SHAREing & CAREing

SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Mary Demakos; SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Lucille Hartmann; SHAREing & CAREing President and Co-founder Anna Kril; SHAREing & CAREing Treasurer Eartha Washington and Community Recognition Award Recipient First Central Savings Bank First Vice President and Branch Coordinator Christine Lolas and SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Carol Scarano. SHAREing & CAREing, the only community nonprofit organization to provide grassroots support services to breast and ovarian cancer patients and their families through counseling, educational forums and advocacy services in Queens and throughout New York City, held their 15th anniversary benefit and silent auction on Wednesday, November 18 at Riccardo's by the Bridge, Astoria. First Central Savings Bank sponsored the event and in keeping with longstanding tradition, First Central Savings Bank President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman and Pistilli Real Estate Chairman of the Board Joseph Pistilli acted as master of ceremonies and auctioneer.

(L. to r.): Guests of Honor Ver-Tech Elevator Vice President William J. Krapf and Fiduciary Insurance Company of America CEO Peter Skenderis; SHAREing & CAREing President and Co-founder Anna Kril; master of ceremonies and auctioneer First Central Savings Bank President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman and Pistilli Real Estate Chairman of the Board Joseph Pistilli; Alrose Group President and Founder Allan Rosenberg, and Ver-Tech Elevator President Donald Gelestino. SHAREing & CAREing Guests of Honor for 2009 were Donald Gelestino and William J. Krapf, Ver-Tech Elevator president and vice president, respectively, Alrose Group President and Founder Allen Rosenberg and Fiduciary Insurance Company of America CEO Peter Skenderis. Five area physicians received Physician Recognition Awards: Farah E. Atallah Lajam M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine assistant clinical professor and Mount Sinai Hospital attending cardiologist; Vladimir Benisovich M.D., chief, division of oncology, Elmhurst Hospital Center Department of Medicine and Mount Sinai School of Medicine assistant professor, Department of Medicine; The Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Vice President and Chief Medical Officer David M. Nierman, M.D., M.M.M., F.C.C.M., F.C.C.P.; Jean- Bernard Poulard, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., Queens Health Network Deputy Medical Director Queens Hospital Center Department of Surgery Attending Physician and Mount Sinai School of Medicine Department of Surgery assistant professor, and Jay D. Tartell M.D., The Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens assistant chief of radiology. First Central Savings Bank First Vice President and Branch Coordinator Christine Lolas received the Community Recognition Award.

(L. to r.): SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Lucille Hartmann; Guests of Honor Ver-Tech Elevator Vice President William J. Krapf and Fiduciary Insurance Company of America CEO Peter Skenderis; SHAREing & CAREing President and Cofounder Anna Kril; master of ceremonies and auctioneer First Central Savings Bank President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman and Pistilli Real Estate Chairman of the Board Joseph Pistilli; Alrose Group President and Founder Allan Rosenberg; Ver- Tech Elevator President Donald Gelestino; SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Mary Demakos, and SHAREing & CAREing Co-founder and Vice President Carol Scarano. As has been the case in previous years, funding from New York state and New York City has virtually dried up, so the need for private donations realized through fundraising events such as the SHAREing & CAREing benefit and silent auction is extremely imperative, according to Anna Kril, SHAREing & CAREing president. “Insurance companies routinely deny payment for chemotherapy treatments, lymphedema pumps and other much needed services. We are very proud that when we receive a request for help, we have been able to say ‘yes’—always free of cost,” she said. “At this moment, SHAREing & CAREing is facing a precarious financial situation,” she noted.

(L. to r.): City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr.; Linda Perno, Benefit Committee; Irene Stathatos Vasilakos, representing Assemblymember Michael Gianaris; Joseph Pistilli; Anna Kril; Roseanne Alafogiannis; Journal Committee Patricia Babor and Edward Babor; Eartha Washington, Benefit Committee; Teddy Kasapis, representing state Senator George Onorato; Carol Scarano; Lucille Hartmann; (kneeling) Mary Demakos (l.) and Laura Jean Hawkins. Photos Vinny DuPre Kril extended special thanks to the

situation,” she noted.

Kril extended special thanks to the committees whose members put in the hours and effort that made the event a financial success and helped to bring it to the public’s notice. Linda Perno and Eartha Washington comprised the Benefit Committee; Patricia and Edward Babor together made up the Journal Committee; the Silent Auction Committee included Larissa Marchesi, John Spellman and Mercedes Pinzino and members Grace Addabbo, Enza Ferrara, Jennifer DeLellis and Andrea Mardach. Roseanne Alafogiannis served as Ticket Chairman and Charlene Mulhall and Charlene Perno, R.N comprised the Ticket Committee.

SHAREing & CAREing is the only community nonprofit organization which provides grassroots support services to breast and ovarian cancer patients and their families through counseling, educational forums and advocacy services in Queens and throughout New York City. As advocates, SHAREing & CAREing seeks to dramatically improve medical services to all women through early detection, treatment and information about living with the effects of breast cancer, regardless of economic stratum.

The founder and executive board members of SHAREing & CAREing are breast cancer survivors and first-generation Americans who are bilingual and represent the multi-ethnic fabric of communities in Queens. For more than 10 years, SHAREing & CAREing has partnered with local physicians and hospitals to offer health forums and mammography screening, and provided unique counseling and culturally sensitive support services for women seeking information, and for those diagnosed with breast cancer. All services are free of charge. SHAREing & CAREing serves cancer patients and women seeking information about the disease throughout the five boroughs.

For more information, call 718-777- 5766.