College of Staten Island Baseball Head Coach Michael Mauro was one of many on hand at the star-studded 27th Annual Teddy Atlas Dinner last night, commending the work done by the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation. CSI Baseball was honored with a Service Award at the dinner, a testament to the 16-year partnership between the team and the Foundation.

Each year, the Atlas Dinner is held a week before Thanksgiving, with the group collecting this year at the Nicotra Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island. The dinner curates the work done by the Foundation, a New York-based community service organization that provides financial and emotional support to individuals and organizations in need and focuses particularly on the needs of children.

Of the partnership, Mauro said, “Sixteen years ago, I was named CSI coach and one of the first calls I made was to Teddy Atlas. He is the most generous and selfless man you will meet in your life. He will always thank and praise others and never take the credit for the tremendous work he does.”

Every year, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Mauro and his team hand out a thousand turkey dinners at the Atlas Foundation for the less fortunate.

“The Thanksgiving event is very near and dear to my heart and I would do anything I could to help a man like Teddy Atlas and his Foundation,” Mauro said.

The dinner featured sports and entertainment stars such as Tracy Morgan, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, Bob Pappa, Sal Paolantonio, Boxing great Larry Holmes, Iran Barkley, Chris Algeri, Paulie Maliginalli, Chuck Zito and Tony Danza as well as radio and TV personalities Sid Rosenberg, Max Kellerman and Larry Michaels. Tottenville star and former major leaguer Jason Marquis also graced the dais.

Check out the full story, written by James Speciale, of the Staten Island Advance, on Silive.