New Venue for Fundraiser in Memory of Ben Tolmei

Editor's Note: Note the venue change for this event, which now takes place at the Everett Elks Club in Saugus.

An upcoming event will memorialize Ben Tolmei of Lynnfield, who died of cystic fibrosis in February at the age of 24 - while also helping to raise funds to build a home for an impoverished family in Jamaica to honor the volunteer work he did there.

In a recent email to Lynnfield Patch, Trish Murphy, a town resident who owns Shining Stars Learning Center, reported that the “Neon Art Night for Ben” is on Monday May 6th at the Everett Elks Club at 401 Main Street in Saugus.  Murphy also noted that Tolmei’s parents were organizers of the town’s cystic fibrosis walk.

“While in college, Ben traveled to Jamaica to build homes with the organization "Food for the Poor.” This had a major impact on his life. Ben's Family, along with Shining Stars Learning Center, will be raising funds to build a home in Jamaica in Ben's honor. This house will be life changing for an impoverished family. It not only provides them shelter with plumbing, it also provides clothing, beans and rice for a year, school supplies and a small business for future success. The website for the house in Ben's name is Foodforthepoor.org/Ben,” wrote Murphy.

The May 6th event will feature artwork from students at Murphy's Shining Stars Learning Center in Saugus, plus silent auction items, raffle baskets and light fare. Murphy noted that Tolmei spent several summers working at Shining Stars and returned last fall to do some art workshops for students in its after school program. Tolmei’s sister is also a teacher at Shining Stars.