Attorneys showing that they care

A Five Towns resident will be honored and an area native is a co-chair of the annual Stephen W. Schlissel WE CARE Golf and Tennis Classic at the Middle Bay Country Club in Oceanside on Aug. 2.

WE CARE, a charitable arm of the Nassau County Bar Association will honor Judge Denise Sher of Hewlett Harbor with the Stephen Gassman Award, Island Harvest, Long Island's largest hunger relief organization and Marilyn K. Genoa, a principal of the Old Brookville-based law firm of Genoa & Associates. Co-chairing this year's is Hewlett Harbor's Chris McGrath of and the Honorable Peter Skelos of Rockville Centre.

Sher, a judge and practicing attorney for more than 30 years, will receive the award named for WE Care founder Stephen Gassman, which is presented to a person who has provided tremendous service to this charitable endeavor.

"It embodies everything I love to do," said Sher, who noted that it encompasses working along with legal professionals to give back to the community ranging from senior citizens to children. "To do it in my profession is gratifying," she added.

Established in 1988 by Gassman, WE CARE has provided more than $2 million in grants to charitable causes and more than 100 different organizations have received WE CARE fund grants in the past few years.

"It is lawyers giving back to the community," said Schlissel, who approximately five years later became an advisory board member and during the 20th anniversary year of the organization was shocked to learn the event would be named for him.

"I was absolutely speechless, no one gave me any indication," he said, adding, "Can you imagine a lawyer speechless. It is one of the most flattering experience of my life," noting that it is not only him, but hundreds of others who support the group's mission.

Sher has been involved with WE CARE for more than 15 years and attends "every single WE CARE event, Schlissel noted. "She is extraordinary and very deserving," he said.

The group has donated substantial support to soup and food kitchens throughout Nassau, while helping to send children with cancer to Sunrise Day Camp and 10 disabled children to Camp Kiwanis.

McGrath, who has been involved with WE Care for 15 years said that the reason no one makes lawyer jokes in Nassau County is because of the work done by this organization.

"It means there is a bigger purpose, when you are a lawyer and make a lot of money, there are people who need things more than you," he said noting the volunteerism of the honorees and WE CARE's other projects such as building a ramp for a homebound person in Massapequa or installing a court room in Hempstead Middle School for mock trials.

In addition, WE CARE grants have assisted in creating and maintaining safe homes for abused spouses and children, supply clothing for the unemployed to wear on job interviews and provide legal services to the poor.

To donate, sponsor or register for the event, visit www.nassaubar.org/calendar/default.aspx, or call Ellen Rosen at (516) 877-8000, or Dr. Deena Ehrlich, executive director of the Nassau County Bar Association at (516) 747-4070.

Comments about this story? Nassaueditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 201.