My Place Restaurant’s tap room is welcoming a special guest Friday, August 15. On his Pour Tour through Connecticut’s 169 towns to raise funds to benefit pediatric cancer research is Todd Ruggere of Massachusetts. My Place is stop number 168, before Mr Ruggere concludes his state tour in Stratford on August 16. He is having a pint in every town.

Restaurant owner Mark Tambascio said, “We are the second to last town in the state with his last beer being the following day.” One dollar from every pint purchased that evening, starting between 6 and 7 pm, will go to his cause, Mr Tambascio said. Mr Ruggere contacted Mr Tambascio and wanted to make My Place his Newtown stop. “I will have a special beer on tap for him,” Mr Tambascio said, but all night, any pint sold will contribute $1 to the cause, he said.

In an e-mail on Wednesday, August 13, Mr Ruggere wrote: “This year has been amazing.” In 2013, he raised a little more than $40,000 in Massachusetts and with just half as many towns, Connecticut has raised more. He hopes to reach $50,000 by Saturday. “It will be close!”

 He said, “I’ve met some amazing people.” One person donated $10,000 and a little 7-year-old girl donated her lemonade stand money. “People have been so welcoming.” Of towns without bars or restaurants, he said, “People have invited me over for a cookout and usually donated as well.” He has been excited to visit Newtown since the beginning of his tour “but logistically it never worked out until now,” he said.

Already, Mr Ruggere has raised more than $41,000 in Connecticut. As posted on his website, CtPourTour.com, he said, “Last year I had a beer in all 351 MA towns and raised over $40,000 for Dana Farber Children’s Cancer Institute.” This year all money raised is going to Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, according to the website.

His Connecticut tour will end in Stratford at Two Roads Brewing Company. Visit the CT Pour Tour page on Facebook to see where Mr Ruggere has been.