JCCA Trustee Stephanie Spiegel, pictured here with her husband Lee, was honored for her incredible dedication to the children and families of JCCA. Because of her efforts, the annual Tree event has raised more than $4 million since its inception in 2006. Additionally, Stephanie has recruited hundreds of volunteers who have collectively spent thousands of hours with the young people who live on JCCA’s Pleasantville Cottage Campus.
Last night’s “A Tree Grows in Pleasantville” fundraiser was a record-breaking, smashing success. If you were there with us, you already know it was amazing—the room was buzzing with excitement and positive energy as we gathered to honor JCCA Trustee and legendary volunteer Stephanie Spiegel. From the delicious cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to the poignant presentation and incredible auction, it was a wonderful and meaningful evening that made a real difference for the young people on our Pleasantville Cottage Campus.
In addition to a touching rendition of “Rise Up” by campus resident Keavanna and a moving video presentation, the most thrilling moment of the evening was the announcement of the dedication of The Stephanie J. Spiegel Cottage to acknowledge the tireless work our honoree has done for so many kids on JCCA’s campus.
The live auction made last night’s event the most successful Tree event EVER. In total, we raised a record $450,000! Thank you to everyone who participated—and if you were not able to join us last night, you can still contribute! Click here to make a donation.
Below are a few photos that capture the spirit of the evening. We’ll be uploading many more photos to Facebook this week, so follow us (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) – and tag @jccany or #jccatree in any pictures you post to your networks.
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- The magic moment where our honoree learned that she wasn’t being presented with a crystal tchotchke, but rather a dedicated cottage on JCCA’s campus.
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- JCCA CEO Ronald E. Richter and JCCA President Barbara Salmanson were thrilled the evening was such a success.
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- The three Co-Chairs, Nina Fetner, Wendy Frieder, and Judy Shapiro, put together the most successful “A Tree Grows in Pleasantville” event in history.
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- A glittering room awaited more than 350 guests at Temple Beth El in Chappaqua, just a five-minute drive up the road from JCCA’s Pleasantville Cottage Campus.
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- Honoree Stephanie Spiegel’s family is very much part of JCCA. Stephanie’s mother Elaine Brown, pictured here, as well as Stephanie’s husband, children, and extended family, have all generously given their time to our young people.
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- New York State Assembly Member Thomas J. Abinanti, pictured here with CEO Ronald E. Richter, is a tremendous partner to JCCA in the Westchester community.
Thank you to our amazing co-Chairs, the Benefit Committee, the Event Sponsors, and attendees for an unforgettable evening with an indelible impact on the wonderful children in JCCA’s care.
Most important, we thank our incredible honoree Stephanie Spiegel. We can honestly say that we could not have done any of this without you!