Long Island Wings it Forward April 7 to raise money for first responders
Korean BBQ wings at Croxley's Ale House in Farmingdale, which is among the participants in the Long Island Wings It Forward event April 7. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
If you like both eating wings and giving back, the Long Island food community is at it again: On April 7, a fundraising initiative will give back to local first responders of the 84 Fire and EMS departments that battled the recent brush fires in eastern Suffolk.
The March 8 fires in the areas of Eastport, East Moriches and Westhampton decimating over 400 acres of land. The cause was identified as a backyard attempt at making s’mores.
More than 60 restaurants and bars are participating in Long Island Wings It Forward, a one-day food fundraiser wherein 20% of wings sales will be donated to the departments that stood on the front lines. This includes all varieties of wings, from bone-in to boneless and even cauliflower stand-ins.
The initiative is being organized by Alyssa Guidice of the Dine-LI Facebook group and co-founder of the Pizza Strong initiative that has raised nearly $400,000 for Long Island causes over the past three years.
"We are hoping that LI Wings It Forward is just as successful as the LI Pizza Strong efforts," Guidice said. "It’s such a great feeling to be able to run these types of fundraisers because they are kind of like a two-for-one. You are helping an awesome cause as well as supporting a food business, as things are not the best for the industry right now."
Participating eateries span both Nassau and Suffolk counties and include all Tap Room, Village Idiot, Chiddy’s Cheesesteak, Changing Times and Croxley's Ale House locations. In Suffolk, stand-alone spots include Flanagan’s Pub in Lake Ronkonkoma; Goody Two Shoes, Dark Horse Tavern and Coastal Kitchen & Grill in Bay Shore. In Nassau: Smok-Haus in Garden City and Hicksville, PS Burgers in Mineola, The Good Life in Massapequa Park and Salisbury Tavern (a top spot for chicken wings) in Westbury have joined the cause.
April 7 also marks the last day of the NCAA Championship, so if you’re into college basketball and March Madness, there’s a good chance you’ll be chowing down on wings that day, anyway. Now, you can feel even better about it.
Details at liwingsitforward.com.
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
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