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Huntington repeals pregnancy termination facility code provision

by Rita J. Egan - October 26, 2022

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Huntington-Town-Hall-Main-street_082720_Lina-Weingarten — File photo by Lina Weingarten

The Town of Huntington board repealed an old code, Chapter 155, at its Oct. 19 meeting that limited pregnancy terminations to hospitals.

The law was adopted Dec. 8, 1970, and the regulation required “justifiable abortion acts, as defined in the Penal Law of New York State, shall be performed only in a hospital duly licensed and accredited under the New York State Department of Health and having equipment and facilities acceptable to the State Hospital Review and Planning Council.”

Chapter 155 allowed the town to order a cease and desist to a facility that was not authorized and permitted by the town to perform the procedure. The misdemeanor also carried a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 15 days. However, due to the practice of medicine being within the authority of the NYSDOH, the law was never enforced.

At the Oct. 19 board meeting, Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D), who sponsored the measure, said she had the support of her colleagues.

“This is a violation of New York State law,” she said.

She added similar laws had been struck down in Hempstead [in 1972] as the law is unenforceable due to towns and villages not having police power to regulate police procedures.

“This has been a moot law on the books that is 52 years overdue to be removed because it has no effect at all, no matter what the laws of the land are, this law has no powers,” Cergol said. “It’s a paper tiger.”

The board held a public hearing on the motion. While some speakers gave their opinions as to why the code should remain on the books or not, a few used the opportunity to share their beliefs on abortion.

Among the speakers were representatives from the League of Women Voters who were on hand to support the repeal of the code.

Michael Lobasso asked the council members to remember “the spirit and intent” of the Town Board when the law was established. He said the board in 1970 had the foresight to choose a hospital as the safest place to have an abortion. Lobasso asked the current Town Board to ask themselves what is their intent and if they want to promote abortion procedures in any part of the town, and what precautionary procedures will they request of facilities. He asked the members to reconsider.

A mother carrying her baby was the last to come up to the microphone. She said it was great to repeal the “archaic” law, while it may not have a direct impact now due to state laws but could in the future. She said a few years ago when she had pregnancy complications, she was unable to access care in Huntington. She was told to go to Stony Brook University Hospital or Manhasset, which she said was costly and emotionally difficult.

The board voted unanimously to repeal the law.

In a statement released after the board meeting, Cergol said, “I am proud to join other local municipalities on Long Island to repeal outdated regulations on where a woman can choose to terminate her pregnancy. The state judiciary and Legislature have made it clear: The Town of Huntington does not have the authority to regulate this issue.”

Elected officials, cultural arts organization celebrate St. James park, look toward future

by Rita J. Egan - October 20, 2022

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St. James residents had a new park to visit along Lake Avenue this summer. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, elected officials, members of Celebrate St. James, donors and residents came together at Celebrate Park for an official dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Oct. 18 marked the official dedication of Celebrate Park in St. James. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The park sits where the Irish Viking pub was once located. The establishment had been closed for nearly a decade when Town of Smithtown officials considered tearing it down to make way for a park and municipal parking lot. When the bar was put up on a tax lien, the town worked with Suffolk County to acquire it through an intergovernmental contract.

Volunteers from the cultural arts organization Celebrate St. James worked with elected officials during the design and construction of the park, including soliciting donations for the brick walkways that feature stones embossed with local families’ names and special messages from residents.

In November 2020, Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R), other elected officials and members of the community broke ground and officially unveiled the plans for the park. On Oct. 18, among those Wehrheim thanked was Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) for his part in making the park happen. Bellone was unable to be in attendance due to dealing with the recent county cyberattack issues. The town supervisor said everyone had a part in making the park a reality.

“This day marks completion of the third and final phase of the revitalization efforts in St. James,” Wehrheim said, adding that the town is working on a connection to the sewer line installed under Lake Avenue a few years ago.

The town supervisor said before he took office in 2017, he had counted 33 vacant storefronts on Lake — now there are less than a handful. With more people strolling the street, kids riding their bikes, the park and more, he compared it to a Norman Rockwell picture.

“Today we can see what can happen when a community, the good people who call it home and local levels of government all work together as one,” he said. “Today we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor and officially welcome the people of this great town to Celebrate Park.”

“Today we can see what can happen when a community, the good people who call it home and local levels of government all work together as one.”

