Michelle O’Neill volleyball packs the Long Beach sand
The 28th annual Michelle O’Neill Volleyball Tournament returned to Long Beach on Sept. 7 at Laurelton Boulevard beach, one of the city’s most popular events.
The tournament has become a staple in the Long Beach community and according to Carol O’Neill, mother of Michelle O’Neill and president of the Michelle O’Neill Foundation, it’s the “last shot at summer” for many people. O’Neill and her family started the tournament to honor her Michelle, who died of cancer in 1996 at age 24.
When the foundation first started, it raised $17,000 to help children with cancer and special needs. The foundation raises for organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, Memorial Sloan Kettering, St. Jude’s Research Hospital, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many others.
The logo for the foundation is a smiley face to represent Michelle’s “fun-loving and gregarious” spirit. Each year, the face changes slightly in accordance with a specific theme.
People can donate on the group’s website, MONFoundation.org, or by mailing a check to their P.O. box, 478, in Long Beach.
