Society fundraiser a success

The 17th annual gala dinner dance for the International Society of S.S. Cosma & Damiano was held on Sunday, April 26 at Roma View.
This year, the Society honored Cavaliere Joseph Meccariello, founder and chairman of MECC Contracting Inc. with the “Successful Italian Businessman of the Year” award.
More than 275 guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, four-course dinner, open bar and Venetian hour, with entertainment by Satisfaction Guaranteed DJs, singer James Johnson and comic Gemini.
Through the participation and hard work of the Society’s board, membership, families, friends and business colleagues, the dinner dance fundraiser was able to provide donations to St. Francis Hospital ($5,000), St. Jude Children’s Hospital ($5,000), Our Lady of Grace Soccer Association ($5,000), New York Families for Autistic Children ($3,000) and the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire & Ambulance Department ($1,000).
The Society is also continuing its ongoing commitment to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in their efforts to find a cure for juvenile diabetes.
Joseph Mure, Esq., Treasurer of the JDRF New York Chapter, was presented with a $20,000 donation, along with $2,000 from the Citibank NA Howard Beach branch JDRF sneaker sales campaign. An additional $10,000 donation from the De Candia family on behalf of Roma View was also presented to Mure.
Joseph De Candia, The Society’s President, and the board members took the opportunity to thank all those who supported the event.
“Only together will we be able to continue to make great strides in support of the Society’s goal of helping to make a difference in the lives of children affected by physical disadvantages, developmental disorders and life-threatening diseases,” said De Candia.
He also reminded those in attendance that the Society will be sponsoring its “First Annual South Queens Juvenile Diabetes Walk-a-Thon to Cure Diabetes.” The family-oriented event will be held on Saturday, May 30 in Howard Beach. All proceeds will go to support JDRF research vital to finding a cure for diabetes. For more information on the walk-a-thon, call 718-835-2224.