<p class="ql-align-center"><strong>FC Buzz Weekend July 19-23</strong></p><p>HamletHub is proud to partner with the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and FCBuzz to Elevate Arts and Culture in Fairfield County! Each week, look for a listing of weekend events and activities. The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of the arts and culture across 15 towns in coastal Fairfield County. Sign up to receive a free eBuzz newsletter with top picks and spotlight events from the hundreds of events posted on FCBuzz.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/art-for-lunch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>ART FOR LUNCH</strong></a></p><p><strong>The Westport Library</strong></p><p>Friday Jul 19, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm</p><p>A BYO lunchtime art meet-up at the Westport Library with members of the Artists Collective of Westport, who will discuss the inspiration for their all-member exhibition "Word: Visual vs Verbal" now on view in the Sheffer and South Galleries. Stop by the Library Cafe first and pick up a bite or brown bag it -- and enjoy Art for Lunch!</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/ftc-presents-jackie-greene" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Jackie Greene</strong></a></p><p><strong>Fairfield Theatre Company</strong></p><p>Friday Jul 19, 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm</p><p>Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades, and an artist who can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo (like he did as the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes in 2013). A road warrior and musician's musician, Greene's new EP 'The Modern Lives – Vol 2' (out October 2018 on Blue Rose Music) finds him at a new chapter in his life: his first months of fatherhood, time off his relentless touring circuit, and a cross-country move from Brooklyn to his birthplace of Northern California.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/they-made-it-a-musical-ab523" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>THEY MADE IT A MUSICAL!</strong></a></p><p><strong>Westport Country Playhouse</strong></p><p>Friday Jul 19, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm</p><p>A concert celebrating Broadway’s greatest musicals and the works that inspired them! Thursday, July 18 at 8PM; Friday, July 19 at 8PM; Saturday, July 20 at 3PM &amp; 8PM. “THEY MADE IT A MUSICAL!” pulls back the curtain on the Broadway shows you love, shining the spotlight on the plays, novels, works of art, short stories and historical events that inspired them!</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/birding-at-the-bartlett" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Birding at the Bartlett</strong></a></p><p><strong>Bartlett Arboretum &amp; Gardens</strong></p><p>Saturday Jul 20, 7:30 am - 9:00 am</p><p>Join Bartlett Educators for a morning walk around the Bartlett grounds to look for rare bird sightings and other signs of the summer birding activity.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/old-post-road-walking-tour" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Old Post Road Walking Tour</strong></a></p><p><strong>Fairfield Museum and History Center</strong></p><p>Saturday Jul 20, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm</p><p>Immerse yourself in the charm of the Old Post Road Historic District. Join a guided tour exploring what was once the main road through Fairfield dating back hundreds of years. Originally a Native American trade and travel route, Old Post Road is lined with historic sites. Learn about the Old Fairfield Academy, Annie B. Jennings, the Unquowa Hotel, the Roger Sherman homestead, the home of Ely S. Parker, and other fascinating stories.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/family-day-all-about-conservation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Family Day: All About Conservation</strong></a></p><p><strong>Fairfield Museum and History Center</strong></p><p>Saturday Jul 20, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm</p><p>Families and friends of all ages are invited to a special day filled with hands-on activities to celebrate the new exhibition Pioneering Conservation. Join us for a Green Song Singalong with the Fairfield Pollinator Pathway &amp; Fairfield Forestry Committee, a touch tank from The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, arts &amp; crafts, and much more. In case of inclement weather, program will take place inside the Fairfield Museum.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/artist-talk-nomi-silverman-s-dresden-residency" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Artist Talk: Nomi Silverman’s Dresden Residency</strong></a></p><p><strong>Center for Contemporary Printmaking</strong>Saturday Jul 20, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm</p><p>Nomi Silverman was chosen to be the inaugural artist in the Center for Contemporary Printmaking's new annual residency exchange with the Grafikwerkstatt Dresden studio and the City of Dresden. Anyone interested in applying for 2025’s exchange should definitely plan to attend Silverman’s talk. For those unable to attend in person, a recording will be posted to our YouTube channel the following week.