Paul Bass Photo
Guaridan boosters Lois Robinson, Muguli Mufungizi, Jackie Buster at WNHH FM.
A bash planned for the waterfront at Long Wharf will put barbecue and small-batch bourbon in donors’ bellies — and money for food or rent in the hands of adults struggling to care for children whose parents can’t.
The occasion is an annual dinner event for the Thomas F. Keyes Jr. Grant Fund. It raises needed money to help 800 adults who serve as probate court-appointed guardians for children whose parents are dealing with drug abuse, incarceration, or other crises. The fund serves as “respite,” with a few hundred or a couple thousand dollars on an as-needed basis.
The fund is named after former Probate Judge Thomas Keyes. His son and successor, Probate Judge Jack Keyes, kept it going and growing. Current Probate Judge Clifton Graves Jr. worked with his staff and volunteers to stage this year’s event.
It takes place at the Maritime Center (55 Long Wharf Dr.) on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 9 p.m. It will feature “finger lickin’ barbecue, small batch bourbons, sweet and savory wines, signature cocktails, locally source craft beers, live music, delectable cigars,” and first-hand testimonies. Click here to purchase $125 tickets or get more information.
Lois Robinson, who oversees the respite fund in the probate court (and who serves as a guardian herself) spoke about how the program works, during an episode of WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.” Master marketer Jackie Buster, who’s putting together the event, joined her on the program, as did Guardian Muguli Mufungizi, who described her experiences fleeing along with her niece from a machete-wielding mob in Congo and rebuilding a life as a refugee relocating in Hamden. Click on the video below to watch the episode.
The 800 people who serve the community as guardians are nothing less than saints.