Published in Port Washington News on November 15, 2023
It was a night to remember at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s 70th Anniversary Celebration in 70s Style, held on October 26, 2023 at North Hempstead Country Club. The event raised over $230,000 to support the Guidance Center, Long Island’s premier nonprofit children’s mental health organization.
The evening’s music was provided by Peat Moss and the Fertilizers, who filled the air with a variety of disco and boogie hits from the 70s, staying true to the event’s theme and keeping guests on the dance floor throughout the night.
Carol Bottiglieri, the mother of a long-time Guidance Center client shared an emotional account of her son’s struggle with depression, anxiety, and substance use. “Without North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, our family would be broken today,” she shared with the audience. “Because of the therapy and support given to us by the Guidance Center, we remain a strong, united family, continuing to help my son achieve a healthy, happy, independent life.” Carol’s story brought guests to tears and received a standing ovation.
Guidance Center Executive Director/CEO Kathy Rivera proudly honored the rich history of the organization she now leads, which spans seven decades. “I stand on the shoulders of giants and would not be speaking to you all tonight without their invaluable contributions.” she said of her predecessors. “The reason we have been able to bring hope and healing to the community for 70 years is thanks to them, and to all of you who support our mission.”
Rivera also thanked the night’s emcee, Crystal Cranmore of Channel 7 Eyewitness News, as well as the sponsors and underwriters of the event: the Klipper Family Foundation; Americana Manhasset, the Jane & Martin Schwartz Family Foundation; the Jack & Dorothy Kupferberg Family Foundation; Maureen & John Ferrari; Andrea & Michael Leeds; and WABC.
Guidance Center Board President Alexis Siegel acknowledged the sad tragedies occurring throughout the world and thanked the Guidance Center for helping members of the community receive the emotional support needed. “Though we can’t change the atrocities that are happening around us, we do have a say in how we choose to respond,” she said. “The Center is a lifeline to so many families struggling to find peace and a way forward through the darkness.”
