Members of the Carle Place HS Key Club and student athletes, recent winners of the 2015 TU4C NBTY Helping Hands Spring Community Service Challenge, recently continued with their commitment and dedication to giving back by visiting the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park.

Students took a tour of the facilities and prepared dinner for more than 80 guests. The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children undergoing critical medical treatment in area hospitals.

Photo Courtesy of Carle Place School District

The Long Beach Middle School Project Peace Club and National Junior Honor Society joined forces to collect food for the Corey Cares fundraising initiative. Together, they collected nonperishable goods for the Long Beach food pantry.

Corey Cares is a nonprofit organization based in Oceanside that involves youth in food donation efforts. It was launched by a teen named Corey who wanted to provide support to Long Island residents in need.

Students and student athletes of Long Beach Middle School participate in community service projects such as this throughout the school year and continue to develop into caring, thoughtful citizens.

Photo courtesy of Long Beach Public School District.

Arrowhead Elementary Schools sixth-graders laced up their shoes and participated in a walk that raised more than $5,406 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Leading up to the event, the grade created information flyers and collected pledges and donations. They also lined the bus circle with inspirational signs about the charity and sold Wounded Warrior Project bracelets, pins and sticks during a schoolwide donation day. The names of all those who donated were placed on a
large banner that was on display during the walk.

Photo provided by the Three Village Central School District.

During the 2014 Team Up 4 Community Holiday Heroes Challenge, the W20 Foundation and its partner NBTY Helping Hands awarded a $3,000 Grant to Syosset High School’s Interact Club.

Syosset High School Interact Club and student athletes pledged to raise $35,000 to fund the life-saving heart surgeries of 7 kids from 7 continents in 7 days.

On May 15th 2015 the students were able to see their dream come to reality.

The Interact Club welcomed Rina, a 9-year-old girl from Kosovo, at the airport and helped her get settled into the Ronald McDonald House.

They had a huge ceremony for her at school on the 18th of May. The Syosset School community introduced Rina and her mother, along with Kosovo’s UN representative at the 50-yard line during a ceremony kicking off the day of the first surgery in El Salvador and Israel.

The co-Presidents, and student athletes of the club, were able to scrub in and watch Rina’s PDA surgery at St. Francis Hospital on the 20th of May.

The surgeries ended a week later with a little Syrian boy named, Anas, getting his heart surgery at the Vatican.

You can see all the children and their short biographies on the clubs website: www.syosset7in7.com

Mrs. Carisa Steinberg, the clubs advisor stated: ‘Our fundraising was amazing this spring and we are so grateful to Team Up 4 Community and NBTY Helping Hands for giving us a great start. Thank you!’

East Islip High School’s varsity softball team members again showed their deep sense of volunteerism at this year’s Special Olympics Long Island Spring Games North, held at Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station.
The Lady Redmen players partnered up with athletes, taking them to enjoy food, DJ music and the Olympic Village, and escorting them to their athletic events throughout the day, including a softball throw, javelin throw and 50-meter dash. Junior Erika Budovsky created a special bond with her athlete, Chris, and plans on visiting him this summer.

“I loved Chris, I had the best time with him,” said Budovsky. “This was such a special day for us, and I am glad we had the opportunity to help out.” Freshmen Katie Burk and Alise Colandro likewise enjoyed partnering with athlete Erick.
“We really bonded with Erick,” said Colandro. “It was fun taking him to his events and cheering him on. We were very proud of him and the way he competed.”

Image: East Islip High School’s varsity softball team members bonded with their chosen athletes while volunteering at this year’s Special Olympics Long Island Spring Games North.

Photos by East Islip School District