Inner City Foundation Benefit Oct 27 Honors Scott and Icy Frantz and Terry O’Connor

The Inner-City Foundation of Charity & Education will honor Greenwich’s state Sen. Scott Frantz and his wife Icy Frantz at its 27th annual Autumn Gala next month for their local philanthropy.

The benefit, to be held on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, will also honor Terry O’Connor, executive director of the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport.

“We’re delighted to be honoring the Frantzs, as well as Terry O’Connor,” says Richard T. Stone of The Inner-City Foundation for Charity & Education. “Their philanthropic work aligns with ours, which is to help the neediest among us right here in Fairfield County.”

— an announcement from the Inner-City Foundation

This year, the gala will have a dinner-dance theme and will feature the music of the wildly popular band The Sultans.

The Inner-City Foundation’s annual gala is the charity’s largest fundraiser, which allows it to continue its charitable mission.

If You’re Going …

• The Autumn Gala takes place from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Hyatt Regency, 1800 E. Putnam Ave, Old Greenwich.
• For tickets, tables or to donate to the Inner-City Foundation, visit the organization’s website, call 203-416-1363, or email info@innercityfoundation.org.
• Tickets cost $200 and up.

The Sultans

The Sultans band has grown over the last 20 years to become a collection of some of the finest musicians in the country, a revolving family of players whose resumes are staggering.

The horn section has jammed with Dave Matthews, the lead singers have recorded with Beyonce, Billy Joel, Sting, Steely Dan and James Taylor, and while some have performed with the Boston Pops, others have shared the bill with Maroon 5, the Foo Fighters, Busta Rhymes and Kid Rock.

There are finalists from American Idol, The Voice and the X Factor, and there are entertainers of no less than five U.S. Presidents. Having played inaugural balls and family parties for names like Obama, Clinton, Kennedy, Bush and Biden, The Sultans have dazzled crowds in every corner of the globe.

Scott and Icy Frantz

Scott Frantz represents the 36th district, which includes Greenwich, New Canaan and Stamford.

A business entrepreneur with a long history of service and commitment to our community, Frantz serves as a board member of several nonprofit and club organizations, including: Corporate Angel Network (Advisory); Connecticut Republican Finance Committee; Veteran’s Appreciation Council; Greenwich Country Day School; and the Greenwich Teen Center.

Icy Frantz is a longtime Greenwich resident, local philanthropist, and Greenwich Sentinel contributor.

She taught a substance abuse prevention program at Greenwich Academy, was a member of the Board at Greenwich Country Day School and ran the Parents’ Association there.

Icy currently sits on the board for the Greenwich Teen Center.

Terry O’Connor

Terry O’Connor, a former college basketball coach and on-air sports personality, has also had a long career of service in Fairfield County.

For the past quarter century, Terry has been the executive director of the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport, a nonprofit organization that serves the recreational, educational, and social needs of moderate and low-income families and young people of lower Fairfield County, particularly inner city Bridgeport.

In 2012, Terry took on added duties as executive director of the McGivney Community Center on the east side of Bridgeport.

The Inner-City Foundation

The Inner-City Foundation was founded more than a quarter century ago in 1992, and since then has granted $30 million to at least 200 programs and organizations in Fairfield County that are helping the neediest among us.

The Inner-City Foundation is focused on the educational and basic human needs of children, adults and families, with support to programs providing educational opportunities, food, shelter, help for addiction and recovery, safety from domestic violence, and more. With state funding cut backs, the needs have never been greater.