Mark Shanahan, Artistic Director of the Westport Country Playhouse, shared the history, status, and plans for the historic playhouse in Westport, Connecticut, at the Kiwanis Club of Weston’s breakfast meeting on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Norfield Congregational Church’s parish hall.

As a playwright, he is the adapter of Agatha Christie’s THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD, in partnership with Agatha Christie Ltd., which premiered at the Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre and has played throughout the United States and abroad. His play, A SHERLOCK CAROL, was a New York Times Critic’s Pick during its two seasons Off-Broadway and earned an Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Play in 2021 and has been produced at numerous theatres across the United States and internationally, including three sold-out seasons in London at The Marylebone Theatre. He is also the author of A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS CAROL, SEE MONSTERS OF THE DEEP, the Off-Broadway and regional hit comedy THE DINGDONG, and numerous radio plays as creator of the WHITE HERON GHOST LIGHT series, featuring Christopher Plummer, Judith Ivey, Rhonda Ross, and other notables.

Mark’s directing work has been seen extensively at The Alley Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Irish Rep of New York City, White Heron, Florida Rep, George Street Playhouse, Virginia Stage, Penguin Rep, The Fulton Opera House, Arkansas Rep, Theatre Squared, Hudson Stage, and many more. As an actor, he has appeared on and off-Broadway in THE 39 STEPS, TRYST, AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN, THE SHAUGRAUN, and others, and at many celebrated stages throughout the United States. On television and film, he’s appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, Safe Men, Bug, Kill Me, and others.

Mark lives with his family in New York City, New York.

Our Program Committee, Lisa Wexler and Karen Chrisley, arranged this program.

The Kiwanis Club of Weston recognized Julien Horovitz with our 2025 Service and Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to our community, exemplary behavior, inspired leadership, sense of civility, and values consistent with Kiwanis International’s.

Awards Committee Chair Dawn Egan presented Julien with his award at the club’s weekly breakfast meeting on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Norfield Congregational Church’s parish hall. Steven and Jennifer Horovitz, Julien’s parents, were on hand as club guests to witness Julien’s recognition.

Julien is a great example of what it means to be a leader and a positive influence in our community. Since moving to Weston from New York City before entering the 8th grade, he has not only excelled academically but has also dedicated countless hours to helping others and taking pride in becoming a Weston Resident.

When Julien is not on the baseball field supporting his team as captain, he can often be found throughout the school year mentoring the unified sports team. In 2024, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference honored Julien for his outstanding dedication and sportsmanship with the Unified Sports program. This year, Julien has inspired fellow students to join in his efforts to spread kindness and teamwork.

In addition to being a member of the Wind ensemble honors band and high school Pep band, Julien can be found sharing his passion for music, mentoring other Weston youths on percussion outside of school.

Julien’s dedication to his school continues as an upperclassman Link Leader in the freshman transition program, designed to welcome and support new 9th graders during the school year. In addition, he can be found demonstrating school spirit by routinely volunteering at school events, including bake sales, Election Day, and helping with the concession stands at school sporting events.

Julien has always wanted to give back to his community and people in need. From an early age, he donated his allowance to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, volunteered at St. Francis Church in Weston, and participated in the Kiwanis food drive. Julien truly believes in helping others.

Recipients receive a framed, signed certificate, and their name is added to a trophy on permanent display at Weston High School.

A second awardee could not be present on this date. She was in Phoenix representing Weston High School at the 2025 National High School Mock Trial Championship. She will be recognized at the Saturday, June 21, 2025, meeting.

Kiwanis photograph by Jim McMorris. See all of the photographs of this event from Jim and Tom Watson in the event album.

We celebrated the 51st anniversary of Green Up Day in Weston on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The Kiwanis Club of Weston played an early and continuing role in Weston Green Up Day observances, and Kiwanis is now the lead organization in Weston.

Saturday afternoon, Tom Failla delivered eight lawn bags full at the transfer station: one collected by Dan and Luke Lerner from Weston Road, two by Girl Scout Daisies at town hall, and five by the Weston Cub Scout pack at Bisceglie-Scribner Park. Tom Watson took care of his bags from Georgetown Road. Lisa Brodlie’s neighbors took care of Birch Hill and Alwyn. This is before checking Greenfield.

Immediate Past-president Amy Jenner, although not in Weston this weekend, extended Kiwanis participation in the spirit of Green Up Day to Wickford, Rhode Island, her current domicile. Amy and colleagues from Historic Wickford, a “USA Today” best historic small town, collected 2,000 pounds on a one-mile section of the Post Road.

Photographs contributed by Dan Lerner, Tom Failla, and Amy Jenner. View the Green Up Day 2025 album here.

Earlier, Tom Failla set up Eversource representative(s) outside our breakfast meeting venue at Norfield Congregational Church parish hall around 8:30 a.m. to distribute trees and shrubs to participants in the Green Up Day litter collection. The utility has provided a variety of trees and shrubs, including white and pink dogwood, sweet bay magnolia, Okemo and other cherries, viburnums, witch hazel, and spice bush. Lawn bags were available for the green-up clean-up after the meeting.

Weston Girl Scouts arrived around 9 a.m.

