A longtime animal lover, Sabrina Navaretta joined the Syosset Dog Rescue Club as soon as she entered high school.
Now, a year and a half after her unexpected death, the club is hosting its second annual Sabrina Navaretta Syosset H.S. Dog Rescue Walk-A-Thon. The event will be held at the Syosset High School track on Oct. 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The club renamed the event in her honor last year, and her parents, Mara and John Navaretta, will give a scholarship to a high school senior in her name. The scholarship is given to a club member who emulates Sabrina’s passion and positivity, her parents said.
Sabrina died in a car accident last April at the University of Delaware, where she studied at the business and economics school. Since then, her parents started the Sabrina Navaretta Memorial Foundation, which allows them to give back to the community and keep her memory alive.
Each year, the foundation gives two scholarships to Syosset students. At the walk-a-thon, the Navarettas will give one to a student involved in the Dog Rescue Club.
“We give a scholarship to a graduating senior who is in the club who emulates Sabrina’s character,” John said.
The walk-a-thon is open to everyone, regardless of ability level. There will be live music and activities, as well as
Her parents said Sabrina was a “lover of animals and dogs.” The family has two rescue dogs of their own.
Sabrina’s passion for working with animals came after she found an abandoned dog in her hometown.
“Sabrina and I came across a dog that was abandoned in a Starbucks in Woodbury,” her mother, Mara Naveretta said.
After finding the dog, the two took to social media and successfully helped find someone to adopt it. The Navaretta family helped coordinate various events for rescue groups afterwards.
“We had like eight dogs adopted each time,” Mara said. “So it was a very successful event.”
“Sabrina was very active in planning and participating in it,” John said. “So it was kind of like a natural fit for Sabrina to be involved in rescue dogs and to join the club at school.”
While she was in high school, Sabrina volunteered on weekends with the club at local pet stores and animal shelters.
Jodie Cohen, co-advisor of the Syosset Dog Rescue Club said “she was a leader as a member and always had a beautiful and contagious outlook and smile. After her passing, we wanted to honor Sabrina and her involvement by renaming our walk-a-thon in her honor.”
The walk-a-thon is open to everyone in the community, regardless of skill and mobility. The noncompetitive environment will feature live music and activities, the Navarettas said.
The Syosset Dog Rescue Club is one of the largest clubs in the school, with almost 100 members, and has donated $55,000 to local rescue organizations since its launch in 2016.
Sabrina’s participation in the club is remembered by her advisors, and her memory will live on in the community at its annual walk-a-thon.
Later this year, the Sabrina Navaretta Memorial Foundation will name its second scholarship recipient at the Syosset High School Hockey Night, which will be held on Nov. 30. The event will have raffles, prizes and giveaways. The Navarettas said that they look forward to this year’s fundraiser after hosting a successful event last year.
For more information about the Sabrina Navaretta Foundation, please visit www.sabnavfoundation.org