— Ed Wehrheim

Wehrheim credited the Celebrate St. James volunteers, especially former president Natalie Weinstein and current president Patricia Clark, for being a big part of the process.

Weinstein said the park came to fruition due to an “unusual administration and an unusual group of volunteers.”

“Both embody the vision of economic revitalization,” she said. “Both are committed to progress, and both attract the talent and cooperation of some pretty amazing people.”

Weinstein also credited St. James residents due to their “generous donations of dollars, service and talents.”

“We know St. James has always been a special place,” the resident of nearly 50 years said. “This little sleepy hamlet of Smithtown has a history worth sharing and perpetuating. It has been home to a famous architect [Stanford White], a New York City mayor [William Gaynor], countless vaudevillians and many hardworking people who, in good times and bad, helped their neighbors.”

Weinstein said the park was aptly named by the town’s public information officer Nicole Garguilo, a lifelong resident of St. James.

“Today we cut a ribbon to symbolically and actually turn a vision into reality, taking an eyesore in our community and transforming it into a place of pride for all, now and in the future,” Weinstein said.

Clark said in 2017, every time she drove through Lake Avenue and other parts of town and see so many empty storefronts, she thought, “This place is dying.” Later she discovered Weinstein and Celebrate St. James vice presidents Arline Goldstein and Jack Ader had noticed the same as she did and approached town officials to see how they could help revitalize St. James.

She said in addition to working on the park, Celebrate St. James aims to turn the former Calderone theater on Second Avenue into the St. James Community Cultural Arts Center.

“Today, we see our dream of this park become reality, and now we at Celebrate are once again on the verge of a community endeavor of unique proportions,” Clark said. “Once again it is time to come together to plan for the future for our children, for our seniors and for ourselves. Now is the time to preserve and cherish the past on which we build a future to serve the town for generations to come.”

Stony Brook’s Hercules gets renewed vigor

by Rita J. Egan - October 20, 2022

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Hercules-renovation-wmho — Elected officials, Ward Melville Heritage Organization board members and philanthropists Harlan and Olivia Fischer announced the restoration of Stony Brook’s Hercules. Photo from WMHO;

A Long Island landmark is looking more vibrant.

The Hercules figurehead near Stony Brook Harbor. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization debuted the restored Hercules figurehead at a press conference on Oct. 14. Recently, philanthropists Harlan and Olivia Fischer, of Head of the Harbor, noticed the figurehead needed restoration and decided to sponsor its renovation.

WMHO board members thanked the Fischers and the work crew from ART of NYC & Long Island who restored the piece located in the Hercules Pavilion overlooking Stony Brook Harbor, across from the Village Center. The Holbrook-based company was retained for the restoration, which included cleaning, sanding and replastering before repairing, painting and varnishing the landmark.

Richard Rugen, WMHO chairman, said, “It’s a work in progress, but [the Fischers] are actually going to take care of the rest of the pavilion as well.”

Additional work will be done on the weather-beaten pavilion in the near future, including roof work and painting.

Harlan Fischer, president of Branch Financial Services, moved his offices from Smithtown to Setauket in 2020. Every day he passes through the village on his way to work and back, he said, and appreciates how lovely Stony Brook village is. He asked WMHO president Gloria Rocchio if she thought the renovation would be a worthwhile project, and she agreed.

“When we make contributions to places, we like to see the results of it,” he said. The Fischers are also donors to The Jazz Loft and sponsor a monthly concert series at the music venue and museum.

The full-color Hercules carving, located in Stony Brook since 1951, features the head and shoulders of the Greek demigod — known for his exceptional strength — draped in a lion’s skin. The bust was once the USS Ohio’s figurehead. The ship was the first to be launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1820.

Rugen said the figurehead was saved when the ship was decommissioned, destroyed and sunk in Greenport Harbor in 1884. It was bought by the Aldrich family of Aquebogue for $10 at the time, and from the late 1800s until the early 1950s it sat at the Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays after the owner, Miles Carpenter, purchased it for $15. Ward Melville bought it from the inn to be placed in Stony Brook.

Brenda Sinclair Berntson, president of Hampton Bays Historical Society, said when Hercules was located at the inn, it was popular for young women to kiss his forehead, believing that the person would be married within the year.

She said the figurehead wasn’t in the best condition, rotting and termite-ridden when it was brought to Stony Brook.

