Long Islanders Attend The 4th Annual PinkTie.org Event at Crest Hollow Country Club

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Woodbury, NY – Almost three thousand Long Islanders attended the 4th Annual PinkTie.org Event at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Pink Tie was founded on the idea of bringing sports, networking and charity together; creating an atmosphere of excitement where people can meet and do business all the while coming together for a great cause.

After the success of their first two annual events, Pink Tie decided to launch a new initiative, PinkTie1000. PinkTie1000 is a 100% pass through organization, with the mission to compel 1,000 professionals to commit to contributing $100/quarter ($400 per year). In turn they will collectively cut a $100,000 check to local charities each quarter.

Long Beach Film Festival Founder Ingrid Dodd and Cognac pose for a photo-op.

PinkTie1000’s core mission is to benefit local organizations, nationwide, in the communities that they serve. Pinktie 1000 is predominately volunteer with zero-to-minimal overhead expenses and administrative fees.

This year’s beneficiary is The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation. The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation has been recognized as the premier organization dedicated to research, education, fellowship and patient care in the fields of oncology and hematology in the Long Island/Tri-State area. The Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation is committed to the ultimate goal of eradicating cancer through the research programs it supports. But they also recognize that cancer has a very human face. As a result, 40% of the Foundation’s budget is dedicated to patient care at their four Don Monti Cancer Centers, including the Don Monti Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit at North Shore University Hospital. For more information please visit donmontifoundation.org.

Pinktie.org Co-Founder Rich Cave and Cognac.

This year musical performance featured Michael DelGuidice & Big Shot – celebrating the Music of Billy Joel. Past PinkTie.org Events have included sports athletes Jim Leyritz, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Walter “Clyde” Frazier, Otis “OJ” Anderson, Joe Klecko, Renaldo Snipes, Greg Buttle, Bobby Nystrom, Wesley Walker, Kevin Plawecki, Cecil Fielder, Jeff Beukeboom, Eric Anderson, Ed Kranepool, Buddy Harrelson, Erik Coleman, Brent Sopel and Gary Sheffield

During the gala I was fortunate to speak to Co-founder Rich Cave of Pink Tie.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at the Pink Tie gala and I am here with one of the founders or rather should I say the brother of the founder. He is going to tell us what this organization is really all about. Introduce yourself to the camera.

Rich Cave: Sure, I am Rich Cave. My brother Mike Cave founded Pink Tie and I have been blessed to work alongside of him for all these years and grow this from just a startup type of event to what it has become today. It’s really unlike anything else that Long Island has seen. It’s not your average sit down dinner with honorees and awards. It really is experiential. It allows our sponsors to interact with the guests.

Pinktie.org Co-Founder Rich Cave and Cognac.

Yes I see that and I have been having a spectacular time. There is fireworks, there is music, there is an Olympic size built in swimming pool with fireworks behind us…more importantly it’s about this wonderful organization. Tell my audience the history of this wonderful organization.

Rich: Our beneficiary this year is Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation. They have been around forty-three years fighting the fight against Cancer here on Long Island.. .really leading the way in the form of research with Cold Spring Laboratories and treatment and North Shore LIJ and North Well Health Group. We could not ask for a better beneficiary. As a young organization the credibility the organization give us is tremendous.

It’s amazing the work that you people do, you are all so dedicated with this fundraiser. How many people are here tonight?

Teresa Steinberg, Cognac Wellerlane and Jennifer Ravell pose for a photo-op at the Pink Tie Gala.

Rich: Close to 3,000 people here tonight.

Wow 3,000 people… oh my God. That is amazing.

Rich: It’s a very humbling experience.

It is a very humbling experience. I wore my pink tie as you can see and you have your pink tie on. I want you to tell my audience where we can go to find out more information. What is the website?

Rich: The website is PinkTie.org. You can go there and find out more upcoming events. Really the message and the premise of this organization is growing your business by giving back. We are trying to convince other Long Island businesses to look at the dollars they are spending marketing wise, look at the dollars they are spending philanthropically and making sure it goes to the right cause.

Pinktie.org event Publisher Paul Anthony of Affluent New York Magazine and Cognac.

Let me ask you something, your brother… what was the story… his family… his wife… did she suffer from breast cancer?

Rich: No actually our aunt my mom’s younger sister died of breast cancer at forty-nine years old. At the time she had six children, none of them had even graduated high school yet, so it was a traumatic experience for our family and it really made us wake up to wanting to take this large number that we have grown into to give back.

One more time, what is the website?

Rich: PinkTie.org.

Reporter Elisa DeStefano and Cognac.

PinkTie.org has become the backbone of Long Island’s fastest-growing philanthropy movement – a collaborative “go-giving” effort uniting Long Island’s socially conscious professionals to make a difference in their community. Last year’s Event raised $300,000 for the Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation and hosted to over 2000 guests. This year attendance is expected to once again raise a monumental amount of funds for the Don Monti Foundation, the leader in cancer research on Long Island for over 40 years. 100% of funds raised will go to the cancer cause!

Decorative Hats Abound at the SSMAC 7th Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch

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Ladies and Gents in their finest attire, hats and bow ties, gathered at the SSMAC’s 7th Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch to support The Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, Coast Guard and Airmen’s Club.

The Junior Committee of the Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, Coast Guard & Airmen’s Club (SSMAC) cordially invited all to attend its Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch and Viewing Party with the addition of the celebration of the America’s Cup races at their headquarters location on Lexington Avenue.


Devin Markowitz with Cognac

Each year the event includes: catered brunch and tasty desserts, open bar featuring Mint Juleps, brunch cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages and of course a viewing of the day’s America’s Cup and Kentucky Derby races.

Guest arrived wearing seersucker suits, yachting blazers, sundresses, silk cravats, bold bow ties, fascinators, sun hats and their nautical best. Supporters also enjoyed a Kentucky Derby Hat and Bow-Tie Parade for a chance to win best bow-tie (gentleman) or best hat (ladies). The horse race raffle and silent auction were equally fun!


Guests wearing their finest Hats and Fascinators

During the event I had a chance to chat with Maruschka D. Valentin, SSMAC Junior Committee Vice-President.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at the SSMAC 7th Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch and I am here with Maruschka Valentin who invited me to this event as she always does every year. This is tremendous, what an event.

Maruschka: Thank you so much Cognac. It’s so wonderful to have you here again at The Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, Coast Guard and Airmen’s Club for our 7th Annual Kentucky Derby Brunch. We are so excited with the turnout. We are expecting 150 people here at this afternoon’s event and everyone seems to be having a great time.

Well it’s a beautiful event. The hats are gorgeous, the women are beautiful, the men are adorable in their bow-ties.

Maruschka: Everyone really brings it. It just makes the event that much more because everyone puts so much effort to their clothing, hair, bow-tie choices so it really is a fun afternoon. I look forward to it every year.

Tell my audience how many years you have been supporting this event?

