SADD Club Hosts Fundraiser to Honor Hassenbein, Falkowitz Birthdays

by Hannah Fineman, SSLI '25

Today, the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Club sold sweet-themed treats in the halls of Schechter to raise money for the Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz foundations. This fundraiser was in honor of the boys' recent birthdays.

The SADD presidents worked hard to honor Drew and Ethan. (A. Pravato)

Jorgia Saracino, junior and co-president of SADD Club, explained, “For this fundraiser, we were fundraising for Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz. These two boys were on their way home from a tennis match and were [fatally] struck by a drunk driver.” Saracino’s co-president and fellow junior, Yael Pedram, said, “In the past two weeks were both of their birthdays, and since SADD Club fundraised in memory of the boys last year, we decided it would be important to do so again.”

Pedram explained that the club sold "birthday-themed foods, such as Little Bites, brownies, cupcakes, and candy.” She added, “We also decorated the table with birthday decorations and kept two cupcakes with candles in them in honor of their lives.”

Noah Schor, a junior who purchased brownies this morning, said, “It’s important to support this fundraiser because Drew and Ethan were tragically killed, and it’s extremely important to myself and to our whole community to support their families and their foundation against drunk driving.” Schor later expressed that he found it kindhearted of SADD to fundraise in honor of these local boys, even though they never attended Schechter. It was a powerful connection for Schor because both Drew and Ethan were from his hometown of Roslyn.

Saracino explained that it is important to fundraise for these boys to continue to raise awareness about their tragic deaths and against drunk driving. Pedram shared, “The Long Island Jewish community is very connected, and these boys’ lives impacted many. It is important for us to fundraise in honor of them for causes they were passionate about.”

Schor thought the fundraiser was very meaningful: “It was a very sweet, literally and figuratively, way of supporting them.”

Pedram concluded, “I have learned a lot from supporting this cause. These boys’ deaths rocked the whole Long Island community. It’s beautiful to see different communities coming together in honor of Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz’s lives, and I am glad SADD is able to be a part of that.” 

Hannah Fineman is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since November 2021. Hannah is currently a junior at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: hfineman25@schechterli.org