HOLDON! benefit raises over $6,000 for youth helpline

Photos

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Manasquan High School students Kelsey Comerford [from left], Meghan Roland, Hold ON Creator Sophia Ganguzza and Danica Kovats helped organize the second annual Hold ON benefit at the Brielle Fire House last Saturday. Photo by SUEANNE GOSS, STAR NEWS GROUP

By Zach Levine

This past Saturday evening, about 200 local residents packed into the Brielle Firehouse at 509 Longstreet Ave., and came together for a good cause with the Second Annual “HOLDON! — a Benefit to Connect Kids.”

The event was spearheaded by a group of Manasquan High School students, led by MHS junior Sophia Ganguzza, of Belmar.

Sophia, 16, began working on the event back in April, and aiding her in the effort were MHS seniors Meghan Roland, Kelsey Comerford and Danica Kovats.

In total, over $6,000 was raised from the event.

Sophia’s mother, Andrea Ganguzza, said she was thrilled with how the event went, deeming it a “huge success.”

“It really went terrifically well,” she said.

Ms. Ganguzza said she was nervous at first that many people would not come to the event, as Manasquan High School was originally scheduled to hold a football game that night.

However, the game was rescheduled due to inclement weather, and she said because of this, quite a large number of teenagers came out to the event instead.

“There were lots of teens there,” she said. “They were mingling and learning, and when you get everyone together for a common cause, its a good thing.”

Ms. Ganguzza noted a great deal of food from Surf Taco was donated for the event by the restaurant’s owner, Rob Nagel, and sub sandwiches were also donated by MHS Physical Education and Health Teacher Peter Pappas, and his wife, Laura.

She also said what helped out the fundraising effort was a letter sent to The Coast Star last week, asking attendees to bring homemade deserts to the event.

She said during the event, she realized they got more deserts for the event than they originally anticipated.

“We really had an embarrassment of riches!” Ms. Ganguzza sai four grand prize baskets.

The auction featured items including a 32-inch Sharp Aquos flat screen television, a round of golf for three people with the golf pro at the Spring Lake Golf Club, and numerous gift cards.

Ms. Ganguzza said the most popular basket seemed to be the one for two tickets to the annual Z-100 Jingleball Concert, which was eventually won by a MHS student.

What made the event unique was that it was an alcohol-free fundraiser, which Ms. Ganguzza said was being done to prove to the students that “a good time could be had without drinking.”

She said although this probably cut down the number of adults who would have come to the fundraiser, she did not mind since the event was mainly about the teenagers and getting the word out about the 2NDFLOOR helpline.

Eighty percent of the proceeds from the night’s event went toward the 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline, 10 percent went to the Timothy Schenke Light of Hope Award, a portion of the funds went to the Kevin W. Gregus Scholarship Fund, and $500 of the proceeds went to start a HOLDON! scholarship at Manasquan High School.

The HOLDON! scholarship applications are currently available at the principal’s office at Manasquan High School.

During the event, Sophia, Meghan, Kelsey and Danica thanked all those in attendance, and the director of the 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline spoke as well, showing gratitude to the girls for putting on the fundraiser.

Also, the teens in attendance were given the number of the youth helpline [888-222-2228] and were urged to text the number to at least 10 people in their phone books.

“No teenager in high school should face what feels like insurmountable issues,” she said. “This number at least gives them one tool to go to in their arsenal.”

Ms. Ganguzza said one of the most powerful moments of the evening came when Sophia requested a moment of silence to remember the numerous members of the local community who died this past year.

Following Sophia’s remarks, Mr. and Mrs. Pappas’ son, Tyler, a senior at Manasquan High School, took the microphone and told his own story of despair to those in attendance.

“Tyler told a compelling and honest personal story about his own despair, suicidal thoughts, and cry for help,” Ms. Ganguzza stated. “But he got the help he needed to move beyond the moment, and urged all the teens in the room to do the same.”

Ms. Ganguzza said Tyler’s remarks resonated throughout the evening, and because he was of the same age as many of the teenagers in attendance, she believed the teens were more likely to soak in what he had to say.

“Kids don’t exactly always listen to adults, but they do listen to each other, and Tyler’s story was just so important,” she said. “He reached out for help, and he appealed to everyone in the room to reach out and get help, as well.”

She added that she hoped there was one solitary message which the teenagers who attended the benefit came away from at the conclusion of the event.

“Never feel like any problem you have is bigger than you can handle.”

Kathleen Ellis, President of the 180 Turning Lives Around Board, was in attendance for the fundraiser as well, and she said she thought it was an incredible event.

“This was remarkable. It was the second time she put it on in direct response to need in the area, and it was just amazing to see such commitment to helping others, especially in someone so young,” Ms. Ellis said.

She also noted how special the event was because of the mix of adults and teenagers during the fundraiser.

“It was encouraging that there was an incredible mixture of adults and kids. These relationships lead to the interchange of conversation,” Ms. Ellis said.

Sophia has also said she would like to make this an annual event, and she has already begun planning for next year’s third annual HOLDON! benefit.

The 24-hour youth helpline fields calls for everything from bullying to parental arguments to heartbreak and suicide and can be reached at [888] 222-2228.

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