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01/03/2017 11:00 PMEver since he was young, Rich Ziemba has loved movies. While he was able to incorporate aspects of his passion in his professional life, retirement has allowed his interest in film—and several other fields—to flourish.
Rich spent several years as an advertising executive for local radio station after attending Quinnipiac University under the GI Bill to study business administration, marketing, and advertising. Once he’d gained several years of experience, he opened his own advertising agency, amassing a background in producing and directing television commercials.
“I was always more interested in technical part and behind the scenes,” says Rich. “I’ve always had a flair for that kind of [creative] stuff.”
Four years ago, Rich moved to North Haven, retiring just a year later. When he moved to town, he realized he wanted to expand his circle of friends and pursue some of his passions and take up new hobbies.
Rich, who is widowed with three grown children, joined North Haven Congregational Church. He became involved in many of the church activities and is now a deacon. He is looking forward to Abraham’s Tent, which the church hosts in January.
“People from Columbus House, a homeless shelter in New Haven, come to spend a week at the church and we feed them and entertain them,” says Rich. “It’s a rewarding thing to be a part of that the church does every year.”
That same year, Rich also founded the North Haven Camera Club, holding the position of president for a time. The group now has 80 members and meets the first and third Tuesday of the month from September to June at Hope Christian Church.
“The main purpose is bringing people together with a common interest and making friends,” says Rich.
Rich is also a member of the Southern Connecticut Cycle Club and the New Haven Hiking Club, both of which hold weekly events throughout the summer months. With the cycle club, Rich is a ride leader for the slow rides group, leading 25-mile rides nearly every weekend throughout the warmer months.
“It’s about keeping busy, staying physically fit, and meeting new people, which can be hard as an adult,” says Rich, who also enjoys his membership with the Shoreline Sailing Club in Westbrook and is the club’s publicity director. “I like both [the cycle and sailing clubs] a lot and they’re new interests with new friends.”
After seeing an ad seeking volunteers in the paper, Rich became a volunteer at Gaylord Rehabilitation Center. He goes to Wallingford twice a week to help the physical therapists work with patients.
“It’s a well known hospital for rehabilitation on the East Coast,” says Rich. “It’s very rewarding giving back to the community doing that.”
While being involved in so many groups and activities has kept Rich busy in his retirement, he wanted to discuss his passion for movies and film making with others. Five months ago, he put an notice in the local papers advertising his newly founded Silver Screen Movie Discussion Club.
“It’s similar to a book club,” says Rich. “Each month a movie is chosen, people see it on their own, and then we come back and discuss it.”
Each meeting starts with the members rating the chosen movie. A discussion then follows, going far beyond the plot. New members receive a handout “Who’s Who in Making Movies,” which explains the roles of directors, actors, set designers, screenwriters, and more when creating a film.
“We get a wide range of people with different opinions,” says Rich. “People get really into it and learn about the creative process as well.”
Movies discussed in 2016 included Moonlight, Woman in Gold, Carol, Brooklyn, Florence Foster Jenkins, Spotlight, and Sully. Possible choices for the discussion in the coming months are Manchester by the Sea, Fences, and La La Land.
“I do a lot of research on the movies to see if it’s a good thing to get in depth about and discuss,” says Rich. “We’re getting more activity every time we meet.”
The first meeting of the club drew four members. Over just five months, it has grown to 18 members. Rich is looking forward to more growth in 2017. He has enjoyed not only bringing people together to share a common interest, but also encouraging people to go out to the movies.
“The new Cinemark with the lounge chairs makes for a very comfortable situation. One of the things we’ve found is people have not been going out to the movies so it’s nice that they’re going out and enjoying it quite a bit,” says Rich. “People are getting together and getting to know each other. A camaraderie is beginning to develop.”
The Silver Screen Movie Discussion Club meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at The North Haven Park & Rec Building, 7 Linsley Street. North Haven. For information, contact Rich Ziemba at 203-494-3002 or bedfordgroup24@sbcglobal.net.
The North Haven Camera Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from September to June at 7 p.m. in the Hope Christian Church community center, 211 Montowese Avenue, North Haven. For information, visit northhavencameraclub.com.