As hospital fundraiser draws near, businesses and individuals already making a difference

Warwick - St. Anthony Community Hospital’s Annual Spring Ball is the largest fundraiser for the Warwick Healthcare Campus and has already met its goal of raising $200,000 even before event itself, set for Saturday evening, April 28, at the Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah, N.J. Proceeds will be used to help fund the modernization and expansion of St. Anthony Community Hospital’s emergency room. Planned improvements are part of the overall modernization of the hospital to better serve the community’s health care needs. One of the highlights of the evening will be a live auction. Previously announced major attractions, among many, have included a seven-day stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Puerto Rico, donated by the Breeman family and a $4,500 diamond necklace courtesy of Liz’s Fine Jewelry. “I thought the Auction Committee couldn’t possibly top the fabulous items that have already been donated for the live auction,” said Leah Cerkvenik, executive vice president/administrator of the Warwick Healthcare Campus. “But thanks to the generosity of Mercedes Benz of Nanuet, we can now add a luxury automobile to that list.” Guests will have an opportunity to bid on a 27-month lease for a 2007 Mercedes Benz R350 SUV. The vehicle lists for approximately $48,000 and the lease is valued at more than $20,000. The R350 SUV, which will be on display outside the hotel, features a 3.5-liter V-6 engine, 7-speed automatic transmission, 4-wheel drive and individual seating for up to six passengers. Raffle tickets, now on sale, also feature five attractive prizes including a $3,000 Disney vacation courtesy of Warwick Savings Foundation; a $1,500 large screen HDTV donated by the James J. Cupero Law Offices and a video IPOD courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Laskow. Fourth prize is a $500 ShopRite gift card courtesy of Warwick IGM Acupressure and two cases of fine wine donated by Peck’s Wines & Spirits. Tickets will be drawn at the Spring Ball and winners need not be present. In addition, Provident Bank has signed on as the $10,000 Platinum Sponsor of the annual spring ball. The firm has also agreed to host a “post-spring ball thank you reception” for the Planning committee sometime in May. That special event will be held at the company’s Florida branch. Meanwhile, Rockport Kitchen & Bath owners Don Giantonio and Brian Herlihy have helped save the hospital approximately $48,000 by donating time, labor and material cost for all the new desk and counter tops needed for the hospital lobby and Same Day Services Wing. Rockport did this by installing DuPont’s quality Corian counter tops, which are known for a balance of aesthetics and performance properties for a wide variety of health care applications. Rockport donated all the labor cost and offered deep discounts on the material cost from DuPont. “The opportunity to help so many people at once does not come around that often,” said Rockport office manager Tristin Ajello. “And Don Giantonio and Brian Herlihy thought this would be the perfect way to give back to a wonderful health care organization that will help everyone in the Warwick Community.” “These beautiful counter tops for our hospital lobby and new Center for Ambulatory Services Wing,” said Cerkvenik, “are a welcome example of the strong support we enjoy from the people, organizations and businesses in our community. We are especially grateful to the owners of Rockport Kitchen & Bath for their generous gift of labor and materials.” Apart from raising funds for the benefit of the hospital, a highlight of the Hospital’s April 28th Spring Ball will be to honor members of the community, the medical staff and an outstanding hospital employee. The Warwick Healthcare Campus, which is comprised of St. Anthony Community Hospital, Schervier Pavilion and Mount Alverno Center, will pay tribute this year to the Kennedy family, Dr. John Fiore and Diane DeFreest, nurse manager of the Kennedy Birthing Center. For the first time in the Annual Spring Ball’s history, a multi-media presentation produced by Redlake Advertising will be featured during the evening highlighting the honorees and their accomplishments.