Fairfield students, faculty, staff and alumni will be gathering at noon on April 24th in the lower level of the BCC for its fourth annual “Rock-N-Jock” silent auction, home run derby and softball game to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. The derby and softball game will be starting at 4:00 p.m. at the softball field. The 100 percent donor-dependent foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions “to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy,” according to the foundation’s Development Coordinator Debbie Horne. The “Rock-N-Jock” fundraiser events allow for the wishes of medically eligible children in Fairfield County such as “I want to go to…(e.g. Disney World)”, “I want to meet…(e.g. a movie star)”, “I want to be…(e.g. a firefighter)” and “I want to have…(e.g. a puppy). These wishes provide a respite from long hospitalizations and treatments, help families build valuable memories with their children and make dreams come true. “Rock-N-Jock” was started in 2001 by Fairfield graduate assistant and student Chris Biello. According to participant Erin Fredericks ’04, he made the event something that the university’s participants look forward to each year. Biello passed away this year. “Chris’s energy was extraordinary when he did this event and after he passed away this spring, a few of us felt it was necessary to make sure his tradition of unselfishness, thoughtfulness and extreme love for helping others should be carried on,” said Fredericks. “Chris’s passing has had a profound impact on me. I feel very strongly to keep his spirit and memory alive through this,” said Director of Wellness and Prevention Jeanne DiMuzio. “It will definitely be a tough day because it is the first event without him.” Fairfield’s participants are carrying on Biello’s mission to help those in need by raising $100 each for Make-A-Wish. Up to 40 people will play on the two teams with committees that have been collecting donations and items for the silent auction. “The events have been amazingly successful in the past. They raise awareness, and there are few events that allow both faculty and students to organize together and do something,” said DiMuzio. The events also provide students, faculty, staff and alumni with the opportunity to give back.
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