share. elegance. laughter. gilda’s club westchester...

Share. Elegance. Laughter.

Gilda’s Club Westchester

Annual Comedy Gala

April 2, 2014

The mission of Gilda’s Club Westchester is to create

welcoming communities of free support for everyone living with

cancer — men, women, teens and children — along

with their families and friends.

Our innovative programs are an essential complement

to medical care, providing networking and support groups,

workshops, education and social activities.

Gilda’s Club Westchester would like to recognize

2014 Gala Partner

Amy Frolick and Brad Eric Scheler/Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, LLP

2014 Gala Benefactors

Wendy and Scott Kleinman

Jane and James Stern

Mayo Stuntz and Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz

2014 Gala Patrons

Baker & McKenzie

Stephen and Debbie Chapin

EisnerAmper LLP

Dr. Julie and Mr. Jason Monroe

Gary and Nancy Rones

Harri V. Taranto and Sylvia J. Lavietes

2014 Gala Sponsors

Susie and Doug Fischer

Richard and Lisa Witten

2014 Gala Supporters

*as of March 25, 2014

Wayne and Michele Benach

Marshall Cohen

Leslie and Cindy Valk Danish

Cheryl and Harvey Geller

Jonathan and Ellen Litt

Louis and Tobey Lipschitz

Susan and Glenn Rones

Wendi and Ed Schechter

David and Linda Walke

Peter and Dale Wang

Gil and Susie Wang

Linda and Ken Wiltsek

Gala Committee Co-Chairs

Carol Bennett

Wendi Schechter

Susie Wang

Gala Committee

Tracey Aaron

Michele Benach

Amy Frolick

Rosalind Gordon

Robin Poses Markell

Julie Monroe

Gary & Nancy Rones

Lisa Shpilberg

Cindy Valk-Danish

Gil Wang

Stacey Wechsler


2014 Gala Committee

Board of Directors

Harri Taranto

President

Cindy Valk-Danish

Vice President

Rosalind Gordon, Esq.

Secretary

Stephen C. Chapin

Treasurer

Tracey Aaron

Susan M. Barossi

Amy Frolick

Stephanie Hollander

Jonathan Litt

Julie Monroe, MD

Dru Pyne*

Emeritus Board

Carol Bennett

Barbara Bennett-Rones*

Bede Levinson

Robin Poses Markell

Joyce Neibart

Gary A. Schnorr

Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz

Laurie Thomas

Gil Wang

Susie Wang

Co-Founders

Robin Poses Markell

Susie Wang

*In Memoriam


Board of Directors

Gilda’s Club Westchester Staff

MELISSA LANG, DrPH, MPH

Chief Executive Officer

MIRANDA DOLD, LCSW

Director of Outreach and Program Development

LEIGH-ANN ENYAME, MS

Marketing and Communications Manager

STEPHANIE FALK

Director of Development

JUDY FREEMAN

Program Administrator

MARISSA MADONIA

Development Associate

JEN SCULLY, ATR-BC

Director of Youth Programs and Quality Improvement

ESSIE STECKLER

Program Associate

STACEY ZANONI, LMSW

Program Social Worker

Gilda’s Club Westchester Invites you to share an evening of elegance and laughter

H O N O R I N G

Chris Mazzilli and Gotham Comedy Club

e Red Door Award

Stacy and Josh Babbitt &

Dana and Jody Rones

e Barbara Bennett-Rones Volunteer of the Year Award

&

Leslie Danish, CPA and EisnerAmper LLP

e Corporate Honoree

F E AT U R I N G

Jim Breuer

Veteran Comedian and Former Saturday Night Live Cast Member

M A S T E R O F C E R E M O N I E S

Jenna Wolfe

NBC Weekend Today Anchor

We are so pleased to welcome you to Gilda’s Club Westchester’s 2014 Annual

Comedy Gala. We thank you for joining us for a night of celebration and

laughter in tribute to so many people whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Your generosity this evening enables us to offer emotional support, lectures,

workshops, and social events to our members . . . completely free of charge.

