Bethpage, NY - November 19, 2015 - Bethpage-headquartered Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities (ACLD) recently honored Summit Manufacturing of Bay Shore and Splashes of Hope of Huntington for their support of the nonprofit agency and the individuals it serves during ACLD’s 2015 Enviable Life Ball held at Oheka Castle in Huntington. This year’s gala raised nearly $250,000 benefiting ACLD, a leading Long Island-based not-for-profit agency devoted to providing opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities, autism and other developmental disabilities to pursue enviable lives, increase independence and foster supportive relationships within the community.
Summit Manufacturing, a leader in the retail fixtures and display industry, was presented the Corporate Leadership Award in recognition of its position as a leading employer in ACLD’s Vocational Program. Awards were presented to Summit Manufacturing President Louis Marinello of Sommerville, Massachusetts as well as Partners Richard Rickman Fort Lee, New Jersey and Arthur Landi of Greenwich, Connecticut.
“Our goal for 2016 is to really spread the word about ACLD with the vendors we do business with,” Mr. Marinello said. “We’re going to start to educate them on ACLD’s incredible program, and I’m hoping next year one of our vendors is here to receive the 2016 Leadership Award.”
“Summit Manufacturing has learned that our individuals make great employees and are dedicated to its mission,” said Joseph J. Ortego, president of ACLD’s Board of Trustees. “We are honored to recognize Summit Manufacturing as a local business who’s giving back to our organization.”
Splashes of Hope, a non-profit organization, received the Humanitarian Award for continuing to bring smiles to the faces of patients, students, staff and visitors at medical and social service facilities by creating art that transforms spaces, enriches environments and facilitates healing. The award was accepted by Splashes of Hope Founder Heather Buggée, also of Huntington, who unveiled a new mural created for ACLD that will be on display at ACLD’s Kramer Learning Center in Bay Shore, NY.
The Enviable Life Ball also featured the debut of a new video from Producer/Director Katie Dellamaggiore about ACLD and its work. Carmen Pumo, one of the individuals featured in the video, thanked Ms. Dellamaggiore on behalf of ACLD and all those it supports.
NBC 4 New York Traffic Reporter Lauren Scala served as emcee for the Enviable Life Ball, and music was provided by That 70’s Band and Bethpage High School Jazz Combo. Fashions for Summit Manufacturing employees supported by ACLD were provided by Flair Designer Boutique and Men’s Wearhouse.
“Helping others is what ACLD is all about,” Robert C. Goldsmith, executive director of ACLD, told an audience of more than 340 people who helped raise $250,000 benefiting ACLD. “This is where we make a difference.”
Major sponsors for ACLD’s largest event of the year included Platinum Sponsor ($25,000) Comcast-NBC-Universal; Sapphire Sponsors ($20,000) Heffernan Insurance Brokers and Carol Lever and Roy Grover; Gold Sponsors ($10,000) Alan and Ellen Spiegel and Summit Manufacturing; and Bronze Sponsors ($5,000) The Ferrara Family Limited Partnership, The Irwin Siegel Agency, Inc., Moritt Hock and Hamroff, LLP, The Patel Family, Susan Sha, TD Bank and Valley National Bank.
Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, Inc. (ACLD) was founded in 1957. The 501(c)(3), not-for-profit agency serves the needs of more than 3,000 children, teens and adults with learning disabilities, autism and other developmental disabilities, and provides support for their families. ACLD's mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to pursue enviable lives, increase their independence and improve the quality of their lives within the community. ACLD employs more than 1,100 people and operates 77 different program sites including group homes and apartment programs across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Service programs include early childhood services, day habilitation, residential alternatives, vocational training and job placement, recreation programs, respite, family support services, Medicaid service coordination, and medical and behavioral health services.
Pictured: (left to right) ACLD Executive Director Robert C. Goldsmith, Splashes of Hope Founder and Executive Director Heather Buggée, Summit Manufacturing Partners Richard Rickman and Arthur Landi, NBC 4 New York’s Lauren Scala, Summit Manufacturing President Louis Marinello, and ACLD Board of Trustees President Joseph Ortego are all smiles at ACLD’s 2015 Enviable Life Ball held at Oheka Castle in Huntington, which honored Summit Manufacturing of Bay Shore and Splashes of Hope of Huntington while raising nearly $250,000 benefiting ACLD and its programs serving children and adults with learning and developmental disabilities.
