John W. Engeman Theater's Broadway Revue Raises $60,000 for Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society

On Wednesday, June 1, theater co-owners Kevin J. O'Neill and Richard T. Dolce hosted a special evening of Broadway entertainment to benefit the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the 104-year old Huntington Harbor Lighthouse.

With 100% of the ticket sales proceeds going directly to the restoration effort, the event raised over $60,000 toward the current fundraising goal of $80,000.

"There are causes every single day that are appealing to me, and we contribute to everything we can think of, but for some reason, this is one that just hit home," said O'Neill, describing his lifelong connection to the Lighthouse and the decision to host this event.

The evening's contributions mark an important achievement for the Engeman and its ongoing commitment to supporting the local community:

"This is a milestone. When Rich and I were in the process of opening this theater, we said 'We're going to make it a for profit theater, and not only that, we're going to fund not-for-profits in our community in John Engeman's name.' And this breaks $1 million so far," O'Neill announced.

In its 10 years of operation, the Engeman has raised funds for a wide variety of causes, including the American Red Cross and the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort, the First Presbyterian Church of Northport and the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry of Northport.

In addition to Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway - a live concert featuring five of Broadway's biggest stars - the evening included a silent auction, featuring unique items and experiences, including a ride on the News12 chopper over Manhattan or Long Island; an original oil painting of the Huntington Lighthouse by award-winning artist Denise Franzino (valued at over $3,000); a tugboat racing experience at the Great North River Tugboat Race and 2016 Competition; and an overnight stay in the historic Borden Flats Lighthouse in Fall River, MA.

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