Leslie Harwood, SH Mayor Mark Epley and Roxanne Donovan

NYS Senator Lee Zeldin, Gregg Rechler and Mary Ann Tighe

Uniting Against Lung Cancer’s “Kites for a Cure®”

Raises More Than $50,000 for

Lung Cancer Research

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Kite Flyers Brave the Elements at Coopers Beach in Southampton
 to Honor Lung Cancer Victims and Survivors

(Southampton, NY –May 29, 2013) –The skies above Coopers Beach in Southampton may have been filled with clouds this Saturday, but they were also filled with hope! Long Island residents gathered at Coopers Beach once again as Uniting Against Lung Cancer (UALC) hosted its 7^thannual “Kites for a Cure,” on Saturday, May 25, raising more than $50,000 for lung cancer research. From 4:00-6:00 PM, participants braved the wind and rain to gather at the beach and kick-start the summer season in the Hamptons.

“’Kites for a Cure’ continues to be one of the ‘musts’ of Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons – rain or shine! It’s a chance for the entire family to come out to beautiful Coopers Beach and celebrate the start of summer,” said Mark Epley, Mayor of the Village of Southampton. “We are proud to host ‘Kites for a Cure’ in Southampton each summer – it gives us the opportunity to bring families together and bring attention to the nation’s #1 cancer killer.”

Mayor Epleyserved as the Honorary Commodore, memorializing his father, who lost his own battle with lung cancer nine years ago. New York State Senator Lee Zeldin and his family also joined the Mayor at Coopers Beach for a fun afternoon of kite-flying.

In addition to the kites flying at the event, “Kites for a Cure” also brings kites to fly in the windows of most merchants in the Village of Southampton. Thanks to support from the Southampton Chamber of Commerce and local schools, most stores feature beautifully painted kites in their windows to show their care for the cause and the community.

At the event itself, with sponsorship from Rechler Equity Partners and The Hampton Business District at Gabreski, funds raised at the 7^th annual “Kites for a Cure” will go directly to UALC’s national lung cancer research grant program. Refreshments by Tate’s Bake Shop and Hint water, and music provided by WEHM radio station kept the crowd at high-energy.

“The wind and rain could not dampen our spirits this Memorial Day Weekend. We are so happy to be a part of this community and work together toward a cure for lung cancer,”said Gregg Rechler, managing partner of Rechler Equity Partners, who lost his father, Roger, to lung cancer. “We are grateful to the Village of Southampton, the Southampton Chamber of Commerce and the many local businesses who support this event year after year,” added Linda Wenger, Uniting Against Lung Cancer’s Executive Director.

If you could not attend the 7^th annual “Kites for a Cure” and would like to donate to UALC’s national research program, please visit www.unitingagainstlungcancer.org/donate.

Uniting Against Lung Cancer was founded in 2001 in memory of Joan Scarangello, a Southampton resident and non-smoker who lost her battle with lung cancer.  The Foundation has awarded more than $10 million in research grants to find a cure for the disease that will claim an estimated 160,000 lives in the U.S. this year.

Lung cancer will kill more Americans this year than ­­colon, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers combined, yet it receives less federal research funding per death than any of the other major cancers.