A few dozen brave locals took an icy dip on New Year's Day to benefit the Kerry Rose Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in memory of Kerry Rose Fitzsimons.
Fitzsimons, of Commack, was one of three Marist college students who died in a fire that tore through a student-rented, off-campus house on Jan. 21. The cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation while sleeping.
Since her death, Kerry's family and friends have created a nonprofit organization in her memory. The organization's mission is to raise fire safety awareness, specifically about fire sprinklers, and disseminate information to college students about their rights in off campus housing, according to its website.
