Benefit paints pictures of hope for Glen Cove hospital

Splashes of Hope held a benefit on Jan. 19 at The View Restaurant to aid its art therapy program at Glen Cove Hospital.

Hosted by chef-owner Jeanine Di Menna, the evening was called “Painting With a Purpose.” More than three-dozen people attended the function, which raised money for a series of murals that will be painted by patients and hung in the hospital’s hallways. Participants enjoyed a variety of food from The View’s justly renowned kitchen, including a dessert of beignets with caramel sauce, while working on a mural from a series called “The Seasons.” Matt Grabowski provided musical entertainment.

Splashes of Hope aims to “change hospital environments from clinical to colorful,” according to founder and CEO Heather Burgee. The large murals are laid out in stencil form and then painted in by patients. The project is especially powerful for Di Menna; she first learned about the organization while hospitalized for a serious head injury. “The colors and just creating something helped me maintain a positive attitude” during her long hospitalization, she said before the event.