CLOSE

Monthly Archives: July 2016

by -
0 1680
FIle photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a Smithtown man on Friday morning for driving without an interlock device and without a license after he was pulled over for speeding on the Long Island Expressway in Farmingville.

Highway Patrol Bureau Police Officer Howard Dwyer, who was on patrol as part of the Selective Intensified Traffic Enforcement team, was driving on the west Long Island Expressway, east of exit 62, when he saw a Anthony Cook, 30,  in a 2008 Chevrolet drive past his vehicle at a high rate of speed without break lights at about 8 a.m.

Officer Dwyer pulled the vehicle over and it was later determined Cook’s license had been revoked seven times. The driver was charged with operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle for failure to pay child support and was issued several summonses including one for speeding.

Cook, a Smithtown resident was released on bail, according to police.

by -
0 121
Porta-potties are located outside the locked bathroom facilities at the popular Stony Brook beach.Photo by Rebecca Anzel

By Rebecca Anzel

The absence of functioning public bathroom facilities has caused a problem at a popular Stony Brook beach.

Because the health department does not permit swimming where there are no restrooms, there will be no lifeguards on duty this season, town spokesman Jack Krieger said.

A recently added sign warns beachgoers to swim at their own risk, due to the lack of lifeguards.

Stony Brook Beach is crowded in the summer with families, children and dogs, village resident Nicole Mullen said. She goes to this beach on Sand Street four to five times a week.

Now that the bathrooms are closed, though, she said some beachgoers are less than thrilled.

Mullen said she is lucky to live nearby, but for the typical folks that frequent the beach, the nearest public bathroom is in Fratelli’s Italian Eatery — about a 10-minute walk away.

“It feels like the town put so much money into West Meadow Beach, upgrading it, and they cut back here,” — Nicole Mullen

The Town of Brookhaven did not open the bathrooms at Stony Brook Beach, which is commonly referred to as Sand Street beach by residents, because findings in an engineer’s report commissioned by the town found structural and plumbing issues with the 50-year-old building, said town spokesman Kevin Molloy. The beach will remain open all summer, albeit without lifeguards.

“I have been working with the Parks Department to address the issues with the bathroom facilities at Stony Brook Beach as it is of great importance for our community to have access to our beautiful Town beaches,” Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) said in an email. “I have, and will continue to, explore the options for reinstating lifeguards with [Brookhaven parks commissioner] Morris.”

The Town placed two porta-potties outside the existing, closed bathroom structure, Cartright added. Though Mullen said the town does not clean them.

It is unclear when the beach’s restrooms will be renovated. Molloy said the estimated cost of the work is a minimum of $400,000. Parks Commissioner Ed Morris is just beginning the budget process for 2017.

“It feels like the town put so much money into West Meadow Beach, upgrading it, and they cut back here,” Mullen said. She added that the restrooms look the same now as they did when she worked at Stony Brook Beach in the 1980s.

Her friend Michelle Roach agreed. “This beach is a little hidden treasure,” she said, adding that she prefers Stony Brook Beach because it is free to park in its lot. There is a $5 charge to park at West Meadow Beach, which is about 3.5 miles away.

“Moving forward, I will continue to work with Parks to address repairs to the bathrooms with the expectation that they will be opened as soon as possible,” Cartright said in an email.

by -
0 133
Boats cover Northport Harbor during last year’s event.Photo from Bob Slingo

Centerport Yacht Club will be hosting the second annual Let’s Take a Veteran Sailing event on Saturday, July 30. The event was created by SailAhead, a nonprofit organization that works to support and heal wounded veterans.

Sailboats will come from near and far to join the fleet of 45 boats. With the support of American Legion Greenlawn Post 1244, 140 registered veterans, mostly from Long Island, will attend this event. The purposes of the event is to spread post-traumatic stress disorder awareness throughout the community, as well as spread awareness of the SailAhead program so that more wounded veterans can be helped.

The sailing event will last four hours and the flotilla will sail on the Long Island Sound.

by -
0 97
Kids signed up for Summer Youth Connection, a free summer camp hosted by Huntington along with other groups and nonprofits. Photo by A.J. Carter

Huntington Town is kicking off its second year of the Summer Youth Connection, a variety of free educational and recreational activities for kids in the community.

