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Celebrity Breakfast Kicks Off 2005 Swim
Click to see photos from the 2005 Celebrity Breakfast! »

Businessmen, politicians and professionals served as waiters at the Swim Across the Sound Celebrity Breakfast to raise donations for the cancer charity.

The breakfast, which kicks off the 2005 Swim fundraising season, collected over $90,000 to benefit the Swim’s 34 cancer education, screening and prevention programs. About 425 people filled the Holiday Inn ballroom and enjoyed Richard Skipper’s portrayal of Carol Channing.

Skipper, a regular headliner at Mohegan Sound, sang some of the star’s best know songs and joked with the audience. Brian Smith, WICC talk show host, served as Master of Ceremonies for the entertainment part of the show. John DiMarco, owner of Luigi’s Bakery of Bridgeport and John Matthews of Trumbull co-chaired the event.

At the breakfast, the winning ticket was pulled for the third annual Swim Car Raffle. James Cormier of Shelton was the lucky winner of the 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL. For the third consecutive year, the car was donated by Tom D’Addario of Mario D’Addario – Buick, Pontiac, Nissan GMC and Chuck Mattes of William B. Meyer, Inc.

Tickets were $25 with a maximum of 2,800 tickets sold. The proceeds from the car raffle benefit Swim Across the Sound cancer programs and the D’Addario Hypertension Program at St. Vincent's Medical Center.

Teenager Launches “Ray” of Hope Foundation to Benefit the Swim
Jessie Bohrer of Fairfield hasn’t forgotten a family friend who died suddenly of cancer in 2002. For a long time, Bohrer, 14, talked with her parents about doing something in his memory.

This Valentine’s Day, she came up with the plan to raise donations for a cancer charity to honor the memory of Raymond Cosgrove. Bohrer hit on the name, “Ray of Hope” and organized some friends to sell goodie bags on the holiday.

Bohrer, an eighth grader at Fairfield Woods Middle School, conceived the idea of selling chocolate candies. Mark Nichols, Katie Nolan and Andrew Pone, her classmates, all chipped in to stuff the goodie bags, produce a poster and sell the candy outside of Trader Joe’s on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield.

The day before Valentine’s, the Ray of Hope group, wearing heart headbands, sold 157 goodie bags and raised $206 to benefit Swim Across the Sound, the cancer charity based at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport.

“It was a great experience,” Bohrer said. “We had a steady flow of customers and we sold a lot of candy.”

The Ray of Hope group sold three different kinds of chocolate – no nuts, chocolate truffles and the luxury bag with truffles and other high-end chocolates. It was a lip-smacking success.

An honor student who wants to do something with computers or animals for a career, Bohrer enjoys doing charitable work. She has twice cut off her long, blonde hair and donated it to “Locks of Love” to be made into wigs for chemotherapy patients. She also takes care of her brother, Matt, 11 who has special needs.

Bohrer’s father, Jim, was impressed with the effort of all the kids, especially since they did it all on their own with no parental pressure. “These kids did a terrific job. All the parents were there when they finished and we gave them a big round of applause, which they deserved.”
Bohrer is proud of the Ray of Hope group, which plans to continue to do additional charitable work in memory of her family friend. The group has a website that welcomes other kids to join their work on behalf of cancer patients, http://www.freewebs.com/therayofhopeorg/index.htm.

“We’re planning to collect more donations, possibly around Easter,” Bohrer said. “Now that we’ve done this, we think we can do it even better and raise more money next time. We want to keep Ray’s memory alive.”

Swim Women’s Imaging Center Receives Grant from the Komen Foundation
Swim Across the Sound Women’s Imaging Center has recently received a $10,000 grant from the Connecticut affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
Reviewers of the grant application remarked that they “loved the team approach [for mammography services] and the mobile mammography van,” utilized by the Swim Women’s Imaging Center, which are critical services for women throughout the region. This grant will also help address community needs related to breast cancer and the high costs that are associated with mammography screenings. The grant was officially presented at the Komen Foundation ceremony Feb. 16th at the State Capitol in Hartford.

Sherri Storms, director of the Swim Women’s Imaging Center, welcomed the grant because it would help allow the center to continue to offer vital services to women. “Having the Komen Foundation, which is a prestigious national organization recognize the Swim Women’s Imaging Center is certainly something that we’re proud of,” Storms said. “This grant helps us to reach out to as many women as possible and address unmet needs.”

The new Women’s Imaging Center, located just off the Main Lobby of St. Vincent’s Medical Center, provides easy access and a one-step approach to services including digital mammography, ultrasound and bone density screenings. The stylish new center offers an extra measure of comfort, convenience and privacy while at the same time providing a wide range of diagnostic and interventional radiology services. The full resources of the Medical Center will also enable the center to provide all follow-ups, secondary testing, referrals and a coordinated approach to care.

With a highly qualified and compassionate staff and an expert team of board certified radiologists who are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, St. Vincent's Medical Center provides comprehensive services in both diagnostic and interventional radiology. The new Swim Women’s Imaging Center also offers evening appointments. For more information, call the Swim Women’s Imaging Center at 203-576-5500.

St. Vincent’s Foundation Celebrates Joe Dolan’s 95th Birthday
St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation recently celebrated the 95th birthday of Joe Dolan, who has served as a fundraiser for more than 40 years.

The birthday party took place at Tuscany in Bridgeport with the Foundation staff and several of Dolan’s closest friends. Dolan still comes to work daily and visits patients in the Medical Center.

St. Vincent’s Retirees Stay Connected
St. Vincent's Medical Center Retirees recently presented Swim Across the Sound with a check for $300 to benefit cancer patients and their families.

About 100 retirees raised the money through a Christmas fair raffle, bake sale and craft fairs during the year. Dot Pendagast of Huntington, president of St. Vincent's retirees, said the group has embraced the Swim because of the niche its fills in the community. “We’re delighted to help the Swim,” said Pendagast, a St. Vincent’s employee for over 29 years. “Many of us have seen the Swim grow to a wonderful charity that helps so many cancer patients.”

St. Vincent's retirees also presented checks for $300 to the Employee Giving Campaign and the Medical Center Outreach Programs.

St. Vincent's retirees were formed 30 years ago and meet monthly except for July and August. The other group officers are Joann Shola, Vice President, Dorothy Shepard, Secretary and Dolores Jablonski, Treasurer.

The Swim’s PCI Offers Prostate Screening
Sponsored by the Swim’s Prostate Cancer Institute, St. Vincent’s Health Services will conduct free prostate screenings March 9th at the St. Vincent’s Family Health Center, 762 Lindley Street, Bridgeport

All screenings are from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The screenings are offered to all men over 50 years old and those over 40 who are either African-American or at risk due to family history. This does not include men currently seeing a urologist or who have been screened within the past year. All examinations are done by urologists, which include a blood test and a digital rectal exam. An appointment is required for a prostate screening. Call St. Vincent’s Health Services at 576-5500 to reserve a time.

Slip on a Bracelet for the Cause
Support Swim Across the Sound by purchasing the new, authentic Swim bracelet. The trendy rubber bracelet comes in the attractive Swim blue and is available in two sizes, medium and large. The bracelet carries the official Swim logo and slogan “Because Everyone Knows Someone.” To view the new bracelet, click here to visit the Swim website.

Add one now to your collection of other recognition bracelets. The bracelet sells for $3 and is a reminder of how important it is to join the fight against cancer and help support the Swim’s 34 cancer education, screening and prevention programs.

The Swim bracelet is available at the St. Vincent's Medical Center Seton Shop or through the Foundation office, call (203) 576-5451.

Display the Pink Ribbon on Your Car
Swim Across the Sound is helping to raise breast cancer awareness on the area roads with pink magnetized ribbons to display on your car.

The Swim is selling the attractive magnetized ribbons with the Swim logo and catch phrase: “Turning the Tide Against Cancer” for $3. You can show your support for all the Swim breast cancer programs by purchasing one. They also make great gifts for friends and family members. To purchase your Swim pink magnetized ribbon, call St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation at 203-576-5451.

To help deliver breast cancer services, the Swim contributed $1 million to open the Swim Across the Sound Women’s Imaging Center in St. Vincent's Medical Center. The Swim continues to address the unmet needs of the community through its Mobile Mammography van, bringing mammography screenings for women at community centers, corporations, churches, housing facilities and places of business. For more information about the Women’s Imaging Center, contact 203-576-5501.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Seventh Annual Feast of St. Joseph’s To Honor Robert D. Scinto
The Seventh Annual Feast of St. Joseph will honor Robert D. Scinto, Chairman and CEO of Robert D. Scinto, Inc. April 2nd at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport. Proceeds raised from the evening will benefit the Swim and the Italian Cultural Foundation Scholarship.

