On Saturday, August 24th, The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons held its annual Blue Dream Gala. The Gala helps to support worthy charities and non-profits. This year, the Gala honored Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro, East End Fund for Children, and Reach Within.
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons serves the spiritual, educational, and cultural needs of its congregants. The Church has made philanthropy among its top priorities. On an ongoing basis, the Church supports a variety of local, national, and international non-profit organizations. RMHC New York Metro was honored to be among those worthy charities selected this year, resulting in a $200,000 gift towards the Capital Campaign for a Ronald McDonald House in Stony Brook.
An Extraordinary Ministry.
Welcoming His Eminence were Spiritual Advisors of Blue Dream Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Presvytera Xanthi, Fr. Constantine Lazarakis and Presvytera Anastasia Lazarakis. Hundreds of guests began to arrive just as the sun was setting. Everyone enjoyed a beautiful evening of fellowship while celebrating and raising funds for RMHC New York Metro and the other worthy organizations. In his remarks, His Eminence praised the community, saying:
“I cannot emphasize enough how pleased I am to be present this year for Blue Dream, the amazing ministry of this extraordinary Parish of the Hamptons, led by the extraordinary hosts of this evening.” – Archbishop Elpidophoros
Cynthia Lippe accepted the gift and honor on behalf of RMHC New York Metro and the Capital Campaign. In her speech, Cynthia addressed the need for the overnight accommodations a Ronald McDonald House would provide to sick families in Suffolk County:
“For families with a baby in the NICU, their stay could last several months. For pediatric patients, a hospital stay could last multiple weeks at a time. During these weeks, the patient may not need to be in the hospital daily, but they need to stay close in case something goes wrong. Having a Ronald McDonald House within walking distance of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital would allow the child to stay with mom and dad, to have family dinners (very important in my family), and to be together for playtime and bedtime.” – Cynthia Lippe
Celebrating Philanthropy: “A Love of Mankind.”
Guests dined and danced under the stars and enjoyed an evening of good food and entertainment. Blue Dream proved to be a wonderful way to give back. φιλανθρωπία, which literally means manifesting your love for your fellow human being, said Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
Ronald McDonald House programs help families who are dealing with a pediatric medical crisis such as NICU, Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, or intensive care. Typically, families are faced with a long or stressful hospital stay. Ronald McDonald House programs provide a “home away from home” for families so that they can access the best medical care for their child.
Ronald McDonald House Charities is grateful and proud to receive this significant contribution of $200,000 which will go to the Capital Campaign to build a new Ronald McDonald House in Stony Brook. The Ronald McDonald House in Stony Brook will begin construction in 2024 with plans to open in 2026.