Started last year by Councilwoman Tracey Edwards (D), the camp runs five evenings a week through Aug. 19

More than 200 teenagers participated last year, and this summer Edwards said she is hoping to reach at least 300 kids enrolled. This camp is presented in conjunction with Suffolk County and a multitude of corporate, not-for-profit partners and volunteers.

“Summer Youth Connection is a remarkable cooperative effort encompassing government, not-for-profit groups, companies and community volunteers to help keep our youth engaged in positive activities during what could be a long, hot summer,” Edwards said at the opening ceremony last week. “I thank all of the participating groups and individuals, with a special thank you to the South Huntington school district for hosting us.”

The summer camp offers programs spanning from basketball and golf to creative writing, photography and robotics.

“Summer Youth Connection is a remarkable cooperative effort encompassing government, not-for-profit groups, companies and community volunteers”
— Tracey Edwards

Councilwoman Susan Berland (D) encouraged the kids to try an activity that is new to them.

“You are going to have so much fun,” she said to the kids at the event. “My suggestion is to take a class of something you have never done before, so that way you can learn something new, and it will be a great and exciting experience for you.”

The camp runs from 5 to 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. Fridays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. are reserved for special needs youth sport activities.

Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) said he saw countless happy faces at last year’s program.

“Not every kid wants to go to camp,” he said. “They want to be in their neighborhoods. They want to be here and enjoy what we have to offer. I was here last summer. Everybody had a happy smile. Everybody was involved. Everybody was trying new things. We look forward to another great summer this year.”

Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) said at the event that the unity and the excitement shown in the kids participating in the camp is a crucial part of a successful community.

“You are our most precious resource,” he said. “We are invested in you. This has been an extremely tough week in this country, when we look at the violence and hate and the things that try to divide us. But this room is an example of what is great about this country.”

by -
0 157
Author Robert Borneman. Photo by Joyce Borneman

By Rita J. Egan

Many in Suffolk County know Robert Borneman and his wife Joy as the owners of Diamond Jewelers in Port Jefferson and Centereach. Now the jewelry store owner can add author to his list of credentials with his self-published book, “Barter Your Way to Greater Wealth: Increase Your Income, Improve Your Lifestyle.” Borneman said he was planning to write a book for a long time, and with his 60th birthday on the horizon, this year was a perfect one to meet this goal. The eastern Long Island resident said the experience was an educational one for him when it came to both writing and publishing. “Barter Your Way to Greater Wealth” is full of informative tips on how one can be successful in bartering as well as advice on how to avoid pitfalls. Presented in an easy-to-read format, anyone interested in how to use his or her talents as currency will benefit. Recently, the author took time out from his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his experiences with bartering as well as writing his first book.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

I started selling jewelry from a costume jewelry kit in 1977 that cost $40, which I borrowed from my mom. Since then, with help from my family, my wife and I have grown the jewelry business into a multi-million-dollar conglomerate of jewelry stores, real estate investments, film productions and most recently an investment in a local Port Jefferson Restaurant, The Arden. I began making independent films in 2009 as an executive producer and writer (“Snapshot,” “Rock Story,” “The Life Zone,” “The Great Fight” and others). I also set aside substantial time to do volunteer work and have supported the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Fund serving as the treasurer for many years in addition to other charitable endeavors. I have been a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1996.

Barter Your WayHow did you get involved in bartering?

A customer in one of my jewelry stores suggested I look into it. He said it helped him build his business and was worth looking into, so I did, and I joined the exchange he recommended. Since then I’ve joined several trade exchanges and bartered millions of dollars in products and services.

Why did you decide to share your tips?

I have a strong desire to improve the lives of others, and I‘ve accomplished this in many different ways. Giving through writing is just another way of sharing the wealth of information I have accumulated in 38 years of operating businesses. The bartering I have done has improved my lifestyle so much that I think others can benefit from the experience and recommendations I have to share.

You write in the book that sometimes bartering can go wrong. What do you suggest to ensure things go smoothly?

