2021 Wine & Spirits Event Journal by A Chance In Life

WINE & SPIRITS ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DINNER ServingAt-RiskYouthAroundtheWorldSince1945 facebookcom/achanceinlife December 9, 2021 Riverpark

facebookcom/achanceinlife

WINE & SPIRITS ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DINNER

Celebrating esteemed honorees

Arthur Backal,

Founder and CEO, Backal Hospitality Group

Gianni Lanzarotti, Executive Chef, Tiro A Segno

Marc D. Taub, President and CEO, Palm Bay International and Palm Family Selections

In 1945, our founder, Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing, founded Boys' & Girls' Towns of Italy in Rome and in Civitavecchia to provide "a chance in life" to the homeless children living on the streets of post-World War II Italy. He believed that if young people were supported to take responsibility for their lives and their communities, they would grow into caring, self-sufficient adults.

Over the last seven decades, our organization has empowered more than 40,000 children through our programs and projects in Italy, Ethiopia, India, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico and Uganda. As our family of Towns grows, A Chance In Life's large and loyal community of American donors continues to honor the vision of our founder. For the first time, A Chance In Life is bringing this vision to the United States. Many children in New York City experience gang activity, lack of access to education, substance use and domestic violence. We believe we can give vulnerable young people here in our own community a safe and successful future through our new program - The Village.

Note

from

President/Executive Director Gabriele Delmonaco

Buonasera and welcome once again to the Wine & Spirits International Dinner! I am so pleased to be together again after our time apart. This event has always felt to me to be a reunion or homecoming of sorts; A Chance In Life has been so fortunate to have the support of the wine & spirits industry for so many years, and this dinner is an opportunity for us not only to show support for the thousands of children around the world who benefit from our programs, but to reconnect with friends in the industry who have been with us for so many years. It feels extra special to raise a glass in person once again.

So much has changed since our last Wine & Spirits Dinner in 2019. The world looks entirely different, and we have all adapted in ways big and small to those changes While we know that children are among the most resilient people, we also know that, once children are cut off from education, it is extremely difficult for them to reenter. They become victims of poverty, abuse, drugs, crime, or worse. Over the past two years, A Chance In Life has worked tirelessly to ensure that our children around the world have been able to continue their educations. We provided digital devices, so they could access remote learning opportunities. We provided emergency food packages to families, so children could stay in school rather than leave to pursue work and contribute to the family earnings We provided hygiene information and sanitation products, to keep children healthy We are so proud to say that we were able to continue to serve thousands of children around the world without disruption.

What’s more, this year we opened our first program based right here in New York City! The Village on Staten Island provides essential services, including leadership training, academic support, financial literacy training, and food distribution services, to school-aged children and their families right here in our own community. We are proud to be continuing in our founder’s legacy and serving children and families where we live and work

Of course, none of this would be possible without the generosity of those gathered here tonight. We are so honored to recognize the longstanding support of the wine & spirits industry and thrilled to welcome friends from the restaurant and hospitality industries, who have shown such generosity of spirit to us and the children we serve. Insieme, tutto e possible! Together, anything is possible!

Grazie mille, Gabriele Delmonaco President/Executive Director

2021

Honoree Arthur Backal Founder and CEO, Backal Hospitality Group

An expert in all aspects of dining, hospitality and gatherings to celebrate, Arthur F. Backal is the CEO of Backal Hospitality Group (BHG) and during three decades in the business has overseen world-renowned venues and executed thousands of milestone events – from intimate affairs to glittering galas.

As a deeply respected voice and veteran in the hospitality industry, Backal has supplied his magic touch in the development of numerous iconic hotels and restaurants around the world. He has also managed 20+ event spaces in New York City.

Businesses that Backal currently operates and/or owns throughout New York City include Apella, an Alexandria Event Space located on the edge of the East River; RiverPark, Little River, VERSA Restaurant and Rooftop in the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel; Event Management Firm State of the Art Enterprises; events at the Mandarin Oriental New York Hotel since 2003; CNVS Event Space located in the Hudson Yards district; AOG Design which provides modern event décor; All Seated, and Cellar Dog.

Before founding BHG and from the start of his career, Backal worked with iconic New York hospitality institutions and spearheaded the re-opening of The St. Regis New York, overseeing the entire food and beverage operations, and was also credited with restoring The Pierre to its legendary grandeur during his tenure as Director of Catering. He was also at The Plaza, The Waldorf Astoria and of The Rainbow Room.

2021 Honoree

Gianni Lanzarotti

Executive Chef, Tiro A Segno

Chef Giovanni Lanzarotti, a Parma native, has been serving the members of Tiro A Segno superb Italian cuisine based on the traditions of Emilia-Romagna since he arrived there in 1993. He studied at hotel school in Salsomaggiore Terme, outside Parma, and cooked in Switzerland at the Hotel Royal in Crans sur Sierre and Restaurant La Perle du Lac in Geneva before coming to America. Lanzarotti is on the board of directors of the Chefs de Cuisine Association of America, from which he received the Raymond Vaudard Medal of Excellence.

2021 Honoree

Marc D. Taub President and CEO, Palm Bay International |

Taub Family Selections

d generation leader of a dynamic, family-owned enterprise that has been a trailblazer in the wine and spirits industry for 43 years. Palm Bay International has its roots in Italian wine imports and today offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios in the U.S., comprising some of the world’s most prestigious wine estates, distilleries and popular brands from 17 countries. Its sister company Taub Family Selections specializes in terroir-driven fine wines from highly-regarded winemaking families that represent benchmarks from top regions around the globe.

Marc, together with his wife Sandy and their children Jake and Chloe, is proud to continue his family’s long-standing commitment to philanthropy through his support of Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, and A Chance In Life.