maddess with WestRock Warhogs </strong></p><p>Box Lacrosse Clinics Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights in May.</p><p>Youth and Adult Clinics available! For more information go to <a href="https://www.westrockwarhogs.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.westrockwarhogs.com/</a></p><p><strong>Lacrosse BoxCon 2024 June 8 &amp; 9</strong></p><p>We are hard at work planning out a great weekend and experience for all who attend. Parents will get the opportunity to learn and better understand the box game from our stellar lineup of coaches. Players will be engulfed in the box game, picking up new skills to add to their field game through our clinics and demos.</p><p>Food and ice cream trucks, radar gun station, dunk tank, vendors and more! A truly unique experience to gain more box experience! Join us in June!</p><p>Tickets are on sale now! More coaches, vendors and details on events to be released constantly! For more information go to <a href="https://www.americanboxcon.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.americanboxcon.com/</a></p>

<p>Clarice M. Shirvell, an artist based in Ridgefield, CT, has been making waves with her drawings in the tri-state area. While primarily known as a painter, Shirvell's daily practice of sketching in pen as a form of meditation has recently taken center stage, leading her to explore exhibiting her drawings on a larger scale. Over the past three years, she has been awarded several artist residencies, providing her with the opportunity to work in spacious studios, where she has delved into drawing with ink, brush, charcoal, and pencil. What started as small 3”x5” ink sketches has evolved into 3 ft to 5 ft drawings.</p><p>One of her notable works is a 3-foot charcoal and pencil drawing titled “Liberty,” which recently won 2nd prize in the Ridgefield Guild of Artists Member Show, currently on display. </p><p><strong>The exhibition concludes on Sunday, May 5th, with an Artist’s Walk and Talk from 2-4pm, where Shirvell will be one of the featured artists, speaking about her exhibited work and artistic process.</strong></p><p>In addition to her exhibition success, Shirvell has spent the past eight months illustrating a new children’s book by Gayle Gleckler in ink and watercolor. </p><p>Titled "The Rainbow Tree," the book was published earlier this month and can be found at Books on the Common and The Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Shirvell was delighted to be asked to illustrate this book, which tells the story of a historical Ridgefield Tree located in the Rainbow Lake Community. <strong>There will be a book signing event from 12-2pm with both the author and illustrator on May 3rd at Books on the Common during the Ridgefield Spring Stroll.</strong></p>

<p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Ridgefield Republican Town Committee (RTC) is seeking candidates to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals. David Pope submitted his letter of resignation from the Board effective on April 10th. We at the RTC are grateful and appreciative of his service and wish the Pope family happiness and success in all of their future endeavors.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Ridgefield Town Charter requires that elective boards such as the Board of Assessment Appeals, fill a vacancy with a person who is a member of the same political party as the party on whose row the vacating board member was elected. It is required that the person to appointed to fill Mr. Pope’s, a Republican, vacancy with a registered Republican. The person appointed to the vacancy would fill the remaining term of that board seat, until November 2025.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Under the Town’s Charter, the Board of Assessment Appeals hears grievances filed by taxpayers regarding their property tax assessments and is impowered to make assessment changes.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The RTC requests that any registered Ridgefield Republican, who may be interested in</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">filling this seat, send a letter of interest as well as a resume or biography </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">to </span><a href="mailto:info@ridgefieldrtc.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">info@ridgefieldrtc.org</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, by 5:00PM on Friday, April 26, 2024. An RTC</span></p><p>subcommittee may interview potential candidates and the RTC may send an endorsement to the Town Board filling the vacancy for its consideration.</p><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The Board of Assessment Appeals and/or the Board of Selectpersons will conduct its own official selection process for filling the vacancy. The Board of Assessment Appeals or Board of Selectpersons process is separate from the RTC’s process.</span></p>

