Ziggy Burston of Monroe and his visiting cousin Avremmy Young,of Buffalo did a combination of kayaking and paddle-boarding on Walton Lake to reach their six-mile fund-raising goal. Their campaign entitled “Cousins for a Cause” raised $1,600 for the charity Chai-Life-Line. Provided photo.
Ziggy Burston of Monroe and his cousin Avremmy Young of Buffalo spent their recent time together in Orange County, raising money for charity.
Their campaign, which they titled “Cousins for a Cause,” raised significant funds for “Chai Lifeline,” an organization for children who are battling terminal illnesses. The nine-year-old boys did a combination of kayaking and paddle boarding for six miles each at Walton Lake in Monroe and asked for pledges from friends and neighbors.
Their original campaign goal was $1,200 and they surpassed it by raising a total of $1,600. The boys express appreciation to trainer Kevin Donoghue of Monroe, who guided the boys on their boating adventures.
The social media campaign was full of encouraging messages to the boys. Accompanying a donation, Melissa Crowe of Monroe wrote: “What a beautiful thing you boys are doing.”
Along with her donation, Inna Rozov of Buffalo commented: “Way to go, boys! What a great adventure, and a great cause!”
“We are proud that the children used their energy and time to accomplish this good deed,” said Chana Burston, Ziggy’s mother who lives in Monroe and, together with her husband, Rabbi Pesach, runs Chabad of Orange County. “The community in both Orange County and Buffalo responded generously to the campaign – although the pandemic has made social community gatherings more challenging, it has made communities come together to support each other in a special way.”
“Many children found themselves with more free time, especially outdoors, due to the pandemic,” added Rabbi Pesach Burston. “These boys found a way to enjoy nature and time together as cousins while helping a great cause.”