 Christina, Nicole and Isabella cut “K” cookies |
 MBA Students Nicole and Christina finish the cookies |
 Bowling Green K-Kid Nicole Nielson enjoys a shake with her brother at Jakes fundraiser |
 Our Baking Team inside the Mets Room at the Ronald McDonald House |
LIU-Post Circle Ker Christina Principato led a team of MBA students from her Organizational Behavior class in a project involving the Bowling Green K-Kids to support the Ronald McDonald House at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
After learning about the work of the Ronald McDonald House during LISC Kiwanis Division’s Ronald McDonald House Day, Bowling Green K-Kids President Sofia Passariello was inspired to plan a fundraiser to support a family’s stay at the house and have her club participate in the Little Hands Helping Little Hands baking program.
It was the prefect partnership.
K-Kids Faculty Advisor Rich Santer welcomed the assistance of the graduate school students who worked out the logistics of a "dining to donate" fundraiser at Jake’s Wayback Burgers in East Meadow. The K-Kids simply had to get the K-Family to come down and support the fundraiser.
The fundraiser easily exceeded the $125 goal needed to sponsor a family at the Ronald McDonald House for a week.
On a Sunday morning, Christina and her MBA team met K-Kids President Sofia, Secretary Isabella DiCostanzo, Distinguished Past Secretary Elianna Rivera and Past K-Family Chair Nicole Nielson along with Faculty Advisor Rich Santer, his wife Lisa and Long Island South Central Lt. Gov. Ann Torcivia for a tour of the Ronald McDonald House and their baking project.
Working side by side the MBA students the Bowling Green K-Kids baked three different varieties of cookies and a pan of brownies.
At one point, a 5-year-old resident in a wheelchair came over to ask what the group was doing. Christina answered her and engaged her in a conversation about her favorite things. As the little girl’s smile grew and grew, Christina pulled out her cell phone and broke into a song and dance routine singing the little girl’s favorite song from Disney’s Frozen. The K-Kids joined in.
While the fresh-baked cookies brought a few smiles during the day, that one little girl’s smile was the highlight of her day and that of the volunteers.
(Posted July 14, 2014)
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