It didn't take much more than word of mouth to draw over 300 people to the Knights of Columbus banquet hall in Seaford for a fund-raising event to benefit baby Colleen Clark. Baby Colleen, at age 5, is suffering from a Muscular Dystrophy that impairs her ability to walk and stand.

The fund raiser was held on Saturday, Feb. 21 to help raise money for Colleen's medical bills. The Clark family lives in North Massapequa.

Kevin Clark, Colleen's father, said that he was very thankful and appreciative of the fact that so many of his friends and family attended the fund-raising event. "All my friends, everyone together like this," he said. "It just means so much."

The medical bills for baby Colleen keep mounting but, with the assistance of George Vignolla and Trish Simons and their fund, the Friends of Colleen Clark, they look forward to a bright future down the road.

"We don't know what Colleen's needs will be," said George Vignolla. Some of the anticipated needs for the Clark family include hiring a home health aid for baby Colleen, purchasing a wheel chair and other equipment for when Colleen gets older, and other medical bills that might arise.

Vignolla became active in the quest to help the Clark family after hearing the repetitive prayers for baby Colleen at his local parish. "After hearing 'prayers for Colleen Clark' over and over again," he said. "I knew they must have needed some help."

So Vignolla, a member of the Massapequa Chamber of Commerce's board of directors and past president, decided to start up a small charity fund for the family. He then called up the family and told them about his intention. "We got this mysterious phone call out of the blue," recalled Mary Clark, Colleen's mother.

The fund was very successful.

After that they held a charity golf outing for baby Colleen over the summer. The banquet fund raiser was intended to be the winter event to raise money for the Friends of Colleen Clark.

Anyone interested in donating to the Friends of Colleen Clark should write to:

Fleet Bank
Baby Colleen Clark Fund
Attn: Mr. Berkowitz
3 Norwest Drive
South Farmingdale NY 11735