Candlewood Isle Newsletter
The Newsletter of the Candlewood Isle Tax District
October 27, 2006
In This Issue:
► CI History event Sunday, Oct. 29
► Still Room at CI Reunion January 27, 2007
► Board meetings move back to the Coffeehouse for Winter
► State of the Lake Presentation Saturday, Nov. 18
► Newcomers and Holiday Party Saturday, Dec. 16
► Great Legs at the Chili Cook-off
► Feds OK Sale of Lake
Friday, Oct. 27: FAMILY HALLOWEEN PARTY at 6:30 pm. Come play spooky games like
mummy wrap, and guess what it is (!), munch on spook pizza, missing dogs, and witches brew
make witch’s hands and screaming cookies and dance to thriller sounds. Come in costume and
adults, BYOB, $5 per person. PLUS for the big kids, teens and adults there will be a SPOOK
house in the Jr. Rec. room starting at 7:30 pm. Walk through if you dare and spend some time
with the missing family from Leach Hollow. You remember the Leach family - they were left
behind before the lake was flooded!!!!!!!! There will be a separate fee for the spook house.
RSVP: Diane & Brian McCrudden at 746-3616 or Pat & Marc Sacco at 746-4441.
Adult Recreation
Sunday, Oct. 29: Sheila Hart invites everyone who has pictures and/or memorabilia about
Candlewood Isle to come to the Clubhouse from 1 to 4 p.m. to discuss plans for a possible book
about the Isle. You may have read about this in the newsletter last year. Please bring whatever
photographs and mementos you have to be loaned for this project. All will be returned.
Refreshments will be served. Call Sheila at 746-3914 if you can bake.
Saturday, Nov. 18: Presentation and community meeting on the state of the lake, 10 a.m. at the
Clubhouse. (See The Eye for details).
Saturday, Dec. 16: Newcomers and Holiday Party at the Clubhouse. Anyone who has moved to
the Isle since January is welcome to be our guest at the annual party. Invitations will be going out
soon. If you know of a neighbor who is new to the Isle, please let Aimée Suhie know at 746-5155
or suhie5431@cs.com. Newcomers will come at 6:30 p.m. to meet board members. Everyone else
is welcome at 7:30, and please bring an hors d’oeuvre to share. Beverages will be provided.
New Year’s Eve: Hosts needed for possible hors d’oeuvres and dancing evening. Contact Mary
Ellen Lupo at 312-0752 to volunteer.
Reunion 2007: There’s still time to sign up for the Candlewood Isle Reunion Dinner Dance to
be held January 27, 2007, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Chairs Lisa Elsberry and
Ann O’Connor White are still accepting reservations. The cost is $250 per person with a deposit
of half due now. Please call Lisa at 746-6835 or e-mail at delsberry@charter.net or Ann at 7465750 or e-mail at awhite@genre.com
Chili Cook-Off a Hit
Erin McCollam, Andrea Callahan and Melissa Stewart put on another great Chili Cook-off
October 15 at the Clubhouse. Nearly 90 adults and 60 children attended the eating part, and nine
teams competed for the top prize of a magnificent trophy. (See Eye for details.)
Tone Up for the Holidays at Exercise Class
NOTE: ALL classes - Monday, Thursday and Saturday - are 9 a.m. There will be
no class Mon., Oct. 30; Thurs. Nov. 2; Sat., Nov. 4; and Mon., Nov. 6.
Fitness instructor Dee Poquette incorporates muscle-toning moves with weights of various sizes
in her classes, which also include the Physioball for resistance, abdominals and back, Mondays,
Thursdays and Saturdays at 9 a.m. at the Clubhouse. All classes are co-ed and also incorporate
some yoga and Pilates mat moves. The Saturday class will no longer be a circuit cardio format,
but will revert to the regular ball class. NEWCOMERS WELCOME! Please call Dee (7463028) for details on class format and equipment required. (All classes use the ball, mat and free
weights.)
Bocce
Volunteers are needed to help ready the Candlewood Isle bocce courts, located on the water near
the Isle entrance, for play for the fall season. In additional to weekend games, we are looking to
put together a team to challenge The Knolls. Candlewood Isle’s two professional bocce courts
are lighted and are equipped with balls, measuring devices, scoreboards, and brooms – everything
you need to play! Please call Tom Russano (746-0141) if you can help. Membership is a onetime-only $50-per-family fee with a $25-per-family annual renewal.
Updates from the Board
Items to Note:

The Candlewood Isle Tax District office is open Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. for Isle-related
business. The phone number is 746-0220. The fax number is the same.

The regular Candlewood Isle Tax District Board of Directors meeting takes place the third
Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Coffeehouse for the winter months.

