Order Hut!

Members of Whalers football team know how to pass a ball, but at they tried their hand at passing plates during the Monday night dinner rush. Greeting customers with a menu and a smile, about 15 team members seated diners, took orders, helped in the kitchen, and cleared tables as part of their Tip-a-Jock fundraiser.

The event raised over $500, but the team needs to raise about $3,900 to send at least 30 people (at $130 a person) to a football camp at Central Connecticut State College later this month. “We’ve been in the playoffs five out of six years and in championship games four out of the past six years,” says New London High School assistant coach Juan Roman. “We thought it was a good opportunity for our team to get out there and prepare for the coming season. We want to keep it up!”

Goldy’s waitress Dana Vendetto, whose son Cole Williams plays defensive end for the Whalers, came up with the Tip-a-Jock idea. “I’ve been fundraising for them since they were eight years old,” says Vendetto, who has known most of the team members since their peewee football days. “They’re all really good kids and always played on the same teams.”

Goldy’s owners, Anita Miller and her daughter Rachel Barclay, were quick to get on board with the idea. Both of them graduated from New London High School, as did Miller’s husband, who played on the football team. “The waitresses were nice enough to volunteer to work and donate their tips and we’re donating a percentage of the profits,” said Miller. “All the tips go to the team for the camp.”

For Goldy’s, it was a win-win. “It’s good for us to bring people in,” Miller says, noting that the restaurant, which her father ran in the 1980s and 1990s, just three months ago. “I just like the community and I love New London.”

The team members who participated in the fundraiser worked hard for the money. “The two guys who shadowed me could work here!” said waitress Valerie Pepas, who was visibly impressed by their efforts. More than 100 customers—including New London’s mayor and city councilmen, New London High School teachers, and Whalers supporters--turned out in force and tipped big. “I had a couple of tables that tipped $30, so they’re tipping really well,” said Vendetto.

It was fun for the team, too. “It’s been good,” said Whalers running back Kyle McKinnon.  “If you have the right people with you, it’s easy.” 

That’s the kind of camaraderie Roman had hoped the fundraiser would create, and he wasn’t disappointed. Then again, he’s come to expect great things from his players.  “This will be my seventh season and we’ve had 90 kids graduate in that time and more than 50 percent have gone on to college,” said Roman. “This year alone we have 16 seniors and 13 are going to college. It’s an exciting time. As a coach you see kids come and go, but it’s great when you see these kids go to college.”

This was the first of several fundraisers for the football team. has been making donations to the team for every person who signs up for its rewards program and the restaurant is donating 10 percent of the profits generated by its rewards program from June through August.

The next big fundraising event will be the New London Whalers Football Golf Tournament on August 8 at the New London Country Club. Registration/lunch begins at 11:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 12:50 p.m. People are encouraged to register by July 1 for the tournament, which will follow a four-person scramble format. For additional information call Kristin Pezzolesi at (860) 389-6925 or email Kpezzolesi@snet.net.  Sponsorship opportunities are also available.