... Upper East Siders Making a Difference, by Julie D. Andrews
| Mike Panza says he’s always had a soft spot for kids. One that grows especially tender during the holiday season.
That explains why Panza, who lives at East 83rd Street and York Avenue, took it upon himself to organize the first-ever Chocolate for Children fundraiser.
The event, which took place Tuesday from (12/5) 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Stir, a martini bar located at 1363 First Avenue, between East 73rd and 74th Streets, was held to raise money for New York Nativity Centers and collect wrapped presents that will be delivered to needy children through the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.
“I’ve been blessed in my life and never wanted for anything,” said Panza. “This was just a chance to give back a little and help an underprivileged child enjoy Christmas.” |  | |
A friendly, intimate crowd of young professionals, clad in cocktail dresses and suit coats, turned out in support of the event to sip on Flirt martinis and nosh on delectable pastries.
A large number of southerners from Alabama were in attendance, representing the Auburn University Alumni Club of which Panza, 40, is a member.
“It really meant a lot that they all came out to support the event. Many of them were really behind it and wanted to help out in any way that they could,” said Panza.
The baking ingredients were donated by ESG, a company based in Fairfield, New Jersey that imports and distributes pastry ingredients. Panza has been employed as a distributor there for three years.
And, it was Ryan Witcher, pastry chef at The Pierre hotel located at Fifth Avenue and East 61st Street, who made the chocolate-banana tarts, French macaroons, triple-chocolate mousse, and lemon mousse. Witcher also fashioned the elaborate chocolate sculptures on display at the event.
“Ryan is the one who worked the hardest on Chocolate for Children,” said Panza. “He’s the one who donated the time and effort to make all of the pastries.”
Witcher is one of Panza’s customers. The two also play on a local football team together.
Katie Johnson, development officer for the New York Nativity Centers, sold tickets at the door. A native of Alabama, the 25-year-old has been working for nearly two years at New York Nativity Centers, a network of three Jesuit middle schools for kids from low-income families: Nativity Mission Center on the Lower East Side; Saint Ignatius School in Hunts Point in the Bronx; and, Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in Crown Heights.
Each of the three schools offers single-gender classes of 10-12 students each, an after-school program, a summer program, and a graduate support program. The aim of the organization is to break the cycle of poverty through education. Most parents whose children attend the school are struggling financially and are therefore required to pay only what they can. Thus, the tuition paid to the New York Nativity Centers covers only 2 percent of the overall expenses. | | U.S. Marines, dressed in crisp uniforms, were on hand to collect donated presents for Toys for Tots.
“The hours are very long, but Toys for Tots is by far the most rewarding program within the Marine Corps that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Corporal Francis Romanitch, 21, of Long Island, New York.
“When you see the smiles on the faces, and know that you made a difference in the lives of more than 2,000 kids, it’s amazing,” said Romanitch, who after serving as a U.S. Marine for more than three years was selected for the first time this year to be a Toys for Tots volunteer. |  | | Over the 58 years that the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program has been operating, U.S. Marines have distributed more than 351 million toys for 166 million needy children. During the 2005 Toys for Tots Campaign, local Toys for Tots Coordinators distributed 18.5 million toys to 7.5 million impoverished children.
Toys for Tots began in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign.
Stir, a martini bar that opened in July 2004, is always happy to try and accommodate requests for private parties and fundraisers, said managing partner John Walberg, 34. But, it’s booking up fast for the holidays. On Tuesday, there were just a few nights before the first of the year that remained available for private party reservations. To find out more about hosting an event at Stir, call 212-744-7190. |
|
