Glen Cove Youth Recreation Dinner raises $30K for sports programs

The 5th annual Glen Cove Youth Recreation Dinner brought together community members at the Crescent Beach Club on March 19 to celebrate volunteers and raise more than $30,000 for local sports programs, underscoring the vital role community support plays in sustaining youth athletics.
The sold-out event honored coaches, organizers and longtime contributors to Glen Cove’s youth recreation programs, while generating funds for equipment, uniforms and facility improvements through ticket sales, sponsorships and raffles. Proceeds from the evening were directed back into programs supported by the Friends of the Glen Cove Youth Board.
Councilman Kevin Maccarone, a co-founder of the event, credited the community for helping expand programming in recent years. “We’ve had a fun time in the last couple of years,” he said, noting that organizers had been able to jump-start new projects and smaller initiatives that made a meaningful impact. Looking out at the crowd, Maccarone added, “I can’t help but feel honored,” thanking attendees for their continued support and influence in the lives of young people.
City Councilwoman Danielle Fugazy Scagliola also addressed the crowd, sharing well wishes on behalf of her brother, Brian, who was unable to attend due to illness. She congratulated the evening’s honorees and recognized the many coaches in attendance. “At almost every single table here, there is a coach,” she said. “I cannot tell you how important sports and youth athletics are in our community. It means everything.”
Scagliola, who has both coached and raised children in local programs, emphasized the long-term impact of athletics. “Strong youth programs build strong, confident athletes, and it builds strong school programs,” she said, adding that coaching and volunteering in Glen Cove has always been rooted in giving back to the community.

The evening highlighted a range of honorees across youth sports, recognizing individuals and families who have made lasting contributions to Glen Cove’s recreation programs. Dan Mariano was honored for his work in baseball and softball, while Tip Henderson was recognized for his contributions to golf. Kerry Catanzano was honored posthumously for junior basketball, and Paul Dennis was similarly recognized in memoriam for junior soccer. Joe and Lisa Marconi were honored for their involvement in junior football and cheer, and Scott and Jessy Kaff were recognized for their work in junior lacrosse. Jerry Cornelis received the lifetime achievement award, and Susan Discala was honored as parent volunteer.
Among those recognized, Henderson’s contributions spanned decades, including his work with the golf commission and early fundraising initiatives that helped shape how the city supports its recreational programs today. He was instrumental in organizing events such as the Arbor Day golf outing, which raised money to plant trees on the municipal course—many of which still stand.
Henderson, now the city’s attorney, reflected on the lessons sports can teach, drawing from his own experience with golf. “The only obstacle, the only opponent, is ourselves,” he said, describing the mental challenges of the game. He added that for those who truly understand golf, it is played “between the six inches between your ears.”
Community support remained strong throughout the night, reflecting a shared commitment to providing opportunities for Glen Cove’s young athletes. Beyond fundraising, the dinner reinforced the importance of volunteerism and local engagement in maintaining and growing the city’s recreation programs.