hipcil 2nd Annual Gala

hipcil Gala (October 18th, 2024)

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Our Second Annual Gala.

For those of you who have been affiliated with Heightened Independence and Progress Center for Independent Living, you may remember that we held a dinner-dance annually to raise funds and interest in our programs. In 2023 the Board encouraged us to change to a more formal event to be in line with our colleagues in the nonprofit world, so we held our first such event on June 30, 2023, and it was a success. We honored Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli for his contributions to the community of people with disabilities. We also honored our three longest serving Board members who have volunteered countless hours of service to hipcil. They are Anna Navatta, Betty Fetzer and Rich Hodgman.

This year we have scheduled our Gala to be held October 18, and we have expanded our recognition to include individuals who have demonstrated the best about Independent Living.

The “hipcil Making a Difference” Award will recognize Dr. Stephanie McGowan, a leader in the field of education, a tireless advocate on behalf of people with disabilities and a public servant.

The “Ed Roberts Perseverance Award” named after the “Father of Independent Living” who raised awareness of the need for the rights of people with disabilities. His successful advocacy led to The Rehabilitation Act of 1973’s inclusion of funding for Centers for Independent Living like hipcil. Victor Muniz will be celebrated for his resilience and his dedication to his power to overcome multiple obstacles to become an independent and successful member of his community.

The “hipcil Legacy Award” will recognize one of our longtime consumers who has participated in almost every event and initiative that the agency sponsors. The recipient embodies community inclusion and activism. Austin Epstein will be honored because of his contributions to serving his community as an advocate and true participant.

We have been privileged to have a Board of Trustees that has remained consistent for many years, and we will honor Anne Marie Prendergast, Hyacinthe Nkurunziza and Roy Lippin.

What to Expect:

• This year we will have a formal plated dinner.
• We will include a photo booth along with the DJ services.
• We have been collecting a wide array of interesting silent auction gift items.

Please contact the hipcil office for additional details.