Car enthusiasts drive fundraiser to help children

The parking lot across from Reel in East Rockaway was filled with more than 60 classic and modern cars on July 16 for the East Rockaway Car Show’s eighth annual fundraiser.

“I figured it being a fundraiser, I’d come down and support it,” said Franklin Square resident Mike Abriuzzo, who brought his 2002 limited-production Toyota Corolla to the show.

This year, the event benefitted the Little Saint Nick Foundation, an East Rockaway-based organization that provides anti-anxiety gift bags for children at South Nassau Communities Hospital, in Oceanside, Winthrop University Hospital, in Mineola, and Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center, in Queens.

“We donate 10,000 bags a month to the children at those hospitals,” said Lynbrook resident Ray Mohler Sr., the vice chairman of the board for the organization.

The gift bags contain a Beanie Baby, a coloring book, crayons and a brochure about the foundation. In addition to the goody bags, the organization also provides mobile entertainment systems (rolling carts that contain a TV, a gaming system, DVDs and headphones), hosts toy drives between Thanksgiving and Christmas and grants wishes, such as hospital visits from athletes and concert tickets

Mohler, whose son, Ray Mohler Jr., founded the organization, said that the Little Saint Nick Foundation decided to partner with the car show because they were hosting another fundraiser across the street from it last year and were approached by Rich Cittadino, who organizes the show. Cittadino informed the Mohlers that every year he designates one of the weekly car shows as a fundraiser. He also said that the fundraisers typically net between $13,000 to $14,000 for the sponsoring organization.

“For a small event like this, it does pretty well,” Cittadino said.

By the end of the night, the Little Saint Nick Foundation had $5,000 worth of donations from the car show. The money was raised from raffle baskets, a 50/50 raffle and admission fees.

“It went right on target for our goal,” Mohler Sr. said.

For more information about the Little Saint Nick Foundation, visit littlestnick.org.