Parents and kids help fight cancer — by roller skating!
Marine Park families strapped wheels to their feet and hit the rink for Millennium Development’s Family Skate Night on April 12, a fund-raising event supporting the community group’s participation in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
“Everyone said they had a such a great time,” said Theresa Modica, who attended the event with her son Damian, 7, and her daughter Josephine, 5. “It was really nice to have an evening out and it was a beautiful night.”
A $10 suggested donation was all it cost for the whole family to skate the night away at the JM Community Center’s roofless rink — plus, a Relay for Life luminaria bag was included with the price of admission.
The luminaria bag can be decorated by the skaters, or by Millennium Development’s Relay for Life team, and will be included in a moving ceremony at Relay for Life’s June 2 event at the Aviators Sports Center.
“The luminaria bags line the track, they’re lit up with lights, and there’s a moment of silence,” said Marva Giron, an event coordinator at Millennium Development. “It’s commemorating people we lost to cancer. It’s heartfelt, people get very emotional, and survivors share their stories.”
But the luminaria bags weren’t the only goodies handed out for the event — a few confused families were given Boston Red Sox hats!
“I’m not too sure where the Red Sox hats came from,” said Elizabeth Engelhardt, who skated with her husband Bill, and daughter Emily, 8. “It was kind of at the end of the night, I’m not sure if they just had some extra hats. I didn’t think too much about it, we had such a good time.”
Reach reporter Colin MIxson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.
