The annual COPE Golf Outing brings together individuals, families and organizations to pay tribute to departed loved ones and honor COPE’s supporters, raising over one million dollars over the past ten years.
East Norwich, New York (PRWEB) April 12, 2017
Over 250 golfers and supporters are expected to attend COPE’s largest fundraising event of the year, which raises 75% of the organization’s annual budget. COPE provides free support programs and services for bereaved families who meet in over a dozen locations throughout Long Island and in Manhattan. These include parent and sibling support groups, integrative healing workshops, and a variety of special programs for clergy, funeral homes, schools and mental health professionals. COPE’s grief hotline (COPEline) and website (http://www.copefoundation.org) have enabled the non-profit to provide grieving individuals throughout the country with immediate support, resources, and referrals. COPE’s Camp Erin® NYC is a free weekend bereavement camp supporting children 6-17 who are grieving the death of a parent, sibling, or loved one and will be held this August 25-27. (SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFO)
The annual Golf Outing brings together individuals, families and organizations to pay tribute to departed loved ones and honor COPE’s supporters. Over the past ten years, more than a million dollars has been raised from generous corporate and individual sponsors. For more information about the 2017 COPE Golf Outing visit http://www.copefoundation.org/golf_outing/
This year COPE will honor Karen Flyer, former COPE Executive Director from 2008-2016. Karen grew the organization from a small, grass-roots foundation to a non-profit corporation that serves approximately 1,000 families. According to Karen, “creating and growing these programs was such a fulfilling part of my life for over eight years. I was not only a part of COPE, it was a part of me.” Karen has used her extensive background in branding, marketing, advertising/PR and non-profit management to “give back” through COPE by providing a healing opportunity for those dealing with loss, a cause dear to Karen’s heart. She is the author of two books: Loss and Found: A Memoir and Closer to Found. She recently started her own consulting business, Flyer Consulting (flyerconsulting.org) which provides strategic marketing and fundraising support for small businesses and non-profits.
COPE will also present Dr. Amy Bobrow Gross the COPE Professional Service Award for her contribution to the grief community. Dr. Gross is a licensed clinical and school psychologist with more than 20 years experience providing psychological services to children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Gross was an integral member of the NYU Child Study Center Child and Family Recovery Program, a team that provided mental health services to traumatized children and staff in the NYC downtown schools in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. She has published, taught and presented on a variety of topics related to the treatment of children and adolescents. Dr. Gross began her work with COPE in 1998 as a founding Board Member, was the founding Clinical Director of COPE-Camp Erin NYC, and remains an active member of COPE’s Advisory Board while maintaining her private practice.
Jane and Jonathan Bell will receive the COPE Parent Recognition Award for their generous support of COPE since the loss of their 15 year-old daughter, Jennifer, in 2009. Jane and Jon have actively attended COPE meetings for support and healing. They have donated a COPE sign for the COPE House in Eisenhower Park as well as a bench at COPE's Memorial Labyrinth in memory of their daughter. Each year they have donated sponsor signs for Camp Erin NYC and last summer volunteered for the COPE Parent Retreat Weekend, supporting other parents in grief. Jane has been an active volunteer on the COPEline for the past 7 years as well as a COPE peer support mentor. Jane and Jon have volunteered at COPE walks and fundraising events and, above all, have given hope to other parents in COPE who are living with the loss of a child. Jane works as a pre-school teacher at Jacob's Ladder, Rockville Centre and Jon is President of American Signcrafters.
Among COPE’s supporters and previous event participants are New York Knicks TV producer Spencer Julien, whose family started COPE, and many former players and announcers from Madison Square Garden, including former New York Knicks superstar and Hall-of-Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier; Mike Breen, Play by Play announcer for MSG's Knicks telecasts and the voice of the NBA for ESPN and ABC; Al Trautwig, host of MSG’s Knicks and Rangers telecasts; Dave Maloney, Former NY Ranger and MSG Analyst; Jill Martin, Today Show correspondent and Knicks reporter; and Butch Goring, four-time Stanley Cup Champion with the NY Islanders and current analyst for MSG Networks.
Sponsors of last year’s Golf Outing included Northwell Health, Madison Square Garden, Moneywatch Advisors, Plainview Oral & Maxillofacial Associates, P.C., BC Enterprises (Bill Cooperman) in memory of David Berg, Sammi’s Circle Charitable Fund in memory of Samantha “Sammi” Mergentime, and founders Lillian Julien in memory of Michelle and Robert Julien, Judy and Richard Berg in memory of David Joshua Berg, and Patti Greenberg in memory of Sharon Gallucci.
About Camp Erin® NYC
Offered in more than 40 communities nationwide, including 48 camps nationally, Camp Erin® is a free weekend bereavement camp for children and teens ages 6-17 that combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support, facilitated by grief professionals and trained volunteers. COPE partners with the Moyer Foundation (https://moyerfoundation.org/camps-programs/camp-erin/) as the New York City affiliate for Camp Erin NYC, held annually at Camp Wayne in Preston Park, PA, to help children from the tri-state area who are grieving the death of a parent, sibling or someone close to them. The weekend, which will be held August 25-27, 2017, includes a concurrent parent camp for caregivers. Contact: Ann Fuchs, Director, Camp Erin NYC (914-939-5338) afuchs(at)copefoundation(dot)org
Contacts:
Lynda Rice
Administrative Director, COPE
(516) 832-2673
lynda(at)copefoundation(dot)org
Larry Battaglia
Golf Event Planning
(516) 393-5870
lbattaglia(at)golfeventplanning(dot)com