The Michelle O'Neill Foundation - About the Volleyball Tournament

ABOUT THE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Not quite a year after Michelle's death, the Michelle O'Neill annual volleyball tournament was born in September 1997 on Kentucky Beach in Long Beach, NY when we raised approximately $17,000 to benefit children with cancer by playing volleyball on God's beach and under His sun. Nets were strung along the beach and young and old came to play or watch the games. Local restauranteurs and vendors donated prizes, and a raffle was held after the games in Chauncey's Restaurant, a neighborhood institution which had just closed the weekend before but reopened their doors for our charity event.

We've grown. On September 8, 2007, we had our eleventh event with approximately 6,000 people in attendance and raised over $100,000.

Our volleyball tournament has become an event that residents and non-residents, young and not so young, look forward to. It is a feel-good day when people gather on the beach between New York and Grand Avenues in Long Beach, bring their beach chairs, umbrellas, sunscreen, play volleyball or just watch and have fun -- and we raise an incredible amount of money to help those less fortunate. The donation is $40 for pre-paid registrants, and includes a t-shirt or tank top, food and soft drinks. Raffles and 50/50 tickets are sold and prizes awarded on the beach mid to late afternoon.

3rd Annual Volunteers 1999

Volleyball 2000 Volunteers

Dina Whyte & Kelly Alfasi

Ricky O'Neill

Jackie O'Neill-Walsh, Caryl Ann O'Neill-Niven & Tracy Meehan

Ceil Minogue (photographer) with our littlest volunteers