United Way Raises Unprecented $670,000 at Annual LIVE UNITED Celebration Luncheon
Honorees: Katherine Heaviside, President, Epoch 5 Public Relations; PSEG Long Island; Transport Workers Union 252
United Way of Long 
Island celebrated the dedication and support of individuals, organizations, corporations and labor unions at its annual LIVE UNITED Celebration Luncheon at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury on May 10. The fundraising event raised more than $670,000 and was supported by longtime Title Sponsor Bethpage Federal Credit Union.
Hosted by Linda Armyn, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Bethpage Federal Credit Union and Paul Fleishman, vice president of public affairs at Newsday, the 2017 LIVE UNITED Luncheon presented three awards to individual, corporate and labor leaders who have demonstrated their ability to power dreams, transform lives, and energize the future for the next generation.
HONOREES RECOGNIZED:
· The Anthony J. Stupore Memorial LIVE UNITED Volunteer Champion Award - Katherine Heaviside, President Epoch 5 Public Relations Honoree Video
· The LIVE UNITED Corporate Champion Award – PSEG Long Island Honoree Video
· The Elena M. Perez Memorial Pioneer Vision Award – Transport Workers Union Local 252 Honoree Video
Theresa A. Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island remarked on the significant difference that the 2017 Honorees have made on families and individuals across Long Island. She said, “Our honorees this year serve as examples of what we can accomplish when we come together as a community and fight for those in need in our region. United Way, and Long Island as a whole, is fortunate to have Katherine Heaviside, PSEG Long Island, and TWU Local 252 in our corner making such an immense positive impact on thousands of lives.”
The moving program highlighted the efforts of the Honorees, as well as focused on the importance of education. The event lead with the Hempstead Select Chorale from Hempstead High School who sang the National Anthem for the nearly 800 in attendance, as well as their rendition of ‘Ain’t That Good News’. The five graduating seniors in the Chorale received good news of their own, each being presented with a $1,000 United Way of Long Island DREAMS for Youth Scholarship to help them pursue higher education. Guest speaker Kierra Laube of Valley Stream, recipient of the most recent Anthony J. Stupore Memorial Scholarship and current freshman at Princeton University, eloquently shared her very emotional story of the sudden loss of her father while she was only a junior in high school and the passing of her mother when she was a young child. She spoke on how she rose to the occasion of dealing with the challenges that followed her unspeakable tragedies. Her sister, grandmother and uncle proudly cheered her on as she addressed the attendees about the impact that small acts of kindness can make on an individual’s life. Watch Kierra's video
UNITED WAY OF LONG ISLAND THANKS ITS SPONSORS:
- Title Sponsor: Bethpage Federal Credit Union
- Illuminating Presenting Sponsor: PSEG Long Island
- Premier Sponsors: GEICO, MSC Industrial Supply Co., NationalGrid, Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc.
- Diamond Sponsors: Flushing Bank, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
- Sapphire Sponsors: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Macy’s, USI Insurance Services
- Platinum Sponsors: Astoria Bank, Bank of America, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, Citi Community Development, Fortunoff Backyard Store, Island Outreach Foundation, MagnaCare, Nawrocki Smith LLP, Newsday, Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.
- Gold Sponsors: Deloitte, IBEW Local 25, IBEW Local 1049, Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc., Main Street Financial Group, Northwell Health, Safelite AutoGlass, Santander Bank, Thomas & Liza Gilmartin, Thomas N. Gilmartin, President/TriState Capital Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
CAPTIONS:
Photo 1: Paul Fleishman, vice president of public affairs at Newsday and Linda Armyn, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Bethpage Federal Credit Union hosted United Way of Long Island’s 2017 LIVE UNITED Celebration Luncheon.
Photo 2: Honorees of United Way of Long Island’s 2017 LIVE UNITED Celebration Luncheon (l to r) Ronald Bauer, Business Manager at IBEW Local 1049 representing electrical workers at PSEG Long Island and David Daly, President and COO of PSEG Long Island accepting on behalf of PSEG Long Island and its employees, Katherine Heaviside, President, Epoch 5 Public Relations, and Neal Galloway, Secretary/Treasurer at TWU Local 252 accepting on behalf of TWU Local 252.