May 22, 2021 – The first “Swap Your Life Jackets for Emily” event was held on May 22 at the Innis Arden Cottage at Tod’s Point. Over 175 new coast guard approved Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF) vests were swapped and given out to boat owners, water sports enthusiasts and the Greenwich Police Marine Department. The older swapped in life jackets were collected by Sea Tow to dispose of properly.
News + Press
May 2021 – According to the National Safe Boating Council, 80 percent of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing a life jacket. That’s why the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF) will host “Swap Your Life Jackets for Emily,” on May 22nd from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Innis Cottage at Tod’s/Greenwich Point. This life jacket swap event will ensure those who need and use life vests will have the protective gear they need for safe boating with new coast guard approved vests. With limited life jacket supplies it is recommended that you sign-up in advance for the swap here: http://bit.ly/ECFF-Life-Jacket-Swap
“From the start of the foundation, a main area of focus has been to make sure boaters have the right life jacket protection. It’s not a protective device if it’s not worn,” says Joe Fedorko, Emily’s father. “The orange life vests are a requirement and serve a great importance in an emergency, however, with today’s technology we have much better options. We hope that our special trade in day at Tod’s Point goes a long way to increase boater safety.”
December 2020 – We cannot thank everyone enough for the amazing response the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation received for Giving Tuesday. Due to everyone’s overwhelming generosity towards the “Emily’s Chimes” restoration project, donations totaled $32,384, surpassing our goal!
Money raised for Giving Tuesday will go directly towards the restoration of the intricate chimes system in the Chimes Building at Greenwich Point and the new Water Safety Center at the base of the Chimes Tower.
The chimes will forever be known as “Emily’s Chimes” and honor her life in one of her favorite places. We look forward to celebrating with you all once the restoration is complete and the music from “Emily’s Chimes” rings out over the Long Island Sound for all to enjoy.
On behalf of The Fedorko Family, and our incredible team of board members, we thank you again for your support before and during December 1st, #GivingTuesday!
In honor of Emily, in 2016 CHAMPS Connecticut donated and named Mine Detection Dog Emily. Like her namesake, Emily is true hero!
Mine Detection Dogs Booster and Emily: a lifesaving story
Story from the Marshall Legacy Institute
In August 2020, two new Mine Detection Dogs started working with Marshall Legacy Institute’s (MLI) partner MAG in Bosnia Herzegovina. MDDs Booster and Emily were donated in 2016 by Orbital ATK (now part of Northrop Grumman) and the CHAMPS Connecticut campaign. After completing training, they worked with their handlers in Orahovica Jug, a mountainous area in north-central Bosnia Herzegovina. The village of Orahovica Jug has suffered severe damage from flooding (top right photo), which poses serious risks to people’s safety as landmines are unearthed and moved.
After months of work with handlers and manual demining teams, Orahovica Jug was declared mine free and released to the local community this fall. Thanks to the work of MDDs Booster and Emily, nearby villages and local authorities will now have safe access to install flood prevention barriers, arable land can be used for agricultural development, livestock can graze on large meadow areas, and people can enter the forest to collect wood without the fear of mines.
The work of hero dogs like Booster and Emily saves lives of many thousands of men, women, children, and other animals.
December 2018 Pitch Your Peers 2nd Place Grant Recipient
We are excited to announce that ECFF was the recipient of the 2nd Place Grant Award on behalf of PitchYourPeers Greenwich! The generous award amount of $17,713 will go towards our pledge for completion of the Emily’s Chimes project at Greenwich Point. We are incredibly thankful to PYP’s JJ Worden, Dara Johnson and Jessie Clifford for their passionate pitch.
Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation and The Greenwich Point Conservancy Announce a Pledge of Support for Restoration of Greenwich Point’s Historic Chimes Tower
November 2018: The Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation and the Greenwich Point Conservancy are pleased to announce the Foundation’s pledge to the Greenwich Point Conservancy of financial and planning support for the restoration of the historic Chimes Tower, which is a part of the beautiful and historic “Chimes Building” (c1896) at Greenwich Point. The pledge will include funding for the restoration of the Chimes Tower, which was added to the Chimes Building by J. Kennedy Tod in 1901. The restoration of the Chimes Tower will include refurbishing the rare c1901 “Chimes” mechanism and bells, which are located in upper portion of the Chimes Tower, and creating a water safety center in the base of the Tower. The overall restoration project for the Chimes Building, including the Chimes Tower, is being led by the Greenwich Point Conservancy, in coordination with the Town of Greenwich. The project is slated to commence following completion of the overall facility design and receipt of all necessary Town approvals.
