Party-goers eat, dance, laugh at Tommy Brull Foundation's first Ladybug Ball

Teenagers and adults of all ages came together at the Tommy Brull Foundation’s first Ladybug Ball on March 29 to enjoy an elegant evening of eating, dancing and spending time with friends.

Martin Brull co-founded the foundation in 2008 in memory of his brother, Tommy, who died in 1999, at age 23. With his memory in mind, Brull and the foundation have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for people with physical, mental or emotional challenges and the organizations and programs that serve them.

The Ladybug Ball incorporated the name of the insect tattooed on Tommy’s thigh as a joke, which became the foundation’s logo and serves as a sign of hope.

“There’s not too many opportunities for this population to socially interact at an age-appropriate level, and we just had the vision of creating an event where they could socialize on their own and be independent,” Brull said.

About 70 guests — ages 17 and older — attended the Ball, held at EGP Land & Sea in Island Park, and each walked down a red carpet when they entered before having their photo taken. Attendees then enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and special “ladybug” drinks before dinner, dancing and dessert.

Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito donated the disc jockey for the event and Mike Leake paid for the Magic Mirror, an interactive photo booth. A few dozen volunteers and event committee members joined forces to bring the event to fruition.

Members of Backyard Players & Friends, a local arts-based community program that caters to teens and young adults of all abilities, went to the Ball, including the group’s co-founder, Ellen White, who served on the event’s committee. “People having fun with friends, just like everybody else,” she recalled seeing that night. “It was really, really cool.”

The event, Brull noted, resembled a wedding, as the party-goers were dressed up and in good spirits.

“It was a really special night,” he said. “It’s probably the best thing we’ve ever done.”