Coldwell Banker Lake Properties now staffs the Candlewood Isle Real Estate Office with five
realtors: Evelyn Schuster, Jefferson Guthrie, Lori Wallace, Bob Warner and Mary Ellen Lupo.
As always, if you are thinking of buying, selling or renting a home, please call the Coldwell
Banker Lake Properties Office (203-312-9991). The Coldwell Banker Office gives a
percentage of the sales to the tax district as part of the lease agreement. Every home that is
sold or rented through this office directly benefits the entire community, helping to keep taxes
down.
Maintenance
Bob Slodowski handles maintenance for the Candlewood Isle Tax District. He keeps Isle
residents/taxpayers updated on maintenance work in his column, Maintenance Moment, at the
end of the newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns to share, you can reach him at 3129900 or send an e-mail to FixItOnCI@aol.com.
CI “Hammer Hangers” Committee
Additional volunteers are being sought to help coordinate volunteer projects around the Isle.
We meet every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Clubhouse
Refreshments are served
Call Bob Slodowski at 312.9900 for more information or if you would like to help
Volunteer Community Weekends
One or two ‘Volunteer Community Weekends” are being coordinated over the next several weeks
this fall with Eric Bowman, son of Michael and Sara Bowman of 106 Lake Drive South. Eric
grew up on the Isle and is coordinating his efforts with the guys he grew up with on the Isle and
anyone else who currently lives on CI and is willing and able to help. Watch the Post Office and
future newsletters for more details. Please call the Tax District Office (746-0220) and leave a
message if you would like to help. (See Eye for story on Eric’s latest venture.)
Thank You
Thank you to Dave Cosgrove who volunteered both his time and the materials to install the footwashing sprayer at the beach. It’s located on the Clubhouse wall right below the shower. It got
tons of use this summer and kept lots of sand from going home or into the Lifeguard room on Isle
residents’ feet. Thanks, Dave!
News from the Candlewood Eye
By Aimée Suhie
Chili Cook-off Gets Scary
No, your eyes weren’t deceiving you if you drove past the Clubhouse grounds the Sunday of the
10th Annual Chili Cook-off, Oct. 15. There were three very “unusual” looking women
competing. They were actually “Las Tres Chiquitas” -- Brian Wargin, Bill Licht and Bob
Sweeney who dressed in red sparkly shirts, tight jean skirts and ultra-high heels to imitate the
Understated Chili Chicks (Lisa Elsberry and Kathy Wargin). Although they kept telling everyone
it was all about the chili, believe me, it was all about these three nutcases. But they stayed on their
heels ALL day and warmed up a rather chilly afternoon with laughter and good cheer and took
the prize for Best Team Spirit. Bob also got the nod for Best Legs. Their chili featured a giant
pork bone (don’t even go there) cooked in a copper pot.
People’s Choice Chili-award winner was the Smashing Pumpkins team of Debbie Robinson,
husband, Jim, and daughter Emily, 8, and Debbie’s mom, Angela Teichmann of Doylestown, PA.
They made pumpkin chili and served it in hollowed out mini-pumpkins and gave out jalapeno
margaritas. Emily single-handedly won the People’s Choice award as she hawked her parents’
chili to all comers in the Clubhouse.
It is difficult for your Eye Editor to write about the first-place winners this year because my team
TIED FOR FIRST! Since we have no ties, however, the judges awarded the giant first-place
trophy and award for Best Team Name to the Lone Star team of Mary and Tim Walsh and
Andrew and Kathryn Weber and the Attagirl Award to Sarah Weber, 4 1/2, who had fallen off her
bed the night before and broke her wrist. The cast on her arm didn’t stop her all day, and her
injury didn’t stop her team from serving up spicy beef and chipotle chili, passing out Lone Star
beer and cowboy hats (the couples are from Texas) and wearing “The Three Who?” T-shirts in
reference to The Three Amigos who won first place the last two years.
Ahem. My team, the CI Sundowners, was comprised of myself, husband, Rich, daughter-in-law,
Michele Suhie, and friends from Milford Joe and Sharon Rackiewicz. We made Smokin’ Angus
chili by doing all our cooking in a smoker and using Angus steak smoked to perfection and added
to a traditional chili recipe with Angus hamburger and a SECRET INGREDIENT. We wore
aprons made by Michele and offered a taco dip in pizza shape with homemade taco chips from
Sharon and later served Buckeyes (peanut butter candies dipped in dark chocolate) made by
Michele in honor of her Ohio roots. We took second place happily.
Third-place winners were The Mother Truckers, Vivian Mocarski and Terry MacGown who were
dressed as truck-stop mamas with pictures of themselves on their T-shirts. They passed out fried
pork skins and beef jerky and bubble gum cigarettes plus colorful tattoos.
