boys & girls club 08 gala

03-04-08
95th Annual Boys & Girls Club Annual Fundraising Gala a smash hit
By visiting author, Tawanna Savage
    The Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon celebrated their 95^th Anniversary on March 1st in an elaborate ceremony that showcased the élan of the many talented children served by the historical institution.
     Robbie Jackson, Board President of the Boys & Girls Club introduced the Master of Ceremonies for the event, Joe Solimine, and Michelle Moore of the Boys and Girls Club intoned a beautifully authentic performance of the National Anthem that paved the way for patrons and participants that turned out in admirable support for the occasion to enjoy the festivities.
     Representation by Mount Vernon and Westchester County leadership was very well signified by such distinguished guests as Mayor Clinton I. Young, Honorable Judge J. Mills, County Executive Andy Spano, County Clerk Ken Idoni, Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, Pelham Trustee Pete Pataki, Mount Vernon City Council Members, School Board Trustees and others.
     While the Revelation Dance Troup waited in the wings to give their first impressive performance, young Anthony Cumberbatch passed the time in light conversation and provided some insight regarding the familiar rhythm of his drums.
     After the excitement generated by the Revelation Dance Troup came to an end and the viewers began to settle down, the first Honoree, Joseph L. Torrisi, Sr. received the Denzel Washington 2008 Community Service Award.
     Torrisi, founder of The Torrisi Agency, a real estate and insurance business, grew up in the Wakefield section of the Bronx, and moved to Mount Vernon where he has lived for over 50 years.
     Throughout his life in Mount Vernon, Torrisi has been dedicated to community service and has been a member of various community service organizations.
     Torrisi, who will be celebrating his 84^th birthday very soon, had a large birthday cake donated by Elgin Hayes Realty wheeled into the ballroom and was given a rousing
rendition of “Happy Birthday” by the attendees.
     Next introduced to the large crowd by Lowes Moore, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, was the second Honoree, Henry "Hank" Carter.
     Thirty-five (35) years ago on a visit to Coler-Goldwater Hospital, Carter learned that a young man had been shot and paralyzed at a game. His compassion for the plight of the handicapped had been tapped and he donated a wheelchair and kept donating wheelchairs down through the years. This was to be the starting point of an earnest campaign to improve the quality of life for the handicapped individual.
     Carter's generosity, friendship, devotion and caring has produced an extraordinary legacy of improved quality of life for the physically challenged patients and residents of Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility, located on Roosevelt Island, New York.
     Carter, through Wheelchair Charities, Inc. (WCC), has provided fund-raising activities, including entertainment shows featuring noble artists, and the Annual Wheelchair Classic Tournament at Madison Square Garden. He has provided the patients and residents of Coler-Goldwater with his unceasing support and improvement of their quality of life.
     Some recent equipment made possible by Carter through WCC include desk and laptop computer systems for the Department of Speech and Audiology, enabling speech pathologists to set up programs specific to a patient's or resident's deficits as a result of stroke, other neurological disease, head and neck cancer, and traumatic brain injury.
     Carter’s dedication, caring and support has remained undaunted over the years. His review determined that of the approximately 2800 inpatients - ninety-five percent were paralyzed. Through determination and will, Carter has been able to make substantive drives toward change in the area of opportunities for the wheelchair bound.
     Success stories are the incentive for many, many more great chronicle, such as Victor, who got two arms and two legs and is no longer bound by his wheelchair but is actually able to get up and walk around as well as anyone.
     Carter has been the recipient of many awards. According to Carter though, the most important award he receives is the friendship and love of the patients, residents and staff at the hospital.
    After Carter accepted his award, the second performance by the Revelators took place.
     These young dancers were so amazing and technically adept with their footsteps and hand movements that were particularly on point with the live drumming, that to move your eyes away from one space meant they were filled with dancers in another.
     The obvious dedication to hours of practice at the Boys and Girls Club allowed these children to flow with optical ease into very difficult African dance steps and routines and set the pace for continued musical activities.
     When the children’s dance routine finished and accolades from the adults were given in acknowledgement of their excellent performance, the live band performers of Full Unit took over with a jazz performance spotlighting Jao Whorton on a killer saxophone.
     Of course, we cannot go without the notable mention of lead vocalist Loree Pina, whose on stage on target ole school rhythm and blues rendition of Chic - Le Freak got everyone on the dance floor, with Mike Aspro and Rose Marie taking the honors as the most adorable dance couple on the terrazzo.
     After the boogie break, it was back to business, with Solimine directing the attendees attention to the remaining two hundred tickets that needed to be sold and the Silent and Live Auctions that were still pending.
     The auctions generated a total of $6,250.00, and the entire event raised a little over $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Club.
     Covering this event was much fun for this southern girl from Georgia, and watching how the North partied was an interesting eye opener. Although I don’t go to bed with the chickens, I do rise early with the birds to catch the proverbial worm; therefore – needless to say, the party was still rocking when I left to settle in for the evening.