Maruschka: I am one of the vice presidents of the Junior Committee which is a group of young professionals and I have been involved probably about six years now with the club. We hold different events throughout the year but the Kentucky Derby is our main fundraising event. All of the proceeds goes right back to the club so they can pay for their utilities and also keep the cost low for the men and women who are staying here at the club.


Marushka Valentin with Cognac

This is for the Marines and anyone that is in the armed forces?

Maruschka: Yes, It’s for active duty, off duty, retired military also NYPD and NFDY and the club has been in operation since 1919.

Wow, that’s a long time. Now you have these other events here as well.

Maruschka: Yes

Tell my audience….in the winter time you have a Marine Ball, don’t you do that as well?

Maruschka: In October the main fundraiser for the organization is the Military Ball and each year they honor a different branch of the armed forces. So last year was an army year so I am looking forward to see who we are going to honor this year. As the Junior Committee we do other events throughout the year. We usually have a care package event about twice a year where we team up a branch that is serving overseas. We select different items, toiletries, magazines, gum, different things that they may need and we send several care packages over to them with handwritten notes by some of our members and often times we do parties with the New York Young Republicans Club as well for that event. It’s also one of my favorites and in the past we have had a Halloween party and smaller networking Happy Hours throughout the city. So we do what we can to support. The mission of the club is to serve those that serve our country.


One of our Military Service Men, Nick Youmker

You do a terrific job. You really do. I want you to tell my audience where we can go to support, participate and contribute, what is the website.

Maruschka: The website is ssmaclub.org

In 1919, Mrs. Cornelia Barnes Rogers and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. with General John J. Pershing founded The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Club. In war and peace, without any U.S. Government funding and supported solely by donations of patriotic Citizens, it has ever since been a “Home Away From Home” for over 2,500,00 men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. We have existed now for over ninety years with our warm, friendly, and safe environment providing hospitality and accommodations for 15,000 Armed Forces personnel annually.


Paul Ervin – Winner of the Bow-Tie Contest

The mission of SSMAC is “To promote the general welfare of men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States and its Allies, and their families, by maintaining and offering club and lodging rooms.”

The American Heart Association Celebrates The 53rd Annual Long Island Heart and Stroke Ball at Oheka Castle

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(Huntington, NY) Physicians, cardiologists and American Heart Association supporters gathered to celebrate the 53rd Annual Long Island Heart And Stroke Ball at Oheka Castle in Huntington on May 5, 2016

The Heart Ball and Auction is an annual social event held to recognize outstanding accomplishments of individuals and companies in the area of cardiovascular science and leadership. The evening included dinner, dancing and a silent auction which offered a bountiful assortment of generously donated items.

Former Boxer and Nuitrionist Chris Algieri with Cognac.

The evening celebrated the work, mission, donors, volunteers, and — most importantly — the lives saved and improved because of everyone’s effort associated with supporting The American Heart Association. The Heart and Stroke Ball is always an engaging evening of fun and passion bringing community and philanthropic leaders together. Last year, the Heart Ball campaign raised just over $71 million nation-wide allowing the organization to fund life-saving research and prevention programs in our community and across the country.

The American Heart Association’s mission is building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. This year 2016 Event Chair was Mr. Philip H. Wachtler from Wahtler Knopf Equities. The 2016 Vice Chair was Adam Silvers, Esq, Managing Partner of Ruskin, Moscou, Faltischek, P.C.

The evening’s honorees included 2016 Cardiovascular Science Award Recipient: Dr. Harold A. Fernandez, Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery of Southside Hospital Northwell Health and 2016 Corporate Leadership Honoree Monte N. Redman, President & CEO of Astoria Financial Corporation and Astoria Bank.

Michele Gevat with Cognac.

Dr. Harold Fernandez’ epic journey brought him from the turbulent violence and drug wars of Medellín, Colombia, to the charm and beauty of the mythic classrooms, libraries, and laboratories of Princeton University and Harvard Medical School. On his way to fulfilling his childhood dream of helping others, he endured many struggles. His is a story of inexhaustible love, unfailing determination and human compassion. It shows that in America all dreams are possible.

During the evening I interviewed the honorees including 2016 Cardiovascular Science Award Recipient: Dr. Harold A. Fernandez, Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery of Southside Hospital. He expressed his gratitude and revealed the importance of exercise and diet to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at the 53rd Annual Long Island Heart Ball and I am here with Dr. Harold Fernandez. He is one of the honorees here tonight. Can you tell my audience about the award you are receiving tonight.

Dr. Harold Fernandez: This award is the Cardiovascular Science Award. It really means a lot to me because it comes from the American Heart Association. The American Heart Association does a lot of work to really work on diagnosing, preventing and treating heart disease which is what I do as a cardiovascular surgeon. I am the Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery of Southside Hospital so it is really an honor for me to be getting this award tonight.

Now there is an interesting story, it sought of is a wonderful story. It is a dream come true for you here in American for you to be receiving this award, am I correct in saying that?

Dr. Fernandez: That is correct in fact you know it is special because I am here with my parents and my family. My story and my dream of helping other people through medicine was made possible by the fact that I had this chance to come to America. I lived here without documents for many years and I came here in a small boat that came through the Bermuda Triangle.

Wow, and you are from Columbia?

Dr. Fernandez: From Columbia, yes, so I risked my life but I did it for the opportunity to really be in a country where dreams are possible.

And they are, most certainly they are many people have had their dreams come true right here in the good old USA.

Dr. Fernandez: That’s right, in fact I told my son and my daughter all the time that I came here before they build a wall around the United States.

Long Island Heart Ball Honoree Dr. Harold Fernandez with Cognac.

That could happen. Tell my audience as a doctor, as a renowned cardiologist, what should we all do to prevent heart disease? What kind of foods should we eat, what kind of diet should we have, what kind of exercise… what is so vital for us staying alive and not getting heart disease?

Dr. Fernandez: I try to make it simple for my patients. I give them three pieces of advice. The first one is to stay active meaning three or four times a week they should cardiovascular exercise meaning fast walking, may be treadmill, jogging, swimming… keep a really close eye on the weight. Initially I tell them not to concentrate on losing weight but to really concentrate on not gaining weight and the third one is to really watch what they eat particularly avoiding saturated fats and really having a mixed diet. I tell them to keep a notebook where they write down things because a lot of times it is easy to forget what we do and what we don’t do and that way they can sought of look at their notes at the end of the month and see if they are actually doing the exercise and watching their weight.

Is bicycle riding, is that good exercise?

Dr. Fernandez: Excellent.

You know I am a cancer survivor. I had breast cancer so now I try to eat only vegetables and beans.

Dr. Fernandez: There is a video on the Internet called “The Last Heart Attack.” I tell all my patients to watch. It really tells the importance of what we should eat in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Long Island Heart Ball honorees.

Tell my audience where we can all go to prevent heart disease and to find out more information? What is the website of the American Heart Association?

Dr. Fernandez: They can just look up the American Heart Association on any search engine and it will bring you to the American Heart Association Website.

Which is Heart.org?

Dr. Fernandez: That’s right.

I also had the opportunity to speak to 2016 Corporate Leadership Honoree Monte N. Redman, President & CEO of Astoria Financial Corporation and Astoria Bank

Long Island Heart Ball Honoree Monte Redman with Cognac.

Cognac: Tell my audience about this award you are receiving tonight, what does it mean to you?

Mr. Monte Redman: Well it is a very special honor because it represents all 1,500 employees of Astoria Bank. Astoria Bank has been doing this for a number of years… helping AHA by raising funds to do all the things they have to do. We are involved with the “Heart Walk.” We have over one hundred employees walking for funds to support AHA and actually Astoria Bank is in the top corporate sponsor of “Go Red.” We have fundraising at our corporate headquarters and we also do it at the branches. This honor for me is representation of all 1,500 Astoria Bank employees who work very hard for AHA because it is a great organization.

Monte N. Redman is proud to be a part of Astoria Bank’s longstanding commitment to fighting heart disease and its ongoing support for the American Heart Association. As a leading corporate fundraiser for Go Red for Women and a dedicated sponsor and participant in the Long Island Heart Walk, Astoria Bank is passionate about its role in promoting heart healthy living throughout the communities it serves.

Singer Amber Ferrari Performs At The Patchogue Theatre For Her Material Girl Concert

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(Patchogue, NY) Singer, songwriter Amber Ferrari dazzled the audience and lit up the stage like a cosmic star performing her special rendition of Madonna’s Material Girl at the newly renovated Patchogue Theatre this past Saturday, April 30, 2016.

Long Island native Amber Ferrari is a recording artist, musician and actress who takes the stage by storm and her performances astound even the most energized entertainer. Amber electrifies the crowd and dance floors wherever she performs! Ferrari packs an exhilarating and emotional punch into every live performance with covers of Melissa Etheridge, Heart, Janis Joplin and more, as well as her own phenomenal original songs. Her many fans delight knowing that no two shows are ever the same!

Renowned for her distinguished Show “Joplin’s Pearl”, Amber continues to electrify the stage. During the first half of her show she performs the music of some of her favorite artists like Melissa Etheridge, Heart, Pat Benatar, Jefferson Airplane and others (as well as her original music)! The second half of her show is dedicated to the greatest rocker of them all, the legendary Janis Joplin. When she steps out on stage dressed as Janis herself and begins to sing you will feel as if you stepped back in time. With complete command of their styles and with authenticity of the music, even the original artists would find Amber Ferrari and her powerful band a “must-see!”

Amber Ferrari’s new show “Material Girl” which premiered this past Saturday, April 30th, was Exhilarating! During the 1st half of the show, by popular demand, Amber performed some of her favorites, as well as her original music. The second part of the show brought audiences back to the 80’s with the Icon Madonna and the hits that got ya’ dancin’ like “Vogue” and “Holiday.”

Before her performance I sat down backstage with Amber Ferrari as she conveyed her excitement about the show and the release of her new CD “Where Your Wishes Fly.”

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here with Amber Ferrari and she is going to be in concert with the Material Girl and today is releasing a fabulous new CD. Amazing how exciting for you to be opening up right here at the Patchogue Theatre.

Amber: It’s very exciting.

Tell my audience… you started out doing this with Janis Joplin and Melissa Ethridge and now the Material Girl… now you are doing it with Madonna. Tell my audience what inspired you to do a whole show about the Material Girl?

Amber: Well it is actually the second half of the show that is dedicated to Madonna and growing up I used to listen to Madonna all the time in the 80’s… I love her music so I thought it would be a really be a really fun show to put together, and I did and we are doing it at the Patchogue Theatre, and I am very excited!

We are sitting here amongst all these fabulous costumes. How many costumes changes are you going to be doing this evening?

Amber: In set we are going to do a mixture of Journey, Pat Benatar, Heart, Adele, The Who, Aerosmith, The Eurythmics and a few of my originals from the new CD that was released today. I have five costumes and for the Madonna set I believe I have a total of seven costumes.

Actress Helen Proimos, Singer Amber Ferrari, and Cognac.

Seven costumes, oh my God. Can you tell us a little bit about the costumes.

Amber: Well for the first half of the show the costumes… I basically selected something that I envisioned that fits the style of music that I am performing. Some of them I had made from a design that I had in my head. Others I found in stores and altered them to my liking. For the Madonna set I had a few things made that matched her, especially The Material Girl Gown that she wore in the video from Material Girl.

Oh my God that is amazing. Now tell my audience what inspired you to be an entertainer, a performance artist?

Amber: My parents told me I was singing before I could talk and I have always loved music. I also played violin through school and high school. I just love music so I think it was something I was born with and it is in my blood. My father is a drummer and my father is performing with me tonight. My mom use to play the clarinet and sang. She did all the school musicals. It is in my blood.

What was it about Janis Joplin that you wanted to emulate?

Amber: Well Janice… do a Janis show came up… I was asked to be in a show called “Woodstock Mania,” Woodstock Theater in Theater 3 years back. I believe it was in 2006, 2005 even and I didn’t think I could sing Janis Joplin’s music–not a rock and roll voice–I didn’t think I was. I was trained classically as a teenager for a year and a half and I was assured by the musical director of Theater 3 who was also a vocal coach of mine she thought I could do it. So I said “Alright if I can do it I will do it but if I sound terrible I want you to pull me from the show,” and I did it and I ended up getting two show stopping standing ovations after “Piece of My Heart,” and I said I have to do something with this. The show “Joplin’s Pearl” was born from that. My next “Joplin’s Pearl” will be here at the Patchogue Theatre on October 8th.

Yes, I heard how exciting and now you are doing Madonna, the Material Girl.

Amber: Two totally different genres.

Did you ever… of course you could never meet Janis Joplin unfortunately she passed away so many years ago but did you ever meet Madonna personally?

Amber: No I haven’t. I have seen her in concert.

But you have never met her.

Amber: No, never met her.

Wow, well we have to make that happen, don’t we.

Amber: That would be… I have no words… that would be amazing.

You know you look a little bit like her. Do people tell you that?

Amber: No actually they haven’t but that is a huge honor because she is a beautiful woman so thank you.

She certainly is. She is very beautiful and how exciting about this particular CD. Tell my audience about this CD what are we going to be hearing.

Singer Amber Ferrari and Cognac Singer Amber Ferrari and Cognac.

Amber: The CD is entitled “Where Your Wishes Fly,” which is the second track on the CD, it is a ballad. It’s a song–I wrote everything with my husband who is my guitarist, Chris Ferrari–it’s a song about people just getting through everyday life and you know sometimes wanting to leave their 9 to 5 jobs and just dreaming. It’s about people living in other people’s dreams and being where other people’s wishes fly. The lead off track on the CD is called “My Name is (Karma)” and it talks about karma. If you give good karma you get back good karma. If you give bad karma then bad karma is coming back.

