Helping Makes U Happy hosts a carnival for a good cause

Last month, on July 15, Helping Makes U Happy held a carnival to help promote child abuse awareness/prevention.

“After the tragedy which occurred several years ago in our community, and more recently learning of another local case of alleged child abuse, it was very important to Keith to bring the communities together in a happy, helping way,” said Keith Caputo’s mother and co-founder Cassy Caputo, referencing the Thomas Valva case.

On Jan. 17, 2020, Thomas Valva died after authorities said his father, Michael Valva, and his fiancée, Angela Pollina, forced him and his brother to sleep in an unheated garage overnight as the outside temperature fell to 19 degrees. 

According to Keith, his intent was to raise funds for the Child Advocacy Center EAC-Network and bring information to community members as well as teachers and administrators as to how to recognize and help abused children.  

“We were very fortunate in that WPIX11 news morning show invited us in to speak about the carnival and also News 12 promoted it, and ultimately we ended up having over 300 people attend,” said Cassy of the attendance and support.

The event was a very family-friendly, affordable carnival. There were carnival games, face painting, a basket auction, small-business vendors, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office with medical IDs, 7th Precinct COPE officers, the Center Moriches Library, a Girl Scout troop with an activity table, a magician, balloon twister, a DJ, and a touch-a-truck. There were also food trucks, which donated back to the cause.

“So many people told us how much they and their families enjoyed it!” added Cassy. “It really was a community event in every sense of the word—so many organizations and businesses participated and sponsored and donated back to the cause.”

The event raised about $4,000 for the Child Advocacy Center EAC-Network. The Suffolk County Child Advocacy Center reduces the trauma of child sexual/physical abuse or neglect and promotes the coordinated prosecution of offenders.