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Alex Petroski

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Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House

By Alex Petroski

The pain of losing a child may never go away, but it can be soothed by the support of others who know what it is like. Parents will have that opportunity on May 7 when the Hauppauge-based nonprofit organization Angela’s House, which was founded in 1992, hosts the first Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember.

Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House
Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House

The walk will take place Mother’s Day weekend at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, where the nonprofit’s Angel of Hope statue has stood since 2008 as a comforting symbol to parents who have lost children.

Angela’s House assists families caring for children with special health care needs that are medically fragile, chronically ill or living with a life-threatening illness, according to their website. Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro said the event would be a nonreligious, yet spiritual gathering.

“I would say different from our support group or even a counselor, the difficulty of those environments [is] you have to be ready and have to talk about your pain and that kind of brings about peace as you talk it through,” Policastro said in a phone interview Friday about the walk and what those interested in attending should expect. “This one I feel has kind of an easier tone to it in the sense that you’re coming to a ceremony and the comfort of seeing others that have also gone through all of this will give people great peace knowing that they’re not alone. They can talk to people if they want to but if they don’t want to that’s fine.”

The purpose of the event is not to raise funds, according to Policastro, though there is a $25 charge per person to participate.

Policastro said the date was a strategic choice by Angela’s House trustees and volunteers.

“Mother’s Day is always one of those potentially difficult times of the year,” he said. “That will be a good way to kind of help try to bring them peace, almost like a support group. To get together and be around others that have also experienced loss, it’s very comforting.”

Policastro and his wife Angie started the foundation after the death of their daughter Angela. The Angel of Hope is a reference to the book “The Christmas Box” by Richard Paul Evans in which a character frequently visits the grave of her daughter, which is marked with an angel statue. Statues like the one in Eisenhower Park popped up across the country after the release of the book in 1993, Policastro said. He was instrumental in bringing the statue to Eisenhower Park.

The walk is less than a mile long and will follow a path around Salisbury Lake in the park, concluding at the statue. The New Apostolic Church and the Willow Interfaith Woman’s Choir will lead those in attendance in a song, and a nondenominational spiritual ceremony will also be held.

Those seeking more information are instructed to visit www.angelashouse.org/angel-of-hope/.

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St. Johnland Nursing Center in Kings Park is celebrating a milestone this year. File photo by Rachel Shapiro

For a century and a half, the name St. Johnland has been synonymous with helping people from all walks of life. Established in 1866, the Society of St. Johnland is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2016.

In 1866, the Society served as a home for veterans and orphans from New York City, but eventually developed into a self-sustaining industrial village.

Today, the St. Johnland Nursing Center is located on the North Shore near Smithtown Bay in Kings Park and serves as a long-term skilled nursing facility caring for about 300 people every day.

Over the course of 150 years, the role of the facility has changed, but their mission remains the same, according to a press release about the anniversary: “To create a caring and supportive environment committed to the highest standards of quality health care … to uphold the principles of human dignity and worth … affirm the right of every individual to maintain the optimum quality of life.”

St. Johnland Director of Development Cathie Wardell, who has been at the nursing center for 13 years, reflected on the impact St. Johnland has had on the community and people in need.

“The level of care for the people whose care is entrusted to us is very high and it’s amazing to see everyday,” Wardell said in a phone interview.

The nursing center shifted its focus from children to the elderly in the 1950s. Today, their primary focuses are providing care for people with Alzheimer’s, dementia and traumatic brain injuries.

“The fact that this institution has survived and persisted for 150 years focusing on different demographics, the fact that we are 98 to 99-percent full all the time, that we have evolved over the years to make the changing needs of the community with our specialty units and adult day care programs is significant and noteworthy,” Wardell added.

In honor of the anniversary, the society will hold four events during 2016. For all of June, historical photographs of St. Johnland will be on display at the Kings Park Library.

On June 18, people who grew up at the facility around 70 years ago will gather for a reunion.

On Oct. 27, a dinner will be held at Watermill in Kings Park to honor the Fire Department and EMT Squad, and on Nov. 18, town historian Brad Harris will deliver a lecture on the history of the Society.

For more information about the anniversary or any of the events, call 631-663-2457 or visit www.stjohnland.org.

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Huntington High School. File photo.

Huntington is investing in their students with a $123.1 million budget that the school board adopted at its meeting on Monday night.

The 2016-17 budget total is 2.25 percent higher than the current year’s budget, with the most significant cost increases coming from instruction and curriculum-related programs.

