Around Town

New Canaan’s Mysogland Family Honored by STAR Inc.

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New Canaan’s Ernie Mysogland describes his adult special needs daughter Jassinia as “a true sweetheart” who models his wife of 50-plus years, Susie, in her kindness. For more than 20 years, Jassinia through an area nonprofit organization with deep ties to New Canaan has worked as a bagger at the Food Emporium on Elm Street, now Acme. 

Because the Mysoglands had such a large family—11 kids—and Jassinia’s brothers and sisters brought home so many friends, she came to know all kinds of people, according to her dad. “Those people got the idea that if Jassinia was going to work at the grocery store and she was going to bag groceries, they would try to get in her lane,” Ernie Mysogland recalled Monday night, standing near his wife and daughter and addressing more than 100 STAR Inc. staff members, clients and families gathered at the organization’s Norwalk headquarters for its 67th annual meeting. “And they would say, ‘Hi Jassinia,’ and she would say, ‘Hi, how are you?’ And Jassinia, unfortunately, would let a lot of family secrets out. People would say, ‘Jassinia, how are you?

Around Town

‘We Like To Celebrate Everything’: Special Church at First Presbyterian

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Every Thursday for the past 29 years, Jassinia Mysogland has arrived at First Presbyterian Church on Oenoke Ridge Road for a unique experience featuring parties, crafts, snacks, music and most of all—friendship. Last week, Mysogland joined fellow members of a program called ‘Special Church’ in celebrating New Year’s and a birthday, as well as the return of Cathy Newman, a former co-leader visiting from California. Program director Nancy Reichart said with a smile, “We like to celebrate everything.”

Approaching its 30th anniversary this year, Special Church was founded by parents of special needs children and adults seeking an “alternative church experience,” Reichart said. With 16 members hailing from New Canaan and surrounding towns, Reichart calls First Presbyterian Church “the best place to be on a Thursday afternoon.”

Because all of its current members are Christians, Special Church is considered ecumenical, she said, though it absolutely would welcome and accommodate people of different faiths. Thursday’s 2.5-hour program got off to its typically measured start, with members trickling in to mingle, read aloud a “reading of the week,” and complete a New Year’s-themed craft.