“We’re very glad that Ward Melville had the foresight and saved it,” she said.

Danielle Parisi, business development manager of ART of NYC & Long Island, said as someone who grew up and still lives in Stony Brook, it was an honor to work on the project. Parisi’s co-worker, art restorer Jessie Kefalas, said in walking by the figurehead in the past it was obvious something needed to be done. There was significant damage including the rotting of the chest of Hercules, which is constructed of plaster and wood.

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) was also in attendance and commented on the efforts.

“We’ve seen projects like this before, and so often it’s because of the community spirit of ordinary residents who love where they live or business people who reinvest in their community,” he said.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) called WMHO “one of the custodians of our heritage.”

He added that places such as the pavilion are in danger due to rising sea levels brought on by climate change, and the spot around the structure has experienced flooding after significant rain events. In the future, he said, the Hercules Pavilion could possibly be raised to protect it further, and when such a plan comes to fruition he pledged a $125,000 matching state grant to help with the costs.

Cooking for Long Island Veterans holds inaugural 5K at Blydenburgh

by Rita J. Egan - October 14, 2022

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The Stony Brook-based nonprofit Cooking for Long Island Veterans held its first 5K race at Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown on Sunday, Oct. 9.

A few dozen runners, including volunteers with Cooking for Long Island Veterans, took to the park’s paths to help raise money for the organization. The goal is to raise funds for expenses and a possible future expansion.

On hand to cheer on the runners were nonprofit founder Rena Sylvester, Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy and county Comptroller John Kennedy.

Keith Masso, upper center photo, was the overall winner of the race, and Alison Briggs, upper right photo, was the first woman over the finishing line.

For more information about Cooking for Long Island Veterans and upcoming events, visit cooking4livets.com.

Short-term inclement weather can affect moods

by Rita J. Egan - October 14, 2022

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Cloudy-day_stock-image — Stock image from Metro

October began on a somber note with several days of rain, cloudy weather and blustery winds. For many people, short-term inclement weather can lead to lethargy and depressed moods.

Dr. Veronique Deutsch-Anzalone, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, is a clinical psychologist who has researched the weather’s effect on people. The doctor said the first thing many think of regarding lousy weather and mental health is seasonal affective disorder, more commonly known as SAD. Deutsch-Anzalone said SAD is not technically considered a disorder anymore in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” but now what patients are diagnosed with is depression with a seasonal pattern. She added seasonal pattern is considered a specifier.

“Why not just throw on some raincoats and galoshes, go out and just jump around in the puddles and make those mud pies with them. They’re going to remember that and enjoy it.”

— Dr. Veronique Deutsch-Anzalone

“There are actually a lot of conflicting views on whether or not the lack of sun and the increase in cold and darkness causes us to have a depressed mood,” she said, adding that a 2016 study showed no objective data to support that depression is related to either latitude or season or sunlight. The doctor added that some people get depressed only in the summer.

However, due to many having depression that tends to follow a seasonal pattern, the disorder of depression with a seasonal pattern remains in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.”

She said similar symptoms that people feel in the winter could be experienced even during short-term weather patterns, such as the recent period of rain, as lack of sunlight has been a factor in psychiatric problems and depression, with females and the elderly being particularly susceptible.

There are a few reasons, the doctor said, that support cloudy, rainy days being accompanied by depressed moods which involves serotonin, a body chemical that has to do with body functions; and melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.

“We have our circadian rhythms where we’re programmed to be alert when the sun is up and be drowsy when it’s gone, and that is because when the sun goes down our bodies produce melatonin,” she said.

On darker days, the body produces less serotonin. On sunnier days, more serotonin is made, and it’s a neurotransmitter, Deutsch-Anzalone said. She added, on a cloudy day, people tend to keep the lights low in their homes and cuddle up on the couch to watch TV, which increases sleepiness. In turn, she said, a person may crave carbohydrates, sugar and salt.

“Unfortunately, when we turn to that kind of food that actually kind of makes us go into more of a slump, and can also cause some people to feel guilty and not very happy with themselves,” the doctor said.

Comfort foods raise serotonin but only briefly, Deutsch-Anzalone said. The best approach is eating healthy and drinking water. The doctor also advised against excess alcohol and caffeine intake, which can cause inflammation and dehydration.

