Mercy Celebrates 47th Annual Gentlemen’s St. Patrick’s Dinner

Rain mixed with snow that signaled the early stages of a nor’easter failed to dissuade 200 guests from attending The Friends of Mercy Medical Center’s 47th Annual Gentlemen’s St. Patrick’s Dinner earlier this month.

Returning to a familiar venue at the Hempstead Golf and Country Club, the March 7 black-tie event honored State Senator Dean G. Skelos, Republican Conference Leader, Temporary President and co-Leader of the State Senate’s historic majority governing coalition.

Dr. Alan Guerci, Mercy’s president and CEO, was presented with a check for $170,000 representing the proceeds of The Friends’ 2012 fund-raising efforts that were pledged to support the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the only facility on the south shore of Nassau County designated by New York State as being staffed and equipped to provide specialized complex care to all premature and sick newborns.

The event was chaired by Rockville Centre resident Andrew E. Healey, a long-time member and past president of The Friends, and was sponsored by Neurological Surgery, PC the largest private neurosurgery practice on Long Island.

“The St. Patrick’s Dinner is one of the most significant fundraisers for the Medical Center,” Friends President Dr. Marc DiSciullo said, “And we are deeply grateful to our sponsor and attendees and to those who did not attend but supported the event nonetheless.”