Once Around the City: Rowayton ready to Ramble; kids party on the beach

The Rowayton Civic Association will host the 44^th annual River Ramble from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Pinkney Park.

For kids and young adults, there are plenty of fun games and activities, from a petting zoo and a bouncy castle to a water slide, an obstacle course and a dunk tank. Entertainment for adults includes a wide variety of local vendors selling art, accessories, jewelry, gifts and Rowayton logo gear, a live auction and much more.

There’s food, too: raw bar, hamburgers, hot dogs and chili. Wash it down with a cold beer or soda while listing to live music.

There will be live paddle-boarding demonstrations from Downunder Kayaking.

Auction items:

• Membership to Rowayton Yacht Club at Hickory Bluff: Package includes: full membership for the remainder of the season (October 2014), mooring (for a boat up to 30 feet), access to clubhouse, all social events and amenities of the club. Value: $1,500. Donated by Rowayton Yacht Club HB
• Pressed and Ready To Go: The Platinum Hanger from Michael’s Cleaners. You will have six shirts per week for one year cleaned, pressed, and delivered to your door. Value: $800. Donated by Michael’s Cleaners
• Ride On the Fire Truck During the 2014 Santa Run: The trip includes two children and one adult on this one-of-a-kind excursion. Value: priceless. Donated by the Rowayton Fire Department
• Sunset Cruise with Mayor Harry Rilling: Begin the night with cocktails over looking Wilson Cove and cruise the night away with your friends and the mayor. Value: priceless. Donated by Mayor Harry Rilling
• Golf at Burning Tree Country Club – Greenwich: Package includes 18 holes of golf for four people, carts, fore caddy. Enjoy package any Tuesday through Thursday, April through October 2014. Value: $800. Donated by Greenwich Oral & Dental Implant Surgery
• Wine Tasting in Your Home: Grapes Wine of Norwalk will hold a wine tasting for 8 in your home. Value: $650. Donated by Grapes Wine of Norwalk
• Fall Greenwich Polo Club Package: Enjoy reserved box seating for four in the grandstand for the 2015 season. Includes one parking pass for the season.
• Value: $1,500. Donated by Greenwich Polo Club
• Rowayton Firehouse Birthday Party: Two firefighters and “sparky” will host a party for up to 20 children and their parents. Party will be planned and executed by the RCA, including pizza, cake, and activities. Value: priceless. Donated by the Rowayton Fire Department and the RCA
• VIP Parking at the Rowayton Train Station: Choose your own VIP parking spot on either the northbound or southbound parking lot from now until July 13, 2015. This exclusively reserved spot guarantees easy access when you are in a rush. *This item is only for individuals who already have a parking permit at the Rowayton Train Station. Value: priceless. Donated by the Sixth Taxing District
• A Home Visit From St. Nick: Christmas 2014 will definitely be memorable. Value: priceless. Donated by Santa Claus
• 101 Golden Cone: Be the 2014 recipient of an ice cream cone every day for the rest of your life at Brendan’s 101. One single scoop every day. Value: priceless. Donated by Brendan’s 101
• Private Party With Dale Dasilva: Dale DaSilva will tend bar for a desired party on a mutually agreed upon date. Dale also will create a signature cocktail list for the party. Party size may not exceed 100 guests. No liquor included. 6 hours maximum. Must be redeemed by Dec. 31. Value: $400. Donated by Dale DaSilva
• Jamie Sydney Dinner Party: Enjoy this interactive dinner party experience with chef Jamie Sydney of the International Culinary Institute in your own home. Your guests (up to eight participants total) will have a two-hour cooking class with the chef and then sit to enjoy a large feast of what they’ve prepared. The menu is planned in advance with the host (groceries are not included). Value: $600. Donated by Jamie Sydney.

The River Ramble is the RCA’s largest fundraiser and finances many community events, including the Memorial Day Parade, Fireworks, Soccer, Summer Music Festival, Swim Races, Halloween Celebration and the Nativity Pageant – to name a few.

Prose and Party on the beach 

Celebrate summer reading in Norwalk as the Norwalk Public Library, the Norwalk Early Childhood Council, Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Norwalk ACTS Literacy Committee sponsor a Summer Beach Party from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Shady Beach.  The party is open to all Norwalk children preschool through grade 8.

There will be free activities for all including fizzy science experiments, high-energy music by Ray and Jay, frozen custard from Shake Shack of Westport and free books from Norwalk Reads.

The Norwalk summer reading program “Fizz, Boom, Read” was designed to remind Norwalk students that learning should not stop with the end of the school year and that one can have an exciting and relaxing summer break while learning at the same time. Students who participate in the program will return to school enthusiastic and energized for an exciting new year without being negatively affected by the summer learning loss slide.

The summer program is sponsored by FactSet Research Systems, Price Line, Norwalk Recreation and Parks, Shake Shack of Westport, Subway on New Canaan Avenue, the Norwalk Public Library, Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Norwalk Early Childhood Council.

Lavielle to honor SoNo Haitian priest

State Rep. Gail Lavielle (R-143) will recognize the Rev. G. Frantz Desruisseaux on Saturday for his continued service and leadership to the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Greater Norwalk community, touching and blessing the lives of countless people through teachings and fellowship.

Desruisseaux will be recognized at St. Joseph, 85 S. Main St., Norwalk, during its annual community summer festival, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The priest has given 28 years of service to his community. Rep. Lavielle will present Desruisseaux with a citation introduced by the Norwalk delegation and signed by leaders of the Connecticut General Assembly. She will address the priest in his native French language.