Sunshine Sunday 2025

Event Chairs

Dr. Andrew Olsen
Gabriella DeLuca Garrone

Committee
Carol Bongiovi, Michael Cama, Anthony Gochal, Dr. William LaGrega, Angela Olsen, Tom Olsen, Anthony Reinhart, Rosemarie Saladino, Susan Sappin

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS & JOURNALS:

Each sponsorship includes: special acknowledgment at the event & social media inclusions on Facebook and Instagram

Sunshine Sunday Presenting Sponsor: $10,000
Name listed on Event Signage & Publicity Materials
Includes 10 Dinner Tickets
Special Acknowledgement at the event
Speaking Time at the Podium

Sunshine Sunday Event Sponsor: $5,000
Name listed on Event Signage & Publicity Materials
Includes 8 Dinner Tickets
Special Acknowledgement at the event
Gold Page in Journal

Gold Sponsor: $2,500
Name listed in all Event Publicity Materials
Sponsor's Name and Logo on Event Signage
Includes 4 Dinner Tickets
Gold Page in Journal

Silver Sponsor: $1,000
Sponsor's Name listed in Event Publicity Materials
Includes 2 Dinner Tickets
Silver Page in Journal

Bronze Sponsor: $750
Includes 1 Dinner Ticket
Bronze Page in Journal

Please email all journal ads to acohen@sijcc.com by January 24, 2025. All ads must be sent as pdfs, jpgs, or pngs. Full page ads will be shown as slides. Full page ad size is 10.5w"x8" and half page is 10.5w"x4".

Meet our Honorees

George Christo

George Christo is of Greek decent, born in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, and moved to Staten Island in 1996.

George is a prominent figure from Staten Island known for his involvement in various entrepreneurial and philanthropic initiatives. He is the founder and president of DOORtoDOOR Realty, a real estate and property management firm that emphasizes both architectural innovation and strong community engagement. Under his leadership, the company has been deeply involved in enhancing the lives of its tenants and clients by providing high-quality property management services and creating vibrant residential spaces in underserved communities.

Beyond real estate, George is the founder of Bridgeview Venture Partners, a private equity firm specializing in high-growth industries such as blockchain, fintech, and cloud computing. The firm focuses on late-stage investments in private companies, preparing them for public offerings. George also serves as president of his Condominium Board in Maimi Beach, Florida.

George is known throughout the Staten Island community for his philanthropic endeavors and being the host of “Night in White” which support at-risk children and young adults in Staten Island. Through collaborations with organizations like the Grant Cardone Foundation, and Sunrise Day Camp, a free camp for children with cancer and their siblings. George helps raise awareness and resources for empowering local communities and fostering youth development.

George holds the position of Vice President of the New York Building Industry Association and a member of Verrazano Kiwanis of Staten Island. George is also known for restoring and bringing antique cars such as Porsche’s, Corvettes and Mercedes to their former glory.

George and his soulmate for 20 years Sabrina share two children Antonia and Constantine who both like their dad are fluent in Greek which makes it easy for them to spend their summers in the Athens Greece.

Lynne Persing

Lynne Conhagen Persing has made an indelible mark on the Staten Island community through her tireless efforts to uplift the less fortunate.

Lynne’s professional career began as an Assistant Manager of Women’s Clothing for E.J. Korvette. She then joined her family’s business, Alfred Conhagen, Inc./USMP Co., Marine and Industrial Pump, Turbine and Compressor, serving in various roles including Director of Human Resources and Manager of Payroll and Pensions. She served on the Board of Directors of Conhagen Corporations with offices on Staten Island and in New Jersey, Texas, California, Louisiana and Florida. While raising her family, she took a break from the business to work with the YMCA Counseling Services and also held positions in several brokerage firms. She retired in 2016 but remained a consultant for Conhagen Corporations for several years after.

