Maritime Aquarium Honors Darien Family, Others for Support

The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk gave a Red Apple Award to Darien’s Rob Rohn, chairman of the aquqrium board of directors, as well as to his wife, Kit, and their children.

The Red Apple Awards “honor companies, organizations and individuals who share The Maritime Aquarium’s concern for the natural world and environmental education,” according to a news release from the aquarium.

The awards were given out at the April 23 annual Cirque de la Mer gala fundraiser. The 16th annual gala, with 400 guests, raised $800,000 for the aquarium’s Red Apple Fund for Student Enrichment, which helps school districts bring students to the aquarium. A total of $120,000 of the $800,000 raised, is earmarked to help pay for busing students on field trips at the Aquarium.

The event included cocktails in the Aquarium galleries, an elegant sit-down dinner, and silent and live auctions.

Rob Rohn, a founding principal with Sustainable Growth Advisers, has been a member of the aquarium’s board of trustees since 2006. Kit Rohn has worked for Inform, an environmental research organization, and the National Audubon Society, which was chaired nationally for 15 years by her late father, Donal O’Brian. She also is a founding member of Conservation International.

The couple chaired the Cirque de la Mer gala in 2013. Their daughter, Katie, was an intern at the aquarium, and their son, Nick, has been a volunteer.

“As Board chairman, Rob guides the Aquarium with intellect, patience and commitment,” aquarium President Dr. Brian Davis said. “He and Kit always bring a warm graceful presence and passion to their involvement. They inspire us, and we are grateful for all they have done for the Maritime Aquarium.”

Other 2015 Red Apple Awards recipients are the family of Michael and Nancy Herde of Boston (formerly of New Canaan) and the Norwalk law firm of Shipman & Goodwin, LLP, most notably senior partner Michael Widland. Chairing the 2015 event were Morten Arntzen, a Maritime Aquarium trustee, and his wife, Carolyn, of New Canaan.

Photos (by Kristen Jensen and contributed by the Maritime Aquarium):

First picture: Rob, Nick, Kit and Katie Rohn accept a 2015 Red Apple Award.

Second picture (from left): Carter Gowrie of Old Saybrook, Bebe Fisher of Darien and Patricia & Stephen Schram of Darien

Third picture (from left): Kathleen Weinstock, Lauren Chisholm, Aquarium Trustee Audrey Weil, Debbie Coley, Monica McNally and Andrea McDonough, all of Darien

Fourth picture (from left): Norwalk Councilman John Igneri, Dr. Christine Tierney of Rowayton and John Fisher of Darien.

Fifth picture (from left) Wendy Hokin of Darien and Alice Burnham of New Canaan

Sixth picture: A dancer suspended high above Newman’s Owna Hall entertains guests during the cocktail hour at the event