The Annual Special Strokes for Special Folks Golf Outing Celebrates its 19th Year of Success

On August 19, 2008, A Very Special Place held its 19th Annual Special Strokes for Special Folks Golf Outing. The weather was sunny and breezy, and the spirits were high as everyone showed their support for AVSP’s mission. The entire day was a culmination of the generosity and dedication of our many sponsors, golf committee members, golfers, dinner guests, volunteers, and in-kind donors. Our thanks to our Title Sponsor, Northfield Bank Foundation, and Presenting Sponsor, American Golf Corporation for their support.

The event was a full day of activity with morning golf beginning with breakfast, then tee off at 7:00 am. Lunch on the patio was served for both morning and afternoon players, and was followed by the afternoon shotgun at 1:00 pm. Cocktail hour began at 6:30 pm, and dinner was held inside the country club with the Lexus Champions for Charity live auction, silent auction, golfer’s raffles, event raffle, and prizes were awarded for several categories based on the scores of both the AM and the PM golfers.

Our Golf Committee worked hard this year to organize the Outing. We would like to acknowledge the following members of AVSP’s Golf Committee: Tom Barber, Tom Blancero, Kevin Hunt (Chairman), Steven Callan, Marty and Barbara Casey, Lee Coscia, Gus DiLeo, Michael Gutierrez, Damien Kane, Phil Maguire, Ted Maloy, Steve Marini, Richard Marzo, Tom McCauley, Terry McCormick, Clare Rich, Helen Sangiorgio, Joseph Scamardella, Sam and Arlene Scollar, Marion Tasso, Richard Travers, Dan and MaryAnn Weibel, Dan Wheeler, and Ginger Yannotta.

Thank you to all who have made this event possible. It is through your efforts that we are able to continue to provide a wider range of programs and services for the 1,600 Staten Islanders with developmental disabilities that we serve.

Kevin Hunt, Golf Committee Chairman, Diane Buglioli, Deputy Executive Director, and Genevieve Benoit, Executive Director give a commemorative framed #2 Pin Flag to Diane Senerchia, of Northfield Bank Foundation,
Title Sponsor of the Event.

Kevin Hunt, Diane Buglioli, and Genevieve Benoit give a commemorative framed #19 Pin Flag to Steve Marini of American Golf Corporation,
Presenting Sponsor of the Event.

In the News…
Pathmark Helping Hands
and you too can lend a helping hand!!

A Very Special Place, Inc. has partnered with Pathmark for “Helping Hands In The Community.” Recycle your plastic bottles, glass, and cans at any participating New York Pathmark and it can benefit AVSP.

Just simply take your redeemable cans, glass and plastic bottles to the recycling machines at the store. After entering your returnable items into the machine, take your receipt to the Instadeem kiosk at Pathmark and select A Very Special Place, Inc. as the organization you wish to donate to. You will receive a receipt for your donation from Pathmark. AVSP will receive monthly checks from Pathmark through your donation.

Thanks to Pathmark your efforts will be twofold because not only will you be helping our organization but you will also be helping our earth by recycling!! Giving back to the community has always been one of Pathmark’s main goals with its sponsorship of local charity events; you too can support us year round through Pathmark.

To receive more information on Helping Hands in the Community, please contact our Development Department at (718) 987-1234.

Designate your contributions through CFC and the CMC
If you are a federal employee in Northern New Jersey and plan to participate in the upcoming 2007 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) or you are an employee of the City of New York and plan to participate in the 2007 Combined Municipal Campaign (CMC), please consider designating your contributions to AVery Special Place, Inc. For more information on these programs and to find out AVSP’s selection numbers, please contact the development department at 718-987-1234. A “Special” thank you to those who already participate in these programs with us! Your CFC and CMC contributions help support our continued efforts in empowering people with developmental disabilities to lead fuller lives.

Online Giving Made Easy!!!
A Very Special Place would like to introduce you to a new feature on our Web site—The Donate Now button through Justgive.org. JustGive is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with the charities and causes they care about and to increase overall giving. As millions of people discover every day, the Internet offers an array of incredibly helpful information, services, and tools. For nonprofit organizations, foundations, and donors, the Web is a powerful resource to be taken advantage of.

Most of us have the best intentions of doing something for charity but often hesitate because we don’t have the time, knowledge, or trust to give to a specific cause, JustGive bridges the gap between having the desire to help and actually making a difference. By donating online through JustGive, you reduce the enormous fundraising costs for charities and reduce the amount of paper waste that adds to environmental destruction. JustGive also provide you with an account of your Donation History, allowing you to keep track of your donations throughout the year—especially helpful at tax time!

JustGive also offers a variety of ways to give to AVSP through the use of the Internet. Did you know that many of the Web sites you may shop on offer percentages of your purchases to go to the charity of your choice? Just another way that AVSP can gain support by a donor doing things they do every day.

Please extend your support to our online giving through JustGive.

For more information about A Very Special Place, financial information and our Form 990 please visit www.guidestar.org. Upon registering with guidestar, agency information will be displayed.

We Will Address Your Group
Do you need a speaker to address your club or civic group? We would be happy to send an Agency representative to speak with your organization about the role we play in the community to help empower the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Call the Development Office at 718.987.1234 to arrange a speaker for your next group function.

Come and See What’s Fun to Do!
Fun to Do activities are updated monthly, so make a note to visit Consumers Corner regularly and see what fun we have in store for you!