79: Attend Friends for a Cause Fundraiser for Mason Batz

Lindy is full of things to do, see and experience, and here Lindenhurst Patch highlights one idea or activity residents could check out right here in their hometown.

We’ll start at and count them down. Here’s number 79:

Attend Friends for a Cause
Fundraiser, Help Mason Batz
After 20-plus years of volunteering time to fundraise for charities that help children - and their families - battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, life-long Lindy resident Penny Casey finally decided to break out on her own and start her own organization.

"I've been fundraising for more than 20 years," Penny Casey told Lindenhurst Patch. "I've raised money for Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which was given to the children at Sloan Kettering. And I've helped with Jaycee's Kids, which helps kids with terminal or life-threatening illnesses."

Dubbed Friends for a Cause, Casey formed the charity organization last year after her husband, John, encouraged her to take the leap.

"It was just a dream of mine to do something like this, until my husband finally said, 'Why don't you just do this?'" she said. He advised her to bring in the people closest to her, people who she could trust.

"So that's why Friends for a Cause was formed with my husband, my two daughters, Samantha and Stacy Voutsinas, and our closest friends - 11 people in all on our board," Casey said.

Once she got her trusted network of people together, she looked for a child and family in need right here in Lindenhurst to be the focus of the organization's first fundraiser.

"My husband and I were born and raised in Lindenhurst," Casey said. "We both work in Lindenhurst. So why take it out of Lindenhurst?"

Indeed, the Caseys co-own , which from Newark Street to 127 Smith Street. It opened in 2004 in Lindenhurst, and has provided free car service for families who have terminally ill children. All rides to the hospital are handled for those with sick children.

Friends for a Cause - which has submitted its paperwork to receive its full 501(c)3 (non-profit) status - has allowed Casey to expand on that. And now the organization is set to hold its first fundraiser on Friday night at in Lindenhurst.

"We're hosting our on March 2," she said, noting that there'll be dinner, dancing and an open bar. "At this dance we'll be raising money for of Lindenhurst. He's been diagnosed with ALL cancer, which is a form of leukemia."

Penny's husband, John, met Mason's father, Mike, grandfather, Henry, and uncle, Steven, through his other job for the past 25 years at , she said. The three Batz men are all volunteer firefighters in the .

The Caseys made the connection between them and , and after meeting him and hearing the family's story, Friends for a Cause decided to help, according to Penny Casey.

"He's an awesome little boy who never complains about anything, regardless of the day he's having, and has a smile and hug for you always," she said.

Friends for a Cause has focused all of its energy on getting this fundriaser together, she said, only holding one more event for Mason in December - a breakfast with Santa - at the Venetian Yacht Club.

But after this fundraiser - for which the organization is expecting more than 200 people, plus a an appearance from Suffolk County Legislator - the focus will shift to finding other children and families in need that it could help, according to Casey.

The members of Friends for a Cause have given - and will continue to give -  their time to be there at the hospital when parents and relatives cannot be. And T and J will continue providing rides to the hospital for families in need, as well.

"We just want to do something good for the community, and give back," Casey said, who added that there'll be more fundraisers down the road.

For tickets to the , which starts at 7 p.m., to offer information about a family with children in need of assistance and/or more information about Friends for a Cause, call 631-957-2626 or e-mail Friendsfo­racause@­aol.­com.

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