Progress with life possibilities and a gala, one year later: GiGi’s Playhouse LI to celebrate at Southward Ho – Long Island Advance

Linda Leuzzi

Twelve months after its official ribbon-cutting launch in Patchogue, GiGis Playhouse Long Island Down Syndrome Achievement Center has expanded its programs, increased its volunteer and participating family numbers, and has a glam fundraiser coming up on March 19 at the Southward Ho Country Club in Bay Shore.

Not bad for a not-for-profit that doesnt charge for programs offered to Down syndrome prenatal, toddlers, adults, and also parents.

Of the programs that emerged since last years three offerings, weve added a bunch, said Mike Cirigliano, board president.

We now have Fantastic Friends, interjected board member and program chair Elizabeth Rahne. Its a socialization program for adults. They do different types of activities like karaoke, role playing, and games like Minute to Win. Theres also Leaps and Bounds for children 3 to 6, designed to help with sensory and motor capability.

A We Dance program is instructed by a Stage Door School of Dance Studio teacher once a month. Its designed for children with special needs, Rahne added. Weve had little ones and teens. Its a beloved program. Theres also Movement to Music and Art Expression for 5 year olds and up.

A call from Kilwins Patchogue owner John Murray came in for Cirigliano during the Advance interview. Murray had been asked if he would participate in a Fantastic Friends visit with GiGis participants on March 28. Murray called to say yes.

We want to travel with them and bring them to businesses that support us, Cirigliano said. Well start here in Patchogue and expand to other places.

Im looking forward to it, joked Rahne of the anticipated ice cream visit.

Its really simple, said Murray when contacted. They are doing great work there. I have a cousin with Down syndrome and its an easy way to support the organization. Its got to be great for these families to bring their kids there and interact through their programs.

Cirigliano said the group will meet at the popular ice cream store on Main Street.

John will introduce himself, talk about what he offers, and give a tour of his business, he said. Then hell have them make one of his products, which theyll sit and eat afterwards.

The Southward Ho gala is a big deal. How did they pull that off?

Its due to the volunteers who want to see it through, said Rahne, admitting to nail biting along the way. We already have 170 seats sold so far.

This place is definitely inhabited by grace.

Vivid donated Sherwin Williams paint hues of deep purple, tropical blues, warm corals, which radiate from the walls, including an emerging Patchogue Arts Council mural in the Sensory Room. Best of All Walls recognition celebrating participants milestones are scattered throughout. There are Thank You plaques to sponsors like PeraBell Food Bar, Dublin Deck and Donatina. Rudys Bar & Grill is also a biggie. But perhaps the most relevant ambiance tap is the large GiGis Playhouse logo: Be Accepting, Be Generous, Be Kind, with a heart imbedded with a G in the Innovation Board Room in the Open Play Area.

Theres no dearth of volunteers who sign up for one project or another. Griffin Jacobs, 18, an artist from The Summit School in Queens, for example, drives from his home in Glen Cove to help out via an internship program. Hes great, said Cirigliano, as Jacobs turned from his project in the volunteer room to say hello. Hes working on our annual sponsorships and created a gorgeous chalkboard for us.

Cirigliano, president and Cirigliano Agency owner, has been dogged in his commitment to establish the Patchogue headquarters with his board members for several years.

(He even tapped the Islip Bulletin Inspiration Award winner Keith Caputo from Center Moriches last year for a comedy show fundraiser. Caputo will attend the gala as a table captain.)

Cirigliano is godfather to his brother and sister-in-laws twins, nephew Louis and niece Bella. Bella has Down syndrome; Cirigliano spends a lot of time with the family.

The Patchogue headquarters, with a parking lot and entrance located off Austin Street (the location spans to Jayne Avenue), is the only GiGis Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center on Long Island, with coverage to the east end and to western Nassau. Currently, over 50 GiGis Playhouse locations operate across the country.

Cirigliano keeps careful track of progress from their startup and can quickly get numbers of families registered with them from a database as well as other numbers. In 2018, we had 279 families, he said. In 2021, its 1,427. Our volunteer numbers started [in] 2018 with 10; in 2021, its up to 153. Its 99 percent volunteer-run and 100 percent funded by donations.

Their goal was to raise $200,000 to cover operating expenses for the first year. Their budget this year is $215,000.

Our big event was cancelled last year, Cirigliano said. But this year, Nancy Gianni, founder and chief belief officer of GiGis Playhouse, and her daughter, GiGi, are the special guests at the gala. (Gianni has been recognized as a CNN Hero among other recognitions.) They are flying in from South Barrington, Ill., and will attend a brunch the next day for those families who cant make the gala.

True to form, were already thinking about expansion, Cirigliano said. We want to start a Hugs and Mugs, a nonprofit caf, and a GiGis University.

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Progress with life possibilities and a gala, one year later: GiGi's Playhouse LI to celebrate at Southward Ho - Long Island Advance