GNYHFA cruise raises $3,000 for LOVE charity

More than 100 members participate in event

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 26, 2009

NEW YORK — Members of the Greater New York Home Furnishings Assn. took a cruise here and raised $3,000 to benefit LOVE, a charity that helps troubled young people.

More than 100 members and guests took part in the Sept. 9 boat trip around Manhattan and a silent auction that followed.

Barbara Goldstein, left, GNYHFA executive director; Linda Thibodeau, president of Leave Out Violence; and Eddie Massood, Thomasville Furniture, Fairfield, N.J.

Chris DeLisa, president of GNYHFA, and Lou Massood and Tom Leflein, executive board members, said the group was proud to partner with LOVE, which is short for Leave Out Violence. Also supporting the cause was Carlos Bakery of Hoboken, N.J., which is renowned as TV channel TLC's "Cake Boss" and donated a cake for the auction.

LOVE was started in Canada more than 10 years ago by Twinkle Rudberg, whose husband was stabbed to death in 1972 by a 14-year-old homeless boy and gang member who was under the influence of drugs.

In response, she decided something had to be done to help troubled youths like the teenager. She created LOVE to focus on the causes of teen violence - neglect, isolation, lack of mentorship and domestic abuse.

The organization has helped thousands of young people and now has a number of chapters in the United States and Canada. Information is available online at leaveoutviolence-us.org.

A croupier, left, watches as GNYHFA members Eddie Massood, Thomasville Furniture, Fairfield, N.J., and Larry Tennen, MGM Transport, try their luck at the craps table.	A dealer, left, delivers the cards to Jennifer Sova, International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn., and Chris Sova.
Lou Massood, left, MGM Transport; Tom Leflein, Lexington Home Brands; and Andy Gans, Magnussen Home.	Set to cruise are Cliff Katz, Sydney Platzer law firm; Mike and Norma Massood; Sydney Platzer, of the law firm; Eddie Massood, Thomasville Furniture, Fairfield, N.J.; Julius Feinblum, Julius M. Feinblum Real Estate; Russell and Cathy Bienenstock, Furniture World; and Mike Massood Jr., Thomasville of New Jersey.