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/instructors-summer-salon-at-silvermine-galleries-opening" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Opening reception of the Summer Salon</strong></a><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/guild-summer-salon-opening-reception-at-silvermine-galleries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>and</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Instructors Summer Salon</strong></a></p><p><strong>Silvermine Galleries</strong></p><p>Saturday Jul 20, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm</p><p>Each summer, our highly anticipated Summer Salon showcases the incredible creations of our Guild members, offering a diverse and exciting range of artworks. With one hundred and thirteen artists, this exhibit has something for everyone, from cutting-edge contemporary pieces to the enduring charm of traditional craftmanship. This a great opportunity to view and purchase artwork by Silvermine's many talented instructors.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/the-music-of-the-night-with-cris-groenendaal-and-sue-anderson-on-piano" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT WITH CRIS GROENENDAAL AND SUE ANDERSON ON PIANO</strong></a></p><p><strong>Music Theatre of CT</strong></p><p>Saturday Jul 20, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm</p><p>With over 860 performances as the Phantom in "Phantom of the Opera" and a B'way career with roles in "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park with George," and more, Cris Groenendaal's brings a blend of B'way hits, pop tunes, folk songs, and classic novelties.</p><p><a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/events/fuzz-at-music-at-the-barn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><strong>Fuzz at Music at the Barn</strong></a></p><p><strong>Weston History &amp; Culture Center</strong></p><p>Sunday Jul 21, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm</p><p>Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and all around energetic and engaging performer, Fuzz has been a successful international touring and recording artist for the past few decades with some of his projects such as Deep Banana Blackout, Caravan of Thieves and Big Fuzz in addition to working alongside acts such as the Tom Tom Club and sharing the stage with The Allman Brothers, John Scofield, Keb Mo, Emmylou Harris, Bela Fleck, members of Phish, the James Brown band and many others.</p><p>See these and discover hundreds more events on the&nbsp;<a href="https://events.culturalalliancefc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">FCBUZZ EVENTS</a>&nbsp;page at&nbsp;<a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">https://culturalalliancefc.org</a>&nbsp;Sign up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://culturalalliancefc.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(2, 177, 151);">Cultural Alliance eBuzz</a>&nbsp;to receive top picks and spotlights each week in your inbox.</p>

<p>The Museum of Darien is honored to be the recipient of a 2024 CT Historic Preservation Grant. The $10,000 grant from the 1772 Foundation is given in cooperation with Preservation Connecticut for roof replacement at the Bates-Scofield House. A committee of the Museum’s Board of Directors will oversee the project for completion over the next year. <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">To find out more</span><em>, </em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">visit </span><a href="https://museumofdarien.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">museumofdarien.org</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">,</span><span style="color: rgb(5, 5, 5);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">call (203) 655-9233 or email </span><a href="mailto:ekoch@museumofdarien.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">ekoch@museumofdarien.org</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">. </span>The Museum of Darien is located at 45 Old King’s Highway in Darien, CT.</p><p><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Pictured: </em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Al Miller, Board President of MoD; Amy Allen, Executive Director of MoD; Jane Montanaro, Executive Director of Preservation Connecticut; Senator Bob Duff</span></p><p><em>Established in 1953 as the Darien Historical Society, the Museum of Darien welcomes all ages to celebrate the town’s history and to experience and discover the crafted objects, narratives and works of art that have shaped the community of Darien. The museum tells Darien’s story, from its earliest beginnings as Middlesex Parish to the prosperous community it is today. To learn more about supporting the town’s history, visit </em><a href="https://museumofdarien.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;"><em>museumofdarien.org</em></a><em> or call (203)655-9233</em></p><p><em>&nbsp;</em>For more information, visit <a href="https://museumofdarien.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">museumofdarien.org</a></p><p>Facebook: @museumofdarien</p><p>Instagram: @museumofdarien</p>