This year we have much to share: we are expanding our programming in new

and innovative ways. We have added distress screening, and short term one-

on-one counseling, and introduced two new time-limited workshop series –

one teaching emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills to individuals

living with cancer, and another focused on survivorship for individuals who

are post treatment. We are also continuing to grow our partnerships with

hospitals, schools and other community-based organizations so that we can

continue to meet the needs of anyone affected by cancer in our community

both in and outside of our Clubhouse.

Tonight, we are privileged to honor Chris Mazzilli, Gotham Comedy Club,

Stacy and Josh Babbitt, Dana and Jody Rones, Leslie Danish and

EisnerAmper LLP for their continued support and commitment to our mission

A special thank you to the members of our Gala Committee for all of their hard

work and contributions in organizing tonight’s special event.

Thank you for joining us this year. Your presence truly makes a difference. We

hope you enjoy this evening.

Sincerely,

Harri Taranto Melissa Lang

President, Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer

Chris Mazzilli and Gotham Comedy Club The 2014 Red Door Award

Gilda’s Club Westchester is proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of Chris

Mazzilli and Gotham Comedy Club. Chris and Gotham have remained steadfast partners

since Gilda’s opened its Red Doors, helping to secure prominent talent and a well-known

venue for many fundraisers, most notably the Annual Night of Laughter event. Their

commitment to helping Gilda’s produce first-class events has been instrumental to the

success of Gilda’s Club Westchester’s fundraising efforts.

As owner of one of the nation’s premier comedy clubs, Chris Mazzilli has become an

entertainment icon of the New York City nightlife scene. In May 1996, Chris and his business

partner Mike Reisman created New York’s first hip, upscale comedy venue,

Gotham Comedy Club.

In 2006, Chris and his team brought Comedy to a new level by relocating the club to a new

larger location in Chelsea. Gotham Comedy Club is now a part of comedy history. The club

offers its patrons a warm, comfortable atmosphere with an eclectic array of comedy experiences.

Recently, Mazzilli partnered with AXS.TV to produce Gotham Comedy Live. The live stand-up

series is hosted by comedy A-listers such as Jim Breuer, DL Hughley and Artie Lange. The

weekly show is broadcast from Gotham and is now celebrating its third season.

Chris continues to be passionate about his charity work, hosting up to 75 charity shows per

year, donating thousands of tickets and the use of Gotham’s space to numerous charitable

organizations.

Stacy and Josh Babbitt & Dana and Jody Rones

The 2014 Barbara Bennett-Rones Volunteer of the Year Award

Throughout the years, honorees Dana and Jody Rones and Stacy and Josh Babbitt

have tirelessly volunteered their time to raise funds and awareness for Gilda’s

Club Westchester.

Siblings Jody Rones and Stacy Babbitt have co-chaired the Gilda’s Club Westchester

Annual Night of Laughter since its inception in 2007 in memory of their beloved

mother, Barbara Bennett-Rones. A founding Board member and patron, Barbara was

instrumental in the creation of Gilda’s Club Westchester and held the organization

close to her heart. As a tribute to her, Jody and Stacy have continued to grow the

event over the years, together with their respective spouses, Dana and Josh.

Recently celebrating its eighth successful year, this has become a staple event at

Gilda’s Club Westchester, helping to carry out Gilda Radner’s vision of laughter as a

component of healing. Held annually at Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, the

Annual Night of Laughter has raised over $100,000 for Gilda’s Club Westchester and

continues to draw and engage new audiences.

As the event continues to grow, so does this family. Stacy and Josh were recently

married, and Dana and Jody will be welcoming their first child in July. Both couples

reside in Manhattan.

Leslie Danish, CPA and EisnerAmper LLP The 2014 Corporate Award

Les Danish has been actively involved with Gilda’s Club Westchester, both giving and

receiving support, since its inception. His wife Cindy is the current Vice President of the

Board of Directors, and their daughter Natasha has served on the Youth Committee for the

past three years and is an Officer of the A Cappella Concert Event Committee.

