Please join us for Community Caregivers 23rd Annual Gala

“There’s no place like home.”

While that saying is probably best known as a line from the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” it also expresses Community Caregivers most basic goal — to help people remain in their homes­­. Fittingly, the organization has chosen “There’s No Place Like Home” as the theme for its 23rd Annual Gala, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Colonie Golf & Country Club in Voorheesville.

Greg Floyd, news anchor at WRGB Channel 6, will be the gala emcee again this year. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the presentation of awards. Dancing to the music of the Bluz House Rockers will begin at 9 p.m.

In keeping with the theme, the Joseph A. Bosco Community Service Award will be presented to Susan Hennessy and Mark Hopper, co-directors of the Guilderland Food Pantry. Prior to marrying, both Sue and Mark had spent decades volunteering for various causes — local, national, and international.

Clearly, community service is very important to each of them. So, when they retired from their careers as teachers, they looked for a ministry they could share. They chose the Guilderland Food Pantry. Under their direction, the GFP, which was formed in 1979, incorporated in 2015.

Last year, the gala featured a “wine pull.” This year, there’s a new twist. Great bottles of wine will be paired with restaurant gift cards — a “wine and dine pull!”

There will be a silent auction featuring art, jewelry, and other items as well as gift cards to local businesses. There will also be a live auction, featuring auctioneer Ralph F. Passonno Jr., president of Uncle Sam Auctions & Realty.

This year’s live auction includes such items as a Disney World package (including Park Hopper tickets and a week at an Orlando timeshare), two season tickets to the Siena Saints 2017-18 basketball season (includes several premiums), and a two-night stay at the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid (with breakfast and a gift certificate toward dinner at the inn).

Sponsors are important partners in the success of the gala. We are extremely grateful for the support of this year’s sponsors: Adirondack Environmental Services, Albany Medical Center, The AYCO Foundation, GCOM Software Inc., The New York Business Development Corporation, American Association of Retired Persons, Capital district Physicians’ Health Plan, Glenmont Abbey Village, and an anonymous donation honoring all caregivers and volunteers.

The gala is one of two annual fundraising events held by Community Caregivers. All proceeds go to support the programs and services it provides to caregivers and their families. Tickets are $125 per person.

For more information please call Community Caregivers office at (518) 456-2898. The deadline for reserving your ticket is Nov. 9. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Community Caregivers Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides non-medical services including transportation and caregiver support at no charge to residents of Guilderland, Bethlehem, Altamont, New  Scotland, Berne, Knox, and the city of Albany through a strong volunteer pool of dedicated individuals with a desire to assist their neighbors.

Our funding is derived in part from the Albany County Department for Aging, the New York State Office for the Aging, and the United States Administration on Aging. To find out more about our services, as well as volunteer opportunities, please visit www.communitycaregivers.org or call us at (518) 456-2898.