Rachael Moore and her dad, Glenn, offered homemade cheddar corn muffins (six dozen made by
Glenn) to anyone who passed by their booth. Glenn’s cousin Charles Siegel of New Jersey
cooked a black bean and corn chili. Somehow both teams shared a single name – The Cookin’
Fools.
Kathy and Lisa didn’t disappoint as the Understated Chili Chicks (who actually make fantastic
chili) and gave away ring-pops, cowboy hats and necklaces to the kids and – because it was
Sunday – didn’t serve alcohol until noon. For the first time in many years, they did not come
away with a prize. They did add leopard belts to their costumes and said they were flattered by
their competitors (including Kathy’s husband) who imitated them. “It must mean we’re doing
great,” Lisa enthused.
Sadly, the Three Amigos won nothing this year, despite their “Pete” T-shirts (get it? 3-Pete? Ha)
and their steak salad, ice sculpture and mild chili made with pork and beef. Maybe Pat Callahan,
Brendan McCollam and Tim Stewart will learn that when the back of your T-shirt says “Was
there EVER any doubt?” that pride goeth before a fall.
Chairmen were Melissa Stewart, Andrea Callahan and Erin McCollam. Melissa announced when
it was over that Erin would immediately be giving birth. (She had a baby boy Tuesday named
Garrett Quinn McCollam, 7lbs 6oz, 19 1/2 inches long!) Spirit judges included J.P. Cheneski,
Mary Ellen Lupo and Gail Silberman. Tasting judges were Jeff Berman, Gary Lupo, Bob
Dellavalle, Mike Petrosino, Cindy Larkin, Frank Castellano and Jane Rome. The event also
featured chili from The Cookhouse in New Milford, cornbread, salad and desserts. The event was
fantastic if you were a contestant or just a chili-lover. Thanks to the chairs and their team for
another great party.
Community Meeting and Presentation on the State of the Lake
CI residents Eric Bowman and Kevin Mills Saturday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 a.m. will bring together
authorities to discuss the state of pollution in Candlewood Lake and how residents can prevent
nutrients, lawn fertilizer and other pollutants from seeping into the lake. Residents will learn how
to plant a buffer garden and how to get involved. Candlewood Lake Authority Executive Director
Larry Marsicano will speak, and landscape architects and gardeners will offer advice on planting
buffer gardens. Coffee and doughnuts will be served. “Right now algae and Eurasian
watermilfoil weeds are infesting Candlewood Lake,” Eric said. “These invasive species spread by
feeding off the nutrients and lawn fertilizer that are washed off our properties during each
rainstorm. As it stands, if we do nothing, this process will continue and will likely get worse.
Swimming in the lake may one day become undesirable. For many, the idea of eating fish from
the lake is already undesirable.“
Eric, 25, is the son of Michael and Sara Bowman and has been on the Isle since 1988. He and
Kevin, 24, have been friends since fifth grade, and Kevin’s family bought a house on the Isle in
1993 after visiting the Bowmans. Kevin works at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, and Eric
invests in real estate and does computer consulting in NYC.
Eric is taking a course with Landmark Education (http://www.landmarkeducation.com ) and says
each participant has to create a project and to involve the community in which they live. “My
particular project, raising awareness about the state of the lake, was born out of conversations
with Kevin about the pollutants and algae in the lake,” Eric said. “We had always talked about
doing something about cleaning up the lake, and this course with Landmark Education gave me
the springboard to put that into reality.” He added: “Residents who want to help out with our
project can contact either me or Kevin. There is plenty to do to help out, and we will even be
having another event in the spring.”
Eyeflash: From The News-Times: “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week
approved the historic $1.34 billion sale of Northeast Generation Service's five hydroelectric
power plants along the Housatonic River -- and Candlewood Lake, Lake Lillinonah and Lake
Zoar -- to a New Jersey-based energy investment firm. The deal alters an ownership of
hydropower, land and water that dates back to the start of the 20th century, when Connecticut
Light & Power Co. began building the state's electric utility system. The FERC decision will
transfer all Northeast Generation operations on the Housatonic, as well as several hydropower
plants in eastern and central Connecticut and Massachusetts, to Energy Capital Partners. It's
unclear when NU and Energy Capital Partners will complete the deal. New Fairfield First
Selectman John Hodge took a harder view of the FERC approval. `I'm disappointed with FERC,’
Hodge said. `I don't think they acted in the public's best interest.’ Hodge pointed out that
Northeast Generation Services has been involved in a long, contentious struggle to implement a
shoreline management plan along the Housatonic and the three lakes. The proposed plan, which
FERC must still approve, has met with severe criticism from residents living on both Candlewood
Lake and Lake Lillinonah. Hodge said Energy Capital Partners owes it to the public to explain
where it stands on all the environmental and land management issues. `FERC said it was
interested in competition, rates and regulation,’ Hodge said. `I'm much more interested in Energy
Capital Partners’ ability to manage the lake and administer the Shoreline Management Plan.’