Les is a partner with EisnerAmper LLP, one of the premier accounting, tax, and business

advisory services firms in the United States. The firm provides services to public and

private companies as well as not-for-profit organizations, high net worth individuals and

closely-held companies. EisnerAmper serves companies around the world in a wide range

of industries.

Community involvement is strongly encouraged at EisnerAmper through EisnerAmper

Cares, a firm-wide initiative that supports the volunteer efforts of the firm’s employees in

their communities. Its mission is to serve those in need using the gifts of time and skills,

through charitable, civic, and environmental projects and programs. Thanks to Les’s

leadership and dedication, EisnerAmper has been a supporter of Gilda’s Club Westchester

for many years, sponsoring events such as the Gala and Golf Invitational — they also recently

held a Jeans Day fundraiser to benefit Gilda’s.

Les, Cindy and Natasha live in Rye. In addition, their daughter Sara lives in Washington,

DC; son David in Dallas, TX; and son Joshua, with daughter-in-law Kalani and grandson

Nathan, in Bloomington, IN.

Barbara Bennett-Rones* Founding Patron and Board Member

It is with gratitude, humility and deepest respect that we once again honor the memory of our beloved Board Member and Founding Patron, Barbara Bennett-Rones.

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, one to emulate, Barbara was all of these and so much more. She touched the lives of so many with her love, wisdom and compassion. Her contagious smile, her sound judgment and her fair-mindedness all served her well in her chosen field, guidance.

While raising her family, volunteerism and commitment to public service were always important aspects of Barbara’s life. She wore several hats on the Mamaroneck Board of Education, and eventually became its President from 1998-2000. She was the recipient of the Sunny Award, given by the LMC-TV, which honors an outstanding individual within the community who makes a difference in other’s lives.

Perhaps closest to her heart, was Barbara's involvement with Gilda's Club Westchester. She truly understood the importance of the psychological and social support that Gilda's Club provides. She was determined to attract participation from those she knew, and her effort had tremendous impact on the Club's development. Her spirit continues to be felt in the success of Gilda's Club Westchester through her children. Both Jody and Stacy, and their friends, have helped organize an annual comedy fundraiser and remain dedicated to raising awareness about Gilda’s Club Westchester.

Barbara's greatest legacy is the way she lived life to the fullest. Barbara inspires the best in all of us, and we remember her with much admiration, lasting appreciation, and enduring love.

*In Memoriam

Jenna Wolfe Master of Ceremonies

Jenna Wolfe serves as a Weekend TODAY Show anchor and as a correspondent for NBC News’ Weekday TODAY, where she covers feature stories for America’s top-rated morning news program. Jenna spent 12 years as a sportscaster before joining the Today Show in 2007, where coincidentally she served as an intern back in college. Her background, like her personality, is spirited… Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she moved to the United States in 1989, so her pop culture references only date back to the Cosby Show and Michael J. Fox. She is fluent in French, Creole and Seinfeld quotes, and can ask you where the library is in Spanish, which, by the way, has never come in handy. A self-proclaimed dare devil, Wolfe is also a personal trainer. But of all the adventures she's embarked on, motherhood is by far her favorite. She gave birth to Harper Estelle last year and she, and her partner Stephanie Gosk have been beaming ever since.

Jim Breuer Veteran Comedian and

Former Saturday Night Live Cast Member With over 20 years of stand-up comedy experience, Jim Breuer remains one of today’s top entertainers and continues to win over audiences with his off-the-wall humor and lovable personality. Named one of Comedy Central's "100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time," Breuer is one of the most recognizable comedians in the business, known for his charismatic stage antics, dead-on impressions, and family-friendly stand-up.

Even as a young student at Valley Stream Central High School in Long Island, NY, Breuer knew he wanted to be a stand-up comedian. His big break which came in 1995 when he joined the cast of NBC’s legendary “Saturday Night Live.” During his four years on SNL, Breuer quickly became a fan-favorite for his original character “Goat Boy” and his dead-on impressions of actor Joe Pesci.

