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DIANE BONDAREFF/INVISION FOR KELLY CARES /AP IMAGES)
PHOTO: PETER FOLEY
Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly, left, his wife Paqui, and Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi, right, at the 4th annual Kelly Cares Foundation’s Irish Eyes Gala, Wednesday, April 23, 2014, in New York. The Kelly Cares Foundation honored the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation for its work to combat hunger and homelessness.
TOP: Coach Kelly (center) shakes hands with Pat Mullee (right) in the new Catholic Club on April 22. ABOVE: Notre Dame fans, Frank McGuire and his wife, Maureen, with the coach Kelly, who stopped in the McGuire house on his first visit to Breezy Point in 2013. RIGHT: Alicia Johnson and her son Luke at the opening event.
coach, who is from the Boston area originally, mingled with the crowd, chatting and posing for pictures. He seemed genuinely happy and pleased to be there. Pat Mullee, who used to coach in Marine Park for an organization called the Brooklyn Hurricanes, was on hand to celebrate the generosity of the coach and his wife. “It’s a grand thing they did,” he said,
describing the club as a hub where everybody gets together for family parties, communions and sports events. Keir Johnson, the president of the Catholic Club, said, “We are still a work in progress, but thanks to the coach’s generosity we hope to be up and running as soon as possible.” Keir’s wife, Alicia, who was there with the couple’s young son, Luke, said, “This is a very special community and this is the center where families and friends come together, and just to have it up and running again is amazing.” Keith J. Kelly, “Media Ink” columnist at the New York Post, and a founding member of the Kelly Gang (a charitable organization made up of people with the surname Kelly), had arranged Coach Kelly’s first visit to Breezy Point when the organization honored him in March 2013. “We raised $60,000 for Coach Kelly’s charity at our March 2013 fundraiser and we hoped that by getting him out to Breezy Point, and seeing the devastation first hand, Coach Kelly might turn around and kick some of it back to a Breezy relief charity,” said Keith. “Instead, he nearly quadrupled the money we gave and used it to rebuild the Catholic Club to the tune of $225,000 from his charity – a game winning touchdown on all fronts.” Former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and his wife, Veronica, also chipped in. They were “auctioned off” as part of a charity lunch for six at media hot spot Michael’s Restaurant at this year’s Kelly Gang event, raising another $5,000 earmarked for the Catholic Club. Veronica’s parents had a home a short distance from the club in Breezy, and their kids, Good Day New York co-host Greg Kelly and Wall Street executive Jim Kelly, were at many events at the club over the years.
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Breezy Point is still in recovery but the community stands strong, and having their club back is a major boost to morale. “One of the pillars of our foundation is ‘community’ and our community stretches across the county and we are just so pleased that we could help this part of the country,” Coach Kelly said.
The Kelly Cares Dinner The Kelly Cares Foundation’s annual Irish Eyes Gala, took place at the Sheraton Times Square on the evening following the Breezy Point ribbon-cutting, and honored the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, NBC News’s Chief of Environmental Affairs Anne Thompson, and Peter Schivarelli, Manager of the band Chicago. The gala raised over $800,000 which will support causes locally, nationally, and globally. “I salute tonight’s honorees for their service to their communities, and for making such a positive difference in the world,” said Brian Kelly. “Jon, Dorothea, Anne, and Peter continue to inspire so many of us here and around the world. I want to thank each of you for your generosity, and I wish you continued success as you impact lives in such a meaningful way.” A check in the amount of $20,014.00 was presented by the Kelly Cares Foundation to the Special Olympics USA in honor of this summer’s Games taking place in New Jersey. Rev. Bill Dowd, the official chaplain of the New York Giants, opened the program by leading the invocation. Tom Rinaldi, ESPN Commentator, and Jack Nolan, the Voice of the Fighting Irish, served as the evening’s Masters of Ceremonies. The night’s entertainment was provided by Notre Dame Glee Club’s Undertones. Additional attendees included: Bill Belichick, head football coach of the New England Patriots; Congressman Peter King; and Regis Philbin. The Irish Eyes Gala is the Kelly Cares Foundation’s signature event. It celebrates the generosity that serves as a catalyst for immediate, positive change in so many lives. Paqui Kelly is a two-time breast cancer survivor, which inspired the coach and his wife to create The Kelly Cares IA Foundation in 2007. – By Patricia Harty JUNE / JULY 2014 IRISH AMERICA 23