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28th ANNUAL
GALA OF THE NEW YORK POLICE AND FIRE
WIDOWS’ AND
CHILDREN’S BENEFIT FUND
Inspiring Hope in
New York City
The New
York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund celebrated
its 28th Annual
Gala at The Waldorf Astoria. The gala raised over $2.4
million with 800 guests in attendance. Honorees for the
evening included Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg who
received a Special
Civic Leadership Award and NYSE
Euronext
and its Fallen Heroes Fund.
Line-Up of
Stars in attendance included:
Police
Commissioner Raymond Kelly… Fire Commissioner Salvatore
Cassano… Superintendent of PAPD Michael Fedorko…Benefit Fund
Founder Rusty Staub…Benefit Fund Board Member Mark Messier… Honorary
Chairs Al Roker, Deborah Roberts and Gloria Reuben… Stephen
J. Dannhauser, Chairman, New York Police and Fire Widows’
and Children’s Benefit Fund.
Live
Performances by Actress
and Singer Gloria Reuben and Amanda Lupo, granddaughter of a
fallen NYPD Police Officer, who sang the National Anthem…Colorguard
and Bagpipers of the NYPD, FDNY and PAPD entered the gala
with a
moving procession.
Highlighting the
evening was a special reading of a letter to her father by
Brielle Bellew, daughter of FDNY Firefighter John Bellew who
died in the line of duty in 2005.
Once-in-a-lifetime New York City auction items included:
Commissioner of
the New York City Fire Department, Salvatore Cassano,
provided guests with a ride with FDNY Marine Operations on
the “Three Forty Three” Fireboat, named in memory of the 343
members of the FDNY that perished on 9/11, it is the
country’s largest fireboat. The members of Marine 1 give a
scenic tour of the New York Harbor followed by lunch at the
Marine 1 headquarters.
This experience
raised $40,000. (2 winners)
Commissioner of
the New York City Police Department, Raymond Kelly, provided
a tour with New York’s Finest including an inside look at
the Crime Scene Unit, Firearms & Tactics Division, Bomb
Squad and Firearms Analysis Unit. This firsthand experience
included training like an NYPD Cadet with New York’s
Finest.
This experience
raised $21,500.
Superintendent of
the PAPD, Michael Fedorko, provided an insider’s look at
history from inside WTC1. Guests experience the courage
required for rebuilding downtown and share this massive
project previously viewed by Heads of State, along with a
tour of the National September 11th Museum
and Memorial and lunch with the
PAPD Superintendent.
This experience
raised $14,000.
New York Police
and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund
The New York
Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund provides
assistance to the families of New York City Police Officers,
Fire Fighters, Port Authority Police and EMS Personnel who
have been killed in the line of duty. Since its inception
in 1985 by Daniel J. “Rusty” Staub, the charity has
distributed over $126 million to hundreds
of families.
The Benefit Fund
provides immediate and ongoing financial assistance in the
form of annual distributions to grieving families after they
lose their loved one. In addition, the Benefit Fund
provides an ongoing network of support and gatherings for
these families to cope and connect after such tragedy. The
Benefit Fund currently serves over 600 families, and the
goal is to raise enough funds to provide meaningful annual
distributions to beneficiaries for the remainder of their
lives.
Please visit
www.answerthecall.org
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