As I outline in great detail within this book, working with a reputable trade exchange removes much of the risk and angst you might otherwise encounter when bartering. Having a third party manage bartering transactions ensures you get paid while offering a myriad of resources and products that you can barter for. If you’re trading on your own, developing relationships over time and dealing with people you know will minimize potential problems.

What was your most successful bartering transaction?

I purchased a two-family home in the Village of Patchogue by bartering a significant down payment with the seller. I then bartered for the repairs and improvements that were needed to maximize the home’s value. After holding the house for a few years, collecting the cash rental income, I sold the house. The sale transaction was for all cash, resulting in a significant windfall, which I parlayed into my next investment.

Your book is full of tips. Do you have a few favorite ones?

Be goal oriented, know what you hope to accomplish by trading and only make trades that help you achieve your goals. Use bartering to create cash flow and make trades that allow you to keep more cash in your pocket. Trade unproductive assets, products and your spare time for the things you need or want in life.

How did you balance running your business, Diamond Jewelers, and writing this book?

Writing time is easier to manage than a business because I use time in waiting rooms and while commuting that used to create anxiety for me. I started the book in earnest when I moved to eastern Long Island creating a two-hour commute each way to Manhattan once a week for business. I supplement that with writing in the early morning and late evening hours.

Do you have plans to write another book?

Yes, I’ve already started my next book about real estate investing that focuses on how to buy, rent and manage the American Dream: single-family homes. I may have taken a day or so off, but I think I started the day after I published “Barter Your Way to Greater Wealth.” I have a few more books in me, too. I’d like to write about the odd and funny experiences of 38 years in business, “A Citizen’s Perspective of America,” and then convert some of my screenplays into books.

Those interested in bartering can find “Barter Your Way to Greater Wealth” in paperback and e-book format at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com. For more information on Diamond Jewelers, visit www.diamondjewelersonline.com.

by -
0 1697
Iron is important for exercise motivation and may play a role in peak mental functioning. Stock photo

I believe the most salient teaching point in medical school and beyond was when a professor explained, as it relates to the patient diagnosis, when you hear hooves think horses not zebras. What this means is think of the more common or more likely diseases or disorders in a differential diagnosis rather than the more esoteric or rare diseases. And when a patient presents with fatigue, one of the more common reasons is iron deficiency.

Major causes of low iron are anemia of chronic disease, iron deficiency anemia, sideroblastic anemia and thalassemia. Of these, iron deficiency anemia is the most common. However, there is a much less known, but not uncommon, form of low iron. This is called iron deficiency without anemia. Unlike iron deficiency anemia, the straightforward CBC (complete blood count) that is usually drawn cannot detect this occurrence since the typical indicators, hemoglobin and hematocrit, are not yet affected.

So how do we detect iron deficiency without anemia? Not to despair, since there is a blood test done by major labs called ferritin. What is ferritin? Ferritin is a protein that is involved in iron storage. When ferritin is less than 10 to 15 ng/ml, the diagnosis of iron deficiency is most likely indicated. Even healthy people with ferritin slightly higher than this level may also have iron deficiency (1). The normal range of ferritin is 40-200 ng/ml.

At this point, you should be asking who does low ferritin affect and what are the symptoms? Women and athletes are affected primarily, and low ferritin levels may cause symptoms of fatigue. It is also seen with some chronic diseases such as restless leg syndrome (RLS) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Effect on women

In a prospective (forward-looking) study done in 1993 looking at primary care practices, it was determined that 75 percent of patients complaining of fatigue were women (2). Interestingly, less than 10 percent of these women had abnormal lab results when routine labs were drawn, most probably without a ferritin level. Many of them had experienced these symptoms for at least three months.

There was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the gold standard of studies, that showed women who were suffering from fatigue and low or low-normal ferritin levels (less than 50 ng/ml), but who did not have anemia, benefited from iron supplementation (3). When comparing women with these ferritin levels, many of those who were given 80 mg of oral prolonged release ferrous (iron) sulfate supplements daily saw a significant improvement in their fatigue symptoms when compared to those women who were not given iron. Almost half the women taking iron supplements had a significant improvement in fatigue symptoms. The results were seen in a very short 12-week period. This is nothing to sneeze at, since fatigue is one of main reasons people go to the doctor. Also, although this was a small study, there were 198 women involved, ranging from 18 to 53 years old.

