02/21/25

Y’s Men Activities
Mike Boyle
1st VP and Activities Chair

Check weekly email newsletters for the most up-to-date information on events and schedules. All groups welcome new members. More information can be found under the individual activities page under Activities on the Y’s Men website.

Aging to Sage-ing (Mike Boyle, mikeboyle1@gmail.com), 3rd Friday of the month,12-2 p.m., Room 109/110. This group gives members an open forum to talk about a wide range of emotional issues in a safe environment.

Ancient Mariners (George Kalan, gkalan@optonline.net), every week or two from June through October, depending on the weather. We organize sailing and powerboating events to connect members who own boats with those interested in participating as crew or passengers.

Backgammon (Nabil Atweh, Nabilatweh@gmail.com), every Tuesday, 1-4 p.m. at the Westport Senior Center. This group was formed to give members an opportunity to play a game of strategy and luck with other men. Four to ten players of different skill levels usually show up. Everyone is teachable, and we mentor all into the game.

Bocce (Len Ances, ances@sbcglobal.net), every Wednesday,10:30 a.m. from March through November at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Fairfield. The group plays on two Bocce courts. 8-10 players usually show up. This group provides outdoor exercise, fun and companionship. There is no registration or fee. Just show up.

Book Club: Fiction (Malcolm Davies, malcolmpdavies@gmail.com; Chris Lewis, celewis14@gmail.com), 3rd Thursday of every month, 1:30 p.m., Room 211. Members recommend books for future reading and take turns leading the discussions. Our selections range from the classics to the more recent—none of them overly lengthy.

Book Club: Non-Fiction (Jeff Schwartz, jandjschwartz@gmail.com), 2nd Tuesday of the month, 2 p.m., Room 109/110. Members select, read, and discuss non-fiction books. The group offers members the opportunity to read books they might never have encountered on their own as well as the chance to get to know people they might never have met had it not been for their common interest in reading.

Book Club: Science Fiction (Stephen Bentkover, sgb214@sbcglobal.net). This group meets irregularly and draws on 200 years of classic and current sci-fi authors.

Bridge (Mario Sa Couto, msacouto@hotmail.com), every Friday, 12-4 p.m. at the Westport Senior Center. This group gives members of all levels an opportunity to play bridge. Bridge is a great game that exercises the mind, and all of us love it.

Classical Music (Ed Bloch, edbloch71@gmail.com), 1st Tuesday of the month, 2:45- 4 p.m., September through May, Westport Senior Center. Members gather to talk about and listen to music of a particular composer or conductor. Additionally, there are live, special programs throughout the year. This club provides a great way to study and learn about classical music.

Collectors (Jon Fox, dorothyfox783@gmail.com). If you’re a collector or interested in collecting, contact Jon through his wife Dorothy.

Current Events (Tony Pranzo, tpranzo@yahoo.com), every Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m., Room 209. Members meet to discuss current events and talk about topics of mutual interest.

Cycling (Bill Blaufuss, wbbw67@gmail.com). This group produces an email list so cyclists can connect with other cyclists and invite them to go together on cycling outings.

Global Issues (Frank Wood, fwood227@gmail.com and Harvey Luft, harveyluft@gmail.com), every other Monday, 9-10:30 a.m., Room 203/204. This group gives members an opportunity to discuss current global issues in an informed manner, allowing for a more complete understanding of the world.

Golf Last Minute (Marshall Breines, marshallsbreines@optonline.net).

Golf Tournament (Bob Leng, leng_7@msn.com). There are normally two tournaments a year, one in the spring and one in the fall, at Longshore. Prizes are awarded afterwards followed by a gathering at the Black Duck. All members are welcome to join the fun regardless of skill level.

Hikers in the Woods (Bill Blaufuss, wbbw67@gmail.com and William Weiss, william.wweiss@gmail.com), Wednesdays and Fridays. Our Wednesday hikes cover 3-5 miles and generally take 2 hours. Friday hikes cover 5-7 miles and take to 2-1/2 to 3 hours. The Friday hikes tend to have more challenging ascents and descents, although some Wednesday hikes have their challenges. We hike in Trout Brook Valley, Devil’s Den, Collis P. Huntington State Park, and other locations. We tend to be a talkative bunch.

Hoot Owls (Bob Leng, leng_7@msn.com). We meet irregularly for rehearsals, shows, and special events. The Hoot Owls are a glee club developed as an outreach group that performs at assisted living facilities and senior centers.

Investment Group (Jay Hamberger, jaycynh@aol.com), every other Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Israel in Westport. This group is an LLC that invests in various equities for capital gains. The buy-in is currently $35,000. We offer camaraderie, good performance, investment ideas, and we serve as a resource for business and investment advice. Of course, there are NO guarantees. Members usually lunch together after meetings.

Jazz (Jeff Hare, jeffahare@gmail.com), once a month at noon, usually on a Wednesday, at the Westport VFW. Wives, significant others, and friends are always invited to join. Lunch is $25 and catered by Calise Food Mart. The group watches jazz greats on YouTube. Jeff also provides biographical sketches of the featured artists.

