First Selectman Fred Camillo has Designated Feb 29th as Leapling Day.
According to Cos Cob’s Peter Berg, whose birthday is Feb 29, along with about 40 other Greenwich residents, and maybe a few newborns, Thursday represented his 19th birthday, since Feb 29 only occurs every four years.
Funny enough, Berg said he celebrated his 13th birthday when his son PJ turned 13!
But the day also makes some longtime married couples newlyweds!
Some famous people who were born on Feb 29 include the rapper Ja Rule, actor Antonio Sabato Jr, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, actress Dinah Shore and bandleader Jimmy Dorsey.
Feb 29, commonly known as “Leap Day” while also being called the 366th day of the year and the 13th month.
Because of the rarity of this date, only about 43 residents of Greenwich are statistically likely to have birthdays on a February 29 and there have been stories told about women who have specifically avoided having their babies on a Leap Day; and
The children who are born on a Leap Day are known as “Leaplings” or “Leapers” or “Leap Year Babies” and they are deprived of the chance to celebrate their actual birthdays every year due to this quirk in the calendar.
“This can be particularly hard on children who only have their actual birthdays come along every four years but also means people do not get to celebrate their birthdays at work or take advantage of annual special birthday offers at stores and restaurants,” Camillo noted in his proclamation.
This birthday anomaly has resulted in Leaplings bonding together across the world to celebrate themselves and their uniqueness and it can create a chance for Leaplings to make their birthdays into fun novelties that make them special and deserving of recognition; and
The Town of Greenwich wants to celebrate everything that makes our community special including those whose birthdays only come along every four years and since 2024 is a leap year and we will have a February 29 this year it is the perfect time to mark this.
Camillo urged citizens citizens to join him in wishing Happy Birthday to everyone born on this day that does not come along every year.