Catholic Charities Community Services (CCCS) turns 40 this year, and will celebrate with internationally acclaimed Irish Tenor and Paralympian Ronan Tynan at two fundraising events: An Evening of Irish Song & Dance Featuring Ronan Tynan on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m. at Hochstein Performance Hall, and Breakfast with Friends with Guest Speaker Ronan Tynan on Friday, March 13, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Both events will be emceed by Rochester radio personality Terry Clifford.
General admission tickets for each of the pre-St. Patrick’s Day events are $50 – with a limited number of $75 VIP concert tickets that include premium seating and a pre-concert reception with Tynan – and are now on sale at cccsrochester.org/bwf.
An Evening of Irish Song & Dance Featuring Ronan Tynan will begin with performances by Róisín Dubh (Ro-sheen dove”), an East Rochester High School music program, and students from the Rochester Academy of Irish Dance. The Feadán Òr Pipe Band will also appear. Tynan will perform an hour-long show, and will be available afterwards to sign CDs.
At Breakfast with Friends, Tynan will inspire attendees with his life story, “Hitting the High Notes: Living Life to the Fullest,” as well as perform a couple of musical selections. The program will also include the presentation of two annual CCCS awards.
The CCCS 2020 Community Champion Award will go to Move to Include, a partnership between WXXI and the Golisano Foundation designed to promote inclusion for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Through programming and special events, WXXI and the Golisano Foundation look to build a more inclusive community by inspiring and motivating people to embrace people of all abilities in every aspect of community life. Starting in July, WXXI will create and manage a national Move to Include initiative that kicks off in five other U.S. cities. Both Golisano Foundation Executive Director Ann Costello and WXXI President & CEO Norm Silverstein will accept awards.
The 2020 Heart and Soul Award will be presented to the Rogers Family – the family of one of the very first CCCS residents: Alice Rogers. Alice’s siblings created the Barnabas Fund in 2010 to enhance the quality of life for all residents of CCCS homes. This fund continues to support Alice and other CCCS residents in living their best lives. Alice’s younger brother Royce Rogers will accept the award.
“We are so pleased to recognize and thank these deserving honorees, all of whom share our commitment to enhance and strengthen the independence, inclusion, and individuality of persons with disabilities,” says Lori VanAuken, CCCS executive director.
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