Following his success on SNL, Breuer starred alongside Dave Chappelle in the cult favorite film “Half Baked.” He has since appeared in the popular films “Zookeeper,” “Dick,” “Titan A.E.” and “Beer League”. Most recently, Breuer’s latest one hour comedy special “Jim Breuer: And Laughter for All” premiered on Epix. Set to release on DVD this fall, Breuer grapples with the absurdities and annoyances of finding himself a middle aged father of three in suburban New Jersey. Throughout the years, Breuer has supported various charities through his comedy.

Congratulations

to our

Remarkable Honorees

Chris Mazzilli and Gotham Comedy Club

The 2014 Red Door Award

Stacy and Josh Babbitt

&

Jody and Dana Rones

The 2014 Barbara Bennett-Rones Volunteer of the Year Award

and

Leslie Danish and EisnerAmper LLP

The 2014 Corporate Honorees

We truly appreciate everything you have done to enrich

Gilda’s Club Westchester for our community.

The Board of Directors


Wishing a hear�felt cong�at�lations to

Stacy and Josh & Dana and Jody

In loving memor� of

Barbara Benne�-Rones

Dorothy Wasser"an

Doris Gershenov and

Joseph Seibald

The Yasg�r Family

Sylvia, Joey, Rachel and Jamie

Platinum Door Page

Platinum Door Page

Congratulations Chris

on such a prestigious award.

We’re so proud of you!

-The Mazzilli Family

Red Door Page

For Les Danish a.k.a. Dad

a.k.a. Husband a.k.a. Grandpa

a.k.a. Son a.k.a. Brother

a.k.a. “Hoops” Danish

We are so proud of all you have done to support Gilda’s Club Westchester

and how you inspire others to do the same.

Your e%orts and those of EisnerAmper will make a real di%erence in so many lives.

With Love from your family who are, as ever,

inspired by your example,

Cindy, Natasha, Elsie, Sara, David, Joshua, Kalani, Nathan, Karen & John

Red Door Page

Congratulations to Stacy, Dana, Josh and Jody

on being this year's recipients of the

Barbara Bennett-Rones Volunteer of the Year Award.

We are so proud of all that you have accomplished to

help make Gilda's Club Westchester the

extraordinary place it is today.

You honor the legacy and dreams of your mother

by your commitment and dedication.

All our Love,

Nancy and Gary

Red Door Page

Congratulations to

Stacy and Josh Babbitt Dana and Jody Rones

Chris Mazzilli & Gotham Comedy Club Leslie Danish & Eisner Amper

With admiration of and appreciation for the crucial difference you have made in the lives

of so many living with cancer

Mike and Liz Stuntz

Red Door Page

Red Door Page

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees.

With sincere appreciation for your dedication to

Gilda’s Club Westchester.

Jane and James Stern

Red Door Page

In memory of

Beryl S. Adler

A loving daughter, sister,

wife, mother and friend.

We miss you GaGa.

Susie and Doug Fischer

Gold Door Page

Congratulations to all of the 2014 Gala Honorees

Chris, Stacy and Josh, Dana and Jody, and

Les Danish and EisnerAmper LLP

Your continued support and dedication to


makes a di(erence in the lives of so many

who are impacted by cancer

+ank you to the Sta( and Board for all you do

And a special thank you to the entire Gala Committee

for all working to make tonight’s event a success

With love and admiration,

Carol, Susie & Wendi

Gold Door Page

In loving memory of

Susan Merolla Margie Merolla Rosalind Forse

Harri Taranto

Gold Door Page

Gold Door Page

Stacy, Josh, Dana, and Jody

L’Dor V'Dor

Gilda’s is so lucky that the apples didn’t fall far

from the tree

Debbie and Steve Chapin

Gold Door Page

Congratulations to

Gilda's Club Westchester

for another outstanding year of

exceptional programming

Ellen and Howard Lazarus

Gold Door Page

Gold Door Page

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WWWWESTCHESTERESTCHESTERESTCHESTERESTCHESTER GGGGALAALAALAALA HHHHONOREESONOREESONOREESONOREES

Chris Mazzilli & Gotham Comedy ClubChris Mazzilli & Gotham Comedy ClubChris Mazzilli & Gotham Comedy ClubChris Mazzilli & Gotham Comedy Club

Stacy & Josh BabbittStacy & Josh BabbittStacy & Josh BabbittStacy & Josh Babbitt

Dana & Jody RonesDana & Jody RonesDana & Jody RonesDana & Jody Rones

And a very special thank you to EisnerAmper for And a very special thank you to EisnerAmper for And a very special thank you to EisnerAmper for And a very special thank you to EisnerAmper for

all your support through the years.all your support through the years.all your support through the years.all your support through the years.

