2011 Gala Dinner Dance & Auction

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Villa Barone Hilltop Manor

Board of Trustees

Steve Rolando, PresidentGlenn Hintze, Vice President

Sarena Meyer, SecretaryBill Faulkner, Treasurer

Debbie AshleyLinda CohenRose CorbettBruce HellerJanet HolmesJeff FeldmanJack Kearney

Ray KerinsHope MazzolaMike McDermottLiz OlintoMel ReyesMark RossiterJud Siebert

Somers Education Foundation was established in 1994 as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of parent, school representatives and community members. SEF supports Somers public schools by raising funds for specific student and teacher-initiated projects that enrich the educational experience and are not funded by the district budget or by other school groups. As of March 2011, SEF has awarded more than $700,000 in grants and scholarships, thanks to the support and generosity of the Somers community.

Program of Events7:00 pm Cocktails & Silent Auction Opens

8:15 pm Dinner Service8:30 pm Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

9:30 pm Silent Auction Closes Live Auction

9:45 pm-Midnight Dancing to the sounds of DJ Steve Chetcuti10:30 pm Auction Results Announced

Gala CommitteeBruce Heller, Event Co-Chair

Sarena Meyer, Event Co-Chair

Rose Corbett, Bill Faulkner, Marilyn Foley, Glenn Hintze, Janet Holmes, Mel Reyes, Steve Rolando

Special thanks toSteve Chetcuti

for once again donating DJ talentsMeghan Gioffe & Gary Wanderleigh – SMS Art Teachers

for all their assistance in bringing the African Masks to life for the children of Somers and to our tables this evening

Somers National Honor Society & Somers Leos for providing free babysitting services to Gala attendees

Marie Ciota

Marie Ciota has been teaching in Somers since 1982, both at Primrose

Elementary School and more recently Somers Intermediate School. She has had an

enormous impact on hundreds of students. She was part of the group that helped

coordinate and pave the way for full day kindergarten to become a reality in Somers.

While teaching, she researched the life of Somers resident Caroline Wright Reis

because she wanted her kindergarten students to know more about her. This research

became her first published book, A Girl to Remember. Marie also became

interested in the “Habits of Mind” after the Primrose Leadership Team (of

which she was a member) went to a workshop. Further research resulted in Marie’s

second book, The Mindful Garden, a book of poems for elementary aged children to

help teach the Habits of Mind. She resides in Somers and has four grown children.

Susan Kolar

Susan Kolar, currently Chief Financial Officer of the Food Network and

Cooking Channel in New York City, has been a Somers resident since 1994 and

has three grown children. She became Treasurer of the Somers Education

Foundation in 2002 and held the position for seven years. During that time, under

Susan’s leadership, SEF saw a major increase in revenue, projects and grant

activities. She was previously a volunteer in Somers High School to help enable

teacher – parent communication. She was also a parent member of the Somers High

School Special Education Committee. Prior to her present position at the Food

Network and Cooking Channel, Susan was the Chief Administrative Officer of

Sesame Workshop, a non-profit organization whose mission is to use educational

media to help children reach their highest potential.

Vinny T. Liscio

Vinny Liscio is a 31-year resident of Somers, where he raised his three grown daughters.

He is a past president and 21-year member of the Somers Lions Club He is most

proud of his efforts to help bring the residents of Somers and many social, community and

philanthropic organizations and town officials together to make the annual Independence

Day Celebration and Lynn Adams Memorial 5K Run and 1- Mile

Walk a reality. Vinny is also an avid cyclist and participated in the 150-mile Journey

for the Heart Tour for Friends of Karen, which raised over $180,000 for the

organization’s outreach programs. His passion for community service and creating a better

world for his grandchildren and beyond have brought him to his current project,

ConsciousWine, an organic/biodynamic wine education and information website, which

launched on April 22, 2011, appropriately coinciding with Earth Day.

Honorary Chair

Lee Goldberg

Lee Goldberg, a Somers resident, anchors WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News

Accu-Weather coverage, at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m each weeknight. He

joined the WABC-TV weather team in July 1996. His passion for weather

began at the tender age of twelve after he built his first weather instruments out of shoe boxes

and milk cartons. By the age of 14, he was giving his first weather broadcast to his

hometown of Canton, Massachusetts on Canton Cablevision. To this day Lee, who

has two children in the Somers school district, loves visiting schools across the Tri-state

area telling students about his early start in weather and teaching weather lessons. Lee is

also very involved in the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. He hosts their annual

walkathon in Riverside Park each spring.

