On Tuesday (April 3) the Sports Industry Club hosted their first annual First Responders Cup at Charger Gym. The event pitted West Haven’s finest against West Haven’s bravest in a charity basketball game. Both departments played for families in the West Haven community. The West Haven Police Department played for the family of State Trooper First Class Kevin Miller, a Connecticut State Trooper who was killed in a traffic accident on Thursday, March 29. The West Haven Fire Department played for Pam Gardner, the principal of West Haven High School currently undergoing oral chemotherapy for Neuroendocrine Cancer. All proceeds from the event were evenly split to both teams to benefit their causes.

   Charger Gym was packed with friends and families of both departments along with students that wanted to show their support. The game got out to a fast start as the Police Department got out to an early lead and didn’t look back. The West Haven Police Department ended the half with a 26-8 lead giving the Fire Department no window to climb through. The halftime entertainment was provided by the 5678 Dance Team who performed their patent dance routine. When the action resumed, the Police Department held their lead for the remaining 20 minutes to preserve the victory. The Police Department was awarded the first ever First Responders Cup Plaque, but both teams came away with money for their causes. In total the event raised $1,200 in donations, giving each team $600 for the Miller and Gardner families.

    Overall the event was a success for everyone involved, especially for the members of the Sports Industry Club.

“I was really excited about the turnout,” said club president Garrett Handley. “We had an incredible number of people from the West Haven community attend to watch their family or friends play in the game and that was something we really focused on when planning this event. We had great support from students on campus as well, and overall created a really fun environment for everyone. The two departments were extremely grateful to have this opportunity to donate to their respective causes. The fact that we raised $1,200 in our first attempt at the event gets me excited to see how far this event can go in the future.”

    Club members Nicole Ferrucci and Jon Wartel were also excited about how the event positively affected the community and everyone involved.

    “The First Annual First Responders Cup was everything I could have wished for and more,” said Ferrucci. “We had a fun filled night between two amazing teams. I’m very thankful to have been part of the planning and execution of the game, and it could not have happened without the cooperation of the Sports Industry Club, as well as the West Haven Police and Fire Departments.”

    “I thought the event went great. We had an amazing turn out from the community and the families involved. Everyone was so generous in their giving,” said Wartel. “It seemed that everyone involved had a great time, from those playing, to those in the stands, and even all of us working the event. It was an amazing experience and I am happy we are able to make a positive impact in the community.”