42 AUGUST 17, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Golfers help raise awareness for
Autism during charity tournament
Mets honor William Tolley’s family and fellow fi refi ghters
BY ANTHONY GIUDICE
AGIUDICE@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@A_GIUDICEREPORT
The family and coworkers of
fallen fi refi ghter William Tolley,
who tragically died in April
while battling a blaze in Ridgewood,
were recently treated to a meet-andgreet
with the New York Mets players
at Citi Field.
They got to be on the field for
batting practice, and enjoyed a meal
with the team as part of pitcher
Steven Matz’s Tru32 initiative. The
young left -hander’s charity aims to
give back to some of the people who
he admires most: fi rst responders of
the NYPD, FDNY, and United State
military.
On Aug. 9, Matz and the Mets invited
Tolley’s wife Marie and 8-year-old
daughter Bella, as well as 50 fi refi ghters
from the fi rehouse where Tolley
spent his entire 14-year career, Engine
Company 286/Ladder Company 135 in
Glendale known as the Myrtle Turtles,
to Citi Field in Flushing.
During their time at the ballpark,
the Tolleys got the chance to be on
the fi eld while Mets players took
batting practice before the game,
met with Matz and other New York
Mets, received Tru32 T-shirts, and,
along with the Myrtle Turtles, had
a pre-game dinner with members of
the team.
Before ending their time with the
team, Matz presented the fi refi ghters
of Engine 286 Ladder 135 with a
framed team-signed jersey for the
fi rehouse.
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BY ANTHONY GIUDICE
AGIUDICE@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@A_GIUDICEREPORT
The fi rst annual Golfi ng 4 Autism
Tournament brought over 30
golfers to Kissena Park Golf
Course on Saturday, Aug. 12 who participated
in a round of golf, a barbeque,
and several contests, all while raising
awareness for autism.
Over the course of the aft ernoon,
golfers braved the dark clouds and
played for bragging rights, with Chris
Bectz taking home the best golfer trophy
with a score of one under par -71,
and the Piagneri Team winning the
Best Foursome trophy.
“It was an awesome day and the
weather held out,” said Greg Vasicek,
president and founder of the Play4Autism
Foundation. “A memorable day
indeed, thanks to the staff at Kissena
Park Golf Course, the volunteers,
our presenting sponsor Citywide
Slingshots and tee/contest sponsors,
and of course the golfers.”
Special guest Assemblyman Angelo
Santabarbara attended the tournament
with his son, Michael, and Chief
of Staff Nicloe Parisi to be honored
during the reception for his work in
improving the lives of people on the
Autism and Special Needs Spectrum.
“My heartfelt thanks to Play4Autism
for this special honor, I am truly humbled,”
Santabarbara said at the event.
“As the father of a son with Autism,
my personal thanks for the work you
are doing in our communities. I look
forward to working together to give
all New Yorkers with disabilities a
stronger voice.”
Unfortunately no golfer was able to
win the Million Dollar Shootout, the
$20,000 Hole-in-One, or the $5K Putting
contests, but each gave it their all.
Vasicek is already hard at work planning
next year’s golfi ng event for Saturday,
Aug. 11, again at Kissena Park.
Photo courtesy of Play4Autism
Photo caption: Yvonne Georgios of Kissena Park, Helena Vasicek, Greg
Vasicek, Michael and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara.
Photo via Twitter/@Mets
Steven Matz and his Tru32 initiative honored the family and coworkers
of late fi refi ghter William Tolley.
