Helped By The Children's Center At UCP Hauppauge's Megan Babbino Gives Back

By Dana Klosner

(click on photos to enlarge)

Megan BabbinoLast Sunday, Girl Scout Gold Award candidate Megan Babbino, held a fundraiser at Del Fuego in St. James to raise money for The Children’s Center at United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Suffolk , in Commack. The Children’s Center services children with developmental delays and disabilities from infancy to 21.*

The event featured a silent auction, pay one price all you can eat and drink, a pie eating

 contest, face painting, an antique car show sponsored by the Long Island Street Rod Association, and even the auctioning off of Babbino’s father who is a chef at the Del Fuego. He will be a high end barbeque chef at someone’s home for up to 20 people. The event was sponsored by Del Fuego owner Joe DeNicola. 

The event raised $7,000 before expenses. About $5,500 of that will go to the school. The money will be used to create a butterfly plaque that will display the names of former students that have passed away as well as other educational services for current and future students.*

Cars line up at Hillside Village Center before heading to Del FuegoBabbino , 15, a sophomore at Hauppauge High School has cerebral palsy and attended the school when she was three and four years old.

“UCP helped me become the person I am today,” Babbino said. “When I had the opportunity to do this project this was the first thing I wanted to do. They [the school] helped me so I wanted to help them.”

“Megan was born at 28 weeks,” said her mother Joanne. “A lack of oxygen caused her cerebral palsy.”

She had it on her right side, mostly her right leg and slightly in her right hand, Joanne Babbino said. The muscles in her legs were too tight and as a young child she had to wear braces on both her legs. 

“At UCP she was placed in an integrated class with children who were developing normally,” Joanne Babbino said. “This was important because at three years old she was testing (academically) at five and at five years old she was testing at seven. I didn’t want her to be with only special needs kids; I needed her to have something to strive for.”

“It was a great place,” Joanne Babbino continued. “They had a huge physical therapy room. They had kids in all developmental stages. They had kids in chairs that couldn’t walk, some who couldn’t talk or would talk with Babbino Family with donor boardcomputers.”

Megan went on to Hauppauge public schools from there. Her braces came off in third grade. In fourth grade she had an operation to lengthen her heel chords so she wouldn’t walk on her toes anymore. She was in casts for eight weeks.

She still goes to physical therapy once a week and it is supplemented with a chiropractor, who keeps her muscles loose.

“The Gold Award project has to be true to your heart because you have to spend 80 hours on it,” Joanne Babbino said.

Megan had to raise money, plan an unveiling ceremony, make posters, pamphlets and fliers to publicize the event and blog about the butterfly plaque. She also held a pancake breakfast where she raised a few hundred dollars. 

“It was easy because I had the support of my mom, my Girl Scout troop and family,” said Megan Babbino, who is a member of Troop 588, Hauppauge Girl Scouts. “It would have been hard to do on my own.”

“Running the project has taught me speaking skills, time management skills, and organizational skills,” she continued. “And it helps the community at the same time.”

“I like Girl Scouts because it teaches you good life skills,” she went on. “You get to bond with your friends by laughing and doing things together which make the projects fun. And it opens up the opportunity to help the community and do things not only for myself but to help benefit others.”

Members of Long Island Street Rod Association help with fundraiserThere are still a few steps that need to be completed before Megan Babbino earns her Gold Award. The butterfly plaque must be purchased and engraved. Then there will be an unveiling ceremony with local dignitaries in the fall. 

“We are thankful to Megan for choosing The Children’s Center at UCP Suffolk for her Girl Scout Gold Award project,” said Sherri Glazer, Principal and Director of Educational Services for the school.  “Her fundraising efforts proved to be a success as Megan was able to raise [about] $5,700 which will benefit our current students, future students and will be a great remembrance for the students who have been part of our program in the past.”  *changes were made to article to provide a better understanding of students at UCP and the use of the funds collected by Megan.

Comments

[Mrs C]

Great job Megan. The event was wonderful and all your dedication and hard work was evident. Good luck with completing your Gold Award!

[Joanne Babbino]

I am very proud of you Megan!! You've come a long way. I can't wait to see what else you are able to accomplish.