Leggz owner MacNaughton honored at annual gala

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Leggz Ltd. Dance owner Joan MacNaughton was honored by The De La Salle School during its annual spring gala at the Chateau Braind in Carle Place last month.

MacNaughton was the featured guest at the Freeport school’s “Tapping Our Potential” gala and received a citation from the Town of Hempstead. All of the monies raised that night will support the school’s academic programs.

“I’m just so honored to be the honoree this year,” she said upon learning of the honor. “I really believe in the mission of the De La Salle School. I will continue to always be involved in the school. That’s the mission, to help these boys and make them successful in the their lives as they go on.”

MacNaughton is the owner, teacher and artistic director of Leggz in Rockville Centre and has been involved as a volunteer and fundraiser at De La Salle for many years. She is a founding member of the Ladies Luncheon committee and has served as its chairperson for the last three years. Her fundraisers attract over 300 guests and have featured headline speakers such as former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, Good Day NY co-host Greg Kelly, and best-selling authors Mary Higgins Clark and Adriana Trigiani.

She also teaches social dance to the De La Salle students in preparation for their annual Mother-Son Valentine’s Day Dance.

In addition to her work at De La Salle, MacNaughton is also the founder and chairman of the Old Westbury Gardens Children in Bloom Council, the Nassau Museum of Art Ball, the entertainment chair for the CP Nassau Festival of Trees, the executive vice president of the Rockville Centre Guild for the Arts, the first vice-president of the RVC Lions Club and a member of the Artistic Advisory Board for the Madison Theatre at Molloy College, where she creates fundraising events.

Her Leggz ensemble students often perform at charity and community events across the East Coast and many of them have gone on to professional careers on Broadway, ballet companies, television and movies.

De La Salle, which is a part of the Rockville Centre Diocese, is a non-tuition driven school that is funded almost entirely from individual, corporate and foundation donations. The school currently enrolls 63 students in grades 5-8.

The La Salle Military Academy Alumni Association was also on hand to present the school with a check for $5,000.