To the entire staff of GCW, we honor you and To the entire staff of GCW, we honor you and To the entire staff of GCW, we honor you and To the entire staff of GCW, we honor you and

your dedication, professionalism and commitment to care your dedication, professionalism and commitment to care your dedication, professionalism and commitment to care your dedication, professionalism and commitment to care

to those impacted by cancer.to those impacted by cancer.to those impacted by cancer.to those impacted by cancer.

We are proud to be a small part of this amazing organization.We are proud to be a small part of this amazing organization.We are proud to be a small part of this amazing organization.We are proud to be a small part of this amazing organization.

With gratitude,With gratitude,With gratitude,With gratitude,

Cindy, Les & NatashaCindy, Les & NatashaCindy, Les & NatashaCindy, Les & Natasha

White Door Page

Stacy and Josh

Dana and Jody

Thanks for carrying on the legacy of GCW

We are so proud of you!

Chris Mazzilli and

Les Danish & EisnerAmper LLP

"anks for your continued support!

Congratulations to you all on this

well-deserved honor

Sincerely,

Wendi and Ed Schechter

White Door Page

Dominick’s Limousine Service – Serving Westchester since 1979

Dominick’s Limousine Service and

DLS Worldwide Transportation Proudly supports Gilda’s Club Westchester

and we congratulate this year’s award recipients,

Chris, Stacy, Josh, Dana, Jody, Les and EisnerAmper LLP

for their commitment and dedication to the mission of GCW.

Steven T. Carelli & Gary A. Schnorr

White Door Page

We congratulate


For the outstanding support

of its members and the community.

And congratulations to

Dana and Jody Rones and

Stacy and Josh Babbitt

for their Volunteer of the Year Award!

Linda and David Walke

White Door Page

Congratulations

Staff, Board, & Members,

Susie, Wendi, & Carol

Passion, Dedication, Hard Work

& Love continues to grow

the heart & soul of GCW.

Thank you!

Cheryl & Harvey Geller

White Door Page

White Door Page

Chris, Les, EisnerAmper,

Stacy, Josh, Jody & Dana

Thank you for all you’ve done over

these many years to help put

GILDA’S CLUB WESTCHESTER

on the map!!

We could not have done it without

all of you!

xo

Susie & Gil Wang

White Door Page

To the best nieces & nephews an aunt could ever have.

You have made me so proud of your dedication &

drive to make Mom's dream thrive & grow.

Jody, Dana, Stacy & Josh,

may you always have butter"ies surrounding you.

#ank you to Les Danish & EisnerAmper

for understanding & supporting Gilda's Club

Westchester in all ways.

#ank you to our "wonderful sta+" for all their hard

work in making this great evening.

To Susie & Wendi,

thanks for making co-chairing the Gala so much fun.

With a full heart & lots of love,

Carol

White Door Page

Congratulations to all of the honorees

Thank you so much for always being there

The Levinsons

White Door Page

A very special thank you to our

2014 Gala Co-Chairs

Carol Bennett, Wendi Schechter and Susie Wang,

our incredible Silent Auction Chair

Stacey Wechsler

and the entire Gala Committee!

Also a special thanks to "Team Gilda"

especially Marissa and Leigh-Ann for helping to

make this year's Gala a success!

xoxo

Stephanie

White Door Page

North South

East or West

our

SUSIE & GIL are the BEST!

In Admiration and Appreciation for their Continuing Commitment to Gilda’s Club,

family and friends!

