The Davenport Club in New Rochelle was the gorgeous backdrop for a perfect evening filled with good food, libations, and friends united for life at this first annual gala and fundraising event. 
Richard Fuerst, W&PRTL Committee and PAC Chairman, spoke words of welcome and thanks to all present.
Alan Mehldau of the Westchester and Putnam Center for Life in Katonah, New York acted as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, while Joy Dechiario was as charming and gracious a hostess as ever. Here they are (below) presenting Gertrude Keogh with her award depicting Mary's "Madonna of the Streets" image, a favorite of Gert's.
Eileen Kennedy (below) former Co-chairwoman of the Westchester and Putnam Right to Life Committee was also honored for her many years of work on behalf of the unborn and in defense of the sanctity of all human life. All agree these remarkable women are still voices to be reckoned with, now as then.
The Rev. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J., seen below, was the honored keynote speaker. Fr. Koterski, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, spoke on Thomas More: Conscience Formation for Politicians. His presentation reminded us of the remarkable St. Thomas More, so perfectly portrayed by Paul Schofield in A Man for All Seasons. If you have not seen the movie based on the play, you must. Not all are asked to pay the ultimate price demanded of Thomas by his King - out of ego, not necessity. But a person of principle or politician with a conscience and love of his or her God cannot expect to avoid forever taking a stance on "non-negotiable" issues, especially when the inevitable confrontation is between right and wrong, good and evil.
Among the guests were New York State Assemblyman Greg Ball (with Alan, Pam Mehldau and Joy) who has been a greatly-needed prolife voice in Albany on several important issues already, including ethical umbilical cord blood use for treatments and stem cell research.
Robert Astorino, below with the Hudson Valley Coalition for Life's Co-director Tom Faranda, gave Andy Spano a run and a half for his County Executive seat in the last election. We hear Andy is still waking up screaming. We hope Rob, currently Program Director for the NY Archdiocese's Serius radio broadcasts, will keep his political options open. Like Greg, he is the real deal.
Theresa Bonopartis of Good Counsel's Lumina post-abortion program, chatting below with Rich, took time from her busy speaking schedule to join us. She arrived right after a presentation to seminarians, priests and religious on the need for compassionate outreach to post abortive women and men. She also is asking for our prayers at this time for an event in the works that will hopefully advance the cause of life.
Chris Slattery of EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers enjoys a good laugh, and he deserves some down time. He has been promoting maternal care for women and their children, born and unborn, through his centers for years, and now through his fully-operational mobile units. His prolife energy is astounding in the face of constant attack by pro-abortion opponents. Remember Attorney General Spitzer's threat to close down pregnancy care centers? This must have been a practice run for his draconian proposals for New York State as Governor! 
The financial needs that go hand in hand with care for women who choose life for their unborn children and find no support elsewhere is daunting, but Chris has never flinched. He is one from the inspiring "cloud" of prolife witnesses present this night. Another is Elizabeth Rex of The Children First Foundation, on the right below with Sarah and Raymond Belair. CFF just recently hit the news again with their latest Alliance Defense Fund legal move that adds Governor Spitzer and his newly appointed DMV Commissioner David Swarts to the list of New York State officials (then Gov. Pataki, former DMV Commissioner Martinez, and Jill Dunn, Deputy Commissioner and DMV Counsel) also named in the federal lawsuit for trying to stop the "Choose Life" license plates from ever seeing a New York light of day. CFF supports adoption and the request for available organization specialty license plates drew a First Amendment attack/DMV department shut down. Read more about this on this LifeNet website. Good luck, Elizabeth and Alliance.
Below, Tony Felicissimo and Floyd Etienne of Advocates of Life and the W&PRTL Committee, network with Maria Litrenta of the Gabriel Project over hors d'oeuvres. Maria's prayer and activism in the upper Westchester and Yorktown areas is matched by Tony and Floyd's work in Yonkers and on the sidewalks in front of the Planned Parenthood clinics. Cenacles of Life is a recent prayer movement to help stop abortion that has Tony very involved these days. As the saying goes, "From your lips to God's ears," Tony, Maria and Floyd.
Next we see Brigid and Tom Faranda enjoying a well-deserved evening out. You can catch Brigid on the streets of New York with Theresa Bonopartis and Janet Morana at the Silent No More witness. Check out this website for some great pictures of that day.
Finally, some random photos from the festivities. Enjoy and see you next year!
No one could have covered the dinner better. The pictures are so representative of the evening. Thank you so much for your work. You are indispensable to the cause.
Posted by: Joy Dechiario | October 03, 2007 at 09:33 AM
Congratulations! And may the Holy Spirit keep you courageous.
Posted by: Phyllis Ruppert | October 03, 2007 at 09:40 AM