Over 800 Attend Fundraiser; Southold Fire Department Gives Thanks

With Saturday's fundraiser for firefighter Frank Locrotondo, who is facing a serious health crisis, an unrivaled success, with over 800 in attendance, the Southold Fire Department has reached out to give thanks.

In a letter sent to Patch, the Southold Fire Department spoke about the tremendous outpouring of love and generosity:

"On behalf of the Locrotondo family, the Southold Fire Department would like to give a huge thank you to the communities of the North Fork for their outpouring of support for Frank. The Old Fashioned Barbecue was a phenomenal success. Over 800 people attended the event, which was a significantly higher number than we originally anticipated. 

"The community participation was extraordinary and was a real confirmation that we here in Southold Town live in one of the best places on earth. We are truly blessed to have such caring and loving friends and neighbors. Many people traveled from 'up west' as well, and from other distant points, to attend.

'The businesses that were asked to donate for the Chinese auction, as well as many donors who asked to remain anonymous, are to be commended for their incredible generosity — shop locally!

"We had 90 percent of the donations come from our local businesses, and we also had significant donations from benefactors in Connecticut, and Block Island, Rhode Island. We sincerely thank each and every person that stepped up to the plate and made a real difference in the life of a Brother who has devoted such a large part of his life to helping others, in his time of need.

"This major event could not have been successful without the dedicated team of Southold Fire Department members that worked tirelessly to make sure that every detail was taken care of. From the Department Chiefs, all of the shopping and prep work, all of the cooks and servers, the bartenders, the Chinese auction committee, the ticket sellers out front as well as the pre-event ticket sales, the "probie" class that really outdid themselves tending to many varied and tedious tasks . . . the setup and cleanup crews that took care of staging the hundreds of tables, chairs and the tent, the town employees that volunteered their time and funds to help out — everyone really came together to put on a tremendously successful event.

"This event could not have happened without the generous support of the Cutchogue Fire Department who provided the tent and hundreds of tables and chairs. We are truly indebted to them for their help.

"Additionally, we'd like to thank the Mattituck and Greenport Fire Departments for providing emergency coverage to protect the Southold Fire District during our event, as well as the Greenport Fire Department for the loan of their tables and chairs.

The support of our neighbors was amazing and is truly appreciated. To everyone who supported this event in any way at all, we would like to again say, 'Thank you!'"

— The Chiefs, Officers and Members of the Southold Fire Department

Did you attend Saturday's fundraiser? Share your thoughts, or messages to Frank, with Patch in the comments section.