IN THE MEDIA

Catch up on the latest happenings and learn some of the history behind The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation during the latest radio interview of The Non-Profit Voice with Founder & Chairman, Matthew Barbis and Educational Coordinator, Patrick Chierichella.

Henri Barguirdjian & Marianne Lafiteau Host Rose Brucia Event in NYC

Stranger safety benefit draws A-list crowd, helps raise more awareness.

Graff Diamonds President and CEO Henri Barguirdjian and his wife Marianne Lafiteau hosted The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation for a benefit on the upper east side of Manhattan Wednesday evening to further raise awareness about their cause of stranger safety.

A custom Rose Brucia pin was assembled by Graff with rubies and emeralds and auctioned off during the event, which was also attended by billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, and Peter Lyden, the Chief Philanthropy Officer of the Museum of Natural History, among others.

“Marianne and Henri have become champions for our cause,” said Matthew J. Barbis, the founder and chairman of Rose Brucia. “They have embraced our mission and are wholeheartedly striving to bring more awareness to our program to all parents and elementary schools.

“It means the world to me that Marianne and Henri would think enough of our program and our mission that they would open up their home to us and their friends in order to further the reach of the foundation.”

Sue Herera, the national spokeswoman for Rose Brucia and a host at CNBC, spoke during the gathering about her involvement with the foundation.

“When I found out about the Rose Brucia foundation I immediately wanted to become involved,” she said. “It’s a grassroots effort.”

The overwhelming strides the foundation has taken in the last year, and its core mission of stranger safety had Barguirdjian anxious to help as soon as he attended a previous Rose Brucia function in the Hamptons last summer.

Custom Henri Barguirdjian designed one-of-a-kind Rose Brucia ruby & emerald pin

“It became dear to our hearts very fast,” he said, “and we said we have to continue the momentum.” As seen in Sachem Patch.

Katrina and Don Peebles, Matthew Barbis

Stranger safety foundation has fundraiser and awareness function at Don and Katrina Peebles’ home in Bridgehampton, N.Y.

It’s been a whirlwind year for The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation and their most recent stop took them to the home of real estate entrepreneur Don Peebles and his wife Katrina in Bridgehampton, N.Y. for a fundraiser Saturday evening.

Dubbed a “night of hope”, the event was the first major fundraiser and awareness function for the foundation, which started out of the compassion Matthew J. Barbis had for his cousin, 11-year old Carlie Brucia, who was abducted and murdered in Sarasota, Fla. in 2004. Barbis, a Holbrook resident and Sachem High School alumnus, has been working tirelessly to create stranger safety awareness.

“It involves children and the unthinkable,” said Don Peebles, who is chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation and sits on President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee. “With something like this, one’s compelled to do something about it. When you see a situation that requires action, all of us have an obligation to do something, that’s why we’re here. This foundation is going to continue to grow as many others become aware of its existence and are moved by its mission.”

Peebles and his wife have been actively involved with various charities and foundations over the years, including the Recreation Wish List with former Washington, D.C. First Lady Cora Barry, the Women’s Cancer League, Cancer Link, United Way, Honey Shine and the Miami Children’s Hospital Auxiliary board, among others.

Active in the political scene, they’ve hosted then Gov. Bill Clinton at their Washington, D.C. home for a fundraiser for his presidency and will be hosting President Barack Obama at the end of the month for a campaign fundraising dinner, but nothing seems to be more important than the well being of their son and daughter, 17 and 8, respectively.

“It’s indisputably the most important cause I’ve done,” said Katrina, who sits on the board of directors for The Peebles Corporation. “I’ll try to work it in to all that I do. We’re informing in a happy, beautiful way about something we hope never happens again, but statistically it will, so we’ve gathered together to try and make those numbers less.”

Aside from the Peebles, other notable attendees included billionaire investor Wilbur Ross and Richard LeFrak, as well as Dan Rattiner of Dan’s Papers.

Statistically, according to The Rose Brucia Foundation, 800,000 children go missing each year in the United States.

“Tonight was the launching pad for a program that’s going to be available and put into every school in the country,” said Barbis. “That was the ultimate goal and we’re going to get there.”

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, and Rep. Steve Israel, D-New York, introduced the “Rose Brucia Stranger Safety Awareness Day” resolution on June 13 in the House of Representatives, getting one step closer to The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation’s goal in protecting and educating children against the threats of abduction.

The resolution is currently pending before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and would support August 22 as a national day of recognition where all schools can go online and download a free curriculum designed to inform and empower children on keeping themselves safe from stranger abductions, according to the foundation.

Under the current system, there is no stranger safety program in the nation’s schools. This program teaches children from ages 5-11, the awareness and the tools they need to assist them in their own safety as it relates to strangers.

“This is about bringing people together for the common objective of keeping kids out of danger,” said CNBC’s Sue Herera, the national spokeswoman for the foundation. “If we can do that for just one child we’re a success. It’s a fabulous organization with its heart in the right place with people who are supporting it for the right reasons. There’s no better cause on the face of the Earth than saving a kid’s life.”

The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation received its largest donation to date from The Carlie Brucia Rescue Fund! The donation will allow the foundation to expand its programs even further on Long Island and help to lay the groundwork for plans to launch a national DVD program! Thanks again to The Carlie Brucia Rescue Fund for their support and generosity.

Brian Simonetti, Joey Brucia, Matthew Barbis

Islandia, New York – June, 2006 – Symbol Technologies has joined the fight against child predators. The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation is a fledgling non-profit organization that works to reduce child abductions through educational puppet shows and self-defense demonstrations for children. The program is only in its first year, but has caught the attention of parents everywhere due to the extremely important subject matter: protecting your children!

Holtsville based Symbol Technologies has granted The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation $12,500.00 to help fund their stranger safety activity books and DNA kits that are provided to all children that attend the program, free of charge. “We are very pleased to be able to provide funding to help with such an important initiative, said Sal Iannuzzi, Symbol president and CEO. “The safety of our children is paramount. We are hopeful that these tools will educate both parents and children on the importance of child safety.”

The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation and the stranger safety program were created when the chairman’s 11 year-old cousin, Carlie Brucia, was abducted and murdered in Sarasota, Florida in 2004. The abduction was captured on camera behind the local car wash near Carlie’s home. The event was highly publicized and stands now as call to action for adults everywhere to stand up to child predators and educate and empower children about the dangers that face them in society today.

“We are extremely grateful to Symbol Technologies for their very generous grant for our program and for taking the first step toward creating a safer environment for our children in America”, says Matthew Barbis, Chairman of The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation. The $12,500.00 grant money has been utilized to purchase 12,500 stranger safety activity books and 8,000 DNA kits. The stranger safety program, in conjunction with The Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, has made over 120 presentations; visiting over 12, 000 children across 11 school districts, 9 private institutions, 4 chambers of commerce and 1 United States Military Base since its inception at the beginning of 2005.

Matthew Barbis, Frank DeRuvo, Joey Kola, Ron Barbis

The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation presented its first successful fundraiser with the help of comedian Joey Kola and his band of volunteer comedians! Joey Kola hosted and coordinated the entire event to help raise money to protect children across America. We thank you very much for all your help Joey!

Rose Brucia Educational Foundation Honored At Fort Drum

February 9th – 11th: the Foundation presented the Stranger Safety Program for the United States Army’s 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) Soldiers and their families. The Foundation was presented with several honors including a Certificate of Excellence from the “Iron Sappers”, A Certificate of Appreciation from the 10th Mountain “Commandos”, and a coin of excellence from the 10th Mountain Division troops.