By Linda Delmonico-Prussen
At Roosevelt Field, the Merrick Kiwanis is holding its annual gift wrapping fund drive, for which shoppers can even drop off gifts to be wrapped as they shop and return for them later.
The fund drive, co-chaired by Kiwanis member Jay Helsinger and honorary member and wife, Susan Helsinger, started six years ago. For 15 years before that, Susan Helsinger had done the fund drive with the Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary, for which she is president. When the auxiliary could no longer do the drive, Helsinger approached Kiwanis, which continued the tradition. A tradition that's win-win for all.
"Kiwanis does so many things to help people," Susan Helsinger said. The gift wrapping fund drive benefits the North Shore Hospital Trauma Center, 1-in-9: The Long Island Breast Cancer Action Coaltion, Kamp Kiwanis, the Simon Youth Foundation, which helps keep young people in school, the Jason Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cardiac research, as well as scholarships for Bellmore-Merrick high school students.
Helsinger started the Jason Foundation and now serves as its chairwoman. Named in memory of her son, who died at 15 years old owing to a heart ailment, the Jason Foundation helps many other area organizations. The foundation was one of four organizations that helped build the children's heart system at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. The organization is now helping Schneider's Children's Hospital with a heart telemetry system, an advanced monitoring system. And the foundation recently donated money to purchase a defibrillator for Birch Elementary School in Merrick.
The price for wrapping varies according to package size. Volunteers do all the wrapping. Helsinger wanted to recognize Ilene Dixel and Weight Watchers, for which Helsinger's cousin Carol Kramer is an executive, for their contributions to the cause.
Those who wish to donate their time wrapping are welcome to join in; one does not need to be a Kiwanis member to help. Helsinger said even her hairdresser gets involved in the effort. The gift wrapping booth is located on the main floor between Macy's and the Disney store and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. until the mall closes Tuesday, Dec. 24.
