Smithtown Children's Foundation Honors Saf-T-Swim Owner

Friends Fore Smithtown Community recognized some community leaders at their 6th annual Golf Outing on Sept 23 in Commack. 

This year's annual golf outing benefitted the Smithtown Children's Foundation, a non-profit organization formed and inspired by Branch Brook Elementary School student Kaylee Rivers who was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in 2008. The foundation now helps other Smithtown area children and families in need. 

Bobby Hazen, part owner of Saf-T-Swim and the founder of the LI Drowning Prevention Task Force, was recognized by the Smithtown Children's Foundation with the community service award. Since March of this year, he's reached out to more than 13,000 kids to promote water safety through school assemblies, camps, nurseries and more. 

The Smithtown Children's Foundation presented Hazen with a check for $1821 towards the next printing of Water Safety brochures to distribute at the schools, pediatricians offices, camps, pre-schools and other locations. 

Joe Valentino, owner of Great Neck Nissan, Infiniti of Manhasset, and Queens Nissan, stepped up to match the donation allowing10,000 brochures being printed to help spread Bobby’s mission of water safety. 

The Smithtown Children's Foundation also presented its very prestigious Kaylee Rivers Courage Award to the Specht family. This Sound Beach family had their 22-month-old son Richard Edwin Ehmer Specht  drown in their backyard pool in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  

The Specht family is now paying it forward by passing out Reesspechtlife cards. These cards read: 

Through the tragic loss of our 22 month old son, Richard Edwin Ehmer Specht (rees), we vow to make the world a letter better in his name.  Help us help each other.  Let’s all work together and do the small things that make a big difference.  Our little boy’s life was brief, but we hope to make his legacy eternal.  We all possess the ability to do something Super:  Possession of this card is a solemn promise to pay it forward and perform a random act of kindness and be one of Rees’ Pieces.