Superintendent Jim Polansky said the district is dedicated to offering the most effective tools it can for students.

“[Members of the board and community] don’t get a chance to compare what we have here and what is available in other districts, but I’ve had the privilege of working in, [for] over 26 years, more than one school district and I can tell you, what we do here is we pay for student interests and needs,” Polansky added. “We try to put something in place that will appeal to every student that goes to school in Huntington.”

Some of the expenses being added for 2016-17 include improvements to computer-assisted instruction, through equipment upgrades and repairs; programs for students with disabilities; additional funding for the district’s robotics program; and a new Advanced Placement research course.

“This works more like a process-oriented course,” Polansky said of the program. “We feel that this … program is going to add a dimension that we have not touched upon until now.”

Some of the budget increase can also be attributed to contracted salary raises and additional social security and health care costs.

However, even with those cost increases, the district will stay within the state-imposed cap on tax levy increases — the schools will only collect 1.61 percent more in taxes next year.

Polansky said throughout the budget process that the administration’s goal was to adopt a budget below that cap, and as a result residents will again receive a rebate check from New York State — if voters approve the adopted budget — under a state incentive program that encourages municipalities to comply with the cap in exchange for the tax rebates.

Apart from taxes, the district is funding its additional expenditures through additional state aid.

After years of deducting aid funds from school districts around New York through a cut called the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which was designed to balance the state budget, legislators this year restored the aid dollars — giving Long Island school districts a $3 billion boost, when added to other increases in state aid. Huntington received nearly $2 million in additional state funding for the upcoming school year thanks to that restoration.

Residents will vote on the budget on May 17, as well as a second proposition that would release money from the district’s capital reserves to fund upgrades across the district to make buildings compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

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Pairing the perfect wine with a delicious meal is something of a family business. For almost 10 years I sold wine, and my father and grandfather did the same (for much longer), which allowed me to amass a decent knowledge of everything from the basics to some slightly more advanced, winemaking process related facts.

I’m not a sommelier, but I’m an enthusiastic wine consumer and I love finding the perfect pairing of wine and food. My experience and the important standing wine has always held in my extended and immediate family has taken me to many of the great wineries Long Island has to offer, and I’ve sampled wines from many of the places I haven’t visited. With that, I thought I would offer a list of my three favorite Long Island wineries, in no particular order, that can be used as a guideline for any fellow Long Islander interested in trying great food and wine in a beautiful setting this spring and summer.

wine-bottlewPalmer Vineyards, 5120 Sound Avenue, Riverhead

The draw to Palmer Vineyards is amazing quality wines, maybe as good as it gets on Long Island. Winemaker Miguel Martin is renowned for his buttery, oaky chardonnay; full-bodied, robust cabernet franc; and other lighter summery selections like his refreshing Sunrise Sunset Blush. Experienced wine drinkers with serious palates would be satisfied with their hearty reds and dryer whites, while beginners will find enjoyment in selections like Palmer Rosé of Merlot, or their Lighthouse Red and Lighthouse White blends, which are easy and approachable.

Palmer’s vineyard experience is fitting of its great wines. Martin conducts winemaker tours regularly where he leads guests through their vast barrel rooms and gets in-depth about his winemaking process. He even offers tastes directly from barrels. When the tour is over, there is outdoor and indoor seating space to occupy while enjoying samples.

Must try: Palmer Cabernet Franc 2012

Vineyard 48, 18910 Route 48, Cutchogue

If you enjoy wine and you are looking for a party atmosphere on a Saturday or Sunday, then Vineyard 48 should be your destination. Their wines and tasting room scream “summer.” The tasting room has a dance floor, large windows that let in sunlight and a live DJ on weekends. Vineyard 48 caters to limos and buses that drop off large parties. They offer the obligatory traditional wine selections like a fruit-forward merlot, and an acidic yet crisp sauvignon blanc, but the atmosphere pairs perfectly with their NOFO Peach wine or their NOFO Sangria, which come chilled and quench the thirst after some intense dancing.

Must try: Vineyard 48 NOFO Peach

Martha Clara Vineyards, 6025 Sound Ave, Riverhead

Martha Clara has become the event destination of the North Fork. They have a special event for almost every day of the week featuring some or all of food trucks, live music, wine classes, multi-course winemaker dinners, dog-walking events and many more over the course of the summer. Their wines range from easy-drinking like their Glaciers End series of red, white and rose to steak-dinner-worthy like their Northville red blend, which holds up to the heartiest of meals. Martha Clara wines have become some of the most popular selections in Long Island wines during their history, which dates back to the 1970s. They are owned by the same family that owns Entenmann’s baked goods, though the experience at Martha Clara can’t be contained to a case at the end of the aisle.

