G A L A

5:30 PM Cocktail Reception6:30 PM Dinner, Entertainment and Auction

You’re Invited

Saturday, January 26, 2019

The Heritage ClubBethpage, NY

HonoringSister Aimee Koonmen, Founder

NBA Legend Charles OakleySisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, NY

Emcee: Carol Silva

Sister Aimee Koonmen has been a member of the Dominican Sister of Amityville for 57 years. Her first ministry was in education where for sixteen years she taught elementary and high school, both on Long Island and in Puerto Rico. Sister Aimee received two undergraduate degrees from Molloy College (Sociology and Social Work) and holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University. She continues to serve as the Executive Director of Bethany House and lives at one of the residences to cover the night shift.

Buddha teaches “Your work in life is to find your life’s work, and then, with all your heart, to give yourself to it completely.” In 1978, Sister Aimee, along with two other Dominican Sisters, Chris Braue and Frances Anne Marrinan, found their life’s work – to care for those who are most neglected by society. Together, they dedicated their lives to create Bethany House and have committed their time and efforts to develop the housing and its programs ever since.

Throughout the past 40 years, Bethany House has provided safe, supportive, emergency and transitional housing for homeless women and their dependent children, along with a comprehensive component of services and resources. During these 40 years, Sister Aimee has been guiding Bethany with untiring and unwavering devotion.

Sister Aimee asked herself, “How does one choose an honoree? What characteristic or unique gift do we single out as worthy of honor? Creativity - resourcefulness - dedication – generosity – stick-to-itiveness?” After careful thought and consideration, she found the following answers:

Creativity and resourcefulness - Bethany’s Staff Dedication - Bethany’s Board Generosity –Bethany’s Donors and Volunteers

“But – for Stick-to-itiveness, that’s me! As they say, most of life consists of just showing up. I’ll claim the prize on that one – I’ve become quite an expert in showing up – because I love my life’s work!”

Sister Aimee has received numerous awards over the years including:• The Thomas Jefferson Award for Outstanding Community Service presented by the

American Institute of Public Service• The Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award presented by the United Black Christians • The Veritas Medal presented by Molloy College• The Catherine of Siena Award presented by the Sisters of Saint Dominic• The Woman of the Year Award presented by the Business and Professional Women of

Nassau County

On January 26, 2019, Bethany House will honor Sister Aimee for 40 years of dedicated service to the mission of Bethany House and to the women and children whom it serves. We especially honor her for so faithfully and lovingly showing up – because she loves her life’s work!

Honoree Sister Aimee Koonmen

Rooted in the belief that all persons participate in God’s continued mission in the world, the Dominican Sisters of Amityville seek to share that mission of bringing the reign of God to fulfillment. Dominic recognized the needs of his age and commissioned his followers to proclaim the truth and seek out those in need. The Dominican Sisters of Amityville continue to respond to each age as it unfolds, committing themselves to an active contemplative life that proclaims God’s goodness and care for all.

In 1978 three of the Amityville Dominican Sisters were given the Congregation’s blessing to begin a new mission to work with women and children who struggle with homelessness in Roosevelt, New York. This was indeed a new mission as it required that the Sisters live with the homeless families and build a new community together with them. Now, forty years later, the Dominican Sisters of Amityville continue to bless and support the mission of Bethany House in so many ways.

When the Sisters at Bethany wanted to purchase a house to expand their capacity to shelter homeless families, they sought grants to do so. The cost of the property at 102 Whitehouse Avenue in Roosevelt was $26,500. Grant monies would provide $18,000 and the Sisters thought they could assume the mortgage from the previous owners and pay it off monthly. Needless to say, the bank did not agree. Without hesitation, the Leadership of the Dominican Sisters of Amityville gave Bethany House the $8,500 needed to satisfy the mortgage. And – the Sisters never asked Bethany to repay them. Many years later after Bethany House had been incorporated and was financially stable, Bethany’s Board of Directors insisted on paying back the $8,500, and the Sisters accepted it with the promise to use it to help another fledging young ministry survive and prosper.

Even though the Sisters do not receive a salary for their ministerial work, but rather, a small stipend, the Dominican Sisters of Amityville have set aside a special fund to assist those who minister to God’s poor. Many times Bethany did not need to ask for financial help, but, whenever we did, the Sisters came to our support. To date, the Ministry Fund of the Sisters has given Bethany House $239,337! In addition, many of our Sisters have volunteered at our residences, worked on our finances, and served on our Board of Directors and Committees.

With sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to The Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville who have been an integral part of our growth and success for these 40 years, we honor you for Your Out-standing Commitment to God’s Poor. You have supported us with the unique gift of your Sisters who have founded us with vision, who have worked with us with compassion and commitment, and who have served on our Board with wisdom and dedication. We could never have come this far without you, and we are very grateful.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Bethany House thank you for all that you do for us and for so many, many others who struggle for their sustenance and dignity.

2019 Recipients of the Award forOutstanding Commitment to God’s Poor

Charles Oakley enjoyed a 19 year NBA career as a player for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets plus a two year career as an Assistant Coach for the Charlotte Hornets. His career highlights and awards included NBA All Star Team (1998), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1986), NABC Division II Player of the Year (1985), NCAA Division II leader in rebounds per game (1985).

Since retiring from the NBA, Charles Oakley was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and has been involved with a variety of businesses including Oakley’s Car Wash and “From Court To Kitchen” and has supported a variety of charitable organizations across the country that focus on providing educational, recreational and social services for individuals and families in need. In addition to financial resources, Charles has used his celebrity and talents to generate significant funds for non-profit organizations. Most recently, during the 2018 NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, Charles provided in excess of 1,000 meals to Skid Row individuals and families.

Currently, Charles is taping his new cooking show, overseeing a variety of business interests, and continuing to support charity organizations and works as a player/coach for the Big 3 League. He and his wife Angela reside in New Jersey.

Honoree Charles Oakley

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The average person spends 365 hours per monthat home. Imagine what it’s like not to have one . . .

Invitation designed & produced by Bethany House* All the trademarks or brands in this document are registered by their respective owner.

Emcee Carol Silva

Carol Silva is the Emmy Award-winning Morning and Midday Edition anchor at News 12 Long Island, America’s first 24-hour regional news network.

Silva has shared the lives of 3 million Long Islanders while following the stories of presidents and popes, from the News 12 anchor desk, or on planes, in boats and on the road. Her travels have taken her to ground zero after Sept. 11, to Albany, Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Texas. Silva is a native Long Islander, raised in Hicksville, and a graduate of Holy Trinity High School. She attended Nassau Community College, the University of Dayton and New York Institute of Technology. Silva was lured back to New York during her junior year of college when she was offered her first radio job at WBAB in Babylon. She then graduated magna cum laude on a scholarship from New York Institute of Technology. She anchored her way through radio newsrooms at WGBB in Merrick, WLIR in Hempstead, WGSM in Huntington and then in New York City at WNBC, WOR, WKTU Radio, the RKO Radio Network and WNET-PBS Television. Silva joined News 12 Long Island in its first three months as a field reporter, but started anchoring six days later and has remained in the anchor seat of News 12’s No. 1 rated show ever since. Silva has won three Emmy Awards and more than 30 New York State Associated Press Awards, Press Club, Regional CableAce and the Long Island Coalition for Fair Broad-casting awards. Silva has been named a “Woman of Distinction” by the New York State Senate and saluted by the Long Island congressional delegation when named one of “The Top 50 Wom-en on Long Island” by Long Island Business News. The Long Island Press Newspaper voted her Best Local TV Reporter. She was also named the Media Member of the Year from the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island. After 10 years as her children’s soccer coach and her daughter’s Girl Scout leader, The Girl Scouts of America honored Silva’s volunteer work with their distinguished “Juliette Low Award.” She was a PTA Board Member at her children’s schools, and as a veteran high school rower and competitive swimmer herself, she was on the Board of Directors for her daughter’s high school crew team. The Catholic Archdiocese of New York gave Silva the TRISCORT Award, saying she “spreads optimism, faith and hope in her daily work as a journalist.” As a Mexican-American, Silva has been named Long Island Hispanic of the Year by the Suffolk County Police Department, and deemed a Hispanic role model by the Nassau County Hispanic Cultural Association. Silva has also served as the honorary chairwoman for the United Way, the Arthritis Foundation, Helen Keller Services for the Blind and for the March of Dimes, which named her a “Woman of Distinction.” Silva also writes a monthly column for Long Island Woman Magazine, which calls her “everyone’s favorite Long Island neighbor.” Silva is honored to be in the neighborhood!

Comedian/Actor Mark DeMayo was recently cast as “Rich the Rich Guy” in Season 2, of the popular “Un-Movers” commercials for Optimum Cable and also went onto make guest appearances on “The Nightly Show” on Comedy Central and A&E’s brand new race relations comedy “Black & White”. He also continues to tour with his

critically acclaimed solo show “20 & Out” that made stops in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston and finally ending its run at renowned Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY.

