“I started planning this a month ago, and after hearing about all the stuff going on in Ukraine, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to benefit people who are struggling there right now,” said Ippolito.

While Ippolito was first looking at where to donate funds, she was originally looking at mental health or rehab facilities, but noticed that Mount Carmel Church had already set up their own fundraiser for Catholic Relief Services in Ukraine, which inspired her to follow suit.

“One is not more important than the other, but this kind of thing doesn’t happen all the time. I figured this would be the perfect time to donate,” said Ippolito. “It’s a reliable source and I know it will help provide basic needs that people there need but don’t have.”

In trying to complete her Civic Seal of Readiness, a community engagement activity was one of the last things she had to achieve along the way. Silver Creek teacher Kristen Foley is in charge of the program at Silver Creek, which a handful of other students are also participating in. Additionally, Ippolito said she’s also received help from church members Fran Page and Mary Ann White and her parents in helping set up the fundraiser.

Submitted Photo Amanda Ippolito stands next to baskets that will be raffled off at her dinner.

Concurrently with the spaghetti dinner, there will also be a 50-50 raffle, a bake sale, and basket raffles that evening as well, with those proceeds also benefiting people in Ukraine. Ippolito said she’s received donations for the baskets from places like Tom’s Family Restaurant, Aunt Millie’s, various liquor stores, and Sunset Bay Restaurant, while the baked goods are being provided by Ippolito’s teachers, friends, other church members, and is even making some of the goods herself.

Ippolito recognizes the highest priority is getting money to people in need, but she also knows that it opens up different opportunities for her. Set to head to St. Bonaventure for nursing in the fall, Ippolito said organizing an event like this could be helpful for her in the future.

“It’s a sign to the workforce that you’re ready to work,” said Ippolito. “And doing the fundraiser will give me something to talk about future employers with.”

Ippolito also received some additional help with her fundraising efforts. Last weekend, David Caccamise’s culinary education class at BOCES decided to help Ippolito out. Caccamise had students in his class make cookies, decorated blue and yellow to recreate the Ukrainian flag. The cookies were then sold for $2 a piece at BOCES, and Dunkirk’s School 7 where Caccamise’s wife works. By the time that sale ended, Ippolito had a good head start on her fundraiser thanks to Caccamise’s classes.

“We sold close to $582 in sales before lunch,” said Caccamise. “And an overwhelming number of people graciously donated, some even donating money who didn’t want the cookies. People were lined up at the door at 8 o’clock.”

Making the cookies was a collaborative effort between Caccamise’s junior and senior students, with the juniors frosting the yellow stripe on the cookie, and the seniors doing the blue one later on.

Ippolito is not a member of Caccamise’s class, but after seeing an advertisement for the dinner she was holding, he wanted to get involved if possible. “I wanted to donate money to Ukraine and I saw her organizing this dinner,” Caccamise said. “I found out she was a senior at Silver Creek and I thought that was cool. We kept going back and forth and I asked her if she minded us piggy-backing on her donation.”

Caccamise will be presenting Ippolito with that money, along with a 26 additional cookies that were leftover from the weekend sale to help contribute to her bake sale.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located at 165 Central Ave. The spaghetti dinner includes meatballs, bread, and a salad. Presale tickets are going for $10, while tickets at the door will be $12. For more information, contact Amanda Ippolito at 716-467-5798 or amanda.ippolito2.icloud.com.