Fund-raiser being held for twins whose parents died in plane crash

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Donna and Robert Gregory, who died in a plane crash in August, with their twins Amanda and Bobby. There will be a fund raiser for the Gregory twins on Saturday, October 19 in Calverton. PHOTO PROVIDED BY GREGORY FAMILY

A mothers’ group based in Riverhead is doing what it can to help a set of twins from Flanders whose parents died in a plane crash over the summer.

When Donna and Robert Gregory, both of Flanders, died in early August when the private plane in which they were riding crashed in a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, they left behind 4-year-old twins, Amanda and Bobby. To support the Gregory twins, the Riverhead Mothers Club—a group Ms. Gregory participated in with her children—is planning a fund-raiser at the Peconic Lake Estates Civic Organization on South River Road in Calverton on Sunday, October 19, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

“It’s a sad story, but the kids are still full of life and are still happy,” said the organizer, Kristen Trojanowski of Calverton. “Hopefully, it will help people appreciate their own kids and not take them for granted, because you never know what might happen.”

The Mothers Club is asking event guests to donate at least $5 to the Gregory Children Trust Fund and members are expecting a crowd of at least 200 to show up to the event. The organizers are hoping to raise at least $1,000 for the trust fund.

The Riverhead Mothers Club is a group formed through a website called meetup.com that facilitates mothers and their children from the North and South forks near Riverhead to get together for play dates, lunches or breakfasts, said Kathy Grigio of Southampton, a member of the group who is involved in the fund-raiser. Ms. Grigio has two children, Dylan, 2, and Ryan, 5. She said Ms. Gregory participated in the group for about two years.

Immediately after their parents’ death, a relative cared for twins Amanda and Bobby. They now live with family in Florida, according to Heidi Selanikio of Manorville. Ms. Selanikio was friends with Ms. Gregory through the Riverhead Mother’s Club and has two children of her own, Emma, 4, and a newborn son named Jacob. She noted that none of the surviving Gregory family wished to comment on the fund-raiser.

However, Ms. Selanikio, who has been in touch with the Gregory family recently, said that Amanda and Gregory have been doing well, but said that when they are tired at night they ask “when Mom and Dad are coming home.” Still, Ms. Selanikio expressed hope for Amanda and Bobby’s future. “If they grow up to be half as strong as their parents, they’ll have a wonderful life,” she said.

At the event for the twins, there will be handbags for sale, as well as raffles for passes to Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead and gift cards for a variety of local businesses, said Ms. Selanikio.

Ms. Selanikio made T-shirts embroidered with Thomas the Tank Engine, Tinkerbell and other children’s figures, for the event.

Ms. Trojanowski, who has two children, a 20-month-old son named Aaron and a 2-month-old daughter named Sarah, said that the main attraction on Saturday will be the music and dance activities as well as games organized by Marie Kaminski. Ms. Kaminski owns Lyrical Children Music Together, a center for children’s activities, such as music and dance classes and free play hours, based in Calverton.

“Marie provided something for us to do at the benefit,” Ms. Trojanowski said. “Everyone can bring their kids.”

At the time of the plane crash, Mr. and Ms. Gregory were en route to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for treatment for Mr. Gregory’s chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a type of cancer. The flight was being piloted by Joseph Edward Baker, 65, of Brookfield, Connecticut, who was a volunteer with Angel Flight Northeast. Angel Flight is a not-for-profit organization that transports patients so they can receive health care.

Ms. Selanikio remembered Ms. Gregory and how she portrayed herself to the group. Ms. Gregory never let on how sick her husband was, Ms. Selanikio said.

“She never told us the extent of her husband’s illness. I think she wanted to feel like a part of the group,” said Ms. Selanikio. “We never knew how bad it was for her. She was a very positive person.”

Ms. Trojanowski hopes that those at the event will make the day a happy celebration of life.

“Everyone wanted to do something,” Ms. Trojanowski said. “But individuals don’t know what to do. Hopefully this event will allow people to contribute and donate.”

Those who cannot attend the event, but wish to help the Gregory twins, can mail donations to the “Gregory Children Trust Fund” at P.O. Box 633, Aquebogue, NY 11931.