Eyeflash: The Northeast Generation Services announced last week that it would lower the lake
this year by nearly a third “in an effort to kill the invasive weeds that fouled the lake this
summer,” according to an article in The News Times. The shoreline will be exposed by about 25
to 30 feet into the lake, according to the article. The draw-down will begin Nov. 1.
Eyeflash: We told you about Skyler Balbus attending college as a junior in high school two
years ago. Here’s an update from her mom, Debbie: “She completed her two-year AA program
at Simon’s Rock College of Bard in May and is now a Classics major at Bryn Mawr College in
Pennsylvania. Transferring in as a Junior, she is still learning the ropes at her new school. Skyler
still finds time for her hobbies and even won first prize at Bryn Mawr in a contest based on the
TV series “Project Runway,” where students designed outfits related to the school.
“While home on break recently, Skyler and I attended the opening of a fascinating exhibit at The
Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield. Skyler was invited because over the summer
she sewed several of the blankets that make up one of the pieces (Dwelling by Marie Watt) in the
exhibit entitled No Reservations. The exhibit is about “Native American History and Culture in
Contemporary Art” and includes paintings and such, along with pieces like a real car and a real
truck and larger-than-life sculptures that look like the little plastic `cowboy & Indian’ figures kids
used to play with and even a piece with a recreated jail cell. The blankets in Marie Watt’s work
are all different – some old and some made (and sewn) for the exhibit by volunteers (like
Skyler). They are stacked up in a pile that is probably 10-12 feet high, and some of the old ones
have tags with stories on them. They represent different things in Native American history (from
the making of blankets to the introduction of disease from blankets, etc., all abstract). After the
exhibit, they will be donated to shelters in the area. Many volunteers helped with the blankets.
Skyler sewed the fabric around the edge of as many of the new blankets as we could fit into the
car. We had been at the museum to see the Anselm Kiefer exhibit over the summer and that’s
when we learned about this project.“ See the Aldrich website for
details: http://www.aldrichart.org/exhibitions.
In Remembrance: Three Isle residents passed away in the last two months: Leonard P.
Laundergan September 6, Mary Kay Cronin October 10, and Ted Kehle October 20. We will
have remembrances of them in the November 17th newsletter.
Maintenance Moment
In an effort to keep Candlewood Isle residents up to date as to the status of projects (both big and
small) that have been completed, are in progress or are planned, this column will provide an
update in each issue of the newsletter.
(In No Special Order)
New Items Bold
Completed
- Winterized Outdoor Faucets at the Clubhouse
- Removed Beach Shower, Foot Washer and Drinking Faucet at the Clubhouse Beach
In Progress
- Repair/Replace Clubhouse Tennis Court Lights
- Expand Area around Real Estate Office Tree
- Clear Area for Additional Tree/Shrub Planting in Front of Real Estate Office
- Paint New Siding on Side and Rear of Post Office Building
- Paint Railing Tops at Beach
- Install “Step Lighting” on Clubhouse Patio Steps
- Install Security Cameras at Clubhouse and Marina
- Refurbish Upstairs of Post Office Building
- Repair/Replace Lights in Real Estate Office Bathroom
- Expand the Drain at the Bottom of the Driveway at the Marina/Beach
- Paint Lifeguard Room
- Install Motion Lights in Basement Bathrooms
- Install Shutoff Valves in Bathroom Water Lines
- Repair Guardhouse Door Frame
Planned
- Paint Street Signs
- Install Additional Lighting on Kitchen Side of Clubhouse
- Trim Trees at “The Narrows”
- Repair Guardhouse Door Sweep and Hinge
- Install Additional Exterior Lighting at the Side and Rear of the Post Office
- Install New Crown Molding at Post Office “Porch”
- Install Warm Water Faucets in Beach Bathrooms
- Install Utility Sink in Clubhouse Basement
- Replace Burned-Out Lights on Upper Beams of Clubhouse
- Seal Clubhouse Fireplace Chimney to Prevent Water Seepage
- Install Shelving in Clubhouse Kitchen
- Refinish Clubhouse Balcony Railing
About the Newsletter
The Newsletter will be published monthly through June.
NOTE: Next issue: Friday, November 17, 2006. Submission deadline: Tuesday, November 14.
Submissions MUST include the NAME and PHONE NUMBER of the contact person (Fax numbers and
E-mail addresses are also helpful.) Call Aimée Suhie at 746-5155, or e-mail at suhie5431@cs.com.
You can also see the newsletter at our Website candlewoodisle.com.
If you would like to receive the Newsletter via e-mail, please provide me with your
email address (along with your isle address and phone number) and join the
growing list of subscribers.