To raise community awareness and funds for the project, the Emily Fedorko Foundation launched a Facebook Fundraiser to coincide with the popular #GivingTuesday campaign, a worldwide philanthropy movement celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – November 27. Those interested in donating are encouraged to do so by donating through Facebook: http://bit.ly/ChimesforEmily
The pledge and restoration work on the Chimes Tower is dedicated to the life and memory of Emily Fedorko, a 16-year old Greenwich High School student who lost her life in 2014 during a tragic water tubing accident off the coast of Greenwich Point. Following the restoration of the historic Chimes Tower, the musical mechanism and bells system in the Tower will be known as “Emily’s Chimes”. Further, the creation of a water safety center at the base of the Chimes Tower will further the Foundation’s mission to spread education, advocacy, and awareness of boating and water sports safety regulations and practices for adults and children.
Joe and Pam Fedorko, Emily’s parents and the founders of the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, stated, “We are forever grateful to have our daughter Emily honored in this way. Emily loved music, and it is wonderful that ‘Emily’s Chimes’ will ring out over the waters surrounding Greenwich Point. We can’t help but feel that her spirit will be watching over the waters of the Sound, and we are committed to making it safer for children and adults to enjoy water sports activities and boating.”
Chris Franco, President of the Greenwich Point Conservancy, stated, “We are so pleased to be working with Joe and Pam and their Foundation to honor the memory of Emily, and to include an important water safety component in the base of the Chimes Tower at the restored Chimes Building. We are excited to be moving forward with this important project, which will restore, preserve and revitalize one of the most beautiful and unique late -19th-century buildings on the Connecticut shoreline. We are very pleased that the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation will be a part of the GPC’s project.”
About Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation
The Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF) is a family foundation that provides funding to spread education, advocacy and awareness of boating and water sports safety for adults and children, throughout Connecticut and nationwide. The foundation was created by Pamela and Joseph Fedorko to honor the life of their beautiful 16-year old daughter Emily, who lost her life during a tragic water tubing accident in the summer of 2014.
ECFF supports programs and initiatives that educate boaters and water sports enthusiasts of all ages about the importance of understanding and following essential boating and water safety laws, regulations and best practices. This includes awareness of both state and local boating and water sports rules and regulations, attaining necessary certifications, knowledge of each body of water, the vessel mechanics, and life jacket requirements, ongoing safety education for boat drivers, navigators and passengers, and more.
For more information, or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.emsway.org.
About The Greenwich Point Conservancy
The Greenwich Point Conservancy was founded in 2004, and its mission is to work for the restoration and preservation of the historic structures and other elements at Greenwich Point for the enjoyment of current and future generations. Over the past fifteen years the GPC has funded and directed the restoration of the historic and award-winning Innis Arden Cottage (c1903) and creation there of the Floren Family Environmental Center at the Innis Arden Cottage, the restoration of the oldest building at Greenwich Point, The Old Barn (c1887), and the creation of the Sue H. Baker Pavilion at the Old Barn, and the restoration of the historic Gateway to Greenwich Point, and the creation of the Gateway Gardens at the entrance to Greenwich Point . Most recently, the GPC funded and directed the restoration of the oldest house in Greenwich, the historic Feake-Ferris House (c1645-1689), which is located just outside the entrance to Greenwich Point and was built shortly after the founding of Greenwich in 1640. At that time, Greenwich Point was known as “Elizabeth’s Neck”, and was the original purchase of Elizabeth Winthrop Feake, the subject of Anya Seton’s famous novel The Winthrop Woman, who with her husband built the original portions of the Feake-Ferris House. The GPC is excited that its next project will be the restoration of the historic Chimes Building (c1896), including the historic Chimes Tower (c1901).
For more information, or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.greenwichpoint.org.
The ECF Foundation has donated $10,000 toward new gymnastics equipment to be used by the Greenwich High School gymnastics team. Emily was a member of the team during her 2013-2014 sophomore year.
The Old Greenwich Merchants Association donated part of the proceeds from the Old Greenwich Block Party on June 28th. Thank you OGMA!
A Walk for Emily on Sept. 12
Close family friends and Stannard Beach neighbors have joined forces to organize Walk for Emily on Saturday, Sept. 12 to raise funds for the Fedorkos’ new cause, the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, and community awareness of the new boating and towing safety initiatives the foundation promotes.
