MELLON/DREYFUS WINS SHAKE-A-LEG WALL
STREET AND CORPORATE CHALLENGE
Eight Individuals Honored for Dedication to Shake-A-Leg
 |
| Shake-A-Leg-Newport's Chief Executive
Officer Paul Callahan of Providence/Newport, R.I., who
represented the USA in sailing at the 2000 Paralympic
Games and is the nation's number-one-ranked disabled sailor
aboard American Eagle with Team Vectrix, led by former
America's Cup sailor Andy MacGowan of Middletown, R.I.
in the 11th Wall Street Corporate and Challenge Cup. |
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 15, 2002) –
For the second year in a row a New York team fielded by the
financial institutions Mellon and Dreyfus won Shake-A-Leg’s
Wall Street and Corporate Challenge Cup (WSCCC), held July
12-13. The team, which—like four others—raised
$30,000 for Shake-A-Leg, traded their suits for sailing gear
and took to Narragansett Bay for two day’s worth of
races aboard the historic America’s Cup 12-Meters American
Eagle, Columbia, Heritage, Intrepid and Weatherly. Over the
past eleven years the regatta has raised over $1 million for
Shake-A-Leg, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization offering
various programs for people with spinal cord injuries and
nervous system dysfunctions. The Hyatt Regency Newport, located
on Goat Island where regatta headquarters were established,
was the presenting sponsor.
Eight races determined MELLON/DREYFUSS the winner of the regatta,
with a comfortable point margin over the regatta’s second-place
finisher VECTRIX. Mellon/Dreyfuss was co-captained by Dreyfus’s
Walter Kress and Mellon’s Ron O’Hanley (Ipswich,
Mass.), who brought his 14-year-old son, Harry, a Laser sailor,
along for the memorable competition.
“We put together a really great team this year,”
said Kress, who has been involved with Shake-A-Leg for nine
years. “Mike Millard, the president of Mellon, is sailing
for the first time this year. And we brought in David Patterson
from Newton Asset Management in Cowes, England, and Eric Baunhoff,
a great sailor from San Francisco. We made sure the whole
team got to spend time with Paul (Callahan) and understand
the perspective of the Shake-A-Leg program. This is the fifth
time that I’ve been on the winning team and I don ’t
know if it’s luck or skill, but I’m happy to do
so well.”
The VECTRIX team was made up of business associates organized
by former America’s Cup skipper Andy MacGowan of Middletown,
R.I. Sailing with VECTRIX was Shake-A-Leg-Newport’s
Chief Executive Officer Paul Callahan of Providence/Newport,
R.I., who represented the USA in sailing at the 2000 Paralympic
Games and is the nation’s number-one-ranked disabled
sailor.
“This regatta is about wonderful people dedicated to
a good cause,” said Callahan. “It’s Wall
Street meeting old Newport meeting Shake-A-Leg. This is the
first year that we’ve had such a wide cross-section
of sponsors and sailors together. It shows that the event
appeals to a larger audience.”
 |
| Team MBIA (Armonk, N.Y.), led
by Nick Saubis and Chris Jumper sailing America's Cup
12-Meter Intrepid in the 11th Wall Street Corporate and
Challenge Cup. |
Team FRIENDS OF SHAKE-A-LEG #1, led
by Donald Wash, (Newport, R.I.) formerly of Equifax, and Patrick
Taylor of Nationwide Insurance, finished in third place. Rounding
out the fleet in fourth and fifth places, respectively, were
MBIA (Armonk, N.Y.), led by Nick Saubis and Chris Jumper and
FRIENDS OF SHAKE-A-LEG #2, led by Debra Lethbridge of Credit
Suisse/First Boston.
The corporate teams consisted of up to ten members of the
14-person 12-Meter crew. A sailing notable was assigned to
each boat, with additional top sailors from Shake-A-Leg’s
adaptive sailing program leaving their wheelchairs on the
dock to join the racing action. Race Director was Robie Pierce
(Newport), accomplished international able-bodied and disabled
sailor. The event was presented by the Hyatt Regency-Newport
on Goat Island, where race headquarters were established.
Other sponsors were Cox Communications, JT’s Ship Chandlery,
Team One Newport, Wayne Distributors and Quinnipiac University.
SHAKE-A-LEG ANNUAL AWARDS
At the Crew Reception and Dinner on
Friday night, Shake-A-Leg honored eight individuals for their
commitment to the program’s mission to assist its participants
to become all they can be in education, work place and quality-of-life
pursuits. Shake-A-Leg utilizes Salve Regina University’s
facilities for its adult and teen rehabilitation services,
as well as the Confidence is Cool Camp for youngsters. Sister
Teresa Antone, president of Salve Regina, gave the invocation.
Lance and Downey Hinrichs of Houston, Texas, were awarded
Shake-A-Leg-Newport’s highest honor, the Lauren Meaney
Spirit Award, which is presented annually to individuals who
have overcome great adversity. Rhode Island Secretary of State
Edward Innman presented Lance Hinrichs with a state proclamation.
Rhode Island Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse also attended.
Walter Kress not only won the Wall Street and Corporate Challenge
Cup, but he was presented with the 2002 Alofsin Award for
his dedication to sailing and Shake-A-Leg.
“I was totally surprised and had no idea,” said
Kress after receiving his honor. “I’ve enjoyed
working with the organization over the past nine years and
getting to know the people involved.”
Barbara Ruscetta and Mario Rusceta of Newport received recognition
as Volunteer of the Year. MBIA vice presidents Nick Saubis
and Chris Jumper, along with disabled sailor Elsa Johnson,
a student at Northeastern University, were recognized as Shake-A-Leg's
2002 Profiles in Courage.
For more information, contact Shake-A-Leg-Newport at P.O.
Box 1264, Newport, R.I., 401-849-8898 (phone), 401-848-9072
(fax), Larrygadsby@aol.com. Results and photos are available
at www.shakealeg.org or www.wsccc.org
