Thanks to the board members of Glen Cove CARES, their friends and family, the generous members from our community and our local merchants, esteemed members from the medical community, members of our local city government and also our county government, the Fifth Annual Gala Dinner Dance was an evening that will be remembered for a long time to come. Once again, The Metropolitan here in Glen Cove hosted the dinner dance for over 260 people. This dinner dance is a celebration of life, health and happiness, bringing together the many who have survived cancer, and also dedicating the evening to the memory of all those who have succumbed to cancer and those who have supported them. This "Partnership for Survival" truly proves that Glen Cove "CARES" and this year the foundation was able to take the step from a small grass-roots organization that began five years ago by its president, Mrs. Terry Petikas, to making the major step of expanding its mission to make a donation of $25,000 to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory here on Long Island. This donation will be directed 100 percent to cancer research and to continue the crusade to triumph over this disease.

Supporting Glen Cove CARES for the past few years has been the Glen Cove High School DECA Organization and this year Jordan Brondo, vice president of community activities and Eunice Jin, secretary of DECA, along with the DECA Advisor, Miss Quackenbush, and members Lindsay Eisenstadt and Sara Dorfman, presented the foundation with a check for $2,340. Through their continued efforts over the last year, DECA participated in the "Garden of Hope" spreading the message "where there is awareness...there is Hope." By collecting sponsorships for tulip bulbs through many fundraisers and participating in the planting of over 15,000 bulbs in the Garden of Hope throughout our city, Glen Cove CARES is very grateful for the hard work, dedication and ongoing support from DECA.

Being supportive of many cancer foundations throughout the country, Tweezerman, a local community merchant, sold nationally a tweezer with the breast cancer pink ribbon emblem on it and donated the proceeds it received. This year Glen Cove CARES was proud to be one of the recipients and Lisa Bowen from Tweezerman presented Glen Cove C.A.R.E.S. with a donation of $5,450. These two donations are once again evidence that through the continued generosity, support and partnerships that have bloomed over the last few years, Glen Cove CARES can continue its mission to fight cancer.

Taking the next step is finding the cure, and Glen Cove CARES was proud to present to Diane Fagiola, director of development of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Assistant Professor Dr. Masaaki Hamaguchi, with a donation of $25,000. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is recognized for its excellence in research in the biological and biomedical sciences throughout the world. This donation will be directed to cancer genetics, tumor suppressor genes and hopefully taking the final step in finding a cure.

Many thanks to those who helped make the Fifth Annual Dinner Dance a success. Every successful step we take benefits you or someone you know. The volunteers are the key to our success, and the Glen Cove CARES network of volunteers and supporters may be a diverse group but our common thread is the desire to end cancer in our lifetime.