On Thursday, October 6th, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI) hosted its 18th Annual Presidential Gala at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY. As the mentoring agency’s premiere fundraising event of the year, the Gala drew 340 guests and raised $225,000 for BBBSLI to continue providing quality mentoring and support services to Long Island’s youth.
This year’s Gala honored “Man of the Year” Rich Grossi, Executive Vice President – Product and Engineering, OpenLink and “Couple of the Year” The Honorable Scott Horowitz, President, Shore Line Insurance & Pamela Horowitz, Business & Mathematics Teacher, Westhampton Beach H.S.
The highlight of the evening was hearing from Big Brother Barry and Little Brother Phil who spoke about their close bond and the impact being matched has had on their lives. Phil talked about how Barry’s wisdom has shown him a new way of thinking that has had an immense positive effect on his life.
Guests listened intently as Phil shared a story about an especially profound moment when Barry took a quarter out of his pocket and explained that whether the coin lands on heads or tails it has the same exact worth. He used it as an analogy to instill the life lesson in Phil that he is always worth the same amount whether it was his best of days or worst of days. Phil explained how this one moment with Barry helped change his entire mindset in a positive way. Not only did this life lesson help him personally, but Phil explained how he was able to pay it forward when he helped a suffering friend by remembering what Barry taught him with the quarter analogy.
In addition to Phil and Barry, a dozen more Littles and their Big Brothers & Sisters joined us at this year’s event. The event included a Chinese auction raffle featuring a variety of prizes and guests also had the opportunity to bid on incredible silent auction items.
BBBSLI would like extend our sincere gratitude to this year’s honorees and its sponsors for helping to make our 18th Annual Gala such a success. Thank you to our VICE PRESIDENTIAL Sponsors — Frank J. Antun Foundation, Jen & Rich Grossi, OpenLink, Shore Line Insurance, and Col. E. David Woycik, Jr. (Ret.), Esq.; SENATE Sponsors — Darby Dental Supply and New York Community Bank; CONGRESSIONAL Sponsors — Advantage Title, Bob Catell, CHIPS Technology Group, Hellman & Friedman, Macy’s and VICOM; PARTY Sponsors — Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, Cohen, Hoenigmann & Badolato, CPA’s, Katz Zlotnick & Associates/Applied Pension Services and Lazer Aptheker Rosella & Yedid; LINEN Sponsor — The Finishing Touch; and MATCH Sponsors — Koeppel Martone & Leistman and Michael Stern, Wells Fargo Advisors.
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