Must try: Martha Clara Estate Reserve Gewurztraminer 2014

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Julien Rentsch has been playing the piano for several years. Photo by Alex Petroski

By Alex Petroski

Eighth-grader Julien Rentsch is already a celebrated music man in his community.

Julien, a 14-year-old at J. Taylor Finley Middle School in Huntington, has been composing music for years and the Finley Honors Orchestra has helped bring his music to life.

For the past two years, the orchestra has performed Julien’s pieces during their concerts under the direction of music teacher and conductor Matthew Gelfer.

“I think having a student like Julien in my orchestra is kind of what you hope for as a music teacher,” Gelfer said in a phone interview.

This past March at a concert at Huntington High School, Julien accompanied the orchestra on the piano during a performance of his piece, titled “Free Spirit.”

Julien Rentsch plays cello in the Finley Honors Orchestra. Photo from Darin Reed
Julien Rentsch plays cello in the Finley Honors Orchestra. Photo from Darin Reed

“It’s really cool,” Julien said in an interview on Friday. “It was amazing just to hear onstage and the crowd and everything.”

Julien’s parents are both professional photographers, so the arts were a major part of his upbringing. He started playing piano when he was 6 or 7, though Julien said he is not a tireless worker who practices constantly. His father, Andreas Rentsch, agreed.

“It comes almost naturally,” Rentsch said of his son’s musical abilities. “He has that ability to transform his notes into beautiful music without really, I would say, trying too hard.”

Julien said he has a process for composing music. He starts by coming up with melodies to be played on the piano, then adds and subtracts separate tracks from five different instrument groups. He said he works like a chef, adding a dash of strings or a pinch of horns until his recipe is a perfect blend. Julien has three complete pieces composed for full-size orchestras.

Mother Helen Rousakis said she enjoys watching her son on stage, working with the rest of the orchestra.

“I had a perfect view and [Julien was] just having a ball,” Rousakis said of last year’s performance. “He was laughing, he was making eye contact with others. I was just blown away by the camaraderie, how they all just love to work together.”

Julien Rentsch practices the piano at his home in Huntington. Photo by Alex Petroski
Julien Rentsch practices the piano at his home in Huntington. Photo by Alex Petroski

Julien and both of his parents stressed the impact that Gelfer has had on Julien as a musician.

“Julien is just such a mature kid,” Gelfer said. “A lot of composers can be really precious about their work and what they do, [but] he came at it with a collaborative attitude.”

When it comes to the future, this 14-year-old knows exactly what he wants: to compose musical scores for films one day. He enjoys the work of John Williams, who composed music for the “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” films, among others.

For now the rest of Julien’s time is filled as a multisport athlete and a musician at Greenlawn’s St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Shrine Church, where he plays piano for the junior choir and church fundraisers.

“If I’m into something, I’m just into it,” Julien said about his love of music. “I don’t stop.”

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Kids will have fun learning about the Long Island Sound this Sunday. Photo from Whaling Museum

Environmental conservation is an important, daily issue across the country. Long Island is no exception.

On Sunday, April 17, The Whaling Museum & Education Center in Cold Spring Harbor will try to do its part in spreading knowledge and awareness about humanity’s impact on the Long Island Sound. The museum is hosting SOUNDoff, a brand new event that will feature activities for marine enthusiasts of all ages including science experiments, water monitoring, art exhibits and a touch tank featuring oysters, sea stars, horseshoe crabs and hermit crabs.

Nomi Dayan, the executive director of the Whaling Museum, said that the goal of the event is to be fun and interactive for kids, while also being informative.

“SOUNDoff is [being held] basically [because] we want visitors to understand how to protect the waters around us,” Dayan said in a phone interview. “These are our neighbors that inhabit the waters.”

A press release from the museum highlighted the importance of appreciation and preservation for the large body of water that neighbors the North Shore.

“The Long Island Sound is an amazing natural resource providing economic and recreational benefits to millions of people while also providing habitat for more than 1,200 invertebrates, 170 species of fish and dozens of species of migratory birds,” the release said.

Representatives from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, Seatuck Environmental Association and The Waterfront Center will all be on hand at the event to host workshops, conduct experiments and educate visitors about the importance of keeping that water clean. They will lead mock water sample tests with kids, give a presentation on marine debris and another on storm water management presentation to name a few of the various activities in store for attendees.