She added an increase in aches and pains during stormy weather also doesn’t help matters. The drop in atmospheric pressure causes body fluids to move from the blood vessels to the tissues, creating more pressure on nerves and joints.

“That can lead to more increased pain or stiffness or reduced mobility, which then of course, makes us a little bit less likely to want to move,” she said.

She said on gloomy days, it can help to turn the lights on inside to increase serotonin and have more energy. Deutsch-Anzalone added some people might need a light therapy lamp or doctors may prescribe vitamin D.

She said it also helps to engage in enjoyable activities to lift one’s spirits. When a person is feeling down and can’t even think of pleasant activities, she suggests googling to find a list of things to do. Some, the doctor added, might be ones a patient hasn’t thought of, such as picking up an instrument, writing poetry or decorating a room. Exercise is also recommended as well as socializing or calling a friend.

Even in the rain, she suggested embracing nature, especially for people who have young children.

“Why not just throw on some raincoats and galoshes, go out and just jump around in the puddles and make those mud pies with them,” she said. “They’re going to remember that and enjoy it.”

Getting a good night’s sleep is also imperative, she said, since human’s circadian rhythms are thrown off when it’s dark outside for long periods of time. Napping and lying around the house most of the day also throws off a person’s sleep schedule.

“If you’re able to keep that good sleep hygiene and get a good night’s sleep, that will continue to give you a good amount of energy throughout the day, and it’ll ward off any sort of irritability.”

Deutsch-Anzalone advises anyone who is struggling with their mental health to seek professional help.

incumbents unseated in Smithtown library trustees election

by Rita J. Egan - October 12, 2022

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Smithtown residents voted for three library board trustees and the 2023 library budget on Oct. 11.

Voters chose from 15 candidates which was the most since Smithtown residents voted for an independent library district more than 20 years ago, according to library director Robert Lusak. In 2001, 20 candidates were running for seven seats.

This year, incumbents Joseph Gregurich and Anita Dowd-Neufeld were among the candidates. Current trustee Marie Gergenti, whose term expires at the end of the year, decided not to run again.

Both Gregurich and Dowd-Neufeld lost their seats as residents voted Annette Galarza (1,819), Mildred Bernstein (1,746) and Howard Knispel (1,719) to the library board.

The library’s 2023 budget passed, 3,012 to 1,132.

SBU president delivers State of the University 2022 address

by Rita J. Egan - October 12, 2022

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President McInnis Event — Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis delivered the State of the University address on Oct. 12. Photo from SBU

During the latest annual State of the University address held on Oct. 12, Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis gave updates about the latest news and accomplishments at the educational institution in a prepared speech.

Toward the beginning of her address, McInnis quoted from the essay “The Pandemic is a Portal” by novelist and critic Arundhati Roy. The author compared a pandemic to a portal.

“We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”

McInnis said earlier in the pandemic, the university was “in the midst of the pandemic; we were reeling from the effects of long-entrenched budget issues; we were working around the clock to care for our community; we were teaching online; and our staff were stepping up to the plate every day to keep the complex operations of this university running.”

Despite the obstacles COVID-19 brought, she said SBU emerged “as a flagship institution with a renewed commitment to our students’ wellbeing, reinvigorated support for our scholars and research, a stronger and expanded health care enterprise, and several major developments on the horizon —speaks to our university’s ability to adapt and grow. To imagine a better world. To fight for it.”

McInnis told those in attendance that SBU was named a flagship of the SUNY System and just earned its highest ranking from the U.S. News & World Report. The university rated No. 31 for public institutions and No. 1 public in New York state.

The university president said the four-year graduation and six-year graduation rate at SBU increased 18% points and 10 points, respectively, over eight years.

“In addition to these increases, we have nearly eliminated the equity gaps most universities face when it comes to graduation rates for Black, Latinx, underserved and Pell-eligible students,” she said.

The university is committed “to increasing our one-year retention rate to 92% and targeting a six-year graduation rate of 85% by 2030.”

McInnis said the university wants to ensure “that Stony Brook’s campus culture promotes connection” and has reimagined its undergraduate colleges “connecting students across disciplines and fields under global topics.”

One example, the university president said, is the Vertically Integrated Projects Program that was inaugurated three years ago at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The VIP program brings together undergraduates, graduate students and faculty “in multidisciplinary teams to work on real-world projects in research, design and entrepreneurship.” The program has grown from approximately 50 students to more than 500.