Kayaking (Walter Greene, wlgreene1@gmail.com). We are a seasonal group that tries to get out on the water in the morning for 2-3 hours, with a minimum of one land break, at least twice a month between late May and early September. We are open to any level of experience, but strongly recommend you take a lesson at Longshore Sailing School if you’ve never kayaked. We launch from Compo Beach or Longshore, but on occasion travel to other areas where it may be necessary to have your own boat.

Life Talk (Larry Ackerman, Larry@larryackerman.com), 2nd Tuesday of the month, 2 p.m., Room 109/110. This group is a forum for conversation on topics that are emotionally important to all men—friendship, gratitude, forgiveness, etc. This guided group offers a safe place for men to share feelings, be heard, and learn from others.

Memorial Day Float Committee (Roy McKay, roycmckay@outlook.com). We were rained out last year, so this year we plan to repeat our 2024 plan: a tribute to the USO complete with Bob Hope and the Andrew Sisters. We could use carpenter/construction skills along with creative guys who like to move stuff around. We also need soldiers on the float watching the actors on stage.

Military Discussion (Jon Fox, dorothyfox783@gmail.com), every other Monday, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Room 203/204 on the same day as the Global Discussion Group. This group focuses on military leaders, battles, and campaigns. You don’t have to be a veteran to join. An interest is all that’s required. Topics are announced in advance of meetings.

Mindfulness (Paul Epstein, epsteinmb@aol.com; Harvey Luft, harveyluft@gmail.com), every Monday at 7:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. This group focuses on training the mind and heart as well as cultivating wisdom and compassion. Each session features practice, teaching and discussion on integrating mindfulness into our daily lives.

Photography Club (Hal Foodman, hfoodman@gmail.com and Sal Mollica, smollica2@gmail.com), the first and third Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in Room 109/110. A welcoming group of photography enthusiasts, the Photo Club was started to encourage members to take photographs and improve both digital and darkroom skills by discussing members’ photos and making suggestions for improving them. We welcome all skill levels, from newbie to professional.

Pickleball (Ed Diamond, erdli@aol.com, and Hayes Clark, hayesclark53@gmail.com), every Tuesday from 12:30 to 2 pm from spring to late fall. A loose confederation of members that invariably become good friends, this group plays on reserved courts on North Compo Road in Westport. Look for an email in March that describes how to play and asks for interest.

Ping Pong (Steve Eliot, steliot@aol.com), every Monday, 2:30-4 p.m. at the Westport Senior Center. At least 10 regular players show up every week. The group plays both singles and doubles on a variety of levels. Everyone is welcome! Games are enjoyable and competitive.

Skiing (Warren Jahn, warren.jahn@gmail.com), once a week during the season, usually on Tuesdays, at Butternut in Great Barrington. The group usually has 3-7 participants and carpools from Exit 42. We depart at 8 am and return around 5 pm. Butternut has 22 trails and is a fun mountain for cruising – nothing very challenging – with enough variety to keep things from getting boring.

Support (Jay Dirnberger, jaydirnberger@gmail.com). This group meets as needed to support Y’s Men members who have lost their wives or life partners. The group contacts the bereaved member and then has a welcoming, supportive meeting. Since it is a private matter, it is handled delicately with the utmost of discretion. Currently there are ten members of the group.

Tennis (Dewey Loselle, deweyloselle@gmail.com). This club is split into summer and winter leagues: The summer league meets on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Longshore. The winter league meets at the Westport Tennis Club and is split into four or five groups meeting throughout the week at different times starting at 7:30 a.m. There are 45 players in the league. The tennis club is a source of exercise, camaraderie and good, spirited fun. Keep an eye out in early March for registration for the summer league. All levels of play are welcome.

Travel Discussion (Art Mann, mannart03@gmail.com), every other Monday, 9-10:30, Room 203/204. The purpose of this group to is provide a place to share your past travel experiences and help you with future trip planning.

Trips and Events Committee (Bill Blaufuss, wbbw67@gmail.com). This committee organizes varied outings such as monthly dinners at area restaurants; visits to museums, art galleries, estates, and gardens; sporting events; theatre excursions, industry tours; etc. Occasionally we’ll charter a bus to somewhere like Gettysburg for a trip of 2-to-3 days. We are a spirited group that enjoys preparing these social events. If you have ideas, suggestions, or contacts at certain venues, please contact Bill at the above email address. Also, please check your weekly email newsletters, as events are posted as they come up and are sometimes limited in the number of participants.

Walking (Mike Boyle, mikeboyle1@gmail.com). We walk every day of the week at various locations. On Mondays and Thursdays, we meet at 2 pm. Every other day we meet 10:00 a.m. Members walk 3-5 miles each day at their own pace and ability. The group gives walkers a healthy opportunity to exercise as well as to talk with other members. We walk all year round.

Writing Workshop (Steve Delco, spdelco@gmail.com).