NCHS Junior Launches Effort To Raise Money for Civilians Caught in Israel-Hamas Conflict

New Canaan High School junior Tahlia Scherer reached out to us the week prior to Thanksgiving, expressing concerns about civilians caught amid the armed conflict between Hamas and Israel, which declared war following a surprise attack on Oct. 7. She’s raising funds for the American Red Cross, which is providing civilian aid in the Israel-Hamas Conflict—see this GoFundMe page. (Note: Here’s a list of other ways to volunteer and donate, from the Center for International Disaster Information.)

We put some questions to Scherer about her efforts. 

Our exchange follows. ***

New Canaanite: Tell us about how you came to hear about the Israel-Hamas conflict and what was your initial reaction to it?

Did You Hear … ?

New Canaan Police closed Forest Street temporarily Wednesday morning while responding to a medical call on the roadway’s single-lane, one-way stretch downtown. Forest was reopened to all traffic at about 11:30 a.m., police said. ***

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church will hold its “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas” at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17, with a reception to follow at Morrill Hall.

Letter to the Editor

NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter(s). Email editor@newcanaanite.com to publish your letter here. 

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A Volunteer Holiday Party with caroling and dinner was held in appreciation of the more than 80 dedicated volunteers who serve Staying Put in New Canaan. Staying Put extends our sincere thanks to all our volunteers for their commitment. These ‘neighbors helping neighbors’ provide essential services to seniors including transportation, errands, grocery shopping, visits, help at home, technology support, and more. This assistance helps older New Canaan residents live confidently at home and stay engaged in the community.

New Canaan Fire Marshal: Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays are an exciting time of year and to help ensure a safe holiday season, here are some tips from the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office:

Trees

When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters.