Access Health CT Sponsors Appearance of Two-Time World Champion Ed Figueroa, Two-Time All-Star Rich Gedman at September 26 Event Presented by Liberty Bank

New Britain, Conn., August 8, 2025 – Two-time New York Yankees World Champion pitcher Ed Figueroa and two-time Red Sox All-Star catcher Rich Gedman will highlight an expected field of 200 or more golfers on September 26 at Connecticut’s largest Veterans charity golf event, the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, hosted by the Disabled American Veterans, Hardware City Chapter 8 and presented by Liberty Bank.

The appearance of Figueroa and Gedman, made possible by Diamond Sponsor Access Health CT with the support of JB Autographs, marks the first time that the enormously popular veterans charity event, which takes place at Tunxis Country Club, will feature celebrity guests. The 15th edition of the tournament, which attracted 236 golfers last year, is expected to surpass the quarter-million-dollar mark in charitable dollars raised for deserving causes serving Connecticut Veterans and active-duty military. Last year’s event raised a record $30,000, bringing the event’s total to more than $235,000.

DAV Chapter 8 and House of Heroes Connecticut are the event’s primary beneficiaries.

Figueroa, a native of Puerto Rico, was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher with 55 victories during their pennant-winning seasons of 1976, 1977 and 1978, which included World Series titles in the latter two years. He is the first Puerto Rican pitcher in MLB history to secure a 20-win season, going 20-9 in 1978 – including 13-2 in the second half of the season – as the Yankees overcame a 14-game deficit to overtake the Red Sox and eventually win the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Figueroa served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a Vietnam veteran.

Gedman, from Worcester, Mass. and currently a hitting advisor with the Red Sox, played 13 seasons in the big leagues including 11 with Boston. His debut was in 1980, pinch-hitting for Carl Yastrzemski, and he earned The Sporting News Rookie of the Year award in 1981. Gedman hit a career-high 24 home runs in 1984 and was selected to the American League All-Star squad in 1985 and 1986. Gedman was the battery-mate of Roger Clemens on April 29, 1986, when Clemens struck out a record 20 Seattle Mariners.

Both Figueroa and Gedman will play in the event and will sign autographs in the Tunxis Pavilion during the post-golf cocktail hour.

The Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open will again be highlighted by presentation at the post-golf dinner of The Angelo Tomasso, Sr. and Angelo Tomasso, Jr. Veteran of Distinction Award. This year’s honorees, each of whom will be entitled to designate a $1,000 DAV Chapter 8 donation to the local veteran charity of their choice, will be announced later this month.

Golf registration is $175, which includes range, greens fees/cart, premium gift bag, lunch and beverages, prizes and post-golf dinner, silent auction and raffle. Shotgun start is 11 a.m. Dinner-only registration is available for $85. A variety of sponsorships, ranging from $125 for a tee sign to $5,000 for a Diamond Sponsorship, are available. Information and online registration are available at www.davchapter8.org.

Hardware City Chapter 8 is one of 19 Connecticut DAV chapters of the more than 1 million member-strong national Disabled American Veterans (DAV). DAV Chapter 8 supports state and national DAV programs at the local level, and its officers and members are active in the local veterans community assisting veterans in need, advocating for veterans rights, representing Connecticut veterans at state and national events, raising funds for veterans programs, and volunteering countless hours on behalf of veterans causes.

House of Heroes Connecticut is a non-profit organization that recognizes, honors and serves military and public safety veterans in need and/or their surviving spouses with one-day, no-cost home repairs focusing on safety and accessibility. The Connecticut Chapter has honored more than 270 veterans in 74 Connecticut communities and eight additional states. The House of Heroes national organization was founded in Columbus, Georgia in 2000.

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank has more than $8 billion in assets and 54 retail banking offices across Connecticut and Massachusetts. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, cash management, home mortgages, business loans, insurance and investment services. Liberty has been named ‘Top Workplace’ by The Hartford Courant every year since 2012; was designated a 2021, 2022 and 2023 Best-In-State Bank in Connecticut by Forbes Magazine; and received J.D. Power’s award for Best Retail Banking Customer Satisfaction in the New York Tri-State Region in 2025.

Access Health CT (AHCT) is Connecticut’s official health insurance marketplace, established by the Connecticut Legislature in 2011 to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Its mission is to increase the number of insured residents in Connecticut, promote health, lower costs and reduce health disparities.

For further information about the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, visit www.davchapter8.org or contact Tournament Founder and Director Dennis Buden at dennis.buden@davchapter8.org or 860-558-0514.

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Media Contact: Dennis Buden, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 (860) 558-0514 dennis.buden@davchapter8.org