Story and Photos by Rosemary Leonetti.
For the past seven years, Long Beach High School has been holding its prom at Chateau Briand in Carle Place. However, due to hardships caused by Superstorm Sandy, it looked like many students would not be planning to attend the prom this year.
“The prom committee polled Seniors after the holiday break about their plans to attend the prom,” said teacher and prom advisor Adriane Glassberg. “The results indicated that our prom attendance would be down, in part because of the financial aftereffects of Sandy.”
After receiving the survey results, Ms. Glassberg called Mr. Joe Mandaro, the executive director of corporate and special events at Chateau Briand, to tell him that due to hardships caused by the storm, the school might not be able to make the guaranteed minimum number of attendees as specified in their contract.
“Ms. Glassberg’s concerns ranged from the diminished amount of attendees they might have this year to the cost of the prom for each student,” said Mr. Mandaro. “I assured her that we were aware of the hardships that were being faced by everyone in Long Beach and that, upon her request, we would not hold them to a specific number of people this year. We also agreed to reduce the price to what she thought might be an affordable amount for the students who would want to attend, adding a consideration for any special hardships they might encounter.”
Mr. Mandaro then met with owners Victor and Anthony Scotto, general manager Victor Scotto Jr. and controller Joe DiRico. They discussed the special situation the school was facing, their loyalty as clients, the ongoing stories of the cleanup and rebuilding of the area, and the overall financial and psychological hardships being endured by the people of Long Beach.
As a family-owned and run business, Scotto Brothers wanted to ensure a memorable evening for every student in the Senior class. “We didn’t want to deny any students the opportunity to attend their prom because of cost,” explained Mr. Mandaro. “Of course, always being a community-minded company and being family people ourselves, the next thought flowed quite naturally -- why not donate the prom this year?"
So Mr. Mandaro and Victor Scotto Jr. called Ms. Glassberg and Dr. Gaurav Passi, principal of Long Beach High School, to notify them of the good news that they would be donating the entire cost of the reception.
A few days later, Mr. Mandaro and Mr. Scotto called again, informing the school that Pedestals Florist in Garden City Park, the house florist for Chateau Briand, would also donate their services for the night to ensure that the tables looked beautiful for the students.
In addition, Victoria Scotto of Chateau Briand set out to make every lucky Senior girl at Long Beach High School feel like a princess for the night, by hosting a Prom Dress Party on April 18. Long Beach High School Senior girls who are attending their prom will be able to choose from a selection of donated dresses, handbags, and costume jewelry. There will be raffles & giveaways such as limousines, gift cards and accessories. Among the vendors contributing to this event are Estelle's Dressy Dresses, Bridal Reflections, Tuxedo Park, Men’s Wearhouse, Frippery Boutique, Thomas Knoell and Body Rock DJ. This event, which is being mentioned on social networks such as Facebook, has an open door invitation for additional vendors to contact Ms. Scotto to volunteer their services for the Prom Dress Party. Ms. Scotto is also in the process of coordinating donations to assist boys who will be attending the Long Beach prom.
“We are proud to play a role in helping the students of Long Beach High School celebrate this special milestone, and to give them happy prom memories, in spite of all the recent hardships they have faced,” said Mr. Mandaro.
* This story was updated at 11:15 a.m. on 2.19.13.
UPDATED: Cinderella Story for Long Beach High School Seniors
After Sandy, Chateau Briand Offers Free Prom
Comments + Leave a Comment
Loading comments ...
Boards
All Boards »
Colleen Horan-Green May 24, 2013 at 09:16 am
Watching too. I want to try to be happy for NJ-- I'm really trying--but being homeless for 7 months…Read More with no return date in site and having a block that currently looks like Oklahoma somehow what is usually the most anticipated weekend for me is one of great sadness and depression. You can say all you want that LB is back (and for those that are I am truly happy) but please, please, don't exclude the fact in the media that many are not. We are not hearing those stories or seeing what is the reality for so many. Why isn't there photos of neighbors holding each other up while crying watching their houses getting bulldozed? Walking down my street to pick up my mail I see yet another home with 40 years of history just gone. Completely gone. I love that we are planting flowers to make the town look whole and I think it's important to tell that story as well but I am tired of the biased media and in fact, ashamed of most of it.
Paul Carrella May 24, 2013 at 08:32 am
Saw a picture of the new boardwalk in Seaside Heights, its completed, open , incluidng the shops and…Read More beautiful. And we have nothing here.
Paul Carrella May 24, 2013 at 08:31 am
Rather have a boardwalk over collecting fines that will just be stolen.
john peri Jr May 23, 2013 at 04:48 pm
TRIVIA: Joseph Carlino, former Speaker of the NY State Assembly, gave a speech on the 5th…Read More Amendment at my high school graduation. His father was the Republican leader in Long Beach.
Patrick Smith May 23, 2013 at 04:38 pm
She will be questioned by kid gloved committee , and a back room deal will be made .Repukes get what…Read More they want and obama will fire her with a golden parachute ,end of story.This is America
Tideline May 23, 2013 at 12:04 pm
She also is still collecting a big paycheck for a job that she took the 5th on and would not answer…Read More any questions. She should be immediately suspended without pay. She won't she is protected by the Obama umbrella. I predict she will be recalled, since she made a statement and that negated her 5th protections. When she refuses again next time, she should be found in contempt of Congress.
andy napolitano May 24, 2013 at 10:27 am
Long Beach never even put the shelter up for bidding! I'm sure there were other groups that may have…Read More been interested in running the shelter but when the contract ran out they just resigned without putting it out there for anyone else to see.
