Tommy Brull Foundation to host annual fundraiser

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The Tommy Brull Foundation, a Rockville Centre-based charity organization dedicated to serving those with special needs, will host a reimagined version of its 13th annual fundraiser on Nov. 14.

While the fundraiser — each year a gathering with food, live music and raffles — could not be held as usual due to Covid-19, Martin Brull, president of the Tommy Brull Foundation, said it was still important for him to raise money for local programs.

“We want to keep the momentum of what we’ve done,” Brull said. “We have so many organizations that we solely fund, and if we don’t commit to raising the money, these organizations don’t have funding.”

The event will be held in two parts — an in-person donation drop-off during the day and a virtual show in the evening.

The drive-by and drop-off fundraiser is from noon to 5 p.m. behind R.J. Daniels, where there will be contactless purchase of raffle tickets for prizes. People can go to the table at the rear entrance of the bar to drop off a check or cash and participate in any of the silent or Chinese auctions available. Brull has also been doing raffles leading up to the event via the Facebook page, “Tommy Brull Foundation Inc.”

Then, there will be a live telethon on the Facebook page from 6 to 11 p.m. People can donate virtually during that time through the foundation’s Venmo, @tommy-brull. During the telethon, raffle prize winners will be announced and Brull will give out the Tommy Brull Courage and Resilience Award, as he does each year, to a person with special needs who has overcome challenges in their life.

As the Tommy Brull Foundation always incorporates music into what they do, the telethon will have local bands performing live, including The Blank Stairs, Animal Haus, Pat the Horse, Wolfie & Steve Desz, Slave to the Dog, Kirkland and Mayhem L.I. Also, musicians who have played at the foundation’s past Shine A Light music series concerts have sent in videos that will be played during the livestream.

The telethon will also feature short videos from people who volunteer with the foundation. “I do like that we’re going to be able to highlight people that help our organization,” Brull said, “that people don’t know about because that stuff happens behind the scenes, before and after the events.”

The fundraiser will split all the money raised between the following 11 programs for people with social, mental and emotional disabilities:

  • Tommy Brull Foundation Surf Program at Camp Anchor
  • Tommy Brull Lady Bug Ball
  • Exceptional Artist Program
  • Wrestling Day at Camp Anchor
  • Centre Stage at South Side High School
  • Connor and Friends
  • Challenger Baseball RVC
  • Top Soccer RVC
  • Hoops for All RVC
  • Backyard Players and Friends
  • Move Program at C.P. Nassau

“We haven’t had any experience with doing anything like this, we’re just doing the best we can,” Brull said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to raise all the needed money to support the organizations we support each year.”