Dr. Charles Antzelevitch(Mohawk Valley, NY – Nov. 2014) The Every Heartbeat Counts celebration hosted by the Advisory Board of the Cardiac Research Institute at Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL) for the benefit of the institute was attended by over 260 community leaders and friends of the MMRL.  The gala served well to recognize the contributions of the MMRL to the world of science and medicine as well as to highlight the honor and prestige it has brought to the Mohawk Valley.  The event, held at the Jorgensen Center of Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) was a resounding success due to the efforts of many.

The Event Committee, co-chaired by  Mary Lyons Bradley, Connie Leist and Susan Matt,  included Symeon Tsoupelis, Carol Zygo and Myron Thurston III.  The Event Center at MVCC was magically transformed into a fine dining experience by the committee and several community partners including MVCC staff, Sodexo, Chester’s Flower Shop, 484 Design, Sikora Interiors, George’s Farm Products and Connie Leist Interiors.

Dr. Randy VanWagoner and Symeon TsoupelisSymeon Tsoupelis was the emcee for the evening. Guests heard about advances in the Mohawk Valley through a presentation by Dr. Randy VanWagoner, MVCC President, and were informed about the research on-going at the MMRL by Dr. Charles Antzelevitch, MMRL Executive Director and Director of Research. The MMRL was founded in 1958 by the Grand Lodge of the State of New York and attendees were given an opportunity to learn more about Freemasonry through a presentation by William Thomas, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York. Rick Zuccaro and Friends regaled the audience with exceptional music throughout the evening and guests were given an opportunity to bid on a very unique auction item, a dinner for 16, prepared by Matt Abdoo, local celebrity chef and current Chef de Cuisine at Del Posto in New York City. Symeon Tsoupelis would serve as the sous chef for the dinner, Nick Matt and Earle Reed are the Boilermaker Bartenders, Ed Bradley and Alan Leist, Jr. would be the sommeliers, Mary Lyons Bradley, Connie Leist and Carol Zygo would serve as hostesses and wait staff and Myron Thurston III would be the bus boy. Wine for the dinner was donated by William Macartney. Don Carbone placed the winning bid after some very spirited bidding.

The event was a resounding success, heightening awareness of the research conducted at the MMRL and raising over $85,000 to support lifesaving research at the MMRL. All of the funds raised stay in the local community and 84 cents of every dollar goes directly to support the on-going research at the MMRL.

The main Event Sponsor for the evening was Central New York Cardiology and the Platinum Sponsors were Mohawk Valley Community College and M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust. Silver Sponsors were Dove Laser Eye Center and Dr. Anthony Palumbo, the Carbone Auto Group, ECR International, Indium Corporation, Benjamin Kernan, Dr. Ted and Melva Max, Strategic Investment Advisors and Utica First Insurance. They were joined by several Bronze Sponsors including the  Bank of Utica, Fiber Instrument Sales, Gilroy, Kernan and Gilroy, Albert and Elinor Mazloom, F. Eugene and Loretta Romano, SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Utica National Insurance.

The Program Sponsors for the event include Adjusters International, Dr. Sidney Blatt, Dr. Edward and Mary Lyons Bradley, the Bull Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc., Hummel’s Office Plus, M. Griffith Investments, Nick and Susan Matt and Symeon’s Greek Restaurant.

The MMRL Advisory Board consists of corporate and civic leaders as well as medical and scientific professionals from across the community. These select individuals are invited by the MMRL Board of Directors to act as advocates for the enhancement of medical research in the field of Cardiac Arrhythmia, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and other areas of scientific investigation. The members of the MMRL Central New York Advisory Board are the co-chairs, Dr. Ted Max and F. Eugene Romano and the Honorary Co-Chair, Sherwood Boehlert. In addition to these leaders, the membership includes George Aney, Esq., Dr. Sidney Blatt, Dr. Edward Bradley, Mary Lyons Bradley, Al Carbone, Gregory Cortese, Esq., Carlton DeWolff, Dr. Brian Gaffney, Larry Gilroy, Frank Giotto, Gordon Hayes, Jr., Dr. Frederic Joyce, Dr. Michael Kelberman, Connie Leist, Fiona Markwood, Dr. Thor Markwood, Susan Matt, Dr. Marybeth McCall, Dr. Anthony Palumbo, Earle Reed, Roger Skinner, Dr. Fred Talarico, Symeon Tsoupelis, Stephen Zabriskie and John Zogby.

Pictured from top is Dr. Charles Antzelevitch and Dr. Randy VanWagoner and Symeon Tsoupelis. 

By martha

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