Interfaith Concert Raises $2,500 for Summer Together 2019

More than 100 local residents filled the Dolphin Bookshop & Café on Wednesday Dec. 12 for a fundraiser to launch Summer Together 2019, a program that funds summer camp scholarships and public-pool memberships for Port families in need of economic assistance. The festive interfaith concert raised more than $2,500.

Summer Together’s goal is to raise $20,000 by the early spring deadline for camp and pool registrations. Online donations can be made at summertogether.longislandtogether.org and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The event was organized by Long Island Together, a local activist group. Nearly a dozen acts shared their talents including Ryan Messinger, Yoli Terrazas and her Yolotzin World Dance children’s salsa class, Aneesha Mirza, Dorothea Smith on the traditional Korean instrument gayageum, Harmony Sky Duo (Kat and Rob Nolfe), Cantor Sharon Grainer of Temple Beth Israel, members of the St. Stephens Church Choir, Latin Jazz vocalist Jessica Medina, percussionist and educator Napoleon Revels-Bey, and the Willow Interfaith Women’s Choir. Sonia Arora and Elise May served as emcees.

“We are so grateful to all who attended and to the performers who shared their talents,” said event organizer Dilia Kamensky of Long Island Together. “We owe big thanks to Dolphin for generously offering its café space, and to Bach 2 Rock for providing the musical equipment.”

As a result of Summer Together 2018 – the program’s first year – 57 children experienced one week of local summer camp and 19 families enjoyed seasonal family pool memberships at Manorhaven Park. In summer 2019 we hope to exceed those results. If you prefer to mail a check rather than donate online, please make it payable to our 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner "Parent Resource Center" with memo line "Summer Together" and mail to: Parent Resource Center, Attn: Summer Together, 232 Main Street, Suite 4, PW, NY, 11050.

Summer Together is organized by Long Island Together (LIT), a group of community activists working to improve access to educational and enrichment opportunities for children as well as many social justice causes. LIT works in partnership with Parent Resource Center (Summer Together’s fiscal agent), Littig House, Padres en Accion Asociacion, The Community Synagogue Social Action Committee, Temple Beth Israel Social Action Committee, the United Methodist Church PW, Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore, St. Peter of Alcantara Social Ministry and Our Lady of Fatima Social Outreach.

For further information email: summertogether@longislandtogether.org, or call Allison White at 917.848.4861 or Raju Rajan at 917-940-9556.

PHOTOS: Margaret Galbraith