Last week was probably the busiest week that we have ever had with the Community Corporate Cup since it first started nineteen years ago. From the Run/Walk event on Wednesday to the Wiffleball and Bocce on Saturday, the weather was a constant, but not insurmountable challenge. The spirit and sportsmanship shown by all of the competitiors throughout was extraordinary.
We held our breath all day Wednesday hoping that the rain would hold off, but by the time the race started it was cold, windy and rainy. Many of our walkers and a couple of runners decided to stay dray and at-home, but 90 Corporate Cup participants joined over100 others running in the Valley YMCA 5K Sunset Race for a dash through Ansonia's Hilltop. Michael Zascicinghs of TEAM, Inc. was the first Corporate Cup participant across the line, but I think that it is safe to say that everyone who finished felt like a winner under the conditions. I ran in my first race in two years, and was quite pleased to win the 60 and over division. We had the CEO's from BIC (Mario Cuevas) and PerkinElmer (Dusty Tenney) in the race as well, and they both posted impressive times as did Bill Purcell, head of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce who zipped around the course with a 7:33 pace. The food after the race was outstanding, and it is one of the few races that I ever remember having pasta after the race. On such a deary night, it was just the thing to warm everyone up.
Saturday turned out a bit better weather wise though some light showers towards the end of the day threatened the conclusion of both Bocce and Wiffleball. It was quite a day as we had to lay out our six "ballparks" in time for the 9:00 am start. We would really like to thank Thaddeus Kurkowski of CDW-G for showing up early and lending a hand. TK competed in the Wiffleball tournament later in the morning. I also want to thank Bob Van Egghen for his help as our unofficial official during the Bocce tournament with his precise measurements! And it goes without saying that Chris Phipps and Sue Reilly of the Y did a great job in putting all the pieces together.
Both events turned out to be full of surprises and great comebacks. In Bocce, we were down to three teams competing following the suspension of the tournament due to darkness on May 25. It looked like it was going to be a quick exit for Kevin Dunn and Nora Espinel of BIC as they fell behind early in their losers bracket final with PerkinElmer. However, they managed to pick up four straight points in one round and go on to take that game before topping Mike Figueroa and Matt McKenney in two straight well played games to win the title.
The Wiffleball tournament was just as exciting as PerkinElmer came back from a crushing 7-6 loss to United Illuminating to rally through the losers bracket and top Griffin Hospital's 3 Amigos two straight for the title. Their one loss came in the bottom of the last inning when United Illuminating rallied from a 6-3 deficit with a walk-off grand slam homer to send PerkinElmer on their run through the losers bracket to the final. Ironically, one of Griffin's wins included Ryan Pereiras' walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the last inning for a 4-1 win that kept them alive in the winners bracket. PerkinElmer disposed of Griffin 3-0 in their first game, and had them 3-0 when Griffin staged an amazing 8 run rally to take an 8-3 lead. PerkinElmer was down to their last strike and trailing by 8-4 when they ran off eight straight runs to take a 12-8 lead. Griffin rallied for two runs in their last at bat, but it wasn't enough to keep PerkinElmer from winning their second straight Wiffleball tournament.
So now the competition is over, but we don't have a winner as yet. BIC stands precariously atop the standings with a 2.5 point lead. However, the Healthy Team results have yet to be added in, and it is always a high scoring event. Those results will not be announced until June 22 at the awards reception. Until then, I think we will just let the suspense build! We'll have a full story and all the results on June 22.
For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Being Good and Doing Good!
PerkinElmer at the 2009 race
When the Community Corporate Cup Run/Walk is held tonight, PerkinElmer's team will not only be working on their own health and well being, but also supporting the health of the enitre community. They are in the thick of the hunt for a fourth straight Community Corporate Cup title, and they have over 60 employees either running or walking in tonight's event making them the largest single group involved. What really makes them different than any other group this year is that they will also be generating funds for Griffin Hospital's Breast Wellness Center. PerkinElmer will be donating $20 for every employee that will be walking and $30 for every employee who will be running. Just doing some very quick math, it appears that they will raise approximately $1,600 for the Center. On top of that, some of the runners are soliciting individual pledges in support of their efforts.
