On Thursday, May 23, the “I Walk for Boston” event, organized by the Red Cross Club and the S.P.E.C. Club, was held in the large gym at New Hyde Park Memorial High School.
The event was held in support of the Boston victims and their families who were severely affected by the Boston bombing that attacked one of the most memorable marathons in the country.
It was truly a day of success and many students came after school to walk, despite the bad weather.
Around 35 to 40 students participated in the walk-a-thon, donating money for each lap they walked.
Most of the students donated more than what they walked, which truly showed the generosity and the kindness of New Hyde Park Memorial students. Most of the participants were pre-registered, but there were many new participants who registered with the clubs’ officers on the day of the walk. Even though the walk-a-thon was relocated from the school track field to the school gym due to the inclement weather, it was still so successful and all of the participants had a fun time.
The Red Cross Club and the S.P.E.C Club sincerely want to thank the students and faculty for all their help, especially Mrs. Mejia and Dr. Lapiano-Smith, who both attended the event. Dr. Lapiano-Smith, an avid runner, sported her “I Run for Boston” T-shirt as she walked with the students.
In addition, the walk-a-thon was sponsored by Angoletto’s (1578 Hillside Avenue), Baskin Robins (1596 Hillside Avenue), Coco Nails (1636 Hillside Avenue), Empire Garden (1656 Hillside Avenue), Gino’s Tratoria & Pizzeria (1113 Jericho Turnpike), Maharani (1630 Hillside Avenue), Marzullo Bakery (1586 Hillside Avenue), Luigi’s Pizzeria (526 Jericho Turnpike), The Greek Place (2144 Jericho Turnpike), Uncle Bacala’s (2370 Jericho Turnpike), and Valentino’s (2458 Jericho Turnpike).
Their generous donations, ranging from $20 to $50 gift cards, were given to the students who donated the most for the event. These local businesses helped enforce the message of community, giving, and paying it forward.
At the end of the walk, the Red Cross and S.P.E.C raised a total of $1,520 for the Boston victims.
The money will be donated to the “One Fund Boston” in order to provide help for those victims who cannot afford their medical bills.
Overall, “I Walk for Boston” could not have been successful without the participants who walked in the event and the clubs’ officers and advisers who helped run the event. They all deserve a round of applause.