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Health & Fitness

Rowayton Seafood helps Norwalk Family "Play it Forward"

Rowayton Seafood helps Norwalk family Play it Forward for the Connecticut Burn Center

Monday, May 19, 2014 was the perfect sunny spring day for former Rowayton Seafood employee, Matt Ness, 25, of Norwalk, CT to co-chair the Michael Ness Play It Forward Gold Tournament, which benefited the Bridgeport Hospital Foundation for the Connecticut Burn Center. Ness’ younger brother, Michael, perished at the age of 22, as the result of severe burns he received during a tragic house fire on Pettom Road in Norwalk on August 16, 2013.

Since the fire, the Ness family received an outpouring of support from many friends across Fairfield County. Ness says, “There have been so many acts of kindness and generosity over the last several months.” In particular, Ness’ “work family” at Rowayton Seafood, were very helpful. The Ness family has a deep bond with the owner, Kevin Conroy, and staff at Rowayton Seafood. Ness started working in the Rowayton Seafood Market (89 Rowayton Avenue, Rowayton, CT) in 2005, and learned the art of fish mongering for three years. Then, he was transferred across the parking lot to The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood, where he began with salads and worked his way up to Sous Chef. Recently, Ness moved on to a job in New Canaan, but he and Conroy remain tight. “My mom, Liz Wobschall, worked for the owner from 2003 till 2011 as his bookkeeper, then office manager, then controller,” says Ness. “We will always be part of the Rowayton Seafood family. The number one thing I learned from my former boss, who knows how to run a great, successful business, is compassion and hard work.” Ness says he felt very comfortable asking Rowayton Seafood to be one of three major local business sponsors of the golf outing. In addition, several Rowayton Seafood employees and customers signed on to play in the tournament. 

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