<h2><span style="color: rgb(50, 55, 61); background-color: transparent;">Why Small Businesses Matter</span></h2><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Shop small, do big things for your community</em></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Meet Cameron Carcelen founder of </span><a href="https://www.ridgearchitecture.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Ridge Architecture</a></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why did you start your business?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">One thing architecture students learn in school is design thinking in order to solve all sorts of problems. You learn to look at everything in life as a design challenge. I had little kids at home and was struggling to balance my family life with my career as an employee of another architecture firm. Starting my own studio was an opportunity to design the life I wanted - one that would allow me to deliver the highest quality services to my clients and also allow me to be present for my kids.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">What is your best-selling product/service?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Our approach to design is about finding the appropriate solution for each project; we carefully consider the site context including landscape; the existing building(s) if any; budget; and environmental sensitivity. We tend to connect with clients looking to build homes that are integrated with the landscape and sensitive to the natural world.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">How many local businesses do you use to support your business (products and services) and can you name them?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">There are too many to count! We rely heavily on other design pros (eg., Glenn Smith of Residential Engineering + Design), vendors (Creative Tile, Venezia, La Pietra), builders (Harpswell Builders, Santini, Sosa Construction), and craftspeople (Dave Bartlett, a master cabinetmaker). We also rely on exquisite photography to make our completed projects look as polished as possible (Studio Nicholas Venezia Photography).</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Visit Ridge Architecture online </span><a href="https://www.ridgearchitecture.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">https://www.ridgearchitecture.com/</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> and on Instagram @</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ridgearchitecture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">ridgearchitecture</a></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">HamletHub thanks</strong><a href="http://www.jkinfordbeautygroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong> </strong></a><a href="https://www.fairfieldcountybank.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong>Fairfield County Bank </strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!</strong></p><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">*Photo credit Nicholas Venezia Photography</em></p><p><br></p>

<p><strong><u>22&nbsp;Ketcham&nbsp;Road, Ridgefield</u></strong></p><p>The Steinman Sanctuary - once in a lifetime sale of the late, great, Jim Steinman's beloved home in Ridgefield, CT where he lived for nearly 30 years and wrote some of the most recognizable songs in music history including "I'd Do Anything for Love", "Total Eclipse of the Heart", and Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now".</p><p> When Jim passed in April of 2021, he left behind not only his extraordinary body of musical and theatrical works, but his exceptional custom-built home and elaborate music studio with "minstrel gallery" balcony overlook, and "stairway to heaven". From the time Jim acquired the quaint country cottage originally located on the property, it became his personal sanctuary that served to inspire artistic creation and joyful entertaining. Jim commissioned prestigious New England architect, Rob Bramhall, to execute his dramatic vision, and spent over $6M in the construction alone. Jim took great pride in this home, which served as the backdrop to his life and work. </p><p>Total 6,183 sf plus detached garage with finished loft. Extraordinary primary suite with luxurious bath and dressing room, plus dramatic 37.5' x 25' studio with second story balcony and private entrance, ideal for artist, recording studio, home office, etc. Picturesque scenic lane in premier southwest Ridgefield location, close to the NY border, Mountain Lakes Park with over 1,000 acres of trails, downtown Ridgefield with shops, restaurants, library, theaters, Aldrich Museum, and only 55 miles to Midtown. </p><p><strong>Offered at $1,950,000.</strong></p><p>Take a virtual tour of the property <a href="https://www.seetheproperty.com/416690" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></p><p>To learn more about this property, contact Laura Freed Ancona <a href="https://www.williampitt.com/our-agents/list/lauraancona" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br></p>

<p><strong style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Braised Lamb Shank</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Need a dinner idea? Chef Bernard has crafted a succulent sweet and savory lamb shank, slow-braised for two hours, perfectly complemented by our Polenta Cake and Garlicky Broccoli Rabe.</span></p><p><a href="https://atableus.square.site/?mc_cid=4ab9c1dffc&amp;mc_eid=a4b0c75bcf#15" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Order online</a><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;"> or stop in!</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Introducing Our New Collaboration with Forage and Florals</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Local moms and special education specialists, Kristen + Dana, are passionate about all things nature has to offer. They believe there is beauty in our everyday surroundings, whether it be a fallen tree branch after a storm or a flowering perennial that popped up in the wild.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Come check out their unique designs! Freshly delivered every Thursday!</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Christine Covino is a local flower farmer specializing in specialty cut flowers. Her bouquets are grown and arranged in small batches and of course, love.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Her gorgeous tulip bouquets are available now! Freshly delivered every Thursday!</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Give the Gift Every Mom Wants! And that’s a night off from the kitchen!</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Celebrate this Mother's Day by gifting an A Table gift card! Let her savor the flavors she loves from the comfort of her own home.</span></p><p><a href="https://squareup.com/gift/ML2ABJZPAFD6V/order?mc_cid=4ab9c1dffc&amp;mc_eid=a4b0c75bcf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Gift Card</a></p><p><a href="https://www.atableus.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">À Table</a><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;"> is located The Marketplace at Copps Hill Plaza, 109 Danbury Road</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Hours</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Tuesday — Friday</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">10am — 6pm</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Saturday</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">10am — 5pm</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13); background-color: transparent;">Closed Sunday + Monday</span></p><p><br></p>