Former MLB Stars Tee it Up for Stepping Stones Charity Event

Former Major League baseball players pitched in to put smiles on the faces of children when they joined golf enthusiasts and supporters of Stepping Stones Museum for Children for the museum’s annual Swing Into It! Golf Tournament. Nearly 100 players hit the links at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich on Thursday, October 4 for the sold-out golf tournament to benefit Open Arms, an initiative to ensure that the museum’s play-based learning opportunities and brain-building fun is accessible to ALL members of our community.

Special guest, SNY-TV Studio Analyst and Former New York Mets Pitcher Nelson Figueroa was on hand to help Stepping Stones raise money for this important cause. Currently, Figueroa is a lead studio analyst for Mets pre- and post-game shows, and contributor to SNY's "Mets Hot Stove," "Daily News Live" and SNY.tv. His nine-year Major League Baseball career that featured stops with the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Figueroa’s golf foursome included former New York Met and 1986 World Series champion Tim Teufel. Also among this year’s participants was former Major Leaguer and former Manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish, Willie Upshaw. Upshaw, who played with the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians during 10 big league seasons.

The fun day on the course included a savory luncheon followed by a round of golf, cocktails, buffet reception, raffle and silent auction. This year marked the fifteenth anniversary of the museum’s Swing Into It! Golf Tournament. In its fifteen year history, Swing Into It! has raised nearly $1.4 million.

Proceeds from the event directly support the Open Arms initiative created by Stepping Stones Museum for Children. The unique program ensures that the museum’s educational exhibits and programs are accessible to all audiences regardless of financial, cultural, language or special needs barriers. Through this inclusive program, children, families and schools are welcome to enjoy the museum’s safe and enriching environment, which nurtures creativity, play and lifelong learning. In 2018, Stepping Stones looks to serve 75,000 individuals through Open Arms at an operational cost of $750,000.

Sponsors for the Swing Into It! Golf Tournament included:

EXPLORER
The LaCroix Family
The Whitney George Family

TRAILBLAZERS
Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC
Ares Management LLC
Ralph Bocuzzi
Bourgeon Capital Management, LLC
The Bumbolow Family
Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP
The Foster Family Fund
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Sean P. Griffiths
Salvatore Lentini
Littlejohn & Co., LLC
Norwalk Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Centers, LLC
Old Greenwich Capital Partners
Pepper Hamilton, LLP
The Ramsay Family
Resinall Corp
Seligson Properties
U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
The Williams Family

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Rob Blosio
Frazier Caner
Fairfield County Bank Insurance
Andy Griswold
Michael Kaplan
RBC Wealth Management
Shipman & Goodwin
Lawrence Skeats

About Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Stepping Stones Museum for Children (www.steppingstonesmuseum.org) in Norwalk is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501(c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Located on five acres in Mathews Park, the LEED Gold certified museum encompasses five hands-on galleries, multimedia theater, Family and Teacher Resource Center and the Healthyville® Cafe. Stepping Stones also offers onsite educational events and workshops, school and group programs and traveling resources for schools, libraries and youth-serving organizations.

Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, exit 14N or 15S off I-95 in Norwalk. Museum hours are Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday – Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm; and Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday – Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free.

PHOTO: (L to R) - Swing Into It! co-chairs Elizabeth Cahill, of New Canaan and John S. Foster, of Wilton, Stepping Stones Museum for Children President and CEO Rhonda Kiest, SNY-TV Studio Analyst and Former New York Mets Pitcher Nelson Figueroa (celebrity guest) and Stepping Stones Museum for Children Board Chair Sandra Miklave are all smiles on the course at the Museum’s Swing Into It! Golf Tournament at the Stanwich Club in Greenwich on October 4th. Proceeds from Swing Into It! benefit the museum’s Open Arms initiative to ensure that the museum’s play-based learning opportunities and brain-building fun is accessible to ALL members of our community. Credit: Stepping Stones Museum for Children.