GC Real Estate Professionals raise funds at Fall Gala
On Friday, November 1, the Garden City Real Estate Professionals Foundation (GCRE) held its annual Fall Gala, Cocktails for a Cause at the Cherry Valley Club, Garden City, NY, where over 300 attendees gathered to Honor Robert and Tara Griffith and raise money for the International Association for Spelling as Communication (I-ASC) www.i-asc.org
Joseph Farkas, President and Founding Trustee of GCRE welcomed the enthusiastic crowd of supporters to the GALA and thanked them for their enormous efforts in helping raise money to garner awareness for an innovative therapy implemented by the I-ASC that is changing the lives of thousands of non-speaking autistic people. He noted the staggering statistic that one in every thirty-six children is now touched by autism and non-speaking people are some of the most impacted. He recognized the significant efforts of Tara and Robert Griffith, the evening’s Honorees for their work in making the evening a huge success and stated “they are one of Garden City’s most generous and philanthropic couples”. Mr. Farkas continued to highlight the year-round work of the GCRE Board of Tristees and its 72-Members and noted some of the many charities GCRE supports annually including Charlie’s Champions Foundation, Mollies Fund Foundation and the I’m Not Done Yet Foundation to name just a few .
Mr. Farkas personally recognized members of the GCRE Board including Frank Liantonio, Trustee, Vice President and Co-Chairperson of the Charitable Events Committee, Lauren Scarantino, Trustee and Co-Chairperson of the Charitable Events Committee, Gary Rufrano, Trustee and Treasurer, Salvatore Ciaravino, Trustee, Secretary and Chairperson of the Membership Committee, Tiffany Rufrano, Executive Committee Member, Brad Wolk, Executive Committee Member and Linda O’Connor, Charitable Events Committee Member.
The program continued by introducing Robert Griffith who highlighted his family’s personal experiences with autism and their journey to discover I-ASC and the direct impact I-ASC has had on them. Robert warmly introduced Eliabeth Vosseller, Executive Director and Founder of I-ASC who traveled from Herndon, Virgina to attend the Gala and discussed how Spelling to Communicate empowers non-speakers to overcome communication barriers posed by traditional oral communication by pointing to letters on a board as an alternate means of communication. The innovative method promotes synchrony between cognitive and motor systems and through repeated practice, new neural pathways become myelinated. By teaching the motor skills necessary to point on a letterboard positioned in front of them, non-speakers improve motor planning and control, enabling them to communicate their thoughts and ideas quickly and accurately.
GCRE Board Members and the Griffith Family presented Ms. Vosseller with a check in the amount of $160,000 to expand research, awareness and further promote I-ASC’s highly impactful therapy throughout Long Island and the greater New York metropolitan area. For more information on the Garden City Real Estate Professionals Foundation (GCRE) go to www.gcrepf.org or contact Joe Farkas (jfarkas@metropolitanra.com) to see how you can become a Member, donate to important causes impacting the lives of Garden City residents or inquire on how to nominate an Honoree for the 2025 Gala. For more information on the International Association for Spelling as Communication, go to www.I-ASC.org
GC Real Estate Professionals raise funds at Fall Gala – Garden City News