Liz Fortugno said she has long wanted to raise money for “amazing children” like her 19-year-old son, James III, who is on the autistic spectrum. Fortugno, who is the district manager for Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, has now gone ahead and done that.
She is organizing a Saturday, June 8th fundraiser for Autism Speaks. Her work with the winery inspired the event theme a Summer Tasting Event of wine and spirits at Liquorland at 250 Route 59 in Suffern from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“This is something I always wanted to do for my son, and now I have the opportunity to do it, and a lot of support behind me,” explained the New City resident.
Fortugno planned the benefit at Liquorland of Suffern for the Autism Speaks Foundation and has about 30 volunteers helping her. More than 100 wines and spirits will be available for sampling. There will be giveaways, music, and children’s activities. Autism Speaks will have a table with literature.
Marcello Russodivito, owner of Marcello’s of Suffern, will give cooking demonstrations at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Brother Winery Wine Master Cesar Baeza will discuss being a wine master and answer questions during his appearance from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Citibank of Suffern is sponsoring the children’s activities. 10 percent of the proceeds of sales will go to Autism Speaks Foundation.
Fortugno said James, who is graduating from the Birchwood School, was first diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder at age three and then years later he was diagnosed with Asperger’s.
“He is an amazing young man, and has persevered even with his disability,” she said. “Everyone throughout his schooling, as well as any other aspects of his life were always wowed by him because he is kind, courteous, and extremely well mannered. His teachers always stated to my husband Jimmy and I how they wished they had 100 students like our James.”
Fortugno said her son’s two favorite things are trains and Pennsylvania. “These two things bring him internal peace and complete happiness,” she said. Fortugno said she, her husband and children Jenna and Jason, have worked to help and support James in all his everyday struggles.
“Throughout the years James and I formed a special bond because of his disability, and everything he does he makes sure he does it so that I am proud and happy, something he does probably every minute of my day,” she said.
They discussed his disability as James got older and he became interested in understanding it, asking questions, pointing out many aspects of autism and researching it online.
“I would tell him all the time that one day I'm going to organize a big event to help kids on the autistic spectrum because of him to show him how proud his father and I are,” she said. “He would ask me all the time about it, and I just never had the opportunity to plan it and make it work the way I had always envisioned it in my head.”
Her opportunity came after she joined Brotherhood a year ago and became friendly with her customers, including Raj Ranjith, owner of Liquorland. Ranjith wanted to hold a wine event and Fortugno asked if he would be willing to do it for the benefit of Autism Speaks, which led to the June 8th event.
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