Newburgh - Over 200 friends of Safe Homes of Orange County gathered at Painter’s Cornwall-on-Hudson to celebrate the Sweet-16 Anniversary of The Annual Love-Gently Dinner, the agency’s second largest fundraising event. The loyal crowd of Love-Gently followers, including some of the event’s original Celebrity Waiters, raised over $5,000.00 for the agency’s comprehensive services for individuals and families affected by domestic and relationship violence.
"This event was a kind of inauguration for me and a perfect opportunity to experience firsthand the community’s unequivocal support for the work of Safe Homes and the clients we serve. While the environment of familiarity, comfort and friendship is what’s made Love-Gently so popular, you couldn’t miss everyone’s investment in the evening’s fundraising goals. In such difficult economic times, fundraising faces mounting challenges, but we are encouraged and humbled by our community’s clear commitment to ending domestic violence," said Kellyann Kostyal, Safe Homes’ Executive Director.
In addition to their support for the agency’s work, the community’s devotion to Love-Gently rests on a handful of traditions, engaging adults and children alike. For the 16th consecutive year, Salvatore and Peter Buttiglieri, owners of Painter’s Restaurant and their staff, hosted and co-sponsored the event, working with celebrity waiters and donating all tips to the fundraiser. Very young volunteers sold the popular chocolate-dipped strawberries, partly donated by Comodore Chocolatier of Newburgh , and over $800.00 of raffle tickets for a 50/50 drawing. Psychic Rozelisa of Monroe, over-booked as usual by her fans, donated all reading fees to Safe Homes.
Among celebrity wait-staff were Jim O’Donnell, Chief of Staff for the County Executive’s Office; District 12 County Legislator Kevin Hines; County Sheriff, Car Dubois; Town of Cornwall Supervisor, Kevin Quigley, and Town Clerk, Elaine Schneer; Tim Davidian, Supervisor with the Department of Probation; Sharon Worthy-Spiegl, Chief Assistant County Attorney; Christian Farrell, reporter and news anchor; Oliver Mackson, reporter for and one of the event’s original waiters; Alan Seidman, Executive Director of the Construction Contractors Association; Attorneys, Carla Wise and Barbara Strauss; Cornwall photographers and business owners, Karen Kaiser-Sharp and Jim Ferrara. Guests included Michael Milza, Senior Assistant District Attorney; David Jolly, Commissioner of the Department of Social Services; Kelli O’Brien, Attorney for the Orange County Family Justice Center; and a large representation from Orange & Rockland. Live Music was offered by Dr. Dean Scher, COO and Executive Director of Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange County; Dr. Maryann Elberth, Director, Center for Recovery, The Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center; Donald Green of SUNY Orange; and solo musician and singer, Jerry Ebert of Teamsters.
