Local Businesses Raise Nearly $20,000 for Breast-Cancer Patients

Riverhead –Local business owners and organizations in Riverhead and the North Fork used their imaginations and rolled up their sleeves to run several successful fund-raising campaigns during October, which was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a result, these businesses and their patrons donated nearly $20,000 to the North Fork Breast Health Coalition, which serves patients and survivors in the area.

“I am overwhelmed with the generosity of our community during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We thank everyone for their hard work raising funds—all for others!” says Susan Ruffini, president of the NFBHC.

Even before the official start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Peconic River Sportsman’s Club, situated on 4,000 acres in Manorville, held a fundraiser on Sunday, September 17, called “Take a Shot at Cancer.” The membership urged the public to take advantage of the “chance to shoot a 16-station course of sporting clays at the very best private club on Long Island.” The event included a BBQ chicken dinner and raffles with generous prizes such as fishing and hunting trips.

For the fifth year in a row, Apple Honda, Riverhead, ran an annual breast cancer awareness campaign, which is held every October at the car dealership. The funds are raised through a $50 donation from the dealership for each car purchased, as well a dollar donation for each service appointment. Employees and customers pitched in with donations for pink-ribbon lapel pins, pink ribbons in memory of a loved one and pink Apple Honda totes. Raffle tickets were also available for deluxe gift baskets.

All month long, at the Long Island Aquarium, guests were invited to make a donation at the door in honor of Jelly. She is an otter at the Long Island Aquarium who was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer, and had her mammary gland and the tumor removed in a successful surgery. Exclamations of “Long Live Jelly!” were heard among the board members of the NFBHC, who joined the party on October 14 to distribute educational literature and give away assorted items with pink ribbons.

“We are very lucky to have such a warm, caring and generous community. With their help, we are able to provide additional services and funding to those in need. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts because you are truly making a difference in people’s lives,” says Melanie McEvoy Zuhoski, vice president of the NFBHC.

Among the other businesses that held creative campaigns in October were Wendy’s Deli, Mattituck, which matched dollar for dollar every donation made with purchase of a lunch sandwich; and Cassandra Mari Salon, Mattituck, where for every customer that purchased a pink streak for her hair, the salon donated the ten-dollar fee to the cause. East End Core Fitness in Mattituck, Mott’s Tree Service in Cutchogue and the gift shop of the Peconic Bay Medical Center also made donations based on their business in October.

The NFBHC is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that supports local breast-cancer patients with programs such as Helping Hand grants. Funds raised by the community including the Shelter Island Fall 5K Run/Walk—and by NFBHC annual fundraisers such as the annual gala at East Wind and the 5K Walk at Tanger Outlets—also allow the group to continue to provide free services such as yoga, massage therapy, reflexology and guided meditation to breast-cancer patients and survivors.

The organization has scheduled their Fourth Annual Pink Pearl Gala for Friday, April 27. The dinner and award ceremony, followed by dancing, will be held from 6-10 PM in the elegant ballroom at East Wind, Wading River. To inquire about corporate sponsorship opportunities, please leave a message at the coalition office in Riverhead at 631-208-8889 or contact Event Chair Melanie McEvoy at melanie@mcevoyandassociates.com.

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