McInnis said the partnership between SBU and the Simons Foundation has resulted in the Stony Brook Simons STEM Scholars Program, which aims “to create pathways to successful STEM careers for underrepresented students and increase the diversity of students pursuing doctoral degrees in STEM.”

McInnis said in 2022, for the first time, four SBU junior faculty members earned “the prestigious” Sloan Fellowship. There are also six Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need awards, which helps to support graduate student research.

“We also just learned that the National Science Foundation will be funding three instrumentation proposals for Stony Brook University — marking the first time that all of our proposals submitted to the NSF MRI Program have been successful,” she added.

McInnis said during the address that the College of Business is now fully accredited. The university’s School of Communication and Journalism received the Inaugural Solutions Journalism Hub Designation this year and was one of only four universities to receive it.

She said, in 2022, 14 students received a Fulbright Fellowship, which they will used to fund their international research and teaching.

SBU has made a bid to become the anchor institution for the Governors Island Center for Climate Solutions, McInnis announced. She said if the university is selected it would develop the island “as a hub for climate-change solutions and innovations in New York.”

“Our proposal includes an interactive living lab with green-designed research labs, classrooms and mitigation technologies,” she said. “A Research and Technology Accelerator will nurture new ventures dedicated to solving climate change in New York and beyond, and academic programs will prepare students of all ages for different careers in environmental justice and climate change.”

The president also devoted part of her address to Stony Brook Medicine, which she described as “a differentiator on Long Island and in New York state.” She name-checked many individual students and professors throughout.

Midway through the address, representatives from the Graduate Students Employees Union interrupted the speech to say that they are not paid well. One said, “We deserve a living wage.” After the last person spoke, a few repeatedly shouted, “Living wage now.”

McInnis remained silent and allowed the representatives to speak. When they were done, she returned to her address.

Later that day, SBU officials released a statement that said they “recognize the high cost of living and stipend issues that our graduate students and other employees face here on Long Island.”

“Wages and stipends are negotiated between the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations and the respective bargaining units. The current Graduate Student Employees Union agreement for state graduate assistant and teaching assistant student employees raises salaries and has a total compensation package that includes insurance, pension, paid leave, and a location adjustment among other benefits. This is in addition to tuition scholarships.”

Officials recognized it as a “longstanding issue.”

“At Stony Brook, we have consistently advocated for increases and funding to support such increases,” the statement read. “Additionally, we have increased graduate student employee stipends well above the contractual requirement and recently added to those stipends retroactive to Oct. 1, 2021, so that all State TAs and GAs received an increase proportionate to their appointments.”

The statement listed added support such as “student fee scholarships of up to nearly $1,800 for doctoral and terminal degree students. The university has also made available $1 million in Presidential Completion Awards. These awards provide stipend support and research funds.

McInnis concluded her address by saying, “At Stony Brook University — where our scholarship crosses over the arts, humanities, social sciences, STEM and medicine; where our research extends well past this campus and even beyond New York to countries all over the world; where our legacy has been defined by bravery, creativity and commitment to service — we are working to address the world’s pressing issues.”

Thousands flock to Huntington fall festival

by Rita J. Egan - October 10, 2022

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All photos by Media Origin

For nearly 30 years, the Long Island Fall Festival has welcomed autumn to Huntington during the Columbus Day weekend. This year the event took place Friday, Oct. 7, though Monday, Oct. 10.

The admission-free festival, hosted by Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Huntington, featured carnival rides, live music, beer garden, international food court and more than 300 vendors on Saturday and Sunday.

Two shot outside Rep. Lee Zeldin’s family home

by Rita J. Egan - October 9, 2022

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The 16-year-old twin daughters of U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) called 911 the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 9, after two people were shot outside his home in a drive-by shooting.

Zeldin and his wife, Diana, were returning home from the Bronx Columbus Day Parade in Morris Park, according to a statement from the congressman, when his daughters, who were home in Shirley, heard gunshots and screaming outside at approximately 2:19 p.m.

“After my daughters heard the gunshots and the screaming, they ran upstairs, locked themselves in the bathroom and immediately called 911,” Zeldin said in the statement. “They acted very swiftly and smartly every step of the way, and Diana and I are extremely proud of them.”