Throughout her entire life, Lynne has been an advocate for youth in need. She has spearheaded a program that brings retired athletes to Staten Island schools to share personal stories about overcoming addiction and suicidal ideation—offering hope to at-risk students. Lynne also provided aid to families after Hurricane Sandy and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past few years, Lynne has been a committee member for the JCC’s Golf & Tennis Classic, helping to fundraise for camp scholarships. She has been a dedicated volunteer and donor for the children of Sunrise Day Camp, sponsoring their holiday party and the end of summer camp carnival. Thanks to her efforts, Sunrise campers were also able to have a special ice cream day on their first day of camp this past year.

A devoted member of the South Shore Rotary since 2018, Lynne was named “Rotarian of the Year” multiple times and was presented with the “Carl Rosenberg Award” in 2023. She is actively involved with many local organizations, including the Staten Island Philharmonic, the Cross Road Foundation, the St. George Theatre, and Soroptimist International. Her latest initiative is being the major supporter for the Staten Island Giving Circle's Veterans Food Pantry, which also offers deliveries to home bound veterans. In 2024, she was named a Woman of Achievement by the Staten Island Advance.

Lynne is equally passionate about her family life and personal interests, including ballroom dancing, Broadway shows, and taking vacations with her partner Joe. She is especially proud of her 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Jennifer Russo

Jennifer (Noto) Russo is a lifelong Staten Islander who has been a public school teacher at the Petrides School for the past 28 years. In February of 2019, after discovering a lump in her neck and weeks of illness, Jenn had a biopsy which determined she had Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma. At the time of diagnosis, she was stage 4 and began treatment right away at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City.

In August of 2019, after 8 chemotherapy treatments, Jenn was in remission and celebrating. The celebration would not last long, however, as she relapsed in January of 2020, just as Covid was taking hold of the world. She began treatment again in February but the cancer would not respond so in June of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she received a life saving chord blood transplant. With no single donor match, she received two separate donations. She spent 5 weeks in the hospital with limited visitation for her own protection.

What followed were two difficult years. Aside from developing chronic Graft vs. Host disease, in August, her Hickman catheter infected, causing her to become septic and fighting for her life. In October, she collapsed at home due to low blood pressure and C Diff and spent another month in the hospital recovering. In January of 2021, what she and her doctors feared the most happened and she contracted COVID. Due to her weakened immune system, it developed into pneumonia which sent her to the ICU where she spent several tense days praying to avoid being put on a ventilator. Following the COVID episode, she was diagnosed with a mycobacterial infection and spent 2 years on a mix of 3 different antibiotics to combat it.

By 2022, Jenn was finally on a road to recovery. After 2 and a half years she was able to return to teaching, the job she loves. She began volunteering for the Leukemia Lymphoma society, feeling a need to give back. In October of 2022, she was selected by LLS as the Honored Hero for Staten Island at the annual Light the Night Walk. Last year, along with Anthony Reinhart, she co-hosted the walk.

To say she is grateful is an understatement. She owes a great deal of gratitude to her husband Michael, children Ava and Olivia, parents, family and friends. Without their support emotionally, she would not have made it. Jennifer is humbled and honored to receive this award today.

Dayna Scarso

Dayna Louise Fiorillo Scarso is the co-founder of www.pietrosfight.org , an organization she started with her husband Manni Scarso in 2012. Dayna, a Brooklyn born native, grew up with a love and talent for dance, performing commercially, off-Broadway and with MTV national studios. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and photography. Dayna began her career as head of human resources for a department store and worked there for 15 years. When her and her husband had two beautiful sons Pietro Joseph and Nico Antonio, she earned her real estate license and began working as a real-estate broker for Corcoran Group and then Jabour Real Estate. Less than a year later Pietro was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Pietrosfight.org was created. Since that diagnosis, Dayna and Manni have relentlessly been raising funds and awareness to find a cure. They also raise money for families with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.Supplying wheelchairs or ADA accessible cars for the children.Along with any home needs such as sleeping equipment, ramps or lifts.Dayna has managed to rally a community behind her son and do it with a huge smile and unfailing dedication. Dayna also acts as a full-time wife, mother, sister, friend, and an advocate for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Most importantly, Dayna and her bright spirit never fail to help and support other foundations within the community. Dayna takes great pleasure in her desire to give to others. Leading by example, she has taught her sons the importance of doing good, helping others, and that is better to give than to receive.