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St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound Hosts 12th Annual Celebrity Breakfast, Raises more than $75,000

BRIDGEPORT, CT, February 12, 2008 —St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound raised more than $75,000 at its 12th Annual Celebrity Breakfast, held at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport on Thursday, February 7th. The event was sponsored by People’s United Community Foundation. More than 500 people attended the event to see Sparky Lyle, former relief pitcher with the New York Yankees, and to raise money for the SWIM, which provides cancer education, screening, prevention and support programs at low- or no-cost for the elderly and underserved. In addition, the SWIM helps individual cancer patients on a case-by-case basis with specific needs, such as the funding of wigs and prostheses, medication assistance, free transportation to treatments and appointments and day-care scholarships.

Sparky Lyle Sparky Lyle began his baseball career in 1967 with the “Impossible Dream Team” Boston Red Sox. Lyle helped the team go from eighth place in 1966 to win the American League pennant in 1967.

The Sox traded Sparky to the Yankees in 1972 where he established himself as one of the premier relief pitchers of the 1970’s. Lyle played an integral role in helping the Yankees win three straight pennants from 1976 to 1978 and two World Series from 1977 to 1978. Named to three All-Star teams, he won the Cy Young Award in 1977 as the best pitcher in the American League.

Lyle has authored two books: “The Bronx Zoo” and “The Year I Owned the Yankees: A Baseball Fantasy.” Currently, Lyle serves as the manager of the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. He led the team to Atlantic League pennants in 2001, 2003 and 2005. He remains the only manager in club history, a position he has held since 1998.

Local celebrities and executives sponsored tables at the Breakfast and waited on their friends and colleagues. In return, the guests tipped their “celebrity waiters” and the gratuities were also donated to the SWIM.

Lyle pulled the winning ticket for the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S, which was won by John Cribbins, Information Systems Analyst at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. For the fifth year, the car was donated by Mario D’Addario – Cadillac, Nissan, Buick, Pontiac, GMC and William B. Meyer, Inc. to benefit the SWIM and the Mario and Irma D’Addario Hypertension Fund at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

The Mario and Irma D’Addario Hypertension Fund spreads awareness and provides free blood pressure screenings and information to the public every Tuesday and Wednesday at the Westfield Trumbull Mall through the St. Vincent’s Wellness Booth. Cholesterol and glucose screenings are also provided at the booth on Wednesdays.

The event was co-chaired by John DiMarco of Luigi’s of Bridgeport and John Matthews, teacher at Trumbull High School. Mark Fries, Senior Vice President at Beardsley, Brown and Bassett of Bridgeport, emceed the event.

St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound raised a record $2.6 million and helped 20,000 cancer patients and their families.

Fairfield County Companies Team Up with the SWIM to Raise Money for Cancer Patients

(l t r) Charles V. Firlotte, president, Aquarion Company, Bridgeport; Frank Scifo, MD, family physician in Trumbull and co-chair of St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound; Tom D’Addario, president, Mario D’Addario-Cadillac, Nissan, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Inc., Shelton and Tom Gillon, president, William B. Meyer, Inc., Stratford at St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound 12th Annual Celebrity Breakfast. The event, which was underwritten by People’s United Community Foundation, raised more than $75,000 for cancer patients and their families. Mario D’Addario-Cadillac, Nissan, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Inc. along with William B. Meyer, Inc. donated a 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S for the 5th Annual SWIM Car Raffle. The winning ticket was drawn at the event. The raffle helped raise nearly $60,000 in additional funds for the SWIM’s programs.

(l to ) Frank Scifo, MD, family physician in Trumbull; Diane Cardoso, events assistant, St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation and Jan Williams, co-owner, Captain’s Cove Seaport in Bridgeport at St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound 12 th Annual Celebrity Breakfast. Dr. Scifo and Williams are co-chairs of the SWIM.

(l to r) John DiMarco, owner of Luigi’s of Bridgeport and co-chair of St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound Celebrity Breakfast; Sparky Lyle, former relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, Cy Young Award recipient and author of “The Bronx Zoo” and “The Year I Owned the Yankees: A Baseball Fantasy” and John Matthews, Trumbull High School teacher at St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound 12 th Annual Celebrity Breakfast. DiMarco and Matthews are co-chairs of the event.

(l t r) Sparky Lyle, former relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, Cy Young Award recipient and author of “The Bronx Zoo” and “The Year I Owned the Yankees: A Baseball Fantasy” and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal at St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound Celebrity Breakfast. Lyle was the keynote speaker at the event and Blumenthal spoke in support for the SWIM.