Media Council raffles off expertise

Some of Long Island's best-known business executives, all men, stood behind a table in a cafeteria at Briarcliffe College in Bethpage Friday morning. In front of them were about 50 other business people, all women.

Each man picked a ticket out of a paper bag in front of him and called out a number. In response, one of the women would yell out, "That's me." And a deal to meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner would be set in motion.

This was no singles event, though. It was serious business. The Bethpage-based Fair Media Council, which promotes local news, held a fundraiser for itself. The women, most hoping to learn ways to grow their businesses, spent $10, $20 or $40 on raffle tickets.

If their ticket was picked, they would get to have a meal with the likes of Bob Catell, the former KeySpan chief executive; Jed Morey, publisher of the Long Island Press; Mark Fasciano, a Long Island venture capitalist, or Sal Ferro, president of Alure Home Improvements in Plainview.

Jaci Clement, Fair Media's executive director, said $1,000 worth of raffle tickets were sold Friday morning at a Women's Empowerment Summit held before the raffle.

Donna Drake, who this fall is to host a television show, "Live It Up!" on CBS 10 (formerly Ch. 55), "won" Fasciano and Ferro.

"I guess I'll put them on my show," Drake said.

Anastasia Gavalas, a family-life teacher from Bridgehampton, "won" the "wild card," a chief executive who asked not to be named, and wasn't. Gavalas didn't know who it was, and may never tell, she said.