That is true, I tell people that all the time. If you put something negative out in the universe something negative is going to come back to you.

Amber: Absolutely that is what that song is about. The third song on the track is called “Dreamin’,” that’s great. It’s a rock-dance tune. “Karma” is a heavy rock song. After that there is a song entitled “Long Way” that’s mid tempo rock tune followed by “Can’t Explain” which is a punk rock song and then we put a bonus track on there which is a single that we released last year… gee… it’s like, I don’t know how to describe it–Latin dance rock tune. It’s called “Plastic Passes.”

Well I can’t wait to listen to this music. I want you to tell my audience now that I am talking to you at the Patchogue Theatre… you must have a favorite tune… you must have something favorite that you have sung… some Madonna classic that you really love the most?

Amber: I would have to say my favorite is “Vogue.”

Really, what is it about “Vogue?”

Amber: It is really 1990 but I get away with it because it is so close. I don’t know I just like everything about it. There are so many different parts to it.

We are going to hear that tonight?

Amber: Absolutely.

Where can we go to find out more information about your sexy self?

Amber: You can go to my website AmberFerrari.com and on the website are all my links… Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. etc. Thank you so much, Cognac. You’re wonderful for being here tonight.

I also had a chance to chat with Comedian Ike Avellli who opened the concert and introduced Amber.

Comic Ike Avelli, Publicist Bernie Fabig, and Cognac.

Ike Avelli began his career in 2009 as a last minute fill-in at a Christmas Party doing Stand Up comedy. The sound of laughter sealed the deal, and he would continue to write and perform his own material.
To find out more info please visit his website at IkeAvelli.net.

Gold Coast Bank Sponsors Reception Honoring Dr. Yacov Shamash, VP of Economic Development at SBU

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(East Setauket, NY) The North Shore community gathered together and joined the Time Beacon Record Newspapers Networking Event and Reception honoring Dr. Yacov Shamash Vice President of Economic Development at Stony Brook University on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at the Gold Coast Bank in East Setauket, New York.

John C. Tsunis, Esq., Chairman, founder and CEO of Gold Coast Bank was present to introduce notable elected officials and helped in presenting the various citations and awards to Dr. Shamash. Mr. Tsunis founded the law firm of Tsunis Gasparis Lustig Ring & Kenney, LLP, served as Managing Partner through October of 2014 and remains Special Counsel. Additionally, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Long Island Hotels LLC. Among many philanthropic endeavors.

Gold Coast members present award to Dr. Yacov Shamash.

Dr. Shamash is Vice President for Economic Development and Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University. As Vice President, a position he has held since 2000, Dr. Shamash supervises the University’s three incubators, two New York State Centers for Advanced Technology, the NYS Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), the Small Business Development Center, and the workforce development programs of the Center for Emerging Technologies. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences has over 1,500 undergraduate and 900 graduate students. In 1994 he led the effort by SUNY’s engineering schools to create the highly successful state-wide SPIR program (Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence). During the past ten years, working through the SPIR program, the College has partnered with more than 220 companies to assist them with more than 1,150 projects.

Gold Coast Bank Manager Olga Prado Belleau with Cognac.

Dr. Shamash is a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Island Software & Technology Network (LISTnet) and the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT). He serves on the boards of Keytronic, American Medical Alert, Netsmart Technologies, and Invision.com. Prior to joining Stony Brook, Dr. Shamash served as Director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University and was responsible for the establishment of a National Science Foundation Industry/University Center for the Design of Analog/Digital Integrated Circuits. He has held faculty positions at Florida Atlantic University, the University of Pennsylvania and Tel Aviv University. A Fellow of the IEEE, he received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, England, and has authored more than 130 publications.

Before the award and citation was presented, I sat down with Dr. Yacov Shamash and he expressed his appreciation.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and we are here at the Gold Coast Bank in Setauket, New York right here on 25A on the North Shore and I am here with Dr. Yakov Shamash, Vice President of Economic Development of Stonybrook University and he is receiving a very wonderful award. I would like to ask you Dr. Dr. Shamash what does this award mean to you?

Dr. Shamash: Well it means a lot… recognition by the business community here on Long Island and in the area… recognition by the bank which is very much appreciated.

There are so many people here tonight that are so happy that you are receiving this award. Can you tell my audience a little bit about this award what it means?

Dr. Shamash: It means a lot to me because a lot of the people that are here… we have worked with over the years. I have been on Long Island for the past twenty five years. I have been working with some of the people that I have seen outside. It brings back great memories but more importantly it is companies that we have worked with that we have helped and they have helped us over the years. These are great partnerships and I very much appreciate the bank doing this because it brings people together and that is very important. This is a community bank and that is what they are trying to do.

Tell my audience exactly what you do for those out there who are unaware.

Dr. Shamash: What we try to do is bring the resources of the University to work with companies, partner with companies to try and promote development of new products We try to help them obtain federal funding to support their work and that we have been doing for many, many years and we will continue to do that.

Cognac Interviews Dr. Shamash Cognac Interviews Dr. Shamash.

Do you have any specific goals for the year coming up for 2016… of course the year is almost half gone. We are half way through it.

Dr. Shamash: Yes we are half way through it. I am looking forward to continuing doing what we are doing. I am looking forward to working with the bank to try and develop relationships between the companies and promote economic growth for Long Island. That is very important to us because in the end we need to create jobs on Long Island. We need to keep the jobs that we have and by working all together leveraging each others resources we can really make things happen.

Absolutely and you know of course that is what Long Island Media is all about. Longisland.com partners with many companies and organizations right here on Long Island. We are a Long Island based website. We are very popular. We are the third most viewed website on Long Island. Can you tell my audience we can go to find our more information about Stonybrook University.

Dr. Shamash: You can certainly go to the website–StonyBrook.edu– and you will see everything about the university: the academic programs and the research programs and all kinds of things that you would want to know about Stony Brook. There is a section also for economic development. There are many programs that we have in economic development. This is an area of the University that helps companies in multiple ways.

My goodness that is wonderful. How many programs do you have at Stony Brook?

Dr. Shamash: We probably have about sixty, seventy undergraduate programs… I don’t know the number exactly but if you add up the masters and PhD’s we probably have a couple of hundred programs.

Cognac Interviews Jim Johnis Cognac Interviews Jim Johnis.

The event was sponsored by the Gold Coast Bank. All banks are not the same although they may initially appear to be. At Gold Coast Bank you’ll experience the difference as soon as you walk through one of our doors. Through their desire to know and understand your business they are readily equipped to respond to your needs: from cash management to credit lines and loans to merchant and payroll services – all of these and more can be scaled to fit your needs as a business on Long Island.

For more information please visit GoldCoastBankNY.com.

