07/17/09 Tribute to Don Harrison, Greenwich Citizen founding editor, on July 21

Greenwich Citizen founding editor Don Harrison to receive tribute on July 21

CONTACT
Stephanie Paulmeno

(203) 344-9333
harrisonroast@optonline.net

OLD GREENWICH – July 10, 2009 -- Greenwich residents will gather on Tuesday, July 21 for a “roast and toast” to Greenwich Citizen founding editor Don Harrison at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich at 4 Horseneck Lane from 6:30 - 9 p.m. During his seven years as the Citizen’s editor, Harrison built the town weekly into a highly regarded 15,000+ circulation newspaper that won four New England Press Association (NEPA) awards, including one for general excellence.

Longtime Citizen reader Jean-Louis Gerin of Restaurant Jean-Louis and his staff will serve guests a light dinner at the event. The Citizen’s “On the Wine Road” columnist, Francois Steichen, will be on hand to pour wine he has chosen for the evening.

Citizen readers who will roast Harrison during the evening include: First Selectman Peter Tesei; selectman Lin Lavery; State Rep. Fred Camillo, R-151; Comedian Jane Condon; Greenwich Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Mary Ann Morrison; “Eyewitness News” founder and television news executive Al Primo; Greenwich Hospital vice president George Pawlush; Citizen founding reporter Pat McCormack; Greenwich High School football coach Rich Albonizio; and Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich executive director Bob DeAngelo.

Providing a blessing for the evening will be two of the longtime rotating writers for the Citizen’s Perspective column, Msgr. Frank Wissel, pastor at St. Mary Church, and Rabbi Mitch Hurvitz of Temple Sholom. The Rev. Kenneth Kieffer, the now-former pastor of First United Methodist Church in Greenwich, had hoped to attend but will be out of state.

Proceeds from the event’s “roast and toast” will support a program close to Harrison’s heart: the Boys & Girls Club’s athletic program. “Don Harrison truly understood the word ‘community’ and all that it means,” said Bob DeAngelo, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. “He was fun and very professional to work with, and we appreciated his help and energy to profile our mission of helping children at the Boys & Girls Club. Since Don Harrison is a great baseball fan, we will put the generous proceeds of the night toward our athletic/ baseball programming.”

Tickets for the event are $35 per person, and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Stephanie Paulmeno at 344-9333 or email harrisonroast@optonline.net.
About Don Harrison

In a journalism career that spans more than 40 years, Harrison was Executive Sports Editor of the Waterbury Republican-American for many years and a two-time winner of the Connecticut’s Sportswriter of the Year Award.

During Harrison’s tenure as editor of the Greenwich Citizen, the newspaper won five major journalistic awards, including the New England Press Association (NEPA)’s award for General Excellence in 2004, its first year of eligibility for the regional contest. Citizen founding reporter McCormack earned a Best News Story award in 2003 from the Connecticut Press Club for her page 1 piece on the pastor of St. Paul’s R.C. Church being forced to resign for alleged sexual misconduct. Reporter Christopher Falvo won a 2005

NEPA award for his series on his participation in the Greenwich Citizens Police Academy. Harrison captured a NEPA award as Best Serious Columnist in 2004 and first place for Best Editorial in the 2005 contest.

Harrison recently published his second book, Connecticut Baseball: The Best of the Nutmeg State, about Connecticut's myriad contributions to the game. He has also written articles for The Sporting News, Sports Quarterly-Baseball, The New York Times, Connecticut magazine, and dozens of other publications. Harrison’s first book, 25 Years Plus One, recounts Fairfield University's rise to basketball prominence in the ‘70s.