There are caveats to these study results. There was no improvement in depression or anxiety symptoms, nor in overall quality of life. Even though it was blinded, stool changes occur when a patient takes iron. Therefore, the women taking supplements may have known. Nonetheless, the study results imply that physicians should check ferritin level, not only a CBC, when a premenopausal woman complains of fatigue. Note that all of the women in the study were premenopausal. This is important to delineate, since postmenopausal women are at much higher risk of iron overload, rather than deficiency. They are no longer menstruating and therefore do not rid themselves of significant amounts of iron.

Athletes

According to an article in The American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, athletes’ endurance may be affected by iron deficiency without anemia (4). Low ferritin levels are implicated, as in the previous study. Iron is important for exercise motivation and may play a role in peak mental functioning, as reported in “Iron: Nutritional and Physiological Significance.” In animal studies, iron deficiency without anemia is associated with reduction in endurance because of a decrease in oxygen-based enzymatic activity within the cells.

However, this has not been shown definitively in human athletes and remains an interesting, but yet to be proven, hypothesis. Interestingly, female endurance athletes are more likely to be affected by iron deficiency without anemia, which occurs in about 25 percent of this population, according to studies (5). Low ferritin is not seen as much in male athletes. This difference in gender may be due to the fact that women not only menstruate, losing iron on a regular basis, but also their intake of dietary iron seems to be lower (6).

However, male athletes are not immune. At the end of the season for high school runners, 17 percent had iron deficiency without anemia (7). Do not take iron supplements without knowing your levels of hemoglobin and ferritin and without consulting a doctor. Studies are mixed on the benefits of iron supplementation without anemia for athletes.

Impact on restless leg syndrome

Iron deficiency with a ferritin level lower than 50 ng/ml affects approximately 20 percent of patients who suffer from restless leg syndrome (8). Restless leg syndrome, classified as a neurologic movement disorder, causes patients to feel like they need to move their legs, most commonly about a half-hour after going to bed. In a very small study, patients with restless leg syndrome who had ferritin levels lower than 45 ng/ml saw significant improvement in symptoms within eight days with iron supplementation (9).

Before you get too excited, the caveat is that 75 percent of restless leg patients have high ferritin levels. It is impressive in terms of being an easy fix for those who have low ferritin levels. And, it may be that high ferritin levels in RLS has the same symptoms as low ferritin for this is the case when it comes to iodine levels in hypothyroid patients. Iron is a trace mineral, meaning we only need small amounts to maintain proper levels.

Ferritin levels — both high and low — may play a role in a number of diseases and symptoms. If you are suffering from fatigue, a CBC test may not be enough to detect iron deficiency. You may want to suggest checking your ferritin level. Though iron supplementation may help those with symptomatic iron deficiency without anemia, it is very important not to take iron supplements without the direct supervision of your physician.

References: (1) Br J Haematol. 1993;85(4):787-798. (2) BMJ 1993;307:103. (3) CMAJ. 2012;184(11):1247-1254. (4) Am J Lifestyle Med. 2012;6(4):319-327. (5) J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:975–978. (6) J Pediatr. 1989;114:657–663. (7) J Adolesc Health Care. 1987;8:322–326. (8) Am Fam Physician. 2000;62(4):736. (9) Sleep Med. 2012;13(6):732-735. Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

by -
0 1788
Three Village fourth-grade students hear about the carriage shed and about the horse and carriage days during a Founder’s Day program. Photo from Beverly Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

Photographers have been taking pictures of the Caroline Church Carriage Shed in all seasons for many years. Since it was completed in the spring of 1887 at a cost of $273, this simple open building has aged gracefully, becoming more beautiful as the roof took on a natural wave shape that added to its special appeal. In addition, its utilitarian construction of white oak beams, white pine boards, cedar shingles and black locust posts allows us to see the construction methods that date back beyond when the shed was constructed, to the beginnings of our community when our homes, barns and out-buildings were built using these same local materials.

