Something truly special happened in Hicksville last Saturday night. In fact, something special has been going on for several months and Saturday was simply the culmination of a series of events that started with a tragedy but ended happily.

A penny auction was held at Levittown Hall as a fundraiser for the family of Erich Lehmann of Hicksville. Erich is the Hicksville High School freshman who was struck by a car and seriously injured in January while crossing Newbridge Road. Erich nearly lost his life but love, prayers and some dedicated medical professionals kept him from leaving us. Today, through therapy, rehab and with the support of his family and many friends, Erich is making steady progress. He has retained his sense of humor through his ordeal and has been an inspiration to everyone he has come in contact with.

Erich's family, lifelong Hicksville residents with roots that go back before the 1900s, has incurred high medical costs for his treatment. The penny auction was organized for the purpose of helping them cover some of these costs. The response from local (and some not so local) merchants, businesses, and individuals was overwhelming. The true character of this community we call home shined like never before. A total of more than 350 donors provided a huge array of gifts that helped make the auction a tremendous success. And while it was a financial success, it also gave each guest the chance to be part of the outpouring of love for Erich and his family that was beyond words.

It was my privilege to be an organizer of this event. There isn't enough space to list or thank the hundreds of donors and dozens of volunteers who made it happen but they know they were involved in something very special. They deserve our most sincere thanks. Our goal was to do something good for the Lehmanns. As it turns out, we are the ones who benefited the most from being part of a truly magical evening.

Linda M. Toomey

(Editor's Note: Community members interested in donating to the Lehmann family should call 933-7687.)