Sarah Grace Foundation 16th Annual Night Of Laughter

The Sarah Grace Foundation knows that laughter is the best medicine.

On April 12, the foundation is hosting the 16th annual Night at the

Milleridge Cottage in Jericho - an event that has raised the organization hundreds of thousands of dollars for children battling cancer and other serious illnesses.

Rick Morgan, who has appeared at several comedy clubs including Caroline’s, returns as the show’s host. He will be followed by a dynamic quartet of comics including D.B. Frick, who has written for Conan O’Brien and has performed his standup routines from coast to coast. Also appearing will be magician extraordinaire Harry Mandel, experienced comedian Eddie Gambino and Broadway Comedy Club regular Stacy Kendro.

While the Night of Laughter benefits children, it is for mature audiences only. Tickets are $85 per person, which includes entertainment, dinner, beer, wine, soda, coffee and dessert. There will be numerous raffles including four Walt Disney World park passes, TD Bank Visa gift cards, dozens of gift baskets as well as a 50/50/50 drawing with three even cash prizes. Raffle books, which include the grand prizes, are available at a pre-show discount of $25 each. Books are not available the night of the event. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and all proceeds will benefit the foundation.

In November 2002, Sarah Grace Weippert lost her nine-month battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The fun-loving 12 year old was a student at Hicksville Middle School and loved crafts and music. She never lost her smile throughout her fight, which included months of chemotherapy followed by cranial and total body irradiation in preparation for a bone marrow transplant from her younger brother, James.

The following year, Sarah’s parents established the foundation, a non-profit corporation, to improve the quality of life for children with cancer, and to provide comfort and support to their families. Donations provide numerous means of financial aid for families including for meals, transportation, heating and funeral expenses.

In the past year, the foundation provided ball game outing tickets, distributed 750 Halloween goodie bags to pediatric cancer patients in hospitals, sponsored a holiday party at Cohen’s Children’s Hospital and distributed toys at Christmas to seven area hospitals, shipped personalized gift packages to individual families and provided televisions to inpatients undergoing lengthy treatment stays at Maimonides Pediatric cancer center. It has also continued its Sarah’s Angels book donations, Chemo Duck program and Cohen’s Bead Room. The Sarah Grace Foundation was a sponsor for Cohen's Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Day in September and sponsored t-shirts for the siblings of survivors.

“Pediatric cancer is something no child or family should have to deal with,” said Matthew Weippert. “During difficult times for these families, the Sarah Grace Foundation provides support through a variety of initiatives that are possible because of our generous supporters.”

This is traditionally a popular event, so reserve your tickets early by calling (516) 433-9745 or visiting www.TheSarahGraceFoundation.org. You can also visit the website to learn more about the foundation’s many other initiatives to support children with cancer.