On Friday, Dec. 5, the House of DeGau Beauty Salon at 72 Cedar Swamp Road held a charity fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Mayor Ralph V. Suozzi was present to thank the salon for its efforts in raising awareness for this worthy cause.

The House of DeGau organized this fundraiser in honor of the late Max Graziosi. Event planner Lisa Capobianco said, "We are grateful for all those who contributed to our fundraiser. It was our hope that through this event we could open people's eyes to the boundaries of sadness and how devastating those feelings can be to the lives of individuals and their families. This is an issue that can affect any family, often unexpectedly. We hope that our efforts, however small, will contribute to raising awareness in the larger community for this very serious issue."

Mayor Suozzi was pleased to draw the winning raffle tickets. Winners were: fifth prize, Doris DeQuinzio; fourth prize Carolyn Hentze; third prize, Kathy Hulse; second prize Anne Hirsh and the grand prize was awarded to Diane Schneider. Mayor Suozzi said, "I would like to thank the House of DeGau Salon for inviting me to participate. I was happy to do my part to help to raise awareness throughout our community. I am always impressed by the overwhelming volunteer spirit throughout Glen Cove. Thank you to all who gave of their time and resources to promote this fundraiser."

Suicide is a health problem that takes a toll on family, friends, co-workers and the entire community. In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes, claiming more than 31,000 lives each year. It is estimated that one attempt is made every minute, with close to 1 million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults 18-65 and the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults.