This is user generated content.
On Thursday May 24t, New City Elementary School held a very special Art Gallery Gala sponsored by the PTA to benefit People to People, Inc. and raise awareness about hunger. Artwork submitted by each and every student was displayed in three different areas of the school along with some information about the services People to People provides to needy families in the county.
Also on display were some facts about hunger and the difficulty some families face making ends meet. Optional donations of money were made at the door to directly go to Rockland's largest food pantry. It was noted that a dollar donated in cash yields seven times more food than a dollar donated in food.
A week before the event, Diane Serratorre, the executive director of People To People, paid the students a visit to thank them for what they were planning and explain to them how her organization helps the needy in our communty. The school raised $918 for our local food pantry to continue helping our neighbors going through difficult times.
Parents came to view their child's art work and support the cause. Also in attendance was local artist Lisa Grubb of the Happy Dog Gallery in Piermont. Grubb brought in some of her own artwork to be viewed and very generously donated three original prints and a Happy Dog book to be raffled off.
Students had the opportunity to meet the contemporary pop artist and see firsthand her signature style using vibrant colors. Grubb's work has been shown in many galleries from New York’s Soho to the Hamptons to Key West and beyond. New City felt very honored and fortunate to have her to themselves for this special evening.
Principal Debra Forman was on hand to lend support and music teacher Peg Brizzolara, even coordinated some solo performances from student volunteers to enhance the ambience of the viewing. This is the schools second Art Gallery Gala. Last year they raised money for the Rockland chapter of the American Cancer Society.
As a follow-up, a mock check in the amount of $918 was presented to People to People at the school's annual Flag Day Ceremony on June 14th. Every year for the past few years the PTA has been linking its works of charity to the Flag Day ceremony by reminding the children that the Flag represents communities across America and that the goodwill existing in our towns make communities and America a better place. The color guard from the USMC particpated in the ceremony.