Strawberry Fields Performs Their “Beatles Brunch” for Seventeen Years at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill

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In 1964, the first US arrival of four lads from Liverpool changed the course of music history, as well as world history – forever! Their mere presence in a room made adolescent hearts throb and traffic jam for hours in every major city they toured. We are talking about none other than The Beatles, whose contribution to music defined an era. They affected every area of life including fashion, hairstyles, politics, protests, war, religion, and yes, peace and love.

Most of us never got to see the Beatles in-person because we either couldn’t afford to buy tickets, or were just too young to stay out past 8 PM, but we were able to cling to an old album cover or photograph, hoping one day to catch a real glimpse of the Fab Four. Well, today, “Strawberry Fields” is here, a look-alike, sound-alike Beatles tribute, dedicated to bringing you, the audience, as close to a real Beatles concert as you can get. The band features true look-alike performers, handpicked from hundreds of auditionees, who speak in Liverpudlian accents and play on the vintage musical instruments that Beatles fans have come to recognize.

Strawberry Fields at B.B. King’s.

“Strawberry Fields” will take you on a Magical Mystery Tour through the 1960s beginning with the year 1964 – complete with mop top hair, black suits and thin ties – and through the first four albums of great songs. The next stop is 1967, featuring the psychedelic era of the “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album – with all of the costumes and jackets featured on the album cover, and singing all of your groovy favorites. Their last musical visit is to a place where their hair got longer and their music more politically involved, featuring music from the “White Album,” “Abbey Road,” and “Let It Be.”

“Strawberry Fields” has been performing to audiences of all ages for over a decade and in the past has shared the stage with featured guests from the Broadway cast of “Beatlemania;” Steve Holly, drummer for Paul McCartney who was featured on his second solo album, “Back To The Egg;” Billy J. Kramer (one of Brian Epstein’s original British Invasion stars); Tony Sheridan, who recorded an entire album with The Beatles, themselves; and Pete Best, who (in case you’ve been living under a rock for all these years) was, early in their careers, the drummer of The Beatles! We have enjoyed many press reviews from several acclaimed journals and raves from fans everywhere. We’ve most recently performed an exclusive engagement for “EMI” at “Ruby Foo’s” in NYC, not to mention our 2005, one-time-only 40th anniversary recreation of The Beatles’ historic 1965 concert at Shea Stadium… Shea Stadium! Wow!!!

Every Saturday for the past seventeen years “Strawberry Fields” performs live at B.B. Kings in Times Square for a very special Beatles Brunch. I had the chance to interview Band Leader Tony Garofalo about the history behind the music.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings I am Cognac Wellerlane and we are here at the fabulous at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill right here in Times Square, New York and I am here with the Band Leader Tony Garofalo. It’s all about Strawberry Fields. It’s all about a Beatles tribute band.

Tony: All you need is love.

All you need is love darlings. All you need is love. So tell my audience the history behind the music.

Tony: Well first of all the Beatles is my opinion and the bands’ opinion is the greatest music ever written and to be able to perform the Beatles music and do a show with a look alike sound and a look alike routine is just amazing thing and I have been doing it for over thirty years.

Wow.

Tony: I started Strawberry Fields in 1991 and I wanted a group of players all alumni from Beatlemania and Co, the original touring show on Broadway. We wanted a show that we could show the same type of guys. The four core members of the band and get together and do a Beatle show in full costume. We give people a chance to see the Beatles that never got to see the Beatles either they were too young or couldn’t afford tickets or it was too late to see them.

So you are here to bring that memorabilia back that nostalgia back.

Tony: Beatles music is iconic as well as the four individual Beatles themselves. We have been doing it here at B.B. Kings for this show seventeen years already.

Seventeen years. Now I understand that some of the band members are from the original Beatlemania on Broadway, am I correct?

Tony: You are correct. Our Paul McCartney is Billy J. Ray. He was in the original show that ran at the Winter Garden Theater, La Fontaine and the Palace Theater and he is still with us and doing the show and our drummer Michael Bellusci from the touring co. Our guitarist (George Harrison), John Korba… he has been on tour with Hall and Oats, Phoebe Snow and Roseanne Cash. He is from the Broadway Show “Rain and Let it Be” and the touring company “Beatlemania.” so we have a long, long history of Beatles.

Band Leader and Founder Tony Garafolo with Cognac Wellerlane.

Another question I want to ask were you ever able to meet Paul McCartney?

Tony: I actually met Paul McCartney two years ago. I went to his show in Brooklyn a The Barclay Center and I was on his guest list for the VIP party after the concert and went backstage and essentially hung out with him for about a half an hour.

Oh my God that must have been the thrill of your life.

Tony: It was a thrill. We played at Shea Stadium as the Beatles in 2005 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Beatles at Shea and Paul McCartney and Ringo Star actually did the announcing on the diamond vision screen. They announced us before we came on. Paul McCartney knows all about Strawberry Fields. He has a house on Long Island.

Yes, he lives in the Hamptons where I frequent in the Summer. That is coming up I will be in the Hamptons every weekend. Maybe I will run into Mr. McCartney.

Tony: He is in Amagansett where I will have an ice cream. Yes this is a great thrill for us and like I said this is the longest running Beatles Show on Broadway.

Unbelievable. Now let me ask you, you must have a favorite tune?

Tony: You know, I love the early mop top music.

I love it too.

Tony: The Ed Sullivan Show… all that stuff and I loved the first five albums but I also love “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I mean there is no limit to my taste as far as what I like in the Beatles. Because the music sort of evolved, it changed… they used orchestration later on and to me each song is totally different. For an artist to write a song and each song totally different and for it to become a hit it just amazes me. It is just as popular now as it was back in the sixties.

Now there is also going to be costume changes today as well. How many costume changes will we see?

Tony: We are going to do three: the mop top–the early Beatles–then we are going to change into “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and then we are going to do “Abbey Road,” and “Let It Be.”

 I can’t wait. I am all excited. Also you have a very famous car which I was very happy to interview your fiancé and she talked about your car at length… the exact replica of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car from the film. When am I going to see that car again?

Tony: You will get to see it again. We are going to be at Summer Walks in Wyandanch in Long Island. We will be doing a walk for Cancer and we are expecting a very large crowd. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will be live. It will be on display and we will be driving it ’round. It was a great movie. Those of you who love the movie you will definitely want to watch the movie again after you see the car.

I can’t wait to hear the music today. I want you to tell my audience where we can go to find out more information about Strawberry Fields.

Tony: You can go to StrawberryFieldsTheTribute.com and you will see the whole story.

Strawberry Fields at B.B. King’s.

Tony was born into a musical family, with a mother who was a professional dancer and teacher, and a father who is both a 25-year guitar teacher and professional Carnegie Hall alumnus with the New York Mandolin Orchestra. Tony has been playing guitar since 1969, and is also trained in the fine art of classical guitar, mastering pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Sor, Julian Bream, and Andrew Segovia. He has also served as a veteran NYPD police officer for 20 years, and has risen to the ranks of both Detective and Sergeant in his career, with over 700 arrests to his credit and has worked in the central robbery unit, narcotics division, detective division, and internal affairs bureau. He was very well known by colleagues and police brass as the “real” Sergeant Pepper. Tony was also a key contributor in the September 11th rescue and recovery effort both at Ground Zero and the Staten Island Fresh Kill location.

