A sixth grader’s plan to honor a local man who died from ALS will come to fruition this Friday with an outdoor move fundraiser at Southold Elementary School.
“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will show tomorrow night at the school’s outdoor amphitheater.
The fundraiser was the brainchild of Isaiah Mraz, a sixth-grader at Southold Elementary School who wanted to do something in honor of Gerry Hayden. Hayden, co-owner of The North Fork Table & Inn, died at age 50 last year after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
“Isaiah thought it up all by himself. His parents were business partners with Gerry at the North Fork Table and Inn, so Isaiah wanted to do something to remember him,” school superintendent David Gamberg said. “Willy Wonka was his favorite movie.”
All proceeds will benefit organizations looking to find a cure for ALS.
Tickets are $5/person or $20/family. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Concessions will be provided.
Seating is still available, and tickets can be purchased the night of the movie. Attendees should bring a blanket or a chair, as the amphitheater will fill up quickly.
The movie will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Correction: a previously published version of this story misidentified Mraz as a fifth-grader.
