Glenn Winn Jr Campership Fund
Proceeds from two Torrington baseball dates this season will benefit the Glenn Winn Jr. Campership program, a United Way of Northwest Connecticut campership fund. Since 2000, over $77,000 has been raised for this worthwhile program.
An All-Star Tournament of the Tri-State League will take place on Saturday, June 18 featuring teams from the entire Northwest Hills. The games that will take place are the Tri-Town Trojans vs. Watertown Blaze at 10:00 a.m., Tri-State League All Stars vs. Wallingford Twilight League All-Stars at 1:00 p.m., and the Winsted Whalers versus the Bethlehem Plowboys at 4:00 p.m. The first pitch will be thrown out by a family member of Glenn E. Winn Jr. This in no charge for admission but all donations at the door from this tournament will benefit the United Way Campership in memory of Glenn E Winn Jr.
The next All Star game is between the Torrington Titans and the Tri-State League and is taking place on Monday July 4th – 7pm game-time. Former American Idol star, William Hung, will host the 4th of July Bonanza at Fuessenich Park. Mr. Hung will perform his signature song that propelled him to stardom, “She Bangs” originally sung by Ricky Martin, as well as other hits throughout the night. Once Mr. Hung has completed his performances for the evening, he will sign autographs and take pictures with his fans.
A Home Run Derby is scheduled before the Titans-Tri-State game to begin at 4pm with the teams comprised of sluggers from both teams. The ‘All in Band’ will be performing before the game and there are discussions of a “patriotic pyrotechnics show” in the works following the all-star game. Commissioner Ed Gadomski and the Tri-State League have also announced that former New York Yankee, Jim Bouton, will pitch for the Tri-State side. A member of the 1962 World Series Champion team as well as a member of the 1963 All-Star team, Bouton has mastered the art of the knuckleball and still regularly pitches competitively. Bouton also wrote the popular baseball memoir, ‘Ball Four’. Donations will be taken from 3:30pm until 5pm during the HR Derby for the United Way Campership Fund. After 5pm – General Admission for the night will be $5 for adults and $3 for kids 12 and under with children 5 and under entering for free. Concessions will be open throughout the evening with part of their proceeds also going to the United Way, which has partnered with the Titans and Tri-State for the day. Contact GM of the Titans Mike O’Malley at [email protected] for more information.
The Glenn Winn Campership program benefits local youth in need of a summer camping experience, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. Participants will have the option of attending one of the participating summer camp programs for up to two weeks this summer. Families needing financial assistance will need to contact the camp of their choice and file all of the registration and financial assistance forms provided by the camp. The camps will then review the requests and submit appropriate applicants to the United Way of Northwest Connecticut for funding with certification of the camper’s family need. $10,000 would provide an estimated 200 camperships for children ages 10 to 17 in Northwest Connecticut. Donna Winn, Recreation Director at the Torrington Park and Rec. Department, and her family were looking for a way to help children have a positive experience while at the same time perpetuating the memory of her son, Glenn. Known as “Chipper”, Glenn died at nineteen years of age in a September 1997 automobile accident.
Donna Winn stated, “Chipper found attending camps to be very enriching, but had it not been for the generosity of others, he would not have been able to attend”. “This is a way of helping other children acquire a love of camping and summer programs that my son enjoyed,” continued Ms. Winn. “Every child should have the same opportunity that Glenn had to experience and grow from a summer experience at any one of our area camps, specialty or health-related programs in Connecticut”. Glenn, the son of Glenn Sr. and Donna Winn, was born and raised in Litchfield. He graduated from the Litchfield School system and attended Kent School on a full scholarship. He also attended the School of Engineering, University of Hartford on a Presidential Scholarship. Glenn’s heart and kidneys were donated to three individuals at the time of his death. This was not unlike Glenn to make such an important and selfless decision as this, according to his mother, Ms. Winn.
Individuals, families and organizations wishing to contribute to this program may send their donation to The Glenn Winn, Jr. Campership Program at the United Way of Northwest Connecticut, P.O. Box 1001, Torrington, Connecticut, 06790, or visit our website, www.northwestunitedway.org, click on the donation button and check the box saying “I want to give to the Glenn Winn Campership program”. Every dollar contributed will be invested in camperships this summer for youngsters in dire need of this experience at a local camp or a medical related camp appropriate to the child’s needs. The Glenn Winn Jr. Campership Program is truly a people to people program.