At breakfast, we honored Millie Best. Millie brought Green Up Day to Weston, and with Weston Kiwanis members, State Representative John Stripp, and State Senator Judi Freedman, worked to make the last Saturday in April a statewide event after the passage of Public Act 95-67 in 1995.

The act requires the Governor of the state of Connecticut to proclaim the last Saturday in April “Green Up Day,” to encourage people to clean up their communities, plant trees and flowers, and enhance the physical beauty of the state’s communities and countryside.

Weston’s first and many subsequent Green Up Days were led (until her death) by the late Millie Best and supported by her associate Mila Grieb. Millie was inspired by volunteer efforts to clean up trash along Vermont’s roads.

Weston Kiwanis has worked for decades to promote and organize Green Up Day, collaborating with Millie and Mila, as well as scores of volunteers from schools, neighborhood groups, the Scouts, the Weston Garden Club, and many other organizations.

Since 2005, the Kiwanis Club of Weston has presented the annual Millie Best Environmental Award, “Honoring Her Establishment and Continuance of Green Up Day,” to volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to the environment. Their names and years of service are added to the award plaques in Weston Town Hall. The 2025 awardee will be recognized at a future meeting.

Green Up Day efforts have helped maintain Weston’s pristine natural beauty for the enjoyment of its residents, visitors, and future generations.

About Pulling Together

The Kiwanis breakfast meeting program this Saturday, March 29, 2025 is “Pulling Together,” a community plan to teach invasive plant management and other restoration strategies in Weston.

Pulling Together members Lisa Brodlie, Sarah Hutchison, and Mike Aikenhead will discuss the volunteer group’s work. The group aims to educate neighbors and show them how to respect existing wetlands, identify and remove invasive plants, and encourages the use of native plants to decrease soil erosion, improve wildlife habitat, and protect water quality.

Pulling Together partners with Lachat Farm and Weston Public Schools to host invasive removal workshops. In five years, they have accomplished more than 1,200 hours of invasive removal work on town property.

The Speakers

Lisa Brodlie

Lisa Brodlie is a retired registered nurse with a botanical background and an interest in invasive plants. Lisa has been a member of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group since its inception and now serves on the steering committee, outreach and education committee, and most recently, the advisory board for the invasive plant certificate program.

Lisa has spent the last two decades volunteering with local conservation organizations, like the Nature Conservancy, where she has volunteered her time and expertise on community outreach events, invasive removal sessions, and advocacy opportunities.

Her latest invasive removal project involves restoring the riparian buffer at Lachat Town Farm at the Juliana Lachat Preserve in Weston.

Sarah Hutchison

Sarah Hutchison is a retired cost engineer with a passion for ecological gardening. She was born in Scotland and moved to the United States in 2001, where she put down roots in the invasive plant community when she participated in the University of Connecticut Extension Master Gardener Program.

Her interest in native plants inspired her to launch the Weston Pollinator Pathway in 2019, leading to her current partnership with Lachat Town Farm and the Weston schools to plant pollinator gardens and remove invasive plants on town property.

Sarah was a member of The Sustainable Weston Committee from 2019-2024, where she focused on increasing education and awareness among town residents about land stewardship practices that support wildlife and protect our natural resources.

Mike Aikenhead

Mike Aikenhead is a passionate educator who has transformed environmental science at Weston High School since joining in 2017. In 2023, he launched Sustainable Solutions, an innovative project-based learning class that empowers students to tackle real-world environmental challenges within the school and local community. Mike was named Weston’s Teacher of the Year that same year and honored as a Connecticut State semi-finalist.

Weston Kiwanis meets most Saturdays from September through June at Norfield Congregational Church parish hall. Doors open at 8 a.m. for coffee and conversation, with the breakfast meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 10 a.m. After breakfast, we have a speaker or community service activity.

Meetings are open to all, drop-ins are welcome, and your first breakfast, $10 for members for a full breakfast or $5 for a continental, is on us.

Jane Doe No More, a Connecticut not-for-profit devoted to erasing the stigma of sexual abuse, recognized Weston Kiwanian Lisa Wexler with the 2025 Dr. Henry C. Lee Award, presented by the award’s very first recipient and namesake, internationally-renowned forensic pathologist Henry Lee, PhD, and Jane Doe No More founder Donna Palomba on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at JDNM’s 14th annual gala at The Waterview in Monroe.

The Henry C. Lee award honors individuals and organizations that exemplify Dr. Lee’s passion to advance education and prevention of sexual crimes as well as advocate and support survivors to ensure that all victims of sexual crimes are treated with dignity and respect.

Lisa, Westport/Weston District Probate Judge, attorney, advocate, author, public speaker, and host of The Lisa Wexler Show, was recognized for her work on the radio and in court to bring awareness and empathy to the victims of sexual violence. In accepting the award, Judge Wexler delivered remarks advocating establishing at least one women-only psychiatric unit in Connecticut. Currently, there are none. Judge Wexler believes CT women deserve to heal in a setting free of triggering sexual advances by men who are admitted to the same psychiatric unit.

Karen Chrisley and Lisa Wexler contributed to this article.