“There are a lot of pressures and threats against the Sound today, so it’s really up to us to keep it clean,” Dayan said. “It is a growing problem every year, especially on Long Island. Whatever we put in the water really will come back to haunt us.”

Dayan mentioned the types of fertilizers used on lawns, avoiding facial moisturizers containing micro beads and picking up after pets as some of the every day adjustments that Long Islanders can make to improve the overall health of the Sound.

According to the release, the event was partially funded by a grant from Long Island Sound Futures Fund, which pools funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“This event is poised to have an impact through the rest of the summer months as Long Islanders get ready to hit the beaches, spend time on boats and fertilize their lawns,” Dayan said in the release about the lasting impact she hopes the event will have on those who attend.

Admission to the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is free. The Whaling Museum is located at 301 Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

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Superintendent James Grossane file photo

District administration fears financial “doom and gloom” might be on the horizon for the Smithtown school district.

The Smithtown board of education voted unanimously to adopt Superintendent James Grossane’s proposed $236,027,619 budget for the 2016-17 school year at a meeting Tuesday.

Thanks to a full restoration of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which was enacted six years ago in an effort to close a state budget deficit by deducting funds from each school district’s state aid allotment, the budget includes some additional expenditures for 2016-17, despite what could be a perfect storm of financial stress for the district.

That decision added approximately $3.2 million in revenue to Smithtown’s budget for the upcoming school year. However, both Grossane and Andrew Tobin, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, said they are concerned that will be the final increase in state aid they will receive for the foreseeable future.

“The reality is, where is the future aid going to come from?” Tobin said during the board of education meeting Tuesday. “We know foundation aid historically has been directed to high-need districts, not to districts such as Smithtown. So we’re concerned, just like we were with the [Gap Elimination Adjustment] that we’ll be last in line to get future foundation aid increases. That’s the general concern going forward, that we might be solely reliant on tax levy revenue to help out our budgets going forward.”

In addition, the district benefitted during this budget season from a relatively low pension payment requirement, a perk that can’t be counted on every year. Grossane said he’s bracing for the possibility of a negative tax levy increase cap at some point in the coming years, because the district has a $2 million bond from the early 2000s coming off the books. That will result in an equal reduction to both expenses and revenue, though it will impact the tax levy increase cap. The district will look to rebuild their depleted capital reserve funds to address building repairs at multiple schools that have been neglected.

“These are all realities, and when they’re going to happen, we’re not sure,” Grossane said. “Hopefully never, but they are happening [to other districts in the state]. We can’t say that they’re not. It is very important, as we plan for the future, that we keep those things in mind.”

School board trustee Grace Plourde spoke Tuesday about the years leading up to the enactment of the state-mandated cap on tax levy increases in 2011.

“In the years running up to the tax cap, we had members of the board of education, who are no longer here, whose view was basically that anytime a school district put a little money in the bank, that was akin to theft,” Plourde said. “So they turned the district’s piggy bank upside down and shook it.”

Plourde also spoke about state laws that incentivize school district residents to vote against budgets that pierce the tax levy increase cap as well as limits on unassigned fund balance.

“It’s a little frustrating that every place we try to look to head off a problem, to prevent the day where we are going to have to make deep and painful cuts in program — like we’ve had to do in the past when we’ve had budget crises — every time we try to put a little money away or to do something to head off a crisis like that, we are thwarted by the state of New York,” she said.

The adopted budget will distribute money received from the restoration of the Gap Elimination Adjustment to one-time expenditures for 2016-17, rather than using it on programs that require yearly funding. Those expenditures include elementary and secondary staff development for teachers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum and investment in materials to help that development.

The board of education voted to close one of the district’s eight elementary schools for the 2017-18 school year as a cost-saving method in February. Parents against the closure spoke during the meeting in the hopes of convincing the board of education to reverse that decision in light of the unexpected spike in state aid for 2016-17. District administration and members of the board of education gave no indication that they would reconsider the closure.

The vote to approve the 2016-17 adopted budget is on May 17.

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Spring has arrived!: Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths were in full bloom outside the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook last weekend. Photo by Heidi Sutton

After a long, cold winter that has spilled into April, it’s finally time to go outside. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization will host its annual Spring Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 16, at the Stony Brook Village Center for anyone who wants to get some sun and stretch his or her legs to shake off the hibernation of winter.

“There’s a lot going on,” Marie Gilberti, communications manager for the Ward Melville Heritage Organization said in an interview last week. “We look forward once again to hosting this great day out in our beautiful village.”

