Little pasta goes long way at fundraiser

Richard Tedesco

For the second straight year, Mineola High School students demonstrated last Thursday that a little pasta can go a long way toward raising money for a good cause.

The students were hoping to match the $3,000 their Macaroni Makes A Difference fundraiser brought in for the Mary Brennan Interfaith Nutritional Network in Hempstead at the event, according to Nancy Regan, a social studies and special education teacher at Mineola who is the other co-director of the Student Services Center.

“The community sees the students for the caring kids they are. It’s important to realize there are people out there in need,” Regan said. 

The high school students and local area residents who filled the cafeteria donated $5 for a pasta dinner that included salad, soda and desserts at the event that ran from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 21. 

“Everything is donated and everything we collect goes to the INN,” Regan said.

Students from two of her history classes were the volunteers who served the food and beverages.

The event also featured activities for children and mini-service projects that included creating coloring books for the Ronald McDonald House and local children’s hospitals and making cheese sandwiches for the INN to distribute to its clients.

“All of the guests at the INN have no voice. They are invisible. You’re eating and donating your stomachs to raise money for those who have no place to go,” said Jean Kelly, executive director of the INN.

Kelly said the money raised at the Macaroni fundraiser would make a difference in enabling the INN to feed more people.

“This personifies what is special about Mineola,” Mineola Superintendent of Schools Michael Nagler said.

Mineola High School principal Ed Escobar praised the student volunteers who manned the serving tables and said the multiple generations attending the event were “a credit to everyone.”

Regan said the high school students also prepare a dinner once a month for families at the Ronald McDonald House and will be preparing care packages in April for Mineola families in need.

“It’s self rewarding to know you’re helping other people,” said Tahmina Osmanzai, one of the student volunteers at the pasta fundraiser. 

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