We hope you visit our Silent Auction area

Some of tonight’s fabulous prizes for your bidding pleasure include:‣ Authentic Yankees & Mets memorabilia and game tickets‣ Authentic Giants, Jets and Super Bowl memorabilia and game

tickets‣ Authentic New York Knicks memorabilia‣ Authentic NY Rangers & NHL memorabilia‣ “Lunch with the Principal” for your child’s class‣ Jiminy Peak Mountain Adventure Passes‣ Chad Wallace Original Color Painting ‣ Hudson Valley Renegades Family 4-Pack tickets and memorabilia‣ Be Clean Baskets by Dr Richard Bridgham‣ Sunset Cruise on SS Peregrine II ‣ Mexican Shack Jewelry ‣ One-hour Massage by Sue Hintze‣ Peekskill Paramount Theater Spotlight Membership ‣ Women’s Coach Watch by Michael C. Fina‣ Custom-Made Sports Mouthguards by Dr. Nicholas Vece‣ Somers Historical Society - Historical Photo Reproduction‣ New York Yankees Tickets‣ General Knot & Co. - Two Vintage Men’s Ties‣ Westchester Broadway Dinner Theater Tickets‣ Restaurant & Service Gift Certificates galore… ‣ Plus much more!

You can bid to win in our Live Auction too:Everyone wins with

Pop & Win, so buy your

balloon while they last!

‣ Vacation In Paradise - One Week beachfront condo in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

‣ Flightless Vacation – One week Cape Cod home rental Eastham, Massachusetts this June

‣ Full day of great Yankees activities for the kid and spend an Hour with Mark Teixeira

‣ Yogi Berra Signed Baseball

‣ Oceanfront Villa to vacation in style on beautiful Kiawah Island, South Carolina

‣ Fall Get-away to Cape Cod - 3 Night October Weekend in South Harwich, Massachusetts

Dear Vinny,

Congratulations on receiving this well-deserved recognition for your dedication to the Somers community. We are proud to have you as our friend.

Sincerely,Carol & Don Stellwagen

Susan-Congratulations on being recognized by the SEF for your dedication to the education of all our children in Somers–With love from Fred

Congratulations toMarie,Susan,

and especially our favorite “Wine Know”, Vinny

From your friends atConscious Wine

Congratulations to our special friendVinny Liscio

for this well-deserved honor

Judy FactorGwen Salmo

Friends of Karen

Vinny, Mazel Tov! We’re proud to know you. We take pride in watching what you’ve accomplished. You’ve earned the appreciation and recognition of others, though that’s not your motivation. You give selflessly, you’re known to be the man who does what needs doing and for that you’ve achieved these honors.

- Dr Robert Levine & Andrew M. Carnaghi

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Dear Susan,

You make me so proud to see the things you do,

For our family, for friends…and for others.

Working hard each and every day to make lives

better, And succeeding! I love you,

Congratulations.

Mom

Congratulations VinnyFor all you do to promote and model the true spirit of volunteer service, we applaud and are awed by you!

Your friends at the Lynn Adams Memorial Foundation

MarieYou bring so much to our 4th grade and to our school community!

We’re proud to celebrate your induction into the Somers Education Foundation Hall Of Fame!

All your friends at Somers Intermediate School

With Special ThanksDonors & Sponsors

Amy & Dan Ellison Brenda & Michael Yates

Caryn & Eric Steinert Conscious Wine

Crystal Washington & Scripps NetworksDiana Tscherne

Don & Carol StellwagonHope Mazzola

Irene Perella Joe Valvano & Sons Landscaping

Judith Factor & Gwen Salmo – Friends Of Karen The Kolar Family

Maggie Metzger & Sesame Workshop Dr Roberta Levine & Mr Andrew Carnaghi

Sandra O'Connor Somers Record

SEF is proud to support… Excellence In Action

SEF has proudly sponsored a Day In Clay with artist Cliff Mendelsohn to bring a multi-cultural creative arts program to SMS. The African masks serving as tonight’s table centerpieces were all created by this year’s 7th graders as they integrate art with Social Studies, English and even Science. These beautiful pieces of art are but one of many evidences of Excellence in Action here at Somers!

Somers Education Foundation continues to support Somers SchoolsMoving Forward In Excellence

Technology is transforming the lives of our students, and their learning environments must reflect this reality. SEF is proud to support the Power Libraries initiative which takes the first step in providing students with resource- and technology-rich learning environments that are flexible and adaptable, where all students can read, research, collaborate, interact and create. SEF supports innovation and these spaces, designed with 21st century skills in mind, are just one more way Somers is Moving Forward In Excellence!