Schools

Benefit Concert Fundraises for Farmingdale Family

More than $9,000 has been raised for Jimmy Ossenfort, who is in critical condition.

A held Jan. 6 at Farmingdale High School raised more than $4,000 for Jimmy Ossenfort, an alumni severely injured in a November car crash.

The Farmingdale-based group Black Honey, comprised of Ryan Costello (lead guitar), Matthew Ferrara (rhythm guitar) Mark Morales (drums), Zack Reyes (bass) and Dakota Clayton (vocals), headlined the concert and Wantagh-based band Jimmy and the Gooch opened for them.

Ossenfort, 22, is currently in a coma at Stony Brook University Medical Center after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a tree the weekend before Thanksgiving. He was acting as the designated driver for a group of his friends and had drove all of his friends home safely before the crash. He has undergone dozens of surgeries to treat his injuries.

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The funds raised will go to his mother Barbara to help with medical bills. Barbara has three younger children in the district, Kerrie, Christopher and Timothy, who attend the high school,  and  and were at the benefit concert on Friday.

Russ Catanzaro and Ralph Morales, both involved with Farmingdale P.A.L., organized the fundraiser with the help of Glen Zakian (FHS principal), Jeff Pritzker (audio-visual technician of the Farmingdale Public Schools), Rita Padden (director of fine arts), Barbara Lieberman (FHS music teacher), Gina Pellettiere (FHS music teacher), Bill Bucholtz (art teacher), Sharon Piraino (Albany Avenue School secretary), FHS security supervision staff and student volunteers.

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"The concert was phenomenal," said Morales, who was the MC for the night. During the concert, raffle winners donated their winnings to back to the funds for the family.

In total, Farmingdale PAL's two fundraising events, this concert and December's iPad/iPod touch/$100 Apple gift card raffle, raised nearly $9,400 for the Ossenfort's.

Black Honey closed the concert with one of their original songs,“You’re Not Alone," which they dedicated to Jimmy.


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