Local students fundraise for children in need

The students showed off their finished products at Levittown Hall.

Courtesy of Diana Vitale-Hicks

East Meadow students joined together at Levittown Hall on June 24 to help raise money for charities aimed toward helping sick children.

Hailing from W.T. Clarke Middle School and Bowling Green Elementary School, about 40 students raised $1,080 that will be equally distributed to the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Magical Fairy Missions, for childhood brain cancer. The event was called the “Sip N’ Paint with Frank ‘Fun’-Raiser.”

The students each spent the day making their own paintings, and all participants paid $30 for five raffle tickets — for the chance to win one of 57 prizes — dinner, drinks and dessert.

“The kids were absolutely amazing,” said event organizer Diana Vitale-Hicks. “Everyone of them created such a beautiful picture. They were all excited that they were able to choose the charity where the money raised would be donated to. It made the fundraiser that much more personalized to them.”