Bake Sale Raises More Than $4,000 for Children Orphaned in Murder-Suicide

More than $4,000 was raised at a bake sale for the four children who lost both of their parents in a North Bellmore murder-suicide on May 1.

All of the money raised at Sunday's event, which was coordinated by Stop & Shop and the North Bellmore Coordinating Council of PTAs, will go to the Hayes children. The fundraiser took place at Stop & Shop.

People came to the supermarket in droves, buying dozens of baked goods and raffles at a time. Thirty minutes into the event, more than $1,000 was raised.

"This is absolutely unbelievable," Bruce Detzel, Stop & Shop store manager said. "I did not think it was going to be this big."

Nadine Macchia of Wantagh said that she had to do something for the children.

"My heart goes out to them," she said as she bought a box of 20 cupcakes. "I don't know the kids or the family, but I wanted to do something."

Janine Isaac of Bellmore came with her husband, Martin, and her two children.

"We are a community and we have to help each other out," she said.

Janeen Connor of North Bellmore donated a batch of homemade brownies to the bake sale.

"I am ready to take those kids and move them in with me," she said.  "I want to do as much as I can to help out."

Mandy Rofe's daughter goes to the same school as one of the children. Rofe said that the night that the incident happened, her daughter was very upset and she could not sleep.

"It was beyond shocking," she said. "My daughter and the kids that knew them are fine and will get on with their lives, but we have to do something for those kids because they will not be fine. "They need all of our support and love."