TIMES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 • 28 ©Times Newsweekly - 2015 - KNOCKDOWN ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Star Geraldo Continues Winning, Benefits Life’s WORC Another week and again Geraldo has survived the round of cuts on “Celebrity Apprentice,” meaning the organization I founded 44 years ago, Life’s WORC, has received more winnings, now over $700,000! Another week and again Geraldo has survived the round of cuts on “Celebrity Apprentice,” meaning the organization I founded 44 years ago, Life’s WORC, has received more winnings, now over $700,000! Born out of my daughter Lara’s needs, Life’s WORC today is a testament to the battles fought for her and her fellow residents at the now infamous institution Willowbrook State School. My ex-husband Murray Schneps just published a book, “I See Your Face Before Me,” about how his guilt and anger over the desperate need to find help for Lara turned him into a fearless warrior fighting for her and, ultimately, all the other 5,400 people living at the “school.” Although Lara remained an infant for her 17 years on earth, her impact has had national repercussions for change. On Saturday morning, I visited the headquarters of Life’s WORC in Garden City to take some pictures for an article being written about us in Newsday. I had a chance to see young people arriving for classes in our new Family Center for Autism. Parents with their children arrived for one of the multiple classes being offered that day. I met some teens preparing to begin their day’s adventure into the community. Last weekend they went swimming at a local hotel, then there was a cooking class about to prepare a meal. Our new building next door on Franklin Avenue will open in April and will allow hundreds of families to come for multiple programs for their children in the autism spectrum on weekends and evenings. The money Geraldo is raising will support these programs. As I walked over to the new building next door, tears fell from my eyes to think what was wrought from my little Lara, who at her death stood under 4 feet tall and weighed less than 40 pounds. In fact she was a heavyweight! The book her dad wrote is a testament to her life and the power of her need — the war waged and the battles won on her behalf. Read it to learn about the advocacy journey we traveled. I know Lara is smiling with pride from her perch in heaven.
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