And this time of year is one of the busiest for Chiappetta and the commission. Less than a few weeks away is the organization”™s biggest fundraiser ”“ the seventh annual SportsNight, a “celebration of sports in Fairfield County” ”“ and there is a great deal of legwork to be done to ensure the evening”™s success.
The highlight of the event, scheduled for Oct. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, is the induction of the annual Hall of Fame class, which is indeed a great honor for those who are recognized. There are three wins in the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame: the James”™ O”™Rourke amateur wing, the Jackie Robinson professional wing and the J. Walter Kennedy community service wing. Each year, there are six inductees, two each entering a specific wing of the hall.
This year”™s inductees are NBA referee Bennett Salvatore and former NBA player John Bagley (Jackie Robinson), former Fairfield University basketball great Joe DeSantis and top long-distance runner Ceci Hopp St. Geme (James O”™Rouke) and local high school coaching legends Albie Loeffler and Charlie Bentley (J. Walter Kennedy).
Other highlights include recognizing community Sportspersons of the Year, the presentation of the Chelsea Cohen Courage Award and honoring a member of the media who has excelled at promoting local sports.
“We want to be the central depository for all regarding positives in sports and active, healthy lifestyles,” explained Chiappetta.
One of the ways the commission has been able to accomplish that is by successfully partnering with the business community to promote its goal.
The organization has gotten tangible support from some 24 businesses and organizations, including ESPN, Peoples United Bank, Southern Connecticut Gas, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, BevMax, News 12 Connecticut, United Illuminating and Stamford Hospital.
“We are very grateful for all of our partnerships. Their support has been invaluable,” Chiappetta said. “A good example is our relationship with Stamford Hospital. Their endorsement of what we do here has been a big boost to us.”
That begs the question, what exactly does the Fairfield County Sports Commission do?
It does a lot. But far and away the group”™s largest endeavor is the Chelsea Cohen Fitness Academy, which is housed at the George Washington Carver Community Center in Norwalk. The award and fitness center are named for Chelsea Cohen, a former girls soccer standout from Norwalk High who died in August 2006 from a rare form of nervous-system cancer.
The academy is a countywide collaborative effort to focus on giving underserved youth access to fitness trainers, coaches, and health and wellness programs. It is not sport-specific, but attempts to get youngsters in the habit of leading an active, healthy lifestyle.
Chiappetta said the commission”™s website, www.fairfieldcountysports.com, is one of the main vehicles he hopes to use to drive traffic to the academy.
The site provides a vast supply of content, including articles, fitness tips and other educational tools.
For more information on the commission and its programs, visit the website or email tomc@fairfieldcountysports.com.
Rob Sullivan is the publisher and executive editor of the Bridgeport Banner daily website ”“ www.bridgeportbanner.typepad.com ”“ and monthly print edition. He is a special correspondent for the Business Journal.
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