Community Corner

Stepping out with Children's Specialized Hospital Stars is Huge Success

Children's Specialized Hospital Friends and Twig Groups Raise Nearly $40,000

The following release was provided by the Children's Specialized Hospital Friends:

Children’s Specialized Hospital Friends hosted its first “Stepping out With CSH Stars Dance Party” at the Gran Centurions in Clark raising nearly $40,000 for the nation’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital.  

[Do you have photos from the event that you'd like to share? Please upload them here!]

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Comprised of nearly 100 members, Children’s Specialized Hospital Friends “Stepped out with CSH Stars” to promote public education, provide volunteer service and fundraise for the Hospital. Proceeds from this year’s fundraiser will go to the Mountainside and Toms River renovations.

The stars of the evening were Michael Harrison, trustee for Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees; Morris Lenczicki, vice president of operations at L’Oreal USA and treasurer of Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees; Amy Mansue, president and CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital; and Katharyn Nicolle, reigning Miss New Jersey and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Advocate.

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Contestants competed for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy, intricately designed by Crown Trophy of Garwood, in the style of “Dancing With the Stars” before a crowd of 185 guests that raised a grand total of $39,929 for the night.

Gail Sloan, chairperson of the event, proclaimed it was a very memorable evening and thanked the “Stars” and committee members, including: Elizabeth Loland, Susan Doherty, Susan Schwarz, Joan Murray, Susan Grates, Dianne Crisan, Dot Teller, Fran Lemberg, Susan Lorentzen, Joan Blake, Carolyn Cordeiro, Kathryn Spada, and Charlotte Clevenger.

“I have chaired many events but I have never before gotten so many emails, notes and phone calls from guests in attendance who told me what a wonderful evening it was and how much fun they had!” said Sloan.  “It’s really a successful event when you can raise money for a worthy cause like Children’s Specialized and have a lot of fun at the same time.”

Amazing performances were given by all, including Amy Mansue and her partner, Josh McCracken, from Arthur Murray Studio in Chatham; Morris Lenczicki and his partner Gemma Arnold from Dance Studio22 in Mountainside; Michael Harrison and his partner Jennifer Vestal from Paragon Ballroom in Roselle Park; and Katharyn Nicolle and her partner Nikita Malakhov from Paragon Ballroom. There were additional outstanding professional performances by Nikita Malakhov and his partner Nadya Vlasova from Paragon Ballroom, plus Gemma Arnold and her partner Michael Pavlyuk from Dance Studio 22.

Judges Carol Kearney, Gino Jannotti and Tony Marolda had a hard time deciding on one winner, but in the end Katharyn Nicolle and her partner Nikita Malakhov earned the glory of taking home the Mirror Ball Trophy. Guests enjoyed the cocktail party as The Michael Craig Band played terrific music throughout the night. A special thanks to master of ceremony, Greg Myers, and Tom Schoenknecht for photographing the event.

Phil Salerno, president and chief development officer for Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation described the night as a “feel good event.”

“I cannot thank those involved enough for their tiring efforts in getting this program together,” he said. “They were the real stars behind the scene.”

 

Children’s Specialized Hospital is the preeminent provider of rehabilitation services for children with special needs. The hospital serves children affected by brain injury, spinal cord injury, premature birth, autism, developmental delays, and life-changing illnesses. Children’s Specialized Hospital has eight sites in New Jersey and treats 19,000 children each year, making it the largest pediatric rehabilitation system of its kind in the nation. Services include outpatient services, acute rehabilitation, and long-term care through its sites in Bayonne, Clifton, Mountainside, Toms River, Fanwood, Hamilton, New Brunswick and Roselle Park as well as outreach programs in many communities. 

Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation supports the programs and services of the hospital. The Foundation is ranked among the top six pediatric hospital foundations in the country. To help, or find more information, visit www.childrens-specialized.org.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here