The feast kicks-off with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m. with dinner to follow prepared by Tina. Dinner includes a sumptuous feast of Italian delights, such as prima tavola & pranzo, formaggi & vegetali, carni asciutti, insalate di scungilli, insalate di baccala, stuffed shells and surf & turf.

Luigi’s of Bridgeport will provide delectable Italian pastries for desert. Along with the fine dining, there will be dancing to the music of the “Counterpoint Orchestra.”

Mark Lauretti, Mayor of Shelton, will serve as the Chairman of the Feast of St. Joseph’s and Marilyn Gannon and Mark Fasano will be co-chairs of the event.

Tickets are $100 per person/$180 per couple. For tickets call Luigi’s of Bridgeport, 203-374-4225.

Walk With Harold Fashion Show
The third annual Walk With Harold Best In Fashion Show, featuring what to wear to a baby shower theme at Mitchells Westport April 13th from 7-9 p.m.

Dozens of models will strut their stuff in fashionable ensembles from formal to casual shower wear, accompanied by fashion-coordinated dogs. Andrew Mitchell of Mitchells Westport and Auden Grogins are co-chairs of the event.

The evening will also include a silent and live auction of dozens of exciting items, such as jewelry, vacations, rounds of golf, sports memorabilia and dinner at popular restaurants. Men’s fashion designer Joseph Abboud is scheduled to appear at the event to serve as MC.

Guests will also enjoy delicious dishes prepared by sponsor restaurants Vazzy’s, Tuscany, Tuckers, Avellino’s, Quattro Pazzi and St. Tropez. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Mitchells Westport (203-341-6414) and St. Vincent’s Foundation (203-576-5451). Frankie’s Angels is also co-sponsoring the evening.

Basketball Classic Makes a Full Court Press
The 5th Annual Basketball Classic tips off April 16-17 at Bunnell High School to benefit the Swim Teen Smoke Stoppers Program. For the third consecutive year, the Fairfield County Basketball Referees IABBO #9 will host the youth tournament for eighth grade boys and girls teams (14 years old and under).

The tournament is a single elimination, but each team is guaranteed two games. The team entry fee is $175 per team with each player receiving a Tournament T-shirt. The winners will receive hooded sweatshirts. For information, contact Glen Colello at 259-4805 or glen@wakemanclub.com.

Swim Fourth Annual Golf Tournament Tees Off This Spring
The Swim Across the Sound Fourth Annual Golf Tournament will tee off May 24th at Whitney Farms Golf Club in Monroe.

The cost is $300 per golfer that includes lunch and dinner, greens fees and a cart, refreshments and prizes, such as clubs, clothing and golf equipment. Hole sponsorships are available at $500, Silver Tournament Sponsorships are $2,500 and Gold - $5,000.

There will be prizes for a hole in one, closest to the pin and the longest drive. In addition, there will be raffles and a full day of golf and fun. Make your reservations early since the field is filling up; call St. Vincent’s Foundation, 203-576-5451.

Ralph LoStocco, co-chairman and a Shelton resident, anticipates a full field for the scramble format tournament and encourages golfers to make their reservations early. “This is always a great tournament on a beautiful golf course,” LoStocco said. “We have a great field every year that helps us raise funds to support the Swim, which is a great cause.”

Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk
The Swim welcomes new volunteers who want to make a difference in their community and the lives of cancer patients. All you need is compassion. To volunteer, call St. Vincent’s Foundation – 576-5451 or visit the Swim website, www.swimacrossthesound.org.

Inspirational Writing
The Swim newsletter has a new feature of an inspirational writing that touches on the mission of the Swim. Your writing will also appear on the Swim's website!

We welcome all cancer survivors or supporters of the Swim to submit a poem, essay or reflective piece for consideration for publication. Send all writings to sziborg@aol.com. SUBMIT YOUR WRITING TODAY!

Remember the Swim
Of all the worthwhile causes, few meet the work the Swim does in helping others. There are many ways to help the Swim:

• Donate to Swim events;
• Participate in Swim events;
• Name the Swim in your will;
• Donate a planned income gift;
• Volunteer;
• Run your own Swim fundraiser.

For more information, call the Swim Foundation at 203-576-5451.

St. Vincent's Medical Center's Swim Across the Sound is turning the tide against cancer.

The Swim has a unique mission to help cancer patients in need. The Swim raised $2.5 million in 2003 and helped 18,000 cancer survivors and their families throughout Southern Connecticut.

This is not a research program, but a charitable foundation dedicated to helping people on a case-by-case basis. The Swim has grown into a series of year-round activities focused on raising funds to underwrite 34 cancer education, screening and support group programs.