COLONIE— Organizations in the town of Colonie are showing their support for Niko Dinovo, the 16-year-old Colonie Central High School student who was seriously injured in a fiery car crash in October.
Colonie Center Mall will be donating all of the fountain funds that are made in the month of November to Niko. According to Connie Stankivicz, general manager of the mall, many shoppers toss coins into the shopping mall’s Center Court fountain, which are donated to a local-non profit organization every month.
“The town of Colonie is a close-knit community,” Stankivicz said to SpotlightNews. “We learned of Niko Dinovo’s accident from a relative who works at the Colonie Center Guest Service desk and who reached out to us to see how we may be able to assist with supporting Niko and his ongoing medical expenses. The fountain funds were a natural fit and a great way to get the community involved.”
Stankivicz said organizations may request to receive funds, and some partner with the mall on its “Let’s Care Together” campaign. “Let’s Care Together” opportunity allows local non-profit organizations to have a presence in Colonie Center for a month-long period and allows them to promote awareness as well as fundraise for their respective organization. In addition, they also receive the funds donated in the fountain during that period. Signs at the fountain indicate where the funds are being donated each month. Groups who have partnered under “Let’s Care Together” recently include American Heart Association, Northeast Kidney Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region.
Separate fundraising efforts have emerged since the accident. Colonie Central High School started efforts to help Dinovo. In another effort, a GoFundMe page has raised nearly $35,000. And, on Wednesday, Flight Trampoline Park in Albany donated proceeds to Dinovo’s medical bills.
Here are some upcoming dates of events being held to support Dinovo:
Saturday, Nov. 12: 12-5 p.m. at Sunset Lanes, 1160 Central Ave.
Saturday, Nov. 12: 1-5 p.m. at Colonie Central High School. A walk where participants are asked to donate $20.
Tuesday, Nov. 15: 4-7:30 p.m. Night Out for Niko at Glennpeter Jewelers, 1544 Central Avenue.
Tuesday, Nov. 15: 5-8 p.m. at SaraBella Pizza, 391 Sand Creek Road.
Saturday, Nov. 26: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Colonie Central High School. Blood drive.