Heather Dall’Aste, Development Manager, CCFK, Luke Schmitt, Charlies Champions, Frank Liantonio, Trustee, V.P., Chairman Charitable Events Committee, GCRE, Dr. Mark Weinblatt, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, CCFK, Lauren Scarantino, Executive Committee Member and Co-Chair Charitable Events Committee, GCRE, Joseph A. Farkas, Founding Trustee and President, GCRE, Timothy John (TJ) Schmitt, Charlies Champions, Brian Pinnola, V.P., Head of Community Affairs, GCRE. (photo credit Ande Giaraputo)
Not pictured Sal Ciaravino, Trustee, Secretary and Chairman of Membership, GCRE, Gary Rufrano, Trustee, Treasurer, GCRE, and Amanda Kinney, Executive Committee Member and Co-Chair Charitable Events Committee
The Garden City Real Estate Professionals Foundation (GCRE) presented a check in the amount of $8,500 to the Charlie’s Champions Foundation to support their ongoing efforts to raise awareness and funding to benefit the NYU Langone Cancer Center for Kids – Mineola. Charlie’s Champions was founded by Tara and John Schmitt of Garden City in honor of their son Charlie who successfully won his battle against lymphomic leukemia through his treatment and support provided by the Cancer Center for Kids.
“GCRE’s donation will be used to specifically fund Charlies Champion’s Holiday Project 2021, a program that provides teen patients at the Cancer Center with gift cards during the holiday season,” said Joe Farkas, President and Founding Trustee of GCRE. He noted that, “The Schmitt’s are a great Garden City family whose philanthropic efforts on behalf of all children requiring special treatment by the hospital must be supported especially during this special time of the year.” Anyone who would like to donate funds to Charlie’s Champions Holiday Project may visit the project website at
nyulangone.org/give/fundraise/team-campaigns/schmitt or contact go to
www.gcrepf.org and donate through GCRE.
Earlier this year, GCRE raised $140,000 for the Molly Biggane Fund at their annual Cocktails for a Cause Gala successfully held in person at the Garden City Country Club on October 22, 2021. Details for the 2022 Cocktails for a Cause Gala will be released shortly.
GCRE funds holiday gifts for cancer center kids – Garden City News (gcnews.com)