News

Letter: Grace Farms Has Helped ‘Full Court Peace’ Operate Year-Round

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Over the past two years, the nonprofit, Full Court Peace, has grown financially and in its outreach. This would not have been possible without the support of Grace Farms Foundation and facility of Grace Farms.

Five years ago, I initiated a program to unite locally disadvantaged youth with their more affluent neighbors in Fairfield County through basketball. At first a once-per-year event, Grace Farms helped make this a year-round occurrence. Their administration made for a smooth, professional and thorough application process for the kids to use the facility, and their staff supported me as I put together various programs that worked toward our mission. Grace Farms is indeed a shared space for all to enjoy.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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The alpacas of Crajah House on Oenoke Ridge Road on Tuesday were shorn of their thick winter coats—see photos above. Their owner, New Canaan’s Debbie McQuilkin, tells us the process for each “blanket” includes picking out sticks, hay and straw, then going for the secondary areas of the neck, backside and legs. The material is sent to a fiber mill where it’s washed, cleaned again and dyed or made into a yarn that McQuilkin herself chooses—fine knitting or heavy weaving for rugs. It also can be sent back for hand spinning or felting, McQuilkin said. The alpaca fleece is hypoallergenic and contains no lanolin, and it’s naturally fire-resistant.

Sports

Letter: Outgoing NCHS Boys Hoops Coach Thanks the Community

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It is a challenge for me to put into words how thankful I am for my four years in New Canaan. I coached great kids, I worked with great people, and I watched one class of boys grow from being timid freshmen to becoming young men. Just that–aiding in the maturation process of young people–is why my staff and I coach. “I’m from New Canaan,” I’ve told many kids over the years, “but where I’m from they call it Weston.” It is a common misconception that kids from these backgrounds, who sometimes have more than most, are immune to the problems of the world. In fact, they are exposed to far more complex issues and at far too young of an age.  For this, I will remember most vividly not the moments that required a backdoor cut or three-pointer, but instead the one-on-one talks with players in my office, the communication I maintain with alumni, and some of the parents that truly understood what it meant for their son to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Sports

Evans Steps Down as New Canaan Boys Basketball Coach

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After four years as the New Canaan’s boys varsity basketball coach, Mike Evans is stepping down, NewCanaanite.com has learned. Both New Canaan Athletic Director Jay Egan and Evans himself have confirmed that Evans resigned as of this afternoon, and that the players were told at the school. The reason for Evans’ departure has not been publicly disclosed. In an email sent to the NCHS basketball families earlier today, Egan stated:

“During his tenure New Canaan Boys Basketball has become a program that is well respected around the F.C.I.A.C. Interest and enthusiasm for basketball in New Canaan has significantly increased as result of Coach Evans’ influence. “I greatly appreciate all the work Mike has done with our program and the NCBA over the past 4 seasons.

Sports

New Canaan’s Chandonnet Headed for the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tourney

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Former New Canaan Rams basketball player Claude Chandonnet is headed to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. The 2015 NCHS grad and Rams captain is a freshman shooting guard for the Denison University Big Red, who stunned the D-3 basketball world this past weekend by defeating perennial conference powerhouses Wittenberg, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster to win the North Coast Athletic Conference title for an automatic qualifier in the NCAA’s. “At the start of the season we had meetings every week talking about what we were fighting for and what we wanted to leave for the season,” Chandonnet told NewCanaanite.com. “When the season started we decided we wanted to leave a legacy.”

And what a legacy it was. After and up-and-down regular season that saw the Big Red go 14-11, Denison pulled off an 81-75 win over Wittenberg in the quarterfinals before matching up against Ohio Wesleyan, the top seed in the NCAC and the No.