News

‘Cancer Definitely Messed with the Wrong Girls’: Gracie Soap Box Derby Draws Hundreds

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An estimated 300-plus people gathered at New Canaan Country School on Sunday afternoon for an old-fashioned soap box derby in support of children and families facing pediatric cancer. Launched by New Canaan’s Falsetta family when Grace Falsetta was diagnosed with leukemia in middle school (she is cancer-free today), the Gracie Fund for Pediatric Cancer is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of children facing life-threatening cancer by supporting the people, programs, and organizations that care for them. On a picture-perfect fall afternoon, the first-ever Gracie Soap Box Derby saw kids race 20-plus cars along a haybale-lined track, cheered on by dozens of families who enjoyed music, bouncy play structure, face-painting, food trucks and community connection. 

“I could not be more excited,” dad Chris Falsetta said moments before the races got underway. “We have such a crowd. We have 20 cars, we have tons of kids.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police are investigating the theft of a vehicle from a Thurton Drive, reported at 10:25 a.m. Sunday. It was recovered in Wallingford. ***

Early voting starts Monday. Info here. ***

The Town Players of New Canaan presents “Pen Pals,” running this weekend at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny.

Around Town

NCHS Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony Set for Oct. 16 [Q&A]

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One of the best-loved events among New Canaan athletes, sports boosters and the wider community—the biennial New Canaan High School Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony—is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 at the Woodway Country Club (tickets here). We put some questions to Terry Dinan, emcee of HOF events, ahead of the special night. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: What is the New Canaan High School Athletic Hall of Fame? How many inductees are there?

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Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police are investigating the theft of a package from a Scofield Lane mailbox, reported at 12:42 p.m. Tuesday. ***

Here are four weekend events from local organizations that foster and promote the arts:

“Rounding Third” is showing at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny, one-weekend-only: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 p.m. Sunday (tickets here). Here’s some background on the Town Players of New Canaan production. The 76th “A-One” show is on Silvermine Galleries. “The Bard at Bristow” from Summer Theatre of New Canaan is coming to Bristow Park on Sunday (there are still some tickets available, see here).

Around Town

‘Every Kid Deserves the Same Amount of Love’: Gracie Soap Box Derby Set for Oct. 18

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Isabella Falsetta, a New Canaan High School sophomore whose twin sister, Grace, was diagnosed with leukemia in middle school, spent much of the summer helping to organize and promote a free community event to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. The Gracie Fund for Pediatric Cancer is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives of children facing life-threatening cancer by supporting the people, programs, and organizations that care for them. Working with family members—including Grace, who is now cancer-free, following 85 hospital stays and 20-plus surgeries—and a good friend, NCHS classmate Tate Salerno among others, Isabella helped promote the “Gracie Soap Box Derby.”

To be held at New Canaan Country School at 1 p.m. (get there 12:30 p.m.) on Sunday, Oct. 18, the Derby will feature a DJ, Blind Rhino food truck and kids’ zone with activities such as face painting and obstacle course, in addition to 15 races featuring 18 custom-built, authentic (non-motorized) soap box derby cars. “What made me want to become part of this effort is just I saw how hard my dad worked, how hard all my sister’s doctors and nurses worked to help her with this treatment, and I realized that every kid deserves the same amount of love and support that she did,” Isabella said on a recent afternoon during an interview at New Canaan Library.