Northwell Health’s inaugural East End Walk drew hundreds of people to Tanger Outlets in Riverhead this morning for a fundraising 5K around the outlet center.
The walk raised more than $110,000 for cardiac care and women’s cancer services on the East End, Peconic Bay Medical Center vice president Samantha Vigliotta said.
Tanger Outlets, which has been hosting a fundraising walk/run for breast cancer research and support services each fall for more than two decades, welcomed the springtime walk and looks forward to hosting it next year, said general manager Janine Nebons.
“It’s a unique setting and perfect for a walk like this,” Nebons said. A walk around the outlet center is exactly the right distance, she said.
“We’re very pleased to be able to help support our local hospital,” Nebons said.
There were 450 participants registered as of this morning, with more walk-ups registering before the event began, Vigliotta said.
The East End walk raised more money than two of the other three Northwell walks taking place today — in Westchester and Staten Island. The largest walk was staged at Jones Beach.
“The way the community embraced the walk speaks to the character of our community and the value it places on our local hospital. The money raised in the walk stays in our community,” Vigliotta said.
The Cancer Services program provides cancer screening for women who can’t afford the life-saving tests. It serves the entire East End.
Peconic Bay Medical Center is fundraising for its planned cardiac care center, where East End residents will be able to have lifesaving PCI — cardiac catheterization— procedures done.
The top three teams raised more than $15,000, Vigliotta noted. Dr. Luigi Buono of North Fork Family Medicine was the walk’s number one fundraiser.
The event featured kids games and rides, a photo booth, community support tables providing food and beverages to participants, and a special appearance by former N.Y. Islanders star Bobby Nystrom.
“We couldn’t have done it without Northwell’s events team,” Vigliotta said.
Riverhead Rotary donated $15,000 to the event, she said. Tanger provided $5,000 in gift card incentives and donated three shopping sprees — $2,500, $1,500 and $500 — for a drawing entered by participants for every $100 raised.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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