A recent Scotch whiskey tasting organized by Waterford Wine and Spirits netted $2,200 for the Waterford-based Cactus Jack Foundation. Tim Gigliotti, who accepted the check on behalf of the charity, said the money would be used to support local families and individuals in need.
Gigliotti is one of the founding members of the local charity founded in honor of local legend Ed Evento. Better known as "Cactus Jack," Evento's cowboy hat and bolo ties made him easy to spot around Waterford, where he ran a ranch and held rodeos.
Gigliotti said he was always volunteering to help out, too, coaching basketball and generally giving back to the community. The group established Cactus Jack Foundation to honor his memory and continue that tradition after Evento passed away in 1989.
As charities go, this is a pretty lose organization. The eight or so members meet once a month to decide which people will receive the money. There's no overhead, no one gets paid, and every last cent raised goes directly to help people in need.
Sometimes that's gas money to help people with sick family members drive to and from Yale New Haven Hospital. When a Waterford family lost everything in a house fire, Cactus Jack stepped up to the plate with assistance. In short, Cactus Jack offers the kind of help in a pinch that people might often be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. It's all about local folks helping neighbors in need.
As that's definitely a good reason to raise a glass and say, cheers!
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