Rotary Club of Verrazano raises money for a good cause

21st Annual Fashion Show and Auction Raises Money for Children

February 15, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

From left to right: Ralph Succar, Tony Troia, Albana Krasniqi, Car Campagna, Mary Reardon, Francesco Di Marco, Vito Parente, Ben Trucali with Blendina, Muhala, Vlera and Erina. Eagle photos by Arthur De Gaeta

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The Rotary Club of Verrazano held its 21st annual Fashion Show on Friday, Feb. 10, at Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island.

Rotary Club President Ben Truncali and his wife Maria chose the theme for this year’s event: Casino Royale. It was a night filled with music, food, fun, furs and fashion as 400 guests had the opportunity to bid on gifts and buy raffles to help raise money for pediatric cardiac surgery.

The Rotary Club raised the money in conjunction with the Gift of Life, an organization that believes that every child deserves a second chance at life.

Community leader and Rotary Club member Ralph Succar told the Brooklyn Eagle that “everything revolves around kids.” The Rotary Club of Verrazano sponsors many children, including the four who attended the event. The Rotary Club, along with the Gift of Life, had the children flown here from Kosovo to receive life-saving operations.

The event’s purpose was to raise awareness and funds to help them come to America and receive medical treatment. When they arrived here, the children stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and received treatment at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center.

This was not an awards presentation, but rather a fashion show and prize raffle focused on the needs of the children. However, one award was presented to Scott Kersner, of Kersner Furs, who generously donated a fur coat to be auctioned at the event.

The coats were modeled and one was sold on the spot to a gentleman who purchased it as a Valentine’s Day gift for his lady, with proceeds going to the charity.

Among the notable civic leaders attending the event were Brooklyn attorney Robert Howe and RE/MAX Real Estate Associate Julie Thum.

The Rotary Club of Verrazano is one of more than 30,000 rotary clubs in 160 countries worldwide. They work to help feed the hungry, procure open heart surgeries for children overseas and support a variety of local projects.

Succar explained the Rotary Club’s motto is “Service Above Self.”

“That means it’s all about the service that we provide for others,” Succar said. “It’s not about us.”