Marinello Schools of Beauty, a leading national group of beauty schools offering education in cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology raised $91,315 for the Newtown Memorial Fund, which will support victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

 Marinello donated 100 percent of service sales received at all 62 campuses from Wednesday, Dec. 26 to Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. The donated funds will be used to help create a memorial in Newtown for the victims and to establish academic scholarships in the victims’ names for generations of Newtown students to come.

 “Local communities have shown an outpouring of support for the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy and we are so grateful for our guests, students and instructors who participated in this fundraiser,” said Dr. Nagui Elyas, President of Marinello Schools of Beauty. “Marinello is committed to giving back to the community and through the Newtown Memorial Fund, we are able to provide for the immediate and long-term needs of the victims’ families.”

 Marinello’s students and staff also showed support by hand making snowflakes to help the Connecticut Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) transform the new Sandy Hook Elementary School into a “Winter Wonderland.” Sandy Hook students returned to school on Thursday, Jan. 3 for the first time since the Dec. 14 shooting to find their new classrooms covered in snowflakes made by students from all over the world including nearly 1,600 from Marinello.

 For more information on Marinello Schools of Beauty, call 800-648-3413 or contact Marinello through its Facebook page at facebook.com/marinelloschoolsofbeauty.