Tony has continuously perfected the role as John Lennon throughout the 80’s and 90’s, performing with countless incarnations of Beatlemania, and has been grateful to have had the opportunity to perform with many Broadway Beatlemania alumni such as: Billy Ray, Mark Vacaccio, Don Linares, Alan Lebouff, Glen Bertnik, and Peter Santoro, to name just a few. In 1991, Strawberry Fields was created by Tony in an effort to bring forth a complete Beatles performance package that was accessible to every type of audience and to every type of budget. This unique formula has proven successful over the years, opening the doors for Strawberry Fields to perform at almost any type of musical situation: amphitheaters, stadiums, theaters, car dealerships, weddings, bar mitzvahs, high school reunions, birthday parties, outdoor festivals… the list goes on and on.

Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site Presents Democratic Vistas: Favorite Poem Project

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On Sunday April 17, 2016 the community of Huntington gathered at the Walt Whitman Birthplace for a presentation of Democratic Vistas, Multicultural Voices for the Favorite Poem Project. The Favorite Poem Project was founded by Robert Pinsky after the Library of Congress appointed him US Poet Laureate in 1997. Pinsky put out a nationwide call for Americans to send in their favorite poems. He believed that, contrary to stereotype, Americans from all walks of life do read poetry and particular poems have profound, personal meanings for individuals.

Pinksy’s project ignited a fire that spread the country with communities holding their own Favorite Poem readings. The Library of Congress videotaped for their archives 50 individuals reading their favorite poems. Walt Whitman Birthplace Association was very excited to offer their very own Favorite Poem Project. Robert Pinsky is serving as their 2016 Poet in Residence appearing at the Walt Whitman Birthplace on June 4, 2016.

The Favorite Poem Project – Multicultural Voices is part of the Walt Whitman’s Birthplace Associations 2016 program series. Democratic Vistas: Voices of Democracy is sponsored by the NY Council for the Humanities.

Entertainment Journalist and Emcee Elisa DiStefano with Cognac Wellerlane.

Entertainment Journalist Elisa DiStefano served as Emcee for the event. Elisa DiStefano is versatile host and seasoned award winning featured reporter. With over a decade of experience in live and breaking news, Elisa reports regularly on the red carpet and at celebrity events featuring A-list talent. She covers the Hamptons Summer scene extensively with access to exclusive events. Elisa was voted Best Local TV reporter by the Long Island Press several years running. She has been honored for her work on her weekly animal adoption segment and was also named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Cancer Society. Elisa enjoys volunteering her time to help a variety of causes and hosts many charity events including her own Sneakers and Sandals Beach Ball benefiting local organizations. Ms. DiStefano is a graduate of Boston University College of Communications and Delta Gamma alumni.

Not only did I interview Elisa Di Stefano but I also talked to Executive Director Cynthia Shor of the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association about the meaning and importance of Poetry.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at the Walt Whitman Birthplace a very historical place right here in Huntington, Long Island and I am here with this lovely lady who coordinated this wonderful event today. It’s all about poems. Introduce yourself to the camera darling.

Cynthia: Hi, I am Cynthia Shor, Executive Director of Walt Whitman Birthplace Association and we operate the site for New York State.

Tell my audience about this event this afternoon. What is it really all about?

Cynthia: It’s really all about individuals and everyone has a favorite poem. They may not be poetry lovers but they have just one poem in their heart. This is an example of an event to get those people to share that poetry.

Now I love poetry and I know many wonderful poems but there are a lot of people out there that really do not understand what a poem is. Most people think poems are writings that rhyme but there are some poems that do not rhyme. Can you tell my audience what distinguishes a piece of writing that does not rhyme that becomes a poem.

Cynthia: Well, it’s all about the language. So the language… if it doesn’t rhyme then it has to have other beauty and the beauty can be in the rhythm, it can be in the repetition of the sounds, the repetition of the initial letter and that is what adds the beauty to it. Sometimes there are internal rhymes. So there might be two words next to each other but they don’t rhyme at the end of the line, and so that is the technical skillful part of poetry, and then the other part of poetry like any art is inspiration. So the writer or poet must take the inspiration and channel it through the words using the skills that they can and leave it up to the community of readers to see if it is poetry or not but it doesn’t have to rhyme.

Absolutely and that is why I wanted to speak to you because many people are confused about what a poem should be. Tell my audience briefly about the history behind the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

Cognac Stands next to a portrait of Poet Walt Whitman.

Cynthia: Walt Whitman was born here in this house on this site. The house was built by his father and he was born in 1819 and he lived here until he was four. Being a builder, the elder Whitman–his name was also Walter Whitman–moved the family to Brooklyn where there were new houses going up and he went to Brooklyn and he flipped houses. He was one of the original flippers and Walter grew up in Brooklyn until age eleven and then he went to school–that was the age of compulsory education–and then he went to work. He went to work for a journalist where he furthered his education and the journalist bought him a library card because at that time they weren’t free. It was a public library. So with the library card, called a subscription, like you would join a country club you had to join the library system; he became self educated much like Abraham Lincoln.

How fascinating.

Cynthia: He grew up then and worked for the newspaper and he also went to work for a law firm and being a scribe as an office boy he learned language, he learned law, he learned about ethics, he learned about history and this was at the tender age of eleven, twelve and thirteen. By fourteen and fifteen he was back on Long Island and he became a teacher. He would live in the homes of Long Island and worked as a teacher. He started the newspaper “The Long Islander” which is still in print today and then he began writing a political track. He was actually a journalist before he was a poet.

That’s wonderful thank you so much for telling my audience some of the history of this remarkable place. Can you tell my audience where we can go to learn more information. what is the website?

Cynthia: Come to our website WaltWhitman.org; it’s very easy to remember.

Regina Hunt – Trustee South Country School Board & Library.

In 1819, Walt Whitman was born in a farmhouse in West Hills built by his father circa 1810. The Birthplace was restored in 2001 and it is a fine example of native Long Island craftsmanship. The Birthplace is the only NYS Historic Site on Long Island listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998, the White House Millennium Council named it an “American Treasure.” In 2007, the Walt Whitman Trail, which begins at the Birthplace, was designated a National Recreational Trail by the US Dept. of the Interior.

Whitman’s collection of poems, Leaves of Grass, stands among the masterpieces of world literature. Scholars have name Whitman the “Poet of Democracy” and “America’s Shakespeare.”

Supporters Attend 20th Annual Friends Of The Farm Northport Barn Dance for Lewis Oliver Farm

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It was a hee haw of good time as local residents of Northport, Huntington and Suffolk County gathered together for The 20th Annual Friends of The Farm Northport, New York Barn Dance on April 16, 2016 at the St. Philip Neri Parish Center in Northport, New York.