Leonard Bauman May 23, 2013 at 09:27 pm
The victims are the poor defenseless cats and dogs in that shelter that Rescue Ink was using as…Read More donation pawns, giving the cats and dogs scrimps while spending the large spoils on their own selfish selves. Why can't the North Shore Animal League take over the shelter and make it a second adoption site to complement their location in Port Washington?
andy napolitano May 23, 2013 at 05:51 pm
Well lets see now. Long Beach has always been known as such a corrupt city why shouldn't them…Read More allowing these guys to illegally park their van anywhere they want come as such a surprise. Then to top it off let them open an animal shelter so they all can profit from it. I have lived in Long Beach for over 30 years & it has ALWAYS been known that city hall is not exactly on the up & up. So yeah I think we should be outraged at the City who allowed this to happen.And when this new scandel breaks wide open is everyone going to act so surprised? This is just the tip of the iceburg with this shelter & Rescue Ink.
Patrick Smith May 23, 2013 at 04:42 pm
This is economic cleansing by vulture capitalists ,Agenda 21 moving as planned
Tideline May 23, 2013 at 07:45 am
I spoke with the construction mgr who told me that the entire bsmt, 1 st flr were flooded and 2 feet…Read More of water onto the second floor. Foundation is sound, that is why they will be moving back in within 60 days. As bad as the damage looks, their financial picture seems even worse. Construction mgr did not seem to care about the owners situation, just finishing the work.
sun&sand May 23, 2013 at 07:05 am
The water flooded the first floor of apts. I am not sure if the entire foundation is sound--the…Read More building was built on sand and several of the pilings might have to be reinforced. The 2nd floor and above was not flooded. The building sits on sand and is wide open to the elements. The people I know have been paying their maintenance charges which included RE taxes. However, the need for more money to fix everything is more than they have on hand.
Me May 22, 2013 at 10:46 am
Might actually be cheaper to buy a used RV. It doesn't need to really run or drive well. You can…Read More find them on craigslist for as little as $1,000 dollars. Even if you change aout all matresses, clean up etc you could be all in for only the cost of a month or two rent. Then you can re-sell, donate to charity or give it away free when done and no problem if construction runs long you own it.
andy napolitano May 23, 2013 at 03:34 pm
Just speculating that Schumer is buddies with Joe Panzarella & the shelter got finished while…Read More other places are still waiting. People can take what they want from that comment but it looks fishy.
andy napolitano May 23, 2013 at 08:26 am
Yeah I've seen all the pictures of Joe "Panz" Panzarella with Chuck Schumer. Rescue Ink…Read More gets their shelter back but so many other things that are more important are still not up & running. The few animals that Rescue Ink had were in a safe warehouse so there was no real hurry to move them back to the building the shelter is in but they're back. "Politics make strange bedfellows" isn't that the saying? Chuck & Joe. Makes ya wanna go Hmmmmmmmm!!!!!!
Eddie May 22, 2013 at 10:52 am
Your bill of sale on Craigslist says the door is Fiberglas, not "clear pine".
Erica May 23, 2013 at 01:51 am
What about the foot bridges to just get in the beach in the west end? And the people still out of…Read More their homes? And the phoney letters claiming outrageous percentages of damage (proven to be untrue) to get us to raise the houses for how many thousands to be reassessed higher taxes?
Eddie May 22, 2013 at 09:21 pm
Asbury Park = Democrats.
Freeport = Democrats
Rockaway = Democrats
Long Beach = Democrats.
Paul Carrella May 22, 2013 at 10:41 am
Taht's right Tony, takes a long time to figure out how to steal that kind of dough. Welcome to the…Read More new Asbury Park.
paul.d.spellman May 21, 2013 at 10:56 am
If you have an alarm system, you need to pay the city fee. They hired an outside company to manage…Read More the payments so now the fee is expected to be collected.
Leonard Bauman May 21, 2013 at 07:33 pm
I have heard 3 stories: the movie theatre owner had no flood insurance and will need to find $$ to…Read More rebuild, no $$ so far; the theatre will be razed and will become home to 4 stores, the movie theatre will be renovated into a world class theatre with surround sound and ticket prices of $2 for children and $4 for adults except after 4PM.
IRISH 4 May 21, 2013 at 10:41 am
I cant believe all the shore towns with boardwalks up and running & Lb hasnt even started .So…Read More much for we are different and are building a better one,Well the first one lasted many years so just upgrade and get finished.& months later and not even a board in & still making excuses AND 4XS THE COST ....WOW WHAT A BARGAIN .
Publius May 21, 2013 at 08:56 am
some observations: one, applicable regulations for safety provide you cannot have mixed swimming…Read More and surfing beaches, so if the idea is to have both, you need to allocate. two, different beaches, because of bottom conditions, have very different waves -- ergo, the selection of beaches for surfing. three, on any given summer day with decent waves, and barely decent on a weekend, the number of surfers is dangerous. truly. I will not let my younger children surf/learn on those days. I won't even surf those days. four, on any given summer day, the number of people in the water, let alone actually swimming, is incredibly small in comparison to our total available beach real estate. five, as a general rule under this schedule, no swimmer should have to walk more than a few seconds to 2 minutes to be on a swimming beach. it is an allocation issue and not everyone is going to like the allocation, but that's often a part of the give and take of living in a community where resources are shared. folks who live near the train station have commuters parking in front of the their houses, sometimes with cars left for 2-3 days. similar for folks who live near the beach and can't get parking for themselves or at least their guests on a weekend. there are unbelievable issues with allocation of sports fields for practice and games. west-enders put up with bar traffic and a lot of other things. in any event, my two cents.
john peri Jr May 19, 2013 at 09:02 am
Food is just one element of achieving health. There are probably thousands. For…Read More instance---exercise, clean water, sunshine, avoiding poisons, proper sleep, stress management, education, etc.