Inlet 2 Inlet Charity Beach Cleanup, Fall Fair, Rescheduled To Sunday

WESTHAMPTON BEACH — The spirit of two East End young people, Cory Hubbard and Dana Barrett — who had their whole lives ahead when tragedy struck — will shine strong this weekend: The 4th Annual "Inlet 2 Inlet Charity Beach Cleanup" fundraiser to help others in their name has been rescheduled to Sunday, October 8.

The event was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 24 but was rescheduled due to heavy wind and rain. The details for Sunday, October 8, remain the same: Vendor setup and beach assignments take place at 10 a.m. on the Great Lawn in Westhampton Beach, with trash weigh in at 3 p.m. The beach cleanup competition takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. along the 15 miles of coastal beaches stretching from Cupsogue County Park to the Shinnecock Inlet.

A fall fair also takes place from noon to 6:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn in Westhampton Beach. The fair features live music, local food and beverage trucks, local vendors and children's games and activities.

It has been nine years since Westhampton Beach High School athlete and graduate Cory Hubbard, just 22, died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while away at college — and four years since Dana Barrett of East Quogue was paralyzed following a pool accident.

In the years since, the "Inlet 2 Inlet" event has been organized to honor Cory and help Dana, who lives at New Beginnings, a community center for traumatic brain injury, and needs financial assistance.

Both the Dana Barrett Strong and Live Your Cor foundations, along with Relic — a T-shirt company that donates to many local causes — are gearing up to present the fun-filled event, where teams compete by collecting sponsorship donations from friends and family to help raise funds.

"Purchase tickets to join or form a team to compete for prizes for the most money raised and the most garbage collected at the beach," organizers said.

Ralph and Holly Hubbard, Cory's parents, have created the "Live Your Cor" foundation, raising funds to help community members in need.

"To Live Your Cor translates to Live Your Heart," the Hubbards said. "It means to treat everyone you meet with love and respect. It also means to get the most out of every day of your life. Simply stated, it means 'Celebrate life!'"

All donations to Live Your Cor are dedicated to helping individuals in the community facing adversity and hardship.

The Hubbards added: "It's nice to be able to help so many people in Cory's honor and in his memory. You really don't want your children to be forgotten. This is our way of keeping his memory alive."

The "Dana Barrett Strong" foundation also helps Barrett as she perseveres, despite the unthinkable, with an indomitable spirit and grace.

Barrett, born and raised in East Quogue, suffered a severe spinal injury on June 30, 2019 in a tragic pool accident. After being airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, it was determined that she had a C2 fracture, resulting in paralysis from the neck down and the inability to breathe on her own.

"She needs extensive ongoing rehabilitation, which is a considerable financial burden," event organizers said. "The road to recovery will take years."

Despite this, "Dana has always been fearless in life, radiating positivity and kindness," event organizers said.

Those participating in the beach cleanup can sign up online, set up fundraising goals, and share team links for sponsorships.

For information on how to sign up, buy tickets, and donate, click here.