<p class="ql-align-center"><strong>Research Shows 80% of Teens and Gen Z Struggle to Initiate&nbsp;Mental Health “Check-Ins” on Friends</strong></p><p>(Darien, CT – July 17, 2024) – For World Emoji Day the #HT40 Foundation, founded to encourage young people to be there for their peers through action-oriented initiatives that foster social connectedness, is launching its second initiative – a “Check In” Emoji.&nbsp;&nbsp;Through #HT40's recently fielded quantitative research study, the Gen Z audience nearly unanimously confirmed how important mental health is and recognized the importance of checking in on their peers. However, 80% of those surveyed reported not knowing what to say to start the dialogue. The new "Check In" emoji is meant to solve that problem.&nbsp;</p><p>To kickstart this new initiative, #HT40 is asking&nbsp;people to help choose an emoji that best captures the message of checking in with one another. There are two design options.&nbsp;One design is called&nbsp;<strong>The Reaching Out emoji,</strong>&nbsp;which shows a hand offering a blue heart on top of it, and the other is&nbsp;<strong>The Here For You emoji</strong>,&nbsp;which shows the silhouette of a hand placed on someone's shoulder as if in a moment of support. People can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theshouldercheck/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vote</a>&nbsp;on their favorite design.&nbsp;#HT40 will be submitting the selected icon to the Unicode database for inclusion across digital platforms.&nbsp;</p><p>“We all struggle with the right way to approach hard situations,” commented Rob Thorsen, co-founder of The #HT40 Foundation &amp; Shoulder Check. “Ironically, we're more connected than ever, but feeling further apart than ever before. So we are advocating to create this simple emoji that makes it easy to let someone know you are thinking of them. And our research demonstrates that something this simple can make a huge impact, by making it easier to reach out and connect with one another in earnest.”</p><p>The “Check In” emoji builds on the original Shoulder Check premise - the notion that checking in is as simple as a hand on a shoulder - which launched in August of 2023 with an all-star charity hockey game called the Shoulder Check Showcase. At the game players circled up at center ice before the puck dropped and made the Shoulder Check commitment by placing a hand on the shoulder of the player next to them, while every fan did the same with their neighbor, and pledged to “Reach Out, Check In, and Make Contact”. The inaugural Shoulder Check Showcase event sold out and kickstarted a national movement from the youth to the professional ranks. Since August 2023 tens of thousands of people have made the Shoulder Check pledge from NHL and PWHL clubs to local and youth programs from Stamford to Seattle.</p>

<p class="ql-align-center"><strong style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Silver&nbsp;Hill Hospital Hosts Patrick J. Kennedy and Expert Panelists for Special Mental Health Event and Book Signing</strong></p><p class="ql-align-center"><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Wednesday Evening, July 24, at the Hilton Stamford Hotel &amp; Executive Meeting Center</em></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Silver Hill Hospital and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) have much in common: a deep understanding of mental health and substance use disorders and the extraordinary challenges they bring, and an unwavering conviction that treatments for these conditions merit insurance coverage and reimbursement equitable to that of treatments for other conditions, like diabetes, heart disease or cancer.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Reserve your spot </strong><a href="https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Reserve-Your-Spot--Patrick-Kennedy--Silver-Hill---Great-Minds-in-Mental-Health.html?aid=_k7t8xMMw_c&amp;soid=1118848950510" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">A hallmark of his time in Congress, Kennedy was the lead author of the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA or the Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than physical illnesses, such as diabetes and cancer. Subsequently, he founded The Kennedy Forum, to unite mental health advocates, business leaders, and government agencies in support of mental health equity. Kennedy works tirelessly to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming around treatment and recovery.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">On Wednesday, July 24, he will join Andrew J. Gerber, MD, PhD, President and Medical Director of Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT and area experts for discussion on critical topics in mental health today: access to care and the youth mental health crisis. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">The program will conclude with a book signing of Kennedy’s recent release, </span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Profiles in Mental Health Courage</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">“Silver Hill could not be more honored to be hosting this important event,” says Dr. Gerber. “We have been at the forefront of treatment for Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders for nearly a century. We have seen firsthand the impact that effective treatments can bring to our patients. Silver Hill shares Congressman Kennedy’s long-standing commitment to mental health equity and his belief that evidence-based treatments should be accessible to all. The right treatments transform lives and bring health and meaning to an individual’s existence. What could be more important than that?” </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">“The Kennedy Forum is thrilled to partner with Silver Hill Hospital to bring these important discussions to the local community,” says Rebecca O. Bagley, President and CEO of The Kennedy Forum. “A large part of our work is growing a movement to provide better care for all who need it: by 2033, we seek to have 90% of the population screened for mental health and substance use disorders, 90% of those who need it receiving quality treatment, and 90% of those </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">receiving treatment managing symptoms and achieving recovery. Engaging with providers and community members will be critical to our success.”