First event set March 6.
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The FourFathers with some of the daughters. Seated from left: Scott A. Williams, Bill Scatolini with three daughters, Jenna, 6, Ava, 3, and Mia, 8. Behind them are Sofia Nardi with her father Alfonso Nardi, Julie Hassett and her father Michael Hassett.
Scott A. Williams, of Wilbraham, is a writer who works at home. When his 13-year-old daughter Summer arrives from school in the afternoons, he’s apt to take a break and help her with homework, quizzing her with home-made flash cards.
The two are also likely to be found at a Springfield Falcons or Boston Bruins hockey game, yelling their heads off.
Architect Alfonso Nardi, of Springfield, is tight with his daughter Sofia, 17, too. He lets her paint his fingernails, and he shops with her, recently taking her to find a ball gown and shoes. She calls him Mr. Mom.
“I feel very secure because I know that he’s always there for whenever I need help or I need something,” Sofia said of her father.
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Summer and Scott Williams of Wilbraham at TD Garden in Boston for a Bruins game against Montreal.
Williams and Nardi are two of the four men who have founded a new organization called FourFathers along with Bill Scatolini and lawyer Mike Hassett, both of Wilbraham.
Their mission is to help fathers make their daughters feel loved and supported by them. The four want to promote the message that fathers who are successful in that arena raise stronger, more secure daughters.
Scatolini, who runs an insurance agency that carries his name, has three young daughters. He says on the website that he "started FourFathers because I think it’s important for all men to understand the degree to which young girls develop their sense of self-esteem and validation from their fathers."
He asdded fathers need to give their daughters three things: time, attention and unconditional love.
“As a casual observer … I don’t see those three things working together very often,” he said.
“A lot of men don’t realize how important the bond is between them and their daughter. The science behind what the daughter gets out of having a connection with her father – it’s really astounding,”
The men call FourFathers a "not-only-for-profit" enterprise as some of the proceeds they raise selling hats and T-shirts benefit nonprofit organizations such as Rick’s Place for grieving children and families, which Scatolini helped found in honor of his friend Rick Thorpe who died in the 9/11 attacks.
FourFathers is holding its first father-daughter event on March 6 at 6 p.m. at Red Rose Pizzeria in Springfield, in collaboration with a local Girl Scouts troop. It will focus on making pizzas.
For information or to register, or to check out the Four Fathers wares, visit www.fourfathers.us.
Nardi, who also runs a catering business, is also raising a son; he lost a daughter, Raffaela, to a terminal illness in 1995 when she was 15.
He believes that dads can mentor other dads.
“Whatever I can pass on to the younger families, that’s what I should do as it was done for me,” he said, noting his father was an excellent role model and support.
“I find this very uplifting. Kids really do learn what they experience at home. I really honestly believe it helps a child feel more confident in who they are.”