Legislator Tom Donnelly recently joined Deputy Presiding Officer Legislator Rob Calarco and other elected officials at the Johnny Mac Foundation 14th Annual Wish Gala. Held on Saturday, March 2 at the Stonebridge County Club in Smithtown, this year’s honoree was “Suffolk Boldest Hockey,” an amateur hockey club whose members are primarily Suffolk County Corrections officers. The team’s mission is to raise funds through charity events that assist officers and their families in times of need, as well as contribute to charities within the community. Suffolk’s Boldest Hockey has donated over $140,000 to charity.
The Johnny Mac Foundation was founded in honor of John McNamara, a firefighter and first responder to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City. He died in 2009 from colon cancer that was believed to be caused by exposure to harmful particulates released into the air at Ground Zero. The foundation raises money to support families of firefighters as well as youth programs.