The festivities, which begin at noon, will feature live music from the band Burke and Brenda (blues, country and Americana), a petting zoo from Rocking Horse Farm, animals up for adoption from ARF (Animal Rescue Fund) of the Hamptons, balloon artist Thoroughly Modern Lilly and radio station WALK-FM featuring Walkie Bear. There will also be a student art show titled Spring Into Art!, featuring artwork from students in the Three Village school district, in the Educational & Cultural Center and a kids craft area run by the WMHO Youth Corps.

The Stony Brook Village Center also features seven restaurants and over 30 stores including a cheese shop, wine store and gift and clothing boutiques that will be offering sales and specials during the event. Gilberti said that the organization is expecting “hundreds” to attend the events.

In addition, The Jazz Loft, which is located across from the Village Center at 275 Christian Ave., will be offering a sneak preview from 2 to 5 p.m. ahead of its official grand opening, which is slated for some time in May. The 6,000-square-foot, two-floor space will feature live music on both floors, as well as countless pieces of jazz memorabilia, instruments used by jazz legends, autographed pictures, original sheet music and much more. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Spring Appreciation Day will include a sneak preview of the Jazz Loft with live music throughout the day. Photo courtesy of The Jazz Loft
Spring Appreciation Day will include a sneak preview of the Jazz Loft with live music throughout the day. Photo courtesy of The Jazz Loft

“We just want the people to enjoy the subject of jazz,” Gloria Rocchio, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s president said in a recent interview. “It is America’s art form. It was fading but with folks like [Jazz Loft president and founder] Tom Manuel there’s a revival in the interest. We’re excited to see people’s faces.”

Reached by phone, Manuel, who will be hosting the event, said that he hopes The Jazz Loft can fill a void on Long Island. He said if there are any jazz clubs or museums dedicated to preserving jazz memorabilia left on Long Island he’s not aware of them. His plan is to accomplish both of those goals. During his years as a jazz historian, music educator and trumpet player, Manuel has amassed about 10,000 pieces of jazz-related history. Rocchio estimated that about 50 percent will be on display at a given time, though the pieces will be rotated.

According to the WMHO’s website, donations to the collections continue to pour in and include a gold-plated trumpet belonging to Ernie Royal, an original script sent to Royal from Louis Armstrong for a planned Broadway show and Milt Hinton’s complete music studio.

“It is extraordinary in there,” Rocchio said about the building, which was constructed in 1909 as a firehouse and was expanded in the 1940s by Ward Melville. Rocchio said the floors are 75 years old yet look brand new. “It is a ‘wow,’” Rocchio said about walking into the Jazz Loft.

Manuel said that he envisions the new venue as being a haven for jazz lovers, and even surviving family members of early jazz musicians looking to reconnect with the art of their loved ones. Manuel said the last few posts on Facebook about the event garnered around 1,500 responses.

“This has been my dream for such a long time,” Manuel said. “The place will definitely be alive with the sound of jazz.”

Admission to the sneak peak at The Jazz Loft is $7 per person, children under 12 free; all other Spring Appreciation Day events are free of charge. For more information, call 631-751-2244 or visit www.wmho.org.

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New York Islanders forward Clark Gillies delivers the eulogy at a Mass celebrating Al Arbour’s life April 8, 2061, at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Huntington. Photo by Alex Petroski

Huntington residents had the chance to say goodbye to an unforgettable champion.

On Friday, April 8, New York Islanders fans and former players gathered at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Huntington for a Mass celebrating the life of Al Arbour, the team’s late head coach who led the team to four straight Stanley Cup Championships starting in 1980. The Islanders are the only American team to ever do so in the National Hockey League.

The 19-year coach, a former Cold Spring Harbor resident, died in August at 82 years old. He and his family were members at the Church of St. Patrick in Huntington for more than 30 years.

Many of Islanders’ coach Al Arbour’s friends were in attendance at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Huntington Friday to celebrate his life, including a friend he captured four times—The Stanley Cup. Photo by Alex Petroski
Many of Islanders’ coach Al Arbour’s friends were in attendance at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Huntington Friday to celebrate his life, including a friend he captured four times—The Stanley Cup. Photo by Alex Petroski

Arbour won 119 playoff games with the Islanders, which is an NHL record for most wins by a coach with one franchise. During the 1980s, Arbour led the Islanders to 19 straight playoff series wins, which is still a record for all of North American professional sports. He was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame in 1996.

