The AHRC Foundation 76th Annual Rose Ball was an unforgettable evening celebrating community, generosity, and the leaders whose dedication continues to build opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Approximately 300 guests gathered at Oheka Castle on June 11, raising over $380,000 to support programs and services that enhance the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities across Long Island. See photo gallery.
“So much of our success comes from the support we have from families and the Long Island business community,” said Tom Moore, Rose Ball Chairman and AHRC Foundation Board Director. “We continue to be inspired by people, the families, and by all of you who make this work possible.”
This evening honored three remarkable individuals whose contributions have strengthened the disability community for decades. Jack and Eydie Garofalo received the Margaret Riva Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of nearly 40 years of leadership, advocacy, and service. The AHRC Foundation also presented the Cornerstone Award to Jack N. Posner, Esq., a founding member of the AHRC Foundation and attorney who has practiced for more than 50 years in Nassau County. Learn more about the Foundation’s extraordinary honorees in our digital event journal.
Paul Giordano, AHRC Nassau President, joined Andrea Fierstein to present the Blanche Fierstein Scholarship Award to Grace Stuart Cohen, a Teacher Assistant with Brookville Center for Children’s Services (BCCS), currently pursuing a dual master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education at Hofstra University.
“Blanche Fierstein believed that if something needed to change. You did not wait. You got to work,” Paul said. “Grace, clearly that same drive lives in you. The AHRC Board of Directors and the scholarship committee are truly excited for your future and for what it will mean to children with developmental disabilities and their families. Congratulations on your achievement.”
Throughout the evening, guests celebrated the impact of the AHRC Foundation and the opportunities it helps makes possible through investments in innovative programs, including Wheatley Farms and Arts Center. See video.
The Foundation’s impact spans generations, and the Rose Ball serves as a powerful example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together around a shared vision of inclusion and opportunity.