Gloria Brown, 73, of Manhattan, entertains the crowd at the Westport Center for Senior Activities today as part of First Night Westport/Weston 2005. She is a member of the New York-based The SteppersӔ senior dance troupe. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Storyteller David Newton spins some tales today at the Westport Public Library as part of the First Night Westport/Weston 2005 celebration. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Funds pouring into Westport’s Save the Children for its Asian earthquake relief fund total about $6 million so far and, with donations from other countries, might eventually top $50 million, a spokeswoman said today.

“The response has been breathtaking,” said spokeswoman Dianne Sherman. She also praised the response to an appeal issued Thursday for volunteers to help man the phones. (See WestportNow Dec. 29, 2004)

“We are very appreciative, especially to people locally,” she said, adding that those interested in helping should call (203) 221-4000.

She said donations are coming in from the charity’s Web site, over the phone, and through corporate and private donors and amount to about $6 million so far. “The total might even reach $50 million, counting funds coming through other countries,” she said.

The First Night Film Festival is a new addition to tonight’s First Night Westport//Weston 2005.

The First Night Film Committee—Will Berk, Alix Bregman, Dan Lance and Brian Mayer—caution that some of the films, to be screened at Westport’s Town Hall, may contain content considered inappropriate for young children.

Screenings begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until 11 p.m.

Title: Melchinger: Impossible
Filmmaker(s): Brian Mayer*
Description: A teacher, Mr. Melchinger, falls victim to the clever antics of his students as they try to steal the next day’s test from…but will they succeed?

Title: Danes World
Filmmaker(s): Michael Bloom, Dane Foster, Andrew Knopp
Description: This film is a parody of the comedy WayneҒs World.

Westports Save the Children charity is inundated with phone calls from across the country from people wishing to donate to its Asian earthquake relief fund and today appealed to Westporters to help come in and man the phones.

ғWe can use people today and through the weekend, said spokeswoman Dianne Sherman. ԓWe can teach them very quickly how to answer the phones. Its a very rewarding experience.Ҕ

She said the charitys headquarters on Wilton Road has received about $2 million in online donations in the past few days with more money being pledged every minute.

Those who have some time to donate to the charity to help with answering phones are asked to call (203) 221-4000.

Neighbors came out to watch today as a home at 2 Angora Road, off of High Point Road, came down. The house, featured as the WestportNow teardown of the day on Nov. 8, was bult in the 1960s and, according to a neighbor, won an award for its architecture. The owner of the property is planning to rebuild. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo