Help support the Jamaican bobsled team

No kidding: There is such a thing, and there's a Fundraiser Pig Roast at the Riverside Yacht Club today at  6:00 PM. 

Louie, Rick Muskus and I have pictures of you sleeping, shirtless, on HMS Half Moon Bay that would make (everyone else) howl, but I'm a kind, loving man. 

Organized and hosted by my very, very good friend Louis, "Luigi" Van Leeuwen of Riverside, who obviously doesn't keep kosher (you serving that pig on matzo, Luigi?). Louis is, despite his Dutch-sounding name, a native of Jamaica. His parents escaped the Nazis by walking, with Louis still in his mother's womb, from Holland, through France, across the Pyrenees, and into Spain. Once there, the only country accepting refugees at the time was Jamaica, so that's where they sailed: Louis was born in Half-Moon Bay.

The family eventually made its way here and went on to do the typical American success thing. After a very successful career in advertising, Louis has for, what - 20 years? - been the chief bottle washer at Greenwich Construction Company. He makes a fine house, and the best testimony to that is the purchasers of one of his spec houses in Riverside, who lived in it for five years, then asked him to build them a custom house. I'd think that five years was a sufficient time to discover any flaws in construction, so if they were satisfied enough with his work to order a new house, that's pretty good.

All that said, Louis is one of the warmest, kindest persons I know, and I hold him in great affection.

And he's apparently a bobsled enthusiast, despite the impossibility of him ever squeezing into the slender sled used in that sport — who knew? The Jamaican team needs money to get back to the Olympics and for the third year in a row, Louis is helping. The party begins tonight at 6 - come meet the team members and Louis himself, and have a great time. I have no idea what  tickets cost, but if you use my name at the gate, I'm sure the price will be doubled.