Former Maine star Chris Ferraro will launch the Jennifer Ferraro Foundation with a celebrity golf tournament, dinner and auction to be held on Aug. 14, 2003 at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, New York.
The Foundation was established by Ferraro to honor his late wife who died after a short bout with stomach cancer in Nov. 2002 at the age of 32. The couple, who first met as students at Maine in 1994 while Chris was a sophomore forward for the Black Bears, had been married just over a year when Jennifer passed away. She was diagnosed with the disease in Oct. 2001, three months after their wedding.
“During Jen’s illness the Washington Capitals could not have been more generous to my family, but I know others are not so fortunate,” said Ferraro.
“The goal of this event is to assist patients suffering from stomach cancer with their medical bills, treatment expenses and other costs not covered by health insurance.
“Jen always put the needs of others first and we intend to do the same in her memory.”
Among those expected to attend the event are New York Islanders captain Michael Peca, Islander goaltender and former Boston University star Rick DiPietro, former Islander and newly elected Hall-of-Famer Pat Lafontaine, and several members of the Islanders’ 1980s Stanley Cup winning teams including Bryan Trottier and Bob Nystrom.
Others include retired NHL referee Paul Stewart, Capitals general manager and former Bowling Green star George McPhee, Islanders color analyst Joe Micheletti and New York Rangers play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen.
For more information on the event, contact Sara Clarke (401-339-0403) or visit the foundation’s web site.
Ferraro and his twin brother Peter, who also played at Maine, will be together again this fall as both signed on July 17 with the Phoenix Coyotes. It will mark the 12th time in their careers that the brothers have played on the same team, including Maine’s 1993 NCAA Championship team, the U.S. Olympic Team, and three different NHL teams (New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Washington).