With love, Peter & Dale Wang

Jeff, Amy, Ezra & Jonah Greg, Liza, Anabelle & Bode

Helen Ross

White Door Page

CONGRATULATIONS

Stacy & Josh Dana & Jody

on this well-deserved honor

We are so proud of you !

With love,

Linda & Ken Susan & Glenn

and all your loving cousins

White Door Page

White Door Page

Schulman Black & Katz, LLP Certified Public Accountants

Thank you to Gilda’s Club Westchester and to Honorees

Stacy & Josh Babbitt and

Dana & Jody Rones

for your ongoing dedication to supporting those impacted by cancer.

Best wishes,

Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Black and Family

White Door Page

Wayne and Michele Benach

applaud the efforts of

the entire team at

GILDA’S CLUB WESTCHESTER

White Door Page

White Door Page

Congratulations to

Les Danish and EisnerAmper on their well-deserved recognition.

And

�ank you Gilda's Club for all you do to ease the pain.

Lou and Tobey Lipschitz

White Door Page

For Our Friend

Leslie Danish

Brianne & Sanford

Goldstein

White Door Page

ESP Productions, Inc.

is proud to work with


for all their work providing support to

those touched by cancer

One Albertson Avenue, Albertson, NY 11507

tel 516.484.8ESP • fax 516.484.3398

www.partywithesp.com

White Door Page

CONGRATULATIONS Dana and Jody Stacy and Josh

For making a difference in the world. We applaud your initiative and

commitment.

With love and gratitude, Ellen, Marshall, Rob and Lizzie

White Door Page

Congratulations to all the honorees.

To Stacy and Jody and Josh and Dana:

Your continued commitment to Gilda's shows an unselfish concern for others which

is a legacy that comes straight from the namesake of this award.

We join your parents in kvelling over the

people that you have become.

Ellen and Barry Carron

White Door Page

White Door Page

Production Resource Group, LLC

200 Business Park Drive, Suite 109

Armonk, NY 10504

Congratulations! A Great Team… Dana and Jody Stacy & Josh

Much Love,

Sandy and Gary

Congrats!Congrats!Congrats!Congrats! Dana & JodyDana & JodyDana & JodyDana & Jody

Ellen & David Ellen & David Ellen & David Ellen & David

FreemanFreemanFreemanFreeman

LIVE.

LAUGH.

LOVE.

Congratulations Les Danish &

EisnerAmper LLP

Sean & Christine Gagnon

Congratulations

to all the honorees

and our friend, Les.

Steven and Doreen

Guzik

Belle Bennett

Scott and Susan Gould

Nancy Hausman

Diane and Gary Katz

Iris & Gary Levine, Roaring Brook Art Company

Margaret M. Postlewaite, PhD

Susan & Larry Tolchin

Betty Valk

*as of March 25, 2014

Friends of Gilda’s*

We regret the omission of donors whose

contributions were received after the

Journal was finalized. Please visit our

website for a complete version:

www.gildasclubwestchester.org

Thank you for your continued and

generous support of


and our

2014 Annual Comedy Gala.

Please Save the Date

for these Upcoming Special Events:

The 5th Annual Mah Jongg Invitational Monday, May 5th

Willow Ridge Country Club

Harrison, New York

The 6th Annual Women’s Tennis Classic Thursday, July 10th

Raindate: Wednesday, July 16th

Sunningdale Country Club

Scarsdale, New York

The 2014 Golf Invitational Monday, July 14th

Quaker Ridge Country Club

Scarsdale, New York

Thank you and congratulations

to our 2014 Honorees

Chris Mazzilli and Gotham Comedy Club The Red Door Award

Stacy and Josh Babbitt & Dana and Jody Rones

The Barbara Bennett-Rones Volunteer of the Year Award

&

Leslie Danish, CPA and EisnerAmper LLP Corporate Honoree

We truly appreciate your continued support and dedication

The Gilda’s Club Westchester Staff

80 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601

tel 914.644.8844 • fax 914.644.8284

www.gildasclubwestchester.org

“There are those who open their hearts to others… who never think twice about giving of themselves.

They are the wonderful warmhearted people who make a difference in all of our lives.”

~Gilda Radner

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