Seventeen boxers have begun training and fundraising for the 17th annual Long Island Fight for Charity, the nation’s only completely volunteer-based charity boxing tournament.
The Sept. 15 Main Event, to be held at Hilton Long Island in Melville, will primarily benefit three Long Island nonprofit organizations: Long Island Community Chest, Family Residence and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), and Eden II/Genesis Programs.
“I volunteered to be a boxer in this event because I see everyday as a fight,” said Rockville Centre native Eric Braun, one of the charity boxers participating in the event. “I enjoy a challenge, especially when there is a good cause attached to it. In life, you are either making an impact or just going through the motions. I cannot just go through the motions. I was called for more.”
Each boxer has a minimum fundraising goal of $10,000, and anyone can support them by donating to their campaigns online or buying tickets to the event. If a fighter raises more than $10,000, they have the option to split the additional money raised between the Long Island Fight for Charity’s organizations and a Nassau or Suffolk nonprofit of their choosing.
Fighters will spend months training and preparing for the big day in September. Some have been boxing for years, some will return from hiatus, and others are looking forward to their very first amateur fight.
“I thought this would be a great opportunity to be a part of something with others who are probably in that same boat or just getting into boxing now and finally have an amateur fight, while also doing something that will ultimately help those in need,” said charity boxer Bart Schiavo, of Huntington.
“Training this year means getting back into the best shape of my life, meeting some wonderful people all while doing something good for our community,” said charity boxer Jennifer De la Cruz, of Rockville Centre.
Joining Braun, Schiavo, and De la Cruz in the Long Island Fight for Charity will be charity boxers John Ankelman, Travis Buonocore, Jonathan Carroll, Ben Cooper, Nick Cromeyn, Keith Dawson, Ciara Fiorello, Tom Gibson, Tabbethia Haubold, Jose Padro, Meghan Pilkington, Daniel Sapen, Dawn Strain, and Nick Zaharios.
To learn more about the charity boxers and donate to their campaigns, visit lifightforcharity.org.
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