Schools Foundation Raises More Than $87K at Gala

by Jenny Moskowitz; photos by FAL Photography

(May 22, 2008) The calendar was turned back to the seventies at the May 17 Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Gala. Tables at the Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club sported pop-art daisies in the red, grey, and black colors of the Foundation. Guests were draped in colorful love beads as they entered the club. Many purchased raffle tickets for treasure boxes and received groovy light-up pins – but only the lucky winners got the diamond necklace and Mac Book Air laptop at the end of the evening.

Gala assistants draped attendees with seventies-era love beads.

How much did the event raise? The final tally is not ready – an online auction continues until Tuesday, May 27th at charityfolks.com. Still available are prime Yankees tickets, a ski week in Deer Valley, Utah, and a vacation at the Quisisana resort in Maine. But Saturday’s tickets and auctions raised over $87,000.

Singing for Help! were: Assemblyman George Latimer (center) and Supt. Paul Fried (far right) along with School Board members (l-r) Richard Marsico, Robin Nichinsky, Linnet Tse, Nancy Pierson and Michael Jacobson.

“Helping” with the fundraiser was a musical appeal from Assemblyman George Latimer, who along with Superintendent Paul Fried and members of the Mamaroneck School Board pleaded with auction bidders in a cleverly worded adaptation of the Beatles’ song Help! The appeal must have worked: Assemblyman Latimer got bidders to “raise their paddles” and pitch in $18,500 for new history and social studies books which will go to all six school libraries in the district.

Gala organizers included: (l-r) Pam Buchmueller, Jennifer Malherbe, Sally Cantwell, Dee S. van Eyck and Becky Shapiro.

But the evening’s biggest bidding frenzy erupted for the chance to name the annual signature sandwich at the Larchmont Tavern. This year marks the Tavern’s 75th anniversary, and locals can now celebrate by ordering the new “Captain John Burger,” courtesy of high bidder John Farris (at left), one of the Foundation’s original founders.

It wasn’t all fundraising – there was also dancing. Classic rock tunes from Turtle Park, the local band, added a new twist to the evening.

“We so appreciate the community’s generosity in supporting this evening to provide enhanced programs in the Larchmont and Mamaroneck public schools,” said gala co-chair Sally Cantwell. “It’s a wonderful night that brings the whole community together for a great cause,” summed up her co-chair, Becky Shapiro.

Local rock group Turtle Park provided musical entertainment.

Front Page

Print This Page
Email this page