This festive event featured an assortment of great food from local cuisines, beer, wine, soda, coffee, dessert, door prizes and raffles.

Cognac with volunteer Lynn Rovolo.

Advance tickets were $50 per person, and tickets were $60 per person at the door. Friends of the Farm is a not-for-profit volunteer group, so all the proceeds made from the event go directly to feeding & caring for the sweet animals at Lewis Oliver Farm, and towards preserving the farm.

Before the event got started I was happy to sit down with the Founder Pam Veitch.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at the 20th Annual Northport Friends of the Farm Barn Dance and I am here with the founder of this wonderful organization that most of the proceeds are going to be donated towards. Introduce yourself to the camera.

Pam: Hi, good afternoon. My name is Pam Veitch. I am the founder of Friends of The Farm. We started some twenty-five years ago.

Twenty-five years.

Pam: Between twenty and twenty-five. I don’t know the exact date because time flies but we started as a small grass roots organization to help feed the animals at the Lewis Oliver Farm when it was privately owned and then when the owners decided to see the property we kicked into high gear and actually was able to get the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County and Northport Village to purchase the farm and we are the managing agents of the property to this date.

Why do you have such a passion for this?

Pam: Where did my passion come from? Passion came from… I was a mother of four small children and we lived in the area. We used to walk up to the farm all the time and admire the animals and I thought it was such a wonderful thing to be able to have these barnyard animals right here in our backyard… something that kids don’t really get to see anymore locally.

Now this event has been going on for twenty years, wow that long… the community has been doing this for twenty years.

Friends of the Farm Auction Items

Pam: It is a great fundraiser. We do it once a year. I am now one of the caterers of this event tonight. We have great donations. My children own 51 Broadway Greenlawn Deli, and Copenhagen Bakery donates food. Maroni Cuisine donates food, and Nocello’s in Northport.

What are we going to be eating here tonight?

Pam: Oh my goodness. We have a whole bunch of stuff. We have split pea soup, sauteed brussel sprouts… we have a couple of vegan salads, eggplant rolotini, famous Maroni meatballs, some pasta dishes. There is something for everybody I am sure.

Sounds delish. What are your goals for this new year coming up for the farm?

Pam: Actually I am the out going President. I have been the President since the onset and last year I had asked for somebody else to step us because my life has been taking a turn. Another turn, another chapter and I am not really able to give the organization as much time as I would have in the past so I kind of took a back seat and a step down and some other great volunteers have stepped up and the organization still goes on and I come back to do their food.

Tell my audience where we can go to find out more information. What is the website?

Pam: The website is LewisOliverFarm.org.

Cognac with volunteer Kelly Tenny.

The historic Lewis Oliver Farm, located in Northport Village, NY, is a cherished community landmark dating back to the 1800’s. Once a working dairy, the farm is now home to Annabelle the cow, Tiny the pig, Ezra and Onyx the alpacas and friends including goats, sheep, geese, chickens, ducks, turkeys, peacocks, bunnies and cats.

Generations of families and friends from within and around the community continue the tradition of visiting the farm where they can spend time with the animals, browse through the Lewis Oliver Country Store and enjoy this uniquely special piece of Northport’s history.

The farm was privately owned up until 2007 when it was jointly purchased by the Town of Huntington and Suffolk County as a means to preserve it. The farm is managed by the volunteer members of Friends of the Farm and through their efforts, has remained opened for all to enjoy with no admission fees of any kind.

The farm is open 365 days a year, 7 days a week from dawn to dusk. The Lewis Oliver Country Store is open from early Spring to late Fall on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am-4pm.

Community Leader Walter Hazlitt Receives The Brookhaven Community Leadership Award

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(Stony Brook, NY) The village of Stony Brook, John C. Tsunis, Chairman of the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association and owner of the Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook joined with the community, business leaders and elected officials to celebrate as they honored Walter Hazlitt on Wednesday April 13, 2015 at 5:30 PM at the Holiday Inn Express located at 3131 Neconsett Highway, Setaucket New York. Mr. Hazlitt received this year’s Brookhaven Community Leadership Award.

Hazlitt, 90 was an appointee of former Gov. George Pataki and has spent sixteen years on the board of Suffolk County Community College. Hazlitt, of Stony Brook, was a Suffolk legislator in 1970 and later became a prominent figure in Suffolk County and Stony Brook.

I sat down with Director of Sales Lenore Paprocky who explained the purpose of the event and the importance of the Brookhaven Community Leadership Award.

Cognac: Welcome back darlings. I am Cognac Wellerlane and we are here at the Holiday Inn Express for a very special event. It’s all about an award presentation. I am here with the Director of Sales and she is going to introduce herself and explain about this event this evening.

Lenore: Hi, my name is Lenore Paprocky, Director of Sales here at the Holiday Express Inn at Stony Brook and this event is one of the semi-annual events that we do in honoring local community leaders and people that are community-involved. We like to honor the people who have done some wonderful work in the community.

Here on Long Island?

Lenore: Right here in our backyard, absolutely. Actually the name of the award is the Brookhaven Community Leadership Award. So we like to stay in our backyard and we pick people who are disserving of it. People who not only have done some work in Brookhaven Community but also the people that have done volunteer work hoping to better our community. That is what we are looking for.

Hoping to better our community. Now tell my audience how many years you have been doing this–presenting this very special award?

Lenore: This is our third year doing it. We have had other recipients, really outstanding community leaders such as Edna Gerard who actually just passed last year.

Oh, I am sorry to hear that.

Lenore: But in the meantime we were lucky to have, I feel, honored her before she passed. Her husband, Gene–we did the two of them together.

Oh that is wonderful.

Lenore Paprocky, Director of Sales, with Cognac Lenore Paprocky, Director of Sales, with Cognac.

Lenore: It was a terrific event. They were instrumental in making the town of Brookhaven a wonderful and better place to live. That is what we are looking to do.

Stony Brook is a beautiful, historical town and it’s been around for so many centuries.

Lenore: Definitely historical. I don’t know how long. Old Stony Brook Village is gorgeous and the Stony Brook community itself is absolutely stunning with so many things to do. People don’t know about all the great things there are to do.

That’s why I am here. I am here to inform everyone that Long Island is a beautiful place to live. It’s rich with culture, history and art. There is so much to do, see and read about. You can always come to Longisland.com and our events calendar has a whole list of wonderful events that people should participate in. Long Island is a beautiful place from Lido Beach to the Hamptons to Montauk. It’s a gorgeous place, don’t you agree?

Lenore: Absolutely, from shore to shore you have the beautiful beaches on the south shore and on the north shore you have the nice bay…it’s beautiful.

Tell my audience why you chose Mr. Hazlitt for this award. What was the reason for that?

