NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter(s) to the editor. Please send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com for publication here.
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To the Editor:
Last spring, Steve Benko helped bring joy to over 100 New Canaan Cub Scouts.
Our annual Pinewood Derby race could not happen indoors due to COVID, so Steve helped us secure a covered outdoor space for the 45-foot racetrack and its sensitive electronics. I met him early one morning, in the rain, for a walk-through at Kiwanis Park. He greenlit our event and eased our permit application through Town Hall. And he turned on electricity and plumbing weeks early, just for our event.
On the eve of Derby Day, I found him with a leaf blower in hand, personally clearing leaves out of the Kiwanis pavilion. After thanking him, I asked Steve why he went to this trouble. He replied, “It’s the least I could do for you.”
A few months later, Steve approved the Cub Scouts’ use of the Town’s beloved Waveny Park for a model rocket event, but only after obtaining our commitment to proper safety measures. It was just another example of his committed stewardship to the community on multiple levels. We were grateful to Steve to have been able to host our event, which was a success.
We were saddened to learn of Steve Benko’s death. On behalf of Packs 70, 45, and 7, we express our condolences to his family as well as our gratitude for his service and enduring example.
James Grohsgal
Cubmaster, Pack 70