The shed’s seven bays for horses and carriages were funded by Mary Smith, Thomas Hodgkins, Margaret Dickenson and Sarah Dominick, General Francis Spinola, Shepard Jones, Mrs. Frank Norton and William Edwards, local residents who wanted shelter for their horses and carriages. A painted family name board was attached to the rear wall of each stall or bay.

In November of 1892, Thomas Hodgkins, who built the Emma Clark Library for the community in memory of his niece, wrote a note to library trustee Israel Tyler, “It has just occurred to me that my horse shed at the Episcopal Church may be of some use to yourself and family, and as I shall never again have any use for it, I hereby offer it to you as a free gift. Very Truly Yours, Thomas G. Hodgkins.”

Hodgkins died in December 1892 and is buried along the entrance walk in the Caroline Church graveyard. Israel Tyler’s name is still there on shed bay number three.

Barbara Russell, a member of the Caroline Church Historical Committee wrote, “What appears to some as a building that outgrew its original use about 100 years ago is … a rather unique parking place, the vehicles just changed. I always preferred it on rainy Sundays, as I could exit my car and open my umbrella without getting wet. In summer months, my car stayed cool in the shade. Those Victorians knew what they were doing when they planned and built a simple structure to make life a little more pleasant. The sliding windows on the west wall just gave the horses a little air and a view … Horses like to see what is going on around them.

“What does it look like to residents who travel Main Street or Dyke Road, and pass it everyday? What does it look like to a newcomer, maybe shopping for a home in Setauket? What does it look like to a child who sees it for the first time? To know the answers, you will have to ask your friends, your new neighbors, and the seven-year-old who lives down the street. But most important: What does it look like to you?

“Is it a humble structure that reminds you of a simpler life? Life may have been simple, but it wasn’t easy. We can rush through the morning, jump into the car and drive to church in a temperature-controlled car. In 1887, in addition to getting ourselves ready, we would have fed, groomed and harnessed the horse to our carriage. Then we made our way to church, rain or shine, hot or cold.”

In 1991, the church and cemetery, including the carriage shed, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The criteria include age, integrity and significance. The carriage shed, still in its original location, easily meets all of these.

In April, 2016, 450 fourth-grade students from the Three Village Central School District toured Setauket’s original settlement area including the carriage shed. They learned about the shed and about the horses and carriages that were a part of life here for more than 300 years. They also discovered that before the carriage shed was built, a colonial one-room schoolhouse stood on the site. From 1700, until a new school was built in the center of the Setauket Village Green in 1869, all of the children from Setauket, East Setauket and Drowned Meadow (now Port Jefferson) attended school here, including all the local children who later became members of the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring.

Tours of Caroline Church and the churchyard, as well as tours by the Three Village Historical Society include the historic Caroline Church Carriage Shed and speak to the many centuries when horses and carriages were essential to our lives.

Today the carriage shed needs extensive restoration. Caroline Church has hired an architect for plans to restore the shed to its original condition and has applied for grant funding to help offset the cost of restoration. “We believe the 1887 carriage shed, as the 1729 Caroline Church building, are historic parts of the Three Village community,” reported Don Muffly, senior warden at Caroline Church. “We need the community’s financial support as the cost of restoration is beyond the resources of the church alone.” If you can help, please send your tax deductible contribution to Save the Carriage Shed, C/O Caroline Church, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket, NY 11733. For further information call 631-941-4245.

Beverly Tyler is the Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society.

by -
0 1827
Smithtown board of education member Michael Saidens raises his hand as he is sworn into offie. Photo from Jessica Novins.

By Ted Ryan

Change was a popular theme at Smithtown’s board of education meeting July 12. Two new trustees were sworn into office, and the board voted to update the school’s code of conduct regarding strip searches.

Board Members Michael Saidens and Daniel B. Lynch both took the oath after achieving victory at the polls in May.

Both Saidens and Lynch are serving three-year terms that will expire in June 2019.

Lynch, a Nesconset resident, works as a carpenter for the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters, where he does indoor and outdoor commercial construction.

Both he and his wife graduated from Smithtown Central School District and they currently have four sons in the district.