Lenore: Mr. Hazlitt has been, as we know, around for quite a while. He has not only been a part of the community as a whole but he also has been in a political realm. He has done some wonderful work in that regard and he has also been instrumental in our fire department. The fire department does so many wonderful out reaches. That was one of the things that made us look harder at him becoming a recipient of this award. I think that he has first-handedly taken on to help raise money like Stony Brook Hospital… So he has been involved in a lot of different things. That is why we chose him tonight. There will be a lot of people speaking about his different accomplishments.

I want you to tell my audience where we can go to learn more information. What is the website?

Lenore: The best bet is to go to our website. The website is StonyBrookNY.hiexpress.com.

Later I spoke to Honoree Walter Hazlitt about the importance of receiving the Brookhaven Community Leadership Award.

Honoree Walter Hazlitt and Cognac Honoree Walter Hazlitt and Cognac.

Cognac: Tell my audience what this award means to you.

Walter: It is a chance for me to acknowledge the lifestyle and all the positive things about living in Stony Brook. I have been here for eighty-five years as a summer resident and finally moved here permanently. I have enjoyed the quality of life seeing my children and grand children grow-up.

A Benefit Performance of Eve Ensler’s Award Winning Play “The Vagina Monologues” Premieres in West Islip

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Divine Rhythms Dance Studio, in conjunction with The Traveling Vaginas Theater Group and EAC Network, presented a benefit performance of author and activist Eve Ensler’s award-winning theatrical production, “The Vagina Monologues,” on April 9, 2016 in West Islip, New York.

Based on dozens of interviews Ensler conducted with women, the play addresses women’s sexuality and the social stigma surrounding rape and abuse, creating a new conversation about and with women.

In 1994, a theatrical production entitled “The Vagina Monologues” was written by playwright and activist Eve Ensler which caused controversy and offered to the world a piece of art like nothing it had seen before. “The Vagina Monologue” ran Off-Broadway for five years in New York and then toured the United States. After every performance, Ensler found women waiting to share their own stories of survival, leading her to see that “The Vagina Monologues” could be more than a moving work of art on violence. She divined that the performances could be a mechanism for moving people to act to end violence.

castCognac with the cast of The Vagina Monologues.

On Valentine’s Day, 1998, Eve, with a group of women in New York City, established V-Day. Setup a 501 (c) (3) and originally staffed by volunteers, the organization’s seed money came from a star-studded, sold-out benefit performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. This special presentation raised $250,000 in a single evening.

V-Day’s mission is simple. It demands that violence against women and girls must end. To do this, once a year, in February, March and April Eve allows groups around the world to produce a performance of the play, as well as other works created by V-Day and use the proceeds for local individual projects and programs that work to end violence against women and girls.

What began as one event in New York City in 1998 today includes over 5,800 V-Day events annually.

V-Day has received numerous acknowledgements and awards and is, one of the Top-Rated organizations on both Charity Navigator and Guidestar. In 2001, V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities,” in 2006 one of Marie Claire Magazine’s Top Ten Charities, and in 2010 was named as one of the Top-Rated organizations on Great Nonprofits. In eighteen years, the V-Day movement has raised over $100 million.

The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.

V-Day mission statement includes:

  • V-Day is an organized response against violence toward women.
  • V-Day is a vision: We see a world where women live safely and freely.
  • V-Day is a demand: Rape, incest, battery, genital mutilation and sexual slavery must end now.
  • V-Day is a spirit: We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities.
  • V-Day is a catalyst: By raising money and consciousness, it will unify and strengthen existing anti-violence efforts. Triggering far-reaching awareness, it will lay the groundwork for new educational, protective, and legislative endeavors throughout the world.
  • V-Day is a process: We will work as long as it takes. We will not stop until the violence stops.
  • V-Day is a day. We proclaim Valentine’s Day as V-Day, to celebrate women and end the violence.
  • V-Day is a fierce, wild, unstoppable movement and community. Join us!

According to the United Nations, one of every three women on the planet will by physically or sexually abused in her lifetime. The truth is shocking. Although sources of violence may seem diverse, women’s responses sound tragically similar. Besides the pain and strength this productions reveals their survival stories, the themes that resound across cultures and geographies are of the indifference of authorities, the familial instinct of denial and the lack of public outrage about the violence that millions of women experience every day.

V-Day dreams of a world in which women and girls will be free to thrive rather than merely survive. With the help of all this is a very real possibility.

During the event I sat down with Cast Member and Events Coordinator of the EAC Network, Cassandra Huneke.

Cognac: Tell my audience how you got involved in this play.

Cassandra: Sure, our program director of our EAC Network Safe Harbor Program which protects and treats youths who have been effected by child exploitation or sexual exploitation and human trafficking where the Director Laura Ruhl actually worked as a social worker and was so moved by Shannon Speed’s talk about what she does and how she treats children and the problems that are right here in our community in Suffolk County that she was inspired to bring the show to us. She contacted us and I am deeply in love with this organization who I work for. “The Vagina Monologue” is such a powerful play that I identify with myself. I had to get involved and I auditioned and coordinated the event and I was cast in it.

Tell my audience where we can go to learn more info.

Cassandra: You can go to eacinc.org.

Cassandra is also a published poet and is currently earning Master’s in Media Studies from the New School. She joined the Vagina Monologues to continue her passion for theatre, fuel the fight against misogyny and help individuals in the community to realize that we can all assist child victims of human trafficking by being informed and supporting crucial programs like Safe Harbour.

I also sat down with the director of the play, Laura Ruhl.

Cognac: Welcome back darling, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here a “The Vagina Monologues” in West Islip about this beautifully written play written by Eve Ensler and I am here with the director and she is going to introduce herself to the camera.

Laura: Hi, I am Laura Ruhl

What a pleasure and what a delight to come and see this play. It was on Off Broadway for so many years and then it was on Broadway and now it is here in West Islip. Tell my audience why you became involved and why did you want to direct this play?

Laura: This play speaks to so many women. It resonates deeply especially with women who have experienced violence in their lives and the plays message is all about eradicating violence globally. It speaks to women…it speaks to girls… it speaks to men. It just such a wonderful message there was no way not to get involved.

Please share with my audience where they can go to find out more information

Laura: The best place to go is Vday.org

Laura also said “I have been directing this wonderful group of women for over a decade and I could not be more proud of the work we have done as “professional vaginas!” This show and these women mean more to me than I can put into words. It is an honor to share the stage with them and to speak for those whose voices have been silenced for too long. I dedicate this show to my mother who never felt she could use her voice and to my four sons who have grown up with this play being rehearsed in their living room. Nothing is more important to me than ensuring that my sons become men who wall always value and respect women, so I made sure they were there in the room and will remember.”

Cognac with Laura Ruhl. Cognac with Laura Ruhl.

A select number of VIP tickets were available featuring preferred seating and a post-performance reception with gourmet organic hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, raffles and 50/50, and a meet and greet with the Cast of the 2016 Vagina Monologues.

All proceeds benefitted EAC Network’s Safe Harbour program, which protects and cares for children who are victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Suffolk County, Long Island. For more information please visit eacinc.org.

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