Sweet Serenade

Silver Hill

Musician Neil Sedaka was honored during the third annual Silver Hill Hospital black-tie gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City recently. Guests were treated to a live performance by the Grammy Award winner, whose music has brought solace and hope to millions of people who suffer from mental illness and addiction. Also honored during the evening were Ward F. Cleary of Darien, who is cochair of the Silver Hill board, and the Cleary family, which received the Founders Award to honor a seven-decade legacy of family leadership at this prestigious hospital. (Silver Hill was founded eighty-one years ago.)

Steve Stillerman, who recently passed away, was honored in memoriam with the Visionary Award for his leadership as board chair from 2003 to 2009. Michael Cominotto and Dennis Basso were honorary cochairs of the 2012 gala, which was attended by actress Joan Collins and fashion model Coca Rocha, among other celebs. The men personally created the hospital’s first gala in 2010 to highlight the excellent treatment the hospital provides and to raise funds for patients without a financial base to receive help.