Laurence A. Caso became Executive Director of the Klein in 2014 after having served on the board of directors for 6 years. He is an Emmy-award winning producer, theater manager and program development executive.
After three seasons as company manager at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, MA, Mr. Caso joined CBS in Los Angeles to work on the development of comedy and drama series. In New York he held positions as VP of Daytime Programs and Director of Specials. He was also VP of Programs for the start-up of the Disney Channel.
As Executive Producer of As the World Turns he produced over 1,700 episodes and received numerous awards, including the Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Drama Series, and the Editors Award for Lifetime Achievement from “Soap Opera Digest”. Subsequently he produced two seasons of Donna’s Day for the Jim Henson Company. The Associated Press honored that series on its annual “Ten Best Shows on Television” list. His Bridgeport-based company, Shoot the Catfish Productions, is currently in pre-production on The Other Side of War, a documentary for public television revealing little-known humanitarian deeds performed by American service members both during and after the Vietnam War. At The Klein he wrote and produced Klein@75, an anniversary concert hosted by Paul Shaffer, and he produces the play, “Frederick Douglass: An American Slave” starring Tenisi Davis.
Mr. Caso earned his Bachelor’s degree at Syracuse University and Master’s degree at Indiana University. An active member of the Producers Guild of America, he served terms as a trustee of the National Television Academy. He is also past president of the Stough Institute for Breathing Coordination.
The Club Calendar is at the end of this newsletter. Please refer to it to see the meeting schedule, social events and more. It will be updated when speakers and events are added.
The updated Greeters and Openers schedule is also near the end of the newsletter, so please check to see if you are on there!
Friday Meeting - February 6
Sheron Walker Epps, CEO The Rowen Center
Sharon Walker Epps shared how The Rowan Center a member of Connecticut Alliance to end sexual violence, is educating middle and high schools, engaging with parents as well as advocating for legislation to manage social media content.
David Press was our Opener and shared how rituals shape our habits.
Yvonne was the lucky winner of the attic prize last week.
Ken Bernhard shared a joke on few retirees
The Rotary Clubs in Area 2 - Westport Sunrise, Westport, Norwalk and Wilton - are combining to host a Meal Packing Event on Saturday, February 21, 9-11am. We are partnering with Saugatuck Congregational Church and the event will take place in their large community room on the ground floor. We are also partnering with The Outreach Program in MA, who is providing the ingredients and the equipment needed. We will pack over 12,000 meals to be donated to the Gillespie Center and the Open Doors food pantries.We need many volunteers for this community hands-on service event, so please sign up now at this link.
New Rotary Book Club starting in February
Yvonne Senturia and Eileen Lavigne are reconstituting the Rotary Book Club--please join us!
Here are the details of our first meeting:
The book is All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall, the Westport Reads 2026 selection.
Monday, February 16th, 5:30pm. Light dinner followed by discussion.
Yvonne and Ron’s home—17 Blue Ribbon Drive, Westport
Rotary members and spouses/significant others welcome (Rotary member does not need to be present!)
The Library has plenty of copies of the book in print and electronic format available to check out.
The author is speaking about the book at the Library 3 days later, on February 19th. Click below for more info on that.
RSVP to Yvonne at ysenturia@yahoo.com
We hope to see you there!
Stephanie Philips, our district governor, stopped by to thank us and cheer us on.
She is here in the photo with Katie, Peter Helt, president of Westport Rotary, and
Katharine Murray from Homes With Hope
The very successful Meal Packing Event held on February 21 was a joint effort of the Rotary Clubs in Area 2 of District 7980 - Westport Sunrise, Westport, Norwalk and Wilton - plus the Saugatuck Congregational Church and The Outreach Program, who supplied the ingredients.
Over 70 volunteers from the Rotary Clubs and the Church packed 12,500 shelf-stable meals of Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal and delivered them in 58 cases to the Homes with Hope Food Pantry at the Gillespie Center in Westport, Open Doors, Person to Person and the YMCA in Norwalk, and Wilton Social Services. They were all very appreciative! Many thanks to all those who helped out!
GUESTS LAST MEETING:
Sharon Walker Epps, Speaker
Hunter Wheat, Westport Rotarian
GILLESPIE CENTER COOKING / SERVING SCHEDULE
One of our club’s ongoing and rewarding commitments to community service is our commitment to serving dinner meals on the first Saturday of each month at the Gillespie Center here in Westport.
We are back to serving meals at the newly renovated Gillespie Center. We have the option to drop off prepared meals at 4:30 PM or to bring meals to serve in person at 4:40 PM (allow extra time if the meals need to be reheated). Meal service should include a main dish, side dish, vegetable, and dessert (no nuts or shellfish please). The number of meals to provide, currently 25, will be confirmed to you to in advance when it is your turn to serve.
If you choose to drop off prepared meals at 4:30 PM you have the option to prepare homemade meals, purchase prepared meals at the store/restaurant of your choice, or you can contact Fresh Market on the Post Road in Westport where you can purchase prepared meals (protein, two sides and cookies for $7 - $10 per meal). If you choose the Fresh Market option call Tory at 203 227-2910 on the Monday prior to your meal service to place your order. You can pay for the meals when you pick them up.
If you are unable to work on your assigned Saturday you will be responsible to call other Rotarians on the list to switch dates.
Meal Servers Schedule March 7, 2926 Rachelle Norzelus Bruce Paul April 4, 2026 Joe Renzulli Mark Mathias May 2, 2026 Steven Chin Matt Mandell June 6, 2026 Joe Scordato Paul Keblish July 4, 2926 BBQ
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Join Date
Anil Nair
May 1, 2009
17 years
Ron Holtz
May 1, 1991
35 years
Mark Mathias
May 3, 2003
23 years
Paris Looney
May 3, 2019
7 years
Liz Wong
May 4, 2012
14 years
MEETING OPENERS SCHEDULE
February 6 Press
13 Fritz
20 Watson
March 6 Senturia
13 Bernhard
20 Renzulli
27 Klein
April 10 Mullen
17 Augustyn
GREETERS SCHEDULE
February Masumian; Jean-Baptiste
March Fritz; Galan
April Mandell; Violette
May Monroy-Smith; Zielinski
June Wetmore; Summers
2026
February
6: Sharon Walker Epps, Rowan Center
13: Laurence A. Caso, The Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport
20: Ceci Maher, State Senator
27: NO MEETING
March
6: Gavin MacMahon, FassForward
13: Ckiff Sirlin, Buy Build Fund
20: Bill Harmer, Westport Library Common Ground
27: TBD
April
3: NO MEETING - GOOD FRIDAY/PASSOVER
10: Horizons Academy
17: Samantha Sarelli, Ms. Globe USA 2005, social activist
The Rotary Clubs in Area 2 - Westport Sunrise, Westport, Norwalk and Wilton - are combining to host a Meal Packing Event on Saturday, February 21, 9-11am. We are partnering with Saugatuck Congregational Church and the event will take place in their large community room on the ground floor. We are also partnering with The Outreach Program in MA, who is providing the ingredients and the equipment needed. We will pack over 12,000 meals to be donated to the Gillespie Center and the Open Doors food pantries.
