The New Rochelle Public Library Foundation (NRPLF) will hold its Guardian Gala on Thursday, May 12 at the Greentree Country Club in New Rochelle. It will celebrate the return of the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation”™s popular fundraising event, and CBS TV reporter Tony Aiello will serve as the evening”™s emcee.
The NRPLF”™s Guardian Award will be presented to Karen and Dr. Irwin Redlener, dynamic crusaders for children”™s health care and strong public health advocates. Together with legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon, they founded the Children”™s Health Fund in 1987 to serve critical unmet needs of children in New York”™s homeless shelters. Today the organization has 50 mobile clinics serving nearly 300,000 kids and family members each year in poor and rural communities across America. As Director of Columbia University”™s Center for Disaster Preparedness Redlener has been especially busy over the last two years, working to educate the public about the Covid pandemic. Among his most important goals now is to help everyone learn how to distinguish truth from dangerous misinformation.
The gala will also be recognizing two other NRPLF supporters: The foundation”™s Community Service Award will be presented to Ellen and Steven Sonet, longtime volunteers and supporters of the foundation”™s mission, and Judith Factor, NRPLF Board member who is the executive director of Friends of Karen.
The Sonets are longtime New Rochelle residents who have contributed to the community and specifically to the New Rochelle Public Library.
A member of the firm of Levy Sonet & Siegel LLP, Steve has been practicing law for more than 40 years.
Ellen Miller-Sonet is the chief strategy and policy officer for CancerCare, a national organization dedicated to providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer.
Factor has had a distinguished career in the nonprofit sector, serving as the executive director of Friends of Karen since 2008.
Tickets are $175 per person and available at nrplfoundation.org.
