Good Friends Brunch
The ninth annual Good Friends Brunch, a gala event benefiting
RYASAP, the Regional Youth/Adult Substance Abuse Project, was held Sunday, May
6, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Patterson Club in Fairfield.
The brunch, noted for its conviviality, is co-chaired this year by William T.
Kosturko, executive vice president, general counsel, People’s Bank, and Sheila
A. Denton, member, Pullman & Comley, LLC. Norwick R. Goodspeed and Elizabeth
M. Pfriem, RYASAP’s founding leaders, are honorary co-chairs for the event. A
number of area business and community leaders are serving on this year’s
brunch committee.
The 2001 Goodspeed/Pfirem award was presented to Philip J. Kuchma, president of
the Kuchma Corporation, who is being honored for his long-time volunteerism and
commitment to improving the quality of life for residents of the greater
Bridgeport region. Tatiana DeJesus, a student at Columbus School, has been
selected for this year’s youth award in recognition of her leadership in the
Youth as Resources: Promote the Peace Program at her school.
Established in 1993 in honor of RYASAP’s founding leaders, the
Goodspeed/Pfriem Award, annually recognizes the adult and youth volunteers whose
vision and energy have contributed most to building healthier and safer
communities in the greater Bridgeport region.
RYASAP is a regional coalition serving the greater Bridgeport region, comprised
of Bridgeport, Easton/Redding, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull.
Through RYASAP, more than 1500 volunteers—youth, parents, educators, municipal
officials, police, civic organizations, health and human services providers,
faith organizations, legislators and community representatives—are working in
a unique urban/suburban partnership to build healthier and safer communities
free of the harm of substance abuse and related crime and violence.
