News
February 13, 2018Crossroads Center for Children Announces Upcoming “Dare to be Different” Gala
Crossroads Center for Children is proud to invite the public to attend our upcoming annual gala, “Dare to be Different,” to support the school, and truly honored to announce our guest speakers for this year’s event, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. Both speakers are past parents of the school from different points of time. Both are respected community leaders making a difference in the lives of individuals with Autism and other special needs.
Other special guests of Crossroads at this event will be awardees SACC TV, The Muffin Man show, Dr. Kristin Miller, and Mr. Steven Oill. Additionally, several staff members will receive awards for milestone years of service.
Crossroads Center for Children is a not-for-profit school located in Schenectady, N.Y. which serves children from all over the Capital Region. Children with and without special developmental needs, especially Autism, learn and grow together in preschool classrooms. Crossroads also provides self-contained classrooms for its school-aged student population. The mission of Crossroads is to prepare individuals with and without developmental disabilities for life success within their family and community. Throughout the program, this mission is implemented using a philosophy and methodology of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Crossroads Center for Children is the sole program fully operating on the science and research of ABA, the one methodology which possesses research and science to show positive effects for.
Since opening in 1998, the school has served increasing numbers of children with and without disabilities. The scope of the programs has grown in order to meet these growing community needs. The vision and goal at Crossroads Center for Children is that each and every child will grow to have a full, meaningful and productive life. This means ensuring that all students learn the academic and social skills they need to be successful in their school classroom, family and community.
It’s true that like other educational programs, Crossroads Center for Children receives funding in the form of tuition payments from the school districts and counties served. Unfortunately, however appreciated, it does not begin to cover all of the costs of running a successful and effective educational program to meet significant instructional needs. In order to ensure that all students learn the life, academic and social skills needed for success at home, in school and in the community, financial support from the community in the way of fundraising, donations, and grants is critically needed.
This year’s Gala is being sponsored at 3 different levels, the highest being the Platinum Sponsor. Dr. & Mrs. Gerhard Baule are sponsoring at this level, and are joined by Gold Sponsors, The Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant, The Galesi Group and Atlas Private Wealth Management. Silver Sponsors include The Bartholomew Family, Morris Ford, Inc. and Marshall & Sterling. This in combination with the many donations for a wine pull, a silent auction and a live auction, help this fundraiser to be a major one each year for the school
This year’s Gala (3/3/18) will be presented at the beautiful Mohawk River Country Club and Chateau located at 847 Riverview Rd, Rexford, NY 12148 · (518) 347-7971 www.mohawkrivercc.com. In previous years it has been held at other lovely venues in the area, such as the Waters Edge Lighthouse in Glenville, Key Hall in Schenectady, The Stockade Inn in Schenectady, Eagle Crest Golf Course in Clifton Park, the Mohawk Club in Niskayuna and Mallozzi’s in Rotterdam. Changing venues allows Crossroads Center for Children to give business to the many beautiful establishments in the area, as well as to provide a change of scenery for the school’s loyal guests.
Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and mingle with friends old and new with common hearts about this important cause. During this time there will be an abundance of food offerings as well as an exquisite array of silent auction items to bid on and wines to pull from a grand selection. Presentations will be made by our Executive Director, Kelly Young, recognizing staff members, board members, special guests, and honoring award recipients. Stunning foods will be prevalent throughout. The joys of music and dancing will be ongoing by the phenomenal DJ Zac Barr who is donating his services for the evening for the 9th year in a row. The evening culminates in a live auction, to be led by the dazzling Steve Oill who again is donating his services for several years running.
Those interested in attending or otherwise helping should visit our website: http://crossroadcenter.org/ or contact the school. For more information about this exciting event or about Crossroads Center for Children, please visit our website or call Kelly Young, Executive Director at (518)280-0083.
