Bingo With A Purpose

Southampton High School Rotary Interact Club members do not do things half way. As participants in Optimum Community’s Charity Champions, which supports students’ charitable activities and donates money to a high school-selected charity, the students commit time and effort to raising money, competing against other schools, and contributing the funds raised. This year, the high school club members chose Long Island Cares, Inc., founded by the late Harry Chapin, which provides food and other resources that benefit the hungry on Long Island.

Every other week, the club members hold bake sales and will organize two larger fundraising events benefiting their charity. Recently, club advisor Sarah Fitzsimmons and students prepared the cafeteria for their Bingo Night fundraiser. Vilia Baumilas, a junior, shared, “Hunger exists everywhere including on Long Island, and we know that Long Island Cares supports and funds about 70,000 children to be fed on Long Island, and we would like to be part of that with tonight’s bingo night.” Echoing her comments was junior Ted Jennings, “It’s really important for students to volunteer, because it really gives them a great perspective of what happens outside the walls of the school. Without fundraisers like these, then we would really be in just sort of a little bubble, and with this we can really get involved in our community and help those around us.”