Cocktails for a Cure raises $180K for Charity

Joseph Farkas, President and Founding Trustee of the Garden City Real Estate Professionals Foundation (“GCRE”), announced that the organization raised $180,000 at its annual gala, Cocktails for a Cause, benefiting Breakthrough T1-D.  The funds will support Breakthrough T1-D’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and advance groundbreaking research to combat the disease.  This year’s Gala honored Christine and Michael Tiedemann of Garden City, NY, whose son Eric was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at a young age.

Held on Friday, November 7, 2025, at the Garden City Country Club, the event drew more than 300 attendees who came together to support GCRE’s mission of raising funds and awareness for causes that matter most to the Garden City community — with this year’s focus on Breakthrough T1-D.  In his welcoming remarks to the packed room, Farkas stated, “It is amazing what can be accomplished when a community comes together and shines a spotlight on important causes.”  He went on to add, “Christine and Michael Tiedemann are among Garden City’s most philanthropic couples and are truly deserving of this important recognition. Their passion for supporting groundbreaking research and providing resources to those affected by Type 1 Diabetes is an inspiration to us all—and it’s what brings us together tonight. ”

Farkas introduced GCRE’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee Members as the Hosts of the evening’s festivities and took a moment to recognize the dedicated individuals who helped make the night possible including Mr. Frank Liantonio, Trustee and Co-Chair of the Gala Committee, Ms. Lauren Scarantino, Trustee and Co-Chair of the Gala Committee, Ms. Tiffany Rufrano, Executive Committee Member and Community Liaison, Mr. Salvatore Ciaravino, Trustee, and Chairperson of the Membership Committee, Mr. Gary Rufrano, Trustee and Treasurer, Mr. Brad Wolk, Executive Committee Member and Special Events Coordinator, Ms. Linda O’Connor, Executive Member of the Gala Committee.  He also thanked the GCRE Foundation Members whose support, dedication, and generosity help raise significant funds year over for so many incredible causes.   The program continued with heartfelt remarks from Michael and Christine Tiedemann, who expressed their gratitude to the crowd and highlighted the remarkable progress Breakthrough T1-D has made over the past decade—including Project ACT (Accelerate Cell Therapies), Stem Cell-Derived Islets, and advancements in Protection of Transplanted Islets.

Over the years, GCRE has proudly supported numerous impactful organizations, including NYU Langone Children’s Cancer Center, Charlie’s Champions Foundation, I’m Not Done Yet Foundation, For All Who Fight Foundation, The Molly Biggane Foundation, The INN, Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation, and Autism’s Spelling to Communicate, among many others.

For more information about the Garden City Real Estate Professionals Foundation (GCRE), please visit www.gcrepf.org or contact Joseph Farkas at www.metropolitanra.com.  To learn more about this year’s spotlight charity, Breakthrough T1-D, please visit www.breakthrought1d.org