Thursday, October 1, 2026
The “Friends of Mercy Medical Center” will donate a portion of the proceeds from the 76th Annual Mercy Ball to benefit local Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, according to Mercy Medical Center Spokesman Mel Granick.
The Dec 1st event at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City begins the hospital’s 2013 Centennial Celebration.
“As we support the hospital as it begins its second century, we feel it is equally important to support the community’s recovery from the catastrophic impact of the storm and its aftermath,” said Friends of Mercy President Christopher Kearns, a resident of Rockville Centre. “And all are welcome to join us in that effort by attending or supporting the event.”
According to Granick, the Friends of Mercy was founded in 1935 as an organization of men dedicated to volunteering their time and efforts to raise funds for the construction of a new hospital and advancement of medical and surgical care for the patients of Mercy Medical Center.
The chairman for the event this year is three-decade Rockville Centre resident Tom Alexanderson, who, according to Granick, is well-known for his leadership in community activities.
Among the honorees will be John Coghlan of Rockville Centre, who is retired from a career in investment banking and is a founder of the Dorothy Rodbell Cohen Foundation for Sarcoma Research. Coghlan will receive the Bishop John R. McGann Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented to a distinguished individual dedicated to volunteering time and effort in support of the Friends of Mercy.
Marc DiSciullo, of Muttontown, the outgoing president of the Mercy Medical Staff, will receive the Theodore Roosevelt Award for Outstanding Service. The award is presented by the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council to an individual contributing to the development of Long Island’s community hospitals in the spirit of the renowned former president and Long Island resident’s lifelong devotion to public service.
Nancy Carr, of Merrick, a long-time executive assistant to Mercy’s Chief Administrative Officers and Board of Trustees liaison, will receive the Sister Mary Nadine Casey, CIJ Award that honors a member of the Mercy family who best personifies the values of Mercy Medical Center and the Congregation of the Infant Jesus, whose members founded the hospital in 1913.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and complete information for the Mercy Ball, please visit www.MercyBall.com, or call the Development Department at 516-705-2622.
