Hoop-A-Paluza Scores $275,000 for Local Children’s Charities

Team Lake Drive Second Leading Fundraiser at Basketball Event

Supporters of The Lake Drive Programs for Children Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing came out to dunk, donate, educate and celebrate at the annual Hoop-A-Paluza basketball fundraiser held December 6th at the Millburn High School.  Team Lake Drive raised more than $16,000, the second highest fundraising team of the day.  Hoop-A-Paluza supports local charities which strive to improve the physical and mental well-being of children in NJ.  The Lake Drive Foundation is one of the organizations to receive grant money from this innovative event.

Supporters rallied behind Lake Drive Principal Trish Filiaci and MLHS Girls Basketball coach Coleen Buckley who shot baskets for Team Lake Drive.  Lake Drive Program high school students, Leslye Kang and Margo Cottone volunteered at an educational booth designed to share with the 600 attendees an understanding of hearing loss and the challenges of hearing impairment.  These exceptional high school seniors demonstrate what children with hearing loss can achieve.  Kang is captain of the Mountain Lakes High School Girls Basketball Team.  Cottone is president of the National Junior Association of the Deaf at MLHS. 

Lori Robinson, Executive Director of the Hoop-A-Paluza Foundation was “very pleased that so many families and children came to enjoy a wonderful day of activities and fun.”  In addition to shooting hoops, activities included hula hoop contests, carnival games, crafts, free food, prizes, fun with Mighty Mike of the Harlem Wizards, and drumming demonstrations with Boonton Township’s Pat Gesualdo and Drums and Disabilities.

“Our supporters continue to believe in Hoop-A-Paluza's mission of helping children in our local area and came out in force to show their support, for which we are extremely grateful.  Ten very deserving charities will receive 100% of money donated for programs that directly benefit children.”

The Lake Drive Foundation is one of the ten charities selected this year. Established in 1996, the mission of The Lake Drive Foundation is to support the identification, evaluation, therapeutic intervention and education of hearing impaired and communication impaired infants, toddlers and children.

For babies who are deaf and hard of hearing, time is of the essence; 80% of a child’s ability to learn speech, language, and related cognitive skills is established by three years old. Despite overwhelming research proving the importance of early intervention, New Jersey state funding covers only a portion of the cost of the comprehensive services necessary to help hearing disabled children learn to communicate and fulfill their cognitive potential.  Funding support from Hoop-A-Paluza will be dedicated to The Sound Start Program to make a life changing difference for children with hearing loss from throughout Northern and Central New Jersey. 

Sound Start operates under the auspices of The Lake Drive Programs in Mountain Lakes which offers New Jersey’s most comprehensive continuum of educational opportunities for children with hearing loss from birth through high school graduation.

For more information about The Lake Drive Foundation, contact ssylvester@mtlakes.org.

Incidence of Hearing Loss in Children, Why Early Intervention is Critical

The Mission of The Lake Drive Foundation is to support the identification, evaluation, therapeutic intervention and education of hearing impaired and communication impaired infants, toddlers and children. The Lake Drive Foundation is a grass roots not for profit 501 (C) 3 established by community leaders in 1996 to seek funding and build an endowment for The Sound Start.