“Al was a man of respect, integrity and honesty,” said Joe McMahon, the team’s equipment manager and one of the organizers of the week’s events, during a phone interview Thursday. “He had a massive impact on the community. For kids that are playing hockey now on Long Island, I don’t know if you’d even be playing hockey on Long Island if it wasn’t for Al. Who knows if hockey would have survived on Long Island.”

Some Islander greats, including Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom, Denis Potvin, Chico Resch and Pat LaFontaine, attended the Mass. McMahon said he and other alumni chose April 7 and 8 for the events because playoff time was very special to Arbour, and the Islanders-Rangers game at Madison Square Garden Thursday night presented a perfect opportunity for fans and alumni to come together to remember the legendary coach while watching the game.

Former Islanders’ goaltender Glenn “Chico” Resch, who played on the team from 1973 to 1981, called Arbour kind, merciful, patient and full of humility.

“Al certainly wasn’t perfect, but in my life, he had the greatest impact, and it was because of those qualities that we loved our beloved coach so much,” Resch said during the Mass, struggling to fight back tears.

Gillies, who was elected into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2002 and played under Arbour for more than a decade and was a key contributor in all four Stanley Cup seasons, delivered the eulogy Friday. After sharing stories and laughs about his time spent with Arbour, Gillies read from a poem.

“I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend,” Gillies read. “He referred to the dates on his tombstone that dated from the beginning to the end. He noted that first came the date of his birth, and he spoke of the following date with tears. But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years,” Gillies continued.

“Al, thank you for letting me share your dash,” Gillies said at the conclusion of the poem.

The Mass came on the heels of a celebration Thursday at the Fox Hollow Inn in Woodbury that included dinner, cocktails, appearances by current and former Islanders players and televisions broadcasting the Islanders 4-1 victory over the Rangers. Panel discussions hosted by Islanders broadcaster Jiggs McDonald carried on between periods of the game.

All net proceeds raised by the events were donated to the Al Arbour Fund, which benefits dementia research. McMahon said dementia contributed to Arbour’s death.

The Islanders concluded a successful regular season in their first year playing at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center, after 43 years at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale. The team will start a playoff run for their elusive fifth Stanley Cup this week.

“We lost a legend,” McMahon said.

Anyone interested in making donations should visit www.AlArbour.com.

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Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. File photo

At least one Suffolk County legislator believes that money in politics can be linked to corruption in local government, though he said he’s yet to gain any support from other lawmakers.

Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) introduced a bill in March that would limit donations to $2,000 per election cycle to elected officials running for office from contractors and public employee unions that do business with the county. The bill would limit the hundreds of businesses and unions that have contracts for services with the county. A full list of contracts can be found on Suffolk County’s website.

“It is not uncommon for people and organizations doing business with Suffolk County to make donations to the political campaigns of county officials and candidates seeking county office,” Trotta said in press release on March 23. “Such contributions can be interpreted by the public as a ‘pay to play’ that results in government contracts being awarded on the basis of connections and contributions.”

Trotta said in a phone interview Monday that he hoped to gain support from other legislators, though so far he hasn’t gotten any.

“This bill is the first step in trying to clean up the cesspool that is county government,” Trotta said. “Anybody who says the money doesn’t affect them, they’re lying.”

Trotta said the indictment and guilty plea of former Suffolk County Chief of Police James Burke is an example that a lack of oversight on county government has allowed corruption to run rampant. Trotta was a member of the Suffolk County Police Department for 25 years, according to his page on the county’s website.

Trotta also referenced Edward Walsh, the Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman, who was found guilty of defrauding the Sheriff’s Office on March 31. Walsh could be sentenced to up to 30 years in jail, according to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

“I’m trying to take the money out of politics,” Trotta said. “Clearly, there’s a conflict there. This is why you’re seeing all of this corruption.”

Trotta said the unanimous county Legislature vote to approve the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association contract in October 2012 was another example of potential corruption. He said he introduced a bill shortly thereafter that would shine more light on county organizations like the police department, though it didn’t gain any traction.

“It makes no logical sense that there is no oversight,” Trotta said.

The Suffolk County PBA and a media representative for County Executive Steve Bellone (D) did not respond to requests for comment.

Trotta said he did not pour money into his own campaign to get elected to represent the 13th legislative district in 2013. He said he does not accept donations from unions, and the largest donation that he has received was about $2,500 from a friend.

“I have to thank my constituents for giving me the ability to do this,” Trotta said. He added that he is fortunate to be from a strong, well-versed community who elected him despite his modest campaign spending.

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