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COURIER LIFE, APRIL 8-14, 2022
Life’s WORC and Family Center for Autism
founder Victoria Schneps and Emmy-
Life’s WORC, an non pro t 501 (c) (3)
organization that provides services for
children with special needs and those
on the autism spectrum, celebrated its 50th
anniversary with a gala honoring its founder
Victoria Schneps and Emmy award-winning
journalist Geraldo Rivera at the Garden City
Hotel on April 1st.
It was Rivera’s passionate coverage in the
early 1970s that activated the closing of the
Willowbrook State School and ultimately led
to the development of group homes and day
programs in the community. Montauk’s Bill
O’Reilly gave the keynote speech.
e 400+ guests in attendance came from
Manhattan to Montauk, the boroughs of
NYC and several counties of Long Island to
support the event.
— Photos by Ed Shin and Marc S. Klein
Geraldo Rivera (honoree),
Bill O’Reilly (keynote speaker)
Peter Spalding, Ali Jabbour
(Group Publisher, Dan’s
Papers & Long Island Press)
Victoria Schneps (President,
Schneps Media), Bill O’Reilly
Dr. Liat Jarkon, Kevin O’Connor (CEO, Dime
Bank), Joan MacNaughton (Associate
Publisher, Dan’s Papers), Terrie Magro
(Founder of Michael Magro Foundation)
Dr. Harvey Manes (Manes
American Peace Prize
Foundation), Victoria Schneps
Toni Cimino (Events Concierge, Schneps Media),
Demetra Mattone (Events Concierge, Schneps Media),
Michael Serao (Exec. VP/CAO, First Central Savings
Bank), Elizabeth Aloni (VP Sales, Schneps Media)
Tina Moreno (Dir. of
Josh Schneps (CEO/Co-Publisher, Schneps Media),
Development, Life’s WORC)
Charles Evdos (Exec. Director, RISE Life Services) ,
Geraldo Rivera & Victoria Schneps
Catherine Canadeo, Ernie
Canadeo (CEO, EGC Group)
Victoria Schneps, Founder of Life’s
Worc, President Schneps Media
Ron Aghassi (Treasurer, Life’s WORC
Board), Michael Billia (SVP, Investors Bank
Vice Chair Life’s WORC), Victoria Schneps
Bill O’Reilly, keynote speaker