Two individuals were shot and laying under Zeldin’s front porch and the bushes in front of his porch.

“My understanding is that they have been transported to area hospitals,” Zeldin said. “I do not know their identities.”

The congressman said he and his family were working with investigators, and he would provide security footage from his home cameras.

“My daughters are shaken, but OK,” he said. “Like so many New Yorkers, crime has literally made its way to our front door. My family is grateful to all who have reached out and we will provide another update when we can.”

Later that day Suffolk County Police Department released a press release about the Shirley shooting. Two teenagers from Mastic and Mastic Beach were injured during the incident, according to SCPD.

Three teenagers were walking on the street “when a dark-colored vehicle went by and an occupant fired multiple gunshots through the vehicle’s window at 2:19 p.m.,” the statement read. “Two 17-year-old males were struck and attempted to hide in the yard of a residence on the street. The third teen fled the scene on foot.”

SCPD said they do not “believe there is any connection between the shooting and the residence” in Shirley.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact 7th Squad Detectives at 631-852-8752 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS (8477). All calls will remain confidential.

Zeldin is the Republican gubernatorial candidate. He marched in the New York City annual Columbus Day Parade on Monday.

This post was updated Oct. 10 to add information from the SCPD.

Ward Melville Patriots tackle heart issues head-on

by Rita J. Egan - October 7, 2022

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Three Village student-athletes got serious about heart health last weekend.

Nearly 400 teenagers attended a cardiovascular screening at Ward Melville High School on Oct. 1, according to Kevin Finnerty, executive director of health, physical education, recreation and athletics.

“Our fall athletic coaches encouraged their teams to attend, and we even had opportunities for all students in our district, ages 12-18, to sign up for this free service,” he said.

Heart Screen New York headed up the program, a joint initiative of Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation and Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation. Both Acompora and Murray died of sudden cardiac arrest during games.

Acompora was 14 when he received a blunt trauma to his chest while a goalie on the Northport field hockey team. The trauma caused commotio cordis, a syndrome that leads to cardiac arrest. His death inspired Louis’ Law, which, since 2001, requires all New York state public schools to be equipped with automatic external defibrillators, known as AEDs, in buildings and sporting events.

Murray was 17 when he collapsed and died on the Farmingdale State College basketball court in 2009. While he received medical clearance to play college sports, a congenital heart defect had gone undetected. The foundation in his honor is committed to expanding CPR/AED training, AED access and heart screenings.

The Oct. 1 cardiovascular screening included a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram that measures the heart’s electrical function. The test is not usually included in children’s and teenagers’ annual physicals. The event also included checking blood pressure and an education table with CPR/AED demonstration.

Volunteering at the high school were 120 cardiologists, medical staff, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nursing students.

“Our CPR/AED education station trained 395 potential life-saving heroes on Saturday,” a statement from Heart Screen New York read. “We know how tiring your job was and we are so proud of how many students received this training.”

Finnerty said the event, and the possibility of the high school hosting it, was brought to his attention last spring by Karen Acompora, Louis’ mother, and Ward Melville student and girls volleyball player Bailee Williams. The student-athlete and her parents, Denise and Billy, helped promote the event and secure sponsors.

“Given the fact that other school districts have unfortunately lost student-athletes to sudden cardiac arrest while playing sports in the past, I knew this was something important and very valuable to our student-athletes and school community,” Finnerty said.

Billy Williams said his daughter knew someone who was involved in the program. She reached out to the foundation last year, but there was only one date available that wouldn’t work out for the high school. He said no games can be scheduled on the day of a screening to allow all student-athletes the opportunity to take part. Last spring, when another school notified Heart Screen New York that it had to cancel their Oct. 1 event, Bailee Williams was advised and she approached Finnerty.

Her father said Three Village school district Superintendent Kevin Scanlon and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), with Finnerty, were helpful in making the event a reality. Williams added his daughter raised $7,500 for the Acompora foundation by reaching out to local businesses for sponsorships, and then selling T-shirts featuring the company’s names for $15 each.

Bailee Williams was pleased with how successful the event turned out.

“I am so grateful I had the support of my friends, the 3V community and school district administrators to bring the heart-screening program to Ward Melville,” she said. “I am thrilled hundreds of students were able to be screened in just one day, and that we raised awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in the student-athlete community.”

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