Approximately
$1.5M was raised on Tuesday, September 23 at the New York Police & Fire
Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund's 23rd Annual Dinner at the
New York Hilton Grand Ballroom honoring six-time Stanley Cup Champion
and NHL Hall of Fame member Mark Messier and Stone Point
Capital CEO Charles Davis. Philip V. Moyles, Jr., senior
advisor at Stone Point Capital LLC was chair for the event. Proceeds
from the Hilton gala, attended by nearly 1000 guests,
provide families of first responders who have been killed in the
line of duty with annual financial assistance.
The evening also paid tribute to the legacy of Benefit Fund co-founder
J. Patrick "Paddy" Burns, who passed away earlier this
year. The first J. Patrick "Paddy" Burns award recipient
will be Harrison Ford, in recognition of his contribution and participation
in the organization's premier Public Service Announcement "The
Call," which received a Telly Award this year.
This year's gala featured a live auction with NY 1 News society
reporter George Whipple as auctioneer. Among the items to be bid
on are an Ireland Castle vacation package, a private island Bahamas
Vacation (including fishing trip and dinner with Mark Messier), and
four seats to the last game at Shea Stadium, which will honor 45
former Mets players and managers and mark the closing of the Stadium.
Since its inception in 1985 by Rusty Staub, the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund (www.answerthecall.org) has distributed approximately $114 million to the families of New York City Police and Fire personnel who have been killed in the line of duty. Starting in 1987, the Benefit Fund provided 320 families with annual financial assistance; now, the commitment has grown to nearly 700 families. Immediately after the death of a First Responder, the Benefit Fund delivers the family a check to help them through the uncertain times such a tragedy can bring. After the initial crisis, the Benefit Fund provides each family with financial support and a network of friends ready to lend a hand. Though the Benefit Fund was initially created to assist families of New York City Fire Fighters and Police Officers, it now includes the families of Emergency Medical Services and Port Authority Police as well.
Top row: Michael Morgillo, Father Daniel Murphy, Carol Maresca, Rabbi Kass, Deputy Chief Michael O'Neill. Bottom row: Charles Davis; Stephen Dannhauser, Rusty Staub, Mark Messier, Philip V. Moyles, Commissioner Scoppetta.
