Olivia Hope Foundation Raises $16.8K At 'Sip For A Cure' Fundraiser

SYOSSET, NY — Olivia Hope Foundation raised more than $16,800 at its "Sip For A Cure" fundraiser at Happy Valley in Locust Valley in December, said Shelley LoRusso, co-founder of the Syosset charity.

Guest bartenders crafted cocktails and competed for tips. All money went to the foundation's Warrior Program. A portion of the proceeds are going to two families on Long Island; one to a family of a child that is terminally ill with cancer, and the other to the family of a child with a very poor prognosis, LoRusso said.

The event was fresh and people were really excited to participate, said Amy Nikolai, co-founder and board member of the foundation.

"It was loud, it was funny. It was a great night," Nikolai told Patch. "We raised a lot of money and we saw a lot of people we don't normally see. We had new supporters walk through the door. I loved it."

The foundation was created in memory of Olivia Hope LoRusso, who died of acute myeloid leukemia in 2017 at the age of 12.

Click here to learn more about Olivia Hope Foundation through a Q&A

The guest bartenders were:

• Oyster Bay Town Councilman Louis Imbroto
• Oyster Bay Town Councilwoman Michele Johnson
• Samantha Goetz, Nassau County Legislator-elect
• Amy Nikolai, co-founder and board member of Olivia Hope Foundation
• Lisa Lauricella, licensed associate real estate broker
• Marianna Villella, active community member of Glen Cove