This month’s greening of Pasacreta Park shined a spotlight on both the Riverside Avenue hideaway and its namesake, a much-loved police captain who died at age 50.
Many volunteers helped turned the park into a place of beauty; many donors’ dollars helped too. Among the contributors was the Westport Police Benevolent Association. That’s natural — Eugene Pasacreta was one of their own.
It’s natural too that the PBA donated $6,000 for the renovation of Luciano Park. That spot — across from Jasmine Restaurant, adjacent to the railroad station parking lot — is also named for a beloved cop who died too young (former chief Sam Luciano).
But the PBA does much more than hand money to parks named for policemen. In just the past 3 years, the organization has helped fund:
- Field of Dreams
- The American Cancer Society
- Disabled American Veterans
- Camperships through Westport’s Human Services Department
- Governor’s Horse Guard
- March of Dimes
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving
- Sportsmen of Westport
- Hole in the Wall Gang
- St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
- The Hundred Club of Connecticut (for families of cops killed in the line of duty)
- Special Olympics
- Staples Gridiron Club
- Westport Rotary Club
- PAL
- At least a dozen police officers, firefighters and EMTs who were injured or ill (including $5,000 to an officer with a tumor; they then raised an additional $12,000 for her at a fundraiser)
In addition, the PBA:
- Donated a new bike and helmet for a local teenager
- Collected donations for veterans in hospitals
- Collected toys for kids each holiday season
- Paid for Westport Inn accommodations for a cross-country bike rider
- Provided Halloween glow sticks to children
- Helped pay for their own Honor Guard’s new uniforms
There’s more. But you get the idea.
The Police Benevolent Association is one of Westport’s most consistent, lowest-profile benefactors. Think of that the next time you get a low-key appeal for funds.
Or they pull you over for yapping on your cell phone.