The Community Corporate Cup is an incredible event that brings together local businesses in the pursuit of a healthier life style, community spirit and company morale through a varitey of competitive athletics centered on the Healthy Team competition. One of the great developments has been the incredibly good sportsmanship shown by all of the competitiors. PerkinElmer's effort tonight adds a whole new dimension to ways to do good while also being good to yourself, and we congratulate them on both.
We wish them well along with all of the other runners and walkers who will be involved tonight. Let's hope that the rain holds off. By the way, we are still looking for volunteers to help with the race tonight. If you are interested, give Sue Reilly a call at the Y - 203 736-1435.
For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
VSAAC Turns Twenty
This morning I attended the Valley Substance Abuse Action Council's 20th Anniversary Celebration - and it doesn't seem possible that it is twenty years since its founding. United Way played a major role in the start of VSAAC as a result of a Government Breakfast hosted by United Way back in 1990. The name of our speaker that day escapes me, but he was the state commissioner in charges of the state's substance abuse programs at the time.He came to the breakfast at the old Rapp's Restaurant (now John J. Sullivan's) in Ansonia to talk about a new state effort aimed at prevention rather than treatment.
The state had just instituted funding for 13 programs based on a very successful model called RYSAP in Bridgeport. The concept was to form Regional Action Councils (RACs) which would be coalitions of community leaders with heavy youth involvement in an effort to deal with substance abuse issues. The Valley was not one of the 13 areas for which funding had been implemented. However, his speech struck a cord with those in the room that day, and shortly thereafter we formed a coalition of those interested int he problem to see if the concept would work here in the Valley.
Within a few weeks, our committee held a full day community retreat at the United Illuminating in Shelton involving nearly 100 people including mayors, state legislators, superintendents of schools, principals, teachers, police and many, many students. There was a sense of urgency and commitment in the room that day that drew the attention of the state. Though money had been allocated for the 13 other communities in the state, not much had been accomplished in many of them. The state was so impressed by what had already taken place in the Valley and the cooperation that was so evident in the room, that they went back and found the money to allow the Valley to create its own RAC - now known as VSAAC.
For the first few months, it was actually based in our office in the Ansonia Copper and Brass building in Ansonia and we served as host and fiduciary for them until they got their own 501 c 3 nonprofit status. They eventually moved to St. Joseph's in Shelton thanks to the support of Father Robert Weiss who served as Chairman of the Board. Years later, they came under the umbrella of the Birmingham Group where they continue to flourish today.
I don't have time or space to name all of the wonderful people who were involved with starting VSAAC and ensuring its future - maybe another day. For now - Happy 20th Birthday.
For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.
The state had just instituted funding for 13 programs based on a very successful model called RYSAP in Bridgeport. The concept was to form Regional Action Councils (RACs) which would be coalitions of community leaders with heavy youth involvement in an effort to deal with substance abuse issues. The Valley was not one of the 13 areas for which funding had been implemented. However, his speech struck a cord with those in the room that day, and shortly thereafter we formed a coalition of those interested int he problem to see if the concept would work here in the Valley.
Within a few weeks, our committee held a full day community retreat at the United Illuminating in Shelton involving nearly 100 people including mayors, state legislators, superintendents of schools, principals, teachers, police and many, many students. There was a sense of urgency and commitment in the room that day that drew the attention of the state. Though money had been allocated for the 13 other communities in the state, not much had been accomplished in many of them. The state was so impressed by what had already taken place in the Valley and the cooperation that was so evident in the room, that they went back and found the money to allow the Valley to create its own RAC - now known as VSAAC.
For the first few months, it was actually based in our office in the Ansonia Copper and Brass building in Ansonia and we served as host and fiduciary for them until they got their own 501 c 3 nonprofit status. They eventually moved to St. Joseph's in Shelton thanks to the support of Father Robert Weiss who served as Chairman of the Board. Years later, they came under the umbrella of the Birmingham Group where they continue to flourish today.
I don't have time or space to name all of the wonderful people who were involved with starting VSAAC and ensuring its future - maybe another day. For now - Happy 20th Birthday.
For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
