Organizers of the Donald T. Sharkey Community Memorial Fund have reported on the one-year anniversary of the East Hampton Town building inspector’s death that they have raised about $15,000 so far and are starting to distribute those funds to the community.
Peter Honerkamp, the managing partner of the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, said the fund began shortly after Mr. Sharkey died on July 6, 2009, and money has been raised through personal donations and charitable events at the Talkhouse, including the inaugural Mr. Amagansett pageant, which was held last winter.
He said the beneficiaries will be individuals in need and community-minded projects, as well as many of the causes Mr. Sharkey was personally involved in, including the Wounded Warrior Project and the local fire departments.
The fund has already donated $2,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project, for which Mr. Sharkey actively fund-raised. Mr. Honerkamp said half of that amount was given to the project and the other half was donated directly to JoAnn Lyles, of Sag Harbor, the mother of Lance Corporal Jordan Christian Haerter, who was killed in action in Iraq.
On Tuesday night, each of the five East Hampton fire departments were given $500, said Tina Piette, an Amagansett attorney involved with the fund. Mr. Sharkey was also a member of the Amagansett Fire Department.
Ms. Piette said the group, started by friends of Mr. Sharkey, has a number of donations singled out that will be made in the coming months. The group has supported two local families in sending their children to the East Hampton RECenter, Ms. Piette said, and is in the middle of establishing a college scholarship fund that will contribute $2,500 to a local student based on their community service.
Mr. Honerkamp said upcoming events at the Talkhouse, including the venue’s birthday celebration in August, will also benefit the memorial fund.
ERIN GEISMAR
on Jul 6, 2010