On Wednesday, Nov. 3, the Staten Island Children’s Museum will host its 19th annual Circle of Friends Business Luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn at 11:30 a.m. This event demonstrates how, by working jointly, Staten Island businesses and the non-profit sector can influence the lives of children. The honorees help shape and influence children and families in our community.  Luncheon tickets are priced at $65 per person.  For reservations and additional information, call (718) 273-2060, ext. 151.

This year’s honorees include National Grid, RPM Insurance, Eden II and Staten Island Council on Child Abuse and Neglect Inc and the 2010 Kid of Achievement:

- National Grid is an international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.  At National Grid, they are committed to focusing a significant portion of their community investment on building a qualified and successful engineering workforce.  The National Grid Engineering Our Future program provides insights into how we can draw young people into the field of engineering, its three goals are to inspire, attract and develop future engineers.  National Grid has already invested $3 million in this program to target students of all ages and backgrounds to encourage them to study science, technology, engineering and math.  They see it as investing in engineering is investing in our future.

- The history of Russo Picciurro Maloy and the entities from which it was formed, spans more than 100 collective years. Today, RPM insurance is the largest independent insurance agency on Staten Island.  RPM serves thousands of families and businesses in the greater Metropolitan area, and they continue to grow and represent clients throughout the U.S. and abroad.  RPM has significantly enhanced its business and the services it offers by growing with the needs and demands of their clients. The company is ambitious and hopes to build and implement additional services, creating a one-of-a-kind insurance and investment planning center over the next few years.

- Eden II programs are dedicated to enabling the children and adults with autism that it serves in New York City and Long Island to achieve the highest quality of life throughout their lives in school, in the community, at work and at home. Eden II School was founded in 1976 on Staten Island with six children and one special education teacher, and over the past 25 years, Eden II’s highly successful model has lead to the expansion and development of a number of programs and services for individuals with autism.

- Staten Island Council on Child Abuse and Neglect Inc. was founded in 1980 out of a growing concern for Staten Island’s abused and neglected children. The purpose of SICCAN is to advocate for the development, improvement, and expansion of services, to improve inter-agency cooperation and coordination, to facilitate the awareness of abuse and neglect issues on Staten Island, to identify problems and establish a process for their solution and to establish linkages with other organizations concerned with identification, treatment, and prevention of child abuse.

The Circle of Friends Business Luncheon Co-Chairs are Renee Altomonte and Frank Nasso. The calendar/Journal Chair is Mark K. Dray.