Old Greenwich Block Party will benefit Fedorko foundation
The Old Greenwich Block Party has quickly become a beloved summer event, but this year it will have extra meaning atop all the fun and games. A portion of the proceeds from the June 28 event will benefit the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation.
Arch Street Teen Center Concert Benefits Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation
Arch Street Teen Center was the venue for a Saturday night concert featuring Kalimur and Sarah Mathes. The concert was a benefit for The Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation.
GHS bake sale, bandana sales mark memory of Emily Fedorko on her birthday
Thoughts have turned to the memory of 16-year-old Greenwich girl Emily Fedorko since May 1 would have been her 17th birthday. Money is now being raised for the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation by her Greenwich High School classmates who are selling bandanas with the foundation’s logo and “Turn it off 4 Emily” on them.
Emily Fedorko Remembered
She didn’t know a stranger; she did not have a stranger in her life,” Silver told the crowd in the Greenwich Harbor plaza next to the teen center. “She was one of the students who when she left a dance, she would high-five you, even if she knew you or not. She was that kind of person whose spirit and life will carry on for the rest of mine, as I know it will in yours. Read More
Emily Fedorko: In Loving Memory
Foundation Honors Emily Fedorko
Fedorkos Remind Boaters to Stop, Think, Prepare
Greenwich Sentinel | May 21, 2018
It’s that time of the year again for countless people living on the coast. Time to get outside and enjoy the fact that the winter weather is officially in the rear-view mirror.
Around Greenwich, many people are getting their boats prepped for entry into Long Island Sound, eager to have some fun in the sun and on the water. For Joseph and Pamela Fedorko, this is the time of year they like to get the word out on the importance of boater safety.
Board Member Angela Swift Radio Interview on WGCH
Malloy signs Emily Fedorko bill into law
With the signing of his name, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Friday turned “Emily’s Bill” into “Emily’s Law” and finalized new regulations for safe boating created in the aftermath of the tragic accident that killed Greenwich teenager Emily Fedorko.
Govenor Malloy signs Emily’s Law
Just over a year since a tragic boating accident took the life of 16-year-old Greenwich resident Emily Fedorko, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed “Emily’s Law”, creating safer standards for boats towing waterskiers or rafters.
Malloy to sign Emily’s Law on Friday
Gov. Dannel Malloy will come to Stamford Friday to sign Emily’s Law, a new boater safety initiative created after the death of Greenwich teenager Emily Fedorko in August 2014.
Featured on the People.com, September 3, 2015
After Tragic Death of Teen Daughter, Parents Get Boat Safety Law Passed in Connecticut
After the loss of their beloved daughter, Pam and her husband Joe Fedorko decided to honor Emily’s memory by advocating for water safety awareness through the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation and “Emily’s Law,” which mandates that all boat operators take a boating safety course and be at least 16 years of age. The law was passed in the state of Connecticut on June 4.
Featured on the Today Show, June 15, 2015
New boating law helps parents honor daughter
As summer kicks off and families head out on vacation, a new law, being called “Emily’s Law,” has been passed in Connecticut and is hoping to make the water a little safer. The Fedorko family helped to get stricter guidelines for towing people behind boats after a tubing accident took the life of their daughter.
Malloy signs “Emily’s Law” safe-boat/towing legislation
Gov. Malloy has signed Emily’s Law, in honor of Emily Fedorko. The Law prohibits children under-16 from piloting watercraft towing skiers or tubers and requires a related safety course. Here’s a summary of the legislation. Read More
Boating-safety bill in honor of Greenwich teen passes Senate
The legislation, which passed with little discussion, next heads to the House. It would prohibit children under 16 years of age from towing skiers or tubers and establish a safe water-skiing module in boating-safety courses. Read More
Parents of Emily Fedorko Lobby For Boating Safety
“Pam and I sit here today knowing our daughter Emily is gone forever,” Greenwich resident Joe Fedorko told legislators. “We have to live with that. We have established the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation to honor her, but most important, to educate as many people as we can in water sports safety.” Read More
Boating Safety Bill Gets Greenwich Sponsors
After the accident on Long Island Sound that claimed the life of 16-year-old Emily Fedorko last summer, Greenwich officials promised legislative action on water safety. Now that promise is turning into action. Read More
