Susan Lucci Supports Our Kids

Anton Community Newspapers • 132 East 2nd Street • Mineola, NY 11501 • Phone: 516-747-8282 • FAX: 516-742-5867

Susan Lucci Supports Our Kids

Written by Dagmar Fors Karppi Tuesday, 06 November 2012 00:00

So does Nelson DeMille, even in absentia

“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a night,” said Ralph Fumante, an Oyster Bay Cove trustee. He had a point. The Bahniks, Lori and Roger, brought together a group of like minded people to work for the good of Oyster Bay-East Norwich’s children at the gala at the Metropolitan Club in Glen Cove on Oct. 19. Once again it proved to be a delightful venue and a great place to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich.

They always have a surprise for guests; this year Lori Bahnik introduced Susan Lucci, who offered a copy of her new book All My Life and a lunch with the highest bidder. Ms. Lucci, star of the longtime running TV soap opera All My Children, and the one everyone loved to hate, said she wrote the book at the urging of her son Andreas.

Lori Bahnik, as she auctioned off a copy of Susan Lucci’s book, All My Life, and a luncheon date and photo op with Ms. Lucci. Ms. Lucci said many people had asked her to write a book but she thought of herself as a “private celebrity.” When she asked his opinion he said, “Mom, you should write a book.”

“Why?” she asked, “I’ve never had a run-in with the law?” She saw her personal life as quiet and not making headlines in the press. .

Andreas said, “For one thing, all the girls I date want to know how you did it and how you do it.”

That was all she needed to sit down and tell her story that opens with her dad looking up at the stars and telling her, “the sky’s the limit.” He inspired her life with those words.

And she does have a story to tell about her famous career including her 21-year trip to claim her first Emmy, that she made a fun event for everyone. She mentioned her stint on Dancing With the Stars, and her Broadway debut with the help of Marvin Hamlisch; and the stars she has known including Regis Philbin and Sammy Davis, Jr. “I crossed paths with so many famous people,” she said.

Seated beside Roger Bahnik were Helmut Huber, manager and husband of Susan Lucci. The book has pictures from her family albums. As she said that, she added for the auction winner, “I’ll throw in a lunch for two and a picture with Susan,” herself. Ms. Lucci earned the children of Oyster Bay-East Norwich $3,600. Grace Haggerty, a benefit committee member, was the winner.

Nelson DeMille is a regular at the Boys & Girls Club galas, but he couldn’t attend. Instead he sent a video that was shown on a giant screen where he said, “Lori, have a fun night and I’ll see you next year.” In absentia he raised money for the club.

Lori said, although had he tired of using a name for a character in his books to benefit a cause, “He made an exception for us. I was a character in a bestseller. I was the girlfriend of Harry the detective but they killed him.”

The Nelson DeMille winner Scott Kalish with Deborah McGuigan, Grace Haggerty — the winner of All My Life by Susan Lucci; and Helen Deng. The naming-spot in the next book by Nelson DeMille went for $3,600 to Scott Kalish.

Mr. DeMille also sent four copies of his new book Panther as well as a first edition that was in the silent auction.

(More photographs of the event will be in an upcoming issue of the Enterprise Pilot.)

News

Plein Air Exhibit

Thursday, 16 May 2013 00:00

Dodds and Eder will be hosting a wine and cheese reception on Saturday, May 18 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at their Sag Harbor location to showcase the work of Plein Air Peconic, an artist group dedicated to helping the Peconic Land Trust conserve the natural beauty of the East End. The reception will showcase “At Home in the Natural World” an exhibition and sale of landscape paintings and photographs. The exhibition is on view at Dodds and Eder, which is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Many of the paintings and photographs in the show are larger works composed in the studio from field studies of preserved sites. By painting and photographing images of conserved land and other spaces of the East End, the artists call attention to what has already been accomplished by land conservation and the continuing need to protect these vital resources from unchecked development.

Sports

Nick Carbone Helps Fight Alzheimer’s

Thursday, 16 May 2013 00:00

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, more than five million Americans are suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Troubled by these statistics and personally affected, Long Islander and NBA draftee Gordon Thomas founded the Alzheimer’s All-Star Basketball Classic Committee, a group of professionals dedicated to raising awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia.