Quick — name that tune in 10 seconds and help needy families.
That’s what members from across Long Island and New York City did at the 17th annual “Name That Tune” fundraiser at the East Meadow Fire Department Feb. 13.
Melissa Montes, a member of the Lefferts Liberty Kiwanis Club, said the event reflects the organization’s broader mission of helping children.
“We raise money to help children in the community,” Montes said. “We know that we raise a lot of money and we give it right back to the community. That’s what we’re here for.”
Participants throughout the night played the classic game “Name That Tune,” which for those unfamiliar is exactly what it sounds like. A DJ plays a 10-second clip of a song, and tables of teams race to get the answer first. They must write down the song title and the correct artist’s name. The game format encourages teamwork and friendly competition.
The music genres range from disco to country, and the songs span decades and generations. “We do songs from the ’60s, the ’70s, the ’80s, and even the 2020s as artists,” said Alan Hodish, one of the event organizers.
The East Meadow Fire Department generously donated its space and time to make the event happen. “The only thing we pay for is the bartenders,” Hodish said. “This whole thing is donated basically by the East Meadow Fire Department.”
Community impact runs deeply with the Kiwanis club. Donna Goldstein, president of the East Meadow Kiwanis Club, said the event is as much about connection as it is about fundraising.
“To bring everyone together and raise the money that’s all for the children,” Goldstein said. “But mostly to bring people together.”
Funds from the event were collected in different forms. Some were sponsorships, others were from ticket sales. The funds raised go directly toward supporting local children and families, according to Harry Demiris, the event’s DJ and a past Kiwanis club president.
“It brings people together and it helps support needy children in the community,” Demiris said. “Sending them to camp, food baskets. We give three bags of groceries to about 120 families in the community.””
Locals have a deep appreciation for the event. Peter Mancuso, a past Kiwanis International president and East Meadow club member, said fundraisers like Name That Tune make community service possible.
“This event has been very successful both as a social event and as a fundraiser,” said Mancuso. “The fundraisers that we conduct give us the money necessary to perform those social activities.”
For more on upcoming Kiwanis events, visit EastMeadowKiwanis.org.
Angelina Livigni is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
