Family Services of Westchester marked 65 years of dedicated service to the residents of Westchester County on April 9, when more than 300 friends and supporters gathered to celebrate the social services agency’s milestone anniversary at FSW’s annual Star Gala, held at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle.
This year’s event featured honored guest New York Yankee pitching great and unanimous 2019 inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame Mariano Rivera. In addition to auctioning off a tie, watch, and several personally autographed pictures to jumpstart the evening’s fundraising activities, Rivera movingly described his post-baseball career as a philanthropist through his Mariano Rivera Foundation.
“There are kids in need, and we’ve been blessed enough to share,” he said. “When you give, it makes you smile with joy.”
Star Gala 2019 also honored longtime FSW board member Douglas McClintock, EVP and general counsel of Emigrant Bank, with the FSW Board Appreciation Award. The White Plains-based accounting and advisory firm of Citrin Cooperman received the Making a Difference Award, which was accepted by Managing Partner Alan Badey.
The evening’s festivities began with a welcome from Tara Rosenblum, Emmy-winning News 12 Westchester anchor and reporter, who reminded the audience that their generosity supports more than 50 vital FSW programs, ranging from early childhood programs like Head Start to FSW’s award-winning elder day care program My Second Home.
Lisa Copeland, chairwoman of FSW’s Board of Directors, thanked the Star Gala Committee and its chairpersons, Leslie Chang and Barbara Robinson, for their hard work, and applauded FSW’s staff and volunteers for creating such a fun and meaningful evening.
FSW President and CEO Polly Kerrigan introduced an inspiring video showing FSW program participants sharing in their own words about how FSW has transformed their lives. Lucas Hunt, president of HUNT Auctioneers, followed the video by leading a spirited pledge campaign that supplemented the silent and live auctions in helping to raise funds for FSW’s current programs and future initiatives.