Mark is a native New Yorker and has the accent to prove it. As Mark tells it, “I wanted to do Shakespeare, but I have this heavy New York accent. I went to a speech therapist, a good one, she was a big shot, she worked with Meryl Streep. After two lessons she gave me my money back, saying she couldn’t help me because I wasn’t practicing enough. I told her I was practicing at home but I can’t practice at work because I am a NYC COP.” Can you imagine me saying “’Thou art under arrest’ at the bad guys, they would laugh and prance away.”

When not performing his stand-up comedy act or touring with his solo show, “20 & Out”, Mark writes an article entitled “Back in the Day” and produces a web-series “Off the Cuff ” for the online publication newyorknatives.com.

Mark has also been featured on “Gotham Comedy Live” for AX’s TV, Showtime’s “WhiteBoyz in Da Hood”, and on MTV and VH1.

The award-winning, highly sought-after Kirsch is a master entertainer who deftly engages audiences with hilarious jokes and friendly banter while dazzling them with his dexterity and technical skill in mentalism, hypnosis, and sleight-of-hand magic. The result is a funny, entertaining and unforgettable experience that explains why he’s so beloved by magic fans everywhere. Kirsch travels the world starring in his own action-packed performances

at corporate, private and public events.A-listers who have been to a Kirsch show include Sir Paul McCartney, Francis Ford

Coppola, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, Jason Alexander, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst and Drew Barrymore. Also, Kirsch counts major corporations such as Nike, ESPN, Absolut, Hilton, Toyota, Pepsi, Mattel, X-Games, Morgan Stanley, Bayer, Phizer among his top-tier-only clientele.

Kirsch’s main goal is to make sure that everybody walks away with a special memory. His unique ability is the way he connects with people. His connection is what makes them feel like they are the only person in the room.

Special Entertainmentprovided by ...

MentalistMichael Kirschner

ComedianMark DeMayo

$10,000 Platinum Sponsor ($6,340 tax deductible) - Includes corporate name/logo inclusion on all event marketing materials including invitations and Bethany House website, three (3) dinner tables (30 guests) with premium seating and special celebrity guests at your tables, signage during the event, full page color journal ad (inside front cover, inside back cover or back cover) and thirty (30) raffle tickets.

$7,500 Gold Sponsor ($5,060 tax deductible) - Includes corporate name/logo inclusion on all event marketing materials including invitations and Bethany House website, two (2) dinner tables (20 guests) with premium seating close to stage and special celebrity guests at your tables, signage during the event, a full page Gold journal ad and twenty (20) raffle tickets.

$5,000 Silver Sponsor ($3,780 tax deductible) - Includes one (1) dinner table (10 guests) with premium seating close to stage and special celebrity guest at your table, signage during the event, a full page silver journal ad and ten (10) raffle tickets.

$2,000 Bronze Sponsor ($780 tax deductible) – Includes one (1) dinner table (10 guests) and a full page journal ad.

$195 Individual Ticket ($73 tax deductible) – Includes one (1) ticket to the cocktail reception, dinner and auction.

Journal Ads - $1000 Full Page $600 Half Page $300 Quarter Page (please circle choice) Must submit high resolution PDFs by January 14, 2019.

50/50 Raffle Tickets - 1 for $40, 3 for $100, 8 for $200, or 20 for $400 (please circle choice) Tickets will be sent to you. Winner need not be present to claim prize.

Sponsorship Opportunities

G A L A

Yes! I will support Bethany House through the following sponsorship(s):

______$10,000 Platinum Sponsor ______$7,500 Gold Sponsor ______$5,000 Silver Sponsor ______$2,000 Bronze Sponsor ______ $195 Individual Ticket______Journal Ads - $1000 Full Page $600 Half Page $300 Quarter Page

(please circle choice) Must submit high resolution PDFS by January 14, 2019.______50/50 Raffle Tickets - 1 for $40, 3 for $100, 8 for $200, or 20 for $400

(please circle choice) Tickets will be sent to you. Winner need not be present to claim prize.

______Regretfully, I cannot attend. However, enclosed please find my fully tax deductible donation of $__________.

Enclosed is my check for $______________ made payable to Bethany House of Nassau County Corporation Or please charge my credit card below:

Credit Card Type (MasterCard, Visa, American Express) ________________________

Credit Card Number: ____________________________________________________

Expiration Date: _____________________ Security Code: ______________________

Name As It Appears on Card: ______________________________________________

Billing Address of the Card: _______________________________________________

Email Address: _________________________________________________________

Please mail completed form to:Bethany House

102 Whitehouse Avenue Roosevelt, NY 11575

All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tax ID 11-2848726.Please direct all event related inquiries to jalpert@bhny.org.

40th Anniversary Gala, Saturday, January 26, 2019

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