The Viscardi Center reached for the stars and grabbed two new records.
The Albertson-based non-profit for people with severe physical disabilities collected $235,000 to benefit the Henry Viscardi School at its 34th annual Reach for a Star Luncheon, beating last year’s previous record, Vice President for Development and External Relations Kim Brussell said.
“It’s going to have a really big impact on the kids,” she said.
A crowd of 435 came to see a performance by Chilina Kennedy, star of Broadway’s “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, a new attendance record, Brussell said.
In addition to supporting the Viscardi School’s after-school programs for the coming year, the money will allow the school to hold four Friday night recreation sessions a month, twice the current number, Brussell said.
That will come with added music, leadership and multimedia programs, she said, including some in the school’s multimedia production studio.
“A lot of children are going into different digital, graphic majors at college after they leave us because it’s so adaptable,” Brussell said. “… It’s an area that can be very adapted for their disabilities.”
Proceeds from the luncheon also support transportation for students, nursing staff, the Viscardi School’s three wheelchair basketball teams, its swimming pool and the Viscardi House, where students can go for overnight programs that teach them daily life skills.
Kennedy performed the Carole King hits “You’ve Got a Friend” and “I Feel the Earth Move” with the Viscardi School’s second-grade class.
She also got to see a video of her backstage interview with a Viscardi School student named Mariah, Brussell said.
Mariah also unveiled a painting of Kennedy she created based on the art and decorations in her dressing room. Kennedy said she planned to hang it in the dressing room, Brussell said.
“You could tell that she was really emotionally touched by the experience today,” Brussell said.
Brussell said the Reach for a Star Luncheon has been growing in recent years.
Some in the crowd Tuesday have been coming since the beginning, she said.
“Whether we have big-name entertainment like Chilina Kennedy or no entertainment at all, they’re just really dedicated to these kids,” she said.
The Viscardi Center is now looking ahead to its 50th annual Celebrity Sports Night at 5:30 p.m. May 19, featuring New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Bryant Gumbel, host of HBO’s “Real Sports.”
About two dozen other athletes from New York teams will be on hand to sign autographs, Brussell said.
The center’s biggest fundraiser of the year usually collects about $1 million to support its employment training and placement programs for adolescents and adults, its at-risk youth and youth transition programs, and the Viscardi School, Brussell said.
