Greenwich's Big Heart for Breast Cancer Awareness

Greenwich residents opened their hearts and wallets as the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign got an early start this weekend.

On Saturday, staff from the Greenwich Hospital Breast Center, the Susan G. Komen Foundation Connecticut Chapter and the Greenwich Firefighters Local 1042 tied pink ribbons on trees lining Greenwich Avenue and then set up in front of the Greenwich Senior/Arts Center on The Avenue distributing breast cancer awareness brochures, selling Proud to Wear Pink shirts and collecting donations for the Fill the Pink Boot campaign. The money raised will equally benefit the Breast Center and the Komen Connecticut Chapter.

"People have been great. Very nice and generous," said Jan Larkin, the Breast Center's nurse navigator, as she collected donations from people leaving the parking lot next to the Greenwich Green, on the gloriously sunny Saturday afternoon.

"We're getting great donations, the shirt sales have been great. It's a perfect day," said Firefighter Tom Pitasi, one of three co-chairs of this year's fund-raising effort that has a goal of $10,000 through October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

"We've got a month to go and we're off to a tremendous start," Pitasi said.

Before buying shirts for his children, Lawrence Chua's children Conrad and Alexa, climbed aboard Engine 4 and got to sit in the driver's seat. Alexa said she had fun on the truck.

Lt. Glen Krizan said Acting Deputy Chief Jeff Locher "allowed us to come down and hang out to help" and allow the little ones to explore the fire engine. "Look how big the steering wheel is Daddy," said five-and-a-half year old Alexandra Marder gleefully told her father Will Marder, as she sat in the driver's seat.

"Greenwich has been very generous," said Jeanine Gutauskas, director of the Fairfield County chapter of the Susan G. Komen Fund Connecticut. "It's been great. Greenwich is one of the only fire departments in Fairfield County that does something like this. We're very appreciative."

One gentleman stopped by the information table and handed the volunteers a $50 bill. He didn't want a shirt and said he just wanted to make a donation for a good cause.

Pitasi's daughter Olivia and her classmate Tori Fal, both 13, were busy beneath a canopy making pink-and-white bracelets that were selling briskly at $5 each. The girls, who are donating all of the money to the Greenwich Hospital Breast Center, started out with 35 bracelets, and by 1 o'clock, they had one left. Tori was busy weaving more bracelets to keep up with the demand.

"The money's going directly to Greenwich Hospital," Olivia said. "They saved my mom's life and I want to give them money to help save someone else's life."

To buy a Proud to Wear Pink shirt or baseball cap, or a bracelet, email pink@greenwichfire.org.