</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 32, 96);">EXPERT PANELISTS</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Access to Care Panel</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Tichianaa Armah, MD, Chief Psychiatry Officer, Community Health Center, Inc.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Francois de Brantes, MBA, EVP, Payment Innovation and Network Performance, XO Health</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Jen Eielson, MPH, REHS/RS, CPH, Director of the New Canaan Department of Health</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Joe Feldman, MBA, Founder &amp; President, Cover My Mental Health</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Youth Mental Health Crisis Panel</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Amanda Calhoun, MD, MPH, Clinical Fellow Solnit Integrated Program, Yale Child Study Center</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Alexandra Estrella, EdD., Superintendent of Schools, Norwalk Public Schools</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Peter Fonagy, PhD, Chief Executive of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Tamu Lucero, EdD, Superintendent of Schools, Stamford Public Schools</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Charles Morgan, MD, Former Chief, Department of Psychiatry, Bridgeport Hospital</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span class="ql-cursor"></span>Reserve your spot </strong><a href="https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Reserve-Your-Spot--Patrick-Kennedy--Silver-Hill---Great-Minds-in-Mental-Health.html?aid=_k7t8xMMw_c&amp;soid=1118848950510" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>Summer Music Series with Gil Harel: Stephen Sondheim's&nbsp;"Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" </strong><strong style="color: rgb(22, 14, 5);">on </strong><strong>Wednesday, July 17th at 7 pm</strong></p><p>With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (based on a book by Hugh Wheeler), “Sweeney Todd” is an unlikely success story. Traditionally, successful musicals do not involve grisly vigilante murder and cannibalism, but this one does – and it works.</p><p>The success of Sweeney Todd is bound up in Sondheim’s remarkable score, and its warm reception can be seen in the important awards it won. These include Best Score, Best Book, and the all-important Best Musical.</p><p>Join Professor Gil Harel as we go inside the score of this unconventional and eminently popular piece of musical theater!</p><p><strong>Reserve your spot </strong><a href="https://www.darienlibrary.org/event/copy-tent-summer-series-gil-harel-49931" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

<p>Kids In Crisis (KIC) is hosting the annual TeenTalk Summit, bringing together leading voices in teen mental health to evaluate and review the past year's progress and learnings to direct the coming year. The summit is a crucial gathering of government, private sector, non-profit, and education leaders to discuss the growing issues of teen mental health in Fairfield County.</p><p>KIC TeenTalk is the only program in Fairfield County that is both in schools and offers 24-hour support via the KIC Helpline. TeenTalk operates in 19 locations, with more than 1,500 Fairfield County students participating in TeenTalk counseling and groups this past year.</p><p>Shari Shapiro, Executive Director of Kids In Crisis, along with US Representatives Jim Himes from Connecticut and Robin Kelly from Illinois, will be attending the summit. Other notable attendees include Michael Chambers from the Heidenreich Foundation, Matt Remson, a TeenTalk Student Ambassador, Alicia Dadd, Director of Mental Health for Darien Schools, Demetria Nelson, Commissioner of Human Services Greenwich, Dr. Tamu Lucero, Superintendent of Stamford Public Schools, and Janet King, Executive Director of the Community Fund of Darien. Invited guests include Governor Lamont and US Senator Richard Blumenthal.</p><p>The event will take place on Monday, July 22, 2024, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am ET at Ox Ridge Elementary School, located at 395 Mansfield Avenue, Darien, CT.</p><p>TeenTalk, an exclusively designed program by Kids In Crisis, places Master’s-level mental health counselors in Fairfield County middle and high schools. These specially trained, compassionate counselors help students navigate difficult personal, family, and school-related issues. TeenTalk Counselors augment school staff by providing confidential individual, group, and family counseling, as well as preventive education on issues crucial to the health and well-being of young people. They are trained to identify at-risk students and those flying under the radar, reaching out to students experiencing depression, anxiety, substance use struggles, trauma, and conflict-related stresses.</p><p>Kids In Crisis, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, provides emergency shelter, crisis counseling, and community education programs for children of all ages and families facing crisis. Issues addressed include domestic violence, mental health concerns, homelessness, substance abuse, economic difficulties, and other critical challenges. The Kids In Crisis Helpline is staffed 24 hours a day with trained Crisis Counselors, providing free, confidential phone and face-to-face intervention, counseling, and referrals. Since its founding in 1978, Kids In Crisis has provided vital 24-hour services to almost 170,000 children, teens, and their families. Providers, educators, community members, and family members are encouraged to call the 24-hour helpline at 203-661-1911 for support.</p>