Sachem Coach Fundraises for SYAG Athletes

Sachem East track coach played his guitar and sang for hours at Five Points Café in Sayville in an effort to raise money for SYAG athletes’ upcoming trips to a running camp Tuesday night.

Sporting Saucony apparel, McNeill sang classic tunes such as Neil Young’s “Old Man” and Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville.” Many Sayville residents, as well as the coach’s friends, family and athletes, dined outside the recently-opened café and made donations throughout the night while they watched McNeill perform.

McNeill’s fundraiser benefits several athletes from the SYAG track conditioning camp and their trips to The Running School, a camp in Swan Lake, N.Y., which the athletes will attend August 16-22.

McNeill said this is not the first time he’s used his musical talents as a method to raise money for this annual trip—he’s performed at bagel shops and at Tropical Smoothie Café in previous summers. He said performing is one of his favorite ways to fundraise.

“What I like about it is that the athletes are involved,” McNeill said. He said it encourages the athletes to socialize, step out of their comfort zones and talk to people about their trips and the fundraiser. “It works together to help people appreciate it and come together,” he said.

The performance became interactive through a trivia challenge in which McNeill quizzed diners and audience members on the music he sang. If someone knew the answer to a question, he or she would write it down on a card and enter it in a raffle for a chance to win a gift card to purchase Saucony gear at the Sayville Running Company, a store that helped McNeill with the fundraiser. It specializes in running shoes and athletic apparel.

McNeill said Saucony also contributed to the fundraiser: two of his teammates from college work for the company, so it provided t-shirts for Sachem’s Cross Country Challenge, which also served as a fundraising event for The Running School.

The SYAG athletes that came out to Five Points Café were happy that McNeill was willing to take the time out of his schedule to help them raise money for the running camp.

“I think it’s very kind of him…he’s the greatest coach ever,” said Danielle Vazquez, who will be a senior at East this fall. “We [the athletes] love him.”

McNeill said he thought Five Points Café was the perfect place to perform and fundraise, and that he was happy with the turnout. He said he hoped a restaurant setting would encourage donators to be more generous.

The SYAG athletes have held their own fundraisers this summer to raise money for The Running School. McNeill said they held car washes and an event at Tropical Smoothie Café, as well as a garage sale. He said the fact that they are all so eager to raise their own money for the high expenses of the camp says a lot.

“They’re showing their parents they’re willing…to do things to raise money for the camp,” he said.

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