“Smithtown is a wonderful community,” Lynch said in a phone interview. “I want it to be that way for my kids as well.”

To familiarize himself with state of his community’s education system, Lynch has been attending Smithtown board of education meetings regularly for two years before being elected as a trustee.

“I’m absolutely looking forward to being a part of the decision making process, so that all children will get an equal education, while being fiscally responsible,” he said.

Smithtown board of education member Daniel B. Lynch raises his hand as he is sworn into offie. Photo from Jessica Novins.
Smithtown board of education member Daniel B. Lynch is sworn into offie. Photo from Jessica Novins.

Saidens and Lynch were not the only ones claiming their positions; James J. Grossane repeated the same oath of office, renewing his role as superintendent.

A unanimous vote was made to re-elect Christopher Alcure as president of the board of education.

Also re-elected during the board of education meeting was Vice President Joanne McEnroy. She was also unanimously voted to stay on as the second in command.

And after the new administration was settled in, the board voted to change the district’s strip search policy.

The board has been discussing changes to the code of conduct since early June, after members expressed concerns with the policy allowing school officials to conduct strip searches when there is “probable cause to believe that there is an emergency situation that could imminently threaten the safety of the student or others.”

At a June 28 meeting, district attorney Eugene Barnosky said Smithtown does not agree with the current policy.

“We don’t conduct strip searches here … there is an anti-strip search, anti-physical search policy in place,” school district attorney said. “That’s always been the policy of this district, and it’s never been violated.”

The vote to expel that section of the code passed, and the school district officially does not support or adhere to any strip searches among their students by school officials.

by -
0 173
Former Port Jeff Village Historian Robert Sisler leaves behind a lasting impact. File Photo

By Wenhao Ma

Port Jefferson Village mourned the death of its first historian and a proud, devoted community member earlier this month. Robert Sisler died July 2 at the age of 88.

Sisler was a Spanish teacher at Port Jefferson High School from 1953 to 1984 and headed the school’s Foreign Language and Reading departments. He served as a member and eventually became the chairman of the village’s Zoning Board of Appeals. He was also the chairman of the Harbor Committee, a village trustee and the deputy mayor in addition to being the first historian of the village.

“[Sisler] was a constant lover of the village…his love turned into action.” —Nomi Solo

“He was an integral and driving force for exploring, recording and documenting our local history,” Mayor Margot Garant said in an email. “His writings and lifelong work of preserving Port Jefferson will ensure that our children for generations to come will learn about our ship-building heritage, our car-building years and our influence and impact in the American Revolution.”

As a historian, Sisler wrote several books on the early years of Port Jefferson. Topics included shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, moral ethics, the development of radio and television at RCA Radio Central in Rocky Point and other historical articles for TBR News Media.

Jack Smith, historian from the Cumsewogue Historical Society, shared an anecdote about one of his experiences with Sisler. He said he read an article on an automobile factory in Port Jefferson about eight years ago. He then contacted the author, who was Sisler, hoping to invite him to the society’s annual Heritage Day, which is meant to celebrate the history of the community, to give a group of fourth-graders a lecture. Sisler agreed.

“He was always willing to share,” Smith said. He recalled on that day Sisler didn’t just come talk to the kids about the factory, but brought his own old car. “It’s a very generous thing,” he said.

The historical society once received a unit brick from Sisler as donation, according to Smith. The unit brick is different from normal bricks because it’s shaped like the letter “U.”

“We always had a nice relationship,” Smith said. “He’s a very nice man … he knew so many different things about Port Jefferson.”

Sisler’s most recent contribution to Port Jefferson was the restoration of the two centuries-old Roe houses, named for the family of the first settlers in downtown Port Jefferson, according to the village’s historical society. The original owner, businessman Phillip Roe, used his resources to help George Washington pass information in the Culper Spy Ring during the Revolutionary War.

The reason for Sisler to restore historical sites, according to Nomi Solo, who said she had known Sisler since the 1970s, was because it’s better for people to experience the history themselves than to look at the remaining pieces in a museum.

“He was a constant lover of the village,” Solo said. She added that Sisler was instrumental in the construction of the Village Center.

“His love turned into action,” she said. “He was a very, very, very caring individual. It’s a loss for the community.”

by -
0 113
Pete Costa on far left, with last summer’s Rocky Point’s Athletes for All group. Photo from Jean Costa

One Rocky Point couple intends to give kids with disabilities a memorable summer.

It all started with Jenny Andersson’s daughter, 13-year-old Sarah Fabricatore, who has Down syndrome.

Andersson went up to her daughter’s reading teacher, Pete Costa, at the Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point, to talk to him about the lack of athletic programs for students with disabilities — and Costa took it to heart.

As a result, the varsity girls’ soccer coach and his wife Jean take time out of their summers to host Rocky Point Athletes for All, a free, once-a-week, one-hour session of fun-filled sporting events.

Frankie Anzaldi III races to drain water from a sponge into a bucket during a water-themed intermission event. Photo from Frank Anzaldi Jr.
Frankie Anzaldi III races to drain water from a sponge into a bucket during a water-themed intermission event. Photo from Frank Anzaldi Jr.

Costa brought on 10 volunteer athletes from the varsity teams at Rocky Point, and modifies different sport activities for the athletes to partake in.

“We divide the turf in half and have the kids do activities, and halfway through the hour we do a water event and then switch,” he said. “We did a bean bag toss and volleyball, now we’ll do golf and bowling; we just go down there, organize the kids and we play.”

Although the program was created just two years ago, at the end of last summer, parents asked the Costas if they would be hosting it again, so they did. This season, 22 kids signed up.

“I get a lot of positive feedback from the parents and the kids continue to come back every week,” Costa said. “There’s no stress, no winning or losing, just out there playing and having fun. This is an opportunity for them to be on the turf and experience being out there. It’s a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it.”

Those like Sarah have benefited from the program in more ways than one.

“It’s so amazing because she has difficulty in social situations,” Andersson said of her daughter. “Sometimes she shuts down and won’t participate, but Mr. Costa is an amazing person and got older kids involved. That collaboration — she feels safe with them. She won’t even participate in school in gym. [But this is] a positive atmosphere. Mr. Costa is a really special guy who creates such a special and fun environment for the kids.”

For others like Frank Anzaldi Jr., whose son Frankie Anzaldi III has been with the program since its inception, and is also a part of the TOPS soccer program, the Costa family has made a world of a difference in their lives.

“As a parent you just want to see your kids happy and to see them out there running around and having fun, it’s really great,” he said. “A lot of these kids face challenges every day and they struggle, but they’re all nonjudgmental and it’s so much fun. Frankie looks forward to it every week.”

An athlete leaps into a sandpit during one of last year's Athletes for All events. Photo from Jean Costa
An athlete leaps into a sandpit during one of last year’s Athletes for All events. Photo from Jean Costa

Anzaldi Jr. said he enjoys seeing how the children with disabilities put the volunteers’ lives in perspective, while the older kids help those with disabilities communicate.

“It’s nice to see them all interact,” he said.

For Andersson, she’s just happy that the district heard the voices of parents like her at board of education meetings, and found a way to help.

“He heard us telling our administrators we would like something for our kids to do,” she said of Costa. “As they get older it’s harder to get involved. They’re making a huge difference for these kids. You don’t get to see potential without opportunity, and the Costa family are truly amazing people because they showed that potential by giving the kids opportunity.”

Even son Peter Costa gets involved. The 20-year-old starts off each week with a round of Simon Says, which is a favorite part of the hour’s activities for some of the athletes.

After Wednesday’s session, which runs from 5:30-6:30 p.m., there are still three more weeks left for locals to come down. Residents can sign up through the community education flyer on the Rocky Point website, and find out more about the program on Costa’s eBoard.

“It pulled her out of her funk,” Andersson said of how Athletes for All has affected her daughter. “They are so respectful of who each child is, and don’t try to change the kids. We’re just super grateful. I love watching Sarah play, have a great time, truly enjoy it and feel respected as a person. The Costas created such a special and fun environment, and are making a huge difference in these children’s lives.”

Prev1...456...16Next Page 5 of 16
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©